Canada Books

Mr.Cederberg brings his experiences to life as you read this book.A very vivid tale as Cederberg shares blood,sweat and tears,in the Italian theatre of World War Two.

The book is a novelization of Mr. Cederberg's experiances in Italy during the second World War. I couldn't put it down, I kept imagining myself there. A fantastic book. I hope this is not Mr. Cerderberg's last.

This book is not about warfare by the usual rules, of people being nice as seen in "Saving Private Ryan." It may even upset some folks. But, it is like the stories sometimes told by combat veterans in the Legion Halls after they've had a few beers, are feeling relaxed and are with someone they trust.

It is a story about soldiers who were fiercely proud to be Canadians. Americans were fighting for grand ideas such as "saving the world for democracy" and the Four Freedoms of Norman Rockwell. Canadians were there to do a job. They did it, with kindness, compassion and brutality as the occasion required. Sgt. Cederberg never brags about being Canadian; it was tacitly assumed that if one had to ask, they couldn't understand even if it was explained to them.

Read this, and you'll understand why Americans described Canadian soldiers "going about their job like hockey players."

They are like the Australians and Israelis, known for having an incredible espirit de corps. Americans are great for show, such as Patton insisting that all American troops wear ties and show proper respect for officers. One American mucky-muck, appalled by the easy-going attitude, remarked to a Canadian officer, "Your troops don't seem to have much discipline, such as saluting officers." In reply he was told, "Well, when a salute is needed I wave at them, and they generally wave back." So much for formal procedures. But, when it came to fighting, they were unsurpassed.

The US has a formal definition of a country, such as the Pledge of Allegiance, Salute to the Flag, and a national anthem which is played more than Coca Cola commercials. Canadians are less formal, but no less proud of their country. It's called pride.

In another story, Cederberg tells of the Germans firing propaganda leaflets which showed a naked woman sitting on the edge of a bed, while a soldier without his pants is getting ready to take off his shirt. The message was that while British troops were in Italy, others were having fun in England. "That a Canadian?" one of the men asked Cederberg, who replied, "It can't be, the guy's wearing a tie."

Don't ever mistake the Canadians for the British. As Cederberg writes, "I went out that afternoon with Albert and Alex-Joe, drank six pints of mild and bitters and threw up twice (once after punching out a Scottish corporal who had insisted we were a disgrace to British arms).

"He had it coming," said Alex-Joe. "because we aren't even British, we're Canadians."

Time and again, that spirit and typically Canadian humor shows through. So does the grim determination to get the job done. When stationed near an Italian town, they were warned that lone Allied soldiers were sometimes attacked by die-hard fascist youths. Sure enough, a Canadian was knifed in the neck. When his buddies couldn't find his attackers, they went back to camp.

A few minutes later, the Canadians began a mortar barrage on the town. Officers tried to stop it, and were gently restrained. Once they learned the reason for the barrage, they joined the cover-up to protect their men. When the Italian police came to investigate, every weapon was spotless with no sign of recent use. They left, empty handed. The Italians buried their nine (or 34) dead (depending on whose version was accepted). There were no further assaults on Canadians.

Wonderful book, wonderful story. Rest assured, Spielberg will never make a movie of it. It's too good, and too real.

The Long Road Home is the fascinating, if somewhat racy, account of Fred Cederberg's travels from his home in Canada to the war in Italy. Cederberg spares few details of the courage and the horror of war, and shows how love and lust often bloomed among the destroyed buildings and shattered souls. Cederberg's memoir is first-hand and first-rate, a must-read for anyone interested in seeing how our boys fared in the forgotten war in Italy.

This book ranks with the other great classic memoirs of World War II: The Forgotten Soldier, If You Survive, The Other Side of Time, The Road to Huertgen, and the greatest, Those Devils in Baggy Pants. Cederberg writes in a manner that vividly describes the force and horror of war, painting images in the mind that are not easily forgotten. An excellent read!

Poorly prepared, two friends, and their half-indian manservant "George", decide to travel deep in to the interior of Labrador. The hardship they endure and the hard choices they make are a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit. This book gives great insight into what life was like in eastern Canada at the turn of this century.

A deeply moving misadventure. In getting lost, these three men discovered the soul of Labrador as well as the true meaning of friendship and survival. This book is a classic.

I have read this book several times, and would recomend it to anyone that enjoys an adventure story. I enjoy it even more than most as Leonidas Hubbard was my grandfathers first cousin.This book has been almost required reading in our family,(Hubbard).I hope the publisher will reprint it as we have many family members looking for a copy of the book.

I have read a lot of teen adventure books. I recently read this one while I was on a rugged boys canoe camp trip. We went on a 7 week trip with 12 men to labrador. I purchased this book because it was nonfiction and it was saying how these 3 brave, adventurous men took a trip similar to the area i'll be going to. It talked about how mothernature just (threre's really no word for it but...)Destroys these people and they fight back with courage and hope in succeeding this raw adventure. The three in progress of there adventure take care of eachother and keep eachother alive nad in this doing they become better than great friends almost brothers. I really don't want to ruin the book for you, but i suggest so strongly that you get a copy of this book, and oh yea the beginning of the book really is boring because it tells you of how they got to labrador in 1902 (they didn't have cars).

I cannot say enough about the content and the form of this book. It beautifully informs the reader not only of the enthusiasm of two would-be wilderness pioneers, but also of the errors they did not know they had made along the way to a tragic end. I get the feeling that the author, who wrote the book (according to the introduction) as a tribute to his lost mate, never overlooks or overplays any of the events that took place in the then-unchartered terrain of eastern Laborador. The author also makes plain that the voyage ended his youthful naivete by teaching him the necessity of respecting the natural world and of remembering our loves who slowly but surely disappear from our lives.

In short, Lure Of the Laborador Wild, despite its drab title, is an engrossing work. It is quiet, clearly written and, in a matter-of-fact way, terrifying. It towers far above all other nonfiction adventure books I have read over the past ten years.

Much has been accomplished in this book. Dave Halsey not only traveled from one end of Canada to the other, but he lived with the Indians for a few months during 40-below degree winter season. He shares his experiences in both the hot and frigid, both the rapid and inch-by-inch travel. He has also been through inspiring and mind-blowing experiences. Plus, this book is wonderful for nature admirers and outdoor campers & hikers alike.

I have read David Halsey's Magnetic North repeated times for it's pure display of passion and adventure. Halsey was a man both before and beyond his time. He knew the importance of keeping his expedition a journey by primitive means, it was important to himself. His passing is a tragic tale, but not unlike many other great explorers and adventure writers of the 19th and 20th century. Within the pages of his account, there is more than a story. There is a compassionate soul bound to the wilderness, paddling his way through waters that had not been traversed by a white man, and a grievous attempt to return to modern society. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever dared to dream, not of greatness, but of a life lived in the wild to satisfy a yearning heart.

A great book. It wasn't long enough is the only complaint, and that's if you force me to complain.

This is a great yet tragic story about a man/boy who was meant to be in the woods. The book is, as you can guess, a trek across Canada by foot, canoe, and dogsled. Those that like the outdoors and wonder what the world was like before cell phones, pavement, and the flood of civilization need to go no futher than this work. The beauty is that this trek happened in the late 70s.

This book, from cover to cover, makes you yearn to be out in the wild and to wish you were there, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel (well some of it. The near dying stuff is best left alone). The wilds of Canada call to you as you turn each page, realizing that these travels are really not that far removed from the US/Canada border.

One gets a great perspective in reading this book through the words of Halsey and with the notes of Diana Landau, who does a marvellous job walking us through the rough parts of the story that were not completed before David's death. In fact, it could be argued that the reader gets a more complete picture in this, essentially a 2 author affair, than if only Halsey would have done it.

Truly Halsey is a man who was born to be in the outdoors and it is a shame that he did not remain in one of the nooks or crannies that he had crossed on the way. While there was a sense of inexperience in both travellers, it's hard to not feel for them and see their learning as the trip wound on.

The book is out of print, so it will be hard to come by. But if you can find it, do so.

Dave had a dream - and set out to live his dream. The book presents an excellent account of his trek across the Great White North. It makes you feel like you are living, breathing and feeling it with him. What a tragedy that he wasn't able to do more. He had so much to give and wanted little in return. An excellent account in survival and a lesson in human nature. Highly recommend!

This is a marvelous adventure story with a tragic aftermath. David Halsey was 21 years old when he set out to cross Canada's remote wilderness by foot, canoe, and dog sled, a 4000 mile journey that would take him several years to complete. For most of the trip, he was accompanied by a friend and a dog named Coy, who wandered into Halsey's wilderness camp in British Columbia one night, and thereafter became a permanent member of the expedition. Diana Landau did a wonderful job editing this book, which was no small task considering its author died in his 20's several years previous to her launching into the project. David Halsey was gifted with a pen however, and left behind enough raw material in journal notes and reflections that Landua could put together a cohesive reminiscence of his fantastic journey. This is one of those books that will remain with you always. Read it -you won't be disappointed.

The story is about a boy named jeremy.Who has to cope with a terrible situation.The sickness of his father and the death of his father too.He has to care for his mom and sister sarah.Ha meets a girl named Tess medford.She too has lost a loved one.The friend ship with Tess grows and before he knows it they are friends.It is a great book for childern for 9-13 to read.

This is a book of a family coping with the passing of their father from cancer. I read this book just a year after my own father had passed away from cancer; I was 10 at the time. This book has had such an impact on me that today, 12 years later, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. I read this book from cover to cover, as I hope you will.

I was assighned to read this book for school reasons a few years ago and I absolutly fell in love with it. This story is about a boy who has to endure the pain of whatching his father slowly die of cancer. They were best buds, watched birds and hung out like best freinds, but for past years he has to whatch his father die, then has to deal with the aftermath of his actual death. He has to deal with people all around him, teacher friends ect., pittying him. He finally begins to see light again when he meets a new friend, a person that was too "weird" before, but until his father pointed her out before his death, he begins to get to know her- teresa, and how alike they really are, and how well they get along.
This story did make me shed tears- and no it wasnt pms :), and I thoroughly LOVED it, I bought it after reading it, and read it all the time, I recomend this book to anyone who wants a great heartfelt story, that will trigger your every emotion, and deeply touch your heart. Jean little, the author of many many great books, has created a wonderfull classic, that everyone will love. As most books have an occaisonal, or many, dull parts, This masterpeice- the winner of the canadian library association for children award, has no part that is meaningless or dull whatsoever, it soothes those who have felt the pain of death of a loved one, and gives a clear message to those who havent- I hope you read this novel, I did- loved it and its - in my oppinion- A CLASSIC

This is a remarkable book, and I highly recommend it. The author, Jean Little, gives thoughtful attention to original and engaging characterization, and writes with true empathy.

She gives an authentic portrayal of the inner life of a sensitive and struggling boy as he experiences his father's illness and eventual death from cancer. I cannot praise Ms. Little enough for her luminously realized characters, and the special complexity of Jeremy's authentic range of emotion. This is a book of emotional wisdom and personal growth that is carefully chronicled with insight and warmth. It is fully heartbreaking, and equally instructive and enlightening.

--A wonderful achievement and a rich, rich contribution to Young Adult literature.

This is a story of a boy copeing with terrible situation.The sickness and death of his father.While trying to cope with this and take care of his mother and sister.then he meets someone who has also lost a loved one.I loved this book

This book is set up really well and provides space for someone to record when and where they found the different species included in the guide. The photographs are nice and very helpful. If your looking for a guide with good pictures and not much text this is a good guide to buy. If you need more detailed descriptions and information I'd suggest you buy the peterson guide.

This book is a great picture identification guide with a lot of clear descriptions of subjects and their habitat. It has a place beside each picture to keep track of when and where you saw each subject making you want to find more and more of the featured subjects. It covers from seaweeds to sharks and everything in between. It shows all the ocean life you are likely to find as a diver, snorkeler or beach comber.

There are many reason why people take up scuba diving and those who do come from all countries and all social backgrounds. Having taken up the sport, there are those decide to specialise in; Teaching, shipwrecks, cave diving, photography, video, technical diving and so forth. In fact, there is no other sport on earth which offers such a diversity of different interests within that single activity.

Having learned to dive and having leaned towards a specific aspect, however, there is one single interest which continues to bind all divers together. That interest is the marine life which divers encounter wherever they go.

Neither sky divers, pot-holers nor mountaineers get as close to a whole new range of creatures as scuba divers do - on each and every dive. Those creatures may be static (fixed) and yet still classed as animal, they may be free swimming, shy, hard to find or easy to pick up. And, if those creatures are found in the North Atlantic between Canada and New England, they are also found in this book.

Marine Life of the North Atlantic is a paper-back book measuring 9" x 6" (23cm x 15cm) containing 272 pages of solid information on marine life from Algae to the Spiny Lumpsucker fish. Each species is portrayed by colour photography (often more than once) with details of it's Latin name, common name, identification (description) habitat, range and comments. Alongside each photo is also space for the owner of the book to note down each personal sighting and add notes etc.

In short, if ever you are diving in the area covered by this book and are interested in what you may see underwater, then this book is an essential addition to your kit bag and is one which will allow you to note each sighting as your diving progresses.

Please note, the pages of this book are not waterproof and easily stick together when damp. Otherwise, an excellent product.

NM

This book has many outstanding pictures. This book is a great picture identification guide with a lot of clear descriptions of subjects and their habitat. It has a place beside each picture to keep track of when and where you saw each subject making you want to find more and more of the featured subjects. It covers from seaweeds to sharks and everything in between. It shows all the ocean life you are likely to find as a diver, snorkeler or beach comber.

I bought this book during a trip to the Gulf of Maine, and found it to be an extremely useful guide to the invertebrates, vertebrates, and algae of the NE coast of North America.

Photos in the field guide are composed well and show detail needed to figure out what you are looking at. Each photo in the book is accompanied by a brief summary of identifying characteristics of the organism itself, a description of habitats where they are likely to be seen, the geographic range for the organism, and brief comments that will help you look in the right kinds of places to see things.

Though not a comprehensive guide to marine life of the region, this book provides a great introduction to marine biota. The author even provides room in the book for you to write down where and when you saw each entry. There is also room for brief comments.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you are planning a trip to New England or the Maritime Provinces.

Good stuff!

In honest, unpretentious and clean prose leavened with dry humor, Smith tells an engrossing and upbeat story. With tantalizing recipes and charming photographs Mendel's Children has something of the character of a family scrapbook.

Its depth comes from Smith's formidable ability to breathe life into the time worn stories and people that preceeded her. In this her book shares the light story-telling charms of her fellow prairie author, Garrison Keillor. But in the serious and poignant moments that balance the humor, Smith's touch could be compared to Gay Talese in Unto the Sons.

Cherie Smith investigates the past with freshness, insight, and humor, but entirely without pretense. Saints and sinners, Mendel's Children have one thing in common: they are folks you would have enjoyed meeting.

No historian or general reader will doubt the authenticity of her portrayal of life in small Canadian towns or regret coming across such a work

Written with such storytelling skill, with such honest and compassionate clarity, that the reader turns page after page with growing fascination.

Although this book took a bit of getting into -- it's a very strong story told by a very strong main character in a "noir" style of speaking -- once I got into it, I loved it. I thought, "I'll have to read the rest of the series" (this is the second) and learned that there are only three in all. Author, please explain?

The main character, Eva, is a female wrestler in London. She's tough -- very tough -- and very independent. She has attitude and problems with authority. And underneath it all, she's a kind person, despite what she says about herself being so tough and not caring about others.

Eva gets involved with a bunch of streetwalkers. One of them has been beaten to death, and the victim's sister is an old acquaintance of Eva (Eva claims not to be friends with her). Eva agrees to teach them self-defense and more and more gets pulled into their lives.

This book doesn't really focus on "who done it" -- and the ending isn't neat and tidy, like most mysteries. But it's great writing with a strong central female character who is likable despite her extreme roughness and quick temper.

I look forward to reading the other two in the series and wish the author would revive this character.

Just came across this and I'm going to read the next one in the series immediately! The other reviews explain this unique female lead and her environment. I like the book because it is quirky, consistent, a bit of an inspiration, and slyly humorous. Eva Wylie is a contender!

Eva Wylie returns in her 2nd book and once again she's up front about her outlook on life. In fact her philosophy is summed up right there on page 1 of the book when she says:

"What's the point in being nice to someone who can't remember how nice you've been? Tell me that. The only point in doing someone a favour is if they remember and do you a favour back."

She's no saint and is happy to let everyone know. You get a pretty good idea how she came about that philosophy when she actually does a favour for someone and then is promptly plagued by one problem after the other as a result. When a local prostitute is murdered, the girl's sister and a few of the other local prostitutes come to Eva to ask her to teach them self defence. They figure Eva would be a good choice owing to one of her jobs as a professional wrestler, where she fights under the guise of The London Lassassin. Of course, Eva's first response is a resounding "Sod off!!" until the mention of a financial incentive is forthcoming. In a very entertaining chain of events, Eva's life begins to crumble around her.

This second book admirably complements the first (Bucket Nut) with Eva's defiance still the overwhelming emotion. Liza Cody's heroine from her other series of books, Anna Lee, becomes a little more prominent in this book, much to Eva's disgust. Although for the most part, the story is a humorous one, there is an underlying tone of desperation and the beginning of despair. But it doesn't seem to matter what's thrown up against her, Eva still manages to get by with her own unique rationale.

I wish there were more Eva Wylie books. I would read them non-stop if I could! Eva is so loveable and funny even with all of the tragedies of her life. She views life from her own desperate background, and her viewpoints are endearing. Her vocabulary is entertaining, with the London slang.

A jacket quote notes that the LA Times reviewer called this book a tour de force, and I have to agree. Liza Cody does a wonderful job of telling a story from the viewpoint of a lower class, not-very-bright, abused-as-a-child, female professional wrestler in London. The narrator is simultaneously sad, horrifying and funny. I'm sorry the book is out of print. I'd like to read more by Liza Cody, and especially more with the one-of-a-kind character of Eva Wylie. If you want a unique point of view and a good read, keep and eye out for this one.

Having been born and raised in Pueblo in the 1940's, as well as my father, uncles and cousins, I grew up hearing small snippets of conversation about the Mafia in Pueblo. Nobody ever gave me any specific details, but I sure believed there was Mafia in Pueblo and Colorado! My parents are buried in the same cemetery as some of the names quoted in this book, including Danna, Carlino, and other notorious Mob-related names. It was truly fascinating to me to read the actual newspaper accounts of mob "hits" in Pueblo, dating back as far as 1910, when the large wave of Italian and Sicilian immigrants first arrived to snap up jobs at the CF&I Steel Mill and coal mines in the area. Mafia members, formerly known as the "Mano Nera" or "Black Hand" also arrived and quickly began to terrorize their fellow countrymen.

I found this book to be extremely well-researched and interspersed with stories about actual extortion activities, speakeasy prohibition mob interests, etc. All in my own home town!!

I can highly recommend "Mountain Mafia". It's an easy read, enjoyable and totally fascinating stuff!

Fascinating book! Having heard so many stories about "the Mafia presence" from family members who worked and lived in Pueblo since 1906, I was intrigued by the detailed accounts drawn from actual historical records and newspaper files. Infamous names like Smaldone, Colletti, Roma, Carlino, and Danna can be found in the Pueblo cemetery, which I just visited. Especially interesting was the famous court case of "Scotty" Spinuzzi, who was acquitted of murder "because no one saw the bullet leave the gun." Unbelievable!

Covering the period from the early 1900's through the 1990's, this book represents exhaustive research and includes an extensive bibliography for each chapter. All of these factual accounts made the book really come alive for me.

I highly recommend "Mountain Mafia" as a fascinating history of real-life mobsters in the West. Better than mystery fiction!

This is a great read, very light and unusual. Who knew there was Mafia activity in the small towns and mountains of Colorado! Pick this up...you will learn something and you will enjoy it!

WOW! If you are from Pueblo,CO or the towns mentioned in this book you will be amazed. Last names are very familiar as well as the places it talks about. I absolutely loved it. Now people I know are borrowing the book and there is a waiting list.

Having been born and raised in an Italian family during the 1930's and 1940's in Southern Colorado,( Walsenburg, Pueblo, Agular) I found the discussion of organied crime in the local mountain communities a step down memory lane. I found the references about Mr. Charles Blanda, aka Charlie to his friends, to be the most interesting. Mr. Blanda was a family friend, he was always a gentleman and was a very good boss. My mother was a bartender for 35 years in Walsenburg, Pueblo and Denver. She worked for Mr. Blanda at the Holliday in on 7th. St. for about 5 years 42 to 47. As a little boy I stopped in to see her from time to time and always had a Cherry Coke and a conversation with Mr. Blanda. I also recognized several other names of people that I knew personnaly as a kid. It is a very interesting look down memory lane as I am now 73 years old. Long, long ago.
Cecil R. Sowers Jr. Gysgt U.S.M.C. (Ret)

NG Road Atlas 1998 is been tested for 40 days from Florida to California.... well! I have found much more clear and useful the above Road Atlad than local maps!! I think is a very good buy for every vacations types in the USA.

Very impressed with this roadmap. Lay-flat design not revolutionary, but a plus for using while driving and unique in roadmaps of this price range. Believe map graphics to be sharper and more clear than venerable Rand map. Two modest negatives: 1)hole punches for binding are a little too close to spirals at front of map, making page detachment a possibility, 2)there is a fold-over flap at the back that lacks real functionality.

If you travel or plan trips, this is the ONLY Atlas you'll need! The level of detail and use of color is a godsend to those of us who have nearly divorced over map navigation on roadmaps rife with omissions. You will NOT get lost - their maps are superb, as we would expect with "National Geographic" in the name. The cover and pages are extra tuff and sturdy -- resisting coffee spills, kids' sticky fingers and being tossed under the front seat. There's a fold-out flap that can wrap around the page you're on - so you can find it quickly when your spouse suddenly panics about that last turn. The spiral lays FLAT - doesn't keep trying to flip closed and won't let heavily used pages pull out. MY favorite feature? I can READ it - without those anNOYING reading glasses I can NEVER find!!!

This is the best Road Map i have ever seen. I love this map and would never go out without this map.

I would recommend you all to buy.

Thanks Ananth

A nice atlas for long trips or general reference. A little clearer and more detailed than the similar Rand McNally version. The spiral binding is nice, too.

Finally a book about what I consider the best of the crop of young actresses to arrive in the past few years. The book only confirms what I've felt about Neve, that she truly is a good down to earth person. This book gives great insight into her casting on Party of Five and all the behind the scenes information on the Scream films.

Give this book a try. A must for all Neve and Party of Five fans.

I have loved Neve Campbell ever since PO5. She is definitely one of my favorite actresses of all time. This book was really interesting. It showed me a side of Neve I had never known. I hope she continues to make great films because she is talented, beautiful, and deserves recognition.

Finally a book about what I consider the best of the crop of young actresses to arrive in the past few years. The book only confirms what I've felt about Neve, that she truly is a good down to earth person. This book gives great insight into her casting on Party of Five and all the behind the scenes information on the Scream films.

Give this book a try. A must for all Neve and Party of Five fans.

Fans of the TV show Party of Five, the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer and others will find this a fine biographical sketch of the actress: the first book to explore her life. From her professional acting appearances to her breakup with her husband and her love affairs with notables, this is revealing and absorbing.

It's amazing how much we don't know about the lifes of our favorite stars. You just assume they pop up overnight, but what actually goes in making of the star like Neve Campbell few people know. The hard work, dedication and ability to take risk is absolutely unparallel, I recommend this book to everyone who thinks, that becoming an actress is just luck and good fortune. I think it's the only book on Neve and what a great one to have. By the way the pictures are very good.