Canada Books

This book is delightful! Well written, with marvelous characters and a colorful background, it's like literary chocolate. Anyone who has had the priviledge of visiting Newfoundland, and meeting its friendly--but different--people will especially find this a treat. If you're tired of the daily grind, curl up with this one and prepare to enjoy your read.

A couple of years ago, my sister, who lives in Newfoundland, Canada, sent me this book. I put it aside but several months later I was sick, and picked up the book. I read it straight through in 3 or 4 hours...I couldn't put it down! The story is absolutely hilarious, and just recently has been made into a movie starring William Hurt. I have not been able to find this book in the US until now. I have loaned it to countless friends and they have all loved it. It is truly a good read. Get it!

Excellent book, even better than the movie, though the movie is excellent too. If you want to read a laugh out loud book this summer, this is the one!

I was born and raised in Newfoundland, but moved away a few years ago. This book brought back the punch of Newfoundland humor in such a way that it left me laughing out loud like a lunatic til tears were running down my cheeks. I always thought that the Newfoundland sense of humor was something that couldn't be put into words...something you had to experience first hand, and even then sometimes people don't get it. Somehow this author has pulled it off. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm greatly looking forward to it. Bravo Edward Riche!!!

I have given this book as a gift to many fellow restuarant/foodies and everyone has loved it. It's a short read...FIND THE TIME, you will LAUGH! If you enjoy Tim Sandlin, Tom Robbins, John Irving, then give Edward Riche a read.

Revelation is set in 1543. A serial killer is on the loose in London using quotes from the Book of Revelations, as the inspiration for his murder spree. The books main protagonist, Matthew Shardlake, and his assistant Jack Barak, are called in to hunt the killer down, by Archbishop Cranmer, when it becomes apparent that the murders are religiously motivated.

I found this book a fascinating read, the latest in a very enjoyable series. At first, I was worried the story could turn out to be similar to the earlier novel 'Darkfire', as they are both set mainly in the same area of London, but this story is quite different.

The interaction between the factual, and fictional characters is very well done, and the attention to detail is second to none. You almost feel as if you are a bystander, watching the action unfold in front of you. An excellent read, and I hope there is more to come in this series.

I'm a big fan of the series and special ordered this book for way to much money. Of the series this book is a mix between the second and third with a new social commentary line. I'm not a big fan of the social commentary nor how the characters are drifting into modern relationship problems, solving the debate over mental illness, or pretending to understand advanced medicine. At one point were ahead of Freud in understanding the origins of mental illness.

Don't get me wrong I read this book in 4 days straight loved the characters, setting, enjoyed the plot (the jacket claims its a serial killer on the lose --get the modern day drift). If your a fan I'd read it. If your thinking of starting the series --read the other 3 first. Read this one last.

Of the four books in the series this one is best left to be read last. Each of the first three are meant to be very different style mysteries. This book is a mixture of the second and third books style with alot of social commentary added in. Don't get me wrong I read the book in four days and enjoyed every page but for me I knew the characters and setting so well that it moved along quite quickly. The weakness of this book is that the author chose to add several story lines that would highlight a more modern way of thinking than possible for people of this period. From psychology to relationships these lines detract from the action and at points your meant to believe they were ahead of Freud in their thinking. Even the medicince seemed alittle to enlightened. I guess you can debate these points but they do provide some unsettling moments in the book which I found detracting. I gave it 5 stars. Would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the other three. Would not recommend it to anyone just starting the series.

First Sentence: The high chandeliers in the Great Hall of Lincoln's Inn were ablaze with candles, for it was late afternoon when the play began.

Henry VIII has asked to marry Catherine Parr and England is in a time of religious turmoil.

The Dissolution of the monasteries is done but now Henry, and the reformists, are moving back toward Catholic ways, under the King rather than the Pope, at the same time as the rise in Protestantism. An English version of the Bible has been published, but only Churches and the upper class are allowed to read it.

One of lawyer Matthew Shardlake's closest friends has been murdered and his body publicly displayed. Brought before Archbishop Cramer, Matthew learns this is not the first such killing. A serial killer is using versus in the Book of Revelations to carry out his killings.

Sansom brings Tutor England to life and makes us see what a difficult time it was in which to live. He doesn't present the romanticized image, but gives us a look at the dangers of the time from social and religious reforms to poverty to mental illness being labeled possession, without ever slowing down the story or being preachy.

The dialogue is, naturally enough, not of the time, but flavored with a sense of the time. I always learn a lot reading Sansom.

Shardlake is a wonderful character who has grown and improved as a character through the series. He is supported by Barak, for whom Matthew tries to do a bit of marriage counseling, and Guy, a Moor, once a monk, now a doctor.

Sansom is an evocative writer and masterful at combining historical detail with a multilayered story, and suspenseful mystery. I am continually impressed by the quality of Sansom's writing.

There is always a ready audience for murder mystery books covering this period in English history and the Matthew Shardlake books are among the better ones on offer. They have become something of a cult following among their many readers and a new volume is always eagerly awaited. This is the fourth book in the series and the character of Matthew Shardlake is starting to feel like an old friend.

Matthew Shardlake, lawyer, confidant and servant to some of the most important and powerful men in the kingdom has come a long way since his early dealings, six years ago for Thomas Cromwell. The Dissolution of the monastries was not a happy time for Matthew, not sitting well with his own religious convictions and going against much of what he himself believed in.

Time has moved on apace, six years in fact and Matthew has struggled hard to better himself and to improve the standing of his lawyer's practice. He has over time even had dealings concerning King Henry himself. Meanwhile, Matthew has received notice of the foul murder of an old and trusted friend. So shocked is he by the news, that Matthew rashly promises the widow of his poor dead friend that he will do everything in his power to track down the perpetrators of the crime

This turns out to be no easy task in a city where life is cheap and many a throat has been cut for the price of a loaf of bread. Trying to devote his time to this case on top of his other workload is no easy task for Matthew and he needs all the help he can get from his assistant Jack Barak and his long time friend Guy Malton, The clues take them on dangerous and frightening journey, a journey that uncovers more than just the murder of his friend . . .

I thought this book was great. Robin gave very good background history of his life in ceramics and his views on what he created on his long career.
I loved the pictures and his instruction on how to be the best in what you make. I have read the book cover to cover a few times and have still learned more after a second and problably a third look.I have tried a few of his ideas and had fun which I think ceramics is all about.

Although much of this book is a compliation of his former books, it encompasses his personal and professional history as well as his philosophy, recomendations on style, and insights about pottery, designs and life.
Every potter, and collector of pottery shoud read and own this book.

This book is great. Robin Hopper shares his unique background with the reader and the thought processes that have gone into shaping his life and career. His down to earth approach to doing the work he loves so much was a joy to read. The technical information in this book and the way he presents it with illustrations and examples is great. The experienced potter as well as the beginner will enjoy this book.

I have several of Robin Hopper's books and I have enjoyed them all immensely. I am able to find any type of info I need from these books. Well laid out, good explanation and very very useful information for a home studio potter. Cheers, Cheryl

I am a potter. I make pots. I make a bunch of pots. I am always open for improvement, assistance, and suggestions. And I am very glad I added this book to my personal library!

Robin Hopper writes very simply about the various stages of making pottery. He profusely illustrates his techniques with photos and drawings, making the book itself a work of art. It is a pleasure to read, and an inspiration for all potters who want to learn to be better at it.

Hopper offers tips on every phase of making pots, from sketching, through preparing the clay, to making glazes. His examples are beautiful, and the descriptions are clear and concise.

If you're in one of those inevitable "slumps," I suggest Robin Hopper's "Ceramics: A Lifetime of Works, Ideas, and Techniques" to break you out of the clay doldrums and into new territory.

This book is a must read for everyone, and their families, dealing with any kind of cancer -- and especially the rare neuro-endocrine cancer called Carcinoid.
After reading the book I hope people will search the internet for the web pages that have solid medical information....

The magnetism of Wayne Tefs' written odyssey with his own carcinoid cancer was so intense for me that I was compelled to read his book from cover to cover before putting it down. Everything rings true. He eloquently yet succinctly and with simplicity expresses all the facts and feelings, I have heard so often from many carcinoid patients. The often unspoken or even uncrystallized thoughts and feelings, of carcinoid, patient are expressed clearly by the author. Though he feared that the tone of his book may portray him as a pompous pedagogue he came across as a humble, truthful and well spoken messenger. This book will be of tremendous interest to all concerned with carcinoid as well as other types cancers.

Monica Warner MS, RD, CDN
Director of Development and Research Coordinator
Carcinoid Cancer Foundation, Inc. NYC

Written through pain and with literary reflection, Wayne Tefs has provided an excellent resource for those struggling with a life-threatening challenge.
Tef's struggle is with a slow-growing cancer, which he acknowledges as "the worst possible thing that could happen to a person." His angst is further compounded by the realization that his cancer is, in fact, him, and a prerequisite to healing demands nothing less than a complete re-evaluation and restructuring of his life.
In this emotionally taxing journey for the author as well as those close to him, Tefs recounts the pain, fear, and rage that accompany him on his quest to deal with the single most important aspect of his life - his continued existence. As a confessed optimist, however, Tefs always leaves one with the spiritual support of hope, related with indomitable courage.
For those who would seek wisdom about life's trials, this volume has much to recommend.

Tefs has written a layer cake of a book, in which chapters of autobiographical experience alternate with an imaginary dialogue between the author and his cancer. The dialogues are contrived, but escape artificiality and reveal some of the real pain and difficulties confronting someone with a terminal diagnosis. The autobiographical chapters relate Tef's struggle with cancer to contemporaneous events in his life: his divorce, the birth of a child, the triumphs and defeats of his professional career. Cancer undermines our existence and its unwelcome introduction into our lives not only threatens ultimate defeat but also warps our self-image and self-confidence. Tefs recognizes this and struggles with the threat to his athletic, manly, capable and confident self-image, eventually defeating this threat without resorting to the seduction of denial.

This book is about carcinoid cancer from the inside out, by a teacher of literature, and is well crafted without being oppressively literary. The story is told straightforwardly and with courage.

I devoured this book, staying up quite late to do so.
The author is very correct in telling how many many people diagnosed with an unusual and rare cancer react when they
learn they have Carcinoid.
As another person who was diagnosed in 1995, and who has
been very proactive in my treatment, I recommend this book
highly to all dealing with cancer -- not just the patients, but
also family members and friends. There is a great deal of very
useful and helpful information in this book.

It's like Blue Highways or Travels with Charlie (no pun intended), but by someone who is happy and upbeat. She talks about the mechanical and weather challenges, and how she deals with them. She is so enthusiastic about Alaska and the Canadian Northwest, it makes you want to go up there NOW! (Well, maybe in spring.) I looked forward to coming home at night and reading this book with the Auto Club map in one hand. At first I thought her travels might be too tame and her adventures too un-macho -- but she had some great adventures and, hey, she did the Alaska Highway solo. I can't wait to order her other books.

I read about "Charlie" Minshall's Alaska adventures twice through and couldn't resist going myself. I traveled in Alaska (by car)and included many of the places I enjoyed in her book, finding delightful tiny villages and friendly Alaskans like she wrote about. My trip was unforgetable.

Whether you're an "armchair traveler" or you're planning to visit Alaska, this book is a MUST. I give it five stars!

Sue in Virginia

For anyone planning the great RV trip to Alaska, or the armchair traveler just dreaming of the northland, this book cannot be missed! The author takes you along in the passenger seat and introduces you to the sights, the people and the thrills to be found in Alaska. Part travelogue, part guidebook, part diary, and always interesting, you'll feel like you're part of the trip. No journey to Alaska should be condidered without reading this book first! I've read it twice and will keep in on my bookshelf for future reference and enjoyment.

This was the first book I read when planning our RV trip to Alaska. It was a fun and informative read, after which I went on to other books. The interesting thing is that when I got down to the nitty-gritty of planning I found myself referring to it more than I ever thought I would. I took it with us and...guess what? I referred to it quite often.

The reason I found it so useful was that I got a real feeling for what places were like. Other Alaska travel books give a lot of information on campgrounds and places of interest, but Charlie's book was like having a friend tell you what things are REALLY like. An example: Charlie says, "I stayed at Centennial Park just outside of Anchorage. Some pleasant big campground, with all the amenities plus, exist within the city limits, but their prices are not as pleasant as the Centennial Park. It is a dry camp park for $13/night. They have showers, dump station, and telephone. I like it because it is in a wooded area, and convenient." Compare that to a popular guide book: "Centennial Camper Park - 83 spaces w/o hookups; 3 pull-throughs; sewage dump station; flush toilets; drinking water...separate tenting area; 14 day limit."

Yes, Rving Alaska is not a guide book but one person's traveling experience. But with the author's practical advice, positive attitude and true love of adventure you can't help but love this book. Like the back cover says, "This book explains the practical 'How to' and the bold 'Why not'".

By the way, when parking in an area described in the book, I noticed a familiar looking RV. I couldn't believe it but it was her...the silver gypsy! (Picture in my personal profile.) As we talked I realized how alive and vivacious she really was. This woman has a lot of spirit and she's a kick to be around.

I typically read reference books, not storybooks, picking through them for bits and pieces of helpful information. I couldn't do that with Charlie's book about RVing in Alaska. I tried, but it just didn't work. I'd try to look up some particular thing - and a half hour later I'd be just reading along - absorbed in her adventure.

RVing Alaska! (and Canada) is Charlie's story. It's a true and fascinating story of her ventures into the Alaskan wilderness, her partaking of typical tourist attractions, her mingling and interacting with the Alaskan locals, and her descriptions of how she combines daily life as a working, full-time RVer with having a fantastic time.

If you'd love to go to Alaska, but think you can't - read this book. Charlie will have you there in a matter of minutes.

If you are planning a trip to Alaska - read this book. You need it to help you plan and prepare. It can serve as your travel planner and guidebook. It can save you grief over not knowing what to expect, what to take, how to get where you are going, etc.

If you are already in Alaska - read this book. You will find things you would never find otherwise - everything from peaceful campgrounds to scrumptious clam chowder.

Wonderful book. Amazing, compelling, lifelike descriptions of beavers as you would never have imagined them. Little girl heroine with heroic older brother that appeals to boys and girls. The children raise the two lost beaver kittens until circumstances conspire that one of the beavers is taken away. They canoe through a forest fire, voyage to the city, win back the kit, and ultimately restore it to its family in the wild. I read this to my 5 year old on a camping trip. She totally loved it. Great nature book for kids and very enjoyable for adults too.

This is one of my favorite works of natural history and children's literature that explores the relationship between animals, humans, and the natural world. It is a classic. The reader is transported into the minds of of all the characters as "Sajo" explores life from the point of view of a beaver family, as well as from a the humans that intrude on their world. A story of compassion, adventure, courage, and loyalty, "Sajo" reminds us that we share this world with our human relatives. For readers of all ages. It is brilliant.

This is a story, while ficticiuos, that is rooted in fact. The author, a famous person who started his writing career about 1929, understood the heart of a child. Thus he depicts, in story form for children, certain moral imperatives required for proper assimulation into any social structure or society. Book was well received in many countries and still is. It is unique in that it is the about "Native peoples", and how they see things and how they relate to nature. For the non native person it offers a glimpse into the culture and sense of justice among original peoples. It is a love story in that it depicts the extent too which two persons will go to help those they love. It is, by it's very nature a story about most boys and girls who have been taught ot care about nature, and one's environment. It is a subtle lesson in fairness and apprecation for all things great and small. It is also about courage and trust which is essential for getting along. A must read for anyone concerned about hope.

I read this as a small boy in a Northern English town and was transported to the Canadian wilds in a tale that was full of grace, nature, wonder and truth. The writing has a timeless eloquence that draws you in to a simple but endearing tale that stays with you for ever. There must be a gap of twenty years since I was last able to read such a book. I would rate it as the the next best to 'Capt. Corelli,etc.' ....which I am glad to say I came across by chance. The flight of Sajo across the land and the city is poetic in its simplicicity and its excitement as I have read anywhere-else.
'nuff said.

This book tells the story of the friendship - against all odds - between two Native children and two young beavers for whom they care. The story contains all the elements a good book for children should have: excitement, adventure and above all - a deep love for nature and its wild creatures. I was given this book as a girl of 8 (in German!) and read it over and over again. In 50 years I have never forgotten its title or the name of the author, it stands out as one of my all-time favourites. I am now delighted to find that the book is still around and I can give it to my grandchildren!

There is often a schism between our everyday life and our dreams of someday. Someday often stays out reach of us like an carrot on a stick until circumstances that would have allowed the dream no longer exist. Michael Burke gently opens the someday window and steps through. He takes you with him. He gives a balanced and real look at what is on the other side. He speaks with a fine voice that puts you in the raft, in his head, till you smell the wet stuff and feel the angst. He makes a case for making someday happen while you can. He tells a tale that made me look forward to the quiet part of the evening, after the kids were in bed, so I could be back on the river again. The Same River Twice is fertile ground to plant you own someday seeds in. I found it an inspriation.

I guess I am lucky to be attending Univeristy of Maine at Farmington, where a lot of non fiction writing has come from recently (Gretchen Legler AND Michael Burke).
I went to Professor Burkes reading last night and it was so fun. His book is full of humor, at least, the passages he read were. I haven't read the whole book (yet).
But from what I heard, I am buying it and I would recommend it!

I read this book almost in one sitting. Micheal Burke tells a good story and gives the reader the feeling of being on the river and experiencing the beauty of situation while taking us along on his own personal journey. Very good read!

What happens to white-water guides when they leave the rivers? Michael Burke gives us one answer: they never leave the rivers, and the rivers never leave them. Burke's story is part memoir, part "road trip," and part love story about the wild places that "can't be improved by changes." His tale of a 1991 trip down the wildest of British Columbia's rivers is one hundred percent enjoyment.

Having guided seasonally since he was a college student, Burke at thirty-eight was married, a professor at a college in Maine, with a baby on the way. This ambitiously planned trip was a three-week-long pilgrimage to the places where a distant relative, Sid Barrington, had lived a life of legend on the wild rivers of long ago. Burke, along with a stranger named Max whose only qualification was availability, set out with an ancient rubber raft, a heavy load of gear, a rifle in case of bears, and jury-rigged arrangements with bush pilots. From this unpromising start, Mike and Max had a soul-stirring experience in this "humbling land."

Putting in by plane to breathtaking Chutine Lake, they worked their way down glacier-fed rivers with wild names: the Chutine, the Stikine, the Sheslay, the Taku. Along the way they encountered black bears, grizzlies, moose, and on one memorable evening a wolf with two pups. Burke's deep love of the challenging terrain is evident throughout the book.

Stories of the old river runner, Sid, are woven in, along with some hair-raising stories of Burke's younger days as a guide; a wild, adrenaline-saturated life that he remembers with affection at this settling-down time of life. Thoughts of his pregnant wife are with him always but he was unable to resist the pull of the river.

Why do this crazy, dangerous thing? Burke writes about the meaning of memory as a defining concept; about freedom and control. But mostly it's because he loves the rivers. "Rivers," he writes, "are an experience of time. The river is more human than the ocean, limited like humans are, yet sweeping forward in its implacable way, like time itself sweeping past. We are proportioned to rivers..."

Have you ever stood on the slope of a mountain and felt its age and power? Looked up into the weird blue ice of a glacier and heard its deep voice? Or even felt the edge of a river on your ankles and known that it flowed according to forces older than time? Then you should read this book. The geography is bewildering but just put in at the beginning and let the current take you to the end, rapids and all. You're sure to feel the awe and beauty of the planet's wild places. Go there, even if it's just in a book.

Linda Bulger, 2008

This work is a delightful memoir that is a pleasure reading, starting from the first page, right along to the last word of the last page. This is the story of a man; a middle aged man at the time the story takes place, and at the same time is a history lesson, a journey of enlightenment, and a tour into one of the truly wild areas left in North America. It is also, and most importantly, a very insightful look at human nature.

The author, Michael Burke, dropped out of the University of California-Berkeley, and became, through faking his lack of experience, a white water river guide. Burke has apparently been guiding now for over thirty five years. The author obviously continued his education, as he now teaches at a University, and beyond a doubt, the guy can certainly write. In 1991, when the author was 38, he found himself with a pregnant wife, two step-children, an academic career, living in Maine and driving a station wagon. Now, although the author does not admit to the fact, it is pretty obvious he is probably losing some of his hair, getting less muscle tone than he had when he was twenty, and, most importantly,(again, not really stated)is feeling rather trapped. Gosh, it does not take much of a creative leap to figure out that a gigantic mid-life crises is about to descend on this poor guy. This is okay though, at least Burke faced his crises with class, like a man, and did not go the route of gold chains around his neck, a little sports car, a poor comb-over and chase twenty year old undergrads around campus; something we see all too frequently. Rather, he returned to the roots of his youth, the river!

The Same River Twice is the story of Michael Burke's journey down three rivers in the Canadian Wilderness of British Columbia. Using his old river raft, a left over from his youth, and in the company of a relative stranger, a fellow adventurer, who was chasing his own demons, the author starts on a very poorly planned adventure. The premise of the trip is to find and trace the territory traveled by distant relative of the author's, who himself was a famous river man during the Klondike glory days at the turn of the century. The author feels a connection with this long dead river man and wants to strengthen this connection with information. The story Michael tells of his trip is interwoven with stories of this old river man mixed with tales of the author's own glory days as a professional guide on some of the most famous white water rivers in North America. This three section story is wonderfully intertwined and the author has the ability to make you feel you are in all three eras with him, as he physically and mentally journeys through them.

Burke's ability as a descriptive writer is truly wonderful. His true love for the wilderness, for the wild places in our planet, for wildlife, solitude and yes, danger, comes shinning through on every page. You can actually squint in your mind's eye, as you read his prose and picture what he is seeing as he writes. The author makes a point that this sort of thing, once experienced, never quite leaves your blood. Great bodies of water have been apart of our souls throughout time...once you are hooked, you are hooked for life.

This work is truly a satisfying read, one of the better reads I have had in sometime now. I will quite likely give this one a second going over down the road. I must admit that I would love for this author to give us another book, telling of his adventures on the other rivers that he ran while learning his trade. The author can be quite humorous at times and I suspect was and is quite good at camp fire stories. It would be a delight to read some of them. NOTE: There seems to be a great deal of nonfiction writing coming out of Maine right now, and has been over the past few years. To be quite frank, the only thing I really knew about Maine was that they had Moose, potatoes, had a good store to order clothes from, and made good canoes...now I find the place is full of good writers...go figure.

The Sealed Letter is another one of those books I just couldn't put down--and then felt bereft when I finally finished it. Set in London in 1864, the novel is loosely based on a scandalous divorce case, and features facts stranger than fiction: a stained dress (sound familiar?), fabricated evidence, and scandal more scandalous than the sensationalist novels of the period. It's a novel in which supposed friends turn against one another, in which servants even turn against those they serve.

Helen Codrington is a wife and mother, born and bred abroad, who craves some excitement in her life. Never thinking of what might happen, she embarks on an affair with Captain David Anderson. Late in the summer of 1864, Helen runs into her old friend Emily "Fido" Faithfull, a crusader for women's rights, who's surprisingly... conventional, all things considered. When Harry Codrington finds out about Helen's affair, however, the lives of these three characters change drastically. The novel's point of view vacillates between Helen, Fido, and Harry.

It's a stunning, well-written book, which explores the way in which lies affect the lives of each of these characters. It's also a fair representation of mid-Victorian mores; although it's tough for us today to understand, divorce was much, much more scandalous and socially crippling in an era that placed a focus on the family and the woman's role in that family. It's strange, too, to a modern reader, the laws that governed divorce in 19th century England (for example, the two primaries were prohibited from testifying). Each of the characters is well-written, and Donoghue gets into the minds of each of the main characters with ease. She never tries to infuse this book with a modern sensibility. It's a compelling book that I couldn't stop thinking about between sittings and after I'd finished.

My only problem with this otherwise superb novel is the fact that the letters are all written in a cursive script that's hard to read. But that's only a technicality.

It should come as no surprise to anyone who has read any of Emma Donoghue's earlier novels that The Sealed Letter is an astonishingly well written and compelling novel. Based on a notorious nineteenth century divorce case, The Sealed Letter explores ideas about friendship and feminism, marriage and motherhood, honor and dishonor with wit, compassion and eloquence. I will call The Sealed Letter a courtroom drama as long as you promise not to imagine for a moment that there is anything of the formulaic in Donoghue's sure hand. A book to read and reread, to savor for its language and its history, its compelling characters and heart-stopping plot. An altogether worthy successor to the extraordinary Slammerkin and the splendid Life Mask.

Based on a true story, this novel starts out a bit of a sleeper, but subtly grows into a tour de force, a remarkable expose of misplaced affections and romantic hubris. When Emily "Fido" Faithful is approached on the streets of England by long-estranged friend, Helen Codrington, and the two discover their falling out is due to a series of misunderstandings, the friendship is given another chance. Helen, 36, is married to a military man twenty years her senior. After their first years of marriage on their Malta post, the couple returns to the continent, Helen's bitterness and disappointment difficult to hide; Helen is squired around town by young military man, Colonel David Anderson. Nor has Fido been idle in the intervening seven years of the lost relationship, an independent new woman who proudly embraces her role as a leader in feminist causes. Learning that Helen has a problem with her attachment to Anderson, Fido determines to save Helen from her baser self: "A gentleman is always a gentleman unless a lady forgets to be a lady."

At this point the novel detours into the Victorian minutiae of women's successful projects for increasing their roles in society, Fido spearheading a definitive, if not lucrative newspaper to speak for relevant causes. She is surrounded by a bevy of like-minded souls, all caught up in the passion of their mission, none more so than Fido, who is a creature devoid of the experiences that so define Helen Codrington's daily life and pursuit of romantic entanglements. A strict moralist, Fido is easily seduced by Helen's insincere entreaties to help wean the married lady away from temptation. Fido takes this task seriously, only reluctantly realizing that Helen is remarkably duplicitous, trading on their former friendship to use Fido's home as a trysting place with her not-so-platonic lover. Her righteous outrage invoked at Helen's cynical abuse of their relationship, Fido is furious and conflicted.

The monstrously diabolic Helen is an iconic masterpiece in Donoghue's clever hands, an instinctive manipulator of those she wishes to control, to bring to her cause or destroy by whatever means necessary. Once hooked, Fido becomes the unwilling pawn in a sensational divorce trial, all she has worked for subject to derision and calumny: "She's plain Miss Faithful of the rectory again, wheezing with fright." An outraged husband has suffered his final humiliation, requesting the court's intervention, the public privy to the sordid details of the Codrington marriage. And the public's appetite is inexhaustible, nothing too specious to deter avid consumption. Faced with the loss of her daughters and her reputation, Helen is reduced to fighting back in the most demeaning circumstances, her husband favored by the law, "a blunt instrument".

The title is a tipping point in a courtroom drama that captures the imagination of citizens rich and poor, a grand gamble that yields a most shocking denouement. The result: truth is the victim of circumstance, a pitiful forum distorted by each side in a brutal battle that leaves everyone stained, society's moral anvil falling on the protagonists in Donoghue's excellent novel: "History moves by fits and starts; certain battles must be fought again and again." Luan Gaines/ 2008.

This summer seems to be a time of novels for me. There's been a particular abundance of riches where historical settings have become popular again, and I have been eagerly reading my way along. Today's choice was a vivid, insightful story built around a Victorian scandal -- the divorce.

Nowadays, a divorce hardly seems to cause a ripple in our society, but in the nineteenth century, a divorce was a very public, very messy, and unpleasant experience. In her new novel, The Sealed Letter, author Emma Donoghue explores the impact of such a decision on one middle class family, through the eyes of the husband and wife, and their friend, Emily Faithfull.

Nicknamed 'Fido' as much for her character as her last name, Fido meets up with an old friend suddenly in a London street. It's been more than seven years since she's seen Helen Codrington, and in all that time Fido hasn't seen any communications from her. It's more than a surprise for Fido, it's a shock to see her old friend.

Helen hasn't changed a bit. Away with her husband in Malta, Helen is still the gay, charming woman that she has always been. She claims that she never recieved any of the letters that Fido has sent, blaming it on the wretched postal system of that distant island. And she seems to be eager to resume her friendship with Fido. Despite her misgivings Fido is glad to resume that friendship as well.

For Fido is unusual among women in Victorian London. She has remained single, working in the Cause of equal rights and opportunities for women in both the home and workplace. She has set up her own printing business, The Victoria Press, and has even been granted the distinction of a royal warrant.

Finally, there is Helen's husband, Henry Codrington, an admiral in the British navy. He's served with distinction in the Fleet, and now has been rotated home to a desk job. While he's chafing at not being able to serve aboard a ship, he's trying to make the best of it.

Through the thoughts, actions and letters of these three, the reader gets to have an intimate view of a Victorian marriage, where husband and wife were restricted by social norms, intimacy was rare, and especially reputation was considered important. Women had few rights, and many seem to be content with their lot, spending their days in social calls, raising their children, and charitable work. For Helen, her days are frivolous, spending too much money, avoiding her husband, and making attempts to be a mother to her two daughters. She makes choices that are impulsive at best, and one is about to bring her comfortable world to an end.

I don't want to reveal much more. I have to say that Donoghue's writing is wonderfully evocative of the period, filled with details of life for the well-to-do, the customs of the time, and most of all, the minds of three people in a very complicated relationship. All three of them are given very distinct voices and motivations and I found their story to be both compelling and heartbreaking. The author does what very few can manage -- make you both sympathetic to the plight they are in, and at the same time make you cringe at what they do and say.

Helen in particular is a very conflicted character, with behavior that infuriated me at times, and while I couldn't look away from the impeding doom, I did keep hoping that some sort of miracle would happen. As for Fido, she is an unusual heroine, very different than most subjects of historical fiction being not at all pretty, not looking for a life-partner, and having determination to find her own future -- on her terms.

There is one glaring error in this book, and as it is a technical one, not one in style or narrative, it's a minor one. The typeface used for the letters in the story is a very difficult one to read at first, rendered in a flowing, cursive font, with plenty of flourishes. Very pretty perhaps, and a nice conceit, but very hard to read at first.

For those readers who want to read something that focuses on a story that is revealing and entertaining, this is an excellent story. The author has an afterword that discloses a surprise, and one that I won't spoil -- you'll just have to find out for yourself.

There is no doubt that divorce is a blame game at the heart of it. Nor is there any doubt that there is a single person in this country who hasn't had experience with divorce in some way-either personal experience or from their own or their parent's divorcing or friends, family members or neighbors. Hey, we even get to participate vicariously in celebrity divorces these days. Since divorce was first legalized hundreds of years ago it has morphed from a rare and tragic event to just another method of mass entertainment and ultimately a way to feel superior to those who failed at what is culturally viewed as one of the most important inter-personal relationships.

It's not all that rare to read about divorce in historical fiction, especially because of the huge amount of fiction focused on the Tudors. But it is rare to get a truly complete description of the historical process, which obviously differs greatly from today's proceedings. And that is exactly what "The Sealed Letter" is. A complete description of the divorce process as it was in 1864. The novel is even arranged in legal terms that describe each one of the processes leading to the proceedings being initiated and the circus that followed them.

This book tells the story of an extremely notorious divorce in English history that captured the attention of the country. Containing multiple allegations of adultery, neglect, alienation of affection, sex in public, attempted rape of a drugged, innocent virgin, and even allusions to lesbianism and circumstances that bear remarkable similarity to the impeachment case against President Clinton. I have no doubts that were the case of Harry Codrington versus Helen Codrington happening today that it would generate just as much interests.

But it wasn't the actual divorce case that made this novel so interesting-especially to me. It was the characters and the time period. The book is divided up in third person narrative between the three main players in the divorce (in actuality the divorce has three or four parties to it but one of them never appears in the book and one never narrates) Harry, Helen and Emily "Fido" Faithfull. Seven years before our story begins these three lived under the same roof with Fido, as Helen's best friend, often mediating to keep the troubled and obviously miss-matched marriage together. But as Harry was a navy man the Codrington's were posted abroad and Helen and Fido lost touch.

Only to re-connect later on a London street, almost as if by magic. The two attribute their lack of communication to a poor postal system and pick up where they left off-with one major difference-Helen has a constant tagalong now, a handsome young man Colonel David Anderson. It soon becomes apparent to Fido that something is going on between them and her supposedly bosom friend is being less than honest about it.

But as Helen's true personality and secrets unfold all three are drawn into the strange divorce process the Victorians used. What follows is fascinating not only from a historical perspective about gender politics but as a measuring stick to how well you can ever truly know your friends, your spouse...and how fragile trust, bonds and vows really are.

Unlike Emma Donoghue's other historical novels Slammerkin and Life Mask, "The Sealed Letter" only implies sexuality and is in no way descriptive of lesbianism, sex or violence. But this newer demur writing style takes nothing away from the story (though I have to say I found "Life Mask" more interesting because of its larger scope) and this book will be joining the above mentioned and Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins on my bookshelf.

Four point five stars.

And if you want more about the historical divorce process then Stealing Athena: A Novel is a good place to find some more non-Tudor legal action-though it is far from the main focus of the book.

Complex and sorrowful. The stories remind us how the people we know best still surprise us. A poetic take on the Asian American immigrant experience. Crystal clear, beautiful writing. Highly recommended.

An insightful and spiritually filled book about the Asian North American experience. I won't peg it as Asian American. The experience is not all that unique to America, although the American culture does lead to a different set of circumstances than those existing in Canada. However, as the issues here are more internal and within the family, it has more universality than the Asian American experience. Even if it is fictitious, there's enough reality in there that it probably just some true stories with altered details and circumstances that are crafted to fit together to express what the author wishes to. I know, with respect to the nature of the story topics, because I am Asian. I can identify with the stories to some extent or another, be it from my own experiences or other Asians' who I have known over the years. Ms Thien's writing skills are very good and the voice is genuine, and the stories will make you think and expose you well and fairly to the world Asian North Americans live in if you don't know much about it already. I'm just not the same personality as she and her characters and so I sometimes question how the stories would end were I to write them, but that's just differences in points of views. I can very much appreciate Ms Thien's writings and would recommend it.

Truly gifted. What else can I say about Thien? In my mind she has a rare gift for writing that you don't see very often. She has an imagination and is well educated.

Warning to new writers: This woman will make you feel absolutely inadequate as a writer.

I eagerly look forward to her next book. GET IT!

This writer will grip your imagination and not let go. She etches an exquisite visual picture with each sentence she writes. Not only will you feel you are in each scene, but you will remember each scene in detail. There is a power with this precision of detail. Like an exquisitely crafted and edited piece of cinematography, there is no surplus or redundance---only crystal clear visual and auditory images that will transfix you, and make you more than when you began the reading.

Fans of the short story will want to add this collection by Madeleine Thien to their bookshelves. With beauty and brevity of language, Thien takes the reader on journeys to the inner core of her characters.

Each story deals with an individual's internal issues in response to an individual relationship within the family structure. Mother-daughter, father-daughter, husband-wife, and friend-friend relationships are examined in such exquisite detail that the reader will find something to draw them into the stories.

In each one of the seven, Thien wields her delicate power with words to paint a picture of a person trying to bring together their individuality with desire for family. She seems to have a direct connection with her characters' view of the world and of their place in it. She tells the story from one point of view, yet the reader gets a sense of how all of the characters feel about themselves as well as the other people in the story.

In the title piece, "Simple Recipes," we meet a girl coming to grips with losing the hero worship she has always had for her father. This man is able to work wonders with rice, but cannot turn the same magic on his rebellious teenage son. A fight escalates to rage and a subsequent harsh punishment. The girl wonders how her father can have this dichotomy to him, of being so gentle with her while losing his temper with his son.

"Four Days From Oregon" examines both the marital and mother-child relationships. A restless woman runs away with her lover, three daughters in tow. The children want to return home, unsure of this new man in their lives, but their mother needs this time to make up her mind.

"A Map of the City" deals with how her relationship with her father overshadows other parts of her life. In "Alchemy," a young girl tries to find a way to help her friend tell the truth and stop unwanted attention from her father. Three other equally intriguing and well-written stories round out the collection.

Although some of these stories have appeared in both American and Canadian magazines, this is a first book for Madeleine Thien. The short story is definitely her medium and she has already won praise for her work from established masters. After reading this book, you will understand why.

I really enjoy this book. I've checked it out at least five times. Each resort section has alot of helpful information. It makes planning a trip a breeze. David Holyoak really nailed it.

Very informative but dated. The lift ticket prices listed are significantly below the actual rate in some cases (i.e. Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Moutain). They should be updated.

David Holyoak's Ski North America Guide is first class. Nothing like this has been published before. This stocky, well-illustrated guide to all the significant North American ski resorts contains intelligent, un-flowery text and good practical advice. A must for any skier or snowboarder seeking the reality behind the American dream, I wish I'd written it myself.

Arnie Wilson, ski author and editor, Financial Times ski correspondent for 18 years who, in 1994, became the first person to ski for 365 consecutive days (Guinness Book of Records), including more than 100 resorts in North America

This book by far surpasses excellent. If you are planning a ski trip and are interested in going somewhere new this book seems to have it all. It lists every major ski area in the United States. Every ski resort mentioned is chronicaled by state and gives you area and mountain facts and most have their trail map pictured as well. It also lists local airports, directions from most areas to the ski resort as well as lodging suggestions. I could go on and on about the other little tidbits within the publication but you'll just have to read it yourself.

Being new to the States as well as a crazy skier I spent hours on the net trying to collect information about different resorts. This book is the first, and so far the only book, that gives very detailed, professional overview while providing non-biased information about resorts. I visited many resorts in the States in the last 2 years and compared my impressions with the reviews in the book - you can relay on the book! Great advantage of this edition is a an amount of illustrations such as aerial photos, maps of the area, etc. I wish there will be similar book about skiing in Europe.
On the down side I would expect more info about resorts on the NE (for example, my favorite Whiteface is not included).