Canada Books

The Alpine Path by L M Montgomery is interesting but only superficial. She was asked by a magazine to write the story of her career but she was not at all willing to tell things about her private life to the magazine readers so she wrote this book - it was originally published in a magazine. The facts are correct but there is so much left out by her. To really understand her life and find out all the interesting bits she left out of The Alpine Path you need to read her Journals (1 to 5) as these are quite fascinating and really tell her story. At the time she wrote the Alpine Path it would have caused a scandal if she had told the whole truth. I recommend the Journals to anyone interested in the real life of Maud Montgomery. They are wonderful.
Marjorie Lockwood

People don't usually write autobiographies if their career has only just started. Maud was asked to do so and she did write it. What she came up with, is a bunch of memories gathered in a nice little book, a perfect read for one evening if you love LMM. You will find some of her memories familiar, if you know LMM's books well, too. That's a nice and easy read, and a must for a LMM fan.

If you're not a fan of L. M. Montgomery's work, you might not find this book very interesting - for me, most of the interest came from parallels between her own life and that of various characters in her books, and her explanations of things like how she started writing her first book, why she didn't borrow her characters too closely from real life, etc. I'd have liked to read more of her accounts of how she wrote this story or that.

The book is mostly about her childhood and various anecdotes and events from it, along with accounts of how she came to be a published writer. It's fairly short; you can read it in less than an hour, so if you want a good, meaty book, this is not for you. But it's nice to read about her from her own point of view - her journals make good reading but this is more of a summary of info she considered interesting or relevant.

L.M. Montgomery's life is a life story of conquoring adversity and making one's dream come true. Although taken care of in the material sense as a child, she was not nurtured in the emotional sense and this created a need to escape into a fairyland of her imagination where she was accepted and loved and had friends, including "window friends."

This book is a collection of autobiographical articles written by L.M. Montgomery in 1917 in response to an editor's request for her to write the story of her literary career. Montgomery speaks a lot about her early childhood and her later struggles to make it as a writer, alone, without encouragement, support, or understanding from others. In fact, her literary ambitions and attempts were often scoffed at or criticized. But Maud kept keepin' on, confident that she would "arrive" some day. And she did, in an enormous way.

I highly recommend this book to anyone in need of inspiration or encouragement to make their dream come true, and especially to any aspiring writer whose dream is to climb the alpine path and reach that far-off goal of true and honoured fame.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

Maud, as Montgomery liked to be called, wrote this book on the request for a serial story appearing in a Canadian woman's magazine. At first Montgomery had doubts that her "long, upward struggle" could actually be called a career, but she worked on the story anyways and the result is a humurous, enjoyable, and information-packed book about the work and perseverance by one of the world's favorite children's author. As a professional writer, I have written articles upon Montgomery and still consider this book the best source for reliable information as well as beng enjoyable to read, which is a rare and refreshing break from most biographies. I highly recommend this book, along with her journals, as a worthwhile addition to any Montgomery fan, researcher, or fan of biographies'library.

I have to confess that when it comes to science fiction or fantasy books I am somewhat of a snob about what I will read. When a friend turned me on to these books, I absolutely fell in love with them and hated to put them down to do anything!

They have everything you could want, witches, werewolves, vampires, dragons, all very intricately woven around Poppy Z's family. I know he is rather conceited, but Romo the Immortal was very funny to me as well as the cat! I have done some research and have found out that there are going to be some more books in this series. I can't wait! If you want an excellent read, buy these books. I assure you that you will hear a lot more from these authors. Some day soon the whole country anyone who loves this type of book will know the names Gaither and Canada! --Lynn S. South Carolina

When I first started reading Black Moon, I was blow away. Finally a book that took everything supernatural that this world has to offer and mixed them into one fine read. Meet Poppy Z. A two thousand year old witch making a small community in Arkansas her home. Her life is turned upside down when an Immortal who is slowly losing his power comes to her doorway asking for help. Dark humor, suspense, and horror all weave together to make this book. Very wonderfully written. If you havne't read this yet then shame on you. Shame indeed.

From the first chapter these wonderful new authors suck you into a perfectly balanced world of horror and fantasy. Poppy Z. and her crazy crew take you along on a thrill filled dimension jumping mystery ride that you won't want to end. Vampires, Werewolves, Immortals, Dragons, Witches and a sharp tongued talking cat,... this book has it all and more. S.J. Gaithers and Micheal Canada cleverly combine just the right amount of suspense, action, scares, humor and passion to make this book a truly enjoyable book. They masterfully bring together these many different realms and beings without losing or confusing the reader. I found myself actually laughing out loud at times...holding my breath at others. The characters so real you get completely caught up in their lives and experiences.

I loved this book and can NOT wait to get my hands on the second part of this series... Blood Moon!!

Ok, take a witch who is on the far side of her second century, an immortal who is having a few problems with power loss, a horde of vampires out for blood (pun intended), and a local deputy who needs a serious attitude adjustment. Now throw in a healthy dose of sibling rivalry, dark powers churning for revenge, side-splitting humor, and a loveable but scathingly funny talking cat, and you have yourself a great story.

Canada and Gaither credit Laurell K. Hamilton as one of their influences, and it is easy to see that influence in Black Moon. But don't walk away thinking that this is a copy-cat of Hamilton's creations. Black Moon stands firmly on its own as a fun, engaging, creepy, and action-packed story. The characters are well developed, and I found myself literally laughing out loud over their dialogue and inner thoughts. Midnight the talking cat is a hoot, and the fact that he is a cat who also talks actually works quite well in this story.

I am so impressed with this debut novel that I have recommended Black Moon to numerous people. I have also read this book twice, which is the ultimate compliment coming from someone with hundreds of unread books sitting around the house. The world of Poppy and her friends--and some not quite friends--is amazing and well developed considering the fact that this is only the first in what I hope will be a long series of books. I look forward to the next in the series, Blood Moon, which is now on the shelves (and on my nightstand!). I hope to see much more of Poppy, Romo, Rush, Danny, Raven, Midnight, and Jean-Tou. I wonder what has happened to the young girl who fled into the woods after "meeting" Romo? I also wonder if my favorite character Nicolas might somehow make a future appearance?

This is a first-time novel by new authors that you should not pass up. Black Moon is dark fantasy at its best and has the right mixture of snappy humor as well as chills and thrills.

Immortals and dragons and vampires, Oh my! I whipped through this fast paced new novel by the immensely talented S.J. Gaither and Michael Canada in two days. I literally could not put it down. Thefirst tale of adventures of Poppy Z, a two thousand year old witch who's a magnet for danger. When Romo The Immortal appears unexpectedly at Antique Bookz, her metaphysical store, Poppy knows she's in for a ride. Romo and his reluctant sidekick Caffee are in trouble, having incurred the wrath of an ancient being with powers that rival their own. Halloween Jack and his minions make life a living hell for Poppy, the immortals and her beloved talking white cat Midnight, as time runs short for Romo. This is the introductory novel in the Witching Moon series. Filled with intriguing characters, sidesplitting banter, and plot twists that will keep you spellbound. Don't start this book at night if you plan on getting any sleep.

Science hurts my head. In college I couldn't make it through a semester of biology. The textbook was incomprehensible and the teacher's carefully prepared PowerPoint slides wasted. It was all just gibberish. Science, especially life sciences, was definitely not for me.
(Science was somewhat redeemed the following year in my astronomy and geology classes. Still tedious and boring, but at least I `got' it. Whereas I'm still unable to remember basic parts of cells or DNA. Ribosomegolgibodynebulei what?)

But I try to be a good little environmentally-friendly girl and recycle, bring fabric bags to the grocery store, buy vegetables at farmer markets and patronize local businesses rather than big box corporations. (Amazon remains my huge weakness and exception to that rule.) Bottomfeeder was impulsively requested because of the catch phrases "eat ethically" and "vanishing seafood." I love to eat fish, but I never really cared about where it came from. There's plenty of fish in the sea, right? This book has completely revolutionized my thoughts.

A combination o travel writing and scientific research, Taras Grescoe hunts down local seafood delicacies from around the world (Bouillabaisse in Marseilles, bluefin tuna sashimi in Japan) and traces the fish's journey from the ocean to the dinner table. In addition to mouth-watering descriptions of exotic dishes, he has written a condemning exposé of the world's destructive over-fishing. By decimating the ocean floor with massive bottom-trawlers and wastefully throwing hundreds of tons of bycatch (fish caught in giant nets with fishermen's intended prey but are too small or the wrong species to sell) the fishing industry is on a collision course with disaster.

But Grescoe isn't all bad news. In each chapter he focuses on a certain species and shares the best way to get it with minimal negative impact. If there is no good solution to be found he suggests tasty alternatives. He also highlights possible suggestions and experimental attempts to bring fish populations back to sustainable levels. His message is dire; if the industry doesn't change we're looking at a future of not sushi and salmon steaks but "peanut-butter-and-jellyfish" sandwiches. (When a natural ecosystem is upset due to key species removal or pollution, algae and jellyfish are often the only creatures left.) But it is not without hope. Take the time to read this book; with seafood consumption on the rise and TV shows like "Deadliest Catch" gaining popularity Bottomfeeder contains information that all consumers must know.

While I was reading Bottomfeeder, I was sometimes craving fish (sardines, especially!) and sometimes thinking I never wanted to eat another fish (farmed salmon) or shrimp again.

Bottomfeeder is a real eye-opener about where our seafood comes from and how its future is in jeopardy. Ever wonder how Red Lobster gets sooooo many shrimp to feed soooo many people all over the country? And ever wonder why those shriimp all exactly (pretty much) the same size?

Surely you've heard that salmon is plentiful because there are salmon farms. Want to learn how gross those farms are? Read this book.

Luckily, as a seafood lover, Grescoe writes about sustainable fish populations and does give very good, clear direction about what sorts of fish -- what species, and how and where they are fished or produced -- one can eat without feeling like one is contributing to the eventual demise of species, and isn't harming one's health with too much mercury, antibiotics or other nasty chemicals.

I loved reading about Grescoe's adventures in eating seafood around the world. Descriptions of sardines made my mouth water, descriptions of pufferfish made me recoil. This is an adventure in eating good food, and an education in how (as the subtitle says) to eat ethically in a world of vanishing seafood. I hope everyone who eats a lot of seafood will read it.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guide has been tucked into my wallet for a couple of years now, but even with its straightforward green, yellow, red categories, I've found myself staring at restaurant menus in bafflement. How can salmon fall into all three categories and how do I know which one I'm ordering???

Grescoe's book has thinned the fog surrounding the world of seafood. In interesting and easy to read chapters, the book explores the oceans from the bottom of the food chain all the way to the top, and provides a well-rounded explanation of the issues facing the seafood industry and the environment.

Though I had anticipated a doomsday narrative that would shatter my love of seafood, instead it has left me feeling empowered to ask the right questions and make better choices.

BOTTOMFEEDER
By Taras Grescoe
I was really looking forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed. When it comes to eating seafood responsibly I have always felt at a loss for information. First of all I grew up in North Eastern Ohio and the only "local" fish there came from Lake Erie and there was a time that no one would eat fish from Lake Erie. I also am allergic to just about every kind of shell fish. So beyond the Gortons Fisherman my palate is unrefined to say the least. After reading this book I have a much better understanding of how the oceans of our world are being affected by the lack of understanding on the part of most of its people. This book, over the course of 10 chapters takes the reader through the problems facing our most endangered species of fish as well as the many reasons why these fish are endangered. It is not one simple problem but the answer is actually not that difficult to implement even though it is not popular every where. The answer is being informed and not accepting practices that are destroying our oceans. If we don't buy products that are not ethically produced there will be no market for them. I liked the fact that every chapter had a focus on a specific fish and its ecosystem. What the challenges were for that ecosystem and what could be done about it. Because of this chapter by chapter approach when I want to reference the book again in the future I will have a much easier time finding the information I need. It seems to me after reading this book that the two main culprits in the problems facing our oceans is ignorant indiffference on the part of the consumer and the greed of those that see the ocean as a source of income and not a way of life. I will never look at seafood the same way again. While I am not a big seafood consumer myself I now want to explore eating the fishes that are sustainable and incorporate them into my family's diet. After all fish is brain food. I liked this book a lot even though it was not a fast read. I had to work my way through each chapter because it was filled with so much information. The author does include a good index in the back as well as an appendix to resources. There also is a section on which fish to eat and which to avoid. My only real complaint is that I wish it had a good recipe for sardines.

Bottomfeeder is an excellent read on a critically important topic. The book documents the massive overfishing that combined with environmental pressures is driving many fish species to the point of extinction, and that much of the cheap seafood on our plates is not safe or sustainable for humans or the planet. Unfortunately, this issue has gotten limited coverage outside the environmental media and for many readers Grescoe's book will be an eye opener that explores new territory.

Marine biologists estimate by 2040 a large number of species will be decimated. If whole sections of the aquatic food chain go the way of once plentiful Chesapeake Bay oysters and blue fin tuna, what will happen? Grescoe jokes about fish and chips being replaced with jellyfish and chips as a lighthearted way to highlight the issue. As he points out, fishing is the only large scale hunting activity still carried out in the wild. Decades of massive, industrial scale fishing are an uncontrolled experiment, upturning species in every ocean, turning predator into prey and destroying environments and human health through questionable fishing techniques, unsafe farming practices and black markets.

Nobody escapes responsibility for this mess, but Grescoe turns what could have been an angry polemical rant into a globe trotting adventure and keeps Bottomfeeder enjoyable to read. His love of food shines through on every page as he talks to fishermen, scientists, bureaucrats and chefs. By the end of the book, the root cause of overfishing is shown to be the familiar toxic brew of greed and ignorance familiar to the environmental genre, aided by ineffective government oversight and often compounded by chefs whose promotion of a tasty fish can spell disaster for a species.

The tragedy is that Bottomfeeder may be too late to have a large impact. Chesapeake Bay oysters will likely never return and the race to the bottom is well under way around the world. The book does however give some excellent suggestions on fish to enjoy and species to avoid, leaving the reader a small part to play in turning back this "tragedy of the commons".

Even if you don't read this book, check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium website for "Seafood Watch", a handy guide on sustainable seafood.

I very much enjoyed Dr. Bakan's book. It was truly thought-provoking, and jelled a number of thoughts and ideas I had had in the past about the how and why of corporations. I have started up a company of my own in the past, and plan to do so again in the future. After having read Dr. Bakan's book as well as "Big Vision, Small Business" by Jaimie Walters, I have definitely changed my mind about HOW to set it up and run it!. I think this should be read by anybody and everybody in corporate and government roles today...As Dr. Bakan says, it isn't the cure-all, but it may nudge a few people to work towards the appropriate solution!

I think this should be required reading for all citizens.

Exposes (without ideological idealism) the facts about corporations. Most people have vague misgivings about corporations, but don't have much of an idea of why. This book helps to clarify and explain what we instinctively feel.

I got a kick out of the psychological assessment of the corporation, a legal person without moral conscience, as a psychopath.

corporations rule the world. if you don't agree you are living in a dream world. extremely importaint topic. A must read.

I highly recomend this book for anyone that is even remotely interested in globilization and the corporate world. It shows just how much of our daily lives are influenced and even controlled by corporations. It makes you realize that no matter what they say, a corporation really does only look out for itself, and any advertisements that claim that corporations help communities and people and save the environment out of their own good will have absolutely no truth to them. It also makes you realize how far a corporation will go to save a few dollars, knowingly putting lives at risk in the process.
The book is also very well written, with plenty of explinations, so you don't need a background in economics to understand it.
In short, I totally recomend this book to anyone that wants to know the truth about the corporation. It will make you sick to realize what lengths they will go to in order to exploit everyone and everything.

For me, this wasn't one of those 'couldn't put it down' books. Just the opposite in fact. A quarter or a half a chapter was about all I could take at one time. And I dreaded going back to it, which I did, and will continue to do for years to come. Maybe I'm just a soft-hearted wimp, a daydreaming fool who believes in the innate decency of mankind. Maybe that's why at times this book brought tears of shame, and pity, and rage, to my eyes. But please read this book. Do whatever it takes: beg, borrow, or buy, but please read this book.....!

Country Doctor is a great read. It's fun, interesting, and fast reading. It tells about life in frigid Canada when times were tough (snow blowing in under the door!). Ben tells of himself and others in a way that comes across as truthful--the good and the bad. It's a bit like All Creatures Great and Small in a completely different setting and the multiple stories surround Ben's growing from a kid through adulthood in medical school and beyond.

Many people do not know that Dr Dlin in addition to his abilities as a doctor, veternarian, dentist etc. was perhaps an unwitting pioneer in the area of "Public Health Crisis Management". The complete story is detailed in the book about a health crisis that threateded to wipe out an amimal (instead of human) community. Dr. Dlin's intervention pre-saged the operations of the modern day M.A.S.H unit - or better, (I'm not sure of the exact name) National Health - Contageous Disease (CDC? - in Atlanta) Center's emergency protocols that have only been in existance for perhaps the last 30 years or so. To whit: Isolation and triage of the sick; team approach (in this case he drafted the local community); assembly line (lined up the animals in rows - each with a nurse/caretaker); got people to bring commercial oxygen cylinders from throughout the community (most farmers had oxygen tanks for welding); Dr.Dlin brought anitbiotics, face masks and other emergency materials in bulk from the local (clinic/hospital?). Then, training everyone in the necessary emergency procedures and building bonfires all around the "operating theatre" for both heat and light through the night (no electric lights then) brought the whole herd thru the crsis losing only the animals who were already dead before Dr. Dlin's intervention - quite simply, as remarkable a "generalship" as any war story I've ever read. There are many other lessons in the book which I feel every medical student in the country would do well to learn - plus these stories are fascinating to the laynan.

Ben Dlin's book gave me a real sense of what life would be like growing up in post-World War II rural Canada. His descriptions are so true to life that they run the gamut, from allowing you to smell the delicious scent of his mother's fresh pastries to visualizing the many primitive medical procedures he had to improvise. From the woman with the gigantic stomach tumor that turned out to be constipation caused by her ingesting glass, stones, and other materials which he had to remove manually, to the "ice pick" lobotomy for mental illness, which today could be simply treated by medication, Dlin's description is uncanny. He sets forth in a non-clinical way his struggles to be admitted and graduate from medical school with its highly limited admissions and the medical help he had to give against sub-zero temperatures with little or no medical supplies. He even relates the medical advice and remedies he learned from his mother as a child and utilized them into his practice.

And it's not just people that Ben Dlin took care of but also animals with all kinds of different ailments from broken legs to pregnancy.

The life of this country doctor and his warm, sometimes humorous, and always sincere relationship with his family, friends, co-workers, and patients provides a wonderful depiction of a rural country doctor's practice and the challenges he must meet on a day-to-day basis.

Whether you intend to become a doctor or have simply received medical attention you must read this book. It's a personal account of the author as a young man growing up in the country, becoming a doctor and learning through his experiences as a country doctor the very human side of medicine. This book is filled with the warmth and sensitivity of a truly caring doctor and should serve as an example to all doctors of a truly humanistic approach to medicine.

This book is a gem. It is published by an obscure publisher, and is a diamond in the rough. The author must be a remarkable person. He ends up becoming a psychiatrist, and it shows: his memoir is written with compassion and insight. It is one of the best medical memoirs I've ever read (I read a lot!) The book was full of substance (sometimes these memoirs are very light, and can be read in a couple of hours. Not this book.) But I have to emphasize that I thought it was a page-turner and I could *not* put it down. I don't usually write reviews but took the time to do so for this book because I thought it was so extraordinary.

This book is beautifully written, full of vivid imagery of the stark and wild beauty of the northwest, and equally full of one woman's spirit and love for her family. It is a book I will turn to again and again.

This story was expecially fun for me to read because this woman lived in a time and near a place of my own grandmother. She took hold of her life after the death of her husband and shared wonderful adventures with her children each summer in the waters and byways of the Canadian BC inland waterways. She did this in an era where her family said she should sell everything and "move home where it was safer" A real joy to read. Carol Hage Wall, Oak Harbor, WashingtonThe Curve of Time: The Classic Memoir of a Woman and Her Children Who Explored the Coastal Waters of the Pacific Northwest (Adventura Books)

I got out all the maps of the Inland Passage along the British Columbia coast to follow each adventure this articulate widow with five imaginative and curious children and one dog discovered. Her tales of their explorations in a small boat and descriptions of wonderful scenery climaxes in the longest selection near the end of the book: "A Whale...Named Henry [18 pages], the just pleads to be translated into a Newberry Award children's book!

A amazing woman. As good as any cruising book written. And a shame that this woman wrote only one book. A very good picture of cruising, the Pacific NorthWest and, a simpler time.

This book was highly recommended to me by a friend who has cruised the Inside Passage and explored the islets of British Columbia and Alaska for the past 15 years. Many beautiful places are vividly described by Ms.'Capi' Blanchet. The lasting impression is the feeling of having spent time as a companion to the author and her children as they experience the adventure of travel and exploration as they cruise far from home in their small boat, in the 1930's. I enjoyed meeting unique people like 'Mike' - the knowledgeable recluse who expresses much of what must be the authors own philosopy of life. Altogether this little book is a bit of history, a bit of philosophy, and a bit of adventure. I didn't want it to end.

Having read this book to three to five-year-olds at Halloween for three years running and having it be a HUGE hit every time, I decided to get my own copy. The children love the repetitiveness of it and the spooky pictures. The tension builds and builds right to the end when everything turns out to be just fine. (Note: That's a total of 180 children with very big eyes and almost no wiggles!)

The artwork is beautiful and detailed. My three year old loves to find the cat in each picture and to find the faces in the windows, walls, and curtains. One can always find something new in the paintings. The story uses repetitious wording, so he can virtually read it to me. We have read this book many times, yet neither of us ever gets bored with it.

This "Dark Dark Tale" by Ruth Brown is simple, short and sports a gothic flair. The illustrations (also by Brown) are nothing short of brilliant. Brown the artist captures the fog, shadows and light of her own dark dark little world. Perfect for preschoolers (my two year old loves it and always anticipates the ending), it holds their attention (there can't be more than 120 words in the entire book) with the repetative prose that children love. Perfect for lovers of children literature and childrens illustrations as well (which is what drew me to the book in the first place). We love it and read it daily.

A wonderful choice for young children at Halloween or any time of year. Reading this aloud is lots of fun -- you can make it seem scary as you go through each page, then watch your child's reaction at the end. My son wanted me to read this over and over. We also have fun looking for all the little critters in the forest: owls, bats, tiny glowing eyes peeking out of the dark places, the cat, even a badger!

This book is rather cute and there is a cat that runs through the pages, making an appearance here and there. I loved the fact that this book presents itself as a "dark, dark" book and it really is funny that it is not a "dark" tale at all. The "darkness" is more about the lack of light than it being about evil.

You start in a moor and walk through a woods. Then there is a dark castle and you walk up to the door. Once you enter the castle, you are in a dark hall and go up some dark stairs. You are in a fairy tale castle and then you see a dark passage. You are tempted to look behind a dark curtain and then the cat stands looking up at a dark cupboard.

The last page shows a mouse in a box with a rather frightened look on its face. So the only fear in this book is that the cat has found the mouse. Although it does seem the cat leaves the mouse sleeping happily in his little bed with his miniature candle and miniature slippers.

The beauty of this book is in the art. Ruth Brown studied art at the Birmingham College of Art and the Royal College of Art. She has worked on animated films for the BBC.

Meowingly Cute.

~The Rebecca Review

This is an infinitely useful collection of primary sources. Any student of this period should have this on their bookshelf - they will get much more than the $23.10 worth of use.

The editor does a good job of including the best arguments of both sides and does not taint the actual debate with modern biases.

Love the book! Been looking for these debates for years. It's nice to learn the behind-the-scenes arguments for and against the Constitution. Also nice to know that partisan bickering is not new.

Unlike the political commentators of the late 20th and early 21st century (watchers of Sunday public affairs programs and AM radio listeners know who they are), the commentators of the 18th century actually had something of substance to say. This was a time when education was rare, but when done was done well. The New American Library does its usual exceptional job in assembling the material in this book including some of the more important selections from the Federalist Papers as well as some of the writings of the anti-Federalists. Here the role of the government and the nature of freedom are really explored. Life was better before politics became about feeling and emotion. Every American should read this book, but only if he wants to really understand the basis of the American experiment.

I've gathered other collections (i.e., The Federalist Paper, Constitutional Debates) over the years, but this collection (along with Volume 2) is by far the most comprehensive yet affordable collection to date. Given the fact Bernard Bailyn compiled the contents and wrote the background material, the reader can rest assured that a distinguished historian is behind these endeavors. Bailyn's commitment to detail and analysis of primary sources has always been one of his hallmarks. He continues that commitment in these two volumes.

There is more material here than the average person probably ever knew existed regarding the constitutional debates. Letters, newspaper articles, formal treatises, and speeches all provide the documentation. Bailyn wants to show the depth and richness of the discussion, which varies from those who feared loss of personal liberty to those ready to embrace the document. Anyone who picks up these volumes will come away with an idea of how complex the constitution really is - that it will never be all things to all people, but it does ground our national identity. It becomes the task of each succeeding generation to uphold the tradition yet strive to assure the Constitution carries out its intended purpose. Obviously this is no small feat to be taken lightly.

The books are arranged chronologically, more or less, divided into subsections. The reader will get the broad spectrum of constitutional debates (the Federalist Papers are included, the "antifederalist papers" are included) as are the fears, assurances, and the entire range of human emotion regarding the Constitution are all there for the reader to peruse.

The only spoiler I offer is the peculiar selection of a Benjamin Franklin letter as the very first entry of the set. Franklin fears the Constitution yet is willing to embrace it just the same. In a way, this might be the quintessential document of the entire collection as all Americans have reason to heed Franklin's concerns.

Study of the Federalist Papers, of course included in this two volume series, is a conduit for understanding the American ethic. When the Federalist Papers are viewed as included in this chronological deliberation between the Federalists and Antifederalists, they become even more profound than the enormous depth they can achieve when read alone. The concerns of Brutus and Agrippa are answered, the repititive call for a 'Bill of Rights' revealed. Madison wrote to Jefferson in 1825 defining the Federalist Papers as 'may fairly enough be regarded as the most authentic exposition of the text of the federal constituion, as understood by the Body which prepared & the authority which accepted it.' The enormous insight gained from tracking the arguments and concerns of the proposed Constituion , and the responses of the Federalist cannot be easily estimated, yet the result is a much more informed conscience of the American experience. Madison in the same letter mentioned above stated that Federalist Essays did not foresee all the misconstructions which to that date had occured, nor prevent some it did foresee. For the concerned and deliberate citizen of today many of these issues remain, issues such as Federalism are current topics and all too often the opinions of the few become the conscience of the many, examining these volume will do much to alleviate this vexing condition. More alarming is the realization that many of the fears of the Antifederalists have become a reality in todays polity. An excellent and comprehensive collection thank you Bernard Bailyn.

This little book follows the saga of Lucy Blue, puppy mill survivor, to Lucy Blue beloved pet with all the steps, heartaches and triumphs Lucy makes in between.
This book will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It's a book that truly touches the heart.

Little "Lucy Blue" has become quite the celebrity thanks to the endless patience and love of Janice Mitchell, the author. In painful and painstaking detail Mitchell documents the day after day (after day)crusade to bring the traumatized Lucy out of her fear and isolation. We're talking hundreds of days of trial and error, frustration and patience. I won't spoil the book but I will promise you a happy ending. The money from this book will help other puppy mill survivors like Mill Dog Rescue in Colorado Springs.

This story will warm your heart and teach you a few things in the process. You follow the story of a puppy mill Sheltie and her recovery. It will make you look at the world in a whole new persecptive! GREAT READ!!!

This book is a must for any animal lover regardless of whether you are involved in rescue or just want to be a better friend to the animals that we are jointly responsible to and for.

Lucy Blue's story is an excellent story about the resilence of our canine friends when shown love and understanding. You will cry at the trauma Lucy must have gone through and the inevitable set-backs as she tried to understand that in Janice's home she was for the first time being given unconditional acceptance for who she was at any given time. You will get mad at how humans can do what was done to Lucy Blue and other puppy mill dogs. You will smile and be enlightened by the progress Lucy makes, and even though you probably don't know her be proud of the wonderful and beautiful Sheltie she blossoms into.

Thinking that this was going to be 'just another dog book', I sat down in my oversized chair with this little book and a brimming cup of General Foods coffee, ready to do my duty to the friend who had recommended 'The Diary of Lucy Blue'.

Before long, a vivid image of a tattered, shattered puppy-mill sheltie-girl began to form. Without meaning to or realizing how quickly my full attention had been captured, I found myself painfully waiting and hoping with the author through months of Lucy's numb avoidance of all efforts to reach her; and wildly celebrating the tiny victories that signaled Lucy's faint attempts to reach back to a single helping hand. She was a frail little candle, no doubt, and flicker by glow, her light got a little brighter. Lucy decided to give Love a chance and it bought her out of a slavery that kills the soul right out of the body. The writing is excellent, the story is sadly and wonderfully true. This book is a Healing unto itself.

I have been dumbfounded ever since about what the words 'puppy-mill-dog' really mean. God Bless the Beasts and Children for they have No Voice and No Choice. And please, while You are at blessing things, please Bless this woman who went into the night by herself to bring back a beautiful, bright heart.
She does it all the time.

For the basics on this great book, see Leslie Nelson's review -- it's spot on in describing its many strengths. I know nothing that touches it for Rockies edible & medicinal plants. Its pictures make gathering the most common plants quite easy, at least for someone used to identifying flowers, trees, bushes & other plants. Though for some plants, and if you're not used to identifying plants, I'd recommend getting a few other books for confirmation, such as Guennel's "Guide to Colorado Wildflowers" & Kershaw's "parent" wildflower book, Lone Tree's "Plants of the Rocky Mountains". If you're not sure on identification, another couple of books often help. For your area -- mine is Colorado -- you might go to your local National Forest bookstore or a State Park bookstore. If you're actually planning to use these plants medicinally (which I do), you might want something like Phyllis Balch's "Prescription for Herbal Healing", which has no pictures, but has a lot more data on uses, limitations & warnings.

I live on Pikes Peak and, during the season -- maybe April/May through October/November, I gather fresh greens, berries, bark, leaves, etc. on many, if not most days. I was raised with a grandmother who, back in Illinois, did much the same, which is how she helped feed a family during the Great Depression, 10 years before I was born. So I'm the "semi-serious" gatherer, who moved from Grandma to Euell Gibbons's "Stalking the Wild Asparagus" 35 years ago. (I learned to graze quite well, thank you, on the South Side of Chicago, much to the amusement & amazement of my friends.)

As a start to playful or semi-serious gathering in the Rockies, this book cannot be beat. It helped me adjust from my midwestern gathering to gathering in my new home. It added to my knowledge of which medicinal plants here were available & useful. Although always, ALWAYS follow the rule: If you're not SURE, never put it in your mouth!

But I have some minor (really minor) complaints: the book is weak in how and, especially, when to gather & prepare. For example, it talks about fireweed as a tea, both flowers & leaves, but it doesn't say whether this works with dried leaves & flowers or only fresh. And while the flower season is short, so any gathering time is obvious, when is the best time to gather the leaves -- young as they first come up or late in the season, after the flowering? Another minor complaint -- the book has a lot of Eurasian plants, whose uses are better documented, of course, and which are readily found in disturbed & more urban. But then it lacks any information on many really basic & common flowers, like, for instance, wild geraniums. (Infuriatingly, Kershaw does discuss, briefly, the uses of geraniums in her more general book -- VERY briefly.)

However, there's no doubt, this is absolutely the book to start with.

The real problem is there's no book to take us to the next level. And that's my real complaint.

By all means -- semit-serious, playful or casually interested -- buy the book. You'll love it!

I have really enjoyed this book a lot. I am very satisfied with the text and pictures. This book doesn't have a key so you have to know the name of the plant you are wanting to look up to find info about it.

I bought this book to replace one I had passed on to a young kid who wanted to learn more about his Rocky Mountain environment. I have owned this book for four years and found it to be the most educational book about edible and medicinal plants that are found in the Rocky Mountain region. The color illustration helps immensely. Any person who is inspiring to spend time in the Rocky Mountain back country should own this book.

I bought the Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies book when we moved to the Rocky Mountains and it has been indispensable. It is a well written reference guide with lots of information about each plant and great color photos to help you identify them. A must for anyone wanting to learn how to safely harvest wild foods in the Rockies.

We've used this book on every occasion we've been either hiking and camping and that is quite a lot. We've found all sorts of edibles that we normally wouldn't have eaten.