Sunday Morning Coffee: Herbie Hancock/ The Imagine Project; Fall Reading List

[Herbie Hancock, The Imagine Project, released June 21, 2010.]

Herbie Hancock does it again, finding the beauty and strength in our differences, while reaffirming and celebrating our unity. "Peace through global collaboration," he says. "Perhaps you could say the recording studio is a model for peace, camaraderie and mutual respect."

Hancock creates thoughtful happiness, blending ingredients from many cultures judiciously, effectively. He's joined here by-- among many others-- Anoushka Shankar, Pink, John Legend, Derek Trucks, The Chieftains, Manu Katche, Seal, Chaka Khan, Jeff Beck, India.Arie, Oumou Sangare. ("Imagine" is-- yes-- John Lennon's, and there is also a wonderful rendition of Dylan's "The Times, They are A-Changing.")

Hancock again: "Every human is a creator...what can we do to help design the human orchestra of life?"

From music to books:

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins arrived this past week...well worth the wait...I am on page 107, and loving it...

On my fall list:

*Nnedi Okorafor, Who Fears Death, published in June by DAW.

*David Anthony Durham, The Other Lands (the second in the Acacia trilogy), out in paperback on August 31.

*Ken Scholes, Antiphon (the third book in The Psalms of Isaak series), due from Tor on September 14.

*Erzebet Yellowboy, Sleeping Helena, due from Prime, November 16.

*D.M. Cornish, Factotum (the final book in The Foundling's Tale trilogy), from Putnam, November 11.

*Catherine Fisher, Sapphique (the sequel to Incarceron), first American release, Penguin, December 28.

"Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one."