Canada Books

The book is great for people that like to look up trees and the book was in great shape

this tree book is amazing.while i hate science, this book got me into it. its still not my favorite subject, but now i like it.

I am a birder but always wanted to ID the trees that the birds were perched in. I first took this book out in the field to the Arboretums in San Francisco and Berkeley. I found the book easy to use for IDing native trees. I also took this book with me on a trip to the eastern Sierras and trees that I have previously looked at as "pines" turned into Lodgepole, Mountain Hemlock, Whitebark, Red and White Fir, and Jerrery Pine. It really opened up a new world for me. And naming nature is one way to understanding the wonderfully diverse tree species of the west.

Donald Graves continues his expert telling of the tale of the fighting on the Niagara frontier in the War of 1812 with this chronicle of the abortive invasion of Canada by the inexpert American forces under the incompetent command of the treasonous General James Wilkinson. Factual, colorful, and authoritative, this book is a must for any student of the War of 1812 in particular and the Napoleonic period in general. Frequently overlooked as a very small sideshow compared to the huge conflagration in Europe, the War of 1812 is really America's, and Canada's, forgotten war. Fought over immense distances under incredible hardship with very small armies, the stakes fought for were unbelievably high, and the difficulty of waging war in this primitive wilderness, and the hardships endured by the troops, is simply unbelievable. High deeds and much incompetence takes place in this volume, where an outnumbered, but much more skilled and better led, British/Canadian force badly defeats an American army whose only advantage is numbers. However, some of the American regimental commanders take note and learn their lessons, and came roaring back the next year at Chippawa, Lundy's Lane, and Fort Erie to win back pride, prestige, and to fight the British and Canadians to a Mexican standoff, not quite winning, but not losing either. Expertly written by THE authority on the period on the Niagara frontier, with the additional treat of a forward by Col John Elting, noted authority on the Napoleonic period and perhaps the greatest American military historian of the last half of the twentieth century, this book is a treat and definitely a must have.

Donald Graves writes a detailed and enjoyable account of one of the worst-managed campaigns in U.S. Army history, the fall 1813 invasion of Canada, that resulted in the debacle at Freeman's Farm.

The invasion was led (if you can call it leading) by General James Wilkinson. Wilkinson is easily the biggest scoundrel to ever wear an American uniform. While leader of the U.S. Army, he was also in the pay of Spain, to promote Spanish "interests" in America. He participated in the Aaron Burr conspiracy, only to switch sides and testify against Burr. He also tried to get Kentucky to secede from the Union. During the Freeman's Farm campaign, he dosed himself so heavily with laudenum that the soldiers thought he was drunk. Due to illness and medication, he never appeared at the front. Which fits his character, as he did not believe that a general's place was at the front. How this farce ever got and held command is unbelievable!

Yet he did, and thanks to his lack of talent, and to the ineptitude of other officers and politicians, the lives of many brave American soldiers were wasted. But Graves is quick to point out that from this disaster a new American army arose months later. This army was stripped of the incompetent officers and led by a new breed of warriors; men such as Jacob Brown and Winfield Scott. This army would go on to victories in 1814, and set the standard for the professional U.S. Army of the early 19th century.

Graves' writing is excellent. He can make movements of armies clear, and still go into detail about the travails of common soldiers. The battle descriptions are very good, helped by several excellent maps. These make it easy to follow the flow of the battle.

Having read this book, I ordered "Where Right and Glory Lead! The Battle of Lundy's Lane, 1814" and "Red Coats & Grey Jackets: The Battle of Chippawa, 5 July 1814" by the same author. I can't wait to read those books!

The 1813 campaign against Montreal must rank as one of the most dismal episodes in US Military History. No wonder it takes a Canadian like Donald Graves to write about it, as no American historian has wanted to touch it! Yet there is much food for thought here, and we as Americans have a lot to learn from our poor showing at the battles of Crysler's Farm and Chatanquay. In America we are often found of pointing out how the British professionals lacked imagination and iniative. This seemed to be so during the Revolution. How did it change for the War of 1812? The fundimental difference appears to be that the 13 Colonies took a defensive posture against the Britishin the Revolution, while in the War of 1812 the United States was deffinitely the aggressor. Yet the laws of the United States did not provide well for offensive operations. State Militias could deny crossing international boundries, and did so freqeuently during this conflict. Also, the leadership in the United States army was exceedingly poor in this period. With the likes of James Wilkinson, John Boyd and Wade Hampton leading the US invasion against Montreal, what else but failure could be expected! Here we have the classic example of political patronage and connections providing an officer corps that was totally incompetent. In contrast, the British, often accused of having such in their army, were made up totally of competent, professional individuals.

The American Army that went to war in 1812 was as bad or worse than the Spanish army of the period. The American troops were half trained at best, brave yes, but that could not compensate against discipline and professionalism. At the battle of Chantanguay a small force of Canadien Voltigeurs and Indians under de Salaberry managed to rebuff Wade Hampton. Canadians have made much of this action, but in reality with the uninspired generalship of Hampton, defeat was almost assured. This poor showing was compounded a few weeks later at Crysler's Farm where a much bigger American army was roughly handled by a smaller professional British force less than half its size. Wilkinson who lead this part of the army demonstrated leadhership as bad or worse than Hampton. In fact he was ill throughout the battle, leaving command in the field to John Boyd, a mercinary soldier of low fortune. The British, under the inspired Colonel Morrison had only the 49th & 89th regiments of foot and a few light companies and militia to hold off Boyd's horde. Yet, the sheer professionalism of the British and their allies enabled them to do so. Morrison deployed his well-drilled regulars in an enclosed field, forcing the Americans to take him head-on. The bumbling American columns were shot to pieces as they emerged from the woods, yet the prolonged firefight which ensued would prove costly to the Britsih as well. Still, there could be no denying that the Americans were woefully under trained to take on such professionals. Boyd withdrew after two hours of desultry fighting, losing close to 500 men killed, wounded and captured. British losses were less than half. With this second repulse, the American drive on Montreal was ended.

Canada owes a great debt to the professionalism of the British regulars who defended her borders. Popular Canadian history has tried to down-play the contributions of the British troops, while boasting the role of the Indians and Militia. This is nonesense, and Mr.Graves more than sets the record straight here.

Overall this is Mr. Grave's longest and most impressive work. His two previous books on the battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane brought these less well known actions to light, dispelling many popular myths in the process. Here Graves has shed light on a very dark aspect of the war for the United States, and one that is not well known in this country. American readers may find it painful to read, yet instructional. Also, in the ashes of defeat would come redemption in the following year when Jacob Brown and Winfield Scott conduct the 1814 Niagara campaign which salvages to some exstent the shattered reputation of the United States army. In reading this book one can see that we Americans are a people that enjoy war, yet are not professional in our conduct of it. These are lessons we need to take to heart for the present day.

In conclusion, Grave's book is well written, full of many interesting bios on the personalities involved, and provides numerous addenda. This reader cannot recommend it highly enough. It is his best work on the War of 1812 so far. Military buffs of the period will enjoy its up-close description of the fighting, providing as it does an interesting example of Napoleanic tactics applied in a secondary theater of war. All War of 1812 nuts should have it in their collection.

Who would have thought that a book on Canadian politics could be exciting? Not me, but Duffy's voice in "Fights" is aggressive and compelling. The play-by-play account of the Turner-Mulroney prize-fight is one of many of this book's highlights. A beautiful design too.

This is bar none the best book on Canadian politics of the past decade, brilliantly & entertainingly describing both the ideals and the mechanics of five crucial elections.And it's funny too!

Duffy's book starts out being history lite, segues into insightful and finishes with a clean, crisp taste at the back of the throat. The format is strange for the topic as the "Wired' look hides the deep and intricate weaving together of the story.
Duffy has given us the next text for Canadian elections from high school to post grad. It works on most levels from airy reading to deep thinking on the topic. There are laughs, points where one disagrees, to "I didn't know that." Finding connections between Laurier and today's crop of politicians was an added bonus.
It reads better than it looks, and after the initial shock of the format, it looks real good. Duffy has provided many new insights and has exceptional relevance today and is a must read for political junkies. If only to imagine the picture of St. Laurent looking like a generalisimo when the palace is burning.

Handy little book for site seeing and dining.

This book was perfect for a weekend in Montreal. I looked through tons and Fodor's just keeps it simple with good maps, recommendation that aren't lacking in any way, and it is well organized. We took a couple of the restaurant recommendations and I had one of the best meal ver (literally) at Toque! and would strongly recommend the mystery meal. Out of this world. This book is a sure thing though if you are debating which guide to grab for an upcoming trip. Have fun!

Fodor's guide has been very helpful on my trip to Montreal. We were very satisfied with our hotel, which we read about in Fodor. We planned our itinerary around the different areas recommended by Fodor and were able to enjoy and find them all. We also took a side trip to Oka, which was probably my favorite thing we did on this trip. Fodor's explanations of the different places, neighborhoods, and restaurants made our experience in Montreal and its vicinity meaningful and memorable. This is truly a guide of great value.

What can i say. I have numerous books on the subject and this one, like all the others books written by Turner, are top ranking. With detaild information on how the plants were used by indiginous people.

This richly illustrated book details over 150 plant species used by First Peoples/Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest Interior.

Revised and redesigned for easier use, this handbook includes detailed botanical descriptions and notes on habitat and distribution.

Groups covered are the Stl'atl'imx (Lillooet), Secwepemc (Sushwap), Nlaka'pamux (Thompson), Okanagan, Ktunaxa (Kootenay), Tsimshian and Athapaskan groups in the north, and others in northwestern U.S.A.

Nancy Turner explains how aboriginal peoples harvested, prepared and preserved the roots, leaves, fruits and other parts of wild plants. She also describes some non-native food plants used by interior peoples and several species they considered poisonous or inedible. Color pictures enhance descriptions and make identification easier.

This book is really impressive. It has a lot more information than a standard "pocket guide" book. There are numerous food sources in this book that i have never seen in other similiar books. an example: this book explains in detail how native americans harvested the inner bark (cambium) of the western hemlock to make a flour like substance. I have never read this in any other plant books. The book also includes information on how to prepare the food in traditional ways, as well as stories related to particular plants. All in all, this is probably the best book I know of concerning edible wild plants in the pacific northwest.

This book is about the Mitchells. The Mitchells are a family of perfect (well almost perfect) children. The oldest, Joan, is always perfect, saving up for a dress, and trying to fit in with the adults. Patsy is next. She is perfect too. Peter is always getting in fights with the school bully because he is American. Angela is always showing off her blonde curls. Timmy is six. His hobbies include screaming "Good news!" through the neighborhood, pulling Angela's curls, and setting his little sister Catherine on fire. Catherine is the youngest and is like any little kid, selfish, yet sweet. I liked it because the whole family, even Timmy, helped each other out of their problems. It just goes to show, ten heads are better than one.

I have been a Hilda Van Stockum fan since elementary school. I loved the Mitchell series, especially "Canadian Summer." This is vintage Van Stockum -- rich, realistic characters one can recognize, sympathize with and love. One's heart goes out to little Catherine, the pre-schooler who feels upstaged by her twin brothers and taken for granted by an impersonal caregiver. One laughs with Peter and Patsy, who seem more like twins than siblings 2 years apart and I like the way they formed their own unit. Joan brought a voice of "youthful maturity" which certainly brought a smile to my face. This is really a wonderful book. I'm glad I have it. (I was lucky that it was available when my town library was having a book sale a few years ago. This book is a timeless classic).

Friendly Gables is the third and final book in the Mitchell family series. I loved this book because all the children are sweet, kind, and loving, to their siblings. Twins have just been born, making eight Mitchell children. The nurse, who helps Mrs. Mitchell, presents a challenge to the six other Mitchell children, by being difficult to get along with. The children create a hide-out in the attic called Homework, to escape the nurse, Miss Thorpe. The Mitchells have much fun and adventure during the month following the twin's birth.

I could not put this book down because this book symbolized what it takes to succeed in life. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for what it takes to be successful at whatever you want to do with your life.

This is the definitive book of hockey. Dryden's thoughts on goaltending, the city of Boston, and on the state of hockey cannot be matched. Dryden had an incredible insight on what was wrong with the game and where the game was headed, even back in 1983. I read this book once a year, it is that good.

Dryden may be the Canadian hockey equivalent of basketball's Bill Bradley. I wouldn't be surprised if Dryden becomes Prime Minister of Canada in 20 years.

Dryden studied at Cornell and took a year off playing hockey (after winner a playoff MVP award and Rookie of the Year)to complete his law degree at McGill. He won a fistful of trophies and Stanley Cup rings during his brief Hall of Fame career as a goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens. The rare combination of scholarship and athletic brilliance results in an very well written book.

The book is a diary of the last part of his final season. While light on anecdotes, it delves into the heart of what is right and wrong with hockey.

Is is most likely the best book ever written by an athlete.

Growing up this was the FAVORITE book for night time reading in my house
The poems / stories were ones that kids could relate to
Now my sister is having a child of her own and we will be getting it for the next generation

Do not listen to the modern rhetoric of this American co's review. The original illustration is what gave the book it charisma and texture. My Grade 3 class treats the original as a classic (in 2004!); one girl states it is a classic at her cottage.

Sometimes, "new and improved" is not new and improved. Leave well enough alone and appreciate your heritage like we do in Canada.

B Johnston
Toronto

I received this book as a child and unfortunately tore some of the pages out. However, most of it is still intact and I pick it up from time to time and I'm thrilled to read it. It takes me back to the days when being five WAS best and I liked strawberry soda. The book is very Canadian and I recommend it for ANY age. It's a joy to read to yourself or your little ones. The variety of tones make the book great for bedtime or rainy days. A delight for all readers. Also check out Lee and Newfeld's other stuff, especially _Alligator Pie_!

Bishop's detailing of the history of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the immigration waves that made them the Gateway To America, along with his tribute to the victims of September 11th 2001, make a great read.
Bishop's optimism is felt and it is refreshing!

Gordon Bishop does an extraordinary job detailing the history of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as well as tribute those lost on September 11th 2001.
Bishop's optimism is felt throughout, and is welcomed in a cynical age.

Based on the PBS documentary, Gordon Bishop's Gateway To America is both a guidebook and a history of the New York/New Jersey triangle that was the chief entry point for America's immigration wave in the 19th and 20th centuries. Fun facts and insights into the past fill the pages of this informatively written account, one which examines The Statue of Liberty, Battery City Park, South Street Seaport, remembers the World Trade Center and commiserates with the victims of the September 11th attacks. Color photographs by Jerzy Koss enhance this enjoyable and highly recommended history and guide.

The Gayellow Pages is an indispensable guide for me as a traveller and as a writer. In it I can find connections to gay resources all around the US and Canada. Information lines, accommodations, and other gay businesses are listed in a convenient way and are easy to reach using telephone numbers or Internet addresses. In addition, there are gay-friendly listings which are very useful. I always take the guide with me as I travel for business or pleasure. I have been able to locate any number of useful connections for research purposes in some of the work that I do and that is, in itself, an important reason for me to own this guide. Using the Gayellow pages I have been able to pinpoint reasonable accommodations, find bars that cater to my tastes, and get information on events and other goings on using the various telephone numbers listed for each location. I highly recommend this guide to anyone.

This latest edition is as informative as all the previous editions. I find Gayellow pages to be the easiest guide to use for all gay searches. It is invaluable for travel arrangements and for finding local bars/meeting places/and organizations no matter where I happen to be.

I've always found Gayellow Pages an invaluable guide and source. Whether I'm traveling or home in NY, I find clubs/restaurants/bars and even gay twelve step meetings. Any Gay owned or Gay friendly listing has turned out to be up my alley. Easy to use too. The original is still the most comfortable for me.