An Unfinished Life

A drama about a father who can't get over his son's death and needs someone to blame for it. He blames his daughter-in-law who was driving when the accident took place and is estranged from her.

Einar (Robert Redford) owns and runs a ranch in Wyoming. He also takes care of his long-time friend and colleague Mitch (Morgan Freeman) who has been mauled by a bear. Jean (Jennifer Lopez) who was married to Einar's son turns up one day with her daughter to get away from an abusive boyfriend. Einar lets her stay for a while till she can earn enough to move on.

Einar gets to know his grand-daughter and, with a some pushing from Mitch, learns to forgive Jean and accept her as family.

Mitch tries to come to terms with his crippled condition by accepting the bear's attack as a natural event - an accident as well.

A heart-warming story of forgiveness and acceptance.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0350261/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Unfinished_Life

'Naming of the Dead' by Ian Rankin

This is the first of the Inspector John Rebus series books that I have read. Set in Scotland, it is a fast-paced crime story about a frustrated, aging cop and his young, ambitious lady partner in search of a serial killer.

The book spans one week, during the G8 convention in Edinburgh and the London Underground bomb blasts in 2007. These events play an important part in the story and has been neatly woven in by Rankin.

It is obvious that the author is passionate about music (especially from the late 70s and the 80s) - he mentions lyrics, albums and trivia about bands.

Emotions run high in the book - 3 funerals, a badly hurt mother, differing sentiments, protecting family, wavering diplomats, red-tape, suicide - its got it all!!

A fun read, will definitely pick up another of his books.