Canada Books

This is an excellent book for someone just starting (or restarting) into the world of railroads (like myself). It provides not only information about diesel locomotives built before 1972, but background about each manufacturer, details of special modifications, locomotive repowerings, and even detail photos of common truck assemblies. Subjects are organized first by manufacturer, then in basic chronological order by specification (normally-aspirated, turbocharged, gas-turbine, etc). It's a fine overview of the first days of diesel.

This is the place to learn concisely and with nice pictures about all the different older diesel engines. Recommended!

One of the little considered aspects of science is how it acts as a medium of diplomacy. Studying the wonders of nature, whether of the past or present, brings together people with common interests. In this book Grady relates the events taking place in the 1980s and '90s when Chinese and Canadian paleontologists undertook a major project to dispel some of the mysteries of dinosaur evolution. Well researched and superbly written, Grady here displays the writing skills that would propel him to become one of Canada's foremost science journalists.

The Canada-China Dinosaur Project was considered by most of its participants as a resurrection of work begun many years ago. Roy Chapman Andrews, adventurer, researcher, promoter, went to China in the 1920s seeking evidence of human origins. Instead he stunned the world by finding dinosaur eggs. Interruptions of revolution, wars cold and hot and slim communications links prevented proper follow-up on Andrews finds. Phil Currie and Dale Russell, Canadian paleontologists, sought to identify links that might show relationships between Asian and North American dinosaurs. Grady traces their efforts, following the teams from Mongolian deserts to bleak Arctic islands. There are personality clashes, disputes over resources and inadequate equipment. In the end, the broader needs of good science overcame the petty hindrances and the Project proved an astounding success.

Grady reviews the search for fossils in the Canadian west in opening the tale. In the late 19th Century, the Alberta Badlands were a magnet for fossil hunters. In some places you might trip over fossils recently revealed by soil erosion. Ultimately, the finds led to preserves and the now-famous Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology outside Drumheller. Currie took up the idea of the joint-nation project in the spirit of Carl Sagan's Russian-American Soyuz space project. Currie called it "dinosaurs for peace." A decade of cooperative research, according to Grady, paid enormous dividends for science. The evidence proved another verification that Asia and the Americas were joined in the ancient past.

Grady's fine writing is further graced by numerous photographs and maps. In reminding us that the geography [and geology] of Canada and China are similar, he reinforces that view with excellent photographs. There are maps of the areas with exploratory routes indicated. The scale, necessarily small, cannot fully convey the distances travelled in search of fossils. Added to these illustrations are excellent diagrams of the dinosaurs in skeleton and body plan. In all this book is a trove of information, feeling and discovery. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

The book The Dinosaur Project, by Wayne Grady, describes the joint Canadian and Chinese paleontological project starting in 1985. During the course of this project, Canadian researchers worked alongside Chinese researchers in the paleontological cornucopia of the Gobi Desert, as well as Chinese workers working with Canadians in the also fruitful Southern Alberta Badlands and the Canadian High Arctic. The field areas are so harsh and the characters are so interesting that this book could easily be made into a Spielberg movie. The start of the book immediately draws in the reader by describing the history behind the project. This project is referred to as the largest and most ambitious modern dinosaur hunting expedition ever mounted. It detailed the networking of the Chinese and Canadian colleagues over several years at various conferences until the project eventually became a reality. Narrative style keeps the reader interested as the paleontogists go into extreme conditions in the field, and as their finds are put into perspective relative to contemporary paleontogical dogma. This book was surprisingly gripping for a bone book. It covered many important paleontological theories, but kept the jargon to a minimum. Quotations and anecdotes were often used to relay how science works as well; science both as an abstract methodology and also the reality of working in extreme conditions. One quotation in particularly was well-worded "science is a way of thinking; it's how we move from what we think we don't know to what we think we know" (Dale Russel). The anecdotal style of the book is what really makes it well-written.

This fascinating book is an illuminating examination of powerful spiritual trends shaping the future of Canada -- and by extension and application (if you wish), the United States. The trends point to historic changes in the North American religious and spiritual landscape.

I strongly recommend "Divine Hunger" to anyone interested in the future of religion, research about trends and the remarkable power of baby boomers to produce lasting changes in society. I can imagine that the societal changes the boomers are now producing -- most of which are not yet on most people's radar screens -- will be the generation's most profound and defining legacy.

This fascinating book is an illuminating examination of powerful spiritual trends shaping the future of Canada -- and by extension and application (if you wish), the United States. The trends point to historic changes in the North American religious and spiritual landscape.

I strongly recommend "Divine Hunger" to anyone interested in the future of religion, research about trends and the remarkable power of baby boomers to produce lasting changes in society. I can imagine that the societal changes the boomers are now producing -- most of which are not yet on most people's radar screens -- will be the generation's most profound and defining legacy.

Hypnosis can bring you success at weight loss, especially if other approaches have failed. Some of my patients report that their weight loss was virtually effortless -- not at all like being on a diet. Reaching and maintaining an ideal weight requires your attention to three simple principles:

You'll learn to eat healthy and take pleasure and delight in what you can eat, rather than be frustrated by what you can't eat;
You'll learn to lead an active lifestyle, enjoying your decision to be active on a regular, daily basis;
You'll learn to meet your emotional needs without using food to comfort yourself.

"Teaching these three basic principles and amplifying them with self-hypnosis via Dr. Larry's self-change techniques has made him a fantastic weight loss guru. This CD will get you started easily, quickly and permanently on the road to good health. As he entertains you, Dr. Larry will give you the latest information in medical advice and strategies for weight loss. As you understand what you need to do and should do, the suggestive powers of self-hypnosis help to put you in charge."

I will be forever grateful to Dr. Larry for this CD it changed my life!

After years of trying every diet plan imaginable, I purchased Dr. Larry's Lose Weight CD. Hypnotism was totally unfamiliar to me (except the stage type). I couldn't believe it would work, but was determined to try.

Listening to the tape on a daily basis, I learned to eat smaller portions of healthy food, joined a fitness centre where a fitness instructor devised a program for me to support the weight loss program suggested by Dr, Larry.

"Meeting emotional needs without using food as a salve" was perhaps the most difficult. Being overweight, size 16-18 clothes and feeling very unattractive, led to a cycle of overeating. But as the pounds started to come off and continued to do so with the aid of Dr. Larry's CD, a new confident person emerged, who could handle this lifestyle change.

Dr. Larry's CD changed my life - after almost 40 pounds of weight loss, I wear a size 10, lead a healthy, active lifestyle and have a very positive outlook on life. I was thrilled to go shopping for my first pair of jeans (without an elastic waistband) and have my grandchildren call me their "cool Nanny"!

This was a GREAT book. It tells us why Esther Short Park was named so (got some interesting stuff about Esther!), as well as the naming of some of our better known streets (Fourth Plain and Mill Plain... I always wondered about those). Also contains a lot of history on Officers' Row and the fort, and its inhabitants. I knew nothing about Mother Joseph before reading this book, and now I know how she influenced the building of Vancouver. Of particular interest to me, the book gives a lot of the little reasons why Portland ended up growing so much bigger than Vancouver, even though Vancouver is older.

This book has a few tidbits about people in Vancouver that remind me how very much that they weren't just names in a history book. When the law declared that the St. James Church belonged to the Army and not to the Catholic Church (the book didn't give the year, but with searching online, found out this was in the 1890s), a young Army officer went to the church to help the priest move out, and I laughed out loud when I read how the angry priest reacted to the officer's offer of help. I also liked the bit about the practical joke a pilot made at the dedication festival for Pearson Field in 1925.

My husband and I only noticed one thing that could have been a glaring typo. It was in reference to a photo (on page 25) telling us where Pearson Field would later be.... however, the book said the photo was taken in the 1970s. We're guessing it had been actually taken in the 1870s, as Pearson Field was dedicated in 1925 and it has never changed locations. If it had been taken in the 1970s, we would have seen Pearson Field in the photo.

Like the other reviewer said, I wish there were more in this book. However, what is there is nicely laid out. Each section begins with a page of history in text, followed by pages of photos with descriptive captions.

The Fort Vancouver library system has this book, by the way. ^_^

As almost a life long resident of Vancouver, having moved here in 1965 this is "Home". I remember when this town was so much smaller and still see a lot of the remnants of its history. Only complaint is I wish it were twice as large in volume/content and just double the price. I've ordered the volumes on Camas and Washougal, and wait eagerly as I'm currently living in Camas in a home built in 1908 by owners of the paper mill of that period. I only hope the rest of the series is half the quality of this book.

Believe it or not, in the early 1980s, medical hypnosis experts claimed only 25 percent of smokers could be cured through hypnosis. (Of course, cigarette companies said smoking was good for you, too!) Dr. Larry proved them wrong -- in his own family practice, two-thirds of his patients quit smoking after a single hypnosis session.

With Dr. Larry's Quit Smoking program, you will:
* Break the psychological addiction to smoking;
* Develop an alternative comfort behavior that replaces smoking;

* Be ready to let go of the smoking habit.

Dr. Larry Deutsch, a practicing family physician and hypnotherapist, has over 30 years of hands-on experience. He's already helped thousands of people lose weight, quit smoking or achieve other health goals via medical hypnotherapy. With his motivating and entertaining style he combines sound medical advice, psychology and self-hypnosis techniques to empower you to find the subconscious strength and will power necessary to succeed. "Remember: Smoking is also a biological addiction! You can achieve a higher chance of success by combining some medical counseling to deal with physical symptoms of withdrawal. Fortunately, hypnosis and self-hypnosis boost your response to counseling, making your cravings much easier to combat."

Dr. Larry's Quit Smoking Program was largely responsible for my ending a 30 year addiction to cigatettes.

I acquired the CD when I was thinking of quiting and after I listened to it once I decided to quit and have not had a puff since.

The first few days were difficult but by listening to the CD two or three times a day for the first week I was able to resist the urge to smoke.

I can recommend the Quit Smoking Program because I am sure that it made the difference it made the difference between this successful attempt at quitting and previous failed attempts.

This is such an awesome book. It's beautifully designed and set out. The pictures are colourful and fun and the information is astounding! I've read a lot of books on this subject and I found that despite the size of this book (small), there was information in it that I had never come across before. If you were born in the year of the Dragon, or if you know someone who was, this book is a must-have, without a doubt. I love it!

This is a beautiful little book. The illustrations and pictures are gorgeous. A real little gem and a perfect gift for anyone, but especially for those interested in the mystical and spiritual side of life.

I bought this book after reading Catherine Carl's true account of her work as a portrait painter for the last Dowager Empress of China and Pearl Buck's fictionalized-historical novel about the Empress. I was most interested in the illustrators work in this book rather than the text. The book is full of imaginative and absolutely beautiful artistic intrepretations of an idealized Empress and her world. I really love the artists style. The paintings are a supposed look into a hidden and privileged life. The text consists of the very brief poetical-like imaginings of the author as to what the Empress may have thought or said...and who can really know something like that? I'd refer everyone to Catherine Carl's book for an accurate account. I have this book on my shelf with the two books mentioned above. It adds beauty and refreshment and takes off the dull day-to-day edges of a real life story.

This is a wide-eyed irreverant look (literally!!) at one of the most enigmatic figures in Chinese 'herstory', and while fictionalized, whets your appetite for a longer, more involved recounting of Cixi's life (for example, like that found in Pearl S. Buck's "Imperial Woman")

The playfulness of the incredibly detailed paintings draws you in and the story does as well. It's sort of like a kid's picture book for adults of a world that is almost within living memory, yet seems centuries removed even from the experience of the Chinese!

This is an original and well-wrritten fantasy story about a boy who lives in our world, but must go back to his own world to fight the Usurper. It's the first in a series of novels, but it's also a self-contained book (so you don't have to read all the books to make sense of the story). It moves from one world to another in fine fashion and features a powerful and moving ending.   I highly recommend it. Karleen Bradford is well known for her historical novels of the Crusades, this is her first foray into fantasy fiction.

The novel Dragonfire written by Karleen Bradford is one of my favourite books! Bradford describes her characters in a way that makes them seem so real. In this novel fantasy was combined with adventure, and even though I never thought of fantasy as something I would enjoy, this book was way more than I expected! The mythical characters and conflicts became real to me and I couldn't put the book down. Dahl faces many problems, as he grows up learning that he is really the King of Taun, a kingdom that has been over taken by the evil Usurper. As Dahl tries to save his kingdom he discovers the true meaning of friendship,and realizes that the future of his people depends on him. The ending of this novel surprised me in a pleasant way and I couldn't wait to read the sequel. Over all this was a great book of good winning over evil. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Summer vacation with a ghost-story telling Grandpa is always filled with thrills and chills. But this year in Gimli, Manitoba, twins Michael and Angela and their cousin, Sarah, find the summer nights and sights prove more frightening than ever. Not long after Grandpa tells a spooky myth about an Icelandic ghost called a Draugr, the trio encounters something ghastly in the woods. Can ghosts really come back from the dead to cure their unrest? Sarah, Michael and Angela don't want to wait around to find out. And, just as the pieces to the mystery start to fit, Grandpa tries to send them back home to the United States. Before they leave Gimli, however, a dog turns dead and Grandpa suddenly disappears. Determined to get to the bottom of the strange happenings, Angie leads the others on a wild goose chase--that may just turn into a ghost chase. "You do have the Grettir's blood." I didn't know exactly what she was talk about, but I nodded as if I understood. Althea looked at me up and down..."Perhaps I've underestimated you. All of you. Maybe it would have been better if I told you the truth from the beginning." She paused for another second. "Alright," she said. "I'll tell you everything I know, and you can deal with the nightmares and the possibilities--it's a deal. But first each of you must give me your version of what happened. And don't leave out the smallest detail." Again we spoke about seeing the little boy in the forest and about how he had disappeared... Draugr is a wonderful book for young teens of either sex---a quick, but engaging read, with compelling chapter openings and cliffhanging endings. Arthur Slade has woven just enough fright into the story to keep the reader sitting on the edge of their chair, yet anxiously turning the pages. With Slade's newest book, The Loki Wolf, soon to be released by Orca, readers won't have long to wait for their next "shivers."

Lynne Remick, Reviewer

As an elementary teacher I found this book to be a great motivator for my Grade Six students. I found the content to be very enticing for this age level without the "gore" that is present in other books of this genre. Slade does an excellent job of filling all chapters with suspense and encouraging the reader to forge on into the story. An excellent classroom resource to excite readers and a wonderful read.