This thirteen-story fantasy collection contains entries all written in the past decade or so. Each contribution will interest the reader as various emotions serve as the respective centers of each tale. Fantasy fans should comprehend up front that whether it is Christmas or some other festive occasion, these offerings typically do not end in a happily ever after, but for the most part will leave readers with a lump in their throat. Hell what could one expect with some of the locations. Every story is extremely well written and worth reading and this anthology showcases Michelle West's talent and imagination to play with feelings.This reviewer must specifically mention the final entry, "To Speak with Angels", which with pride will leave nary a dry eye.

Harriet Klausner

Graeme Pole successfully presents a captivating historical account of the Canadian Pacific Railways construction through Kicking Horse Pass in the Canadian Rockies. Unlike most historical accounts, I was unable to put this book down until I finished reading it cover to cover. I then went out to trace some of the history by using the thoughtfully included train spotting guide which only helped make the history "come alive" even more. While the plentiful photos alone make this book worth the price, it is the writing and many points-of-interest "side bars" that make it a "must have" on the bookshelf of anyone interested in trains, the people who build and run them, and the spectacular scenery of the Canadian Rockies.

This book (and the one which precedes it--Spitfire: The Canadians) is a superb book on many levels. It deals with the aircraft which is arguably the most famous and greatest fighter in history, the Supermarine Spitfire, and with the many Canadian pilots who fought from its cockpit with daring and courage. Although many books have covered the immortal Spitfire Mr. Bracken's books are very unique. The immediacy of the stories he has collected truely hits home as you read the first hand accounts of the pilots and capture some of the tremendous love they have for the aircraft. The stories encompass a range of emotions from humour to terror, and evoke intense feelings as the reader travels back in time. This is more than just the heretofore untold stories of one nation's heroes; it is a testimonial of courage which crosses borders and humanizes the face of the young men who faced death in the arial battlefields that covered the globe for six long years.
The other aspects which render these volumes so unique are the pictures and the drawings. Since Canadian pictures from the war are so rare, the many photographs depicted here have never been published before! Also, Ron Lowry's artwork is utterly first rate and greatly exceeds in quality and detail most other aircraft publications I have seen. Considering the scope and quality of my aircraft book collection, this is a truely remarkable acheivement! The tremendous quality of this book is such that I can recommend it to anyone with any degree of interest in the war, in aviation or in the Spitfire. Top Notch!!!

This book is one of the ignored classics of the cartoon world. Rina's book starts with a cartoon of a wide-eyed innocent young couple kneeling at the side of their bed, praying: "Thank you, Lord for the hot spicy sex we are about to receive." Rina's most hilarious cartoons are those that utilize the contrast between her innocent-looking drawings and the bizarre content of the captions. She enjoys taking cliched comments and drawing them literally. She is a one-of-a-kind classic, and the fact that this book is out of print is absolutely CRAZY!!

If you have been living in the United States as a "Star Spangled Canadian" for any length of time you must read this book. You will identify with a lot of the Canadians who were interviewed by Jeffrey Simpson for his book. Some of the reasons that they give for making the move to the States will be the same as yours, as well as the challenges they faced over the years. Simpson offers and interesting perspective on the "brain-drain" and a lot of facts and figured that will surprise you.

This book is a very emotional piece of literature. It really illustrates the struggles of a person with a visual problem. I understand what Ms. Little went through because of my visual impairment.

O'Meara uses language with the delicate precision of a surgeon.Alternating between established form and a highly burnished free verse, this collection shows what poetry can be in the hands of a craftsman.You'll hear Walcott,Rilke,Heaney,Auden all updated in a voice seeking a reliable course through the pitfalls and shrapnell of the moment gone and the space ahead.Short-listed for Best First Collection in Canada.This young poet has raised the bar in this country.

In the authors own words, he did not write this book "...to be the definitive history of the Chestnut Canoe Company..." but to provide fuel for the fires of future debates, "...held in the Chestnut Pub, built from the old factory boiler room in Fredericton." Ken Solway has achieved his goals in this book for sure.

If you have ever wanted to know the history of Canadian canoe builders around Peterborough, Ontario, this book is a must read. From the inspiration of the Aboriginal dugouts and birch bark canoes; through the all-wood Peterboroughs and Lakefields; and influenced heavily by the wood canvas canoes of Maine builders Gerrish, E.M.White and B.N.Morris; Ken leads us to Chestnut - a proud, often controversial survivor in the Canadian canoe world.

It is refreshing to read the history of John Stephenson, Thomas Gordon, Daniel Harold, and William English, and the great impact they collectively had on canoe evolution in the Peterborough region. These early builders took the native dugout and applied English construction techniques, to deliver canoeing to the elite during the Victorian era of canoeing. Chestnut took the next step, and brought the Canadian canoe to the everyday man, by building over 60 models of practical, working canoes - taking over where these pioneers left off.

In an admission of guilt that will make a Mainer both strut proudly and raise his hackles at the same time, Ken openly proclaims that Chestnut stole their first design from Maine builder, B.N.Morris. In a further act of business guile, William Chestnut managed to convince ten of Old Town Canoe's experienced builders to leave Old Town for Chestnut, across the border in Fredericton, New Brunswick. This act led to the first of many legal battles the Chestnut name has continued to fight, even to this day. Chestnut patented the process for building a wood and canvas canoe in Canada in 1905, leading eventually to the merger of the Peterborough and Chestnut canoe companies, and to some interesting partnerships along the way.

History of the Chestnut family provides a nice perspective on the forces behind Chestnut Canoe. The insight that Ken offers on these dynamic Canadians, provides the backdrop for a canoe company that fought on for many years, building canoes, snowshoes and even toboggans, before finally succumbing to the economic pressures of the age of aluminum and fiberglass in 1961. The rise and fall of Chestnut, along with their predessors in the Peterborough area, captivates the reader, and ultimately leads you to the present day. Chestnut was ultimately split up and sold piece-meal at the bitter end, and Ken describes his current operation, where he builds Chestnut canoes on original forms and ships Chestnut labeled canoes, even though the trademark is not in his hands at this time. The Chestnut trademark at the time of publication anyway, is still in dispute.

Bonus chapters on Omer Stringer and Bill Mason supply another look at two of Canada's paddling giants. Personal observations that Ken shares with the reader will draw memories out of many of us, recalling our own often brief experiences with these remarkable men. I still smile at the flashes of the past brought out by these short but honest recollections of the most influential paddlers Canada produced in this century.

For anyone interested in historic canoe catalogs and the detail that comes with them, there are over fifty pages dedicated to catalog reprints, with most pages containing two or three condensed catalog images. These are some of the most interesting of the catalog pages from 1903 to 1936, and are supplimented by a detailed chart with form measurements for every canoe listed between 1905 and 1955! Not stopping with just the technical facts, Ken goes on to describe the major models and popular options available over time, and includes a few surprises that I'll leave for your to discover on your own.

Over one hundred and sixty pages of paddling history and controversy, fact and speculation, are compiled into this truly interesting book that belongs on the shelf of every wooden canoe enthusiast. This book is destined to be a classic, and will surely provide material for many nights of relaxation in your own "Chestnut Pub," discussing the history of this venerable canoe company with friends who share our love of wooden canoes.

This is a must have book for any student cosidering a college in Canada! Not only will you find maps, local eateries, pubs, stores, but they will rate all the colleges, price dorms, rate college life, etc. This is very helpful when narrowing down your choices!

A Surf of Sparrows' Songs: A Poemanjali by Sasenarie Persaud is unique type of poetry that speaks of the Indian and Hindu experiences in the black and Christian dominated culture of the Caribbean of which Guyana is the setting. The poems are rich in usage of Hindu words and practices. The politics of discrimination against Indians in Guyana are beautifully expressed. And, yes, love, and migration are also eloquently written. It may very well be that this is the first time that a poet or author has used this approach in his/her work - blending a rich Indian/Hindu experience in a dominant black/Christian socio-political atmosphere of the Caribbean. This is the begining of a new school of poetry. I would not hesitate to recommend this work to friends and colleagues