When plumbing( 水暖设备)makes funny noises, it's not always a good sign. But John Kovac, a harpist(竖琴演奏者)from Virginia, likes the pipes to sing. He thinks plumbing pipes make good musical instruments.

Kovac has made standard harps out of wood for more than 20 years. He says he feels excited when he creates an instrument with his hands and uses it to make music come alive. But it takes years of training and special tools to make a traditional musical instrument. Kovac wanted to share the joy of

making instruments with people who might not have the time or money to do it. So he decided to find an easier way.

Plumbing was the answer. Kovac found PVC pipes at a local store. PVC pipes are the white tubing that many plumbers use. You might find some in your house under a sink or in the basement. Kovac says that PVC pipes are great for making instruments because they are inexpensive, come in many shapes and sizes, and fit together perfectly.

Kovac makes harps, guitars, violins, and drums out of PVC pipes. He also makes uncommon instruments like the udu from Nigeria. His instruments may look as if they come from outer space, but they really work. He and some of his music students and friends even started a band called the East Coast PVC Band.

Sally Seabright is a violin teacher who plays the PVC violin with the band. At first, the rounded shape of the PVC violin made it difficult to hold between her chin and shoulder, but Kovac made a slight change by adding a piece that fits perfectly under her chin.

That kind of adaptability is what Kovac admires about PVC. He says, "I know it's not easy for the average person to make a musical instrument, but I hope to enable anyone who has ever dreamed of making a violin, harp, or guitar to fulfill his or her dreams. "

Four Best Books of 2023

The Berry Pickers

by Amanda Peters

After their youngest daughter, Ruthie, disappears during a summer of berry-picking in Maine, a Micmac family from Nova Scotia struggles to move forward. Indigenous Voices Award winner Amanda Peters delivers an un-put-down-able novel of identity, forgiveness, and insistent hope. 

The House of Doors

by Tan Twan Eng 

This atmospheric novel, set in 1920s Malaysia, tells of a famous author bent on uncovering secrets for storytelling materials. Tan Twan Eng weaves love, duty, betrayal and colonialism into the narrative. 

The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748-1789

by Robert Darnton 

This interesting history of the decades leading up to the French Revolution offers a populist account of a crazy political moment. Darnton goes beyond what everyday people thought and said to attract readers to what anxious Parisians read, wore, ate and sang on the way to toppling（推翻）the rule of Louis XVI. 

The Soul of Civility

by Alexandra Hudson 

What can the world's oldest book teach us about civility（礼 貌）today? Alexandra Hudson's thoughtful and fluent book on how to live well together draws on literature from The Teachings of Ptahhotep, written 4, 500 years ago in Egypt, to Martin Luther King Jr's Letter From Birmingham Jail. 

"My ocean is my life. "These are the powerful words of Andre Miller, a marine (海洋的) scientist. He is also the owner of a dive shop that places heavy upon the exploration and conservation of his hometown's waters.

As a young child, Andre would be fascinated by tales of the sea told by his dad who was a fisherman. When he was six years old, his mum gave him his first equipment of diving. Then, Andre spent his time diving. Andre interned (实习) at a dive shop. With this training, the young diver was able to see new depths. But unfortunately，he saw much damage.

After finishing his studies in marine biology, Andre got to work as a member of the Coastal Zone Management Unit. It was here that once again he was horrified by the rapid decline of the numbers of sea creatures and the negative effects of poor boating practices which caused havoc to the island's coral(珊瑚). Therefore, the first mission of Andre's team was to repair destroyed reefs and save coral. And they have been very successful in their efforts.

One of Andre's perfect moments was his role in the creation of the Carlisle Bay Marine Park. The park has now become the premier dive site in his hometown. Andre describes it as"the best textbook example of how marine parks can benefit the islands".

In 2016, Andre further promised his support of the conservation of Carlisle Bay through his work with other projects. Through their work, Andre's hometown has seen an increase in underwater clean-ups, which has made marine life increase greatly. Andre's contagious (有感染力的) passion for marine conservation doesn't end here. He is always searching for more. Andre Miller is a man on a mission.