Canada Books

Some peopel specialise in one area of insect study and tiger beetles area popular choice. This book gives area information etc, somewhat like a bird book. Now you can start hunting for yourself.

A wonderful guide with at least one picture of each beetle!! I haven't seen a comprehensive photographic fieldguide to tiger beetles as nice as this one. Definately worth the price!

This is a very good book to help with the identification of tiger beetles. I use the information presented in other chapters every day in my pursuit of tiger beetles.

As a 4-H entomology leader it was pretty frustrating not being able to help my kids find what kind of tiger beetle they found. Unless we got lucky, species IDs were almost impossible without a trip to the University of Michigan libraries. With Pearson's work, I no longer have those problems. Although scientific in its presentation, it's still accessible enough for my 10-year-olds to figure and use. Beautiful scale photos and illustrations. Thanks !

As an entomologist, I have seen and used many a field guide. This guide is one of the best. Color plates are not cluttered, and each has a scale bar. Distribution maps are crisp and easy to understand. Keys are excellent, with plenty of illustrations. Checklist is included, and the sections on ecology/behavior and conservation are well done. This is a must-buy for any Cicindelid enthusiast!

I bought this book in London and I couldn't put it down! I was exciting reading about places that I was visiting with wonderfully descriptive scenes. There were many nights of reading until the wee hours of the morning.

Sean Bryant
St. Louis

Gray's gifts as a dramatist are in evidence throughout this fine novel. The dialouge and period detail are marvelous. Strange that this ambitiuous entertainment didn't get the reviews lavished on Mr. Timothy which was fine but not as well-written.

This book I would recommend without doubt and is a very enjoyable read. The description of 19th century London and the characters are accurate and interesting.

With no small amount of national pride, I'm thrilled to report that mere superlatives somehow seem insufficient to convey Gray's debut success with The Fiend in Human.

Edmund Whitty is a profligate, dissolute freelance journalist who has succumbed to every known Victorian vice save womanizing - snuff, cigarettes, gin, opium, laudanum, and Acker's Chlorodine (a potent mixture of opium, marijuana and cocaine in alcohol!) Despite having achieved a measure of journalistic fame and public notoriety by assigning the moniker "Chokee Bill" to William Ryan, currently awaiting execution for the strangulation and grisly mutilation of five ladies of questionable virtue, Whitty struggles with an ongoing desperate need to produce the income required to stave off gambling debtors who won't hesitate to use a physical beating to persuade payment. In the course of searching out new "crisp copy", lurid sensational pieces he can submit to his tight-fisted editor, he meets the impoverished Henry Owler, a "patterer" who wishes to render Ryan's last confession before his hanging into "true crime" verse. But Ryan (not unlike other convicted criminals, of course) protests he is innocent and circumstances begin to persuade Owler and Whitty that Ryan is indeed telling the truth. The signature white scarf killings have continued, swept under the carpet and hushed up by one and all - the police, the merchants, the petty criminals and even the poverty stricken residents of the local neighbourhood! Whitty in a desperate bid to achieve real fame in a fading, limpid journalistic career and financial freedom from the debtors who are relentlessly hounding him, decides to stake all on proving Ryan's innocence.

Gray has masterfully married the ascerbically witty, comic and always flowery Dickensian dialogue with Anne Perry's superb, elegant atmospheric descriptions of Victorian London life and then improved both by taking a step down into a much grittier, earthier representation of real characters living real lives. Two gentlemen Oxford swells pass wastrel days around gaming, sex and booze. The pain and wretched difficulties of daily life in a London slum are portrayed in exquisite, graphic detail that might warrant a warning to sensitive viewers were the medium television instead of a novel. Older female chaperones, quaintly termed "confidential friends", are employed to protect the nominal virtue of young ladies of marriageable age. The surviving local champion bare-knuckles boxer is portrayed as a friendly publican quite capable of acting as his own bouncer. Steet walkers and hookers are picked up by "gentleman" johns with a ritualized stylized dialogue and negotiation that, by today's standards, is absolutely hilarious.

You'll be treated, for example, to Gray's wonderful Dickensian variation on a simple theme that you and I would have written as simply "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder":

"For in truth there exists no young female (charwoman or countess, schoolgirl or flower-seller) in London who does not exist in some male mind as a tantalizing fantasy, in whose honour some schoolboy does not regularly engage in self-abuse - fantasy which, when he becomes an old boy, he will seek to make real. Hence, the relation between the brothel and the theatre: success in both depends upon one's observation of the world, of the human mind, as well as one's own outward identity in the calligraphy of sex."

The whodunit succeeds admirably with a couple of superb twists reserved until the final pages. In fact, the final twist, a brilliant piece of mis-direction by Gray, is held in reserve until the very last paragraph! On a somewhat deeper level, Gray manages, like Dickens, to also make probing critical comment on a number of issues without disrupting the flow of the story in the slightest. For example, his criticism of the ethics of journalists and the vested interest they have in creating news where none necessarily exists is quite apparent.

What a find! The Fiend in Human qualifies as perhaps the finest, most enjoyable read I've had the good luck to encounter over the last few years!

Paul Weiss

With no small amount of national pride, I'm thrilled to report that mere superlatives somehow seem insufficient to convey Gray's debut success with The Fiend in Human.

Edmund Whitty is a profligate, dissolute freelance journalist who has succumbed to every known Victorian vice save womanizing - snuff, cigarettes, gin, opium, laudanum, and Acker's Chlorodine (a potent mixture of opium, marijuana and cocaine in alcohol!) Despite having achieved a measure of journalistic fame and public notoriety by assigning the moniker "Chokee Bill" to William Ryan, currently awaiting execution for the strangulation and grisly mutilation of five ladies of questionable virtue, Whitty struggles with an ongoing desperate need to produce the income required to stave off gambling debtors who won't hesitate to use a physical beating to persuade payment. In the course of searching out new "crisp copy", lurid sensational pieces he can submit to his tight-fisted editor, he meets the impoverished Henry Owler, a "patterer" who wishes to render Ryan's last confession before his hanging into "true crime" verse. But Ryan (not unlike other convicted criminals, of course) protests he is innocent and circumstances begin to persuade Owler and Whitty that Ryan is indeed telling the truth. The signature white scarf killings have continued, swept under the carpet and hushed up by one and all - the police, the merchants, the petty criminals and even the poverty stricken residents of the local neighbourhood! Whitty in a desperate bid to achieve real fame in a fading, limpid journalistic career and financial freedom from the debtors who are relentlessly hounding him, decides to stake all on proving Ryan's innocence.

Gray has masterfully married the ascerbically witty, comic and always flowery Dickensian dialogue with Anne Perry's superb, elegant atmospheric descriptions of Victorian London life and then improved both by taking a step down into a much grittier, earthier representation of real characters living real lives. Two gentlemen Oxford swells pass wastrel days around gaming, sex and booze. The pain and wretched difficulties of daily life in a London slum are portrayed in exquisite, graphic detail that might warrant a warning to sensitive viewers were the medium television instead of a novel. Older female chaperones, quaintly termed "confidential friends", are employed to protect the nominal virtue of young ladies of marriageable age. The surviving local champion bare-knuckles boxer is portrayed as a friendly publican quite capable of acting as his own bouncer. Steet walkers and hookers are picked up by "gentleman" johns with a ritualized stylized dialogue and negotiation that, by today's standards, is absolutely hilarious.

You'll be treated, for example, to Gray's wonderful Dickensian variation on a simple theme that you and I would have written as simply "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder":

"For in truth there exists no young female (charwoman or countess, schoolgirl or flower-seller) in London who does not exist in some male mind as a tantalizing fantasy, in whose honour some schoolboy does not regularly engage in self-abuse - fantasy which, when he becomes an old boy, he will seek to make real. Hence, the relation between the brothel and the theatre: success in both depends upon one's observation of the world, of the human mind, as well as one's own outward identity in the calligraphy of sex."

The whodunit succeeds admirably with a couple of superb twists reserved until the final pages. In fact, the final twist, a brilliant piece of mis-direction by Gray, is held in reserve until the very last paragraph! On a somewhat deeper level, Gray manages, like Dickens, to also make probing critical comment on a number of issues without disrupting the flow of the story in the slightest. For example, his criticism of the ethics of journalists and the vested interest they have in creating news where none necessarily exists is quite apparent.

What a find! The Fiend in Human qualifies as perhaps the finest, most enjoyable read I've had the good luck to encounter over the last few years!

Travelling with Michael is to say the least exhilarating, fun, adventurous and a journey of discovery. While many can only dream of actually making the trip, Michael Palins' books are the next best thing. It's not just where he goes, but how he does it and perhaps most importantly: seeing it through his mind's eye, which needless to say can make humor out of nothingness. All you need is to relax and have the urge to increase your imagination. A wild but educative ride!

Michael Palin does it again with Full Circle. Starting in Alaska Michael travels anti-clockwise around the rim of the Pacific Ocean visiting countries as diverse as Russia, Korea, Viet Nam, New Zealand, Colombia and the west coast of North American. He tells of his adventures getting to and exploring some fantastic natural wonders, visiting a Russian gulag with a former inmate, the relief of Japan, the Vietnamese reactions to a westerner, the biggness of Australia and the hardworking people of South America. The section on the United States is short and not always sweet. Palin is taken aback by the physical bigness of Americans, and rush, and loudness. By the time he reaches Canada and attends a "lumberjack" fair (no singing Mounties included!) he really "wants to go home". We also learn a bit about how the series and book were produced, his wife Helen and their children, and that being on a job for the BBC doesn't always mean smooth sailing! Michael's friend Basil Pao took the photographs - he also joined Michael on "Around the World in Eighty Days". I can highly recommend this book and not only to fans of Monty Python - it doesn't end how you might expect!

As always Palin has produced a great travel book and series... this I found better than his "80 Days". The other thing people might find interesting about this travel book is that it takes us to some places which are hard to reach even in this day and age, so this is the only way we can know them.

Also suggested- "Hemingway Adventure"

Full Circle is just as good, if not better then his othertravel/comedy books. It is simply magnificent.

I've seen the 10-part Full Circle tv series, and I had a serious addiction from the start. When it ended, I went through a withdrawl period. I silently rocked myself in a chair in my room repeating "I must get the book,... must find book...must read book." I've got it now and I'm back on a Full Circle high. The book goes into details that they never had time for on the series. It tells you everything that you would have noticed had you been in Japan or Australia or Chile.

Ahh... I can imagine myself right now on the streets of China getting a massage from a blind man.

Those who want to learn about hockey - and not just what Alan Eagleson did to it - should run, not walk, to buy this book.
Conway's book is superb, and his work on Eagleson made him a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
It's a must-read for any sports writer, too. It's like having an "Investigative Journalism 101" class taught to you, and for a fraction of the money you'd pay at a university.

This is the most interesting book I have ever read. I studied it to do an oral presentation for Grade 9 English class a few years ago and was so intrigured by the Alan Eagleson story that, now in my first year of University, I am pursuing a career very similar to that of Alan Eagleson...one in which I would essentially deal with the business side of the NHL where I would love to make some sort of a positive influence, as Eagleson did. However, Alan Eagleson's corruption, which is described in this book, is an excellent example of how one person can cause a negative influence on many people's lives through illegitimacy and how public opinion of that person can change almost instantly as a result. Russ Conway did an excellent job of investigating Alan Eagleson, and his book is a wonderful summary of his work. I would recommend this book to anybody, whether they are a hockey fan or not.

Russ Conway has written a wonderful investigative piece about a man who is truly a disgraceful figure in the history of Canadian hockey. Russ brings forth, with his own agressive style, the wicked ways of a man who calling a crook is an understatement. First, he never backed down to get his answers and his writing is first-rate. Anyone who follows hockey should read about a man who almost destroyed it.

All hockey fans owe Russ Conway a debt of gratitude for helping rid hockey of the parasite Alan Eagleson. He documents Eagleson's criminal and disgusting behaviour in great detail, helping fans to better understand what hockey players faced in the past, the necessary background information for many of the issues facing pro hockey today. I haven't read such a gripping book since "Net Worth". Eagleson will be back in the courts again before long, no doubt willing to lie about the charges being brought forward by a number of retired hockey players. Read this book and you'll see that the players have justice on their team.

This is one of the most important sports books ever written. Through his exhaustive work, Russ Conway exposes the greed, corruption and financial swindling that plagued the NHL throughout Alan Eagelson's reign of terror and the financial and emotional price that so many players faced. Most importantly, Conway's work served as the catalyst for Mr. Eagleson's downfall and proving many player's assertions of corruption. Put simply, this is an important piece of journalism that every fan of sports should read, whether you are a hockey fan or not.

This is a super book, A must in every CART fan's book collection. Just a shame it had to be written.

When you combine the writing skills of Gordon Kirby and the legend of Greg Moore you get an outstanding book. There must be some really great racing going on in heaven. Although no book could do justice to Greg's life, this book comes close. I love everything that Gordon writes and this book is one of the most highly prized. This book is mandatory for any true Cart fan.

It's an awesome review on Greg's life, with hundreds of color pictures... It tells the story beautifully. A must for every Greg and CART fan.

This book about the young Canadian motorsport icon honours the life of one of the most cheerful and passionate drivers in CART racing. As a fellow Canadian, I have been well-informed about the young Maple Ridge, B.C. native and have enjoyed watching him climb to the top of the victory podium. A terrific biography of Greg Moore has been collected in a very indept account told by his beloved family through pictures and excerpts. Excellent pictures tell the journey that Greg Moore had taken from his first encounter with a motorized vehicle to the 1999 season where he drove the 800-plus horsepower Players champ racing machine.

It is hard to believe after looking at this book that a young Canadian who was taken from this earth all too soon could live such a full life.

Man, when I saw this book I thought "It must be great!" And when I had it on my hands it was even more perfect. For those fans who lost their idol there at Fontana, this is a must. It's the perfect book for a great driver and an even greater person.

There were many funny stories in this book, (Sourdough and Burd being among my favorites,) but also some good heartwarming life lessons. Like the story about the lottery winner Emil and his principles, and the overall theme of the everyday ups and downs of life and family relationships. I really liked how the complexity of feelings for family was conveyed. Great read!

I picked this up on a whim in a used bookstore because I needed something to read while waiting for my son to finish with an appointment. What a find! Mr. McLean has a terrific eye and ear for wry observations and dialog, especially concerning kids and teenagers. And then there is his wit, sharpened by the fact that he laughs most readily, ultimately, at himself. I haven't laughed this hard since James Thurber, Garrison Keillor, and David Sedaris.

I picked this book out of a list given to me by my 12th grade english teacher. After searching everywhere i ordered it off amazon and am very pleased i did. it is an amazingly light, funny story about a 'stock' family that is a great summer read. i recommend it to both guys and girls, great book!

I can see why Stuart McLean is one of Canada's beloved storytellers through the warmth, humanity and humor of his stories. My favorite stories came early in the book, one of them being "Turkey" which starts off both the book and the Winter section. The description of the turkey before it was roasted had me and my husband howling with laughter. Another favorite is the one about the birthday party, especially the scene where Dave tries to frost the cake while it is still warm. My husband recently made the same mistake when he was frosting my birthday cake. I think there is enough depth to this collection of stories that most any one can come away with a favorite story or at least a favorite scene.

... a very ordinary family. Now, I don't mean ordinary in the boring sense of the term, quite the contrary. This is a collection of short stories spanning a year in the lives of a middle-class family. Everyone will be able to recognize themselves or others in these people to whom funny things tend to happen.

A quick read that will have you smiling (and giggling) on the bus.

You won't regret picking it up, and will look for McLean's other collections of stories about this wonderful family upon completing it.

This was a very helpful book - straightforward and practical ideas for plantings around my house & yard. It included planting layout diagrams, plant list and sketches of what things might look like during different seasons.

A big problem I've had with gardening books is that they so often cover areas with different climates (such as the wet Pacific Northwest) than that which I have to face here in the American Midwest. This book, however, has shown itself to be an excellent resource!

It starts out with a portfolio of 23 designs, giving the reader excellent advice on appearance and what plants to use, complete with color pictures, and a sample graph paper design. After that, it has step-by-step instructions (again with great color illustrations) on building projects, such as sidewalks, walls, patios and so much more. The final part of the book is a series of plant profiles that looks at garden plants and their needs.

So, just to make everything perfectly clear, I loved this book, and highly recommend it to every gardener in the American Midwest!

This book is a tremendous resource for landscaping in the midwest. It provides great ideas for landscaping for different seasons, conditions, and locations. Most of the recommended varieties of plants are easy to find at your local nursery which has always been a problem with other books I have used. The pictures and drawings really provide extreme value when trying to picture how plants will look together. It has already given me enumerous great ideas and suggestions.

This book is a good source for midwest-specific plantings and landscape ideas. I found I didn't have to look up the growing zones of plants I found interesting, wondering "Would this plant grow well around here?"

I also enjoy the overall friendly tone of the text. Some other books of this type that I own are written in a stuffy, almost highbrow manner.

The only thing I would have liked to have seen more of in this book is more actual photographs of the landscapes. There are many photos of the featured plants, but the book relies heavily on artwork for the landscape design images.

Excellent ideas and designs with excellent plant choices. Great for the beginner or designer to create updated and hardy garden designs that put on a show throughout the seasons.I am a designer and love books, this is once of the easiest to understand and carry out.

The LIBRARY AT NIGHT is an ideal blend of contemplation and observation, of thought and history. With chapters that read like short stories it is accessible to the 'not enough time" as to the "google stupidized" reader. A great gift for any librarian, or reader of books. Books in history . . . back to the shelves. Leaves the reading feeling like he's just left a scene from The Ninth Gate.

Alberto Manguel's The Library At Night is a curious confection: ostensibly a love letter to bookishness, it rejoices in collections of books and their owners through many prisms; how they're collected, how they can be arranged (as many different ways as you like), how they represent knowledge, time or space - even how the space they occupy can express the personality or idiosyncrasy of their collector.

It will instantly appeal to those, like me, who aspire to have their own "real" library one day (I am hoping mine evolves from its current status as a mere collection of books on a few dusty shelves, though I don't know - and this is one aspect Manguel doesn't delve into - what it takes for a merely juvenile collection of books to matriculate to a mature library).

Manguel also describes libraries through the content of the books they hold, and his range is eclectic, from Greek poets, Arab philosophers and Jewish philanthropists to Anglo-Saxon fantasists like Shelley and, memorably, Stoker. Each new vista builds a new perspective, but curiously after these multiple shafts of light, while one is well illuminated, the general impression is no more specific than that libraries - physical libraries - are pretty neat and we'd be worse off without them.

Which, for a while, made me ponder what the point of the book really was. After all, who could disagree with that?

But then it occurred to me, as surely it did to Manguel, that *we* could, in the same way we've, collectively, disagreed that it's strictly necessary to have a record collection or a even a television any more. Books may not have succumbed quite so easily to the digital ether as did music or film - yet - but there's no reason to suppose that state of affairs is irreversible, and if dear old Amazon would kindly (!) sort out its Kindle supply chain, we might yet shortly see a precipitous decline.

Manguel's subtext is that this would be a frightful outcome. He is certainly more equivocal about digital libraries than he is about physical ones, and sees the advent of the electronic book as a threat to the legitimacy and, possibly, longevity of his bibliophilia. For what good are batty old books, occupying acres of floor-space, however splendid the architecture, when you can have millions of volumes on a portable hard drive?

This issue Manguel only really addresses obliquely, and many of his arguments to counter this position are fatuous (especially as regards the durability of electronic information). The gating issue will be whether les gens can be persuaded to curl up with a Kindle rather than a book. I haven't seen one yet, so I'm yet to be persuaded, and that question alone might save the library's bacon. But otherwise the digital realm solves many of the drawbacks (like an optimistic computer programmer, I suppose he would call them "features") of physical libraries that Manguel documents, such as their physical space and susceptibility to combustion. Such as their inherent need to be ordered one way, no matter how cleverly, to the exclusion of all others. Such as the extreme limitations they impose on the actual retrieval of information (imagine how powerful it would be to be able to Google search the text of an entire library. With a digital library, you can).

All told, Manguel adopts a narrow concept of the value of a library, suitable for dinner parties and night time expeditions, but which won't be familiar to the younger generation who have grown up with Google. Though I am sure he would hotly dispute it, I suspect Manguel would emphasise the space, spirit and idiosyncrasy of a library over its actual, textual content; he would accentuate the intellectual statement a library makes over the intellectual statements contained within it; he would value a book's spine as much as he would the pages bound by it. There is a place for that view - to a certain degree, I share it: I like visitors to my house to see my collection of books, which one day may be a library, and I don't expect them to open any of them.

But when using it in anger, when studying or writing; when I need to quickly find what I am looking for, my physical collection can irritate me intensely. At those points - real ones for genuine scholars, you would think - Manguel's cosy view seems Luddite and hopelessly outdated. For professional library users - as opposed to literate bon vivants - the Google revolution will bring only positive change to what used to be a rather painful and time-consuming endeavour.

Whilst this remains a heartfelt and warmly written elegy, it remains likely that, before long, its subject will be a bygone age. We will have to find new ways to represent our learning. The web is already generating them: perhaps Alberto Manguel should set aside his scepticism and sign up to LibraryThing, and catalogue his books there. Wonders never cease.

Olly Buxton

Alberto Manguel has produced a romantic history of libraries which incorporates their best feature: the ability to wander down hitherto unsuspected byways and make new discoveries, often winding up far from your original objective but still satisfied by what you have found instead. This is a discursive history of libraries through various categories: Myth, Order, etc. with fascinating essays for each. Those who love reading and libraries will learn much history and philosophy and will recognize in Manguel a kindred spirit and friend.

For those who enjoy reading and perhaps a bibliophile or two, I found this book to be a very pleasant accounting of Manguel's love of books. It caused me to think about the reasons I appreciate books and enjoy those that are well written. Highly recommended.

In part, its most successful part, THE LIBRARY AT NIGHT is a collection of anecdotes about books and libraries, a worthwhile addition to the pantheon of "books on books". To give you some idea of the broad array of bookish matters and historical or literary figures discussed at some length, here are ones that were new to me or which I found particularly interesting: Zumarraga, who spent seven years as head of the Inquisition in Mexico and tracked down and destroyed much of the vast literature of the Aztecs; Michelangelo's Laurentian Library in Florence; the Islamic libraries in Chinguetti and Oudane, in Mauritania; the repository at Dunhuang, along the Great Silk Road; Borges and his library; and Aby Warburg and his idiosyncratic library.

But Manguel clearly has tried to make THE LIBRARY AT NIGHT more than a collection of anecdotes; he interlaces his rich array of factual information with his personal observations and comments about books, libraries, civilization and culture, and humanity. I find this latter effort much less interesting or successful. Manguel seems to be a poet at heart, such that many of his "philosophical" forays flirt with nonsense and impart a tone that is a little too precious, at least for my taste. He has a smooth, flowing writing style, but like the waves at the shore it begins to lull you to sleep if you read more than a chapter at a time. And speaking of chapters, I find the "structure" -- fifteen separate chapters, titled "The Library as Myth", "The Library as Order", "...as Space", "...as Power", and so on through eleven more conceptual nouns until at last we arrive at "The Library as Home" -- too contrived.

I fear that I have been overly harsh. So I will add one more star to my overall assessment and move on.

This book was the right message at the right time in my life. If you've ever experienced the "mess and mystery of life" and asked "Where is God in this?!" or if you're like me, "Okay, God, what in the world was I supposed to learn from that?!"... you'll find a kindred spirit in these pages.

The tone of the book is so far from 10 ways to fix your life, or why aren't you more spiritual... More like - here's some of the mess and mystery I've encountered, and these are the questions I'm asking. Let me share what I'm learning through all of this - surprise! There's beauty to be found amidst the chaos! She expresses herself so beautifully, I agree with the other reviewer, I wanted to read more.

Carolyn definitely has a gift. She is able to share her life with us and its relation to God. It doesn't provide all the answers, but great insite from someone who has lived her life. Life is a mystery. Just asking the questions, leave us with a feeling that there are answers and faith in God can reveal them. I recommend it to anyone to help them understand their life and relationship with God.

Carolyn's music has always asked the questions and done so eloquently. Oh me, of little faith...I still figured she must've had a collaborator on this project.

A few days ago, my wife and I saw Carolyn perform some of her music and read portions from this new book. She was poignant and humble, funny and quick-witted, and she answered questions from the audience with the same honesty and vocabulary of the book.

This book's for real. And that's the point...

Carolyn lets her questions and struggles rise to the surface, lets us see her fears and failures and the way she's dealt with God in regards to such things. Through humorous and heart-touching chapters, she peels back the facade so many feel pressured to live behind, and shows us that God can handle our doubts. No, the answers may not always come easily, but the lines of communication are not disconnected by our struggles.

I've read Anne Lamott--who, due to her harsher upbringing, may be more than a little shockingly honest for most Christians--and have enjoyed Phillip Yancey's writing, too. Carolyn Arends finds a happy medium by delivering road-tested wisdom in an always reverent manner.

"Living the Questions" is a rare gem in a world of syrupy feel-goods and fakey Pharisee smiles. Here, the real Answer shines through.

Singer/songwriter Carolyn Arends shows her versatility by authoring this book, and a fine first effort it is. Similar ground has been covered before by others (Philip Yancey, John Fischer, etc.) but Carolyn writes from the perspective of her own life experiences. Questions and doubts are part of any honest Christian's life, and Arends shares honestly about the uncertainties and fears in her own life, as an artist, wife, and mother. She shows much promise as an author, and it will be interesting to see her growth in this area over the years (although I'm afraid I'll have to pass on her next book, since it is geared toward pregnant women!!)

There are times when you finish reading a book not because you want to, but more out of a feeling that you "have to." Then there are those books that you don't want to end. Each page keeps getting better and better, leaving you wanting more.

"Living the Questions: Making Sense of the Mess and Mystery of Life," is such a book. Carolyn Arends' writing is poignant, tender and funny. She is an incredible story teller and has a way of making her story, her journey, seem very much like your own. Each story will leave you saying, "Wow," or "Incredible," under your breath. I don't think "gifted writer" is a fitting description of Carolyn's talents. Somehow even those words don't live up to the depth and breadth of Carolyn's abilities.

I finished this book in two days and promptly got copies for several friends and relatives. This is a book that you immediately want to buy for someone else. Once you read it, you'll understand what I mean. And when you finish it you'll be telling others...

"It's an awesome read!"

I was so engrossed by this book. Not only is it a fabulous story of a relationship between a child and young man and a story of survival under extreme conditions, but also an indictment of the Myanmar regime, as the author interviewed some who had been imprisoned by the generals and incorporated that information in the book. While hard to read at times, because of the imprisonment descriptions, the book is beautifully written and totally captivating.

Karen Connelly is a superb author, she brings both skilled craftsmanship of story-telling, and a penetrating evaluation of the human soul that soars beyond the confines of the cage. We live in a world where we are all connected, and, it is critical in a time where we cannot save Teza, or other cruel victims of repression - that we remember. The story of Teza is replayed in Burma every day, but as well, in far too many places in our world. We cannot save all victims of terror - but - thanks to Karen Connelly, we can at least not forget - we can keep them in mind, we can share the feelings of their terror, and rejoice in her story that reminds us that the human spirit can overcome both terror and the cage. Until Burma is free, until there are no more victims of repression, at least let us remember Teza's soul and spirit and song, as taught to us by Karen Connelly. You will as well be rewarded by discovering as incredible new author.

If you're interested in getting both a historical and emotional understanding of what's happening in Burma (Myamar, as the generals have named it), then THE LIZARD CAGE is a must read. It will not only help you understand why it is so difficult to get aid into the country after the tragic hurricane, but it will also inspire you the way THREE CUPS OF TEA has done.
However, even if you don't care about the effects of the hurricane on the long-suffering Burmese people, you will want to read this book for its fine imagery, meticulous characterization, and exploration of humanity and compassion. It's a classic, great novel along the lines of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. (Yes, it really is that well-written).
The Laguna Book-Worm

This book is amazing. I think we owe a great debt to Karen Connelly for writing this novel which eloquently exposes the brutality of the military regime in Burma while celebrating the beauty of Burmese culture, food and buddhism. This book is a great contribution and has the potential to entertain through its strong writing and story line while educating readers about the reality of life in Burma. On a grand scale, Connelly has found a way to write beautifully and inspiringly about humanity with all its darkness, flaws, hope and gentleness. Well Done!

This is one of the most compelling and haunting stories I've ever read, and I've read a LOT! I would say that this is in my top 20 all time favorites. If you have ever read Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, then you will understand what this book is about. No matter how desperate, how demeaning, how hopeless the situation, you are always free to choose your attitude. The author, Karen Connelly, can magnify even the most insignificant detail into an entire day's focus for the main character. Very Zen. You will not soon forget this book once you've read it.