Canada Books

Hannah Breece was an amazing woman--strong, independent, and driven by her desire to help the people of Alaska during the early 1900s. This book is well-written, interesting, and informative. If you love reading about early Alaska, you will love this book! You might also check out a new release, When the Water Runs: Growing Up With Alaska.

When the Water Runs: Growing Up with Alaska

This book is a great read. I was swept along by this story of a single woman working in the Alaskan back country. She takes a matter-of-fact approach to all sorts of alarming situations (e.g. being buried in a snowdrift and having a bear and her cub wandering about outside her tent).

A great adventure story. Fascinating snapshots of turn of the century Alaska. Many of the most interesting parts of this book are those which talk about Alaska's relationship with Russia, particularly the power of the Czar and the Russian Orthodox church. Reading about this, Alaska seems more like a colony than a part of Russia. Maybe the Alaska America purchased wasn't Russia's to sell.

The book presents attitudes as they were without varnishing or apology. Some are decidedly racist. Hannah definitely saw her job as 'civilizing' the natives (nobody seems to have asked them if they wanted to be civilized). She talks about communities who lived underground - this was dying out as the US government didn't approve - the story of colonization the world over...

An excellent story with plenty of meat. Hannah Breece is a woman both of her time and ahead of her time. This book, although covering the early 1900's, really tells of a time when the balance and control of Alaska was switching from Russian influenced culture to American influenced culture. It is interesting to see that what was "correct" then is now "incorrect" and reminds the reader that values and judgements are culturally bound.

The action of the book takes place over most of the major regions of the state including the gulf coast, the interior and the southeast.

Jane Jacobs the editor did an excellent job of organizing and illuminating Hannah Breece's story. Without her careful introductions the story would have not had quite the same postive impact.

This book is largely alone in covering the topic of teaching in the early 1900's. For those of you interested in the early history of teaching in English in Alaska then this is your book.

In 1904, Hannah Breece (1859-1940), was recruited by the Department of the Interior to teach in Alaska. Alaska at that time was quite different than today. Preferring to work in poorer, more backward areas, she saw a side of Alaska that does not normally appear in the history books. This is Hannah stories, as told by her, and edited by Jane Jacobs.

This is a really great story. I found its depiction of life in 1904+ Alaska to be quite enthralling; Hannah certainly found her way into many fascinating adventures. The book shows life in 1904+ Alaska, as lived by the common people, including dealing with wild animals, sled dogs, fish famines, earthquakes, racism at many levels, and so much more.

All I can say is that Hannah Breece must have been a formidable woman. I have never said this before of a book, but I actually felt honored to be able to look in at Hannah's life. I highly recommend this book!

I fell in love with Alaska as described by Hannah Breece. She told an amazing story of a time that is long gone. She also showed great restraint in not "telling tales" on those who were her contemporaries. Her niece, Jane Jacobs, who compiled and edited her memoirs, fills in the "gaps," after Miss Breece's personal story is complete. I recommend this book to lovers of history, Alaskan history, early American history, education history and those with a romantic notion of how the "good old days," really were.

Capt. James Cook was sailing north to seek a Northwest Passage between Europe and Asia when he ran across Niihau and Kauai in January 1778. He then pushed into the Chukchi Sea and became the first explorer to enter the western end of the passage, though he did not know it.
Retreating from the following winter, he ended up getting killed in Hawaii.
Considering the activity of Europeans in the Pacific in the late 18th century, somebody was bound to reach Hawaii. But that it should have happened just then, and with just those people, must have affected the development of Hawaiian relations with the outside world.
It may be that the reconnection of Hawaii to the rest of the world was the most portentous result of the three centuries of deadly, cruel searching for the Northwest Passage.
As far back as 1632, Capt. Thomas James, hired by Bristol merchants to seek a passage, announced, "There are certainly no commercial benefits to be obtained in any of the places I visited during this voyage." He had proved that a passage, if any existed, would lie above 80 degrees N., choked with ice and unusable.
Stubborn adventurers, mostly English, kept trying anyway, and James Delgado tells their stories in "Across the Top of the World" with up-to-date archaeological discoveries and a fairly recent respect for Inuit testimony.
Delgado is head of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, where St. Roch, the first ship to make the passage in both directions, resides.
That happened during World War II, when Canada was concerned to establish its claims to the islands of the Arctic Archipelago, through which there are several "Northwest Passages," all difficult.
Arctic archaeology has boomed in the past two decades, and although explorers started carefully recording Inuit accounts as far back as the 1860s, only in the past few years have these received independent corroboration from the archaeology.
Inuit oral accounts go back, with considerable but not perfect accuracy, at least to Martin Frobisher's attempt in the 1570s.
Almost all the attempts except Cook's started in eastern Canada.
The biggest, most disastrous was Sir John Franklin's. Like many another, it ended in starvation and cannibalism. Every one of his 129 men died.
Franklin, who died in 1847, led the biggest, best supplied and most modern exploration up to that time. While scurvy and starvation were the main killers of premodern explorers (with battles with natives a distant second), Franklin had ships full of canned provisions.
Archaeologists, testing frozen bones and hair, suspect that the lead in the solder on the cans slowly deranged the Franklin group, making them incapable of making sensible decisions. Nevertheless, some of them made heroic efforts to carry large boats across miles and miles of tundra to reach open water.
Searching for Franklin became an international mania, and the last links of the passage were discovered by these adventurers.
Roald Amundsen eventually sailed through the passage, but the first commercial attempt came only in 1969, when the tanker Manhattan was sent through to see if Alaskan North Slope crude oil could be shipped out. Even though the alternative (the Alyeska pipeline) cost $10 billion, that was a better deal than using the fabled Northwest Passage.
The irony is that today cruise ships carry tourists far into the Northwest Passage, in comfort and safety.
Delgado tells these stirring tales in matter-of-fact fashion.
Most accounts of Arctic explorations tell of the mysterious fascination that keeps drawing men back even though they nearly died the first, second or third time. Nothing of this grandeur and mysticism finds its way into "Across the Top of the World."
What it does have is hundreds of excellent illustrations, both engravings from old accounts and color photographs of old maps and all sorts of archaeological discoveries.

I found this book a very interesting read. The photos were wonderful. It covers the varied expeditions on the quest for the Northwest Passage. Lots of people lost their lives and ultimately it was not, of course, a really usable shipping route.

The Franklin expedition and the various search parties is well covered. The one existing daguerotype of Franklin, which I had not seen, is included, as are the recent discoveries and theories about what happened.

At a bargain price, this is a nice gift book. Mine came without the tell tale black "bargain stripe" on the spine.

Wondrously illustrated with photographs, artwork, and maps, James Delgado's Across the Top Of The World: The Quest For The Northwest Passage tells of the courageous yet ultimately doomed search for a Northwest Passage across the North American continent. From the Frobisher party in 1547 to the first successful navigation in 1903-6, to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police schooner that set the stage for modern exploration using icebreakers, this historical volume portrays the pain, the toll, the struggle, and the quest of man vs. nature in absolute detail. The narrative text is exhaustively researched and so detailed as to metaphorically transport the reader along with the famous journeys. Across The Top Of The World is enthusiastically recommended public library American history collections and for anyone with a keen interest in this fascinating part of American history.

The Norsemen may have been the first to attempt this passage but they were certainly not the last. Over 300 years of trials and bitter, freezing failures were to come and go before Norwegian Roald Amundsen finally conquered the passage in the early 20th century. It is not a coincidence that the only other undiscovered lands and the last of the remaining great adventures was also in a snowy, bitter climate - Shackleton's voyage to the Antarctic on the 'Endurance' was taking place at about the same time.

Disimilar to other 'popular history' books, this one does not have the same easy, flowing, narrative style but what it does differently and better than other pop histories is give details. Here you learn all that you could possibly want to know about every unfortunate mission that unsuccessfully sought the Nortwest passage. Crammed with maps, photos and illustrations it's all here. The little sidebar descriptions - mini biographies- of many of the explorers is a nice feature.

This book has the capacity to touch you intellectually and emotionally. It is a well written book on explorers and exploration. This book brings to life those searching for the Northwest Passage. Their struggles and hardships are well documented.

I loaned this book to a friend, who is somewhat of a stoic, and inquired how he liked it. He responded the book brought tears to his eyes. He was able to clearly envision the hardships these people endured. Amazingly, they willingly faced those hardships again to assist others.

This book takes you to a time when extrodinary hardships were dealt with as a fact of life.

This book has been a life saver. I have been referring to it constantly since my baby was born 10 months ago. I have not needed to access other nutritional resources as this book follows all the nutritional recommended guidelines. The recipes are very easy to follow, and turn out just like the book states. It has allowed me to feel empowered and creative with healthy meal planning, even with a very busy schedule. My baby has enjoyed all the recipes so far, and I can't wait to try the toddler recipes that can be used for the whole family. Great Book!

I absolutely loved this book! As a mother of a picky eater I was so pleased to find receipes that were easy and actually tasted great! It's particularly reassuring to cook meals using whole foods that follow the Canadian guidelines. I highly recommend The Baby's Table for mom's looking for quick healthful meals.

I was quite pleased with my copy of the Baby's Table. It is very helpful when you are just beginning to make your own baby food and need some practical help and direction. Make sure to buy it early on, as I found the first couple of chapters not as useful seeing that my son is 6 months old. The recipes are simple and straightforward. The advice is good - but I did find some of their information contradicts what my Pedatrician told us and what the Health Unit Nutritionist said ie: Egg Yolks before 1 year. Altogether though, a very good book to use as a resource guide.

I just got this book and I love it. The recipes have been easy to prepare and actually taste great. Also, the nutritional information included in the book has been extremely helpful and informative. The fact that its written by a Doctor makes me feel much better about the choices I'm making. This is a great "one stop shop" resource for most of my "baby" questions!!

Baby's Table is a great book for Grandmothers as well as new moms. Want to give advice but don't know how to do it tactfully? The Baby's Table has it all. The added advantage is that you now have an authoritative source to back you. Your daughter can argue with you but not with Baby's Table. Written by a doctor and a teacher, both new moms themselves, you get the nutritional information written in a reader friendly manner. It's well laid out and begins at birth with breast as well as formula feeding. Working moms can use Baby's Table as well and be confident that they are giving their baby the best start.

Very, very few books this physically beautiful are published today. This is a true gem! The author has collected poems, short stories, etc. from authors worldwide which concern or include birds. The numerous illustrations are classic-looking drawings similar to Audubon and that style of drawing. There are no photographs of birds. The paper is of unusually weighty quality and the binding is first class.
This is a book that the avid bird-watcher can hand down to a younger generation. Makes a wonderful gift!

I found this book in the gift shop of the Point Reyes National Seashore visitor center on a recent trip to Inverness and had to own it.

As an artifact it's quite beautiful: the illustrations and text and heft of the volume is sumptuous. This is, as the name says, a bedside book; a substantial hardcover with a creamy, coated-stock dustcover instead of a slick and glossy coffeetable book. The point of it is to open the volume and read.

Many such books are just random tidbits that catch the collector's fancy or have some private meaning to the person pulling the work together but which don't form a larger, coherent work. Somehow, though, this book seems to have an ebb and flow that seems natural, as if Gibson himself it taking ownership of the words, the images, the flavors here.

I bought the book for feel and flavor, but am pleased to note that it is worth owning as a volume in its own right, a perfect bedside companion. Highly recommended.

A beautiful book, excellent for a gift as well as for one's own library. The illustrations are many, varied, and lovely. The text is engrossing.

I purchased this book as a gift for my Aunt Jen, to whom I am deeply grateful for instilling in me a love of the outdoors in general and a love of birds in particular. She is now mostly confined to a bed and I wanted to get her a book on an outdoor subject she loves which she can enjoy while indoors. Before sending her the book I was able to get a good look at it and I feel confident she will enjoy it. The book is beautifully illustrated and the stories are well-written. All of them are interesting, some are humorous. I highly recommend this book.

I've found myself coming back to this book time and time again, just to open at random. I would recommend this book without hesitation.

Ben is very well written, very eloquent. He is an extremely informative writer. He gives the whole picture and helps me to have a sharp grasp of the procedures and the tastes that he has experienced. To me, Ben is greatly appreciated.

As a homebrewer and beer enthusiast who travels quite a bit, I have been looking for a manageable beer guide/road map. Thanks to Mr. Myers et al. for providing just that. Let the journey begin!!

When traveling throughout North America this pocket size 'thirst inducer' is a must! Prost to Ben Meyers! ­Merf, Product Development Bert Grant's Ales

Mr. Myers' book cuts through the fluff and BS put out by most brewery PR wonks, and tells the craft beer story like it REALLY is. I laughed, I cried, I ordered another beer (from Ben's recommended list, of course). His inights into Northwest beers are particularly inspired. I've also found that the book works great as an unusually tall beer coaster, too!

Being a busy brewer, I seldom get the chance to travel far and sample the efforts of other North American brewers. Reading 'Best American Beers' has changed my priorities. I'm hitting the road with a tremendous thirst thanks to Myers' factual, concise descriptions and ridiculously witty prose!

Simply captivating and better written than a Canadian mining story has any right to be.

About how a gang of off-beat penny stock mining promoters (led by "Toxic Bob" Friedland, ex-hippie, convicted LSD dealer, alleged environmental disaster perpetrator and one time school chum of Steve Jobs) took some of the world's largest mining companies on a dizzying auction for some desolate caribou pasture that just happened to contain some of the richest ore deposits ever discovered.

Bob Friedland is the loadstar of the story: a vain and loathsome character but brilliant as an auctioneer of fear and greed as he escalates the bidding into the stratosphere.

This book contains some valuable lessons for executives and the stock buying public. For executives: have your temperature checked regularly for "deal fever": walk away when the bidding gets too intense, you're probably overpaying. For the public: Beware of Toxic Bob's inside tips that to prop up an overvalued stock you need a dynamic impressario with a "good story" and some theatrical "props". Brings to mind certain Silicon Valley impressarios....

Tremendous read for anybody who has an interest in this sector, or for that matter good business books. Good insights on the tactics used in making a deal for a world class deposit (at least in a seller's market). I started yesterday morning and couldn't put it down all day. My wife did make me walk the dog, and I took a few trips to frig, but was so engrossed I finished it all yesterday. That's saying something because I usually only finish about a fourth of the books I start.

The real story that reads better than fiction. The book gives a great background for the current activity that is starting again in one of the largest mineral discoveries in Canada.

Although it starts out a bit slow, it is a well written and , for the most part, accurate. I worked at INCO and was involved in the early stages of the acquisition and can say that the description of events and personalities was very accurate.

I was lucky enough to work on the Voisey's Bay discovery. Jacquie interviewed almost all of the players; she did did an excellent job of catching the excitement we all felt in Labrador during 1994-1995. Her book tends to confirm many "rumors" too.

This book is all about the trust in God, how he brings Nicole and Anne through their hard times in live, how He is their guide and strong Hand that keeps them.
Really, this book (and the rest of the series previous) are really worth reading.

This is my second favorite of the series, my very favorite being "The Meeting Place." Unlike "The Sacred Shore", the book preceding it, "The Birthright" brings out the character of Anne as well as that of Nicole, rather like "The Meeting Place" did with their moms, Catherine and Louise. I always felt that Anne is "short-changed" in the other books in the series, and am glad to see her getting more equal treatment here.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and hope to continue with the next one. Normally, I find Oke's book dull or too detailed to enjoy, but this series with Bunn is outstanding. Try it!

This book is great! It's been a while since I read the first two books in this series, and I was surprised that it was so easy for me to pick up right where they left off.

This is the story of Nicole's journey to England to take her place as the heir to her Uncle Charles. Her ideas of duty and responsibility, but also her need for change and to find her own place in the world are at the heart of the novel.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot--especially the surprise ending, but needless to say, this book will keep you charmed through the end--through all the heartache, sorrow and joy that comes through in colonial America.

After being reunited with her birth parents in Nova Scotia and after saying a tearful goodbye to her Louisiana parents, Nicole has a yearning for more. She and Anne become close friends and Nicole loves her parents, but there is something calling to her, dividing her allegiance. Her Uncle Charles has asked for her to go to England and become his heir, and she considers doing just that. After prayer and consideration, she decides to leave.

England is a contrast to all she's ever known . . . its glitter and bustle are almost too much for her, and she feels useless among the rich trappings and servants.

Anne, meanwhile, is dealing with some devastating news. She decides to go to England. Anne adjusts more quickly to England than Nicole.

Nicole and her uncle have to make some hard decisions. . . .

I didn't find this book as exciting as the others in the series (especially Book 1, my favorite so far), but it is still interesting and integral to the series. The writing is still beautiful and thoughtful and this book is worth the read.

I have had my copy of this book for over 10 years now. My mother read it to my younger siblings and me when I was a tweenage girl. I pick it up and read it every few years and have also read it to my son. He thought it was great, too.

It's a great, old-fashioned fairytale set in today's world. Be warned - It is not an everyone gets along in the end story. The ending ends as it should with everyone getting exactly what they deserve. It makes you wish that there was a little book dragon looking over your shoulder.

I would recommend this book to adults and children alike. It has a moral message that a child as young as 4 or 5 would get but has enough levels to keep everyone entertained.

At 50 I'm still the fantasy freak in the house and found this book as enchanting and enjoyable as any I've read. My wife the murder mystery consumer was totally enthralled by the tale when searching for a diversion from her regular reading. We've both read the tale more than once and have made present to one of our nephews of a hard back version of the book, that's how much we liked it. When you finish reading this book you set it down with a feeling of satisfaction, that everything wrapped up quite nicely, and wonder if there will be another to follow.

I found this book as an adult, but I was totally enchanted, and it became the start of my collection of dragons. This rates with Anne McCaffrey's dragons--friendly dragons. This tale is so enjoyable, yet not predictable. Moral, but not preachy. And kids will love the good guy/bad guy tension.
This is a book every child (and most adults) should have the pleasure of having in their life.

"A Book Dragon" was the very first book I read geared towards fantasy and the mythical creatures we call dragons. I first read this book in grade 6 when everyone else was reading about babysitters or high school twins and it introduced me to a whole other world of mystery, magic and myths. In my mind this lovely tale about the last dragon of his kind who travlelled far and wide to discover the preciousness of the written word is a wonderful book for children and adults alike. It helps us realize that stories such as this and any other form of learning and expanding the mind are the teasure we should be stiving to protect. I adored this book as soon as I read it. I could not put it down. I have looked far and wide for a copy as it would be something I pass on to any future readers in my family.

A Book Dragon is a fabulously written story about a time in which dragons were as common as wolves are today--"Here there bee dragons." I first had this book read to me when I was in fourth grade and I absolutely loved it! I have been trying to find a copy of it for years. It is a story about a dragon named Nonesuch who becomes able to control his size. He finds treasure to guard in books. This is a wonderful story for all ages, and best if read aloud.

This is a fascinating book. It starts out a little detailed and slow but once you get into the debt of the story you cannot put it down. It is horrifying and graphic and tears at your insides as you read the passages. It takes you into the debts of his despair and suffering. You begin to realize how his remembering details such as he did actually helped him make it through the ordeal. You also realize it could happen to anyone.

This book will make you think about countries that pretend to be allies of the United States and Britain. Do we play into their politics only to save face with the world?

This book is uncomfortable to read yet offers hope for the human spirit.
I highly recommend it.

What a horrifying story. Thank you very much, William Sampson, for telling about the terrible things that you experienced. I'm amazed at the incredible detail, dates, names, etc. I wonder how I would have done in a similar situation. The Canadian and British governments should be ashamed. The officials involved probably are.

This book about one man's torture at the hands of Saudi Arabian officials is a must-read. To cover up internal problems, Saudis blamed bombings of Westerners on other Westerners. They then tortured the arrested into confessing. It's hard not to be irate reading this book - Saudi Arabia strikes one as the most dangerous and vile country on Earth. Sampson's survival is testament to the human spirit, and his horrific tale makes for gripping and worrying reading.

Not often you pick up a book and have serious trouble putting it down. William Sampson's narrative of the circumstances and events that overtook him in that xenophobic wasteland of Saudi Arabia will send chills up your spine. A true hero, Sampson describes, in alarming detail, the torture and backward, self-serving mentality of his captors. His ordeal exposes the Canadian and British government's incrediable ignorance and willful lack of concern for one of it's citizens when in crisis in a foreign land. Even when faced with a death sentance (beheading), Sampson showed courage and resolve to not let his captors have the satisfaction of breaking his will.

This is a 'must read' book for anyone concerned with 'human rights', 'international relations' and 'politics.

Like the book Night, by Elie Weisel, this book shows how even a man imprisoned can fight his captors with the strength of his mind (and body). Samson is challenged in ways many of us "soft" Americans cannot dream of; yet he rises to the challenges and finds ways to stay sane in an insane situation. He learns how he can live without even basic necessities (giving up books is harder than giving up food) so that his torturers cannot use these privileges against him. Samson shows us when he "fails" himself and when he triumphs.
To think that a citizen of a Western country can be abandoned by his country in order to keep good relations is an outrage that needs to be corrected. Samson shared with us his trial so that we might see the truth and perhaps others would be spared.
Thanks so much for this well written, eye-opening book. You are a true hero.

The "auteur" moniker that seems to hang ominously like a dead albatross around David Cronenberg's directorial neck is an overly misapplied reputation which requires a bit of deconstruction.

Essentially, when you hear the term auteur, the suggestion that typically applies is that the director in question--in this case, David Cronenberg--is a snotty type who doesn't budge not even the width of an atom for his particular creative vision. Everything on-set by definition must be done to the letter of the man himself, an inflexible character. Auteur, in this highly pejorative sense, is the closest thing to a Mussolini-type dictatorship which one could experience on the film set. Horrors.

But I'd certainly have to disagree.

David Cronenberg, according to many of the players who have worked under him (not toiled, collaborated!), especially in the case of Maria Belo and Viggo Mortensen, lately of A History of Violence, have nothing but rave reviews for the man. Even former porn-star Marilyn Chambers in The Brood had fantastic things to say about the Toronto-based director.

Few so-called auteurs seem to be as democratic as Cronenberg. He places a great emphasis upon his actors' appearance on screen, and much is discussed of how he generally will permit heaps of retakes for various scenes if a given actor feels as though they didn't pull off a scene correctly, or with particular aplomb.

He's one of the smartest directors in Hollywood. He's extremely well read (evidenced by his fluidity of speech during interviews--I've watched them), he's maginificently outspoken, and he knows his material so very well, especially when he writes the scripts himself. What's more is that he's adamant about shooting his films in his native Canada. In a North American industry where most Canadian would-be talent darts south of the border faster than Scotty's teleporter might, Cronenberg has stuck it out in places like the old movie studios at Kleinberg, Ontario and in the provincial captial, Toronto to establish a solid reputation north of the 45th parallel.

If you've never had the chance to hear Cronenberg speak on screen, you're really missing out. See if you can pick up the film called Spider...which starts Rafe Fiennes and Gabriel Byrne, which also contains an excellent segment on the director speaking about his various travails in attempting to land 11th-hour financing for that picture (which nearly capsized because they couldn't land the cash). I'm not raving for nothing--he doesn't miss a beat, this Cronenberg guy. He knows his stuff cold, and so do the people who entitle him to do what he does. They know they're in good hands, and Cronenberg always seems to deliver the goodies.

In terms of the book itself, I've fallen head over heels in love with this "directors speaking about themselves" series. After having first read Cassavetes on Cassavetes in New Zealand, Kieslowski on Kieslowski in the Czech Republic, and now Cronenberg on Cronenberg here in Prague (with Herzog on Herzog waiting anxiously in the wings), you're going to be hardpressed to find better biographical data on these giants of indie cinema other than what you'll read here. Martin Scorsese has even been profiled in this series...from what I've heard, it's one of the thickest of them all. Oh poor bank account...

This book rocks (!!!) because you're getting an uncensored take on the author's views. The book is Cronenberg at his vintage best, cussing, intimately describing various details (especially the final insert on his film CRASH, the "real" CRASH, not the Oscar-winning impostor!) of the sex scenes between his actors Holly Hunter, James Spader, and Elias Koteas, and some keen insider details from the period of cinematic history in Canada back in the old "tax shelter" days, when finance was freely available. When guys like David Cronenberg were only looking for scripts to fit the bill, because they were swimming in Canadian dollars. Those were the days, and Cronenberg pays due homage to the era -- it's what made him who he is today, and without the access to the money back in those days, his destiny might've turned out slightly differently. It's what he describes as his transition from "filmmaker" to "movie maker," a la Hollywood, bigger budgets, bigger stars, and box-office coups.

See if you can also catch a special "director's series" DVD from the American Film Insitute (AFI). It's called "The Directors: David Cronenberg," and he's one of (I believe) several directors profiled, with clips from their various films (I've watched most of 'em). Catch some early clips of Canadian actor Michael Ironside, who is still stupendous, IMHO, even in his later years. That infamous "head exploding scene" from Scanners, still to this day, is something else. It's buried somewhere on that DVD I'm talking about.

So I think I've said enough about completely irrelevant things. If you're looking to be entertained, see if you can pick up a copy. It's not heavy lifting, reading-wise, and it's packed with factoids, anecdotes, and details.

--ADM in Prague

Dude, it's really hard to stop David Cronenberg from yapping about his films. this, though, is a good thing. The man is very well spoken ,even if he doesn't think shivers and videodrome aren't comedies. this book, my friend, make me feel good.

Or at least I did until I gave away the second edition as a gift but it meant a lot. The current edition is fourth and came out after The Crash. To the people who know only his films it will be surprising Cronenberg came from a literary background and how much his films are intellectual. The man also possesses mean dry wit which shows up when talking about his ex wife and personal enemies like censors or would be do-gooders (fellow Canadian writer Margaret Atwood). To those who do not know about the author as much as they should this is a great book. Those who love Cronenberg's films probably own this already. I am waiting for a new edition to come out, the one to include the making of Existenz and his new film Spider and I'm buying!

"Cronenberg on Cronenberg" is a great start for anyone who wants further insight on David's work, specially his early films. One musn't hesitate, this is the basic fan purchase.

A semi-autobiographical look into the world of David Cronenberg and how he came to make films of grotsque, yet, captivating life of media, biology and society. You will read about his influences in his early childhood life and then, eventually, virtually being the only Canadian film director with a promise. Cronenberg seems humble in his writing, yet, you get a sense of high intelligence. Definately reccomended! It is a good read, moves along nicely and you will be quite fascinated by his personal accounts of his world and what inspires him.