Canada Books

i believe i first read this series is grade eight for a book report... and boy has it stuck with me since then. this ranges as one of the first 'adult' fairy books i've read and inspired me to further my fairy obsession. and when i say adult i don't mean 'adult', i refer to the fact that this story isn't about the fairies we use to entertain children. stories like this one draw their content from the fairies of mythology, from irish/ british myth and legends.

in this book there are three stories, there is a fourth and concluding story The Book of Dreams (Chronicles of Faerie), but that's not in this edition. basically, the series focuses on different girls and their interactions with the fairy world. in the first two, the hunter's moon and the summer king, there are two girls and one get taken away by the fairies because she has caught the eye of a fairy king and we the readers are left with the girl left behind, who goes in search of the missing girl. the girl the reader is with eventually comes into contact with the fairies (which takes a lot of work as we might imagine) and she discovers that there is a problem. in the first it was the hunter's moon, a monster that demanded sacrifice (which they fought) and in the second the problem's focus is on (you guessed it) the summer king. i won't go into a lot of detail because it's been a while since i've read them and i don't want to spoil anything. the third story is a bit different than the first two it's called the light- bearer's daughter and there's only one girl in the story... the light bearer's daughter (the title's are really helpful). the girl in this story is half fairy (that would be the light- bearer side) and she goes in search of her fairy mother. this story is continued in the final installation, or i should say expanded upon because there is something of an appropriate ending in this book.

all of the stories have strong, proactive heroines and are rich with fairy lore, making the possibility of fairies come alive for a new, younger generation. a good thing about the series is that the characters from the previous books will make an appearance later on in the series as a minor character, kind threading it all together.

i strongly recommend this series. i have very fond memories of it and have actually purchased it not that long ago. it's a great intro to faeries for those who are unaware, and for those who are, well its a fun ride. it's aimed towards a late elementary school, early teen audience, but can be enjoyed by anyone with a like interest. it's pretty well written and doesn't take much time to get through. i recommend.

What a way to escape reality and enter into the world of fantasy.
O.R. Melling captures the beauty and innocence of the world of faerie. This book makes you laugh and makes you cry.
I recommend this book to anyone you likes to escape reality for awhile when it becomes too much to bare.

There are more and more things of amazement that are being created that simply can't be comprehended by most, yet paramount to the human condition is that the unknown must be reconciled! So, if you have some time, are looking for a challenge, and want a comprehensive and convincing crash course on the state of everything, read this book.

I have read most of the classics, and most of the great philosophers. Her views are uncompromising. Her stories are brilliant. And above all she is a compassionate person, by a much truer form of the definition. I fear, though, it is much too late. Her philosophy's only problem, which was not brought up in this book and therefore doesn't affect the rating, is the part about the mushrooms in that temple as part of the initiation process and the accompanying Shiva Vedic chants.

This book is marvelous. It completely changed the way I look at literature and life in general. Her narrative is a delicate, touching essay with enough detail to outweigh your habit of waxing ethereal and finding meaning in the meaningless. You will one day become a meaningful, spiritual writer. I am sure that although you are part of the first generation raised without religion, you will find one. At the risk of dubbing this book "Chicken Soup for the Slacker," I am certain, or at least optimistic, that I received a very good sense of the dark, brooding, medieval atmosphere surronding the epic; a sense that this story was told around the fires in dark huts in the cold north. Bravo Frances!

This is a must read for any visitor or tourist going through Calgary. It is an invaluable asset if you are visiting for the Calgary Stampede, relatives, or are there on business. It is a great reference and it is obvious that a lot of research and work has been put into writing it.

Clara Gutsch spent years photographing the convents in Quebec,
and the life in these convents shines through each and every
photograph that was presented for view at the exhibits held in
Canada. The starkness of black and white photos. The colors
that stand out in the color photos. Beautiful! I only wish that
I could have seen the actual exhibits.

"THE CONVENT SERIES" is a collection of 90 beautiful photographs taken by the famed photographer, Clara Gutsche. The photos in this oversized 85-page soft covered book offer an unprecedented study of the "intimate spaces" and the monastic life of cloistered nuns in Quebec. Working inside convents throughout the province of Quebec, Gutsche allows viewers a rare and sensitive glimpse into these guarded religious communities. Approximately twenty-five convents, most of them cloistered, opened their doors to the photographer and her camera. Gutsche depicts a structured, female world devoted to prayer and contemplation. The artist's examination of her subject is distant and yet, at the same time, highly emphatic. The overall effect of her project is remarkable in its rich combination of detail, intensity, subtle humor and intimacy. From the Foreword: "Rarely have we seen a camera approach a world so silent, and render images so evocative and full of meaning.The instrument that crosses the threshold of these convents is just a camera. The vision behind it, however, is that of an artist motivated by a keen sense of history and the social relationships that fuel it." The privacy, control, and isolation found in one's home are many timesa99 magnified in the context of cloistered nuns, whose vows have led to a secluded life of simple domesticity and intense spirituality. "THE CONVENT SERIES" is a landmark record of convent life and provides insight into a changing and disappearing world. These photographs of nuns' private spaces include parlors, offices, crypts, and their reading, laundry and prayer rooms. Other images show the women in their daily and ritualized life ~~ playing badminton in the garden, singing in the choir, cross-country skiing, painting, in meditation, and posing for Gutsche. This book contains over 25 black and white and over 20 color photographs. Some of the religious congregations included are: Cistercians, Daughters of Jesus, Servants of Jesus and Mary, Grey Nuns, Visitandines, Carmelites, Adorers of the Precious Blood, This project is remarkable in its rich combination of detail, intensity, subtle humor and intimacy. From the Foreword: "Rarely have we seen a camera approach a world so silent, and render images so evocative and full of meaning.The instrument that crosses the threshold of these convents is just a camera. The vision behind it, however, is that of an artist motivated by a keen sense of history and the social relationships that fuel it." The privacy, control, and isolation found in one's home are many times magnified in the context of cloistered nuns, whose vows have led to a secluded life of simple domesticity and intense spirituality. "THE CONVENT SERIES" is a landmark record of convent life and provides insight into a changing and disappearing world. These photographs of nuns' private spaces include parlors, offices, crypts, and their reading, laundry and prayer rooms. Other images show the women in their daily and ritualized life ~~ playing badminton in the garden, singing in the choir, cross-country skiing, painting, in meditation, and posing for Gutsche. This book contains over 25 black and white and over 20 color photographs. Some of the religious congregations included are: Cistercians, Daughters of Jesus, Servants of Jesus and Mary, Grey Nuns, Visitandines, Carmelites, Adorers of the Precious Blood, Augustinians, Daughters of Wisdom, Ursulines, Poor Clares, and more.

This is a comprehensive guidebook featuring all you need to know about hiking and camping in Canada's spectacular West Coast province. It covers the best trails on Vancouver Island, the North Shore, in the Squamish/Whistler area, in Pemberton and the Fraser Valley, and in Golden Ears and Manning provincial parks.
The author, Anita Cancian is an experienced outdoorswoman whose intimate knowledge of the area has lead her to share the secrets of how to access this magnificent part of Canada with other hiking enthusiasts. This book is an invaluable reference in any hiker's library, and a wonderful gift for anyone who shares a love for the great outdoors.
It also includes West Coast Trail, Mountain Biking, Camping, and hiking with your dog.
What a great book!!!!!!

'Classic Hikes' is one of only a few highly detailed and informative books on the subject of hiking the West Coast of Canada.

It is surprisingly detailed in the amount and variety of information it presents to hikers\ of of all abilities, from extremely precise hiking maps extending to information about area climate, blister first aid, hiking boots, keeping clean and basic hiking survival.

The photographs were taken by the writer and give a realistic and colorful view of the area being hiked. The sidebars are one of the highlights of the book, giving some valuable and fascinating information on things that you may see and do along your hike not normally mentionedd in a book on hiking. The topics may vary from Ice Worms to rock climbing to surfing and cycling.

The crowning highlight of the book is its feature on rarely known information concerning the world famous West Coast Trail hike, such as mandatory registration and limited allowable group size. The variety and scope of the hike is fully explored from the mafnificant coastline to the caves, lush rainforests, waterfalls and rich wildlife.

The information presented in the book is sensible, humurous and easily understood by the beginng hiker while not boring the more advanced hiker interested in specific information such as hike ratings and emergency shelter huts.

It is rare to see a hiking book that combines all of the above mentioned information written in a unique and humuorous style for the hiker interested in hiking the West Coast of Canada.

Catherine Schmitt is a thoughtful and talented writer. Her portrait of the Gulf of Maine, its flora and fauna, is evocative and enlightening. I highly recommend this book.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It provides the reader with a wealth and variety of information about the natural history of the area interspersed with brief snippets of information about specific persons of interest, sometimes quotes and/or poems. All this information is presented in a diary, or almanac, form, with each day describing a specific event, sometimes historical, sometimes a natural occurrence (such as a description of the "strawberry moon", which is the full moon for June, close to strawberry time, this year on June 18.) Other "topics" include timely descriptions of the return of swallowtail butterflies and various migrating birds, "behaviors" of periwinkles, seaglass, etc. I look forward each day to reading the item of the day and have so far learned something at each reading. This book is a "must have" for anyone who loves the northeast coast in all its seasons.

This is a fantastic book. Gratzer hits the nail on the head. The unfortunate truth is that the people in Canada with the power to change the system won't consider an approach like this because it would be political suicide in Canada. Gratzer shows us that health care reform in Canada does not have to be synonymous with Americanization of health care - a notion that seems to escape most Canadians.

While some in the United States admire Canada's Single-Payer health care system, this book shows how misplaced their admiration is. In fact, Canada's system is under-funded, out-of-date and failing fast. They can't keep hold of their doctors -- or their patients. They fail to invest in new equipment or technology, and they barely perform any new research. Gratzer argues that Canada should move towards a system of medical savings accounts to restore accountability and patient power in Canada.

For anyone who likes prose and offbeat, lyrical poetry, this is a must read. Coke Machine Glow is full of cute, descriptive imagery. Downie, a Canadian, includes many different types of poetry, ranging from those about love to places he's been and things he's seen. I loved it.

Gordon Downie's book Coke Machine Glow is a comprensive look at poetry told though the mind of a successful musician who is the lead singer to the popular candian band The Tragically Hip. His poetry reflects his experiences and his ability to truly make poetic "deep" pharses. The content is excellent and the drastically different lenghts from one poem to another really adds to the enjoyment of the book. If you enjoy peotry that is more subjective and less strait forward you will enjoy this book.

I was pleased to find this book, which is a reprint of a book published by the Canadian Anti-slavery Society in 1856. Benjamin Drew, the author, was an abolitionist and historian who recorded the stories of people arriving in Canada fleeing slavery in the U.S. One narrative begins "I have been in Canada two days..." The narratives are particularly valuable because they were gathered right at the time of (or shortly after) individuals or families reached freedom in Canada.

US slave narratives gathered in the 1930s were interviews done with elderly people who had been enslaved as children. their recollections are much more distant and, sometimes, sanitized by the interviewers.
Drew's interviews include some corrected grammar but seem to be relatively literal. This is a valuable resource for anyone studying slavery, abolitionism or the underground railroad.
Other resources include: Memoirs of Levi Coffin, Reputed President of the Underground Railroad (reprint available) and "The Underground Railroad" by historian Charles Blockson,
also, appropriate for younger readers, "Slavery Time When I Was Chillun'" by Belinda Hurmence (some of those 1930s era interviews).

This is just as the title implies: narratives of fugitive slaves, in this case slaves who escaped to freedom in Canada. This is powerful stuff that hits on many levels, one simply being that (rarely mentioned in U.S. history books or classes) Canada was a great place of refuge from the horrors that had entrapped slaves in the United States.

In this book we get to hear, in their own voices, fugitive slaves, many whom had been free--but still fugitive-- for only a matter of weeks at the time their stories were recorded. They tell what their lives were like as a slave, and what it felt like to escape from that burden.

The narratives are in various lengths, but all powerful, as the richness of these former slaves' humanity comes forth and the reader comes away thinking, "hey, these people sound just like you and me--except they had to suffer years of a living hell, being the property of others, in many cases being treated worse than a mongrel dog." We also hear from slaves whose masters were less cruel, but not so benevolent that their slaves did not wish to escape.

The bottom line is there is plenty of of first-hand information here that reveals the hearts and minds of recently escaped slaves, details of their lives, and from that we are reminded of both the evil that had entrapped them, and the great longing for freedom that helped them escape from those chains.

This book helps bring home the reality of slavery, something so horrible and wrong, but nevertheless something many Americans were more than eager to enforce less than 150 years ago. There is something in the narratives of these former slaves that brings forth the reality of slavery in ways that are rarely touched upon in school text books. We need books like this to remind us of the evil that can arise so easily in people when given the chance to command power over others. As I said, these narratives are from less than 150 years ago--not long enough ago for all that evil to have completely evaporated.

Can you imagine what is was like to be a slave in the United States? Few of us really can, even if we think we can. But this book makes it a little easier--and that's a good thing. Great book.

This book in similar vein to the published historys of the 503rd and 507th Tiger tank battalions, follows the formation, combat and eventual surrender of the 508th Tiger battalion.
Written by former members of the battalion, who no doubt contributed to the wonderful photos from their personal albums,makes this a very interesting study of one of the two "Italian Tiger Units".
The book published as usual by JJ Fedorowicz is printed on fine glossy paper for excellent photo reproduction and has 10 pages of colour artwork from renowned artist Jean Restayn.
At a little over 188 pages the book is packed with over 199 photographs and unit organisational charts, and makes for a very easy read.
As usual the thing about these books I find fascinating is the recollections from the veterans who manned these tanks. They give us a rare glimpse into the daily life both at rest and in combat of a Tiger Tanker.
As with any JJF book the photo selection is superb and features many full page photos with the rest half page.
The 508th was formed in September 1943 and fought exclusively on the Italian front with the Tiger 1 in what was not ideal Tiger country.
The windy and narrow roads caused many a breakdown and large numbers of Tigers lost by this battalion were not through enemy action, but as a result of crews destroying their tanks to avoid them being left to the Allies.
First seeing action at the Anzio landing where it took part in a ferocious counterattack,the 508th fought its way back up Italy where it gave a good account of itself.
It was effectively disbanded in February 1945 when it handed over its remaing Tigers to the 504th Tiger Battalion.
Sent to Germany to train on the King Tiger, the unit never received this tank and fought out its last days as infantrymen.
This is another great Tiger history and is an excellent addition to any library or personal bookcase. It is highly recommended

If you are a student of the heavy Tiger Battalions or simply armored warfare during WWII, this is a "must-have" book. Like all of the books in this series, there are detailed action accounts, personal recollections, charts, and best-of-all, outstanding photos gathered by veterans of the batallion that have never been published before. An outstanding addition to any WWII library and a suberbly high quality book. I highly recommend acquiring all of the hardbound books in this series before they're gone. If you're a Tiger tank history buff, don't think twice, the book is definitely worth the expense.

I read this one eagerly. As a Canadian I always had heard about the executions of Canadian POWs in Normandy by the SS. By reading this very detailed and well researched book I understood what happened right from the time of the invasion all the way through the post-war trails.
I really recommend this book!

Howard Margolian's book is a well-written and -researched book that explores the conflict between the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 12th SS Panzer Division, particularly the issue of murdering Prisoners of War by the Germans. By documenting several previously uncredited murders, Margolian has revealed the full extent of the SS atrocities. Each incident is treated with respect and by using forensic evidence he has made a plausible reconstruction of the events. A credit to scholarship.