HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET * RODRIQUEZ

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford -  What a wonderful book. The story takes place in Seattle across generations in 1942 and 1986.  Each character is endearing.  Henry is a young boy in 1942 and a man with a past in 1986.  As with so many well crafted tales, the past and the present must be reconciled, and the reader experiences how that comes to be.  Sheldon and Keiko are also memorable.  The streets of Seattle and the music of the times are as alive as the characters, as is the fact that things change, but life goes on, and memories are sometimes all that's left. 

Rodriguez -  There's a documentary about a singer songwriter named Sixto  Rodriguez who performed in Detroit in the 1970s and who recorded two albums at the time.  Although he faded into obscurity, his music had found its way to South Africa where he was hailed as the voice of Apartheid.  He was living in Detroit, working manual labor jobs, and had no idea that he was popular in a country on the other side of the world.  I've been listening to his wonderful music.  At the same time that its timeless, it takes me back to the 1970s and Detroit, more because I know the place that inspired the words, than because of specific references. Here's a link to my favorite Rodriguez love song:  Silver Words by Sixto Rodriguez
and I'll Slip Away by Rodguez