I came into work today and was greeted with the sad news that Etta James has died at the age of 73. I discovered her music when I was in high school and have remained a loyal fan ever since.
Her personal life was complicated. She survived the music industry, drug addiction and a friendship with Keith Richards who remembers her fondly in his autobiography, Life. She was born to a 14 year-old mother and an unknown father. Her mother was often absent, leaving Etta with caregivers who discovered and exploited her singing talent. When Etta was 14, promoter/songwriter Johnny Otis heard her sing and became her mentor. Coincidentally Otis also died today at the age of 90.
If you would like to read more about Etta James, try her autobiography, Rage to Survive: the Etta James Story. Toronto Public Library has a number of her CDs as well.
Christopher Hitchens, British author and essayist, died last night of complications related to cancer. A fierce intellectual and polemicist, Hitchens was no stranger to controversy. Indeed, his impressive body of work has both engaged and enraged his many readers over the years - and his passing has resulted in an outpouring of editorials reflecting on his life and work.
Layton was an outspoken advocate for the homeless. In this book he combines research and anecdotal material from a wide range of sources--economists, politicians, the homeless themselves--in order to examine the roots of the crisis and move towards practical solutions.
Speaking Out Louder: Ideas that Work for Canadians Following the 2006 federal election, Layton became concerned that Canadians were losing touch with long-held national values. This book was intended to refocus Canadian attention on issues like poverty, health care and education.
