Canada Books

My children love this book and so do I. The little boy's reactions to Jennifer's amorous advances and then to her absence seem realistic and are very endearing. Another cute "kissing" book to check out is "The Good-night Kiss" by Astrid Mola.

I came across this book while volunteering at a childrens book fair. I just fell in LOVE with it and had to buy it for myself! I have no children, but have read it to my nieces and they loved it too! I am proud to have this 'childrens book' on my bookshelf!

This book is perfect for young children and the young at heart. Adults will love it as much as their children. I read it with first and second graders. They sympathized with the narrator's "Ewww, a girl LIKES me" feelings, and they giggled when he changed his mind. Boys and girls had different reactions over whether or not the narrator should tell his friends of his change of heart.

In a time when children would rather turn on the TV than listen to a good story, this one won over the crowd. They even asked me to "Read it again!"

Very pleased with my purchase and I hope to hear more of T.W. Kriner in the near future.

This is an extrodinate book. Once you pick it up, you can't stop reading it. When I started to read the book, I right away became more interested in the Niagara Falls. This book kept my imagination going the entire time. I recommend this book to anybody who is facinated by mystery, heroism, and tragedies of one of the most breath taking places on earth.

If you are tired of reading the same stories over and over again - about Niagara Falls, then this is the book for you. The book is packed with little known trivia in a well-written manner.

This book was recommended by my Dutch mother-in-law who loved the story as a young girl. It is a wondeful tale of animal and human, and teaches that we truely need each other to survivie. I enjoyed this more than any other man/wolf stories Ivé ever read.

I read this book as a child and have never forgotten it. Wrapped up snugly in my warm bed in England, having imaginary adventures in far off Canada. I also remember a further book called Son of Kazan. I have searched many times over the years to find either of these books, I am now 56 years old , and I am grateful to Amazon for making them accessable to me, I was beginning to think I would would never find them. I highly recommend Kazan to any child for an exciting and stimulating read.

An exciting and deeply moving story, Kazan is a must-read for anyone who loves and appreciates animals and nature. They story is told mainly through the eyes of Kazan, a dog who is one-quarter wolf, and this point of view truly enhances the sense of adventure. I felt an instant kinship with the author even though the story was originally written in 1914.

Martin has done a remarkable job of telling a very difficult story of the inter-relationships between the first people of Canada, the new world order people of European ancestry and the animals. I am Mi'maq and reading the history took be back to a time and an appreciation of what was a part of life. My hats off to Martin for telling a story that needed to be told!

This book is a great read for many reasons. One that may not get mentioned, but strikes me as important, is the demonstration of how social rules and the environment relate to economic markets. In short: the relationship of the native North American tribes to the fur markets was conditioned by their culture which went through a sudden, tragic, transformation.

Scholarly works are not supposed to entertain but Martin's interesting ideas about the cultural confrontation between the First People and the first Europeans makes for fascinating reading. He challenges several accepted views about Native population decline resulting from disease and warfare which are sure to spark disagreement; yet his logic is difficult to refute and the perspectives he offers provide new directions for research. Martin manages to avoid casting anyone into the roles of oppressor and victim by presenting the sequence of events as the result of rational decisions by both cultural groups. While anthropologists and sociologists will certainly find "Keepers" of interest, anyone who teaches cultural diversity or provides diversity training will also benefit from this work. General readers will enjoy asking themselves if their ancestors could have been involved in the events Martin describes.

This book provides an extensive key to amphibians and reptiles in North America. If you are studying herpetology, this book has many diagrams in it that really help with keying out dinstinguishing characteristics. Plus, the book is set up simply in plain English. Other keys that I have used were not as extensive as this one, and they were usually confusing. This key takes away all the ambiguity.

This breaks down characters for families very easily. The only draw back to this book is that it doesn't contain common names, but that can always be looked up. I recommend this book to any biologist or herpetologist. It also shows what the basic characters are with pictures.

This key is a must for anyone that is seriously interested in reptiles or amphibians. For instructors of Herpetology lab this book will prove to be invaluable, the illustrations and current phylogenetic classifications will aid in teaching.

This is not a book I would have chosen for myself. However, I just finished reading it for my bookclub and I must admit.....I couldn't put it down. I had borrowed it from my local library and I have just purchased it.....if you need to remember innocence and what it was like to be a child and carefree.....this is a must read.

An absolutely refreshing and captivating read that mere words cannot describe.

I can but echo the words of the gentleman who wrote the first review for this book. As a 41 year old business owner living and working in downtown Toronto, I rarely get moved by fairy tales. Kingfisher Days, is much more than that.

I too listened with great interest to the CBC's captivating production where the author warmly and intelligently read this wonderful book. I have attended a number of Soulpepper productions (the theatre company that she and her husband started), it is a soul expanding experience to see one of their plays.

The best part of being Canadian? Small things. Like the CBC's 'sometimes' greatness in bringing books like this to an audience starved for art that touches your soul. Like the Soulpepper theatre company, who does the same much more consistently. And like Susan Coyne, who if she had been raised somewhere else in the world, may never have written this wonderful book.

When I was young and we were new in this country, I sometimes wished that my parents and I would have emigrated to New York or Paris or some other 'exciting' place instead of Toronto. Reading Kingfisher Days, I am glad they did not.

I haven't read the book yet, but I've been listening to it being read by Susan Coyne herself on the CBC. Normally I have no time for fairy stories, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings etc., which I suppose makes me a grumpy old man, but I was totally entranced by the CBC production. Don't you love people who review a book without reading it! I would normally never do that but I couldn't resist. The reading on the air was more than wonderful, enough so that even though I am a rock hard cynic and a scientist I was totally captivated.

Leopoldo Alas es un universal viviendo como provinciano pues nunca salió de España, sin embargo es impresionante su capacidad para penetrar en su actualidad histórica. Usando los principios naturalistas como nadie en La Regenta el edifica una historia sobre el cimiento de un perfecto conocimiento del lugar. Dicho de paso, lugar que el vivió y habitó, y por tanto muy bien estudiado para describirlo minuciosamente. Esta es una novela que Clarín escribió cuando tenía 33 años de edad. En apariencia la novela es provinciana por sus características, y a su vez es universal por la misma sustancia de la que es portadora.

Aquí vemos a Fermín de Paz, joven sacerdote, convertido en un instrumento codicioso, dirigido por las ambiciones de su madre, sedienta de poder quiere que su hijo se adueñe del poder eclesiástico de toda una ciudad. Ana Ozores, la más bella mujer de la burguesía regional de Vetusta le es confiada como penitente. Ella es una mujer huérfana y privada del verdadero sentimiento anhelado por todos los humanos: el amor. Es prisionera de un amor fingido con un hombre de mucha más edad, el viejo regente Víctor Quintanas. Ana es seducida por su joven confesor, sensual por naturaleza y libertino desenfrenado. Esa lucha de tentaciones es en sí el corazón que mana en La Regenta en los tres años que cubre esta historia pasional.

Siendo totalmente seducida por Fermín, Ana descubre que más que hermana de fe es victima de un amor pasional cayendo en adulterio, viendo como resultado una cadena de sufrimientos al ocurrir una tragedia entre el sacerdote y su esposo a quien mata en duelo desequilibrado, huyendo finalmente y dejando a Ana en completa soledad y abandono, rechazada por toda una ciudad.

Para entender el impacto de estas acciones imaginémonos solo por segundos la España de entonces atada a qué dirán y a los caprichos de la época. Ana, creemos, nunca se había tenido que casar con un hombre a quien no amaba y que incluso por la gran diferencia de edad nunca llegaría a amar posiblemente más que a un padrino. Entra pues esta novela dentro de las llamadas novelas de adulterio donde Clarín refleja igualmente el estado social y moral de la sociedad que el conoce muy bien, en un ambiente histórico detallado.

En 1888 Luis Bonafoux y Quintero acusó a Clarín de plagios diciendo que La Regenta era una astuta traducción de Madame Bovary de Flaubert, a lo que el escritor contestó: "cuando escribí este capítulo del texto no pensaba en madame Bovary ni con cien leguas; diez o doce años hacía que la había leído. Pero aunque me hubiese acordado de ella, sin el menor escrúpulo hubiese escrito todo lo escrito; pues, en efecto, no hay parecido ni remoto en lo que
Bonafoux llama plagio (Clavería, 1942)."

Se compara pues como Leopoldo Alas pinta a Ana de Ozores, sujeta dentro de su propio acontecer a las mismas crisis románticas e ilusiones que Emma Bovary en su rincón normando en la novela de Flaubert, y es hasta cierto punto la misma manera de concebir el personaje como no en vano el propio Clarín dijo "una mujer que sueña es una mujer que piensa de la manera más natural de pensar en las mujeres (Clavería, 1942)."

Baste añadir como Clarín usa su magistral naturalismo incluso para hacer descripciones de la temporada del año en el Capitulo Uno. Su exámen microscópico del que hablábamos anteriormente es exaltado de una manera casi fotográfica pues el nos narra incluso los tonos, reflejos y hasta sonidos del prado: "Empezaba el otoño. Los prados renacían, la hierba había crecido fresca y vigorosa...se destacaban sobre prados y maizales con tonos oscuros; la paja del trigo, escaso, amarilleaba...algunas quintas de recreo...reflejaban la luz como espejos. Aquel verde esplendoroso con tornasoles dorados y de plata...y su cumbre la sombra de una nube invisible...vigorosa y variada."

Hay un contraste entre realismo y fantasía donde el autor usa elementos fantásticos como alternativa para acertar en la realidad que quiere exponer entre Ana y Fermín, usando incluso modos de suspenso trayendo el susto del horror de manera sobrenatural a la que aquí llamamos métodos de fantasía. Usando esta técnica, según nuestro parecer, Clarín aprovecha para denunciar las condiciones reales de la sociedad en que se desenvuelve la historia y la influencia religiosa-espiritual de la España de la época.

Alejandro RG.

Leopoldo Alas, aka "Clarín" falls into that curious category of authors whose literary output is, though exceedingly limited, nonetheless extremely important. A prolific journalist, and author of numerous short stories, he produced only two novels, one of which, _La Regenta_ is widely recognized as perhaps the best single work of fiction of 19th century Spain.

Clarín will remain forever overshadowed by his contemporary, Galdós, -- the acnowledged master of the era -- whose _Fortunata and Jacinta_ stands as the other great 1000 page novel of the period. Yet it is arguable whether or not any single work of Galdos' conveys quite the same epic sense of grandeur and beauty as Clarin's magnum opus.

Readers who delve into Clarin's novel will find themselves immersed in the lives of numerous members of the haute burgeoisie of Vetusta, including Ana Ozores -- the Regenta from whom the novel takes its title -- her good natured husband with a romantic penchant for "honor plays" of the Spanish, golden age theater, Mesias, the man who would be lover, and Fermin, the extremely conservative priest and confessor who steadfastly defends the doctrine of Papal infallibilty and strives to save her from the temptations of Mesias even as he himself becomes seduced by her beauty. A host of secondary characters completes the rich tapestry of Vetustan social life and helps create one of most lush and engrossing novels of the epoch.

_La Regenta_ stands in Spanish letters, second perhaps, only to Cervantes' _Don Quixote_. It equals anything Galdos produced, and, indeed, compares quite favorably to anything produced in Europe in that century. Along with Cervantes, Borges and García Marquez, Leopoldo Alas is without a doubt one of the Spanish speaking world's greatest novelists.

Funny, tragic, complex story about a woman and about a whole small city.
Wonderfuly written, with a trully great character, Fermin, and more than a hundred supporting roles.
Much better than Madame Bovary, or anythimg from Dickens, Zola, James.. (and much more amusing).

Before reading The Last Resort I neither understood nor cared much about retirement planning. Now, however, even though I'm only 24 years old, and thanks to the book, I've acquired a much better appreciation of why investing and lifestyles planning is so important - for both young and old. I'm recommending that any young person who reads this should also read The Last Resort.

I've read many books on investing and I haven't found one yet that is better than The Last Resort. Readers learn not only about some little known investment strategies, but also about the importance of knowing what you want to do with your money once you have it - a different, more holistic approach that really appealed to me.

I've now read The Last Resort twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. I'd strongly endorse it for anyone who is concerned about their retirement prospects and who appreciate common sense, practical advice presented in a highly readable manner. The best thing I can say about this book is that it actually motivated me to increase my retirement savings and investing resolve.

Rob Thomson

Lawana Blackwell has, just this past year, become one of my favorite authors. This is the sixth book of hers that I have read, and I enjoyed it very much.

If you've not read the first two books in the Tales of London series, then I do believe you must do so before reading this one, which is the third. If I hadn't read those other two, I think I would have been confused a lot of the time and had a difficulty with keeping characters straight---I also would not have liked the book as much.

I'd actually give this book 4-1/2 stars, because the ending wasn't QUITE there. I was thrilled that I spent most of the book not exactly sure how it was going to turn out---for me, it wasn't totally predictable, which was a nice change from so many novels of the genre. However, the ending, once it did arrive, seemed to be rushed. To use a theater term (appropriate for the subject of this book), the "denouement" left something to be desired. This author has a tendency to do this in many of her books---you race to the end because it's such a great read, and then BAM! it's over all at once, leaving you going, "That's it?" So that was kind of disappointing.

Still, I love Lawana Blackwell's stories. She does such a great job of showing the passing of time, and you get to know her characters to the point where it feels like they are your own good friends. Even the antagonists in her stories are likeable in their own ways. I look forward to reading more of her novels in the future.

"Leading Lady" was my first Lawana Blackwell book, and I was very impressed. I love the theatre, so I was drawn to the plot immediately, since it is set around the London theatre, just near the turn of the century. The characters are warm and inviting, taking you into their webs of love, deception, happiness, and anguish. Though predicable and stereotypical, the characters were very alive, and will make you forget that you probably already know how everything will end. The antagonist gets their comeuppance, and the protagonist lives happily ever after. My complaint is that the main characters kept shifting, and I couldn't keep track of how people were related to one another. It didn't hinder me from understanding situations eventually, but it was perplexing. I immensely enjoyed reading about classic London theatre and the gossip that revolved around it. If you love reading about life in the late 1800s, and enjoy the theatre, then this book is a must. I recommend.

I really enjoyed this new story by Lawana Blackwell. Set in the theatre world of London in the late 1890s, she creates a plot and subplots of lively characters onstage and backstage. Bethia Rayborn is the new wardrobe mistress of London's Royal Court Theatre. She accepts a seemingly innocent invitation for a tea outing with her cousin Jewel's cousin Douglas Pearce after the departure of her intended fiance, Guy Russell. That cup of tea turns into a persistant and relentless pursuit as Douglas begins stalking her after she repeatedly refuses his attentions. In the heat of anger as he continues to persist, Bethia writes him a scathing letter, sending Douglas off on a wild chase which results his death. Douglas's sister, Muriel decides to take her revenge on Bethia by becoming the new leading lady in the Royal Court with the intent of sabotaging Bethia's job and eventually steals Guy away from her. This story includes a handsome new actor named Noah Carey from York with a past of his own. I am loving all of Lawana's books and am looking forward to her upcoming release "A Table by the Window".

I've just discovered the books of Sid Marty this year and I'm finding anything written by this gifted author is simply astonishing. What a rare combination-- what we have here is a park ranger with an extraordinary insight into human behavior who also has an ability to record his reflections with uncommon talent. Leaning on the Wind is spellbinding. I could not put it down.

Leaning on the Wind is a biography of the eccentric Marty clan and their homestead on Alberta's prairie below the eastern front of the Canadian Rockies. While a family history, it is equally an ecological treatise and a paean to the beauty and wonder of nature. Marty is a gifted writer who captures the heart and brings it home to revel in his mountains. Alternately comic, tragic, and inspiring, one readily feels a member of his family and the unconventional lives they lead.

Like all eco-centric books, there is a fair share of ideology tossed about, but, unlike others, Marty takes the complete political spectrum to task. His is no Leftist caterwaul that bleeds well beyond the issue of environmentalism, but an objective exposition on the ecological ills that all forms of government bring.

From page one, I swept through this book in just a couple of sittings. It is a model of it's genre full of optimism, success, failure, and melancholy, but ultimately, of love: Sid Marty's love for his people and their place amidst Alberta's rustic natural majesty. I recommend it highly. 5 stars.

From the warmth of your bedroom to the clarity of a foothill on a February morning, Leaning on the Wind takes you to places you didn't think existed. Like going on a trip with a serene uncle and reading his life like a carpet slowly unrolling in front of you. You are there with him and above it looking at his memories. This novel is neither myth and only cousin to fact; it is a folk story of the every day. In the middle east, Persian weavers insert a flaw in the pattern of their rugs, because only God is perfect. Marty, too, puts some extra stitches in his weaving and occasionally waxes tedious in his comment on the every day. But every insight requires a little bit of time and energy. It is a picture of both the beauty and sorrow in Canada.