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Life is an adventure, whether it is summiting a 20,000' peak, making a first descent on a wild river, or in the case of James Mitchell, a non-musician, embarking on a quest to play all the instruments in the orchestra at the age of seventy-six. The adventure takes him and his imagination into unexpected places as he vows to play excerpts from the classical repertory with just twelve lessons on each instrument. Delving into music history and immersing himself in the works of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and other great composers, he simultaneously informs and delights us in a breezy, often humorous account of what happens as he does battle with the orchestra. There are the struggles and epiphanies that come with serial learning, but it is a surprise when Mr. Mitchell weaves in tales of Tarzan and Jane, doing surgery on a Double Bass, falling in love with a cello, and spying in 17th century Tuscany between the Stradavari and Amati families. These flights of fancy do not detract from the central theme of learning the instruments, but it gives the book another dimension that makes it a good read for anyone with a healthy curiosity and a touch of the adventurer.