Canada Books

I used this book pretty much all summer. I picked it up for its backpacking section. Most other books about this region that I know cover day hikes only. The book lists day and backpacking trips, and has a special section on shoulder season trips. Each hike is rated with up to four boots.

During the summer I have done number of the trips described in the book with varying company. We did of course aim for the premier hikes. All of them were winners. But don't be put off by lower ratings. The ratings are opinionated. We definitely didn't always share the authors' opinion. (On another end, the reviews of the "Don't do" hikes are an entertaining read.)

The descriptions of the hikes we found to be generally accurate and up-to-date.

Boy were we glad that some people DON'T keep their opinions to themselves. We've hiked several of the trails this book recommends over the past few years and have found them all outstanding. Now some may say, "how can you go wrong anywhere in the Pacific NW?" Well... for the most part that's true, but this book focuses on the cream-of-the-crop. If you want to maximize your fun while visiting British Columbia, use this book and you won't go wrong.

Ask anybody who's hike and backpacked here in the B.C. west coast and they'll tell you that this book is the "bible" when it comes to finding the perfect backpacking or hiking excursion. Very well written and invaluable information on finding the right hike at the right season. This book has saved me precious time and wasted energy. The authors are extremely well informed and the reading is simple and straightforward. I highly recommend this book!!!!

I spent many a fine day frustrated because I couln't find a trailhead or figure out which way the trail was heading or just tromping endlessly on crummy viewless trails. I had one of those 100 hikes in ... books and I had done quite of few of them but finding a rewarding trail had to do more with luck than anything said in that book. With the arrival of the Copeland's book a few years ago all that changed. It makes bold statements about which trails to hike and which to avoid. Having already hiked many of the trails in this book I have to say their descriptions very accurate. My advice don't waste your money on another hiking book because it lists more trails (this book has only 72) they aren't worth it anyway. Instead grab the other two books in this series and get ready for some great hiking!

I needed ideas for dry gardening and pictures of creative approaches...this is it! A definite great read.

More and more people are becoming interested in succulents due to their largely drought tolerant natures and their definite fire prevention advantages. If you are new to succulents and had only one book to choose this should be it. Even if you know quite a bit about succulents this book could still be of value. It's that good.
What the beautiful cover seems to allude to, the book itself totally delivers. The amount of information provided in such a small book is gratifying. It's only 224 pages, but you are unlikey to find this many varieties of succulents pictured in such exquisite detail even in books twice this size. And there aren't simply specimen pictures. Throughout the book there are pictures of the plants arranged in garden settings to give the gardener an idea of how these plants can be combined to create a truly magical garden.
But don't think that DCGWS is just pictures. The written information it provides is every bit as satisfying as the pictures. It is such a complete book on the subject of succulents with respect to their background, the techniques you need to know to handle them safely, their design potential in the garden, and their use in special conditions that unless you want to become an expert on the subject you may never need to buy another book on succulents once you own it.

One of few books dealing with gardening in the dry southwestern climates. Most of the book is devoted to "Plant Selector" which describes the plants, hardiness, cultivation needs, etc. Other sections deal with "Garden Design", "Techniques" (cultivation etc.), and, " Special Conditions." If you have one book on succulent gardening, this should be it.

Plant growth habit and culture notes are all too rare in succulent and cacti volumes. This expertly assembled book captures the succulent plants at their optimum phase and accurately records botanical names and growth requirements. I also utilize to accurately identify plants that I use to create living succulent wreaths. The section of 'Bringing the Desert Indoors' is a welcome invitation to indoor gardeners every where to enjoy these sculptural beauties year around.

Yes, I am addicted to the planet. So this January I purged books that were of no use to me. What a waste of money and storage space! This time, I borrowed Adria Vasil's guide book from my local public library. I decided that I was not going to invest in yet another book unless I knew for sure that it would be a blessing in my life. It is a book for people who want to do somehting to lighten their impact on the planet. It's about taking baby steps of change in order to build a more positive way
of doing everyday life on this earth. It has been a tremendous blessing in my life. It is the book I keep coming back to in my home to read up on everything from beauty purchases, to pharmaceuticals, to diapers, to travel, to pesticides, to homemaking. Anything in your home is in here. It would make a great housewarming gift or baby shower gift. Practical, helpful and user friendly advice. Ideas that I never thought of that make life simpler, easier and more sustainable to the environment. I love this book.

What a great read! It is packed with very useful information and there was never a dull moment. No need to skim or skip boring sections. We could all use some information on keeping our lives green and simple! I found this book online and am glad I bought it, even though it was a bit pricey for my reading budget. I found some really great environmentally friendly products and related green news at www.enviropages.org ! I will be looking for more information and books on keeping my family's farm as green as possible. Kudos to the author for such a success!

I read stipettes from our local Canadian newspaper and I love what this author has to say. I would like to buy a dozen copies to give as gifts, but not at the $29.99 price. Will this be available in paperback soon at a lesser price$. Thanks in advance for your reply
Sara at mthrtrkr@eastlink.ca

Want to help save the planet one simple step at a time? Adria Vasil's highly entertaining and informative ECOHOLIC will supply all the advice and tips you could possibly need. Her informal and often humorous approach to some pretty grim facts about the amount of toxins we're wearing, inhaling, and decorating our homes with (and this is only a fraction of the big picture) is enough to make one want to stay in bed, except that most bedding is chemically saturated. Adria demonstrates how everything we buy, consume, and excrete, effects our planet's increasingly fragile ecosystem. But she also offers hope and practical solutions to coping with our toxic environment.

Although I've been recycling for years and shop as little as possible, I'm not a staunch environmentalist. Yet, this book made me realize there's many more eco-friendly things I can do. While plenty of information is given, Adria also provides many useful websites for further information, though how many of these websites will be around three years from now is anyone's guess. Still, given the growing concern for our planet, there will always good information somewhere on the Net. Do yourself and your children a huge favour. Buy the book, try some of those tips, and help make this planet a little better.

I also thoroughly enjoyed this book, an account of a period in Styranka's life that many may fantasize about but few come close to living. Styranka's writing is clear and almost conversational as he narrates his fetish and submissive lifestyle as a young adult, interwoven with zen practice. This book was hard to put down. There is one frustration, however. Styranka became the willing slave of a beautiful lesbian who was capable of considerable emotional and physical cruelty. Despite her physical perfection, his mistress was a person who turned out to be the victim of childhood abuse that she didn't want to deal with. There's an emotional disconnect between them, despite descriptions of good times they also enjoyed. There were times when I wished I could climb into the story and ask him why he stayed in the relationship for as long as he did. Hopefully, a healthier BDSM relationship wouldn't involve the non-negotiated abuse Styranka endured. At the end of the book, he suggests that he has found one. An excellent, honest book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Endless Knot. It was an easy read, honest, descriptive and emotional rather than intellectual, which allowed me to connect with it. I cried a couple of times as I could relate to the author's experiences. The juxtaposition of the author's spiritual life and his life in the fetish world is beyond fasinating. A submissive slave with a foot fetish he was, but he had the guts to ask all the big questions. My boyfriend loved it too!

I found this book grabbed my interest and I couldn't put it down until I read it twice. The appeal of this book lies in the author's ability to translate his pursuit of the fullfilment of his fetish into the universal condition of humanity. It makes you re examine your search for happiness and materialism. It illustrates the truth in the age old cliche "beware of what you ask for because you might just get it". Sometimes what we think we want is just blocking the truth of who we are. Styranka's writing is direct, unpretentious and a pleasure to read. I really reccomend this book!!

This is a wise, thoughtful, thought-provoking book that is essentially about pursuing the things that we think will bring us pleasure, happiness, fulfillment, wholeness.
In this sense, the issues raised by Mathew Styranka are not solely related to sex and fetish desires, but can be equally applied to almost all other aspects of life.
Curiously, however, even though Zen figures prominently into Styranka's story, there is no mention between karma and his fetish needs and his relationship with ''Lara'' his dream/nightmare mistress of several years. He also writes of ''the dangers this lifestyle entails'' but then does not explain them. Maybe these questions aren't crucial to the overall story, but they did emerge in my reading. Too, there are at least a handful of misspellings that distract momentarily.
After this fetish cycle in his life, Styranka does seem to have reached a core understanding of his being-ness -- that no one, and no thing, beyond yourself can bring you happiness or wholeness. What's more, our perceived needs can amount to a kind self-imprisonment and self-torture as a result of thoughts. It's not easy to be free, aware, awake, present.
In the beginning of the book, he quotes an old man as saying, ''You can't teach people lessons.''
If there's any main lesson of this book, perhaps it's that: you have to learn the lessons yourself. And one way to do that, as Styranka writes in his author's note, is to live your ''dreams, fantasies and life to the fullest, always with a questioning mind, in search of Truth.''
Bravo to Mathew Styranka for sharing his journey.

This is one of the best books about organized crime/mafia l have ever read; it is concise, factual and full of much detail and well reasoned explanations, it was great to read a book by a journalist who has done his research well and is also a very good writer. This book brilliantly captures the rise of Johnny Pops and the Mafia in Canada, especially Hamilton, Ontario in the 20th century.

All the rackets of gambling, stand over, [...], labor and drugs are well covered and explained as the author links various criminals together and how they interacted, co-operated and fought each other. The book details the violent, and uncertain world of Johnny Pops and other criminals and Pops comes across as a man who was scared of nothing except the tax man and later in life going back to jail where he spent a quarter of his life. This book is great read for true crime buffs.

I read this book 3 times and every time I learned something new. I can honestly say that I already knew all this. I am Frankie's adopted son. I didn't know much about this buisness and when I asked he himself told me to read this book. After never understanding I understand. And I garentee you that this book is a real life and indepth look at life in the real Canadian Mob. It will tell you about the family's buisness and personal affairs. If you have ever wondered about the inner workings of a true Mafia family, this book will tell you. Nothing sugarcoated just the truth.

Probably the best Canadian organized crime history yet! And I have read several.With Pops killed and the Musitanos getting 10 years (Feb 5/00),the Papalia story continues. What's next for Organized crime in Canada?

The Enforcer is a wonderful book for anyone who has a feeling for the life of the mafia. Johnny Papalia was a one of a kind who beat all the odds in life and the mafia. This book is highly recomended. 5 Stars

Barbara J. Olexer's book, THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN IN COLONIAL TIMES, should be required reading in our school's American History classes. She tracks the long interaction between `new world' explorers/settlers and various Indian tribes east of the Rocky Mountains; often providing information of later (seventeenth century) anti-Indian action and current remaining Native groups. Her discourse, based upon extensive research, paints a comprehensive picture of the actual aspects of European's relationship with Indians, beginning with the "Norsemen's discovery of America in the tenth century." Previously, the record of our country's background of Indian mistreatment has been ignored; or twisted to give an acceptable perspective of the struggle by so-called civilized newcomers against the indigenous population who were called "savages", "barbarous enemies" who, like others would, fought to protect their lives and livelihood, their culture and religious ways. By using quotes from both sides obtained from various archives, Barbara reveals the real savages with the attitude "that it appears visibly that God wishes that they yield their place to new peoples." These Indian nations and tribes who were to `yield' revered nature, had social structure, were peaceful, content, helpful and generous. One firsthand observation came from a colonist captured and released: "There was never any lack of food...they shame the Christians; are more generous...they keep their word exactly as promised. They are not avaricious, not so haughty, do not quarrel quickly. Among the young, also, I did not notice anything improper." This book is vital in establishing a true record of our nation's colonial past and early westward expansion.
Phillip A. Nickel. Ph. D. mynickelsworth5@aol.com

Olexer does a good job of reporting the Pequot War, King Phillip's War, and the numerous Indian wars that followed. At times my reading was impeded because I kept shaking my head, thinking, "This is amazing, why didn't I ever hear about the Indian slave trade before?" One special feature of the book that I liked is that she gives a brief (very brief) account of the many tribes that are still extant. A lot of them are prospering and some are flourishing. The Pequots, for instance, after being reduced to three survivors on their reservation, have recovered sufficiently to have donated fifty million dollars to the new National Museum of the American Indian.

Definately the untold story of slavery in America and the Western World. Olexer gives us the history, peppered liberally with text from original documents, showing that our roots of slavery are much deeper than we are commonly taught.

The writing is easy to read, but painful to acknowledge. While Olexer gives us an unvarnished piece of our history, she never devolves into sermonizing or shaming the reader. We are left to make our own conclusions and search our own souls, which is always far more disturbing.

In THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN IN COLONIAL TIMES, author Barbara J. Olexer examines the subject of American Indian slavery. While she does trace the roots of American Indian slavery back as far as 1013, her discussion primarily focuses on the colonial period, particularly the 1600s and 1700s. THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN... offers an illuminating look at what, sadly, is a little-known subject. Given the dearth of books on this topic, Ms. Olexer's tome makes a welcome addition to the existing literature.

Starting with the Norsemen's "discovery" of America in the tenth century, THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN... explores the topic of American Indian slavery. What started as the kidnappings of individual American Indians eventually escalated into an American Indian slave trade, albeit on a smaller scale than the African slave trade. The trade reached its height during the 17th and 18th centuries, but had largely ceased by the 1780s. The reasons for the American Indian slave trade were many. Commonly, colonists instigated warfare between already unfriendly tribes, as a means of weakening their enemies as well as obtaining American Indian slaves "legally." Additionally, trading in American Indian slaves was another tool with which to rob the Indians of their land. American Indians were often tricked into slavery, ambushed by unscrupulous colonists, or simply kidnapped and "exported." By the end of the Revolutionary War, however, American Indian populations were decimated to such a degree that slavery was no longer necessary. Nor was it profitable; Africans were more plentiful and made for more obedient and resilient slaves.

THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN... covers both the scale of and the reasons underlying the American Indian slave trade. The book is divided into eleven chapters: It Began as Kidnapping; The Pilgrims and the Pequots; King Philip's War; The French in Canada; The English and the Westo; The Traders and the Neophytes; The Tuscarora and Yamassee Wars; The End of the Trade in Carolina; The French in Louisiana; The French and the Natchez; and Conclusion.

As you can see from the chapter titles, Ms. Olexer looks at the French as well as the English settlers, and also examines Spanish-Indian relations. A number of American Indian groups make an appearance, including the Huron, Eskimo, Pequot, Narragansett, Saconnet, Nipmuc, Mohegan, Iroquois, Seneca, Tuscarora, Westo, Powhatan, Catawba, Chowan, Yamassee, Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Waccamaw, Natchez, Sauk and Fox tribes, as well as the Wampanoag Federation and the Five Nations. Geographically, the discussion concentrates on the north- and south-east of the United States. Several chapters are devoted to the Carolina region in particular.

Although schools and scholars are finally beginning to acknowledge our forbearers' brutal treatment of the Americas' original inhabitants, the subject of American Indian slavery still merits little attention. Indeed, I don't recall learning of the topic at all during elementary, junior, or high school. Unfortunately, few books exist that tackle this significant topic. Barbara Olexer's THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN... helps to fill this void, and makes a great addition to the history buff's bookshelf. It's a must-read for anyone interested in the American Indian experience or the history of slavery. An added bonus: the author donates a portion of the proceeds to the National Museum of the American Indian.

I thought that this was a great book for kids in 6th grade because we learn about Canadians and WW2. I felt sorry for Sara Warren because she is trapped inside feeling like she has to choose between Mr.Ito and her family because of the War. This is a wonderful book for our time going through the war against Iraq. The front cover is all ready a great description of the book.

In my state we have something called Readind Competition.It's where you have to read a book and answer qustions about it. I raed this book for it and loved it.It's sad and exiting so please buy it it's worth the money!

This story "The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito", was about the hardships a girl named Sara Warren and her friends and family faced while World War II was going on. Sara Warren lived with her parents in England, but because Germans were bombing England, her parents sent her to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to live with her relatives. She stayed with her Aunt Jean, Uncle Duncan, cousins Mary & Jamie, and their friends. Many horrible and unexpected things happened.

This was a really interesting novel. To me this novel explained life and all the horrible things that happen. Mr. Ito was a very special man to Sara.

To me this novel means a lot. It means that even when things are at their worst, there is still hope. And that little hope may be strength and courage to move on.

The significance of this novel within the theme of Heroic Adventures was expressed a couple of ways. Sara stood up for herself and the way she cared for things and helped people made her a hero. She looked beyond everyone's face and saw something different that made her want to help people. Sara displayed heroism in a way that she cared for her plant, and everyone around her. She especially cared for the Itos because of all the trouble they were going through. Sara was very strong when things were at their worst.

The genre I would include this story in is realistic fiction. Everything in the story was true. World War ll really happened, and sadly people do die. Comparing this novel to the last novel I read, I like this novel much better. Their similarities were both about heroes and a girl that tries to save the day.

I would absolutely recommend this book to others because it is very interesting. I guess I could say that I learned something from this book. That is that once you read this book, you can't put it down!

This is agreat book. Anyone who is looking for a Historical Fiction book, this is great!!!

My copy of Bennett Cerf's, "Famous Ghost Stories," is old and yellowed and I would not part with it. I purchased it as a new hardback Modern Library Book in about 1959 and still take it off of the shelf to explore it's delightful scares every halloween. To me this book has come to symbolize ghost stories and dark fall evenings.
Within Cerf's anthology there are some standard such as W.W. Jacob's, "The Monkey's Paw' and Saki's "The Open Window." The reader will also find some rarer treats in August Derleth's, "The Return of Andrew Bentley' and Ambrose Bierce's, "The Damned Thing." Cerf had fantastic taste in ghost stories and assembled 15 that range from pleasent to down-right horrifying. Modern Library has allowed this wonderful classic to go out of print which denies modern readers access to the best ghost story anthology every published and makes it virtually impossible for me to replace my old yellowed copy...
Though I may be telling the reader to go find Shangra-la, find a copy if you can. I beg modern library to re-introduce this great anthology to the public. Hwlloween is always coming you know.

this collection is indeed yet another example of a should-have-been bona fide classic all but languishing in bibliophile limbo; i naively lent my own first copy--the 1944 pb edition--out to a 'good friend' only to later discover that its $.25 thrift store price belied its actual rarity in light of its disappearance. behind cerf's editorial modesty is the brilliance reflected in his selections which represent the best of the genre with stories and authors both well-known and unfamiliar; though sourced from differing places, time periods and publications, all succeed as both literature and ghost stories--unsettling the reader with well-written, intelligent, and ultimately satisfying tales for neophyte and scholar alike.

This is far and away the finest collection of ghost stories I have ever read. This is not a book for those who dote on slasher stories or sex. Nothing here but bone-chilling tales of fear and horror in a classic mode.

I can't believe this brilliant collection of thrilling fiction is out of print. Someone should wake the publisher, add a new introduction by Stephen King some great cover artwork by say William Joyce and watch the thing go right back on the New York Times bestseller list. This is great stuff!

This is probably Vollmann at his best. It isn't "Argall," which I found esoteric and difficult. I didn't finish "Argall," and I really suspect that the novel is less well-read and understood than it is publicly praised.

"Fathers and Crows" isn't difficult - it's passionately involved, balanced, epic and completely absorbing.

This is one of the best novels I have ever read, if not the best. Vollmann's prose-- his use of language, his landscapes, his characterizations, everything-- is absolutely gorgeous. This book is such a treat that I intentionally read it slowly in order to savor it. I can't reccomend it highly enough.

plucked Blossoms of SOULS (Fearing Never a Thorn); Who PRAYED BLOOD to SANCTIFY THE BONES OF CATAMOUNTS; who foreswore RUM, WOMEN and LEAD, Who were SO ASTOUNDED at the unfathomable extinctions of SAVAGES; who MADE MORE MIRACLES THAN THEY SAW!

Thus begins Vollmann's Second Dream "ABOUT OUR CONTINENT IN THE DAYS OF SAINTS". Fathers & Crows is long, and long-winded, however if you're up to the task and looking for a very interesting journey into New France (Canada) as it was in the early 17th Century, then this is the book you've been looking for. Without going into detail about William Vollmann or his 7 Dreams project (see my review of THE ICE SHIRT, vol. 1) I should point out that this is a blend of history and post-modern novel writing. Time is skewed in such a way that the characters (such as Champlain, Poutrincourt, or Pere Brebeuf, for example) are sometimes walking through modern day Quebec and not realizing it. As in The Ice Shirt, Vollmann occasionally blends his contemporary experiences traveling in and around Montreal into the "plot" (though there's not really a plot in any traditional sense here) is very effective in adding perspective into the history which has taken place, and CONTINUES to take place. Even Jesus, St. Ignatious de Loyola (especially), and Roberto de Nobili arrive on stage here! And special mention to the converted "Savages" such as Amantacha, Joseph Chiwatenah, and Catherine Tekakwitha.

Fathers and Crows is about the French colonization of Canada, and begins almost 500 years later, after the Vikings left the continent in failure (but not before bringing the Ice Shirt). Not long after Columbus arrived, French explorers such as Cabot, and then the map-obsessed Champlain, along with the Poutrincourts and the Pontgraves, sailed along the Fleuve St. Laurent and founded small outposts in what is modern day Quebec. From the very beginning they encountered native American peoples such as the Algonkins, Huron, and the dreaded Iroquois. The French, unlike the English in Virgnia (see vol. 3, ARGALL) attempted to assimilate these various tribes, mainly through trade (IRON for BEAVER pelts) and most importantly, through submission to CHRISTIANITY. Thus, the Grey Gowns (the Recollects) and later on, the more successful Black Gowns, or JESUITS.

Now you can read a straight-forward history on this time period in another place by a traditional historian, but after having read The Ice Shirt and now Fathers & Crows, I'm convinced that Vollmann's Seven Dreams are excellent blends of history and modern travelouge, along with personal experience (and a predisposition to favor women in the form of prostitutes), and extensive research into personalities, events, technologies, religion, and mythology. Sometimes he may play a little "loose" with time frames, but he documents just about everything somewhere in his 100+ pages of Glossary notes!

On a final note, it's not necessary to start with Vol. 1 at all -if the subject of first encounters between Europeans & Native Americans; Jesuits, French explorers, French Canada, or anything at all to do with North American cultural history (and legacy) interests you, then this a great book (and series) to own. You'll dream of floating down Canadian rivers, or ascending the rapids with the Jesuit Peres doing St. Ignatius' "EXERCISES" (around which the total drama unfolds, as it did with Ice and Frost and varioous "shirts" of reality in vol. 1).

Unbelievable that this amazing novel has so few reviews (but, actually, maybe not given the sad state of most American reader's attention spans anymore - oh well, too bad - YOU'RE ALL MISSING OUT!). For those who do find their way here, give Fathers & Crows a shot. Yes, it's long-winded and you may get bored and say "enough"! Fine. If not, like me, you might just paddle on in your canoe and find yourself hooked, and learning a heck of a lot of new and mostly obscured or glossed over (or simply forgotten) history which will tell you EVERYTHING about who we are as North Americans today. Happy voyages, eh! Next up: ARGALL.

William T. Vollmann may be the most important young writer in North America. This, his third novel details the clashes between native and european cultures in North America in the sixteenth century. Vollmann chronicles the unrelenting brutality of the time period and the inevitable economic imperatives that predict the demise of native American culture once the resources of the land become apparent. He manages to skillfully blend the mysticism of native culture with the harsh reality of the landscape and the men whose very nature it was to take what they wanted. He melds these disparate themes together in an exotic narrative that forces one to examine how European contact decimated the native peoples. When one completes the novel there is no doubt how the war was one; the only question left being our consciences and how to reconcile modern day attitudes withe stark reality of history. This exhaustive effort brings us almost halfway to the authors stated goal of a seven novel series; one can only wonder what is left in store but with Vollmann's imagination in full flight we anticipate a wild ride ahead

Northrop Frye manages to convey in sweeping master strokes the brilliance of William Blakes poetry and unlocks the mysteries of Blakes symbols. More importantly, Frye engages the reader in learning a new way to look at literature in general and open up his eyes to a deeper world.

Blake sets us in the middle of a rich mythological structure. This is the best book for explaining what that structure is and how Blake will come to an element and illuminate sometimes inconsistent characteristics of that element if viewed in a limited selection. And yet when Blake's work is examined as a whole an encompassing structure is revealed where each part has been carefully delineated and accurately described throughout. Since Blake's collected works are rather massive it is very helpful to have an overview of Blake's view of man when examining how any one particular image is dealt with in a poem. Else, one might think that Blake's portrayals are incongruent from poem to poem, while his vision is actually quite cohesive. Frye wrote another excellent essay on Blake, the title has something to do with the Fourfold Key. It shows the structural similarity between Blake, Marx and Freud.

This punch statement belongs to William Blake .
Enthusiasm , passion and a huge sense of commitment describe the enormous effort behind these admirable lines written by Frye
Every major poet demands from his critic a combination of direction and perspective , of intensive and extensive reading . Cosmology is literary art but there are two kinds : the first designed to understand the world and the other designed to transform it into the human desire .
The part one The argument
1. The case against Locke
2. The rising God
3. Beyond Good and evil
4. A literalist of the imagination
5. The word within the word
Part two The development of the symbolism
6. Tradition and experiment
7. The thief of fire
8. The refiner in fire
9. The nightmare with her ninefold
Part three The final synthesis
10. Comus Agonistes
11. The city of God
12. The burden of the valley of Vision
Fearful symmetry was written during the Second World Two and the principal reason which persuades me to recommend you this wise essay is the fact you can draw a line in the story which starts with Homero , Dante , Michelangelo, Blake and Beethoven and obtain a powerful conclusion about the enormous significance of this admirable thinker.
Beware the fact the unforgettable conductor Wilhelm Fürtwangler whose father was an intimate friend of Hans Schliemann liked to visit Rome and Florence to watch over and over the Michelangelo sculptures and paintings ; this fact allows me to onclude the underground road between the Florentine genius and the Bonn genius .
An indispensable book in your library.

One disadvantage of browsing online bookstores is that you can't simply skim the cover blurbs; sometimes you just have to settle for the opinions of strangers like me. So it may be helpful to read the quotes on the back cover of my copy of 'Fearful Symmetry.'

"To say it is a magnificent, extraordinary book is to praise it as it should be praised, but in doing so one gives little idea of the huge scope of the book and of its fiery understanding . Several great poets have written of Blake, but this book, I believe, is the first to show the full magnitude of Blake's mind, its vast creative thought." -- Edith Sitwell, 'The Spectator'

"According as we agree or disagree with Mr. Frye's contention we shall decide finally on the supremacy of his book. In following the structure of Blake's total vision and relating it to the thought of his age he has triumphantly carried out a task which, given the giant shape of the material, cannot help being immense. His cadences, by sheer explanatory devotion, approach the sonorities of Blake's own." -- 'Times Literary Supplement'

"Frye conducts his ambitious study with unflagging energy, great enthusiasm, and immense erudition." -- 'Poetry'

"An intelligent and beautifully written critical interpretation of the poetry and symbolic thought of William Blake..." -- 'New Yorker'

My opinion: Northrop Frye's literary criticism manages to shift the ground underfoot in the same rare way Blake's poetry does. Frye was the first to crack Blake's code, remove from him the labels of Mystic and Nutcase, and reveal him as a poet who systematically recreates the world. Frye taught Blake to Jesuits, Communist organizers, deans of women, and angry young poets. He was continually pleased to encounter doctors, housewives, clergymen, teachers, blue-collar workers, and shopkeepers, all with a great and deep appreciation of Blake.

Frye's deep appreciation and admiration for Blake comes through on every page, six times over. I reread this book about every five years, each time coming away seeing the world upside down, inside out, and worth renovating.