Canadian Books

I read this book the first time when I was in Jr. high school. I know I have reread it at least ten times. I have 2 copies one falling apart and one to lend to friends. As you can surely see I love this book.

Yes! I have read a few books that I wanted to read again. However, "Mrs. Mike" by Benedict and Nancy Freedman found me wanting to re-read chapters the first time through.
This treasure will be stored in a special place to be read again and again when I want to go back in time, feel feelings and thank God for talented authors.
I wish I had found it as a teenager, or a young mother. Guess this retiree should just be grateful that I was given this warm gift in my latter years.

At the turn of the century, life was much harder than it is today, partially because of the amount of untamed wilderness in this country. We often attribute a difficult life with sorrow and desperation, but this story portrays life in the north as a rewarding and happy one. It is based on the real-life experiences of Kathy Flannigan, a woman who met the authors and shared her story.

Mrs. Mike begins when Kathy is travelling to meet her uncle who lives in the north in a city. She suffers from pleursey and the doctor has recommended she leave the booming city of Boston to a colder climate. There, she meets a mountee from the wilderness of the north, and promptly falls in love. He warns her of their impending life together, but she embraces it with timid but open arms and she matures quickly in the vast expanse.

The depiction of the relationship between Kathy and Mike is beautiful to say the least. Both people seem so real and their love for each other is vivid and true. Other characters are highly memorable. Oh-Be-Joyful and Jonathan, Sarah, Constance, Baldy Red, Captain, Timmy, etc. all play their parts in this lively story. It reads like a series of events without the typical introduction, rising action, climax, and falling action, but this makes it seem more real. The language is easy to understand and there is plenty of dialogue.

This book was made into a movie starring Dick Powell and Evelyn Keyes. It is a good adaptation, but due to time restraints, it cuts out many characters and events and alters a few as well. I recommend seeing the movie first and then reading the book to avoid disappointment.

Mrs Mike is an old friend. I first read and enjoyed this book more than 35 years ago. This story chronicals the life of mountie Sgt Mike and Mrs. Mike. It honestly chronicals these lives and shows that it is in the sharing of the small things that make life joyful. I'm so happy to be able to now be able to now share this book with my neice

I just got this book again since I lost/loaned my first copy. Although some have critisized the writing style, and the facts, I really enjoyed this book. I think it's one to keep on your shelf and pull out from time to time to reread.

I think all women should read this book and share it with others (family and children). Not only does Mr. Bach discuss how saving a little here and there can help with retirement, but he also gives women inspiration to live out (and especially to finance) their dreams. A wonderful book.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to become wealthy and this book details how easy it can be. If you're looking for glitz and glamour and "get rich quick" this isn't it. There's no such thing as an overnight success. Read David's book and get going on the road to wealth.

Love all his books - bought this, gave it someone and had to buy it again. It all depends what level you are on. Not too much non-common sense, but good for women to read.

I bought this book because I heard so many positive things about it. I am in my 50's, five years ago I went from having the wonderful life that all women dream of. I had the beautiful home in the suburbs, 2 beautiful children, friends, you name it I had it. Then I lost it all in the blink of an eye. I had relied on my husband to handle all the finances I couldn't tell you the balance in the check book. All I knew was he made the money and I spent it. Thank the Lord I was a RN, but I hadn't worked in quite a few years. I am not going to go into detail what happened but when I said I had nothing but the clothes on my back I mean just that. I have been working two jobs for the past five years making good money but I have NOTHING to show for it. By reading Suze book I was able to identify myself, it is so easy to understand that someone like myself with NO understanding of finance can take her suggestions and work them into my present life. It is going to take discipline on my part and learning to say NO to my children is going to be the hardest. But, I need to take care of myself. This book was just what I needed to read. I highlighted areas, I keep going back and re-reading certain sections. I keep it next to my bed. Buying this book was one of the best things I have done for myself.

Smart Women Finish Rich is a bit different from other financial books I've read. I have to admit I was surprised with how well David Bach addressed both the emotional and intellectual relationship women have with money. His grandmother taught him well.

I am going to say that Smart Women Finish Rich is more for a financial beginner than a woman with financial savvy. It's a well thought out system of gaining and keeping control of your financial self-sufficiency. Bach has filled this book with definitions, resources, quizzes, systems, exercises and tables. I was impressed and give it a must read if you're serious about becoming more financially organized.

David Bach addresses both the heart and the head in Smart Women Finish Rich. He used the lessons he learned from his grandmother, and his mother, as inspiration. After growing up with two such powerful role models, he was surprised by the number of financially uniformed women. Many of the women who came to him for financial advice, had no clue about building financial security.

Smart Women Finish Rich is easy to understand. I read it and "got it." This is a "how to" book that involves a commitment on your part to read, work and put the assignments and lessons into daily practice. Bach has carefully given us valuable financial keys, now it's up to us to follow through.

What you'll get out of this book is going to depend on what you're willing to put into it. It's a book that has the potential to give you a great foundation for financial self-sufficiency.

Here are some of the areas I found particularly useful:

1.The first exercise, "Financial Knowledge Quiz" is a great practical place to start. I found it to be thoughtful and quite an eye-opener. I learned about how well (and sometimes not so well) I understood the role money played in my life.

2. David Bach is adamant about pinpointing the reason money is important to you. To find this out, you'll need to examine your money values and ask yourself if your financial behavior matches those values. He provides a simple but thoughtful exercise called the "Values Ladder."

3. Smart Women Finish Rich is a great blend of exercises, systems, quizzes and practical "real world" information. For example, the "Finish Rich File Folder System" is a simple, easy-to-follow and yet an organizational time saver.

I definitely give Smart Women Finish Rich five stars! If you're ready and serious about getting your financial house and monetary priorities in order, this is the book for you!

"Spoilers, read at your own risk"

I can't even explain in words how this book touched, inspired, and warmed me.

A middle-aged old maid, Valancy Stirling, had problems with her heart. Because she doesn't want to raise a fuss, she visits the doctor which none of her relatives go to, and gets a check-up with him.

But the doctor gets news of his son being injuried in another town, so he rushes out the door, leaving poor Valancy alone, wondering again what's wrong with her.

The next day however, Valancy recieves a letter telling her that she had a uncurable heart disease, and if she takes care of herself, she will live for one more year.

Valancy is crushed. She has never really had a life, because of her over-bearing family, and a shy nature. She has never even been kissed, never loved anyone, and never actually BEEN loved.

So Valancy decides to make the most of the life she has left. Leaving her home, she goes to her friend Cissy Gay's house, and house-keeps for Cissy and her father. Valancy buys pretty clothes, and stops wearing stiff, ugly hair styles. She begins to become happy, loving Cissy, and being loved by her.

Barney Snaith, the supposed criminal of the town, (whose only real known crime is that he keeps away from society) becomes the object of Valancy's love. She wishes she weren't dying because of him, but she knows he probably wouldn't love her anyway.

Then Cissy dies of consumption (tuberculosis) and Valancy's relieved family expects her to come back home and act like a prim, boring person again. But instead, Valancy shows Barney Dr. Trent's letter, and asks him to give her one happy year, and to marry her. He agrees, and Valancy is more embarrassed then she would have been if he had said no.

The next day, they marry and go to Barney's island. The Stirling family is horrified, and give up on her completely.

Then, a surprise ending, and horrifying truths shatter Valancy's dreams, only to bring them back together again in a satisfying, well written ending.

I cannot praise this book highly enough. Having read everything that Montgomery ever wrote, I can say that I believe "The Blue Castle" to be her finest work. It has such a sweet story, filled with wry humor and depth of feeling, not to metion the gorgeous descriptions of the Canadian forests and lakes. (I always wonder where the mosquitos were for the duration of the novel.) There are so many other reviews here that charmingly describe the plot and characters that one will encounter that I shall not add to them, but only say that this is one book you should not miss reading!

This is an excellent book, but some may be put off by the cover. The story is great and it is not a "romance" novel as the cover may imply. Very good selection for a book club or just to enjoy on your own.

Fairy tale is the best description for this novel. The drab, old-maidish heroine with the horrible family who blossoms in a new setting and finds the man of her dreams is the most trite of plots. But LM Montgomery has pulled it off by not taking herself or the story too seriously. It's the kind of novel a young girl can adore, and an older, more sophisticated reader can still enjoy. I loved it years ago, and still do!

If you already love The Blue Castle then this is a great addition to your L.M Montgomery collection. However, the introduction contains a couple of errors about the storyline and, most problematically, gives away the ending. Think of it as an academic, analytical essay and read it only after you've read the book.

"I think I shall be a great poetess or a distinguished novelist."
That is Emily Starr talking, the young blossoming writer, that will touch your heart, with her creative and interesting, ways and ideas.

Within just the first chapter of the book, you'll already be intrigued by Emily's charm, and her topsy-turvy imagination. All through the story, Emily meets new people and friends. Some will help her on her way to becoming a writer, "a painter that uses words". Others will shoot her dreams down, as if they were nothing but mere dust. Just watch her take on all the distressing incidents that she overcomes with an intellect beyond her years.

She's always on a new enchanting romp, that'll keep you guessing. From giving up her beloved cat, to clashing with Miss Brownell (her unjust schoolteacher), to unraveling an age-old puzzle with her whimsical mind, you'll stay right by Emily's side the whole time.

Here's a small excerpt that I especially enjoyed:
"But there is a destiny which shapes the ends of young misses who are born with the itch for writing tingling in their baby fingertips, and in the fullness of time this destiny gave to Emily the desire of her heart---gave it to her, too, on the very day when she most needed it."

Personally, I have to state that this book is very inspirational for anyone endeavoring a priceless dream. I have read the entire set of the "Anne of Green Gables" books (that are written by the same author), but in my opinion, "Emily of New Moon" is much more enthralling! It is at the top of my list of my favorite books.

It is difficult for me to write an objective review about this beloved classic. Emily is like a childhood friend to me. Created by the author of Anne of Green Gables, she is a more complex character than Anne - introspective, determined, and deeply sensitive to life's joys and shadows. Her love for writing, or her need to write, defines her; indeed, much of the story is told through her writing. And yet this first book of the Emily trilogy is mostly lighthearted, though not without its passages of intense experience. Emily is orphaned in the beginning of the book, and moves to the farm of New Moon to live with two estranged aunts and one uncle, their brother. She thrives and flourishes in the beautifully prosaic, quaint world of New Moon and Blair Water on Prince Edward Island. Though she is a private and secretive person, she gives lavishly of herself in her closest friendships.

Montgomery's writing is at times indulgently over-descriptive, but not without vividity, wryness, feeling, and rich character development. Perhaps the most eloquent aspect of Emily of New Moon is its flavorful honesty about life both light and dark. Emily is a complex character, full of both faults and virtues, neither of which are expressed simplistically. The reader's sympathies are always with her. Montgomery's indirect insights into the writing life are also very valuable. Emily has writing in her blood, sees it as something intrinsically personal and sacred but wants to share it, does it with abandon yet later throws it away, and yearns to climb the ladder of fame. In this sense, I feel more kinship with her than with her more popular sister Anne Shirley.

Emily Starr is a daughter of a faith-confused father that her mother's family has shunned for his poverty. Her mother, Juliet Murray, died when she was five, and then when she is older, her father dies of consumption, leaving her an orphan.

Her mother's family takes her in, and teaches her all their traditions and strict codes of honor and pride.

Emily makes new friends, grows, and even has a few love intrests, despite her young age.

The only problem I had with this book was her father way of thinking of God. He says everyone has their own God, and that Emily shouldn't worship their housekeeper's God.

That is very untrute. Every one has their own PERSEPTION of God.

Get it right L.M. :)

Sheltered by her loving father, 10-year-old Emily Byrd Starr has never minded her isolated life. What child notices poverty and a lack of playmates when her intelligence and imagination make each day special and exciting?

Then one terrible day, Emily finds herself an orphan. A mass of never-before-met aunts and uncles descend upon Emily, criticizing and making plain the fact that whoever takes the child is only doing so out of their sense of duty.

Still reeling from the loss of her father, Emily must also leave her beloved little home and pets for New Moon, her mother's childhood home, where unmarried aunts Elizabeth and Laura currently reside. It is with stern matriarch Elizabeth, gentle, loving Laura and "simple-minded" Cousin Jimmy that Emily must now learn to form a family.

Despite the hardships, Emily's new life is quickly filled with many joys, as she makes friends at the village school and develops her interest for writing. Emily also experiences -- at the most unexpected moments -- "the flash," her word for the brief startling glimpses of other-worldliness, which has the power to change both her life and the lives of others around her.

Ask most people what they associate with L.M. Montgomery, and they'll likely say Anne of Green Gables. Yet despite the fame of Montgomery's "other orphan," the Emily books are quite possibly even more memorable and beautifully written. Like Anne, Emily is thrust into an unfamiliar world, where she must make the best of circumstances; but unlike Anne, Emily is possessed of a strangely adult maturity even at the tender age of ten, a glimpse of darkness which will accompany her through the years. This streak makes readers both more concerned for her well-being and perhaps more able to relate, as she is not nearly as happy-go-lucky and childlike as Anne in her early years.

If you enjoy this book, be sure to read "Emily Climbs" and "Emily's Quest," which follow the girl through her years at high school, through romantic relationships and her writing career as a young woman.

It's a shame that most people like either Anne or Emily; I've avoided the whole question by loving them both. The Emily books give a picture of a girl with lights and darks, reacting naturally (and therefore not always cheerfully) to the events of her life. She is far from perfect, but as L.M. Montgomery says about her, you may like her, you may hate her, but you'll never forget her.

If what you love about Anne is the sparkling, bubbly world she creates around herself, then you probably won't like Emily. But if you like L.M. Montgomery and would like to see her go a different route, the Emily trilogy is a great read!!

In the summer of 1977, eleven-year-old Sarah Richardson is filled with trepidation and resentment when her father's new job forces her to leave her home and best friend in Wyoming to relocate in the remote town of Bamfield on Vancouver Island. But these feelings fade when she sees her gorgeous new home overlooking the ocean and befriends and Indian (a term commonly used for First Nations people in 1977) girl named Goldie. Of course, her idyllic summer with her parents and Goldie doesn't last. Once school begins, Sarah endures long, painful lessons about bullying, racial hatred, and family tragedy.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif's WHALE SONG is an unusual mystery. Although the story opens with an adult Sarah reflecting back on the summer that changed her life, she eases into eleven-year-old Sarah's point of view as the story unfolds, turning the book into a young adult novel. But then grownup Sarah slides briefly back into the story with ominous foreshadowing about events she wished she'd seen coming.

The other unique aspect is that the mystery doesn't occur until two thirds into the book. Certainly, the reader feels tension building among main characters and a grim situation inevitably spiraling out of control. But death, a police investigation, and murder charge don't occur until the reader knows the Richardson family so well that we feel their anguish. Some mystery fans might loathe the pacing of events, yet it's important to understand that mystery is only one facet of this multi-layered story. Crime might not be center stage in WHALE SONG, however, it's essential to the story.

Cross-genre novels are hard to pigeonhole, and this one will be a challenge for librarians and booksellers. WHALE SONG is an elegantly written, heartbreaking blend of friendships lost and gained, family tragedy, spirituality, death, guilt, punishment, and forgiveness. This is a lot to incorporate into one novel, but Tardif does it beautifully in a mere 199 pages. If you want something different in a mystery, WHALE SONG is a compelling story you won't forget any time soon.

"Whale Song" is a poignant tale that asks difficult questions - ones that challenge us to look deeply into our own hearts. This is a very well written novel about Sarah, a young girl who moves to Canada from Montana. It's about her family and friends who love her so very much, and the difficult choices and sacrifices that have to be made by them all. Set on Canada's breathtaking Vancouver Island, the whales and other wildlife are as beautiful as the story itself. This is Ms Tardif's "heart book" - the book closest to her heart - and after reading it, it's easy to see why.

Haunting and sensitive, Whale Song is a compelling read, leaving an impression long after the story ends. I loved it. Five stars

Only child, star in her parent's crown, Sarah's fairytale life takes a startling and sad turn. Whale Song is beautifully written, and though not an action novel, it is a page turner. The novel is emotionally evocative (I shed tears for Sarah and her companions) but there are many, many heartwarming and encouraging aspects. You quickly become embroiled in the narrator's life, and Sarah's voice is so strong you could believe you are reading a true story. The characters are convincing, engaging and memorable. I found myself thinking about the novel and its "lessons" while driving to work, often in fact. The Native American mysticism was particularly well done and interesting.

The story begins when 11-year-old Sarah, her mother and father move from Wyoming to Vancouver--from the mountains to the sea. Her father is a marine biologist, her mother an artist. Sarah is devastated by the move but soon makes friends with a Native American girl named Goldie and is accepted by Goldie's family and her wise woman grandmother Nana but at school another Native American student teaches Sarah about discrimination and cruelty.

Whale Song follows Sarah as she matures--her tragedies and triumphs--to a satisfying end.

I haven't read a young adult novel since my son was in Middle School and quite honestly I didn't even realize that Cheryl Kaye Tardif's story of a young girl living in Vancouver with her artist mother and marine biologist father fell into this category until I was half way through it and checked out the author's item page on this website. After all Harper Lee's masterpiece "To Kill a Mockingbird" uses the voice of the pre-adolescent Scout to tell her tale set in the American South in the 1960s in the same way that Tardif speaks through her main character Sarah Richardson.

Not that Tardif's novel rivals Lee's classic. That's not to say that it isn't a good coming-of-age narrative, but where Lee's portrait of Articus Finch suggests the noble hero fighting a battle larger than himself for the greater good, Tardif formulates a smaller world which centers not so much on a brave father figure but on the pain of a young girl adjusting to a new school where her race sets her apart as a social pariah. Sarah's angst increases when her beloved mother falls ill and she must come to grips with the potential loss. Whereas Lee communicates a daughter's pride in her father's courage, Tardif goes for the same feel, and if she fails it is only in achieving the overall tightness of the older story. For indeed Sarah's father commands respect too even if his issue focuses on a individual choice rather than a universal failing of society.

Bewildered by a series of events leading to a personal train wreck, Sarah wallows understandably until certain facts become clear. Utilizing a first person narrative technique, the reader experiences Sarah's initial acclimation first-hand under Tardif's very skillful voice. We enjoy her discovery of the mystical Indian legends of the whale and the wolf and await her comprehension of her specific mission.

The younger Sarah successfully emerges as a girl on the brink of her teenaged years. Tardif relays her sense of uncertainty and the ups and downs of triumphs and failures in an adept way that cements her ability to capture the sensibilities of this burgeoning adolescent with great credibility.

Driven by Tardif's strength in creating such a believable character, the story moves along with great readability. Somehow I thought it stalled a little once Sarah's greatest fear becomes actualized but perhaps this lull in the action was meant to illustrate Sarah's confusion over a situation with implications larger than the world she knows. Likewise, the endgame of this novel seems to be rushed, but this seems indigenous to young adult novels where the resolution takes place under the auspices of adulthood.

Bottom line? Cheryl Kaye Tardif writes a most satisfactory story about a young girl's coming-of-age amidst a background that is simultaneously beautiful, mystical and bittersweet. Recommended for all young adults.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"

At thirteen, Julie Edwards - or Miyax Kapugen - was married according to the agreement between her parents and those of her bridegroom. Miserably unhappy in her temperamental husband's home, Julie fled. She and a wolf pack befriended each other, out in the wilds of her native Alaska, and because of the wolves Julie has survived to find her way home. Back to her widowed father, who (to her considerable surprise) has missed her and looked for her. And then, when told falsely of her death, has mourned for the daughter he loved and now knows he should not have pushed into that early marriage.

In Julie's absence Kapugen has married again, and his new wife is a schoolteacher from Minnesota. Ellen has convinced Kapugen to give up, for the most part, his life as an Eskimo hunter. Although they still live in the village where they met, Kapugen flies an airplane and cares for a herd of domesticated musk oxen while Ellen continues with her teaching job. Julie's homecoming is marred not only by her doubts about her father's choice of a fair-skinned, red-haired outsider as his new wife, but also - far more - by her terror of Kapugen's insistence that if and when the wolf pack comes to hunt his musk oxen, he must kill them. Julie knows that Kapugen means it, because he killed one of "her" wolves before. She can't go off to high school in Fairbanks, not even when she falls in love with a young Eskimo man who will be going to the university there. She has to stay in the village until she figures out how to save her wolves from Kapugen, whom she loves despite his growing departure from the ways he taught her to follow.

Coming of age novels with girl protagonists are rare enough, if one doesn't count (and I certainly do not!) those books whose whole point is how that girl learns to accept the limits of traditional femininity as the cost of mature happiness. Books like this one, about a girl who comes of age by meeting physical and intellectual challenges thrown at her by Nature itself - and by the clash of cultures, too - are rarer still. Marvelous! Simply marvelous!

Julie was about an Eskimo girl who got lost in the Alaskan tundra. Julie, the girl learned to live by wolf ways. She followed the wolves and they accepted her. Amaroq was the pack leader and Silver was his mate. Nails was Amaroq's best friend and Jello was the lowly puppy-sitter. Kapu, Sister, Zat, Zing, and Zan were the puppies. Amaroq got shot by a helicopter flier and died. Kapu was also shot but was nursed back to health by Julie. Julie then found her father, Kapugen (Kapu was named after Julie's father.) near by. Kapugen had stopped following the Eskimo traditions and married a gussak (white) woman. Julie was not at all thrilled about this. Then she saw flying goggles hanging in the house. Julie then realized that Kapugen had shot Amaroq. Julie learned how Kapugen had changed. Then, she found out how Kapugen had started an industry in musk oxen. The caribou which is sort of like a moose or deer is one of the most eaten animals on the tundra. The wolves also eat caribou. The caribou was not going through Kangilik, where Julie was now living or where Kapu and his pack were. The wolves were very hungry and needed food to live off of. What will Julie do to save the wolves?

This one, in my opinion, is a bit better than the first one. Since this one has more social interaction, it makes time seem to fly by much quicker. It also contains the same friendly wolves, which also makes it exciting for anyone who read Julie of the Wolves.

This book is very amazing, it is just as good as it's original, 'Julie of the wolves'. I really loved reading this book, and I'm sure you'll love it too, if you love animals. Don't waste your time on another 'tundra imitation' book, get Julie of the wolves, Julie, and Julie's wolf pack now!

This book is about a young girl living in Alaska, in the village of Kangik trying to get used to her new home. She hears that her father will kill her wolf pack if they kill another oxen. She then goes back out on the Tundra to find her pack and lead them to Caribou. This book is wonderful and teaches us about Eskimos and their traditions. It is a fantastic novel telling how one girl is so in touch with all other living things. If you love learning about other cultures or love Julie of the Wolves and want to see what happens next, then you have to read this amazing book!

If you want a very, very basic introduction to Economics, this book is a good one. However, as an Economics major in college, I was looking more for a reference book to refresh my fading knowledge. This book doesn't have that level of detail.

I gave it five stars, because it's not the book's fault that I wanted something different.

The text is excellent and is suitable for any type of introductary Ecnonomics class. It can be used in a tough course or an easy course, as it provides a great level of organization so that the instructor may choose the material at his discretion depending on his course lay out.

Among all the textbooks I have seen in economics, I have found Mankiw's to be the best. It is clear and concise, addressing all the important intermediate issues in macroeconomics. The description of concepts is simple, and the book benefits from a three pronged approach to teaching - graphical, mathematical, and anecdotal. The student is free to choose whichever one he feels most comfortable learning from.

I'd recommend this along w/ "The Economic Way of Thinking" by Heyne, as the two best Econ textbooks I've read. Mankiw's book is fair and balanced, he is not a frothing at the mouth partisan, and it is a straightforward explanation of basic economic terms. However, he establishes a handful of core truths that anyone who wishes to understand economics must accept, and if not accept, explain as to why these certain truths don't apply. For example, Mankiw establishes that 1.) free markets work better than regulated markets, 2.) private property and incentives are necessary for productivity 3.) trade makes everyone wealthier.

He does not explain these in a polemical way, but he calmly establishes a solid case for these (and other principles), and despite being fairly standard in economic circles, they are fairly contentious in the realm of political economics and discourse (particularly on the collegiete level, where English Major Marxists think they know more about the social order than those who study the social order). This makes the book more persuasive than a fire and brimstone screed from an Ann Coulter type. Books like this need to be read by all to improve the Economical I.Q. of the voting public.

As an instructor of introductory macroeconomics, I often rue the fact that we do not utilize this textbook. I borrow material from it INCESSANTLY and without shame.

It presents the "Keynesian" viewpoint on macroeconomics in an extraordinarily clear and interesting fashion. Frankly, I consider the introductory (read literally - first semester macro books) texts to be a waste of time. There is absolutely no reason this textbook should not be used for a first semester macroeconomics course (assuming one has already taken an introductory microeconomics course).

Suggested plan of study for those interested in a fairly serious study of macroeconomics (without an INSANE amount of mathematical preparation): this book and Barro's book with the same title. Barro's book presents the real business cycle theory approach in a clear manner (though the book is somewhat dull in comparison)...then decide for yourself which 'camp' is making the most sense.

It will make you stronger, but it gets a bit boring. I've used this for over 40 years.

An exercise program you can do in under 13 minutes, with no equipment at all and decades of research to back it up. Luckily I found my old yellow copy I picked up for .50 somewhere. If you can find a copy (try goodwill stores - it was a very popular book in the 60s. Over 4,000,000 were sold) grab it. To republish this is a no brainer - look at the reviews - who knows why it hasn't happened

For all those wishing they could find a new copy of the book, 2 DVD's of this programme have just launched in UK, called Total Fitness for Men / Women. Can't comment yet on actual results (New Year resolutions coming up though!), but it looks a very sensible, effective, and motivating approach that should shatter anyone's excuse (including mine) of 'I haven't got time'.

There is a real gap here for someone to re-issue the book still, not just for the exercises but to give for example updated info on eating guidelines etc. using the same sensible, uncomplicated approach as for exercising.

I've been following the 5BX exercise plan since 1986, a long time ago. It is virtually free of cost, no frills & very effective. It incorporates practically all the theories in existence regarding increasing pulse rate, balancing aerobics with isometrics, warming up first etc. etc. And who cannot spare 11 minutes a day?
(I'm 45 & have been told that I look 35!)

A well written and easy to use guide for physical fitness. At first glance, the plan towards fitness outlined seemed unchallanging. After using the plan for just a few days, I find the fitness plans more challanging than aerobic kick boxing. Content concentrates of muscle toning and flexability, but is well rounded. Charts for progression are great for maintaining motivation. A great addition to exercise routine for active people, and a great way to start out if you are out of shape. All in under 15 min. a day without any equipment!

Usually when I read historical fiction I find that the history is interesting, but the writing is poor; or the reverse. In this case, I found both the writing and history to be superb. It's the first time in years I've read a story so well told that is based on so much research. I can't wait for the paperback to come out so that I can buy it for friends.

Lawrence Hill did a great job telling one of the many stories about our past and how we got to this country. Some may find the book hard to follow but he is a great talent that told the story of what it was like during the passage, the arrival and then freedom of our people. Although a bit meaty, I would say it's a great read and one for the collection.It has increased my thirst for more about history in general.

Wow! Book arrived in perfect condition and delivered as promised.
I couldn't ask for more.

Thank you.

This book shares with the reader the incredible ability of one woman to take all of the bumps that life has to offer and to never give up. The importance of a name and the need to hear it spoken is powerful.

This book was excellent it told the story of slavery from an female point of view "Roots" was from a male point of view. It taught me so much I would definetly use this book for students in African American studies classes. GOOD JOB! If you are interested in African Americans past and what we went though as a whole get this book it teaches very well! It is a BIG book I loved it so much I read it in 3 days!

This was the first of the Russell Quant mysteriea I read, and it was while I was on a Mediterranean cruise. I really got into the main character and all the rest of his friends. Everyone sweemed so real and the mystery held me. It was a page turner. The PI is gay, so if you are gay you will like it even more. I left the book with the cruise ship library so some one else could enjoy it.

There are some implausible plot twists, maybe one too many coincidences, and one major mystery element left quite unresolved, but with a sexy and personable detective (I am a sucker for a man who loves his mother), a large cast of well drawn supporting characters, sparkling wit, and prose as crisp as the winter weather in his Saskatoon setting, Anthony Bidulka keeps you turning the pages at a brisk clip, right up to the very last one. This is the sort of satisfying read perfect for curling up in front of the fire with a warm brandy--or a flight of cold aquavit. Victor J. Banis, author of Spine Intact, Some Creases

This book is about returning detective Russell Quant (2nd in the series) hired by a local businessman being blackmailed by a blackmailer who at once is both enticing and dangerous. Quant ends up for a spell in New York for a short but exciting time and then its back home for the exciting conclusion of another top notch detective story with humour and pathos and further development of some very unique and endearing and curious characters. The author has created a world that is very welcoming to the reader and you will easily (and happily) be taken in.

This book was one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long while, bar none! Anthony Bidulka has quickly become one of my top 5 authors and once you've read "Flight of Aquavit" you'll know why. First of all, I absolutely LOVE (!!) the lead character, Russell Quant. This character is so well-developed I feel as though I actually know this man, from his little quirks to his dry sense of humor, and even to his sense (or lack thereof) of style and likes/dislikes. The cast of characters (especially his mother and his fabulous, larger-than-life friend, Sereena) is quite memorable and provide the reader with a more "3-D" view of Russell's life. Bidulka has a way of drawing you into the story and making you care about the characters and understand what makes them "tick." I found myself having to pace myself as I read the book or else I might have spent all night and part of the morning finishing the story in order to find out how it ends. If you're looking for a great story with a top-notch private eye who happens to be gay (rather than his gayness being the primary characteristic that defines him), look no further than this book. You WON'T be disappointed!

In Flight of Aquavit we see even more of the story behind the story of who the hero of this series, Russell Quant, really is as he trails an captivating blackmailer to New York City and deals with his mother coming to stay for the Christmas holidays. A fun thriller as well as a very human story.