Canada Books

They Never Surrendered: The Lakota Sioux Band That Stayed In CanadaA very well researched and presented history of the "Wood Mountain Lakota" who remained in Canada after the surrender of Sitting Bull in 1881.
This book is full of endnotes, appendices, maps and photos, and is a must for anyone interested in the Sioux in Canada.
Well worth the money!

Here is a quote from a Lakota Sioux living at the Cheyenne River reservation in South Dakota:

"I have read "They Never Surrendered" by Ron Papandrea. His research on the Lakota who won the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and escaped the army by crossing the Medicine Line into Canada, is a valuable work for anyone interested in learning about my people. It covers a little known part of Lakota, American and Canadian history. As a person who is a descendant of these Lakota men and women, I consider this book an important record."

Jerry R. Farlee
Cetan Wasaka
Ohenumpa Lakota Mi Yelo

Two Kettle Spiritual Leader

This book clears up the mystery of what happened to the Lakota Sioux who escaped to Canada with Sitting Bull, but never returned to the United States. This is the lost band of Lakota Sioux. Their exact number is calculated. In fact, the whole book is well documented with over 200 endnotes throughout the work. Also, new information about Wounded Knee and the two famous Lakota Chiefs named "Black Moon". The author has taken the time to go up to Canada and get to know the people he writes about. Well done!

I am the author of this book. I would like everyone to know that this book has been awarded a bronze medal by Indpendent Publisher Magagzine (IPPY Award). As an independent author who has struggled to have this book recognized, this is a very gratifying honor. If anyone buys this book and is not satisfied with it, I will refund their money, including shipping costs. Just email me at: ronpapandrea@gmail.com

I have to say, it is a little weird, but I liked it. A story a little mystarious (as you can probably tell by the cover) and yet more. It is fairly short (210 pages, to be exact), but kept me interested 'till the end.

Dec is a great narrator - totally reliable for a teen. The story is short and would probably qualify as "high interest" for lower level or on-level 9th graders. There was a twist or two that I did not see coming, which makes the book a good choice for serious readers as well. The best part about the book, however, is the conglomeration of friends Dec has at school. This is a group of high achievers who consider rationalizing a teacher out of existence, or spending a day without using any words with "O" in them is fun - where do they really come from? I would recommend this book for teachers and students.

Sixteen-year-old Declan Steeple hasn't seen his free-spirited mother Lindy in six years. His father Bernard has moved on with his life, creating a new family with his girlfriend Birdie and Dec's little sister Sunny. Bernard is content with his life in the present while pursuing his hobby building miniature models of famous battles in history. Dec would rather just face the future when he could leave his family's home and perhaps pursue a career in architecture.

Then one day, Dec and Sunny come across the body of a mysterious intruder in Steeple Hall, his father's family home where Dec had spent his early childhood years before Lindy left. Dec briefly met the intruder when he hitched a ride from him a few weeks before and thinks that because he accidentally mentioned a secret road leading to the old house, this prompted the man to take a chance at burglary. When Sunny mentions that a bust of Plato was placed on a side table instead of by the fallen bookshelf where it once sat, Dec begins to think that something far more sinister has taken place.

The mysterious death causes Dec to begin having visions of his mother as he remembered her when he was a young child: Lindy being dressed as Wonder Woman, Lindy and Dec playing hide-and-seek with a frustrated Bernard, and Lindy telling a young Dec to rescue her from the manor. The visions are hazy and surreal, making Dec wonder if they are really memories or just dreams. He decides to ask Bernard and Birdie questions about Lindy, but they're unwilling to reveal many details especially as to why Lindy left. Frustrated, Dec seeks refuge in Steeple Hall and confides in his best friend Ezra, a quirky science geek who helps him make sense of the bizarre visions.

As time goes by, Dec slowly pieces together the confusing puzzle of visions. What the puzzle reveals to Dec changes everything he thought he knew once again. There are revelations about his family, Lindy's disappearance, and the mysterious dead intruder. THE THIEF IN THE HOUSE OF MEMORY is a mystery that portrays the complexities of friendships and family, while set against the backdrop of a house harboring mysteries of its own. It's a book that is sure to be pleasantly thought-provoking for readers.
[...]

A Thief in the House of Memory is a young adult book that is one of those books that would almost make a better movie. It's an incredibility well written story and follows a teenager who changes his mind about people that he interacts with all the time. Through the way the author wrote the book, my idea of the characters changed as well. Tim Wynne-Jones grabbed my emotions by changing my approach and assumptions of the other characters and himself. It jumps around from the present time to past memories which make the book contrasting but often confusing. It can get confusing at first for a reader so I advise you to read slowly and carefully to follow the book correctly. I did find it very interesting because it was from a teenager's prospective which made it out of the ordinary from books I have read before. I would suggest it to anyone who has time to sit down, have patience, and follow the book!
The book is about a young teenager named Dec who has a lot to live up to. He is a descendent from a long line of famous governors, but his father, Mr. Steeple broke that chain of politics after being abandoned by his wife. This hurt Mr. Steeple as much as it hurt his young son and infant daughter. They had had everything in their life, money, friends, and power, or so they thought. But as we learn though Dec's memories throughout the book, that isn't enough for a family to function. After years of fighting, Lindy, Dec's mother, had had it. She stole a car and ran from her flawless family; she just couldn't stand appearing to be perfect. Leaving a broken family that realized a family can't be bought, it has to be worked for and built on a foundation of trust and love.

Teenagers who love the game (and older folks as well) will enjoy this book. Lots of information and makes interesting reading.

As a fan of both history and baseball, a book like this appeals to me in two ways. The history of the game as told through the histories of every team, as well as the events of baseball told as how they affected the teams involved. This book lists the histories of every major league professional team. Now there are those who would argue that a league like the Union Association or even the Players League of the late 1800s weren't really "major" leagues, but I'll leave that argument to others. The teams are listed in alphabetical order from the "infamous" Altoona Mountain Citys (who played for a city with the lowest population of any major league team) through the Worcester Brown Stockings of the 1890s NL (who also had a low population).

Each teams' history is given in complete and concise detail, along with any other names the team may have had during their existence, all the stadiums they played at, their all-time won-loss record, a list of their year by year record, and also certain anecdotes (designated by small "boxes") about team historical events. There are also stories and pictures about each team's famous and "infamous" players. There's also histories of the "other" major leagues, like the Union Association, Federal League, Players' League, and the American Association. It's intriguing to see how the movers and shakers of each era operated. One thing also becomes clear: each era of baseball always had its rich and poor teams, this isn't something that just recently started. Another interesting item I noticed was how many MidWest and Eastern cities had a number of different teams in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

At times humorous, at times sad, at times just plain weird, the history of baseball teams reflects society at its best and its worst. This is a book any baseball fan should have.

But where else will you find info on every major league club since 1876? (But not since 1871; the National Association is not included.) Top players' season stats are usually given for each team, and say, Hoss Radbourne's 1884 season is discussed in detail, but to me the primary focus seemed on the owners and their machinations. And purposely or not, the owners generally come off as a bunch of money grubbers who seldom had the good of the game at heart. Or maybe that type of owner is just more interesting to write about. One noticeable thing is that because of the many franchise shifts in the 19th century, there are roughly as many 19th century clubs to write about as 20th century. Of course, since many of the 19th century clubs were short-lived, they take up less space on average. Each team's record, where it placed in the league standings, and its managers are given for each year in a table at the end of that team's entry. However, there are no tables of league standings showing all teams at once; nor are there any tables of player performances included anywhere. Some interesting note about players and others are in brief sidebars and footbars.

I debated about rating the book four stars, since it spends so much time on the business end of baseball, but decided to go with five stars, as where else will you find narrative histories of all the major league baseball clubs in one inexpensive book?

This is an excellent book that will inform even the most diehard fan about the history of every MLB Ballclub. It seems to be extremely comprehensive in its coverage, but that only includes "white" teams. Unless I have overlooked them (which is possible), I couldn't find any coverage of the Negro Leagues. I can't imagine it would have been that hard to include them.

The articles contained within the book vary based on how long the team has been/was in existence. For instance, the Cubs, Cardinals, Yankees and Red Sox have longer writeups than the Mariners, Expos and Orioles.

It gives histories based on the actual team in a certain city and then gives a new history that starts after the team moved (ie Philadelphia A's, Kansas A's and Oakland A's each have their own sections). It also gives separate histories for when a team changes cities and franchises completely (ie the St. Louis Browns to the Baltimore Orioles, or the Washington Senators to the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers). There are also separate histories for the two Washington Senators franchises, as well as tons of short writeups about previous teams in certain cities (ie the Baltimore Orioles - they were a successful team in the late 1890's and then dropped the name for many years until the Browns relocated there).

I have a hard time believing that you will be able to find a more comprehensive book about the franchises that have existed since baseball began. There is more information here for the price than anywhere else that I have seen. I gave it four stars instead of five due to the lack of Negro League teams (even though I admit I could have missed them). All in all, this is one heck of a great buy!!

This guide uses a simple key to identify most common (and a few uncommon)trees in the Eastern US and Canada. At the end of the search are some of the most interesting facts and details I've found. At this price, this book should be in everybody's hip pocket every time you enter the woods!

The information is sound and proven. It is a very easy to reference guide and is easily organized. It's also a relatively pocket-sized book which makes it excellent for carrying in the field (where it can be best put to use anyway).

The only downsides are that the book's content is about 60 years old so all of the pictures are in black and white. That and the pages are done in regular paper instead of something glossy. Consequently, if you take it in the field with you a lot, the pages will get dirty fast. If they'd simply do a full-color revision on some glossy paper stock it'd get the full five stars.

I used it in my Biology class and i decided to get a copy for myself, it is a great easy to use tree identifier. It is much nicer than the Audobon series.

I have used this book for over 25 years and still come back to it every time, that someone has a question about trees. It gives clear concise descriptions of not only the leaves, but bark and twigs. It has many trees in it that other books omit, and I find that is many times a fairly common tree that is overlooked.

My daughter used the book for High School Biology, now my 14 yo son is using it and younger son is using it in his life science course.

This is the sequel to Kelley,s "The Black Donnellys";the story of Canada's most barbaric feud.This was a true story of 35 years of fighting,feuding,barn burning,animal mutilation,revenge and mayhem that ended in the massacre of 5 Donnelly family members on February 4,1880.This massacre was carried out by a Vigilante
Group.See my review of that book on January 29,2006;and visit the super web site "The Black Donnellys"for the whole story, many excellent pictures and lots of information.
Kelly was the first author to write a book on this all but forgotten tragedy in 1954.He ignited a great interest in the whole story.He was not,nor did he ever profess to be a historian.He was a very successful pulp fiction writer.In fact he was probably the greatest Canada ever had,and his books sold in the millions.He was somewhat like Ned Buntline ,a New Yorker,who went out west and was one of the most popular pulp fiction writers of the Wild West.Kelly would find a story that he felt would interest a lot of people,spend some time to learn the essence,then set about to tell it,filling in the details where necessary,from his own imagination;right down to and including conversations.He was an excellent storyteller and left the nitpickers worry themselves about details and accuracy,if that was their avocation,but it wasn't his.
"The Black Donnellys" was such a great success,he decided to follow it up with a book that told story of the awful fates that were visited on the members of the Vigilante Committee.Though there were probably some things that really did happen to some of them;Kelley let his imagination run freely,and created all kinds of legends and stories.The result is a thrilling tale of evil,revenge,romance and adventure that is difficult to put down once started.However;for the greatest effect ,his other book,which is essentially the true story,should be read first.Just as in his first Donnelly book;each chapter starts off with a verse from an old ballad about the things that happened on the Roman Line and around Lucan following the awful murders.
There has even been a bit of a cult following that has grown up and visit the areas in hopes of encountering some of these 'old ghosts'on the anniversity date of the night of February 4,1880.
Let me just qoute a couple of verses of the ballad to set the atmosphere of the book and tale;

"It happened,God alone knows why,
In Lucan,long ago.
Dark clouds were on the moon that night,
The fields piled high with snow.
As the mob killed old Johannah,
She cried out with her last breath:
'Your murderin'souls will roast in hell
You'll all know a violent death."

"For the midnight hour brings alarm,
And horses won't pass the Donnelly farm.
Stay off that road or you'll come to harm,
Out on the Roman Line."

"They found him in an upstairs room,
He lay half beneath the bed.
Blood flowed around his lifeless form-
In one corner was his head."

And finally;

"The ghost of the violin still plays-
For the dead sometimes return.
I know what these old eyes have seen,
I know what I did learn.
And even though a thousand years
May pass along in time:
"The ghosts of the Black Donnellys will
Still ride the Roman Line!"

If you'd like a great story of murder and mayhem,this is the book for you.

T.P.Kelleys second 'Donnelly' book is more of a ghost story than the first.he relates the history through the use of storytelling,as opposed to his first book which was more telling of story.this was the first book i read in the DONNELLY catalogue of books and it was the perfect one to start with.it allows the reader to involve themselves in the aftermath of the crime committed on the victims.a fantastic tale and a worthy read.

This book is, I think a much improved and expanded version of "the Black Donnely's" with more detalic effort. This book is the better book of the series. If you liked "the Black Donnely's" you are really going to like this one, it is filled with more town myths and legends of what goes on at the Donnelly's old farm after dark.

I read both the BLACK DONNELLYS and Vengeance of the Black Donnellys over 25 years ago. I, in turn loaned my copies of these books to several family members who,in turn, read these books and passed them around to family members and friends. Their reactions echo mine. My parents and an aunt and uncle travelled to Lucan, Ontario several years ago, and visited the Donnelly grave. While there, they took pictures of the Donnelly tombstone and did ask some people about the Donnellys. Even though the Donnellys were murdered 118 years ago, there are decendants of the members of the vigilante committee around and it is still a rather sore topic to try to discuss. The Vengeance of the Black Donnellys is strictly a fictional story, which the author, Thomas P. Kelley states at the beginning of the book. But - if you read the "Black Donnellys and think about some of the events that are mentioned in the Vengeance of the Black Donnellys, maybe truth is stranger than fiction. If t! his book is made up, maybe the author is hitting on some truths that followed the murder of the Donnellys and none of the survivors of the vigilante committee is willing to acknowledge just how close the author has come to relating how those responsible for the murders came to meet their death.

This book is a good read, even for those of us who are neither historians or archeologists. The idea that the Vikings "discovered" America, well before Columbus, is still controversial. History has been dependent on "storytelling" for much of the timeline of America's "discovery." The author has done original research and come up with new evidence; he presents the information in a way that is interesting to the general reader. The translation is clear and direct, and the photos add even more interest to the book.

This is essential reading for anyone who ever thought that Columbus discovered America. Niels Vinding's original thesis regarding the actual landing site of Erik the Red reads like a thriller thanks to Birgitte Moyer-Vinding excellent translation. The Vikings set sail from Greenland to find a land with enough wood to supply their needs on their barren island. They discovered Vinland which is now Newfoundland making them the first Europeans to land in the Western Hemisphere. If you like history you'll enjoy this wonderful book.

Those interested in the Vikings will find this book informative and thought provoking. I expect the author's intriguing thesis regarding ballast stones will stimulate further investigation on the subject.

To answer the question "Who discovered America?", Danish author Niels Vinding provides original and inciteful evidence that Leif Ericksson landed in North America in 998, 500 years before Columbus. The Vikings left few written records, but Vinding does an accomplished job of presenting his theory, interpreting evidence from the Vinland Sagas, the accounts of the Norse settlement of Vinland. In addition, his impressive detective work uncovers original archeological evidence that Vinland is the Avalon peninsula of southern Newfoundland. The book leads the reader through seven voyages in a lively and engaging style. It's a pleasure to read such a stimulating work on such an important topic. Well designed, the many illustrations include maps and drawings in addition to color photographs of Viking artifacts. The pictures are well chosen and are reproduced with exceptionally fine clarity and rich colors. A timeline, and lists of books conclude the volume. Visually appealing and quite informative, the book will delight curious browsers as well as Viking scholars. Neils Vinding received his MBA from Stanford University. This book is the result of years of intensive study of the Greenland Norse and the Icelandic Sagas.

It is time to reclaim this great nation for the people in it! This book isn't just about reviving the Democratic party, but reviving America's zeal to be part of their own government again. so many people in recent years have given up. They feel powerless in the shadow of a government that has been snatched from the hands of the Americans it's supposed to represent.

Bill Scher's book is "call to arms" for all those people who have given up. It's time to get back in the game to reclaim OUR government and this book is a great guide for the "everyday American". Mr. Scher shows us that deep pockets are not the only way to control a government and shows us different ways WE THE PEOPLE can once again be involved in governing ourselves. His mantra of Representative, Responsive and Responsible use of taxes should be the biggest buzzwords in every election for public office from now on. I will happily pay my taxes when I know that the money is not being recklessly squandered by the elected officials sworn to protect and preserve this country.

From now on I'll be making my elected representatives accountable for where my tax dollars go. This book has actually given me, the average citizen, concrete ways to do that. Thank you, Mr. Scher!

Bill's book is awesome. It explains very clearly the ideals of the Democratic Party, better than I've heard any of them explain it. I want to get all Democratic Senators and Congressmen a copy of this book so they can explain to the public what they (we) stand for and end the confusion. I don't know how Bill figured it all out, but his writing is very logical and clear. It's freshness cuts thru all the BS we hear every day. Bill, please stay in the political landscape...we need you badly!

Solid advice for surviving these trying times and helping our fellow citizens into the light. Several books have been written outlining some of these principals, this one is simple to read and lighter than most; and in these trying times sometimes we need a break.

Well written and fun to read, I believe it is not overstating the case to say that this is the most important book on liberal politics currently in print. With amazing clarity, it details the precise strategy the Democrats need to win back America and save it from years of disastrous Republican policies. Don't let the title fool you -- this a serious and wise book that everyone should read.

Scher's book methodically lays out the values that liberals embrace and that the Democratic Party has been mysteriously running away from for years. It is the perfect companion to "Crashing the Gate," Markos Moultitsas Zuniga's book on the mechanics of transforming top-down Democratic Party politics into a more democratic and broad-based entity infused and enlivened by grassroots values. Markos purposefully avoids describing in that book what those values are. Don't Move to Canada describes those liberal grassroots values and how they can best be articulated.

Scher, who has a background in public relations, explains how "liberal" was transformed into a negative label by the Republicans and how it can be rehabilitated by accurately framing the political debate, among other things.

If the Democratic Party adopted the platform Scher outlines in his book, they would have a chance to remake America as a country that embodies the ideals on which it was founded and which we have come to identify as making America great.

This is a true story about a lone sailor on the biggest, most beautiful, and most violent lake in the world. The lake that can swallow a modern day 730 foot lake freighter in an instant. LAKE SUPERIOR! Marlin Bree was caught, without warning, in a storm that wreaked havoc across the land and exploded on to Lake Superior. It is the story of the skill and luck it takes to survive a short lived hurricane with winds in the 100 mph range. It tells the stories of others who were surprised, and survived the green monster. I witnessed this same storm, and can attest to the ferocity of it. This book tells about the stark contrast of the changing moods of what has become known as the inland sea. It is a lesson on the unpredictable nature of such an immense body of water that has been known to create it's own weather systems. It's no wonder most choose to admire her from the safety of her rugged shore line. This is the type of intense adventure that makes it difficult to put the book down.

It's been a long time since I have read a book that I truly enjoyed as much as "WAKE" It's one of those books where you just don't want to and CAN'T put it down because you sense and feel that you are there with Marlin sharing the adventures. Superior is well known for the fierce storms that drive across the lake. Ships of all types and sizes have sailed into these storms, never to be seen again....Marlin tells about some of these storms and his voyage aboard PERSISTENCE... a first hand account of the infamous "Green Storm", and other tales along Superiors North Shore..........

Treat yourself to this true sailing adventure that will transport the reader into scenes of terror beauty, serenity and whimsey. It is the next best thing to being there!! Marlin Bree takes us along as he sails his 20 foot sloop, Persistence on the unpredictable and sometimes merciless waters of Lake Superior. Among other things, he tells the story of how he and other boaters were caught in the July 4, 1999 storm which devastated the area with 100 mph winds. The story of the green storm, as it came to be called, is masterfully interwoven with tales of the people and the history of this vast body of fresh water to create both a gripping and heartwarming story. Being a solo sailor myself, of course, one might expect that I would love the book, but non sailing friends have repeatedly thanked me for bringing their attention to the book. It is a story that will be loved by all those who appreciate the hardy characteristics of adventurers everywhere: preparedness, self-reliance, dogged determination in the face of adversity and most important, humility. Marlin is to be respected not only as an author and a solo sailor, but, for his ability to have it all, that enviable balance of family, work and personal passion. Do not miss this pearl among adventure stories, but beware that it may stir some sleeping inner longing and inspire you into action! (-:

This is Bree's third cruising narrative. The first was _In the Teeth of the Northeaster: A Solo Voyage on Lake Superior_ followed by _Call of the North Wind: Voyages and Adventures on Lake Superior_.

Bree is one of the better writers in a small sub-set of cruising narratives by singlehanded sailors who go coastal cruising in small yachts. Other writers in this genre include Philip Teece (_A Dream of Islands_ and _A Shimmer on the Horizon_) who cruises the waters around Vancouver Island and Robert DeGast (_Western Wind, Eastern Shore_ and _Five Fair Rivers_) and Howard Walker Schindler (_Between Two Bays and the Sea_) who sail in Chesapeake Bay.

Just as reading Teece makes you want to go sailing around Vancouver, Bree does the same thing for Lake Superior. Bree is an excellent story-teller and his books are always lively and filled with historical information and yarns that will shiver yer timbers.

Bree's latest work is extremely tense in parts and you will probably have a hard time putting it down after you start reading (especially since the 'Prologue' is a nail-biter). The book is centered around his experience with the July 4, 1999 "Green Storm" in which his home-made 20 foot wooden centerboard sloop *Persistence* was caught out on the Lake and knocked-down -- and experiences by other boaters with the same storm. There are other exciting moments -- like grounding on a reef and tense moments navigating through very narrow channels in the fog and dodging floating trees.

Like the other books referred to above, this book shows that you don't have to cross an ocean or own a big and expensive boat to find some adventure. And, for sailors cruising in other areas, it will instill some respect (if they don't have it already) for "Lake sailors".

It started out slow at first, then I thought I wasn't going to enjoy this book, as I started to read into the novel the story went form one character to character the story started to fit into place. I couldn't put the book down; it became so interesting to read the difference in the time line story from the different characters. Over all I would recommend this novel to read.

After reading Edeet Ravel's first published novel, "Ten Thousand Lovers" last winter, I was delighted to read her second novel, "Look for Me." (Lucky for me, both had already been published!)

During the period of waiting for novel #3 to be published, I took my family on our first trip to Israel. Our first stop was Tel Aviv, the setting for all three books. How exciting to be in the city where 'Ami,' 'Lily,' 'Daniel,'and 'Dana' "lived." I emailed Edeet (via her website), and she graciously replied, informing me that the Italian restaurant where we'd just dined was the setting for Dana and Vronsky's weekly Wednesday dinners! Too cool!

We travelled with a private guide through Israel for 2 weeks, just before the removal of the Israeli settlers from Gaza. We were struck by the peaceful attitude of the Israelis and Palestinians we met -- many people wore either orange or blue ribbons to announce their feelings re: the pull-out, but there was no violence, no problem. EVERYONE has at least one opinion, but most manage to live fairly peacefully with the situation - perhaps because it's been going on for so long. Our tour guide, an Israeli, made a point to expose us (safely) to Palestinians -- food vendors in Akko and Jerusalem's Old City, shop-keepers everywhere. Of course, most of these Palestinians were Israeli -that is, they spoke Hebrew and were desirous of living within the borders of the State of Israel. We had many friendly discussions with many people; politically, our tour guide apparently is close to Edeet Ravel's position.

Individually, the Arabs seem peaceful and reasonable. I think that a large part of the problem is that they do not have organization, and a leader who is democratic. Democracy is not on the anti-Israel Palestinian agenda. Neither is "recognizing" the State of Israel.

Back to the book:

Well, I've waited anxiously for the third in the series to be published, and was not disappointed even one whit!

The brilliant conceit of this book is the revolving sequence of chapters, each using a different, but consistent, point of view. One chapter was a piece of Sonya's story (which collectively detail just ONE DAY!!); then, a bit from Noah's diary; then one in a series of letters written in 1957 by Sonya's mother to the lover she left behind in Russia. The sequence of authors continues through the book; we are able to get a view into the heart of each writer, and are also able to see the same events through different eyes.

I also loved that Ravel "recycles" several characters through the books. I was so happy to "see" Lily, from "Ten Thousand Lovers" again! This seems entirely plausible, as Israel is a tiny country, and, really, everyone is connected somehow!

A lovely story, about characters you will love and care about!

I recommend reading the series in the order written, but it is not imperative. You probably will re-read them all anyway!

From Kirkus: "The last of a trilogy (after Ten Thousand Lovers, 2003, etc.) portrays the emerging character of Israel through the relatively low-key, emotionally limpid diary entries of three characters from different generations.

An epiphanic day in the life of a deaf Tel Aviv University math professor, Sonya Vronsky, holds center court, while Sonya's mother and cousin also offer journal entries containing some family history. The mother, Anna, a new refugee to Israel, writes to her lover back in Russia during the late 1950s, while her cousin, Noah, in his youthful diary reveals the milieu he and Sonya grew up in during the 1980s. First, though, Sonya, at 33, has been living with her attentive older brother, Kostya, in a gorgeous house in Tel Aviv he purchased out of guilt for the defining catastrophes of Sonya's life: her deafness, caused by an overdose of medicine given when she had a kidney infection at age 12; and a vicious rape she survived as a young student when twin drugged-out teenagers broke into her deserted university classroom. Sonya, as she reveals in her breezy journals, is a remarkably resilient character devoid of self-pity or sense of entitlement; she is determined to live her life her own way-that is, lose her virginity properly and take a lover. Goaded by a flirtation with one of her students, she proceeds to seduce the Arab taxi driver who brings her home, and afterward she convinces her brother and friends to help her find him again. In her journal, Anna, newly escaped from the Soviet Union and living with young son Kostya, records her involvement with an amateur theater production; Anna will learn of her lover's death, precipitating her dark journey into alcoholism. Noah, in turn, will venture into adolescent flirtations and the trial of serving in the Israeli army.

Handling a tricky juxtaposition of three disparate lives with grace and wit, Ravel shows her characters forging a country out of trauma."

This is the third book I have read by Edeet Ravel, and I loved each of them. I'm Israeli, and I find the characters real and complex, not cardboard stereotypes like so much literature set in a political context. All the books are a very good read, and left me thinking and caring about the people whose story she tells. This book would be a great gift for people who care about Israel.

This book is by far the most important book ever written on modern-day Western collectivism, and it provides a startling analysis of the advanced degree of our cultural decay and loss of personal liberties.

I first purchased this book in 1994 and have found it to be enormously useful, well written and very cogent. It has not gotten stale with time only more accurate as the effects of family breakdown that he predicts become even more apparent. I use it as a reference and have referred several people to this book who have thanked me for that advice.

I will keep this short as I think that G.W. Thielman's opus review tells it like it is.

An excellent, well written book detailing many of the problems with our society. Written for Canadians, but will show Americans where they are headed if they follow in our intrusive, "Big Brother" government footsteps.

Be no more... carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Ephesians 4:14

William D. Gairdner, a Canadian citizen and former professor at Stanford, has written a book warning the citizenry of the state-subsidized efforts by collectivists to destroy the nuclear family and atomize people into autonomous servants of the state. This opus is titled _The_War_Against_the_Family_ and should be read by all who are concerned about the policies behind the popular rhetoric labeled "family values" by public ofÞcials. Despite its 644-page length, the temptation to underline everything is compelling.

Dr. Gairdner begins his book outlining the efforts of the therapeutic state to subsidize and coerce the private lives of its citizens in exchange for votes, before launching a critique of popular illusions employed to justify this intrusion. The ten tenants eviscerated are listed as: Individualism--the dissolution of interdependence for state-imposed autonomy, Communalism--the exchange of voluntarism with the compulsory society, Freedom--the replacement of and moral obligation with license, Rationalism--"from a worship of the God-man (Jesus), the people... worship the Man-god (ourselves)", Relativism--the decline of critical assessment, Victimism--the guarantees demanded by self-serving professional victims, Tolerance--the new thought-control, Rights--indulgent desires that have been transformed into claims against society, Equality--the votary of universal mediocrity, and Determinism--the denial of free will.

Many critics of the traditional family claim that the nuclear family--father, mother and children with mutual love and division of labor among the members--is a rather recent development, born in the industrial age. The author shows this notion to be nonsense. He also disabuses the arguments alleging familial oppression--"It is not the individual who creates the family, but rather the family that creates individuals." He further emphasizes the importance of protection to private property and the dangers of excess taxation in injuring domestic tranquillity. The impersonal treatment of human beings can leave emotional scars on mature adults, but when waged against children, the results can be tragic indeed. Dr. Gairdner defends the family a "the only social institution ever invented to provide children... with a form of love that is unconditional"--in contrast to the impartiality of day care as espoused, among others, First Lady and NY Senate candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Dr. Gairdner critiques the philosophies of the great collectivists, from Plato to Rousseau to Sartre and lays to shame their allegedly noble objectives. Then, the author contrasts the results of state intrusion by comparing nations with limited interference--Switzerland and Japan versus the most collectivist among democratic regimes--Sweden and Canada and those in between--United States and New Zealand. Statistics on these countries range from taxation burden to the illegitimate birth rate and much more besides.

The state-funded schools receive their share of criticism in four chapters. Intellectual, moral and physical education are evaluated and are found wanting. While the costs of public education have increased exorbitantly, objective measurements demonstrate failure to teach knowledge or skills to their students, and instead have focused on political agitation and sexual indulgence.

This is followed by scathing attacks on modern feminism with its emphasis on lesbian rights and abolition of the family instead of protecting children from outside forces, and radical homosexuality which has contributed to civic breakdown and spread of com-municable diseases. "The right to be treated equally by the State is transmuted into the right to have equal privileges from society--privileges formerly reserved for those who earned them." A few pages later he writes, "wise societies have always known that the general sexual energy of humanity, unconÞned by any hierarchial moral order, will always seek ap-proval for what is essentially narcissistic, masturbatory self-indulgence, and be loosed to maraud against the larger social order."

The context of Dr. Gairdner's argument is largely moral, so it is no surprise that the author turns to abortion and euthanasia as the moral perils of our times. He outlines the degradation clinically--"we seem to ignore... that only four crucial and very simple elements are necessary to fuel the Þres of barbarism, ancient or modern. The Þrst is... _progressive_ moral degradation..., the second is _ofÞcial_sanction_ of such behavior..., third is the idea that all potential victims of barbarism must be ofÞcially deÞned as _non-persons_, under the law..., and fourth comes the belief that designated classes of élites may be empowered to _substitute_ their judgment for that of the victims... [emphasis original]" His graphic descriptions of third-trimester abortion procedures (dilation & evacuation, saline amniocentesis, prostaglandin, and hysterectomy)--often for organ harvesting--make for disturbing reading. A brief summary of an article mentions a federal subsidy for medical experiments on live aborted babies purchased from Helsinki, Finland. Advocates of these procedures hold sway in government and the media on the basis of political expediency and in a vacuum of debate. We may seek solace in believing ourselves are exempt from such treatment, but as Dr. Gairdner writes, "nothing whatsoever can protect a single human soul from the ambitions of a group, except for the obedience of the group itself to some higher inviolable standard of behavior that declares each soul to be worthy of preservation and dignity." With public conÞdence in moral absolutes waning, the threat to each of ourselves, inside the womb or in the nursing home should serve as a warning that society has degenerated from the abstract principle of _eros_ or life to _thanatos_ or death.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gairdner asks why so many religious leaders have ignored the warnings--and instead, proclaim a social gospel of political advocacy, often in favor of leftist socialism and multiculturalism. This reintroduction of the church's Þrst heresy--Gnosticism (of which New Age is merely a sect) has transformed a portion of the clergy from promoting faith to endorsing élitism.

The author calls on families to familiarize themselves on the war against them that is waged ostensibly on their behalf. He condemns the Canadian ratiÞcation of various United Nation treaties advocating rights on this or that--"so-called `human rights' really amount to a set of obligations on a State only too happy to take everything you have in order to give you everything you want." Many of the policy suggestions pertain primarily to Canadian politics, but the basic message is universal--mothers and fathers must guard their families against encroachment by the governmental élite. A more timely and philosophically argued defense of the family could hardly be found.