Canada Books

Like most people my age, I've seen old movies depicting the Gold Rush, but they were nothing compared to this delightful account of the author's experiences in Dawson and Whitehorse, in the Yukon. From page one to the end, I FELT the cold of the North, learned about the vegetation and moreso, shared in the life of the pioneers AFTER the Gold Rush. Such hearty men and women gave of themselves in the search for gold, few, very feew becoming rich. Yet, they all seem to have enrichened my life thanks to their determination and stamina despite all odds. To read of the social differences that the citizens upheld in Dawson gives one a thoughtful look at the upper classes, who brought their prejudices with them to Dawson. Yet, with time, as the gold became more and more rare, the population dwindled and with it the many differences, which had segretated the classes. Abandoned homes, run-down shacks, empty stores finally gave way to social values, which brought the remaining residents together. As the author mentions, one could not walk down the street of Dawson without saying "hello" to everyone since the life of one touched the life of the others. With only 800 persons left in town, all knew one another and social standing gave way to familial attitudes. It was no longer necessary to give the telephone operator a number, only the name of the person to whom one wanted to speak need be mentioned and the phone rang at the other end. Tragedy and hardships took hold of the life of everyone, but friendship and helpfulness prevailed as their numbers dwindled. A beautiful read, which has opened my mind and heart to these pioneers, who are our ancestors.

I read this book during a travel threw canada in 1985 especially Atlin in the yukon. I like all biographics books which are the witnness of the story of the world.

Ms. Berton's account of life in Dawson from 1907 to the 1920's is too late to tell the story of the Klondike gold rush. Instead it tells of life in a small northern community that has seen its hey-day come and go, describing it's traditions and lifestyle in such detail you soon feel as though you've lived there too.

The descriptive passages are excellent and the book contains several colorful tales of individual struggles, her own and others'. I was a bit put off by the enormous number of names of people she met in the Yukon but didn't find I needed to remember them all to enjoy the book. If you have read the history of Dawson during the gold rush in other books, this is a great afterword that describes many notable figures' lives following the rush, answering several 'whatever happened to so-and-so' questions.

I remember our elementary school library encouraging children to read it, but given its richness of detail and adult perspective it's anything but a kid's book. Despite her matter-of-fact writing style, Ms. Berton's story is emotionally engaging and a great portrait of life in northern Canada.

This is the true story of a woman who moved to the Yukon in the days of the Gold Rush - she went to be a schoolteacher for a couple of years, married a prospector, and wound up raising a family in one of the most spectacular - and harshest - places and times in North America. Laura Berton writes with humor and insight, and has produced a most entertaining book which is interesting as biography, as history, and as just a fun read! Laura also produced one of the most prolific authors in Canada today - Pierre Berton, author of FLAMES ACROSS THE BORDER and THE DIONNE YEARS. This is a book that deserves to be more widely read!

If you ever plan to come up to Dawson City, Yukon you will want to read this book. Mrs. Berton gives an insight to the Goldrush town of Dawson City. I can say that you will still find the house she lived in and some of the houses that she describes in her book. As a resident of Dawson City it is nice to have read a book that is truly about what life was and is in Dawson City.

If you are interested in Canadian immigration or looking for a job in Canada without the help of an immigration consultant or a headhunter then this is the book you need. I found a job with a Canadian company as a Software Engineer and working through a local office via internet in India by following the guidelines and exploring the job search websites in this book. I am earning big bucks now while living in a low cost country. I also prepared and submitted my immigration application under federal skilled worker class by myself EASYLY.

This is the latest and 2nd edition of this book. Over 450 pages, jam packed with latest and updated information. A must buy guide if you are planning your future in Canada.

This is the latest and 2nd edition of this book. Over 450 pages, jam packed with latest and updated information. A must buy guide if you are planning your future in Canada.

This is a great, easy-to-read informational guide and I particularly like the tone of the book. One can tell that the author is proud to live in Canada and that he hopes newcomers will continue to make Canada a wonderful place to live. I think anyone who is immigrating to the country will benefit from the book in a number of ways.

This book gives new immigrants a lot of information that will save them money and time. To gather this information from the internet by yourself would take a lot of time en energy. It also saves a lot of money because with the do-it-yourself kit skilled workers don't need to hire an immigration consultant to get through the immigration process.
It gives a lot of information to get ready before leaving to Canada, and about what to do once you have landed.
On top of that the book gives a lot of structured information about finding employment.
Once again, it is a waste of time to try en gather al this information yourself through the internet, just start by reading this book.

Hockey fans will love this book. If you are not a hockey fan, you may want to read this book. It could change your opinion!

The best part about this book is that it's in the players' own words. For anyone who enjoys stories about old time hockey this is a must read.

Inside stories, inside thoughts, the hows, whys, and wherefores of hockey goaltending. Not just the stars and legends, but the back-ups, the crazies, the philosopher-goalies speak on the art, zen, and fun that is goaltending.

If you are a goalie in any sport, whether hockey, lacrosse, soccer, water polo - you will gain useful insight into your game by hearing how these athletes describe their vocation.

Irvin knows how to preamble and then just let the goalies speak their piece. An excellent read.

This is an excellent look at goalies from the present and recent past. You'll learn more about your favorites and get a welcome introduction to others (many of whom are still playing) you haven't heard as much about. You can open the book, start reading at the beginning, middle, or end, and you'll have a good time!

As a parent of a goaltender, who of course wants to make it to the NHL, I found this book to be very encouraging. Every goaltender can and does have bad games. If you have the heart, you have a chance to make it.

A great and very fun read for the Niagara Falls lover or history buff.

This book absolutly keeps you intrested from the first page to the last. After a recent trip to the Falls ( having not been there since a 9 yr old kid) i was captivated by the wonder of the falls and the respect it comands. I wanted to know more, not just everyday facts, but the inside stories and how lives are affected by the wonder of Niagara. this book captures that and makes the reader gain a respect for the falls and for all those who dare to take on the wonder of it. The stories of those who tept fate at the falls are intriguing and very well told. Again it gives you an added appriciation for the wonder and power of such an amazing place. Anyone with an Intrest in the falls and wants to know more about it and how it affects people has to read this book.

True stories about gut wrenching tragedy and heart pounding rescues that will leave you on the edge of your seat awaiting the outcome of yet another victim that has fallen prey to the beautiful but sometimes deadly river.

T.W. Kriner's style of writing and attention to detail will leave you feeling like your IN THE MAD WATER with them. A must read for anyone interested in the disasters and sometimes bizarre history of Niagara Falls.

And if that wasn't enough check out T.W. Kriner's previous book JOURNEYS TO THE BRINK OF DOOM and he will take you there and back with more tantalizing accounts of mystery and mayhem that have made the falls famous.

Having grown up just a few miles from the falls and working there for four summers, I've seen and heard first hand many accounts of lives lost tempting fate on this incredibly dangerous river (both upper and lower). Perhaps having been a local I have a better appreciation and respect for the Niagara. But I am constantly amazed at the stunts and stupidity people will undertake trying to conquer this obviously unconquerable landmark. After each account you'll be asking yourself the same question locals have for years... what was that guy thinking?

This is the first book on Niagara that has captured both the fact (which many books do quite well) and the FEELING of the place. I grew up on Grand Island, just upstream from the Falls, and growing up on 'that' water was different from growing up on any other, because you always had the nagging sense that four miles away was certain death. When you went fishing, you were afraid to fall asleep for fear of waking up in the Rapids; when you went swimming, there was always the unreasonable notion that somehow the river would not let you get back to shore. TW Kriner is the first person I've ever read to capture a sense of the ominous presence of the Falls just in the background of daily life on the Niagara Frontier.

This volume is an excellent introduction to the War of 1812. The Canadian author maintains his objectivity throughout the volume, and gives accurate and telling details to causes, politics, and leadership on both sides of the northern North American border and how that affected the progress of the war. After reading this book, the reader will come away baffled and outraged at the level of incompetence shown on both sides (initially the US side however), and the level of audacity and caution exhibited by both sides as well. In summation, a highly recommended book, that will provide a good base upon which a detailed understanding of causes, effects, and results of many aspects of this war can be attained.

The two reviews below are absolutely correct. Pierre Berton has written a great masterpiece of narrative history. I first read this book almost 20 years ago, and I can still recall the enjoyment it gave. This is perhaps the best book of history in terms of enjoyable reading which I have come across. The only author in the same league today is Simon Schama, and he generally works in somewhat more esoteric, less popular areas. I have also discussed the excellence of Berton's writing in a review of the companion volume Flames Across the Border: 1813-14 which, along with this text, makes up as fine a two volume set of North American history as can be obtained.

A wonderful book by Canada's foremost historian commemorates the War of 1812 as Canada's War of Independence.

The War of 1812 was initiated by President Madison as a war of conquest against Ontario (or Lower Canada, as it was then known). The British forces were arrayed against various un-coordinated American attacks, and the Americans fared particularly badly in 1812-13, notably losing Detroit.

This instalment does not reach the later events of the war, in which more of a stalemate developed (and the Americans scored some big naval victories). But the Canadians never doubted that the campaigns covered in this book - of 1812-13 - had marked a long-term strategic victory, guaranteeing Canada's separate identity, and the inner leadership clique of English-speaking, ethnically Scottish Presbyterians who ran the war effort became the ruling elite of Canada for over a century (if not to this day).

Many key characters of American history come here: General (later President) Harrison; Indian chief Tecumseh; President Madison and President Jefferson. This volume, however, gives equal time (if not precedence) to the Canadian heroes of the campaigns, including in particular celebrates loyalist heroes such as Brock and Strachan. Superb account of the war's critical, indeed decisive, early years.

The invasion of Canada is one of the most engrossing books on history I have ever read. Ms Berton brings to life the characters, events and atmosphere of a continet on the brink of war. This is achieved by Ms Bertons skillfull blend of historical research and artistic licence, which give even the most uninspred reader of history something to get thier "teeth into". I found it avid reading and look forward to sampling more of Ms Bertons work.

Best book on history I ever read. Most books on the war of 1812 focus on the 'high level' intrigue--congressional debates, executive office plotting, etc. This book focuses on the front lines. Learn about how Madison decision to appoint imcompetent generals (He didn't want the war, and it was his way of keeping it from happening) led to human suffering. Get a good sense of life on the frontier and the fear Americans had of the local Indians. Read this book.

sry for anyone who thinks otherwise...but i am joshua jacksons bigest fan...and obsessor...i honestly cannot speak for everyone but almost everyone i know finds out how much i love joshua jackson in the forst 5 minutes of knowing me...so for all those heartbroken girls who dotn quite grasp it..i am joshuas biggest and most adoring fan
xoxo

This book was way cool. I don't just give it five stars, i give it 10,000! Scince I am Joshua Jackson's BIGGEST fan (sorry all those other girls out there, but i know I beat you!) I want to know as much about Joshua Jackson as I can. I thought this book did a lot of that. I could have done with more pictures though. (but of course I already don't think there are enough Joshua Jackson pictures in the world as it is) This book is great, but even if it wasn't i would buy it anyways because it's about Joshua Jackson! What more do you need in a book!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think this book was great because it brought out a lot in his home life as well as his personal life. I kno we all love gossip gals! ! I also think Josh Is the HOTTEST guy on the planet and that also makes this book great ! ! !

I think Joshua Jackson Is Brilliant. He has done a lot for himself. He always looks great and all the films hes been in are exellent! I have seen all of them so far. This book tells you what hes really like. Not pacey in Dawsons creek, not damon in Urban Ledgend but Joshua Jackon,the greatest star in the world. I love him! Email me if you think so too

I really liked this book. It told me a lot about Josh. He's a really great guy, and funny as well as cute. I always loved Pacey, but now I think I prefer Josh.

I loved this book! Til this day it's still my favorite. I read it a few years ago and have also completed Baree. This book is the tale of 1 wolf dog. It tells the adventurous and amazing tales of this one wolf. This book is not like any of your ordinary wolf stories. It's something definitely worth reading. Even if you don't like you wolves or dogs I'm sure you'll enjoy this courageous story. I know I did.

This is the story of the dog -wolf hybrid Kazan. He was kept by humans but soon escapes back to his real home.

He soon finds a wolf pack and makes it his own. As he fights to keep control he finds a safe place with his mate and she-wolf Grey Wolf.

As they fight to stay alive out in the woods Grey Wolf has pups which are soon killed by a lynx. To find out how Kazan takes his revenge try a different review or in my opinion get the book and read it. It is an exciting read filled with danger and excitement.
As i say everytime enjoy:)

When I first got this book, I looked at it and said "maybe" to myself. I probably should have read it then anyway. Well, I finally got around to reading it and I got stuck in it! It is really good. Some of the words are kind of confusing but the whole story is very cool. You read about a three-quarters dog and one-quarter wolf named Kazan. This story is really neat and you should buy it right NOW!

I loved this book! Til this day it's still my favorite. I read it a few years ago and have also completed Baree. This book is the tale of 1 wolf dog. It tells the adventurous and amazing tales of this one wolf. This book is not like any of your ordinary wolf stories. It's something definitely worth reading. Even if you don't like you wolves or dogs I'm sure you'll enjoy this courageous story. I know I did.

Kazan : Father of Baree, introduces readers to a new level of respect for the wonderful creatures that James Oliver Curwood writes about. Kazan is the story of a wolf hybrid; a mix between a dog and a wolf. The story highlights the adventures of Kazan, as well as lessons taught to him throughout the book. I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys books that revolve around an animal as the main character. The plot is spectacular, as is the writing, and anyone ranging from age 8 to age 88 will enjoy it.

Ms. Skrypuch's passion has always been "to write stories that capture real experiences that have been suppressed or lost"--and, thus, this anthology came to be born. As she states, "We are the Kobzar's Children. Our parents and grandparents suffered in silence, with their life stories and histories either suppressed or falsified. This anthology tells a century of untold stories."

Honored as a Canadian Ukrainian Woman of Influence and as an author of seven books for children and young adults, many of which have been nominated for numerous awards, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch is editor of "Kobzar's Children: A Century of Untold Ukrainian Stories ("Kobzar's Children")" and contributor of two of its stories.

"As a child, she could only find one Ukrainian book written in English, so she started to read Russian stories, Polish stories, and Jewish stories. The more she read, the more she noticed a disturbing trend: `Ukrainians were often portrayed with negative stereotypes'--they were portrayed as buffoons, bullies, drunks, and murderers."

As an adult, she heard about the kobzars--blind, wandering minstrels of Ukraine who memorized long epic poems, which had been passed down generation to generation. "Those poems captured the rich history, the folk tales, and the cultural identity of Ukraine."

During Stalin's regime, kobzars intermingled the older tales with "contemporary stories of Soviet repression, famine, and terror. In the 1930s, Stalin called the first national conference of kobzars in Ukraine. Hundreds congregated. And then Stalin had them all shot. Stalin then rounded up Ukrainian journalists, artists, novelists, and playwrights, and murdered them, too."

For the Ukrainian, the word kobzar has special meaning--Kobzar is the title of (Ukrainian bard) Taras Shevchenko's first collection of poems, which was published in 1840. Shevchenko "is popularly known as The Kobzar. During Stalin's time, Shevchenko's writings were deliberately falsified."

The publication of "Kobzar's Children" was sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Government of Canada through BPIDP, and the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko. The cover image is from the Library and Archives of Canada. Each of the twenty writings is accented by artistic design work by accomplished illustrator Fortunato Aglialoro, and photos throughout have been supplied in many cases by the authors.

Twelve Ukrainian-Canadian authors (from Quebec, Ontario, and Western Canada) collaborated on this anthology of memoirs, historical fiction, and poetry that chronicles the lives and struggles of Ukrainian immigrants to Canada during the past one hundred years (1905-2004).

"More than a collection, it is a social document that revives memories once deliberately forgotten." Events heretofore described in articles, come to life as characters take on a very personal persona. The topics are as varied as their lengths--the shortest being a poem placed prominently on one page, the longest being a story spanning twenty-two pages. The reading is engrossing, informative, and thought inducing.

"Kobzar's Children" begins in the early 1900s with a fascinating recital of a family's homesteading and concludes in 2004 with an engrossing historical fiction dealing with the very real, recent Orange Revolution in Ukraine. Although the recommended reading level is ages 9 through 12, nevertheless, the adult will also benefit from this rich reservoir of remembrances. To enhance your reading experience, each author (Kobzar's Child) is given a face by way of a photo and brief resume.

The days of Ms. Skrypuch's youthful encounters with hostile, derogatory portrayals of Ukraine and Ukrainians are slowly metamorphosizing, as the Internet exposes to the world the true beauty and culture of Ukraine.

On June 14, 2008, former Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney gave a free concert in Kyiv, Ukraine before a live audience of 350,000 fans--it was "simultaneously broadcast on giant screens in Odesa, Donetsk, Lviv, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk, and on television, with an estimated 10 million people watching." The concert ("a mammoth 33-song set") started a half hour late due to the heavy pouring rains--which didn't dampen anyone's spirits, though!

"McCartney has made mention of Ukraine in a song with the Beatles. In the well-known hit "Back in the USSR" the Beatles sing: "The Ukraine girls really knock me out." Also, several years ago during the concert in St Petersburg in Russia Sir Paul in response to a greeting of Ukrainian fans suddenly took the microphone and said: "I send all my love to you, Ukraine."

Sir Paul McCartney took Ukrainian lessons for an hour, "hoping to be able to talk to the audience." During his three-day stay in Kyiv, "Sir Paul McCartney will open a personal exhibition of his artistic works, which will include 40 of his works at the PincukArtCentre." And, he'll bike Kyiv's streets seeing what his friends told him is "a beautiful city with lots of historic places." His video is on YouTube--see it. Kobzar's Children who witnessed this concert will pass along their stories for generations to come.

"Kobzar's Children: A Century of Untold Ukrainian Stories" should be in libraries worldwide, both public and personal! A definite five-stars plus!--Mandrivnyk, Arlington Heights, IL

The modern Kobzars who wrote the stories in this book do an invaluable service for readers everywhere. They bring together a group of tales that gives vivid life to the Ukranian immigrant experience. The unique, remarkable and sometimes horrifying events are related with such clear voices that the result is an uplifting testament to the power of the people who have lived these lives. For all its disturbing imagery, in the end, reading this collection is ultimately a celebration of the Ukranian immigrant experience, as told in the many and varied voices of Ukranian storytellers.

I didn't know very much about Ukrainian immigrants, but this collection of fiction, poetry, and memoir has really opened my eyes. For one thing, it reminded me that life for so many people on this planet has been one of grim survival--and that's just the effort to farm an inhospitable land, let alone to deal with man's inhumanity. This story collection, while it has moments of humor ("The Red Boots" and "A Bar of Chocolate" spring to mind), is mostly poignant and at times haunting as it evokes events such as Stalin's famine-genocide against millions of Ukrainian farmers, an event punctuated by farcical displays of peasant well-being orchestrated and enacted for foreign journalists.

The challenges facing immigrants is a timeless message which has an unpleasantly real application for me today, since I live in a country where many people direct hostility toward Hispanic immigrants. Likewise, the internment of Ukrainian immigrants in Canada during World War I is reminiscent of the Japanese internment here in California during World War II. I was also reminded that, though the primary focus of the Nazi Holocaust was the Jews, other peoples, including Ukrainian and other political dissidents and resistance fighters, were also tortured and killed in death/slave camps.

It's nice that the book ends on a hopeful note, with a contemporary story about the Orange Revolution.

Kobzar's Children is not for young children, but for those Young Adult (and older) readers who are willing to consider the complexities of this world we live in and to focus on a less well-known era and people in history, I highly recommend this book.

The Kobzar's (storytellers) of the Ukraine died by Stalin's orders, as did their stories. A new generation of Kobzars emerged. In this title, a collection of short historical fiction, poems and memoirs, Kobzar's children chronicle the Ukrainian immigrant experience in Canada from 1905 to 2004--living through internment as enemy aliens, displacement, homesteading, concentration camps, and more. This magnificent collection is so absorbing, it is impossible to put it down.

Marsha Skrypuch has gifted readers with a mix of dark and light subjects that are intimate and totally absorbing. While enriching one's knowledge of Ukranian immigrant history, this collection gives testimony to the human experience unbounded by geography. Masterful!

In the introduction to this collection of short historical fiction, memoirs and poems touching upon a century of the history of Ukrainian immigrant experience, Marsha Skrypuch writes the following:


"When you don't write your own stories, others will write them for you."

And in publishing this marvelous collection of stories she begins the process of putting the record straight. Like Marsha, I too grew up with the realization that I belonged essentially to an invisible and completely unknown ethnic group -- Ukrainians, whom no one seemed to have ever heard of, and if they had, they said things like -- "That's the same as Russian, isn't it?"

As Marsha explains in the foreword, the kobzars were Ukraine's blind, wandering minstrels, who in the ancient tradition of Homer memorized long epic historical poems that spoke of the great events of Ukrainian history, and in doing so kept a population that was largely illiterate in touch with their great heritage.

During Stalin's times they kept people apprised of the repressions and persecutions and famine in addition to their traditional role, and so they came to the notice of Josef Stalin, who called for a national conference of kobzars. Hundreds showed up, and all were shot. There are a few kobzars who survived to tell the tale, and a very few who carry on the tradition today.

Because Marsha does not speak Ukrainian, she did not have access to emigre literature that spoke of the immigrant experience, and of experiences in Ukraine. But Ukrainians are inveterate story tellers, and as fortune would have it, the writers of these tales are either witnesses themselves to the events they describe, or are children of parents who told vivid tales of their own experiences, and as such the works have a compelling and hypnotic interest.

I couldn't put the book down. I frankly had expected a charming work aimed at children, but how mistaken I was. Although this book is suitable for all ages capable of reading at this level, it is of no less interest to the adult reader as to the young reader. It never talks down to its audience. In the same way that I remember my own parents relating the many stories of our family, no punches are pulled. Harsh reality and horror and danger take their place alongside tales of humor, childhood pranks and misunderstandings.

Beginning in the early part of the century, the stories span everything from a memoir of homesteading in the early 1900's in the wilds of western Canada, to a first-hand horrifying account of a young child's suffering and survival during the Stalin-created Ukrainian famine genocide of 1933, in which at least seven million Ukrainians perished. Tales of helping out in a family grocery store take their place alongside a psychologically insightful meditation on the interior life of an elderly Ukrainian woman living in her memories while confined to a nursing home. One of the stories relates the shocking history of how Ukrainians were unjustly interned in hard labor camps by the Canadian government during WWI, and subjected to treatment that is sadly reminiscent of Soviet gulags. This is a chapter of immigrant history I knew absolutely nothing about. There's a delightful tale about the tragicomedy of attempts to move the grave of one family member from one cemetery to another, followed by a grim personal memoir of surviving Auschwitz. The stories span a century of experience, beginning in the early 1900's and ending with a charming Christmas time tale that takes place during the exciting days of the Orange Revolution.

Ukrainians do not talk down to their children. We do not protect them from the harsh realities of history and of repression. Perhaps this is why Americans and Canadians of Ukrainian descent are generally highly sensitive to any encroachments upon their freedoms and dangers gathering in the world. We have experienced, if not first-hand, then through the tales of our parents, the kinds of things that can happen if people forget their history.

As such, Marsha Skrypuch has done a great service by publishing this book. Not only has she introduced the literature and history of Ukraine to immigrants who may no longer be in touch with the language of their ancestors, but also she exposes the stories of these people to a wider American and Canadian audience.

This book must and will, by its very nature, find a wide audience. It is gripping, well-written, well-balanced, and paced with a mixture of lighter and darker topics, and in the end is a testament to the basic humanity that binds us all into one common human experience.

History comes alive when we read about the lives of individuals. What once existed only as a page in a history book or a phrase with a date attached, suddenly becomes a gripping personal drama that anyone can identify with.

Buy this book, read it. You don't have to be Ukrainian to thoroughly enjoy it and to profit by it. We are all enriched by enlarging our knowledge of history and the very human stories that make up that history.

The kobzars indeed live, and this book carries on that great Ukrainian tradition. Every country needs its kobzars.

I loved this book. He seemed genuine and really care the fate of the Hong Kong Chinese.

Regardless of the so-called hidden agenda behind the rush to the democracy before the handover, the truth was back then none of the patten's predecessors had the political reforms in agenda. They were all diplomats and they only really concerned to kowtowing Beijing. Patten was a politican and he tried to work and fight for the benefits on behalf of HIS constituents i.e. people of Hong Kong. He got unfairly smeared by Beijing in return just because the truth hurts.

The bottom line was Chris Patten did leave a legacy way better than Tung che-hwa, the chief executive of Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region-not the disease) could ever dream of. What an irony it was when the white Anglo-Saxon master who make Hong Kong prosperous and better than the mainland Chinese themselves.

When the Union Jack lowered the last time on June 30, 1997, it symbolized not only the beginning of the fall of Hong Kong, but also spell the death of Hong Kong. Hong Kong-the beacon and the crown jewel of what a Chinese society ought to be back then ceased to exist.

I loved this book. I thought it was a great narrative on Chris Patten and his governorship and the hardships he endured. The book spares almost no detail, but I would have liked to see more of the Democrat's point of view. This book is absolutely necessary for people who wish to know in-depth about his governorship.

After reading the online review of Theroux's Kowloon Tong (a fictional account of the 1997 Handover of Hong Kong), I am surprised to find that only one customer have contributed a review to Dimbleby's marvelous work on the historical events. Dimbleby provided an excellent and comprehensive account of the political events that led to the signing of the 1984 Sino-British agreement, the arrival of Chris Patten, the introduction of legislative reform, and the eventual derailment of the democratic movement by the Communist Chinese Government. Dimbleby also tell the stories of several Hong Kong citizens and their views of the Handover. Being a native of Hong Kong who have spent my last 12 years in the States, Dimbleby's book brought me up-to-date on the big political stride taken by and the obstacles awaiting the people of Hong Kong.

This book is one of the best books about the history and political development of HK. It not only gives a brief but interesting historical outline at the beginning of the book, it also traces the development of HK politics. What the governors before Chris Patten did and what have been changed since the arrival of Patten. It also outlines lots of power struggles between the governor and the ministers in Britain and how Patten dealt with them. For sure the relations between the governor and the Prime Minister John Major is a key factor contributing to the "success" of the governor. Of course one would have no doubt about that the close relationship between the governor and the writer, Jonathan Dimbleby, who followed Patten to come to HK and spent several years with him, which does enable him to access some crucial but secret matters that are not easily accessed by other journalists. Being a HK citizen, reading the book enables me not just to know the past better but it also enriches me about the situations of HK at that time. Reading it is just like passing through the history once again, with all those political arguments between China and both Patten and Britain reappearing in real life. Another interesting thing about the book is that it also touches lots of the everyday lives of the ordinary people living in HK, how did they feel about the political arguments and what did they plan to do after the handover of China. This makes the book more lively. This book is definitely a book that students of history/Political Science/HK Studies should read.

Jonathan Dimbleby's The Last Governor is a tour de force that gives the reader an insider's perspective into the tenure of Hong Kong's last colonial leader, Chris Patten. Dimbleby treats the reader to a narrative account of the trials and tribulations that Patten faced as he attempted to enact democratic reforms in Great Britain's last colonial jewel. Although one would undoubtedly expect the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to be vociferously opposed to any belated attempt by the British colonial authorities to bequeath a semblance of democracy on Hong Kong, Dimbleby makes the case that Patten's biggest enemies often came from within his own government. Dimbleby's revelations that selected British cabinet and Foreign Office officials shamelessly sought to downgrade the importance of Hong Kong and sacrifice Patten's proposed reforms on the alter of commercial relations with the PRC, resulted in Dimbleby being investigated by the Foreign Office for possible receipt of secret intelligence materials. Dimbleby was cleared of these allegations, but the vast array of insider information that Dimbleby amassed for this book strengthens the strident arguments that Dimbleby advances. Only a handful of participants in The Last Governor emerge with their reputations unscathed. Hong Kong's local and international business elite is portrayed as willing supplicants in the PRC's efforts to scale back personal and political liberties after Hong Kong's reversion to PRC sovereignty, a position easily enforced by PRC threats to their commercial interests. Martin Lee and Emily Lau, two of Hong Kong's leading democracy advocates, are portrayed as actually weakening Patten's push for democratic reforms through their uncompromising approach. The various representatives of the PRC are painted as unbending ideologues with little appreciation of Hong Kong's way of life. Dimbleby is most critical of the British officials, past and present, who acted to either inadvertently or deliberately sabotage Patten's governorship. Most prominent on this list is Sir Percy Cradock, Great Britain's lead negotiator in the 1984 Joint Declaration and former Ambassador to the PRC. Cradock comes off as a modern-day Neville Chamberlain, willing to cut a bad deal with an unsavory power for the sake of diplomatic expediency. Cradock compounded this error by working both privately and publically to weaken Patten's political position and policies. Dimbleby also argues that the Cradock mentality had infected the entire Foreign Office and selected members of John Major's cabinet, who worked to undercut Patten and sell-out Hong Kong in favor of better commercial relations with the PRC. The greatest strength of The Last Governor is also its greatest weakness. While such open access to Patten gives this book the necessary dramatic propulsion, it also strikes the reader as serving as Patten's mouthpiece. While Dimbleby does downgrade Patten for underestimating the challenges he was to face as Governor, Dimbleby's portrayal of Patten as the lonely David fighting against the multi-headed Goliath seems to diminish the numerous allies Patten needed to help him accomplish the limited reforms he was able to enact. Dimbleby could have also delved deeper into the political rationale behind the PRC's bargaining position and policies regarding Hong Kong. The Last Governor is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in Hong Kong, Chinese, or British affairs and to readers interested in how bureaucratic politics affects international diplomacy. Dimbleby's prose is brisk and should easily captivate and entrance the reader. Keep in mind that this is not an academic tome, so Dimbleby's point of view is repeatedly expressed without reservation or apology.

Findley is a very gifted writer, and his talent shines through in this book. "The Last of the Crazy People" is a stunning piece about a dysfunctional family. From the first page, Findley calculatingly begins to describe the family in such a way that holds the readers attention. Reading this book is like watching a car crash in slow motion. It is a creative and intriguing read.

This is Findley's first novel, written in 1967 and set in the mid-1960s. It takes place in a small town setting outside of Toronto, but could very well have been set in deepest Mississippi for all the southern goth elements that dominate this book. A family disintegrates through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy. Mother won't leave her room, Brother is consumed by alcohol, Father is powerless. The boy's best friends are his cats and the black housemaid he is most attached to. In true southern goth style, things unravel in horrible ways as the family members drift further apart over the course of what should be a magical summer for the typical 11-year-old. Darkness, decay, death, despair, and the opening of a young boy's eyes to the realities of the world. Emotionally powerful, this book is simply awesome. Highly recommended for southern goth fans.

This is one of Mr. Findley's finest works. The metaphorical imagry used to discribe us as mankind is graphic and haunting. I know that I'll never forget,"The Last Of The Crazy People".

Much of Findley's work revolves around upscale families with problems. The Last of the Crazy People is no exception. As seen through the eyes of the youngest child in the family, who is really the only one not yet corrupted by loss of innocence, the story is told with the accuracy that only a child's perception will grant. Beautifully written, this is yet another book by Timothy Findley that i have loved.

Timothy Findley's first novel is a powerfully shocking read full of characters who reach out to the reader. Set in Ontario in 1964, the main character is an 11 year old boy, Hooker Winslow, living within a dysfunctional family. Findley holds your attention while you identify with this young man trying to learn about the problems in his family--but no one will tell him the truth. Not his distanced father who speaks to no one except his own spinster sister Rosetta who lives FOR her brother. Not his mother, the "crazy" Jessica who no longer wants to be a mother. Sometimes his drunken brother Gil. And the maid, Iris, tries to help him--but the truth is never within his grasp. The ending is breath-taking. Read this novel and you'll become a Findley fan.