Canada Books

A really complete,exact and interesting guide to the observation of the North American Mammals.Very nice.

A thorough guide to North American animals. Lot's of color plates and informative. It even covers animals in their stages like a fox in winter and midsummer and how their coats change color.

To put it simply you won't be disappointed.

Fiona Reid has created a tour-de-force in The new Peterson Field Guide to Mammals of North America, the first update of the Peterson series on mammals in thirty years. This is the best Peterson Field guide ever, the ideal gift or stocking stuffer and a must have for anyone who loves environment, natural history, the outdoors and wildlife, from your budding naturalist eight-year old to your birder grandmother in Wisconsin.

The new guide combines all the best features of recent ground-breaking field guides in a completely new book. It is both encyclopeadic and accessible, beautiful to hold in the hand and, as has always been the case with the Peterson series, the perfect size to take to the field. It will also look very good on your window sill and be handy next time that bear or ermine comes to the feeder.

A revision was of Peterson's Mammal Guide was long overdue and Fiona Reid has gone about it masterfully. In comparing the new and the old guide, one need only look at the new paintings to realize how much we needed this brand new treatment of North American mammals and to see how beautiful a book this is. Our knowledge has advanced tremendously, even for better known groups such as the carnivores; but it is when you spend some time with groups such as the bats and the chipmunks that you begin to realize just how far we have come since the last edition in our understanding of the mammalian diversity we see around us. Brilliant author-biologist-artist Fiona Reid has captured the traditional basics of a field guide with astounding plates and just the right amount of detail on ranges, biology, morphology, and even environmental threats.

This is the new gold-standard of field guides.

As someone majoring in Wildlife Science, I needed to have a field guide for my studies. I bought the previous edition about 3 yrs ago, but found it lacking. For example, it showed the historic range of raccoons, but not the current (expanded) range. It also used older genera (plural for genus) names & had very few bat species depicted. These & other factors made it impractical for me to use the book in my studies.

However, this new edition appears to be much more applicable for someone like me. It has color maps (the 3rd edition's maps were black & white) which are included in the species accounts (rather than at the end). Introduced species & their populations are shown in blue; historic ranges are shown using dashed lines; & sea mammals' ranges are included (no ranges were given for them in the 3rd ed.). Select maps are even shown with county lines drawn in in large states like CA & TX so residents can easily determine whether a species is in their county or not.

The color plates are better too. Animals are depicted in more natural body positions & appear more lifelike. There are many many more bat species depicted than in the 3rd ed. Sea mammals are included in the color plates; in the third edition, they were only depicted in black & white drawings. Introduced species (like the Blackbuck) are also depicted in this section. Select black & white animal tracks are included in the color plate section, rather than on the inside cover.

Skull identification is very important to biologists, since skulls are often all you'll find of an animal. This book has color photos of various skulls. The 3rd ed. had only black & white photos, which wasn't so bad, but I like the color photos better. Also, the dental formulae are given in this section for the respective genera. I will say, however, that I did like the dental formulae chart in the 3rd ed. because it summarized them all in 1 place, rather than spreading them out over several pages.

Immediately following these plates is a section of illustrated shrew teeth & molars of sm mammals. On the page just before the Species Accounts section is a depiction of pocket gophers with grooves on their incisors, a feature often used to distinguish between them.

Although most color photos are found in the skull section, there are more throughout the species accounts.

Species' names have been updated too. In the 3rd ed, the author chose to stick w/ some of the older names. In this edition, the accepted names (like Spermophilus) are used & even Bison bison was updated to Bos bison.

In the species accounts, common names other than the one Reid used are written in sm uppercase letters below the line w/ the common & scientific names. For example:
COYPU Myocastor coypus (introduced)
NUTRIA

The species accounts describe the animal, sounds it makes, similar species, habits, habitat, range, & even its status (whether it's common or endangered, & which organization lists them as such, such as the USFWS & the CITES appendix #). The previous edition included eyeshine colors (which are included in some entries in this new edition), number of mammae, & economic impacts, but for the most part these features were left out of this edition. However, I doubt many people will miss them.

I think this edition is excellent. I only had my book for a day & yet I found all the improvements mentioned above. I recommend putting a self-adhesive plastic book cover on your book because the plasticized coating wears a bit quickly. (Note: I've had my book just over a year now and am slightly editing my comments to fix minor typos & improve the flow a bit :})

This new guide is hands down the best mammal guide for North America currently available. An impressive volume and effort by the author. The artwork is superb, the photography crisp, and the phylogeny and other science accurate and up to date.

I found this to be a well written, high quality book that should prove to be a great read for anyone. The language is easy to understand which makes it a good leisure read but at the same time it provides a wealth of information about wildlife, habitats, environments, and interactions that, as a grad student, I still found very interesting and informative.

The Great Plains of the North America extend from Alberta to Texas and from the Rockies to the Mississippi river. It's the heartland of America.

This book, profusely illustrated and reverantly written is the story of the heartland. While it is the story of people, it's more the story of the land itself. It's the story of ancient seas, of Tyannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, and grass. Grass, seemingly engless miles of grass. Tall grass, short grass, drought resistent grass, food for the buffalo that wandered here in vast herds.

Of course the book talks about man's impact on the land. Farming plants a handful of crop species, where 5,000 wild plants grow in the Great Plains.

The future has to be discussed in a book like this, and for once the news is not all bad. To be sure, there are species at risk, but the overall picture is certainly one of hope.

A fascinating book on an area that is rarely thought about, let along the subject of books.

An excellent book. Well written and scientifically accurate. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is enchanted with the beauty and grandeur of the North American prairie.

I love the prairie, no doubt about that, and I'm proud to have been born and raised in the vast expanse of the middle of the great continent. The prairie brings a unique feeling of solitude, quietude, and openness that can be found not many places else in the world. I fully recommend this book to those that love the prairie, but also to those who are not interested at all in the vast expanse, who, as the book asserts, would rather get across it as quickly as possible. Scientifically and emotionally written, it is a beautiful book, with many illustrations, one that is worthy to be read.

The book is very well written, and the many artful photos in the book really make me wish I could spend a whole summer in the prairies. The author knows what she's talking about for certain. I could just keep on reading such educating books.

This is an absolutely wonderful book. It is historically acurate, interesting and very well written. Reading the trials and hardships Rosetta must go through to find her adopted sister that she loves so much makes you never want to put this book down. I loved this book, for more reasons than one! It's twists in the plot give it definition and color. Go out and get this book, it is definately worth it!

first of all i want to thank my friend Amy for lending me this book.I think we should all follow her good advice on reading this book.It was absolutely brilliant.I would reccemond this book to ages over 10.

This book was the best I have read and I could not put it down. I would advise it for over 10.So GO OUT ANDGET IT!!!!!

Linda Holeman has done it again with this young adult book. With the story of Rosetta she brings you back in time to an era when children were used and not enjoyed. You feel for Rosetta and urge her on in the hope of finding her sister who was unceremoniously delivered to a new family leaving Rosetta crying in the street. A book well written and savoured.

Rosetta and her younger sister, Flora, were sent to Canada from an English orphanage. They dreamed of a loving family, but when this does not happen Rosetta endures cruelty, love, hatred, and happiness to get back what is left of her family. This book makes me appreciate my family, even when I am mad at them. It also shows me that being an orphan does not let you do whatever you want and that others will try to stop you from reaching your goal.

My husband drives a big rig this atlas give all the scales and most up to
date changes in roads.

We just Drove for Orange Co Ca to Baltimore, Maryland and this was a very helpful guide and help us to do find many place along the way

We are extremely satisfied with our Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas.

Our son drives over the road, and this is what he uses also.

Again, we are extremely satisfied with our purchase from Amazon.com.

Sincerely.
Henley H Bennett

We are retired full time RVrs traveling across the USA. This Road Atlas is great because it reveals (normally for truckers usage) all the routes and locations that will accomodate large vehicles and with warnings for those that won't.

this atlas is great it just needs minor tweaks and itll be even better like detail to the exits you have to take and where they lead but i guess you can purchase the next exit book

This book is delightful! Well written, with marvelous characters and a colorful background, it's like literary chocolate. Anyone who has had the priviledge of visiting Newfoundland, and meeting its friendly--but different--people will especially find this a treat. If you're tired of the daily grind, curl up with this one and prepare to enjoy your read.

A couple of years ago, my sister, who lives in Newfoundland, Canada, sent me this book. I put it aside but several months later I was sick, and picked up the book. I read it straight through in 3 or 4 hours...I couldn't put it down! The story is absolutely hilarious, and just recently has been made into a movie starring William Hurt. I have not been able to find this book in the US until now. I have loaned it to countless friends and they have all loved it. It is truly a good read. Get it!

Excellent book, even better than the movie, though the movie is excellent too. If you want to read a laugh out loud book this summer, this is the one!

I was born and raised in Newfoundland, but moved away a few years ago. This book brought back the punch of Newfoundland humor in such a way that it left me laughing out loud like a lunatic til tears were running down my cheeks. I always thought that the Newfoundland sense of humor was something that couldn't be put into words...something you had to experience first hand, and even then sometimes people don't get it. Somehow this author has pulled it off. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm greatly looking forward to it. Bravo Edward Riche!!!

I have given this book as a gift to many fellow restuarant/foodies and everyone has loved it. It's a short read...FIND THE TIME, you will LAUGH! If you enjoy Tim Sandlin, Tom Robbins, John Irving, then give Edward Riche a read.

Revelation is set in 1543. A serial killer is on the loose in London using quotes from the Book of Revelations, as the inspiration for his murder spree. The books main protagonist, Matthew Shardlake, and his assistant Jack Barak, are called in to hunt the killer down, by Archbishop Cranmer, when it becomes apparent that the murders are religiously motivated.

I found this book a fascinating read, the latest in a very enjoyable series. At first, I was worried the story could turn out to be similar to the earlier novel 'Darkfire', as they are both set mainly in the same area of London, but this story is quite different.

The interaction between the factual, and fictional characters is very well done, and the attention to detail is second to none. You almost feel as if you are a bystander, watching the action unfold in front of you. An excellent read, and I hope there is more to come in this series.

First Sentence: The high chandeliers in the Great Hall of Lincoln's Inn were ablaze with candles, for it was late afternoon when the play began.

Henry VIII has asked to marry Catherine Parr and England is in a time of religious turmoil.

The Dissolution of the monasteries is done but now Henry, and the reformists, are moving back toward Catholic ways, under the King rather than the Pope, at the same time as the rise in Protestantism. An English version of the Bible has been published, but only Churches and the upper class are allowed to read it.

One of lawyer Matthew Shardlake's closest friends has been murdered and his body publicly displayed. Brought before Archbishop Cramer, Matthew learns this is not the first such killing. A serial killer is using versus in the Book of Revelations to carry out his killings.

Sansom brings Tutor England to life and makes us see what a difficult time it was in which to live. He doesn't present the romanticized image, but gives us a look at the dangers of the time from social and religious reforms to poverty to mental illness being labeled possession, without ever slowing down the story or being preachy.

The dialogue is, naturally enough, not of the time, but flavored with a sense of the time. I always learn a lot reading Sansom.

Shardlake is a wonderful character who has grown and improved as a character through the series. He is supported by Barak, for whom Matthew tries to do a bit of marriage counseling, and Guy, a Moor, once a monk, now a doctor.

Sansom is an evocative writer and masterful at combining historical detail with a multilayered story, and suspenseful mystery. I am continually impressed by the quality of Sansom's writing.

I'm a big fan of the series and special ordered this book for way to much money. Of the series this book is a mix between the second and third with a new social commentary line. I'm not a big fan of the social commentary nor how the characters are drifting into modern relationship problems, solving the debate over mental illness, or pretending to understand advanced medicine. At one point were ahead of Freud in understanding the origins of mental illness.

Don't get me wrong I read this book in 4 days straight loved the characters, setting, enjoyed the plot (the jacket claims its a serial killer on the lose --get the modern day drift). If your a fan I'd read it. If your thinking of starting the series --read the other 3 first. Read this one last.

Of the four books in the series this one is best left to be read last. Each of the first three are meant to be very different style mysteries. This book is a mixture of the second and third books style with alot of social commentary added in. Don't get me wrong I read the book in four days and enjoyed every page but for me I knew the characters and setting so well that it moved along quite quickly. The weakness of this book is that the author chose to add several story lines that would highlight a more modern way of thinking than possible for people of this period. From psychology to relationships these lines detract from the action and at points your meant to believe they were ahead of Freud in their thinking. Even the medicince seemed alittle to enlightened. I guess you can debate these points but they do provide some unsettling moments in the book which I found detracting. I gave it 5 stars. Would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the other three. Would not recommend it to anyone just starting the series.

There is always a ready audience for murder mystery books covering this period in English history and the Matthew Shardlake books are among the better ones on offer. They have become something of a cult following among their many readers and a new volume is always eagerly awaited. This is the fourth book in the series and the character of Matthew Shardlake is starting to feel like an old friend.

Matthew Shardlake, lawyer, confidant and servant to some of the most important and powerful men in the kingdom has come a long way since his early dealings, six years ago for Thomas Cromwell. The Dissolution of the monastries was not a happy time for Matthew, not sitting well with his own religious convictions and going against much of what he himself believed in.

Time has moved on apace, six years in fact and Matthew has struggled hard to better himself and to improve the standing of his lawyer's practice. He has over time even had dealings concerning King Henry himself. Meanwhile, Matthew has received notice of the foul murder of an old and trusted friend. So shocked is he by the news, that Matthew rashly promises the widow of his poor dead friend that he will do everything in his power to track down the perpetrators of the crime

This turns out to be no easy task in a city where life is cheap and many a throat has been cut for the price of a loaf of bread. Trying to devote his time to this case on top of his other workload is no easy task for Matthew and he needs all the help he can get from his assistant Jack Barak and his long time friend Guy Malton, The clues take them on dangerous and frightening journey, a journey that uncovers more than just the murder of his friend . . .

I thought this book was great. Robin gave very good background history of his life in ceramics and his views on what he created on his long career.
I loved the pictures and his instruction on how to be the best in what you make. I have read the book cover to cover a few times and have still learned more after a second and problably a third look.I have tried a few of his ideas and had fun which I think ceramics is all about.

Although much of this book is a compliation of his former books, it encompasses his personal and professional history as well as his philosophy, recomendations on style, and insights about pottery, designs and life.
Every potter, and collector of pottery shoud read and own this book.

This book is great. Robin Hopper shares his unique background with the reader and the thought processes that have gone into shaping his life and career. His down to earth approach to doing the work he loves so much was a joy to read. The technical information in this book and the way he presents it with illustrations and examples is great. The experienced potter as well as the beginner will enjoy this book.

I have several of Robin Hopper's books and I have enjoyed them all immensely. I am able to find any type of info I need from these books. Well laid out, good explanation and very very useful information for a home studio potter. Cheers, Cheryl

I am a potter. I make pots. I make a bunch of pots. I am always open for improvement, assistance, and suggestions. And I am very glad I added this book to my personal library!

Robin Hopper writes very simply about the various stages of making pottery. He profusely illustrates his techniques with photos and drawings, making the book itself a work of art. It is a pleasure to read, and an inspiration for all potters who want to learn to be better at it.

Hopper offers tips on every phase of making pots, from sketching, through preparing the clay, to making glazes. His examples are beautiful, and the descriptions are clear and concise.

If you're in one of those inevitable "slumps," I suggest Robin Hopper's "Ceramics: A Lifetime of Works, Ideas, and Techniques" to break you out of the clay doldrums and into new territory.

This book is a must read for everyone, and their families, dealing with any kind of cancer -- and especially the rare neuro-endocrine cancer called Carcinoid.
After reading the book I hope people will search the internet for the web pages that have solid medical information....

The magnetism of Wayne Tefs' written odyssey with his own carcinoid cancer was so intense for me that I was compelled to read his book from cover to cover before putting it down. Everything rings true. He eloquently yet succinctly and with simplicity expresses all the facts and feelings, I have heard so often from many carcinoid patients. The often unspoken or even uncrystallized thoughts and feelings, of carcinoid, patient are expressed clearly by the author. Though he feared that the tone of his book may portray him as a pompous pedagogue he came across as a humble, truthful and well spoken messenger. This book will be of tremendous interest to all concerned with carcinoid as well as other types cancers.

Monica Warner MS, RD, CDN
Director of Development and Research Coordinator
Carcinoid Cancer Foundation, Inc. NYC

Written through pain and with literary reflection, Wayne Tefs has provided an excellent resource for those struggling with a life-threatening challenge.
Tef's struggle is with a slow-growing cancer, which he acknowledges as "the worst possible thing that could happen to a person." His angst is further compounded by the realization that his cancer is, in fact, him, and a prerequisite to healing demands nothing less than a complete re-evaluation and restructuring of his life.
In this emotionally taxing journey for the author as well as those close to him, Tefs recounts the pain, fear, and rage that accompany him on his quest to deal with the single most important aspect of his life - his continued existence. As a confessed optimist, however, Tefs always leaves one with the spiritual support of hope, related with indomitable courage.
For those who would seek wisdom about life's trials, this volume has much to recommend.

Tefs has written a layer cake of a book, in which chapters of autobiographical experience alternate with an imaginary dialogue between the author and his cancer. The dialogues are contrived, but escape artificiality and reveal some of the real pain and difficulties confronting someone with a terminal diagnosis. The autobiographical chapters relate Tef's struggle with cancer to contemporaneous events in his life: his divorce, the birth of a child, the triumphs and defeats of his professional career. Cancer undermines our existence and its unwelcome introduction into our lives not only threatens ultimate defeat but also warps our self-image and self-confidence. Tefs recognizes this and struggles with the threat to his athletic, manly, capable and confident self-image, eventually defeating this threat without resorting to the seduction of denial.

This book is about carcinoid cancer from the inside out, by a teacher of literature, and is well crafted without being oppressively literary. The story is told straightforwardly and with courage.

I devoured this book, staying up quite late to do so.
The author is very correct in telling how many many people diagnosed with an unusual and rare cancer react when they
learn they have Carcinoid.
As another person who was diagnosed in 1995, and who has
been very proactive in my treatment, I recommend this book
highly to all dealing with cancer -- not just the patients, but
also family members and friends. There is a great deal of very
useful and helpful information in this book.

It's like Blue Highways or Travels with Charlie (no pun intended), but by someone who is happy and upbeat. She talks about the mechanical and weather challenges, and how she deals with them. She is so enthusiastic about Alaska and the Canadian Northwest, it makes you want to go up there NOW! (Well, maybe in spring.) I looked forward to coming home at night and reading this book with the Auto Club map in one hand. At first I thought her travels might be too tame and her adventures too un-macho -- but she had some great adventures and, hey, she did the Alaska Highway solo. I can't wait to order her other books.

I read about "Charlie" Minshall's Alaska adventures twice through and couldn't resist going myself. I traveled in Alaska (by car)and included many of the places I enjoyed in her book, finding delightful tiny villages and friendly Alaskans like she wrote about. My trip was unforgetable.

Whether you're an "armchair traveler" or you're planning to visit Alaska, this book is a MUST. I give it five stars!

Sue in Virginia

For anyone planning the great RV trip to Alaska, or the armchair traveler just dreaming of the northland, this book cannot be missed! The author takes you along in the passenger seat and introduces you to the sights, the people and the thrills to be found in Alaska. Part travelogue, part guidebook, part diary, and always interesting, you'll feel like you're part of the trip. No journey to Alaska should be condidered without reading this book first! I've read it twice and will keep in on my bookshelf for future reference and enjoyment.

This was the first book I read when planning our RV trip to Alaska. It was a fun and informative read, after which I went on to other books. The interesting thing is that when I got down to the nitty-gritty of planning I found myself referring to it more than I ever thought I would. I took it with us and...guess what? I referred to it quite often.

The reason I found it so useful was that I got a real feeling for what places were like. Other Alaska travel books give a lot of information on campgrounds and places of interest, but Charlie's book was like having a friend tell you what things are REALLY like. An example: Charlie says, "I stayed at Centennial Park just outside of Anchorage. Some pleasant big campground, with all the amenities plus, exist within the city limits, but their prices are not as pleasant as the Centennial Park. It is a dry camp park for $13/night. They have showers, dump station, and telephone. I like it because it is in a wooded area, and convenient." Compare that to a popular guide book: "Centennial Camper Park - 83 spaces w/o hookups; 3 pull-throughs; sewage dump station; flush toilets; drinking water...separate tenting area; 14 day limit."

Yes, Rving Alaska is not a guide book but one person's traveling experience. But with the author's practical advice, positive attitude and true love of adventure you can't help but love this book. Like the back cover says, "This book explains the practical 'How to' and the bold 'Why not'".

By the way, when parking in an area described in the book, I noticed a familiar looking RV. I couldn't believe it but it was her...the silver gypsy! (Picture in my personal profile.) As we talked I realized how alive and vivacious she really was. This woman has a lot of spirit and she's a kick to be around.

I typically read reference books, not storybooks, picking through them for bits and pieces of helpful information. I couldn't do that with Charlie's book about RVing in Alaska. I tried, but it just didn't work. I'd try to look up some particular thing - and a half hour later I'd be just reading along - absorbed in her adventure.

RVing Alaska! (and Canada) is Charlie's story. It's a true and fascinating story of her ventures into the Alaskan wilderness, her partaking of typical tourist attractions, her mingling and interacting with the Alaskan locals, and her descriptions of how she combines daily life as a working, full-time RVer with having a fantastic time.

If you'd love to go to Alaska, but think you can't - read this book. Charlie will have you there in a matter of minutes.

If you are planning a trip to Alaska - read this book. You need it to help you plan and prepare. It can serve as your travel planner and guidebook. It can save you grief over not knowing what to expect, what to take, how to get where you are going, etc.

If you are already in Alaska - read this book. You will find things you would never find otherwise - everything from peaceful campgrounds to scrumptious clam chowder.

Wonderful book. Amazing, compelling, lifelike descriptions of beavers as you would never have imagined them. Little girl heroine with heroic older brother that appeals to boys and girls. The children raise the two lost beaver kittens until circumstances conspire that one of the beavers is taken away. They canoe through a forest fire, voyage to the city, win back the kit, and ultimately restore it to its family in the wild. I read this to my 5 year old on a camping trip. She totally loved it. Great nature book for kids and very enjoyable for adults too.

This is one of my favorite works of natural history and children's literature that explores the relationship between animals, humans, and the natural world. It is a classic. The reader is transported into the minds of of all the characters as "Sajo" explores life from the point of view of a beaver family, as well as from a the humans that intrude on their world. A story of compassion, adventure, courage, and loyalty, "Sajo" reminds us that we share this world with our human relatives. For readers of all ages. It is brilliant.

I read this as a small boy in a Northern English town and was transported to the Canadian wilds in a tale that was full of grace, nature, wonder and truth. The writing has a timeless eloquence that draws you in to a simple but endearing tale that stays with you for ever. There must be a gap of twenty years since I was last able to read such a book. I would rate it as the the next best to 'Capt. Corelli,etc.' ....which I am glad to say I came across by chance. The flight of Sajo across the land and the city is poetic in its simplicicity and its excitement as I have read anywhere-else.
'nuff said.

This book tells the story of the friendship - against all odds - between two Native children and two young beavers for whom they care. The story contains all the elements a good book for children should have: excitement, adventure and above all - a deep love for nature and its wild creatures. I was given this book as a girl of 8 (in German!) and read it over and over again. In 50 years I have never forgotten its title or the name of the author, it stands out as one of my all-time favourites. I am now delighted to find that the book is still around and I can give it to my grandchildren!

This is a story, while ficticiuos, that is rooted in fact. The author, a famous person who started his writing career about 1929, understood the heart of a child. Thus he depicts, in story form for children, certain moral imperatives required for proper assimulation into any social structure or society. Book was well received in many countries and still is. It is unique in that it is the about "Native peoples", and how they see things and how they relate to nature. For the non native person it offers a glimpse into the culture and sense of justice among original peoples. It is a love story in that it depicts the extent too which two persons will go to help those they love. It is, by it's very nature a story about most boys and girls who have been taught ot care about nature, and one's environment. It is a subtle lesson in fairness and apprecation for all things great and small. It is also about courage and trust which is essential for getting along. A must read for anyone concerned about hope.