Canada Books

Very well written, and fascinating. The author gives the reader an 'insider' view of the circus world; this includes an objective and respectful portrayal of the brave and talented people. I appreciated the honest perspectives, i.e., hearing 'the other side of the story' in terms of animal rights. It is a beautiful, touching, absolutely fantastic story.

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book, from the subject matter to the personality of the author to the quality of the writing, which is excellent. At times, it reads as luridly and poetically as a novel. If you are enamored of the circus, as I am, and would like to run away with one for a while--even if only in your imagination--this is the book for you.

For a month in spring 1997, Wilkins traveled with the Great Wallenda Circus, a gritty group of seasoned circus vets, on a trip through a remote stretch of Canada. Facing such obstacles as unyielding immigration regulations (for both animals and performers), unprecedented flooding with unseasonable temperatures, and fierce competition from another circus, the Wallenda performers (led by Karl's grandson, Ricky Wallenda) show their merit as troupers in the truest sense of the word. Interspersed with descriptions of the circus's performances in the often-chilly and poorly lit hockey venues of Manitoba are the stories of the circus's performers and crew, each of which reveals a different facet of the daily dangers of circus life: unpredictable (and sometimes in-bred) tigers, vendetta-holding elephants, unstable rigging for aerial acts, and the omnipresent fatigue that can make a performer misstep minutely, but fatally. Beyond these dangers, however, is another threat to the circus's performers, which Wilkins chronicles beautifully and movingly: the decline and fall of the circus in America. It's a casualty with complex causation, including the senescence of Shriners (who sponsor a large number of American circus performances), the rise of the animal rights movement, and the effect of television, with its showy tromp l'oeil special effects, on our expectations for entertainment. Is watching a 370-pound man put an elderly, blind elephant through a series of slow-moving tricks enough of a thrill for audiences raised on car chases and gunfire? Wilkins thinks so, and after reading this wonderful book, so do I.

Shaker of the Speare
A Powerful Debut Novel

This book is a wonderful blend of true romance, intrigue, suspense and love triangles, political manoeuvrings, all blended together with documented historical facts. Just looking at the clever portraits on the book jacket gets your immediate attention. I couldn't put this book down until I was finished! The royal families and their tensions mixed up with alliances, posturing, high level cheating, and eternal speculations as to who would succeed the infamous Virgin Queen, not to mention how the Shakespeare works emerged as an essential part of Bacon's method of teaching at a time when very few could read. The balancing in this novel is really well done; keeping the reader in continual suspense. And I loved the frequent touches of subtle humour. Will she or won't she? Who will get her in the end? Is she really what she seems? The writer here puts an entirely new light on the amazing story of Francis Bacon and Will Shakespeare. With the Companion book beside me, I would flip back and forth to check up on the historical evidence, and see for myself how it really occurred. It is a truly breathtaking story, and well written. The dialogue is captivating. I would love to see it as a film.

The most interesting critique of this novel is the unique style of writing, which the author employs. Ross Jackson's method seems to be very similar to that of the book's subject, Francis Bacon. Ross Jackson uses this novel in subtle ways, to educate the reader, just as Bacon did in his own times. It is packed with fascinating historical information, all emerging naturally from the story. I enjoyed the background information about the secret societies of those times, ancient myths, legends, as well as the devious ways and nasty means employed by the courtiers close to the royal families, to ensure their own future positions. Overall it is an excellent read, and will leave you wanting to see more from this new author.

Arlene McKibbon

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this book is the realization that here is a writer who has never written a novel before doing a masterful job in a totally new genre. I've known Ross Jackson's writings over the years for his philosophical, social and collective values as related to sustainable life styles, Ecovillages and modern economics. Following this line I read "Shaker of the Speare" with an eye out for a description of the utopian society one would expect from a writer of futures visions and environmental economics. In fact Jackson resorted to a key element in sustainability and ecovillages, in my view: the use of art as a way to imagine what may be possible under unseen circumstances. His deep commitment to this process has given us a Jewell of a novel that everyone must read, both for its artistry and for the daring premise of its story.

The artist is an expert manipulator of images and visions in order to create a reality not otherwise available to him/her-self and others. Quite often these possibilities open the door to the impossible and new revelations about human nature and natural systems follow. I think that is exactly what Jackson has done with "Shaker of the Speare." He has taken circumstantial evidence from an extensive research process to rewrite a most intriguing piece of history about what took place in Elizabethan times in Europe, but which also affected the New World and the colonization of North America by the English. This is a serious work clad in drama, tragedy and spiritual-romantic ideals worthy of a Shakespearean play. To back up his thesis Jackson has provided us with a companion book, sold separately, that lays out all the evidence in a form of workshop, on its characters and their time. The companion brings home the notion that the story in the novel is not just made up, but rather a very possible interpretation of what the author describes with some poetic license in the text. It also has a few pages of interesting graphics and period symbols that help understand the correlation between fiction and reality.

The novel is striking in its use of credible dialogues and character development. It paints a picture of royal intrigue, secrecy and corruption of public knowledge for the sake of power. But one of Jackson's main intentions is simply to prove how circumstances and faith played a major role in concealing the identity of the world's greatest writer of all time, William Shakespeare. Throughout the novel we find credible scenarios under which many of the Shake-Speare sonnets may have been written. The numerous plot lines are skillfully spun-out with a style that draws the reader into the story without realizing how radical it truly is. The themes of royal lineage, power struggles, spiritual devotion, political betrayal, corruption and incompetence inside the emerging most powerful country in the world are endless and engaging. My first impression was how similar it is today as it was four hundred years ago when England went from the progressive rule of Queen Elizabeth to the corrupt and irresponsible rule of King James. The tactics used then for control of public opinion and to justify unacceptable actions by the rulers of the world are no different from those used today. The only difference perceived on the surface is that the nobility has been replaced by the corporations.

But what lies at the bottom of the novel is the artistic journey and philosophical development of one of the greatest minds to walk the earth. The story is the life of Sir Francis Bacon, who has been misunderstood by history and underestimated by critics in the shaping of the modern English language. He may be responsible for the writing of the King James Bible, and has quite possibly given us the complete works of William Shakespeare while at the same time elevating the Rosicrucian Order of Freemasons and the Knight Templar to a global spiritual movement. He is recognized as one of the greatest legal minds of its times. It is hard to believe that a single individual could do all the things Bacon is credited with, but the novel makes an unquestionable case for it.

"Shaker of the Spear" is in the same vein as "The Davinci Codes" and I hope it has as much success with the general public. But if the story it tells is true, it has a far more revolutionary importance for English history and for understanding the role of artistic expression in our society.

by Giovanni Ciarlo

The Companion to Shaker of the Speare
A Fact-packed Supplement

The Companion is an unusual but really valuable supplement to Ross Jackson's first novel, Shaker of The Speare. I liked the research notes all packed into an informative separate book, accompanying me on my journey, but ready at my elbow, when I paused for reflection. For someone interested in literature and history like myself, it is absolutely necessary to get the full picture of what went on at the time. The Companion is extremely compact and well-organized, very concise for the amount of research covered, well-argued and very convincing. I was especially attracted by the author's claim that not one historical fact in the novel was without documented research and evidence.

The special attraction of the novel plus Companion structure is, that you can read the novel along like any other exciting book, not interrupting the lively flow of the adventure with constant references and footnotes, which can interfere with your enjoyment of the story line. But if you are curious about a particular point, the Companion is readily at hand with additional information. Observing the two book jackets side by side peaked my curiosity about the idea that the writer William Shakespeare could very well have been a composite of possibly several talented secret authors led by the famous Englishman, Sir Francis Bacon, who contributed so much to developing English written standards, laws to protect the ordinary man, and visionary writings under his own name.

I really like the idea of a separate book, because it can stand alone for interested readers, who wish to find proof for themselves. This can lead one on to further readings of historical fiction of other types, and a closer re-reading of the fascinating book it supports: Shaker of the Speare; The Francis Bacon Story, a dynamic first novel for author Ross Jackson!

Arlene McKibbon

It is a sad, heart warming boo

This story portrays the relationship between Natives and English people, and that is what makes it so interesting. This story is beautifully written, and I'd love to read it over and over.

I read this book years ago and found it unspeakably sad and haunting. I remember it as if I read it yesterday. An uncommon and insightful view of a white boy and the last of a group of native people that is treated with beautiful sensitivity. Recommended hightly.

I really enjoyed reading Blyth's account of his escapades during WWII. It is one of those "slice of life" books where you can really get a good understanding of his (and his crew's) time in the RCAF and the war. For any students who are studying the treatment of POWs in the different wars, this book would give them valuable insight into the German's treatment of POWs in WWII. Enjoyable!

This book was great because it gave wonderful insight to what it was like during WWII. There is such detail about everything the author experienced from flying night raids, his capture and the surroundings at the POW camp. I really enjoyed all the different stories about his crew and other POWs. The author is a great storyteller!!

As a historian, I am aware of few books that tell the story of the air war over Europe from the Canadian perspective. 'Cradle Crew' is such a book, and it's a good one that I highly recommend. Written by Ken Blyth, a Canadian who became the pilot of one of the youngest air crews to fly over Europe in the war (thus the name 'Cradle Crew'), this story tells of the entire air crew experience, from enlistment through combat. But it goes much farther, for Blyth and his crew were shot down over Europe and ended up spending time in a German Stalag as POW's. Therefore, the book not only gives the reader an excellent, well-written perspective on the Canadian aircrew experience in the war, but is also a memoir of a POW. Blyth is a strong writer, and his story is engaging and never dull. This is an excellent book, and an important addition to the literature on the air war over Europe. It is invaluable as one of few Canadian books on the subject. Filled with interesting and rare photos of crew life, aircraft, and German Stalags, this is a must-have for any aviation history lover, and should be in every Canadian's bookshelf as a record of how the men from up north helped defeat Hitler and save the world not so many years ago.

My first thought upon finishing "Cue the Dead Guy" was--oh good, I have two more Polly Deacon books waiting to be read. Polly is addictive. I love the glimpse into the not-so-glamourous world of the touring theatre company. The insight into that world,and the world of Muskoka, Ontario is so refreshing. Mel Walton writes about her world without fawning or feeling the need to make it painfully cute. Her world is appealing and real, and just maybe a little more interesting than the average small town. Her main characters are vivid; her plotting is splendid, even the subplots kept my interest. It's an easy and enjoyable read, and, Polly is an ingenius creation with her dry wit and interesting life choices. Loved it. Looking forward to the next book!

When I finished Mel Walton's book, my first thought was--good, I have at least 2 more of her books to read. I'm already addicted to this character--Polly Deacon is a fresh and genuinely interesting protagonist. She's brave, funny and human. I loved the detailed picture of life in the theatre, especially the not-so-romantic aspect of a small touring company in the Muskoka's. I loved the description of the area; not fawning or precious,but respectful and pleasing. Plot, setting, character--the book is rich with all three, and somehow, Mel Walton makes them work splendidly. Her humour is edgy without being cynical. I love the book. I will buy more H. Mel Walton!

In need of cash, Polly deacon takes a job designing the props for a squabbling, dysfunctional touring children's theater group. But when the stage manager goes mysteriously missing before the first rehearsal, only Polly suspects murder. The local police show their usual lack of interest in her theories, but a series of gruesome, demented practical jokes proves that the killer is on the loose -- and it's like a member of the cast! Cue The Dead Guy is funny, engaging, cleverly plotted, skillfully written, and will leave the reader looking for more H. Mel Malton titles!

Why read about a girl who is borderline white trash growing up in the South in the 50s? Because it's personal, touching, and funny as hell. Fanny Flagg never fails me, and she has done it again in one of her earlier books which somehow slipped by me until now. Flagg's characters are homey, eccentric, and never dull. I don't see how you could read this and NOT be entertained.

I read this book and laughed out loud. I gave it to my depressed daughter to read on a long plane ride. She was told repeatedly to quiet down because she was laughing so hard. It's probably the naked truth that is so funny because it's so seldom revealed.Great characters, settings and a twisty plot. You'll love it and I have nothing to gain by telling you this.

Along side Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe this is Fannie's best novel. I can't decide which of the two is better. this novel made me laugh out loud. I recommend this to anyone. anything by Fannie is awsome, don't wait pick it up.

Really good book. I totally recommend it, plus any other of her books. I haven't been disappointed yet.

Lois Richer has moved up to another level of impressive fiction. Her suspense grabbed me and didn't let go. I loved the emotion and romance between her hero and heroine. So realistic and such a beautiful setting. Can't wait for the next book!

Once she had a loving husband and a son she cherished until the day Georgia MacGregor came home to see an inferno with her beloved men inside beyond rescuing. Unable to stay in Calgary and the memories that haunt her, she travels the country side until she finds a job for a cook in the northern Canadian woods. The head of Camp Hope, Kent Anderson, hires her on the spot, believing she is a gift from God because she is also a nurse.

Kent is attracted to Georgia but he holds back from pursuing a relationship because he is working to get a promotion to the head office so his sister, a paraplegic, could have the choices he thinks she needs. While Kent wrestles with his own guilt, Georgia is in danger from a stalker who will stop at nothing to kill her because of the pain she caused him. Unwilling to put Camp Hope in danger, Georgia prepares to leave a place she calls home and the man she loves but the killer strikes out putting them in danger.

The heroine is the victim of two great tragedies and though she is grieving she is strong enough to reach out and help people. Readers will love her and hope she can find happiness with Kent. Lois Richer builds up the suspense to unbearable levels while simultaneously bringing people in love together. DANGEROUS SANCTUARY is an exciting romantic suspense novel that readers will be delighted to know is the first installment in the Camp Hope series. The audience will be unable to stop reading until the last page is turned.

Harriet Klausner

I loved this book when I was young, and I still really appreciate how it presents Kit Fox's world in a way that seems so honest- the charecters really seem like people we would know instead of culturally different charecters. Its one of the few kids books about native americans that I (an anthropologist to boot) can re-read without cringing, which is pretty high praise for any children's book!

Kit Fox visits a horse her tribe took from the snake indians(their enemy) in the mornings before everyone's awake. When she is found out she isnt allowed to visit the horse again. Then, when their enemy threatens to ambush her tribe, Kit Fox must race against time to get help.

Kit, a young Blackfoot girl, feels like she can't do anything because of the social taboos the tribe has for young women. When warriors bring back a horse, the first of its kind the tribe has ever had, driven by her curiosity she secretly visits the horse with the help of her friend and eventually learns how to ride it. Caught in the act she is banned from visiting the horse much less riding it. But when the tribe is in danger it is up to her to ride for help and defy all the rules.

DEACONS IN THE LITURGY is written for Anglicans/Episcopalians in North America. As such, it will be of interest primarily to people of that communion. That does not stop it from having a wider appeal.

What this book does so well and so simply is explain the role of the diaconate in the various liturgies of the church. It tells what to do and when to do it providing an expansion to the rubrics of the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. It does not delve very much into history but does bring history up to justify certain acts. It explains the diaconal functions from an ancient and ecumenical context and then makes some provision for modern practice and usage. At all stages, the relevant passages from the BCP and other US and Canadian resources are referenced. It is a great guide for Anglican deacons but it has more potential as well.

Without explicitly saying so, the book describes many functions that have wider acceptance than just the Anglican Communion. Usually, these are evident by the lack of specific citations but they should be readily apparent to anyone with a passing knowledge of liturgy. This helps to differentiate denominational practice from wider practice and this book is simple enough, short enough and well written enough to be of use to others. This is especially true for United Methodists.

The United Methodist Church revived the permanent diaconate in 1996. Since the most recent BOOK OF WORSHIP was published in 92, it has no knowledge of deacons in liturgical functions. They are left to founder or make things up as they go along. The institutional United Methodist Church needs to address this problem but this book would be an excellent stopgap measure for UM deacons. This is especially true since UM liturgy is inherited from the Church of England.

A Must for Deacons!

The title (although evoking unfortunate associations: "bees in the bonnet," "bats in the belfry," "birds in the bush") is an exact description of what you get in this little book. Written primarily for deacons, although invaluable to any person who's a member of the Episcopal Church USA or the Anglican Church of Canada, this little book is a how-to guide that spells out in great detail the liturgical functions of deacons. Different chapters focus on deacons in rites of Christian initiation, the Eucharist, ordinations, seasonal celebrations, daily office, and various pastoral liturgies (marriages, reconciliations, burials). If you're looking for a book that explores the theology and spirituality of the diaconate, this isn't the one. But it is an excellent guide for appropriate diaconal participation in liturgy--actually, the best--and it doesn't pretend to be anything else.

Morehouse Press is one of the major publishers for things Episcopal, so it makes sense that Ormande Plater's book, 'Deacons in the Liturgy', would be published by them. This is a book designed to be used by those preparing to be (or who are) deacons in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition. It looks specifically at the role of deacons in the liturgical practice of the church - liturgy here defined as the order or worship; deacons do have roles (indeed, more important roles) outside of the worship-service-liturgical functions, but this book concentrates on the in-church-worship role.

This book grows out of a process begun in 1980 in response to the adoption of the new Book of Common Prayer version in the Episcopal church, and an expanding view of what deacons do. This is a specialised ministry, to be sure, but it is also an important ministry that serves as a bridge in some ways - 'by working together in liturgy, deacons and others symbolise the mission of the chruch in the world.'

After brief historical introduction, Plater covers many of the aspects of the diaconate - appropriate action and role in ministry of the Word and ministry of the sacrament; proper vestments and gestures, the relationship of deacons to other ministers, and the variations that take place in the different seasons, services, and occasions.

For being such a short text (a mere 70 pages of actual text), it is remarkably comprehensive in scope for the kinds of 'choreography' and activity of deacons in worship services. It is not intended to be a survey of theological questions of the role of the diaconate, nor an historical overview (though some of that does introduce the text) - for these topics, the reader will need to look elsewhere. However, for the task Plater set for himself - a full and useful description of the deacons' role, this text succeeds brilliantly.

If you think about economics, you need this Economist/Bloomberg Press publication or one very much like it.

For clarity on all matters of the public record--not just economics--nobody beat the ECONOMIST newspaper, a British 'news magazine' whose largest national readership is now in the USA.

When the style and content gurus at the ECONOMIST get around to publish a dictionary on the terms and nomenclature of the core competence, well, let's just say it's a little bit like watching the World Cup, the Super Bowl, or the World Series (apologies, cricket fans).

It doesn't get any better than this. I think you'd better buy one.

Buy it, thats the best advice I can give. This book can help anyone to better understand the field of economics and comprehend economics texts more easily.

This, the Fourth Edition of The Economist's handy publication, is not a dictionary in the ordinary sense of the term. There is no pronunciation guide and most of the entries are phrases, not single words, e.g., "circular flow of money," "durable goods," "Gibrat's law," "marginal utility," "theory of games," etc. The "definitions" are more like explanations, some of them quite elaborate. Nobel laureate economists are included as well as distinguished economists from the past. Distinguished contemporary economists who have not won the Nobel Prize in economics are not included. Thus Adam Smith makes it; Julian Simon does not, while Herbert Simon, who did win the prize, does.

Bayes' theorem is explained in some detail and such terms as "saddle point" and the "Lagrange multiplier," e.g., merit graphs and equations in their definitions, but other terms like the "Black Scholes formula" for derivatives is mentioned but not explained in detail. Obviously the editors Graham Bannock, Ron Baxter and Evan Davis, have their reasons for their hierarchies of ink expenditure. They call their approach "a micro-encyclopedic treatment with extensive cross referencing." The cross references are indicated with two types of grey arrows, one for "see" and another for "see also." Clearly one of their goals is to be as encyclopedic as reasonable without making the volume too large to fit into a briefcase or to be read in bed.

Although The Economist is British this publication is aimed at the entire English-speaking world, especially the large market in the United States where this book is published by the Bloomberg Press. Most of the entries betray no national bias, although there are some exceptions. For example in the entry for "balanced budget" it is mentioned that the "UK budget is often in deficit." The same could be said about the US budget, but the US budget is not mentioned. For the entry on "balance of payments" a table is presented with both the UK and the US balance of payments for the year 2001.

This book works well for students of economics (and might make a nice gift for someone who is majoring in economics) but why would the general reader want to own such a publication? The answer is that the "dismal science," as economics has been dubbed, is actually an arcane and technical social science, and so an encyclopedic dictionary is most helpful for anyone who follows the financial news. Incidentally the phrase "dismal science" (not an entry in this book!) comes from Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) who was referring to political economists whom he called, "Respectable Professors of the Dismal Science."

Dismal or otherwise, some knowledge of economics is essential for commerce in today's world of business. This book can serve as a reference, or, if you're like me, you can read it as an extension of the Econ 101 course you took in college.