Canada Books

I was impressed with a pace that Jason Burke established in reporting his decade or more of travel through Southwest Asia (Pakistan/Afghanistan) and Middle East. His optimism and hope stays alive throughout his various first hand encounters with horrific events. His book provides a very different viewpoint compared to the ones that I was able to follow through the USA based newspapers and magazines reports for the two post 9/11 wars (USA/Aghan War or USA/Iraq War II). He does not pretend to be a scholar and is certainly not biased in his analysis. I would recommend this book for folks who want to get a better insight of the Islamic World and all the precieved and real dangers surrounding it.

I read Jason Burke's Al-Qaeda: Casting a Shadow of Terror, and found it the most factual book on the events surrounding 9/11. So, I had high expectations and was hopeful for further updates from his previous 2004 publication. As other reviewers have noted, this book is a travelogue and personal memoir of Mr.Burke's travels around the world, rather then an analysis of the Middle East.

Admittedly, I'm impressed with what has kept Mr.Burke busy the last 2 decades. But, there was nothing ground breaking or amazing here. The entire book comes off a bit flat, and shallow. If you're looking for a fun(relatively speaking), walk through the Middle East since 1990, then this book may entertain you. I was looking for more info on the "War on Terror", and didn't find much in here.

A much better travelogue through Afghanistan (albeit, without the political analysis), is Jason Elliot's An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan.

ON THE ROAD TO KANDAHAR: TRAVELS THROUGH CONFLICT IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD could have been featured in our Travel Shelf section - but it's so much more, and shouldn't be limited to a leisure travel-reading audience alone. Jason Burke spent a decade among Muslim people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Thailand and other areas: his guide explores their culture and concerns, blending first-person experiences and encounters with interviews with a wide range of people, from Taliban officials and a former torturer for Husseun's intelligence service to a suicide bomber and an American sniper in Iraq. It's these varied encounters from different cultures in the area which offer eye-opening insights and cultural revelations not to be missed. Any collection serious about Middle East issues needs ON THE ROAD TO KANDAHAR.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is an excellent and informative book that's also a joy to read. Burke reports for Britain's "Observer" and he spent a decade covering stories in places such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Algeria, and Turkey. He often found himself in the middle of complex acts of violence, and this book is part travel memoir and part intellectual memoir as he struggles to understand what it all means.

I look for a few specific things in a good piece of travel writing. First, it needs to be well written, and Burke crafts strong, clear, concise, fast-flowing writing. He writes like a journalist, which means he trades flowery metaphors for sharp, direct statements. His descriptions of characters and places capture both the details and the mood, which ends up being vital to the points he wants to make. I also want a writer with insight. The author certainly needs to show insight into the cultures he encounters, but if self-exploration is also a goal, he or she also needs to show personal insight. Without insight I'd rather read a Lonely Planet guidebook. I liked Burke's approach. He is honest about his knowledge of other cultures, and he admits what he thinks while also staying aware of his lack of understanding. He describes violent acts and acknowledges that the deeper conflicts often prove to be too old and twisted for him to fully grasp. As for personal insight, Burke goes looking for that only in order to understand the conflicts he experiences. He might explore his own reactions under enemy fire, but it's only to better understand the nature of violence. This isn't a work of "spiritual travel" or a man's search for meaning, but it recognizes that any questions about the nature of violence require an understanding of your own nature. Finally, I have to like the author. Reading a travel book is like sharing a journey, and Burke seems like a cool guy--impressed with his travels without becoming arrogant, tough without going macho on the reader, and knowledgeable without needing to be an expert. He never once annoyed me, which is a bit of a rarity in travel writing (and in real travel).

As for the ideas in "On the Road to Kandahar," I think it's fair to say that Burke ends up with more questions than answers. More accurately, he ends up with the same deep questions and only some preliminary answers, but he also learns how complex and troubling the original questions were. He wants to understand what motivates violence in the parts of the Islamic world he has visited, and what the end result of it all will be. The travel writing helps collect information for the first question. He talks to would-be suicide bombers, Kurdish resistance fighters, and Taliban sympathizers--many of them unlikable and unsavory characters--and tries to get at their motivations. He tries to piece it all together into a coherent understanding. He brings up the stress of change, and how the clash with modernity causes conflict in previously peaceful cultures. He discusses al-Qaeda's philosophies and how satellite television and the internet have allowed these philosophies to modify the grievances of local cultures. He explores how cultures react after they accept violence as an answer, and after they see the results of that violence on other cultures and on their own culture. He realizes that 99% of the world simply wants to get by and live life--to raise children and enjoy friendships and have enough to eat and drink each day.

And, finally, he sort-of comes to an optimistic conclusion--that cultures end up turning against violence. He sees much of the conflict in the Islamic world as a short-term answer (even if "short-term" means one hundred years), a trial attempt to solve problems with suicide bombers and violent revolution, and sees it all fading away once the cultures turn against it. I say "sort-of" because Burke is far from convinced, especially after experiencing the closeness of the London bombings. In the end, it's the best answer he has right now. And, in the end, it's this combination of intellectual honesty and optimism--and its telling in an exciting and engaging way--that helps make this such an outstanding book.

Oonga Boonga is a great example of a positive sibling relationship. My sister and Mom picked this up at the library for my nephews.

This is a great book for a parent to read to an older sibling, because it helps to foster a positive relationship between siblings. Baby Louise is crying and no one is able to calm her down until her older brother Daniel whispers "Oonga Boonga" to her. Then, she just has the biggest toothless grin.

When Daniel goes outside to play, she starts crying again. Even though the parents and grandparents are saying Oonga Boonga to her, nothing seems to stop her crying. Daniel arrives back on the scene and whispers a new phrase and Louise stops crying.

Oonga Boonga has colorful illustrations that are wonderfully drawn. The writing is simple and direct so that a child can easily understand what is going on. I would recommend this book to parents who have more than one child to show the positive healthy aspects of having a sibling.

This book is simply great.

Baby Louis is quite a crier. Nothing her mom, dad, and grandparents do helps. Then Daniel comes home from school and whispers the magic words into her ear. She immediately stops crying and begins to smile. Everyone is relieved, until Daniel goes out to play and the crying starts again. Find out what Daniel does this time to stop his little sister from crying.

Being the "David" to whom this book is dedicated to, and being the basis of the story, I must say I am biased. BUT! This is my favorite of my mom's books by far! It is a great story and a worthwhile read for anyone to read to their children or grandchildren. I would definetly recommend it!

My 2 year old adores this book. The nonsense words that Daniel uses to quiet his crying baby sister delight my own little girl. That special relationship between siblings is expressed here with a simple text and colorful drawings. The balance between them is perfect for the younger reader.

This book, along with its Oregon-Washington Second Volume, is a MUST-read for anyone planning their own trip along all or part of the Pacific Crest Trail. This trail guide provides a wealth of information such as mileage, water-stops, trail conditions, tips, maps, and even locations (including addresses!) of post-offices and other along-the trail stop-overs for re-supply. PCT hikers often carry this book with them in their packs and reference it often. More weight-conscious thru-hikers will cut or tear the book apart into sections (it's conveniently divided into a long series of trail sections between stop-overs) and ship the abbreviated guides back to themselves at towns along the journey.

Combining years of research and tens of thousands of miles of first-hand trail experience, the authors have done an outstanding job in allowing future backpackers access to the information they need to plan their own epic adventures. The book usually comes with an pamphlet included to keep you posted on any updates and changes to the trail since the book's latest release (which I believe there have been six such releases since its initial publication in '73).

I'm planning my own thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, and after much of my own extensive research through countless other books and guides, I still come back to this one for the information I need to plan my own greatest adventure to date. Be sure the check the Oregon & Washington volume of the guide as well, written by the same authors in the exact same format.

I have used this book since 1980 to hike all or part of the PCT. It can make or break your trip. The most important info is where to find water. Some souces are difficult to find, but this book will lead you to it. The amount of info,maps, water, landmarks, milage,trail conditions, suppy points, etc., make this book a must on any hike along the PCT. If you don't have it with you, you're a lost soul.

I enjoy all of the Schaffer books because they are accurate, fun to read and reliable. This book has little chapters on the PCT, and the descriptions of each part of the trail are a total delight. So often these hiking books neglect to tell you how to reach the trailhead and oftentimes they don't provide detailed instructions (I mean this for section or day hikers of the PCT). Schaffer never makes this mistake. You will not need a separate map to locate any of the sections of the trail, his maps and written instructions are first-rate. In fact, there is even a nifty fold-out map sewn into the rear pocket so you can tote it along on any of your journeys. Equally interesting is that this book doesn't merely give elevation gains, difficulty ratings and desriptions of the trail conditions. These are vital to know, but Schaffer also includes little bits of information of what kinds of wild flowers you will encounter, birds, wildlife and other little nuggets neglected in other guides.

The book is supposed to be mainly for thru-hikers of the PCT, but there are many trails here that can be used for day hikes. These trips will be in the 10-16 mile range and any strong hiker can easily do these hikes in one day. If you do choose to go the entire PCT, Schaffer describes water sources, camping sites and addresses whether bears or marmots might be a problem for you. Most importantly, he tells you where to find water and whether the water source is reliable throughout the whole year.

I can't recommend this guide highly enough. Even if you're an armchair hiker, you'll derive many hours of vicarious joy from this guide.

I bought this book & another book, kept this one and returned the other. I haven't seen a better guide to the PCT.

This is a gem of a book. The author does a wonderful job narrating an adventure story while providing valuable information about the geological and ecological background of this ever evolving part of Alaska. It made for an entertaining and informative read. Having had the pleasure to explore this part of the country by kayak myself, I enjoyed how this book's descriptions of the ocean and landscape captured the experience of exploring the Inside Passage.

I agree wholeheartedly with the other reviewers about this book! I loved the adventure story of kayaking through rough water and harsh weather for two months. The author really brings to life the forest, glaciers, mountains and wildlife of the Inside Passage. The information about the nature and history of the area separates this from a mere adventure story. It's really the story of the coast told through a gripping adventure. And the many sidebars that contain tips for sea kayakers are a great plus. I highly recommend this book!

This is a terrific book. The author does an impressive job of weaving together not only his personal story of his kayaking to Alaska, but also accounts of Vancouver's voyage, the explorations of John Muir, and a lot of natural history regarding the region. It's quite well-written and makes for a book that is very readable and often even riveting.

Wow. What a great read. This is a top-notch adventure story that inspired me like few others. The author and his companion really took on the challenges of the northwest coast and came back with a story of high seas, wildlife and terrible weather. The descriptions were so good I actually felt WET after some of the passages. But it is more than an adventure story. The author weaves in fascinating information about the nature and culture of the Inside Passage, providing an informative look at this fascinating place. I've been to the Inside Passage on three different trips and always learn something new. I think Passage to Alaska would be a great companion for anyone traveling the area or simply wishing to learn about one of the wildest places remaining in North America. And it's a great adventure story, too!

I am on my 6th week with this book from my local library. I can't get enough. I have read many books and magazines and this book is well organized and has great clearity and easy access for plant descriptions. I highly recommend getting a copy from your library and checking it out for yourself. I hope these reviews will help bring this book back around for the gardeners who want a good book to add to their collection.

I have this book and keep it handly for reference year round. It gets a lot of use in the spring & fall, when I need a quick brush up on what to move or divide and when. I have recommended this book to many of my gardening friends. I hope at least some of them got a copy. I know many more who want a copy.

Actually, I have't read this book because book stores don't carry it. It is out of stock and nobody can get it. I know it's a good book, though, because it is part of The American Gardening Guide series. I have the Annual Gardening book in this series and it is very well organized and informative. I would dearly love a copy of Perennial Gardening. I hope a book distributor will read this, and due to the fact that it just so happens they still have a copy in stock, they contact me at my email address below.

Perennial Gardening (American Garden Guides) is one of my favorite garden books. It is concise, accurate, extremely well illustrated,and does not confuse the reader with excessive information. I am a horticulturalist and the Head Grower for a 60 acre wholesale container nursery. I have been responsible for growing perennials for over 20years. Often I am ask to speak to retail customers or the general public. This is my most highly recommended book for people first starting to develop a perennial Garden.

I guess I really like this book because it actually has all it claims to have -- everything! Also, it doesn't have schools that aren't accredited, you know, diploma mills. The CD was great for searching and has test prep software and links to their main web site.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who is about to go to college. Instead of looking through the enormous amounts of college mail that gets sent to you, you can just look through this book and find which schools you think are best for you. This book contains detailed information about the majors, academic and recreational programs, abroad studies, application deadline, etc. It also contains tuition and room and board costs where applicable. This book is a great help in the college search--I would definitely recommend it to every college-to-be student!

Getting your kid into a good college is a nerve-racking process for most parents. It certainly has been for us. We have found the customer reviews in Amazon very helpful. That prompts us to distill our ratings of the various guidebooks.

The best short reference on each college is the Princeton Review of The Best (311) Colleges. It gives ratings of academic quality, difficulty of admission, percentage admitted, etc. There is also a brief summary of college life and what each place might be looking for.

Peterson Guide is comprehensive, and has long write-ups for each school. There is a front section for each school, listed alphabetically within each state, and a back section with detailed profiles of selected institutions.

Fiske's guide is interesting, but he basically has something good to say for each school, so careful reading between the lines and for "damning with faint praise" is called for.

The Yale Insider's Guide is extremely subjective, with different students writing various reviews. We did not find it too reliable, except in conjunction with other books.

Likewise for Barrron's Guide to the Most Competitive Colleges. Recent alumni write of their (invariably positive) experiences. Take it with a grain of salt, or read carefully between the lines.

Choosing the Right College by ISN was extremely helpful. Some readers criticized it for being allegedly right wing. We did not find it so. Rather, knowing the point of view of the authors helped us evaluate their observations. Other books do not make their biases explicit. A feature of the book we found particularly helpful was the naming of excellent professors and departments in each college.

Antonoff's College Finder was interesting only in conjunction with other books.

Three books written from the perspective of college admissions officers were very interesting and helpful. They are The College Admissions Mystique, by Mayher, Getting In, by Bill Paul, and most of all A is for Admission by Michelle Hernandez. We strongly recommend that parents and the kids who are the applicants read at least one of these.

Another very helpful book was You're Gonna Love This College Guide, by Marty Nemko. It takes the student through the decision process of big vs. small, urban vs. country, elite vs. the level just below, geography, and so forth. That really got our daughter unstuck in her thinking process.

Loren Pope is another helpful author for those who think that not getting into Harvard is the end of the world.

Three books we did not find to be particularly helpful are Getting Into Any College, by Jim Good and Lisa Lee, The National Review College Guide, by Charles Sykes and Brad Miner (too out of date), and The Real Freshman Handbook, by Jennifer Hanson.

One book we found to be unexpectedly useful was Getting Into Medical School Today, by Scott Plantz, et. al. Even if your child is not interested in medical school, this book puts college in perspective for any post-college program.

We hope readers find our review helpful.

I love buying a book that says it is comprehensive only to find out that it doesn't have all that "comprehensive" promises. This book has it all. I don't think I want a subjective book about colleges. I get fluffy stuff like that in the mail everyday written by the colleges. I'm a Joe Friday "Just the facts, maam" kind of person I suppose. This book had ALL the facts. I liked the free CD too.

Online pharmacies are a great way to save money. This book is a great guide. I have found two great companies to safely buy meds from. Visit them at:

[...]

Reading this book gave me the confidence to seek lower priced medication online and I have found a great Mexico pharmacy with guaranteed lowest prices, www.rxmex.net Great Prices on hundreds of medications, FDA, WHO and GMP approved!

Up-to-date for 2004-2005, Pharmacy Checker.com's Guide To Low-Cost Canadian & U.S. Pharmacies is a no-nonsense guidebook that rates and profiles 42 popular mail-order and online pharmacies. Quick and easy comparisons of prices for brand name and generic drugs, easy-to-use information on how to order from online pharmacies taking privacy, security, and cost concerns into account, and much more fill this handy reference. Simple charts and tables listing Pharmacy Checker.com's ratings make Pharmacy Checker.com's Guide To Low-Cost Canadian & U.S. Pharmacies enhance the clarity of this indispensible guide for anyone who needs health medication on a tight budget.

Ordering from Canadian and U.S. discount pharmacies can save significantly over regular retail establishments. The problem is how do you know which ones are reputable and which ones are not, which have quality medicines, which add shipping costs, which require a Canadian doctor's prescription, which ones can be trusted, which ones are licensed and which offer the best prices. This book includes the top rated pharmacies with the best prices according to PharmacyChecker.com. Whether you are considering a Canadian pharmacy, mail-order pharmacy, or an online pharmacy this will help you through the maze of potential suppliers and help you find the ones that will best serve your needs. One of the really nice features of the book is the information on hidden costs like dispensing fees, medical review fees, and shipping fees. It also includes all the information you might need including available payment methods, how a prescription can be submitted, contact information, and the like. If you are looking for an alternative to the high costs of filling monthly prescriptions locally and need advice on how to go about using mail-order or online pharmacies as well as which ones can be trusted you will find the Guide to Low-Cost Canadian and US Pharmacies indispensable.

Excellent book, probably the best field guide I own. I am currently visiting Alaska and wanted a good field guide, partly to help me find wild edible foods. This book is very thorough, well organized, well illustrated, has easy to use keys in every section, and is packed with useful and interesting info. On top of that, the book is durable and water resistant. The book covers trees, shrubs, wildflowers, ferns, moss, and lichens. It includes a lot of info and edible and medicinal uses of plants, as well as other uses by indiginous peoples. I wish the authors of this book made guides for the eastern US, because I would love to buy it.

If you are looking for a book in the ares covered by this book, look no further. You will not regret buying it.

A top notch guide book for amateurs and professionals alike.

This book is one of the best field guides suited for the boreal forest region of western Canada. It is nearly comprehensive, except for a few species in the Aspen parkland (and perhaps other bordering regions). Includes detailed descriptions of plant uses, as well as similar plant species that may be less common but have the potential to cause confusion. It also is one of the few guides to list a number of moss and lichen species as well as the usual flowering plants.
The only criticisms I have are that, first, some of the photos are not the best quality, and there may or may not be drawings that compensate for the missing information, and, second, the families and orders are not always included (many species are listed under the "Other" category.

No.. seriously, this is an extensive, well organized, accurate and well designed field guide.

Includes medicinal uses and history for many prairie plants.

THIS IS A KEEPER

We all enjoy the book. I liked to know what to do about the insects in our garden. Turns out most of the insects are just fine and no threat to any plants. Our kids like the book to just snoop around and be able to learn more while having fun.

The book is a refreshing approach that combines gardening and natural history. I like the balance. A useful guide but also a good read on its own. The best part is having a book written about the prairies by authors who garden on the prairies. Too many books miss the mark for our region but this one is on target for the insect questions I've had. I hope more garden writers in our region pick up the torch as this book does.

It's great to find a book that is actually of practical use. I like the mix of gardening info and Nature info. I've already identified a few critters in the garden and figured out which ones (there was only one) to keep an eye on for problems. The illustrations are top-notch. I like books that aren't dumbed-down but the average gardener can still use. I hope there are more books written by people who garden in our climate and don't just rehash info that is more relevant to warmer zones.

Everyone who gardens, especially those who live in the prairies of Canada or the Northern USA, should read this book!

It not only has great information about entomology and the individual bugs but also details about how to live with them. The illustrations are wonderful too!

As a teacher, I suggest that it would make an excellent resource for school libraries as well because it's not only dry facts but is written in a manner that is easy and fun to read.

...

Whether an a railfan for decades or just getting into the hobby, this is a great book. Copy is informative and not overdone. Photos and graphics are outstanding. Although my interest in railroading in the Northeast, I found the collection of schedule graphics, promotional pieces, etc. very interesting and, simply, just fun to look at. I lent my copy to a few of my buddies and was happy to see they didn't glance over the pages, but were caught by photos and info. (Hats off to the graphics people). And these are former railroaders and modelers who are "rivet counters," so for the book to get their attention says something about it. A few commented on the price, and thought the book was a real bargain.

Train travel enthusiast and photographer Claude Wiatrowski is a member of the Colorado Midland Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society; the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society; The Colorado Railroad Museum; The Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad; Friends of the East Broad Top; the Nevada Northern Railway Museum; the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation; and the Lexington Group in Transportation History. He is therefore in a particularly knowledgeable position to create a profusely illustrated history of American railroads, and has done so with "Railroads Across North America: An Illustrated History", an amazingly informed and informative 256-page compendium of information and images ranges from the first steam-powered locomotives of the 1800s down to the high-speed commuter trains of today. Enhanced with a descriptive listing of historical societies and other railroad organizations, as well as a section devoted to preserved railways, museums and historic sites, ""Railroads Across North America" also includes a bibliography and a comprehensive index, making it an ideal and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Railroading reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

As a general book on railroading, this is an excellent book. The photos are excellent, and it covers all the major railroads (and most minor ones) across the USA. There are many chapters on various aspects of railroading, and it is very informative for those who are learning or new to the hobby.

Railroads Across North America is a unique book in this field. it illustrates in great color the historic rail lines that made America great. It also shows the breadth of railroad activites that were a part of operations. This book is just plain fun!

Bill Lock,
Founder Friends
of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad