When 12-year-old Janina Fialkowska momentously decided to dedicate her life to music, little did she know what was in store. Certainly her love of music and desire to share this love provided fulfilment and joy, and there was a certain glamour to the life of a touring artist. She traveled to many countries, met many fascinating people, and indulged her weakness for good food. But there was another side to such a life, and reality made its ugly appearance fairly early on.This collection of autobiographical anecdotes, some poignant, some hilarious, describes her meeting with the legendary Arthur Rubinstein who subsequently shaped the course of her career, her colourful adventures as a young North American woman in the male-dominated music world and her final triumph over horrific illness.