"The girl sits at the piano and plays the opening bars of FÃór Elise. Daniel Mergler has heard the Beethoven bagatelle countless times over the decades, but this is different. He listens with surprise, and delight lights up the old man's eyes. The young pianist is Xin Ben, the 9-year-old daughter of Chinese immigrants. Fate has brought her to Mr Mergler, a music teacher whose career is drawing to a close. Mr Mergler's Gift is their remarkable story - a moving account of a student and her mentor, and a lyrical homage to the transcendent power of music"--Container.