Canada Books

I used this book during Advent with my third grade class in a Christian school in Winnipeg for a decade. We sang the song from the back cover with drumbeats(drumming on thighs and books)in English and Huron while I paged through the pictures as an opener for our Advent worship. They never tired of it. Nor did I. The gentle illustrations that accompany this first Canadian Christmas carol helped build a respect for Huron people, First Nations history, and nurtured a deeper love of Jesus Ahatonia, Jesus our King.
Elsie Rempel.

In a world where we must be careful how we approach the holidays in our clasroom, I found the Huron Carol to follow curriculum guidelines and enchant the reader as well. The illustrations are mystical and haunting in the blues of winter. The story is old, but we listen with new ears to the lovely tale of a Christmas in the far north. A welcome addition to any classroom.

This is an illustrated version of how the Christian missionaries tried to teach the story of the Nativity to native American Indians (in what is now Eastern Canada, I think). This book is the illustration of a beautiful song, telling of the birth of Jesus, with musical notation in the back so you can also learn and sing the song. The words of the song are given in English, and also an older version of French and of the native Indian language in which the missionaries were working.

It is a beautiful book and has a wonderful peaceful quality, like snow on a winter's morning. Very nice for the Christmas season.

This is a well-written memoir by Canadian wireless operator Howard Hewer, who flew more than his share of ops during WWII and contributed in both the European and North African theatres. Ironically, the title, "In for a Penny, in for a Pound" is also part of the libretto of Gilbert and Sullivan's light opera, Iolanthe, which continues: "It's love that makes the world go round." One wonders if the author intended any hidden commentary by referring to this particularly well-known couplet in such a context.

Laced with stories typical of the war, Mr. Hewer's fine recounting also provides insight into that damnable situation which existed on the Allied side: the treatment of so-called "colonials" by RAF personnel. Truly, it's a wonder the English were able to win the war at all, when one considers the tomfoolery they frequently got up to in relation to Canadian, South African, NZ, Australian and other Commonwealth troops fighting alongside. Since Mr. Hewer flew mainly as a non-com, this work also provides us with insight into the lives of the lower ranking members of the military establishment of the day.

Bomber Command was perhaps the most effective force fighting against Nazism prior to D-Day, but there was a very high cost paid in lost aircrews on each mission. Mr. Hewer reflects on the obvious: why was it he somehow always came back. This tension is woven throughout the text, making the book successful at yet another level, since who would really want to write or read a war memoir and come away smiling. It is not a pretty story, yet the author has presented it to us in a lively and balanced manner, making the book eminently readable while allowing a strongly-voiced message about war to come through as well. Highly recommended.

Howard Hewer has done a wonderful job in bringing us his life in Bomber Command as a wireless operator flying in the belly of Wellington bombers. From his nights flying over Berlin to the bombing of North Africa to his time spent convalescing after a crash (when he went on some of his most dangerous missions), Hewer spares few details in providing a colorful first-hand account. Anyone with even a passing interest in war memoirs, or who truly enjoys the view of the world from 10,000 feet, should read this book. Without a doubt the best memoir I've read in a long time.

"In For A Penny, In For A Pound" by Howard Hewer, sub-titled: "The Adventures And Misadventures Of A Wireless Operator In bomber Command". Stoddard Publishing, Toronto, Canada, 2000.

This book recounts the experiences of T. W. H. Hewer as a young man and a wireless operator in the Royal Canadian Air Force. As a young teenager, Howard Hewer had dreams of flying Spitfires, so he enlisted in the Canadian Air Force, which decided, at that moment, they had a greater need for radio operators than for pilots. He was shipped to Calgary for training in radio operations. Hewer then tells the story of his training as an enlisted radio operator, and his experience during bombing raids on Nazi held Europe. He retired as Wing Commander.

Young Hewer was well aware of the cultural differences between the British and the Canadians. He devotes an entire chapter (Chapter 6, "Yatesbury Wireless School - Collision of Cultures) to describe the class-conscious Brits and the young Canadians being trained in England. Throughout the book, these cultural differences will pop up, and, in some instances, be of major importance. In Chapter 19, (A Fine Line To Mutiny), it would appear that the British wanted a level of discipline that neither the Australians nor the Canadians wanted to accept. Admittedly, it as an Australian who first threw down his rifle and refused to drill, but Hewer appears to have approved of the group's refusal to exercise and drill. He later implies that this "mutiny" was responsible for the delay of his commissioning as an officer.

This book is not just the usual recounting of the terrors of flying bombers into German held Europe. There is that, of course, but Hewer narrates a story that involves the European Theatre, flying to Malta, on to Egypt and then a trip, in a ship, around Africa. In South Africa, when warned to avoid certain down town areas because the Boers still remembered the Boer war and therefore were "hostile" to the British, Hewer relies on his "Canada" shoulder flash. He and a Canadian compatriot slip into a down town hotel and are feted by the old Boers with free beer and lunch.

An interesting anecdote related by Hewer deals with the dance halls. He was on a balcony and looked down at the dancers, who reminded him of a field of moving daisies. . It seems that the ladies had all used peroxide to become blondes and their roots were slowly growing out in their darker colors. As Hewer glanced down, the whirling locks appeared as daisies in the wind. This remembrance, alone, makes the book worth reading.

I have got to admit that Lau has been one of authors that I have been paying a lot of attention to for the unique material she keeps on pursuing and for her'frantic'work ethics that bears enormous works.
This collection of essays offered an unusually fulfilling reading experience. The clear, candid and artful on-going report on her life distinguished herself as a rare talent once again.
Lau this time benefitted the genre and eloquently articulated a couple of issues that she had not been specific about before; her pointing out the issue of racism in Canada she ran into as a Chinese second generation since very little and how the experience formed the psyche she always succumed to; she always felt inferior and had a trouble being self-confident even before trying. Her comment adds irreplacably valuable vocabularies to Asian-American experiences. From the early and uncommon 'independance' she acquired by sacrificing her childhood, the author established her life literally on her own refusing any conpromise no matter how her life got difficult. On the surface, that could give an impression that she was a rootless hybrid of an Asian-Canadian's English literature. However, readers are to discover how much she paradoxically got fixated by her past and childhood when she was not completed by the loss of the parental affection and understanding, which caused the pain she went through being caught between a cross fire of Chinese first generation immigrant parents and the world she struggled to adjust once she stepped out of the house that she walked away one day when she decided to seek for what she could not get inside of it. Her deprived peace in youth was an outcome of selfloath the society puched into her pshyce. She had to deny and leave her root behind to survive in this society where racism was the premise. I found the gutsy statement another landmark representation of Asian women doomed to assimilate until their identity vanish since Lau's former works always understated or subtle about the issue.
Those topics in this colleciton such as depression that she could not shake off and she ultimately chose to live with to just write for she could not be happy unless she wrote, or the recognition that her impossible relationships with men who give love only if transactions of ejaculation was processed, the fear and spiritual growth a trial brought about that was filed by her former lover, were neither cheerful nor easy. Stragely enough, though, they are truly encouraging. I tried to figure out what possibly made them sound so powerful; I should name her courage as one reason. Her writing never sounds like an idletalk-essay that people could read just comfortably and forget when they are done. Lau's words comes from her real pain. As she made it clear, she never minds sacrificing herself as a fuel to ignite fire of life of her writing. Even though it would cause another enormous pain, she is the fearless writer who knows what it takes to write. What could we do about it but applaude to her?

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who read Runaway and wanted to know what happened to Evelyn Lau. This book tells the reader about what has happened in the 10 years since Runaway was published. She discusses the long-term effects in her life of being a prostitute and the depression that she copes with. The language that Ms. Lau uses to describe her emotions, her perceptions and her thoughts is absolutely beautiful. In my opinion, she is one of the great writers of our time.

However, this book is not light reading. It discusses very serious issues and Ms. Lau is not afraid to explore her humanity within the essays that she writes. An excellent book!

but I really loved this book, and felt it needed a review.

It's a very quick read, and covers alot of Runaway: diary of a street kid. So some people may not like the repetativness of it.

She talks about depression, parents (and her relationship with them) her struggle with prostitution and more.

It isn't a happy read, but if like me, you do suffer from depression and like to read something you can identify with it's good.

She also talks about herself as a writer, why she writes how she almost stopped..
I'm a huge fan of evelyn lau and I wasnt' disapointed by this book.

A great presentation of what I expected to be an unexciting topic. Examines the workings of the political system in a highly readable way. I was not only well-informed after I read the book, but entertained as well!

This is excellent material if you are conducting any kind of serious research on NAFTA and its negotiations' development and outcome. It provides with a huge theoretical framework, every step of the process. If your line of work is game theory, this book will really help you (or at least it worked wonders for me). This is mandatory reference material for anyone interested in studying NAFTA.

Mayer rivals Grisham. He enfolds the strategy of NAFTA like a good murder-mystery. More proof that reality is more entertaining than fiction. It's a thriller, a nail-biter. I couldn't put it down!

excellent case examples - useful for training programs on diversity because you can give people real case examples with a very broad look at diversity and culture. works with different professions.

I teach a class on cultural competence and this book provided me with great case studies and lots of additional resources. Nicely written - very engaging style.

What a great collection of cases on how to work with people from various backgrounds! The book is full of useful approaches and references for helping people from different backgrounds and working together with other professionals in medicine, mental health, education, etc.

The towering 'INUKSUK' (ee-nook-sook) pictured on the cover of Mary Wallace's book introduces readers to a world of earth-bound 'signposts' in the arctic - - and MUCH MORE! In their varied forms the inuksuk may be intended as markers for caches of food, to advise hunters of directions, or to symbolize persons being memorialized. The last is an idea that could be used by students who want to follow the author's instructions for building a personal inuksuk. Another structure is shown serving as a road map to a traveler's next destination. It is not only a potential life-saver but makes a beautiful statement in the barren landscape.

Living in the Arctic means acquiring techniques for survival. Outsiders must acclimate themselves in a short time and this can be unsettling! For many decades the U.S. War Dept. funded studies in climatology, resulting in proper clothing & more nutritious feeding of troops. One more way in which we have benefited from the insights of our neighbors to the north.

"The Inuksuk Book" has many striking silk paintings with a gorgeous rainbow of colors that reflect the beauty of the 'Northern Lights' (Aurora Boralis). These inspire an admiration for the mystery of the far north. Contemporary photographs and those from earlier years also enhance the text. Teachers often expand a study unit to include Eskimo/Inuit art. How fortunate the young people who become acquainted with the figures beautifully sculpted from walrus tusks and soapstone. Amazing artistry is evident in works created during the long winters north of Hudson's Bay.

REVIEWER mcHAIKU marvels at the skills & imagination of the Inuit people and cheers author Mary Wallace for sharing.

This gorgeously illustrated book is one of the most appealing books I have read about the Far North. It highlights the ingenuity of a people who live in a demanding environment.

One of the things about the book I really enjoyed was the use of the Inuit alphabet to caption the beautiful pictures. There is a dictionary of sounds and words in the back, which can be used for kids to write their own names in Inuit.

There is also a guide to making your own Inuksuk in the back.

While hiking in the Canadian Rockies, we saw inuksuk along the trails. Their beauty and the fact that people had expressed themselves by creating art out of rock, rather than defacing the area, added greatly to our enjoyment of the outings.

When I found the book "Inuksuk," I immediately purchased it. After reading it, I purchased four more copies. "Inuksuk" can be read and looked at from many angles. It will be a perfect gift for friends with "soul" and for children who I hope will grow up with an appreciation of nature and art.

This book is much more than a field guide. The authors provide practical advice on eradicating invasive species, as well as fascinating histories of how the invasive plants got here in the first place. It's amazing how many of them were brought over for gardens! The guide is thorough, covering both terrestrial and aquatic species. Recommended for anyone with pesky invasive plant problems, be it a homeowner or a natural resource manager.

This book is an outstanding reference for homeowners, hikers, naturalists, and botanists trying to learn more about what plants are invasive in their backyards,neighborhood parks, and forests and what to do about them. I especially like the pictures -- most useful for identification. And not only can you learn to identify invasive plants, but the book has informative sections for each species on why that species is a problem and how to control it. I really liked the fascinating stories behind the plants. Once you take a look at this book, you will start seeing invasive plants everywhere.

Although I am not a professional botanist to point out technical errors I have found this book to be very useful. I wanted a book that could help me quickly identify plants along roadsides and disturbed habitats that are typically known to be invasive. I wanted a "picture" of how many of the plants were native. I have even identified very prolific invasives in nature preserves here on Long Island , NY. My interests also involve edible plants and this book helps me determine if the plant I am curious about has any edible parts because it allows me to identify the plant and then cross reference it in other books or on the internet once I know the species. Lots of photographs to help spot that plant you are looking for and they usually show enough features of the plant to help identify it. From an ecological standpoint I think it is great to have this book at the fingertips of those looking to restore natural habitats on their own property or our nature preserves. Finally!, a book that can assist us all with the massive problem of invasive plants.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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