Canada Books

This book is a 12-month exploration of the area around Clayoquot Sound, on Vancouver Island's west coast. Through ventures to various spots in the area, the author tells us of history, geography, wildlife, and more. He talks about the isolated life of the Lennard Island lighthouse keeper, how the coastline was shaped by glaciers, why Pacific waves are so big, how various fur traders and explorers came and went through the years, life in the town of Tofino, and how ongoing logging has created vast swaths of naked hillsides. This book has something for everybody. Part natural history, part human history, part modern day life on the coast, this is a fascinating read and a beautiful description of a lovely and scenic place. I especially recommend reading this if you plan on visiting the area.

This book is an initiation into one of the most beautiful and mysterious places on the planet. For every month of the year the author takes a journey into the forest and ocean wildernesses of Clayoquot Sound, exploring the main events of the yearly natural cycle---storms in January, herring spawning in March, salmon spawning in October, etc.---as well as the relationships between people and nature in Clayoquot Sound, both past and present. The natural history dominates, though, and the human history, though long and resulting in some deep and lasting environmental impacts, seems fleeting and insignificant when viewed against the backdrop of glacier-formed mountains and ancient forests.

I was impressed by how seamlessly the author combined scientific information with personal observations and the narrative of his travels. I felt the relentlessness of the winter rains, the hallowed beauty of wild creeks flowing through old growth, the salty sea air, and even the mosquito bites. The writing is graceful, rich, entertaining---every bit as varied and interesting as the place it describes. I can see this book standing up to multiple readings, with new nuances being discovered each time. ?Chasing Clayoquot? ought to be required reading for anyone planning a trip to Clayoquot Sound, and it makes for good armchair adventuring too. Don?t forget to pack your rain gear!

This book is a 12-month exploration of the area around Clayoquot Sound, on Vancouver Island's west coast. Through ventures to various spots in the area, the author tells us of history, geography, wildlife, and more. He talks about the isolated life of the Lennard Island lighthouse keeper, how the coastline was shaped by glaciers, why Pacific waves are so big, how various fur traders and explorers came and went through the years, life in the town of Tofino, and how ongoing logging has created vast swaths of naked hillsides. This book has something for everybody. Part natural history, part human history, part modern day life on the coast, this is a fascinating read and a beautiful description of a lovely and scenic place. I especially recommend reading this if you plan on visiting the area.

This book was really good - it showed his whole life. The pictures were great and the tips accurate. It really shows the life of a player and how hard you have to try to make it big. It was a great thing for me---you should check it out.

The worst thing about this book is it doesn't have enough pages...I found myself wanting to read more. There are a lot of tips for young players and some bio information which is interesting. The pictures are great, espescially the younger ones. Thanks to Chris for sharing them with all of us.

If you were like me and were looking for a good Pronger book, your search ends! This had a lot of great information on Pronger. Let's Go Blues!

Department of History professor emeritus Terry Copp presents Cinderella Army: The Canadians in Northwest Europe 1944-1945, the follow-up to "Fields of Fire" and an in-depth examination of the operations carried out by the First Canadian Army during the last nine months of World War II. Continuing the argument in "Fields of Fire" that the achievement of Allied and Canadian armies has been underrated while the effectiveness of the German army has been decidedly exaggerated, Cinderella Army supports its proposal with research garnered from trips to the battlefields of France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. With evidence of the battlefield terrain including maps and air photos, Cinderella Army reveals the challenging defensive positions that the Canadian soldiers had to overcome and illustrate just how impressive their achievements truly were. A welcome addition to Canadian military history shelves, along with the highly recommended "Fields of Fire".

"Cinderella Army: The Canadians in Northwest Europe, 1944-1945" by Terry Copp is a solid piece of historiography that covers does considerable justice to the Canadian men who fought with the Allied forces in the ETO. While certainly not a majority in numbers of men relative to other Allied nations, the Canadian's fought a disproportionate number of 'lousy' less 'appealing' engagements with little chance for popular press kudos between their entrance into the ETO and V-E Day. Given these facts it should maybe not be surprising that the combat and command actions of the Canadian Army have received little attention in the popular Second World War literature. The general lack of literature dedicated to the gallant Canadians has not been limited to historian/authors outside Canada; even with the great northern neighbor of the US only limited pieces have been produced that cover broadly the Canadians in the ETO outside the official histories (e.g., Stacey's "The Victory Campaign"). One historian/author who has keep the fire burning and brought proper attention to the heroism and sacrifices of his fellow countrymen in WWII - Terry Copp.

In collaboration with Robert Vogel, Copp generated a series of books, the Maple Leaf Route series, during the 1980's dedicated to various actions (based on temporal and spatial divisions) of the Canadian Army in the ETO. Each of these soundly researched and written entries provided considerable new material for students to ruminate on beyond that provided in the 'official histories'. However, one would have to read them all (5 volumes in total: 1-Caen; 2-Falaise; 3-Antwerp; 4-Scheldt; and 5-Victory), which given their relatively small printing numbers means first tracking each down, to get a thorough picture. Copp is able to pull together these previous works into effectively two volumes with the production of "Cinderella Army" and its previously published companion piece "Fields of Fire" (2004). However one should not therefore assume that Copp has merely rewritten his previous books, rather he has taken that previous work and woven in considerable new research material to produce a coherent single document (296 pp., plus 94 pp. of Appendices, notes and references) that covers the period from the Normandy breakout to V-E Day ("Fields of Fire covering actions of the Canadian Army up to the Normandy breakout). "Cinderella Army" should adorn the bookshelf of serious students who want a broader perspective of ETO actions.

Not only is "Cinderella Army" an outstanding piece of research but Copp is a talented and engaging writer. Readers, whether specifically interested in the Canadian Army or not, will not be bored with "Cinderella Army". Fortunately for readers Copp does not fall into a parochial category authors who present history with a national bias. All in all Copp's prose is extremely fair, presenting both positives and negatives, is fairly critical of the Canadian leaders and the interactions (not always positive) between these men and the 21 Army Group HQ (and SHAEF to a lesser extent). Readers will walk away from this read with a much deeper appreciation for how the bloody battles (often produced the highest sustained per unit casualty rates in the ETO) to capture the Channel Ports and clear the Scheldt Estuary, while protecting British Second Army units as they pursued more 'lofty' and headline garnering targets. If there was a black-sheep sibling in Montgomery's 21st Army Group who got all the crap details it was clearly the First Canadian Army!

Pick up "Cinderella Army"; it's a solid 5 star read, both from historical research and writing perspectives.

The authors two volume work (The first volume is: 'Fields of Fire,' this is the second.) establishes two views of World War II that I think are absolutely correct, and long overdue.

The first view is that the Canadian Army in France and Northern Europe was a failure, or if not exactly a failure, then a minor matter. Neglecting Dieppe, where the Canadians left a lot of good men on the beach, the Canadians went into Juno Beach on D-Day. Everybody knows about 'Bloody Omaha.' The allies had to go into Omaha to have a continuous beach head. And the Americans were assigned the job. The Americans went in and suffered 7% casualties, making it the bloodiest of the beaches. The Canadians went into Juno and suffered more than 6% casualties. That's just about as bloody. Furthermore, the Canadians were the only invasion unit to reach their D-Day objectives. But this is the subject of the first volume.

The second 'myth' is how much better the German soldiers were than the Allied, especially the Canadians. In truth, the Canadians were assigned to the left flank of the Allied Army. They went up the coast of France to the approached to Antwerp. This meant that the German units left to guard the coast were on their flank. Then they were assigned to clear the approaches to Antwerp. Furthermore, Montgomery, perhaps in the quest for more personal glory neglected the approaches and refused to give the Canadians adequate support or supplies in favor of Market-Garden which of course failed.

Yes, the Germans had good soldiers, but so did the Canadians. And at the end of the battle, the Canadians were at least the equivalent of any of the forces in the field. This is a splendid and welcome pair of books on a neglected area.

Very well written, and fascinating. The author gives the reader an 'insider' view of the circus world; this includes an objective and respectful portrayal of the brave and talented people. I appreciated the honest perspectives, i.e., hearing 'the other side of the story' in terms of animal rights. It is a beautiful, touching, absolutely fantastic story.

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book, from the subject matter to the personality of the author to the quality of the writing, which is excellent. At times, it reads as luridly and poetically as a novel. If you are enamored of the circus, as I am, and would like to run away with one for a while--even if only in your imagination--this is the book for you.

For a month in spring 1997, Wilkins traveled with the Great Wallenda Circus, a gritty group of seasoned circus vets, on a trip through a remote stretch of Canada. Facing such obstacles as unyielding immigration regulations (for both animals and performers), unprecedented flooding with unseasonable temperatures, and fierce competition from another circus, the Wallenda performers (led by Karl's grandson, Ricky Wallenda) show their merit as troupers in the truest sense of the word. Interspersed with descriptions of the circus's performances in the often-chilly and poorly lit hockey venues of Manitoba are the stories of the circus's performers and crew, each of which reveals a different facet of the daily dangers of circus life: unpredictable (and sometimes in-bred) tigers, vendetta-holding elephants, unstable rigging for aerial acts, and the omnipresent fatigue that can make a performer misstep minutely, but fatally. Beyond these dangers, however, is another threat to the circus's performers, which Wilkins chronicles beautifully and movingly: the decline and fall of the circus in America. It's a casualty with complex causation, including the senescence of Shriners (who sponsor a large number of American circus performances), the rise of the animal rights movement, and the effect of television, with its showy tromp l'oeil special effects, on our expectations for entertainment. Is watching a 370-pound man put an elderly, blind elephant through a series of slow-moving tricks enough of a thrill for audiences raised on car chases and gunfire? Wilkins thinks so, and after reading this wonderful book, so do I.

BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED. IT SEEMS ANYONE WHO HAD AN OPINION OF THE STATE OF HOCKEY AS IT WAS IS 1972, WAS INTERVIEWED IN THIS BOOK. EASILY THE BEST HISTORICAL SPORTS BOOK I HAVE READ. I WAS BORN IN 1968 SO I HAVE NO MEMORY OF THIS SERIES, BUT SO MANY OF THE SOVIET PLAYERS WHO FIRST BECAME KNOWN FROM THE ORININAL 72 SERIES WERE ALREADY VERY WELL KNOWN AS THE SERIES TURNED INTO THE 'CANADA CUP' THAT I FOLLOWED IN 1976 AND 1980. PETROV, KHARLAMOV AND YAKUSHEV AND ALL THE EARLY RUSSSIAN PRE NHL GREATS. THE BEST PART IS THE HISTORY OF SOVIET HOCKEY AND HOW THEY CREATED THIER OWN STYLE OF PLAY DIFFERENT FROM THE NHL AND HOW THEIR INNOVATIVE TRAINING, CONDITIONING AND AGGRESSIVE OFFENSIVE ATTACKING STYLE, CONTRASTED WITH THE NHL'S 'TOUGH' DEFENSIVE GAME. RUSSIA'S GREAT AMATUERS AND CANADA'S MIGHTY PROFESSIONALS MET FINALLY IN 1972 AS THE SOVIET NATIONAL TEAM FACED THE NHL'S BEST IN AN 8 GAME EXHIBITION SERIES. THE SERIES WOULD REDEIFNE HOCKEY AND INTERNATIONAL SPORT FOR ALL TIME. THE SOVIET NATIONAL COACH AT THE TIME PREDICTED THAT ALL FUTURE HOCKEY WOULD BE A MIXTURE OF THESE TWO DIFFERING STYLES AS BOTH SIDES WOULD INFLUENCE EACH OTHER IN THE FUTURE. TRULY PROTHETIC WORDS. ANYONE WHO IS A FAN OR STUDENT OF THE GAME OF HOCKEY, THIS IS A FINE BOOK, WHICH IN GREAT DETAIL TELLS THE COMPLETE STORY, BOTH RUSSIAN AND CANADIAN OF AN ATHLETIC EVENT WHICH MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS CERTAINLY IN CANDAIAN HISTORY. THAT IS NO OVERSTATEMENT. THINK OF DON CHERRY WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT EUROPEAN PLAYERS. THIS WAS THE FIFST TIME CANADIAN FANS SAW EUROPEANS COMPETE WITH AND AT TIMES DOMINATE CANADIAN "BOYS" AT CANADAS GAME. AND PEOPLE BEGAN THE ARGUMENT, WHICH IS BETTER HOCKEY? GOONS OR GRACE? THE ISSUE OVER WHOSE STYLE OF PLAY IS SUPERIOR HAS POLORIZED CANADA EVER SINCE. THIS WAS A HUGE DEAL IN CANADA, AND THE BOOK TELLS IT SO WELL. IT IS BREATHLESSLY WRITTEN A MUST READ

"Cold War" is a beautifully written (and researched!) book about the greatest series ever played (in any sport!) Every Canadian remembers where they were when Paul Henderson Scored the game and series winning goal in Moscow, and reading this book literally sent shivers down my spine, and brought back memories long forgotten. It also opened doors to many "behind the scenes" facts that I did not know. But most of all, it reminded me of how arrogant and over-confident we all were, and as Ken Dryden put it: "NEVER, EVER, UNDERESTIMATE YOUR OPPONENT". Of course we had ....

This point was driven home to an entire nation in September of 1972 when Canada's "professional" hockey stars (our "best of the best") played this dramatic eight game series against the "amateurs" of the Soviet Union. This series was the first ever between the Soviets and NHL players, and almost all Canadians, myself included, thought Canada would win all eight games easily. That is not what happened though, the Soviets stunned everyone by going 2-1-1 on Canadian ice. Canada came back in Moscow, winning 3 of 4 dramatically, all one goal games. Against a backdrop of the "cold war", and Canada's pride and identity at stake, even non-hockey fans got caught up the unfolding drama. Canada's pride was hurt for sure, but it forced our players to dig deep within themselves to pull out the skills that produced an amazing victory, despite tremendous obstacles. (such as a hostile press, star players quitting, and officiating that was horribly biased against Canada) The Soviets on the other hand had violated this very same rule when the teams got to Moscow, and clearly had lost their psychological edge. In short, they thought they had the series won. The series forced Canadians to look at themselves in a way they hadn't before, and in the decades since we have seen improvements in the game itself. In other words, the bar had been raised.

Roy MacSkimming deserves six stars for this one, he captured beautifully this unique series that really had the full range of human emotion, from the total shock of the the Soviets 7-3 rout in game one to the the hosile reaction of Canadian fans and media towards their own countrymen, to redemption, complete joy and relief in Moscow. Every Canadian, and American for that matter, should read this book, it goes beyond a sporting event really and exposes human nature.

On a personel note, I was in English Class in Cranbrook B.C. when Henderson scored "The Goal" on September 28, 1972. Most of Canada's schools, businesses and government offices closed that day, however we were not among those lucky. We did lobby our teacher however, and we watched the last two periods of game on TV despite her objections. Had she not relented, she would have regretted it forever ... the place went nuts!

For those who were very young (like myself) when the series was played and grew up not with the players mentioned but instead with such Russian players as Fedorov and Bure in the NHL, this book is a must to understand how these 8 games played in 1972 forever changed the face of international hockey -- The Canadians (and people in the States as well) realized that we didn't have a monopoly on how to play the game, and the Russians, for all their tremendous preparation and effort, saw that Westerners could rise to the occasion, and ultimately "opened their doors" just enough to begin the journey that today finds several NHL stars hailing from former Warsaw Pact nations. MacSkimming does an excellent job of both drawing upon the original 1972 news accounts and quotes as well as undertaking a host of interviews and research 20+ years later to give a renewed perspective on the games, the players and what it all meant then and now. Even if you know how "it ends," (if you don't you will find out early in the book) the rising action is expertly developed, and you feel (in your mind, at least) nearly the same sense of pride and accomplshment at the end as the Canadian players must have felt. Highly recommened for anyone w/ an interest in hockey and/or the "old" Soviet Union.

Shaker of the Speare
A Powerful Debut Novel

This book is a wonderful blend of true romance, intrigue, suspense and love triangles, political manoeuvrings, all blended together with documented historical facts. Just looking at the clever portraits on the book jacket gets your immediate attention. I couldn't put this book down until I was finished! The royal families and their tensions mixed up with alliances, posturing, high level cheating, and eternal speculations as to who would succeed the infamous Virgin Queen, not to mention how the Shakespeare works emerged as an essential part of Bacon's method of teaching at a time when very few could read. The balancing in this novel is really well done; keeping the reader in continual suspense. And I loved the frequent touches of subtle humour. Will she or won't she? Who will get her in the end? Is she really what she seems? The writer here puts an entirely new light on the amazing story of Francis Bacon and Will Shakespeare. With the Companion book beside me, I would flip back and forth to check up on the historical evidence, and see for myself how it really occurred. It is a truly breathtaking story, and well written. The dialogue is captivating. I would love to see it as a film.

The most interesting critique of this novel is the unique style of writing, which the author employs. Ross Jackson's method seems to be very similar to that of the book's subject, Francis Bacon. Ross Jackson uses this novel in subtle ways, to educate the reader, just as Bacon did in his own times. It is packed with fascinating historical information, all emerging naturally from the story. I enjoyed the background information about the secret societies of those times, ancient myths, legends, as well as the devious ways and nasty means employed by the courtiers close to the royal families, to ensure their own future positions. Overall it is an excellent read, and will leave you wanting to see more from this new author.

Arlene McKibbon

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this book is the realization that here is a writer who has never written a novel before doing a masterful job in a totally new genre. I've known Ross Jackson's writings over the years for his philosophical, social and collective values as related to sustainable life styles, Ecovillages and modern economics. Following this line I read "Shaker of the Speare" with an eye out for a description of the utopian society one would expect from a writer of futures visions and environmental economics. In fact Jackson resorted to a key element in sustainability and ecovillages, in my view: the use of art as a way to imagine what may be possible under unseen circumstances. His deep commitment to this process has given us a Jewell of a novel that everyone must read, both for its artistry and for the daring premise of its story.

The artist is an expert manipulator of images and visions in order to create a reality not otherwise available to him/her-self and others. Quite often these possibilities open the door to the impossible and new revelations about human nature and natural systems follow. I think that is exactly what Jackson has done with "Shaker of the Speare." He has taken circumstantial evidence from an extensive research process to rewrite a most intriguing piece of history about what took place in Elizabethan times in Europe, but which also affected the New World and the colonization of North America by the English. This is a serious work clad in drama, tragedy and spiritual-romantic ideals worthy of a Shakespearean play. To back up his thesis Jackson has provided us with a companion book, sold separately, that lays out all the evidence in a form of workshop, on its characters and their time. The companion brings home the notion that the story in the novel is not just made up, but rather a very possible interpretation of what the author describes with some poetic license in the text. It also has a few pages of interesting graphics and period symbols that help understand the correlation between fiction and reality.

The novel is striking in its use of credible dialogues and character development. It paints a picture of royal intrigue, secrecy and corruption of public knowledge for the sake of power. But one of Jackson's main intentions is simply to prove how circumstances and faith played a major role in concealing the identity of the world's greatest writer of all time, William Shakespeare. Throughout the novel we find credible scenarios under which many of the Shake-Speare sonnets may have been written. The numerous plot lines are skillfully spun-out with a style that draws the reader into the story without realizing how radical it truly is. The themes of royal lineage, power struggles, spiritual devotion, political betrayal, corruption and incompetence inside the emerging most powerful country in the world are endless and engaging. My first impression was how similar it is today as it was four hundred years ago when England went from the progressive rule of Queen Elizabeth to the corrupt and irresponsible rule of King James. The tactics used then for control of public opinion and to justify unacceptable actions by the rulers of the world are no different from those used today. The only difference perceived on the surface is that the nobility has been replaced by the corporations.

But what lies at the bottom of the novel is the artistic journey and philosophical development of one of the greatest minds to walk the earth. The story is the life of Sir Francis Bacon, who has been misunderstood by history and underestimated by critics in the shaping of the modern English language. He may be responsible for the writing of the King James Bible, and has quite possibly given us the complete works of William Shakespeare while at the same time elevating the Rosicrucian Order of Freemasons and the Knight Templar to a global spiritual movement. He is recognized as one of the greatest legal minds of its times. It is hard to believe that a single individual could do all the things Bacon is credited with, but the novel makes an unquestionable case for it.

"Shaker of the Spear" is in the same vein as "The Davinci Codes" and I hope it has as much success with the general public. But if the story it tells is true, it has a far more revolutionary importance for English history and for understanding the role of artistic expression in our society.

by Giovanni Ciarlo

The Companion to Shaker of the Speare
A Fact-packed Supplement

The Companion is an unusual but really valuable supplement to Ross Jackson's first novel, Shaker of The Speare. I liked the research notes all packed into an informative separate book, accompanying me on my journey, but ready at my elbow, when I paused for reflection. For someone interested in literature and history like myself, it is absolutely necessary to get the full picture of what went on at the time. The Companion is extremely compact and well-organized, very concise for the amount of research covered, well-argued and very convincing. I was especially attracted by the author's claim that not one historical fact in the novel was without documented research and evidence.

The special attraction of the novel plus Companion structure is, that you can read the novel along like any other exciting book, not interrupting the lively flow of the adventure with constant references and footnotes, which can interfere with your enjoyment of the story line. But if you are curious about a particular point, the Companion is readily at hand with additional information. Observing the two book jackets side by side peaked my curiosity about the idea that the writer William Shakespeare could very well have been a composite of possibly several talented secret authors led by the famous Englishman, Sir Francis Bacon, who contributed so much to developing English written standards, laws to protect the ordinary man, and visionary writings under his own name.

I really like the idea of a separate book, because it can stand alone for interested readers, who wish to find proof for themselves. This can lead one on to further readings of historical fiction of other types, and a closer re-reading of the fascinating book it supports: Shaker of the Speare; The Francis Bacon Story, a dynamic first novel for author Ross Jackson!

Arlene McKibbon

It is a sad, heart warming boo

This story portrays the relationship between Natives and English people, and that is what makes it so interesting. This story is beautifully written, and I'd love to read it over and over.

I read this book years ago and found it unspeakably sad and haunting. I remember it as if I read it yesterday. An uncommon and insightful view of a white boy and the last of a group of native people that is treated with beautiful sensitivity. Recommended hightly.

I really enjoyed reading Blyth's account of his escapades during WWII. It is one of those "slice of life" books where you can really get a good understanding of his (and his crew's) time in the RCAF and the war. For any students who are studying the treatment of POWs in the different wars, this book would give them valuable insight into the German's treatment of POWs in WWII. Enjoyable!

This book was great because it gave wonderful insight to what it was like during WWII. There is such detail about everything the author experienced from flying night raids, his capture and the surroundings at the POW camp. I really enjoyed all the different stories about his crew and other POWs. The author is a great storyteller!!

As a historian, I am aware of few books that tell the story of the air war over Europe from the Canadian perspective. 'Cradle Crew' is such a book, and it's a good one that I highly recommend. Written by Ken Blyth, a Canadian who became the pilot of one of the youngest air crews to fly over Europe in the war (thus the name 'Cradle Crew'), this story tells of the entire air crew experience, from enlistment through combat. But it goes much farther, for Blyth and his crew were shot down over Europe and ended up spending time in a German Stalag as POW's. Therefore, the book not only gives the reader an excellent, well-written perspective on the Canadian aircrew experience in the war, but is also a memoir of a POW. Blyth is a strong writer, and his story is engaging and never dull. This is an excellent book, and an important addition to the literature on the air war over Europe. It is invaluable as one of few Canadian books on the subject. Filled with interesting and rare photos of crew life, aircraft, and German Stalags, this is a must-have for any aviation history lover, and should be in every Canadian's bookshelf as a record of how the men from up north helped defeat Hitler and save the world not so many years ago.

My first thought upon finishing "Cue the Dead Guy" was--oh good, I have two more Polly Deacon books waiting to be read. Polly is addictive. I love the glimpse into the not-so-glamourous world of the touring theatre company. The insight into that world,and the world of Muskoka, Ontario is so refreshing. Mel Walton writes about her world without fawning or feeling the need to make it painfully cute. Her world is appealing and real, and just maybe a little more interesting than the average small town. Her main characters are vivid; her plotting is splendid, even the subplots kept my interest. It's an easy and enjoyable read, and, Polly is an ingenius creation with her dry wit and interesting life choices. Loved it. Looking forward to the next book!

When I finished Mel Walton's book, my first thought was--good, I have at least 2 more of her books to read. I'm already addicted to this character--Polly Deacon is a fresh and genuinely interesting protagonist. She's brave, funny and human. I loved the detailed picture of life in the theatre, especially the not-so-romantic aspect of a small touring company in the Muskoka's. I loved the description of the area; not fawning or precious,but respectful and pleasing. Plot, setting, character--the book is rich with all three, and somehow, Mel Walton makes them work splendidly. Her humour is edgy without being cynical. I love the book. I will buy more H. Mel Walton!

In need of cash, Polly deacon takes a job designing the props for a squabbling, dysfunctional touring children's theater group. But when the stage manager goes mysteriously missing before the first rehearsal, only Polly suspects murder. The local police show their usual lack of interest in her theories, but a series of gruesome, demented practical jokes proves that the killer is on the loose -- and it's like a member of the cast! Cue The Dead Guy is funny, engaging, cleverly plotted, skillfully written, and will leave the reader looking for more H. Mel Malton titles!

Why read about a girl who is borderline white trash growing up in the South in the 50s? Because it's personal, touching, and funny as hell. Fanny Flagg never fails me, and she has done it again in one of her earlier books which somehow slipped by me until now. Flagg's characters are homey, eccentric, and never dull. I don't see how you could read this and NOT be entertained.

I read this book and laughed out loud. I gave it to my depressed daughter to read on a long plane ride. She was told repeatedly to quiet down because she was laughing so hard. It's probably the naked truth that is so funny because it's so seldom revealed.Great characters, settings and a twisty plot. You'll love it and I have nothing to gain by telling you this.

Along side Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe this is Fannie's best novel. I can't decide which of the two is better. this novel made me laugh out loud. I recommend this to anyone. anything by Fannie is awsome, don't wait pick it up.