Canadian Book Clubs Book Reviews: Last 35 Posts

Canadian Book Clubs Book Reviews: Last 35 Posts http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Canadian Book Clubs Book Reviews: Last 35 Posts en Mon, 12 May 2008 14:58:19 +0000 Publisher on "Stealing Nasreen" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/17#post-41 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:05:48 +0000 Publisher 41@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Farzana Doctor would be happy to participate in book club meetings either in person in the Toronto area, or by speaker phone. To arrange this, please call Doctor at 647-899-8974. Publisher on "Stealing Nasreen" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/17#post-40 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:53:35 +0000 Publisher 40@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Book Review When I picked up Stealing Nasreen, I expected an abundance of lesbian experiences, from the first time exploration to dramatic break-ups. As I started reading it, I thought it was about immigration to Canada and adaptation in Canada. The lesbian theme did occur but more as a tangent, a tease. Then I thought this book was about relationships. After getting to know the characters, I concluded differently on the author’s theme and purpose. The three main characters are very real, very credible, and very moralistic. Throughout the book, the characters grow, often fumbling and telling lies when attempting to avoid pain, grief, and loss. They finally understand that they must confront their fears and lies that created the problems in the first place. We are first introduced to Shaffiq, an Indian male immigrant. His lie is his continual optimism about being in Canada. He recognizes that he has faked this optimism after the "honeymoon" of being in Canada. Yet, he cannot reveal this lie to his wife, Salma. To spice up his mundane job, he searches for clues about the people around him, creating melodrama in his life. He focuses on Nasreen, a second-generation Indian woman. Nasreen does not represent romantic interest for Shaffiq, but Canadian success for an Indian person. Salma is the central character. Her lie is her efforts to make life successful in Canada. Starved for social stimulation, she turns to her religion. Dwelling on the past, on good things back in India, Salma returns to an unresolved thread in life and creates melodrama in her lonely life in Canada. Nasreen, a modern-day Canadian woman, finds herself in the middle of Salma and Shaffiq’s marriage, after unintentionally sparking off a crisis with these immigrants. Having lost her mother to cancer, Nasreen rejects the painful grieving process and her father, along with avoiding the grief from her break-up with her lover. She is the catalyst in the lives of Salma and Shaffiq. Farzana Doctor slowly introduces us to Salma’s and Shaffiq’s backgrounds and work histories. This purposeful direction enables us to see Salma and Shaffiq first as individuals, before our stereotyping can occur. In some ways, Shaffiq and Salma are very much like, practical in agreeing to an arranged marriage. Their cultural, ethnical, and economic backgrounds demanded practicality to ensure some individual control over their futures. Nasreen experiences no such restrictions. The demands in her life have been minimal which leaves her character development on a more superficial level than Shaffiq's and Salma's. Nasreen’s life revolves around either or choices on simplistic matters, rather than seeing other alternatives. Doctor illustrates this symbolically. Nasreen goes to the grocery store, and hears her mother and her ex-girlfriend's voices in dispute over which cereal to buy. Rather than seeing other alternatives besides the two boxes of cereal, Nasreen takes both cereal boxes. Doctor describes believable incidents that help readers to identify and sympathize with her characters, like Nasreen’s father. He curses the broken automatic garage door-opener, which he always talks about fixing. After opening the door, he buckles up to drive the last three meters into the garage. I like the details that demonstrate character traits. Nasreen’s father seems like so many other urbanites. Doctor describes Nasreen standing before the open fridge door for too long, and about how she hurriedly cleans her whole apartment before a guest imminent arrival. Doctor uses parallel constructions with skill. As an example, Shaffiq wonders whether his thinking has become more melodramatic. "Carrying on with his cleaning, he imagines love affairs as he scrubs toilets, conflicts and ruined lives while mopping floors, and heartbreaking betrayals when emptying garbage cans." Is melodrama a condition of a recent immigrant, of a humdrum job, or of a humdrum life? Does melodrama sprout when leisure time is available? Shaffiq wonders at all the Canadian people with such problems. Back home in India, he had never heard of depression, anxieties, shoplifting, and excessive drinking. Salma feels the loneliness from Shaffiq working the night shift. In her loneliness and solitude, Salma reaches out to Nasreen, creating her own melodrama. Nasreen builds her melodrama from her inability to release her former lover, and to deal with the loss of her mother. Do we create our melodrama when we are unsatisfied with our lives, lying to our close intimates and ourselves? Doctor implies that without honesty we will be melodramatic, as happens to the main characters in this book. Once internal dissatisfaction solidifies and peaks in melodramatic reality, then circumstances force the characters to admit and to choose. We are introduced to the lesbian world with a history of Nasreen’s entrance into her own sexual orientation. Exploring Nasreen’s lesbian lifestyle reveals the character of a lesbian relationship, the similarity to heterosexual relationships. The author dissolves the unfamiliarity for mainstream readers by showing the familiarity of relationships between two lovers, no matter what the sexual orientation. I wondered about Salma’s lesbian crushes in India. People crave intimacy. With the cultural restrictions around non-familial relationships of the opposite sex, it is no wonder that Salma develops deep feelings for someone of the same sex. In Canada, Salma finds Nasreen who provides intellectual stimulation, sympathy, and a chance to resolve her badly ended lesbian relationship in India. In turn, Nasreen understands what it is like to be the person who is desired, and pursued. This is one example where Doctor contrasts and layers a relationship allowing us to see situations from different viewpoints, using past events and other relationships. The engagements of a therapist or a psychologist reveal lies or avoidance in the patients’ lives. All the characters including the two whom were in therapy resolve their problems outside of the therapist office. However, other people play the therapist role informally, demonstrating the importance of communication. Doctor beautifully writes, "...Salma and Shaffiq sit awake thinking about all the clues that tell them, they need to mind their marriage." They become mindful of other people and their surroundings that supply clues. Both Salma and Shaffiq have wonderful insightful dreams that hint at resolutions to their marriage problem. Is this book about relationships? Doctor portrays many types, with contrasting viewpoints: inter-racial romance vs. same-race romance, Indian-grown romance vs. Canadian-born romance, mother vs. daughter, father vs. daughter, sister vs. brother, young lovers vs. long-time marriage, lesbian vs. heterosexual, therapist vs. patient. Interestingly, readers can see the similarities and solutions, but the characters seem blinded. For example, Nasreen, a psychologist, goes to see a therapist herself. The therapy sessions demonstrate restricted intercourse with her therapist, and Nasreen avoiding her own grief. She repeats the dialogue with one of her own clients who lost her mother, making Nasreen a questionable psychologist in her current state. I loved this book for its varied themes, layers, meanings, and symbolism. In the end, I believe Stealing Nasreen is about "life", a fresh look at living life through the eyes of recent immigrants to Canada. Publisher on "Eight Miles High" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/16#post-39 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:01:56 +0000 Publisher 39@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Book Review for Eight Miles High by D. B. Borton Reviewer CountryDamsel A book is similar to a painting. When painting the artist must lead the viewer through the painting. The artist decides on the purpose of the painting. Then by exaggerating some things and simplify others, the artist shares his vision. The viewer will never perceive this underlying structure. But every successful painting will have it. This book is labeled a mystery. And so when I picked up the book I expected a story with the elements that would fit into the genre of mystery. A mystery has a plot. A mystery starts with the unknown and unexplained, and ends with the known and explained. Every chapter, character and fact of the mystery is there to move the plot forward. There should be many small climaxes leading to one major climax, followed by a conclusion. Eight Miles High did not have the elements a mystery. Sure, it started with a lame but real enough unknown. Why were two ladies dead? But then ... nothing. For more than half the book, plot was totally and completely forgotten. There were whole chapters where nothing happened. These chapters were stuffed full of facts about WASP and new characters. There were characters upon characters, all of whom seemed to possess two if not three different names. But through it all, not a plot to be found. In the last quarter of the book, the writer comes back to solving a mystery. But by this point I was so disheartened, confused and disillusioned, it was a chore to be interested. The one thing that would have compensated me for all my hard work of sifting thru reams of words would have been a spectacular climax to it all. Sadly I could not even figure out who exactly the "murderer" was, let alone celebrate his demise. The author failed to lead her readers thru her work of art. All characters were given equal value. The potential climaxes were not exaggerated. The facts that did not contribute to plot were not simplified. The story therefore was too blurred and distorted to bring enjoyment to a reader and be considered a success. Publisher on "Stealing Nasreen" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/17#post-38 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:12:15 +0000 Publisher 38@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ I will review this book. Publisher on "Stealing Nasreen" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/17#post-37 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 09:01:30 +0000 Publisher 37@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0978223306/701-7195923-2009942"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/stealing100.jpg" /></a> Book Synopsis Farzana Doctor’s highly anticipated novel about queer identities, immigrant life, secrets, and lost loves. <blockquote>Nasreen Bastawala is an Indo-Canadian lesbian and burnt-out psychologist who meets and becomes enmeshed in the lives of Shaffiq and Salma Paperwala, new immigrants from Mumbai. Both Shaffiq and Salma develop confusing attractions to Nasreen. For Shaffiq this causes him to bring home and hide things he “finds” in her office. Salma’s crush on Nasreen harkens back memories and regrets about a lesbian affair that ended badly years ago. </blockquote> <blockquote>Nasreen has troubles of her own. She recently broke up with her cheating girlfriend and is dealing with her father, who has become demanding and clingy ever since the death of her mother a couple of years before. </blockquote> <blockquote>Without knowing what is happening, Nasreen becomes the centre of Shaffiq and Salma’s lives. Each keeps a secret about Nasreen, and in so doing risks their marriage, while Nasreen struggles to come to terms with her mother’s death and her recent break-up. An impulsive kiss sets off a surprising course of events. </blockquote> Farzana Doctor is a Toronto-based writer whose work has been published in Siren Magazine, Trikone, Sightlines 7 Anthology, and Aurat Durbar. She has also co-written a manual for therapists and co-produced a documentary video. She is also a social worker, educator and consultant. <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0978223306/701-7195923-2009942">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/0978223306/002-5454111-2828068">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "Eight Miles High" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/16#post-36 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:04:51 +0000 Publisher 36@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ CountryDamsel will review this book. Publisher on "Eight Miles High" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/16#post-35 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:22:15 +0000 Publisher 35@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/1591332117/702-9057519-6221621"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/eight100.jpg" /></a> Book Synopsis <blockquote>They flew dangerous missions in every aircraft the U. S. Army owned, from single-engine trainers to sophisticated bombers. Yet their planes were sabotaged. They were savaged in the press and denounced on the floor of Congress. They were awarded no medals and no veterans benefits. Thirty-eight of them died in service to their country. And now, four decades later, someone is killing off the survivors. . </blockquote> <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/1591332117/702-9057519-6221621">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/1591332109/104-7300593-3983912">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "White Chocolate" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/14#post-34 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:14:51 +0000 Publisher 34@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Book Review It's a glimpse into a world that very few Canadians can participate in. It is a Black world where cheerleading, football, and romance take center stage, a world where young Black African Americans take immense satisfaction in an all Black college. During the first part of the book, I found the youthfulness, and debate around sex before marriage wearisome. White Chocolate by Henrietta Elmore-Smith picks up when the plot moves toward an inter-racial relationship. The author wrote the book in script format. Initially, I thought her intention was to encourage this book for a theatrical production. Then I realized there was no other format to present dialogue between 20-21 year olds. The exchanges consist of nappy one-liners that would make the quote system of he said, she said very stilted. The dialogues detailed the slight nuances between girlfriends, and the fierce female competition for male attentions. Through these talks, I could understand the core belief systems of two college girls in Louisana, United States. The main character Pontia stayed with me because I had eavesdropped on her daily thoughts and dialogues making her so real. Pontia struggles in a relationship with a black football player drafted for the next NFL season. The relationship is pushed forward by Dominique's desperate need to complete the sexual act. This is not an easy task for Pontia's code of honor dictates to only "do it" on her wedding night. In college life, sexual encounters are the norm. Elmore-Smith writes these scenes tastefully from a female perspective. Conversations between Pontia and her jock boyfriend, Dominique, are cut before real communication can begin. For example, her boyfriend questions her loyalty to her girlfriend. The conversation could have explored Pontia, her values, and therefore a basis of the couple's relationship. When she starts to explain, he pins her with "S'cuse me, I know this really nice restaurant and we have reservation there and I want to show you off." Instead of her boyfriend being interested in who she is and her personal values, he is more interested in showing her off. The couple never explores each other's characters in contrast with Dominique’s focused desire to explore her body. Elmore-Smith skillfully illustrates how her main character is valued for her body. When a secret admirer enters her life, Pontia's life takes a spin towards opportunities. He turns out to be a man who listens, a man who has actual conversations with her, a man who tries to do what she would like to do. Every person has a lesson to learn in life. I think Pontia's lesson is to make herself heard and valued by her loved ones. Dominique does not hear her, although he does value her appearance. The secret admirer listens to her. Their emails, telephone calls, and three dates probably compile more character exploration of each other than her "lengthy" relationship with Dominique. Toward the beginning of the book after a fight with Dominique, Pontia says, "I don't know if a sweet little voice can come out of my mouth right now." Her mother warned her that "jocks like unlimited female attention." She felt these early warnings, but her immaturity blinded her skill level to interpret such warnings. For a college setting, Elmore-Smith gets the attitude right, the naiveté, the sex exploration, small tiffs, misunderstandings, and stiff competition for the opposite sex. It is a life where looks and physical performance matter. It is also a sports world where becoming a doctor who specializes in sports medicine is impressive. Pontia thinks she is controlling herself and her destiny. However, her trade-off to hold off with sex pulls her into a relationship that is purely about sex, financial security, and a priority towards a black relationship. She heeds not her own warning at the beginning of the book, "think long you can think wrong." Pontia never asks to see Dominique's parents, nor does he offer. He finally meets her parents on New Year's Eve, 18 hours before one of the major "bowl" football games on New Year's Day. He puts her on the spot by proposing in front of her family, obviously he is worried about rejection. Her family is thrilled that he is black. Her brother who plans to specialize in sports medicine sees opportunity for his future. I found the whole development of Pontia's relationship with Dominique painful. When he pins her with a marriage proposal, does she say no, embarrass him, and ruin his mental state for the football game just hours away? The main character is more focused on style than substance. When Dominique finally expresses his views of Blacks' progression in society, Pontia thinks to herself about how he expressed his views. It was not about what he said; her admiration came from how he said. For Pontia, it is about style, not substance. Then for a 20-21 year old, Elmore-Smith has her character at the proper maturity level. There is some preaching in this book like Black achievements in the United States. Pontia's mother tells her that in the Black Americans' search for equality, black women never thought that equality would mean white women dating black men. This "unforeseen" equality was quite an adjustment for black women. Elmore-Smith purposely leaves out the equality development of black women dating white men. However, the author pulls the concept into play at another time. Pontiac's brother states that he has never dated a white woman, but then concludes that black women are different from the norm. I am not a fan of judging before experiencing. Reminds me of people who slam the Harry Potter series for Christian reasons without reading any of the books! I am unhappy with the ending, although I hope Pontia will re-think what is best for her. Her name is from a class of butterflies sought after by collectors. By not doing what is best for herself, I feel she is being pinned to a butterfly frame, collected for her body rather than for her soul. Publisher on "Stumbling on Happiness" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/15#post-33 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:40:11 +0000 Publisher 33@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0676978584/702-6035275-4839220"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/stumbling100.jpg" /></a> Book’s Back Cover <blockquote>Why are lovers quicker to forgive their partners for infidelity than for leaving dirty dishes in the sink? Why will sighted people pay more to avoid going blind than blind people will pay to regain their sight? Why do dining companions insist on ordering different meals instead of getting what they really want? Why do pigeons seem to have such excellent aim; why can’t we remember one song while listening to another; and why does the line at the grocery store always slow down the moment we join it? </blockquote> <blockquote>In this brilliant, witty, and accessible book, renowned Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert describes the foibles of imagination and illusions of foresight that cause each of use to misconceive our tomorrows and misestimate our satisfactions. Vividly bringing to life the latest scientific research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, philosophy, and behavioral economics, Gilbert reveals what scientists have discovered about the uniquely human ability to imagine the future, and about our capacity to predict how much we will like it when we get there. With penetrating insight and sparkling prose, Gilbert explains why we seem to know so little about the hearts and minds of the people we are about to become. </blockquote> Book Review Is it worthwhile to read a book review, to value anyone's opinion on a book? Based on what Daniel Gilbert writes in Stumbling on Happiness, I would highly recommend that if you trust the source, then maybe you should read a book review before reading any book. So it goes for the rest of our lives. In struggling to find happiness, we discover a road full of obstacles. Gilbert's main theme is that this road is not one that a person should take using only her imagination to plan her route. In our search for happiness, it is important to realize that happiness is fleeting and not achievable for any great length of time. Happiness is recognized in a moment when you say something like, "ah, I am truly happy, right now." Instead of happiness, I like to think of satisfaction. To me, satisfaction is a more equilibrium state to achieve than a flash point of happiness. The wedding day is a flash point of happiness for the marrying couple. After that, is it continual happiness or continual satisfaction? The "happily ever after" fairy tale would say it is continual happiness. A fairy tale, I say. For me I think "satisfaction ever after" is more appropriate in real life. Everyone strives to control his or her own destiny. We do have intelligence so we cannot leave it all to higher beings, nor can we expect the work to be done by others when we want to achieve our pictured destiny. The funny thing about life is that we cannot foresee our future. What we see in our mind is a painted picture of our vision. That painted picture is an illusion that will need to re-stroked as our future unfolds. Gilbert writes that our future destination "isn't what and where we thought it would be". How can an individual's future be solid and complete in her mind when so much is unknown? Children of today are taught that they are special, unique. That will be true within a family. Out in the real world, every child becomes average, fitting in on a large continuum of skills and abilities. Along with our "averageness" come emotional similarities. Our range of emotions is so basic: happy, sad, angry, and depressed, to name a few. The names of different emotions are quite limited, and apply to a huge variety of individual experiences. How many words do we have for happy and how varied is each? In Roget’s Thesaurus, there is fortunate, lucky, gay, contented, joyous, ecstatic, felicitous, apt, glad. Not a huge variety, is it? Each synonym is suited only for certain kind of happiness. Using research studies, Gilbert shows that we can trust that one person's emotion in a particular circumstance would be similar to how "you" would feel. It is hard to believe when each one of us thinks we are so unique that our emotions are often very much the same. Gilbert suggests that our memory banks contain flaws. I like to think of these flaws as bad spots on a computer hard drive. We do not have a whole lot of ram space to remember all of the incidences, events and people. Can you replay the last 24 hours of your life? Generally, we remember snippets, key words, general moods, and the outline of the day, points that help us to recreate in our telling. Some memories will stay awhile, such as a birth of a child or a death of a loved one, or some other "abnormal" event. However, our normal everyday memories are like dreams, if you do not write them down when you first awake the dream will wisp away. Even traumatic events will wisp away in time. Our memories play a major role in imagining our emotional happiness in the future. Time can make the memories flit away. In Animal Farm by George Orwell, the animals remembered the time of rebellion. As time moved on, they believed their feed rations and working conditions had improved after the time of the humans. In reality, at the end of the book, the animals ate much less and worked much harder. It can be difficult to see the change before and after, or to remember the details, especially if we had not personally experienced it. The written word is tremendously helpful method to remember. Unfortunately, with Orwell's animals only oral traditions kept alive the basic memory. With humans, our memories play tricks on us too. For us to remember a transitional event, for it to be etched in our memories, we need to experience the life-changing moment. Magicians will tell you that audiences are not wiser to their illusions after experiencing their performance. But immediately afterwards, the illusions will be fresh in the audience's minds for retelling, including feelings of amazement and wonderment. So what is a person to do if a memories contain such faults. We cannot trust comparing our emotional state, for example whether we were happy as happy back then compared to now. Gilbert shows that the average "attentive person's honest, real-time report is an imperfect approximation". But that person immediate experience is the best way to figure out our own emotional state in those same circumstances. If you think moving to Alberta is the answer to your happiness, you best talk with someone who has recently moved there. And in Stumbling on Happiness, Gilbert says it only takes two steps to dismantle your idea that you are unique and your reaction would be different from anyone else. <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0676978584/702-6035275-4839220">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/1400077427/103-4217242-2008639">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "White Chocolate" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/14#post-32 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 09:24:24 +0000 Publisher 32@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ I will review this book. Publisher on "White Chocolate" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/14#post-31 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:25:28 +0000 Publisher 31@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/702-2222773-3702408?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=43 "><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/whitechoc100.jpg" /></a> White Chocolate Henrietta Elmore-Smith Author’s Synopsis PONTIA DELEON is a college coed at Langston Hughes College in the state of Louisiana. She is quite excited about moving up to the rank of lead majorette in her Junior Year. Her college love, Dominique Charles, is a star quarterback and sprinter at Langston Hughes College, NFL bound, and is very desirous of making Pontia Mrs. Dominique Charles. Xavier DeLeon is her elder brother and is attending medical school at Columbia University in New York City. He is very bright and talented like his sister. As loyal siblings they frequently exchange their views of how they plan to conduct their lives, careers and loves. Pontia believes she has her goals in place. After she earns her bachelor’s degree she intends to enter graduate school majoring in Journalism and Broadcasting. She loves Dominique very much but is not yet ready to hear her wedding bells ringing. Uncertain of how to handle the romantic developments of her relationship Pontia suddenly discovers that she has a secret admirer. She is puzzled by the mysterious multitude of red roses that appear at her doorstep. In time this secret turns public and even though the laws of attraction appear quite normal, family and friends have one particular concern: she and he do not share the same skin tone. Now Pontia must choose who will be the love of her life; by happenstance she finds herself in a delicious, White Chocolate situation. <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/702-2222773-3702408?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=43 ">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/105-2612294-5175665?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=35 ">Amazon.com</a> Paula on "Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/13#post-30 Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:15:47 +0000 Paula 30@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Review by Paula Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam Dr. Vincent Lam, an Emergency Physician by profession, has aptly utilized his wealth of knowledge and experiences in his debut book Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures. The book comprise twelve interwoven short stories chronicling the lives of Ming, Fitz, Sri and Chen, four young medical students and their lives as physicans. Lam captured the Scotiabank Giller prize for this book So I take you through each of the twelve stories with interesting tidbits to wet your appetite and a critique here or there along the way. How to Get Into Medical School, Part 1 is the opening story. Here you are first introduced to Ming and Fitzgerald, their love affair, the cultural differences that come into play and tips on how to study for exams, compliments of Ming. It worked for “Fitz”. Would-be medical students should take note of this. Of all the short stories, this one I found the pace slow at the beginning and a few sentences written awkwardly but a story that sets the stage for the next eleven stories. Take All of Murphy Along with Ming, you are introduced to two more medical students Sri and Chen, as they enter the ‘bowels’ of the hospital to learn about dissection of the human cadaver. The story is told with sensitivity, compassion and humor. You are given insight as to how each of these students deals with their first dissection and the raw emotions that come forth. Personalities certainly are developing in this segment. Loved the bit about the tattoo – it gave a personality or spirit, whatever you want to call it, to “Murphy”. How To Get Into Medical School, Part II You are back again with Ming and Fitz, and Chen becomes a major player, much to the misery of Fitz. I found this story well written, and you do feel for Fitz as the ‘love of his life’ moves on. The cultural differences between Ming and Fitz are an important factor in this story. Code Clock You meet Fitz again, along with other interns and medical staff as ‘Code Blue’ is called out over the intercom. In a well written story you feel the energy, excitement, nervousness and adrenalin rush as Fitz, along with another colleague ‘run the code’ to get to the patient, who is in cardiac arrest. You have seen these stories on TV but the written word by Lam gives you a much more realistic glimpse into the feelings of those in attendance as they struggle to keep a patient alive. A Long Migration This story rather stands on its own…almost like a ‘sidebar’. It is Chen’s family history, but really centered on his grandfather Yeh Yeh. It’s a great story and Yeh Yeh is so colorful and with Yeh Yeh’s illness, Chen’s interest in medicine is piqued and thus his journey begins. I think a book could be in the making on Chen’s grandfather alone. Winston and Eli In the story about Winston, you travel with Winston through his psychosis as Sri tries to to handle the case with tact and compassion. Sri shows up in other portions of stories and it is his compassion in dealing with patients that comes through. There is a sadness for Sri but then you will have to read the stories to find out. In the story of Eli, Fitz is at the helm, and he must attend to a prisoner who is brought to the hospital by police. Eli is the uncooperative, angry prisoner and has to be held down while Fitz attends to his wounds. There are risks to a doctor’s own health and safety, let alone the police, when dealing with this type of patient. I read about Eli as if I was reading a medical report on a clip board. But what both stories do is show the multi-tasking that doctors have to juggle and the extreme ends of medical cases they must deal with…and therefore the stories are crucial to the overall picture of ‘doctoring’. Afterwards Another patient for Sri – a Code Blue. Every effort is made to save the patient but the patient dies. It is up to Sri to tell the family. He tells the family what they need to hear – with a slightly different version running through his mind But the story does not end there. The patient had his cardiac arrest at a barber shop, or more exactly, in the backroom. The patient’s wife is then on a mission to find out what took place in the backroom. I liked the characterization of the wife – she actually made this story I thought. An Insistent Tide Well the short stories would not be complete without a birth and this is just what this story is about. And Ming is the doctor on duty. An emergency situation develops towards the end of labor which has an interesting development. I found this story one of my least interesting. Perhaps it was meandering about too much before the story got into the actual birthing. Night Flight Dr. Fitzgerald takes to the air on a med vac emergency and the story unfolds. You get a glimpse into what is happening personally to Fitzgerald’s health and see that the stress, strain and sleepless nights are contributing factors, along with loneliness. You start to see a slight unraveling of Fitzgerald. Contact Tracing Remember the SARS epidemic in Toronto, well Dr. Lam captures in this story, just how staff must have been affected. The pressure on ward nurses to work the SARS floor and if they chose not to, what they would have to forfeit in return. Both Fitz and Chen come into contact with the virus and the story moves forward from there. This is one of the best stories in the book. There is so much emotion in this story and you have quite a fondness for Fitz and admiration for Chen who risks his own health to assist Fitz. Before Light Before Light, is the last of the twelve stories and it is a good one to wrap up the series. Chen is the central figure in this story. You go with Chen on his rounds and at the end of the day, you find yourself as exhausted as him. I felt the author really captured the ‘day in the life of a physican’. In Vincent Lam’s Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures, I choose to give a little insight into each story, since each stands on its own merits. I did find several of the stories slowly paced in parts, with other stories moving along more swiftly. However, that is a minor criticism. Lam has given us an honest and human glimpse into the hearts, minds and souls of Ming, Fitz, Sri and Chen. I will remember them for a long time. Good book Dr. Lam. I shall look forward to your next literary work. Publisher on "Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/13#post-25 Tue, 22 May 2007 16:02:28 +0000 Publisher 25@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Paula will review this book instead. Publisher on "Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/13#post-24 Wed, 16 May 2007 08:29:37 +0000 Publisher 24@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ I will review this book. Publisher on "Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/13#post-23 Tue, 08 May 2007 11:22:27 +0000 Publisher 23@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0385661444/701-0913032-4501906"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/bloodletting100.jpg" /></a> Book Synopsis <blockquote>Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures is an astonishing literary debut, a collection of mature and intricate stories connected through the relationships that develop among group of young doctors as they move from the challenges of med school to the intense world of emergency rooms, evac missions, and terrifying new viruses. . </blockquote> <blockquote>Vincent Lam holds in delicate and sinful tension black humour, investigations of both common and extraordinary moral dilemmas, and a sometimes shockingly realistic and matter-of-fact portrait of today’s medical profession. . </blockquote> <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0385661444/701-0913032-4501906">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/0385661444/002-5392730-1262425">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "the Story of General Dann and Mara's Daughter, Griot and The Snow Dog" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/12#post-22 Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:40:18 +0000 Publisher 22@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0060530138/702-9319921-9651243 "><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/storyofgeneraldann100.jpg" /></a> Book Synopsis <blockquote>One of greatest living writers, the acclaimed author of Mara and Dann returns us to a future where hope has frozen and died. </blockquote> <blockquote>Dann is grown up now, hunting for knowledge and despondent over the inadequacies of his civilization. With his trusted companions — Mara’s daughter, his hope for the future; the abandoned child-solder Griot, who discovers the meaning of love and the ability to sing stories; and the snow dog, a faithful friend who brings him back from the depths of despair — Dann embarks on a strange and captivating adventure in a suddenly colder, more watery climate in the north. </blockquote> Book Review Are we complacent by nature? Or is our society complacent? And what role do we play within a complacent society? Doris Lessing questions needs, wants, and ambitions in her new book, the Story of General Dann and Mara’s Daughter, Griot and The Snow Dog. Although a sequel to Mara and Dann: An Adventure, Lessing’s latest book can be read on its own. An unfamiliar reader will find the first part tough slogging. Lessing paints a self-centered man first encountering hopeless people in dire deathly circumstances, then finding a complacent society. The complacent society is isolated in an island. "No man is an island," said John Donne. These people believe they are an island unto themselves. Their complacent isolation speaks to their eventual demise. What happens when all our basic wants and needs are met with no sense of adventure left, just a total preoccupation with day to day business? What happens to that society? The people, the culture becomes complacent with no thoughts of the future, or of anyone else outside of their society. Coming from a "world" of desperation, starvation, and violence, Dann single-handedly contrasts the inadequacies of this world. Time passes quickly for Dann. Before we know it, three years have passed. Why would anyone stay in such a monotonous place, as it was a bit boring to read? But that is one of Lessing’s questions she plants in your mind. And hopefully you are awake and don’t enter that complacency by putting the book down, and failing to understand Lessing’s motivations. When Dann finally leaves this idyllic world of tranquillity called the Bottom Sea, he instills the seed of adventure, and desire for quest. He does give back in the only way he can; but in a way that we do not recognize nor value. In his leave-taking, Lessing vividly portrays Dann’s inadequacies to understanding relationships and valuing emotional depth. I hated him for that. But then in a society of complacency and self-centeredness, citizens treat each other in the same manner. Everyone goes his or her own way, with no real need for anyone, just an exchange of money. There’s always a lesson from people we hate. Moreover, Lessing makes us hate Dann for his callousness and disregard of other people in his life. He really does not understand what others have given to him. We are Dann operating with our superficial emotional immaturity in our own superficial city environments. Perhaps, we need to start giving in deeper ways, establishing emotional depths with our city neighbours, instilling seeds of inter-dependencies, and quests of independence from our captive consumerism. Being a sequel, this book may stand-alone if the reader is patient. And you will find your reward and perhaps a desire to read Mara and Dann: An Adventure for the history. I would encourage you to read the first book because you will never look at water in the way you look at it now. But don’t feel obligated to read the series in order. By reading this sequel first, you see Dann through the same eyes that other people see him, not knowing his past. Griot, a loyal friend, who idolizes Dann, asks the important questions about what makes a hero, and about the role that heroes play in our society. A hero, a visionary, is impossible without the detail person. A hero gets bogged down by repetitive negativity in the daily grind. While the detail person motivates and inspires the hero with the small daily successes that snowball and multiply. A hero is a combination of the visionary person and the detail person. Unfortunately, the masses only recognize and reward the visionary person. The lengthy title puzzles me. For those unfamiliar with the first story, the title of the second book speaks of things not true. For those of us who eagerly awaited a sequel, the title attracts and promises direction. The title speaks of blood relationships, human friendships, and loyal animal bonds, a circle that can empower a human, and bring hope for the future. When we carry hope and positive contributions, then civilization moves forward. When we carry death and destruction, civilization moves backwards. History repeats itself. Lessing leaves us to ponder our actions for our future, contrasting past and present societies. Which path will we chose? <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0060530138/702-9319921-9651243 ">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/0060530138/102-2850687-4947336 ">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "Stolen" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/11#post-21 Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:54:52 +0000 Publisher 21@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Stolen By Annette Lapointe Reviewed by CountryDamsel Have you ever met someone who does everything you disagree with and yet with whom you still understand and sympathize? I have. I met Rowan. In this novel I learned to like a drug dealer and petty thief. Fate, in the form of his father’s mental illness, “steals” Rowan’s father, changes his mother, the only female main character in the book, and changes Rowan’s course in life. Later in life, mental illness takes yet another important figure away, Rowan’s first-love. But mental illness is not the only important issue dealt with in this novel. In fact very few important issues are left out in this novel, issues all Canadians hear about just from listening to CBC. Some of the issues are marijuana and drug use; crime in youth, gay and lesbian relations; as well as previously mentioned mental health. This is a novel very relevant to our times. Most the novel is set in small town Saskatchewan, except for a few formative years spent on the west Coast. Those of us from Saskatchewan will relate to the images of Saskatoon, Northern Saskatchewan and rural Saskatchewan. Saskatchewanians understand long bus rides with a driver named Earl on potholed roads to barely existing schools in barely existing towns. We also relate to the necessity of the internet, even if it is dial-up, to keep in touch with the rest of the world. In Rowan’s words: <blockquote>He’s discovered there are two worlds out here. The one he recognized first is scattered, nearly empty. One person every two miles, hunkered in the prairie, close and surrounded by rusting hunks of machinery and the shells of mobile homes. Thinly connected by wires and never filled. The world he found more recently is crowded. … shrank to the size of a fifteen-inch monitor, and it’s impossibly full.” Pg 18 </blockquote> I love Lapointe’s gritty and frank writing style. Stolen, a Giller Prize Nominee, is a strong-black-coffee-straight-up type novel. Or maybe something even stronger! This is a story of acceptance. Perhaps a story of how experiences make us what we are. There is suspense in this novel but an important part of the novel is also a love story. Rowan is a man who could hold many labels in our mind and not all labels with good connotations either. And yet – we learn to see beyond the label. I like many things about this book but as a Christian, I found exception in the gay love affair. The author treated Rowan’s love affair with respect, showing the relationship starting small and growing. But the details were more than I wanted to know. This is not a book I would recommend to my mother-in-law. But if you’re looking for a candid, gritty tale that causes you to question your preconceived notions, this is it. Paula on "sugar bush & other stories" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/10#post-20 Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:40:41 +0000 Paula 20@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Sugar Bush & Other Stories By Jenn Farrell Review by Paula In her book Sugar Bush & Other Stories, Vancouver author and editor, Jenn Farrell has an amazing gift in capturing the essence of the trials and tribulations as girls and young women attempt to enter ‘the society of adults’. The book comprises twelve stories with Sugar Bush, one of the main stories. Each story is unique and powerful and you live the life of the girl the story revolves around…and then the story ends so quickly – and you really want to know more. The author portrays each character so well, that they literally come to life. Each story tells of the life of a young girl moving from puberty to a young woman or a young woman trying to maintain her own independence in today’s society. It deals with the hard facts of many social issues young people deal with. Many make unwise decisions, whether as a twelve year old, or an eighteen year old, with sex, lust, drugs and abuse forming part of their experiences. In many ways some of the stories are sad for you wish a better start in life for them. But each story reflects many truths of today’s society, even though at times we want to turn a blind eye to it. Farrell obviously has her ear to the ‘pulse of our youth’ with dialogue, feelings and settings. Take a moment to savour the short story, Dish Pig. This is the only story that headlines a young man as the main character. He is a dishwasher in a little bar joint, his first job, and he fantasies about ‘eighteen year old Amber, a regular visitor to the bar. As he says, “The one really good thing about this job is Amber – it’s part of the reason I applied here in the first place.” You can literally feel the emotions pouring forth from him as he describes his feelings. Great story. Sugar Bush is marvelous. This story is told in the form of a ‘diary’ but with a unique approach. The last story in the book is Maternity Benefits. Alice is in late pregnancy and needs a job to get a few more paychecks to help pay the bills. Jason her boyfriend was laid-off and is on unemployment insurance and is working on building a grow-op behind their laundry room. So Alice goes job hunting with only a few weeks left in her pregnancy. The author has a great line in the story as Alice prepares to dress for an interview. “She had worn her longest, loosest hippie dress to hide how big she was, and then, right before she left, she put on a pair of old control-top pantyhose to try and mash the baby down.” Alice sets out on an interview, and the story unfolds. It has a twist to the end, and leaves you wondering really what happened. You see the hard side of life in each of these stories. Some of the women will make it in life but some you wonder about. And it also bears asking the question, “Where are the parents and family for support”. And that in itself answers some questions as you read through the pages. Sugar Bush & Other Stories, a pint size book (much smaller than the usual sized novel of today) but is packed with power it its writing. I look forward to reading a full length novel from Jenn Farrell at some point. Publisher on "Stolen" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/11#post-19 Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:08:36 +0000 Publisher 19@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ CountryDamsel will review this book. Publisher on "sugar bush & other stories" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/10#post-18 Mon, 05 Mar 2007 13:47:53 +0000 Publisher 18@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Paula will review this book. Publisher on "Stolen" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/11#post-17 Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:03:50 +0000 Publisher 17@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/1895636736/701-4100739-1635513"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/stolen100.jpg" /></a> Stolen Annette Lapointe Anvil Press's Synopsis Rowan Friesen has made a career of drug-dealing and small-time thievery. He lives a loner's life on the outer reaches of Saskatoon, selling crystal meth to highschoolers and hawking his pilfered loot on the Net. Shiftless and seemingly friendless, he is, at first glance, and unlikely and unlikable protagonist. But as Stolen unfolds, we learn the details of Rowan's life: his well-meaning but self-absorbed mother, his mentally-ill father, and a high school friendship both lustful and incendiary. Praise for Stolen: Stolen, published in fall, 2006, has received the Saskatchewan first book award and the Saskatoon book award. It was nominated for the Giller prize for fiction. The Giller prize jury said, "It moves with the force of what's right and true and must not be elided." Word magazine said, "Stolen is a powerful and unconventional novel. It marks a very impressive debut." The Globe and Mail said, "Abandon that blockbuster reprint and open Annette Lapointe. The Saskatoon writer's exceptional first novel should be taught in high schools." <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/1895636736/701-4100739-1635513">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/1895636736/105-1505174-1371648">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "sugar bush & other stories" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/10#post-16 Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:47:55 +0000 Publisher 16@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/1895636760/701-4100739-1635513"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/sugarbush100.jpg" /></a> sugar bush Jenn Farrell Anvil Press's Introduction Sexy, funny, sad, and sweet - sugar bush and other stories are frank tales of sex, love, and longing. These girls and young women navigate their lives in questionable ways, making some ill-advised choices in their quests for individuality. Whether waiting tables in a factory town, skipping school to make out in the cemetery, or wandering alone on rural side-roads, the characters in this collection share an appetite for destruction and an almost pathological need for acceptance and approval. Part breathless teenaged confessional, part wistful looks back, "sugar bush" is a potent cocktail of desires thwarted and fulfilled. Praise for sugar bush: <blockquote>"Jenn Farrell smashes neat ideas - of childhood and adulthood, love and lust, home and away - to find their more interesting edges. Her stories are bright, sharp shards, winking and glittering and drawing blood." - Annabel Lyn, author of The Best Thing for You and Oxygen </blockquote> <blockquote>"Like blues songs pushed through a metal screen, Jenn Farrell's stories distill and reveal the sad humanity of her characters. You'll be glad you've read these tales, and relieve that you're not living them. sugar bush will tear your heart out - but not the easy way." - Calvin Wharton, author of Three songs by Hank Williams. </blockquote> <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/1895636760/701-4100739-1635513">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/1895636760/105-1505174-1371648">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "Circles in the Sand" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/9#post-15 Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:46:09 +0000 Publisher 15@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Book Review If you always wanted to understand chakras, Circles in the Sand will step you through the seven themes. But I would recommend pulling a chakra chart off the internet before reading E.J. "Samadhi" Whitehouse’s first page. Whitehouse writes her autobiography from 1974 at age 17 over a 25 year span. Using a visual graphic for each chakra, Whitehouse links each story element with a chakra. I would have preferred simple identification of first chakra, second chakra, etc instead of visual graphics. I had to consult the legend to identify which visual with which chakra, then on to how a chakra related to the story. Chakras are energy wheels, whether meta- or biophysical, located in seven different body sectors: root of the body (Coccyx Perineum), spleen, stomach, heart, throat, brow, and crown. Each chakra has an associated colour, psychological functions, emotions, glands, body parts and physical dysfunctions. For example, if you have a particular type of illness like diabetes, you would have a problem with your third chakra located in the stomach. If you work on the psychological functions of your third chakra, then you may ameliorate the disease of diabetes. The psychological functions are around personal power, will, knowledge, wit, laughter, mental clarity, humour, optimism, self-control, curiousity, and awareness. So then knowledge on the foods you are eating, and self-control with the types of food you eat can ease the physical dysfunction of diabetes. Conversely, if you have intense guilt problems with some of your past history, you should focus on the fourth chakra of the heart. This would identify potential physical dysfunctions such as high blood pressure, lethargy, asthma, emphysema, or chest pain, to name a few. Work and mediation on all areas of the fourth chakra could hamper any physical dysfunctions. Further, some chakras experts recommend focused mediation and work on each chakra to minimize or nullify any physical dysfunctions. Whitehouse’s book can be a case study on discussing chakras and understanding its layered meanings within her autobiographical experiences. On page 316, she summarizes all her illnesses and how each illness works into each chakra. I wished her various illnesses could have been weaved more into the book, such as she did with her heart surgery. Then Whitehouse and the reader could have delved deeper into the chakra theory. But this book is not written as a chakra teaching tool but as an autobiography. I found the first part of the book painfully hard to read. I could feel the writer's pain and bewilderment with her family. There appeared to be very little interaction with the eight other siblings, or at least that was related in the book. Whitehouse does point out that all of the children have problems, not surprisingly as everyone has problems. But I would have liked to hear more about the other siblings, their problems, their hierarchy, and their roles within the family. For example, this last child who was adopted by Whitehouses' mother and father, what is the story behind that child and his entrance into the family? Many times, I was left with more questions than answers. Since the author concluded her book at age 42, there is much more of her life to live, and to understand. Growing up in a family with eight children would have been tremendously difficult. Having all the children survive intact, meaning alive, is a miracle, for any family. After giving up her baby for adoption, Whitehouse felt internal damage from her parents’ handling of her pregnancy and her forced adoption. Then she had to ward off her father's incestuous advances resulting in more emotional, psychological, and physiological damages. Throughout the book, the author focused on her father’s behaviour as central to all her problems. But if we timeline her illnesses, the physiological damages Whitehouse experienced started much earlier. Using the chakra theory in conjunction with her childhood illnesses, her father's behaviour was a pivotal point, but not the root of her problems. Just after Whitehouse's heart surgery at age 36, other siblings suddenly remembered sexual abuse, and not only from Dad. This would have been a time for Whitehouse to tell us more about her siblings. The opportunity is attempted but lost. She says, "I was stunned, surprised, and angry. All these years, and no one had truly supported or honoured me, and now, half my siblings laid claims to abuse. No one called to say they now understood because they, too, were abused. It was as if the "Dad-thing" had never happened with me, because now, it was all about them. I didn't want sympathy -- I just want to be part of my family -- I just wanted to be heard. I couldn't stand it." Then she hurtfully responds, "they seemed to deliberately keep me out of the situation and their confrontations with Mom and Dad." Of course, it was all about them! Of course, each sibling would keep others out of his/her confrontations with the parents! Involving the whole family would have opened a Pandora's box. She should have been thankful that the other siblings had finally found the strength to remember and confront. Her siblings confessions confirmed Whitehouse' experiences with her father. It was a time to be thankful that none of her siblings asked her to be there for the confrontations. It was a time to be thankful that she had been strong enough to say no to her father. I did not always agree with what she thought was her self-control in dealing with her father. When her father remarked incestuously and snidely, she thought she exhibited self-control in clamming up. I wanted her to scream at him, and tell him in outright terms what she thought. The only time she appeared to confront is in letters. I did get tired of her written explanations to her father and other family members. I understand she wrote to resolve her inner turmoil. When other family members revealed her writings, she was surprised, shocked and hurt. I kept saying, "No! No! Don't send it!" In a dysfunctional family, a written or taped confession is a hefty weight to add to power dynamics. It will be used at sometime, and not in the way an author intends. Control is a major theme running throughout the book. Every family member attempts to control each other. Towards the end of the book, we see and understand how the mother controls. Then it made me wonder about the whole relationship between the parents especially since the father was a former alcoholic. I also wondered about the relationships between the siblings. Which parent really pushed Whitehouse to put her child up for adoption? What was the hierarchy in the family? What were the power dynamics? Did she look like her mother when her mother was young? What did Whitehouse think her father needed from her, beside sex? Was he looking for understanding and compassion that he felt he could find in his daughter? The author hinted at details that remained unanswered. Details that I thought were important. Details that I thought would help me understand why. Whitehouse wanted a confession from her father admitting his incestuous attempts, and asking her forgiveness. No one can control what another person does, such as admitting guilt and accepting blame; we can only control our own choices and behaviours. I believe the author has not forgiven herself for that time in Montreal. I believe she did admirably well warding off her father's advances in the hotel. It was time to tell herself that back in that moment she was a good person and did well. Christianity, or at least the version related by Whitehouse, is also all about control. She brilliantly exemplifies Christianity's control tendencies with her experience as a fundamentalist missionary-in-training in Switzerland, her missionary work in Lebanon and Israel, and then her deprogramming experience sponsored by her parents. Control is full of paternalistic power and authority. The religious groups and parents mistakenly believed that they knew what was best for Whitehouse; Whitehouse also believed that others knew best. Within those external boundaries, Whitehouse tried to control her life and work within the system. Should she have worked within the box, or should she have exploded outside the box? Whitehouse provides us with two other major themes: peace and conflict. Being in the midst of the Middle East conflict, she would have seen that peace does not come from 'ignoring conflict'. Her personal life and travel experiences illustrate both states of mind/being. When she was given a exclusive tour of the Palestinian refuge camp, she decided to keep that experience to herself instead of sharing with the missionary group. I think it was an opportunity lost in NOT telling the others exactly what she had seen, heard and felt while walking through that misery. What could have been gained? What might have developed with the individual observations shared among the missionary group? By NOT telling them, nothing was gained. After watching the cultures clash in the Middle East, I wished she could have pulled these experiences into learning how to deal with her father. When he confronted her in the kitchen, she clammed up thereby 'ignoring conflict'. Just as she clammed up and ignored the conflict after walking through the refugee camp. Was it an opportunity lost in NOT telling him exactly what she thought, alone in that kitchen? One thing we can be sure of is by NOT telling him in that moment, nothing was gained, not even peace within herself. Does peace come only from confrontation? Middle East history should scream no to violent, physical confrontation. I think peace comes when we have peace within ourselves. Do victims of crime find peace in criminal trials? Does the victim find peace when the justice system finds the criminal guilty? Do we find peace when we demand others to accept blame and responsibility? Or does a person find peace when she realizes she did the very best she could at the time with her skills, experiences and abilities evident in that snapshot of time? When it comes to her life, I find that Whitehouse looks at her glass as half-empty rather than half-full. She can find much to be thankful for. And in that action she will find peace within herself. She can be thankful that she put her child up for adoption instead of having to grow up with dysfunction relatives. She can be thankful she was not a teenage mother struggling to raise a child, understand, and cope with her family. She can be thankful that her father incestuous advances stopped at that, and did not move to the actual stage of physical contact. She can be thankful for the strength she had at the time that helped her to say that, 'it’s not right'. She can be thankful that she had the desire to travel, instead of being bound to an everyday existence in close proximity with her parents. Although her earlier life holds much sadness, Whitehouse has much to be thankful for in her past. I enjoyed the second part of her book once she starts to travel. Whitehouse contracts to work in hospital administration in the Middle East. She vividly paints the culture, her travel adventures, the daily grind, and personal struggles. I almost felt part of her exploration of the dramatic landscape and the emotional rollercoasters between two cultures. She describes the interactions between men and women, the trials of women eating in restaurants, the torments of non-Arabic friends who love paternalistic Arab men, and tours to spots that I can only dream about. The theme of control, external and internal, is illustrated again with Whitehouse's travels to the Middle East. A Muslim girlfriend believed that women should be held responsible for men's lust. Whitehouse aptly responds, "How the religious law convinced women that it was entirely their fault for men's lust is beyond me, but convinced they were... Personal accountability on a man's part was a totally foreign concept that she couldn't wrap her mind around. It reminded me of Christianity's foundational belief in Eve being responsible for Adam's choice to eat the apple." And that was the gem for me as a reader! Whitehouse's familiarity with both religions, Christianity and Islam, paralleled the fundamental bases between two sects: how both religions absolve men of personal responsibility and place the blame on women! This same flaw parallels in her personal life. Her father demonstrated how he could absolve himself of responsibility and place the blame on his daughter. Whitehouse tried desperately to get her father to admit personal responsibility and accept personal blame for his actions towards her. This is the crux of her dilemma and her struggle. In many of her interactions in the Middle East, this control issue played out repeatedly. Whitehouse sought to understand the patterns through a counsellor. Understanding grew when she broke her big toe and could no longer run away! Interestingly, the first or "root" chakra has the feet as one of the associated body parts. When the root of her body had trouble, she was finally able to understand the root patterns of her life. It is easy to use hindsight to analyze a person's past, easier than having to live through it. Readers can glimpse missed opportunities for understanding and growth. We can see how the larger social struggles reflect in her private struggles. Moving with the author along the chakra theory, we can glimpse inter-relationships in her life. Finally perhaps, we can reflect and gain some understanding of our own lives. Publisher on "Circles in the Sand" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/9#post-13 Wed, 03 Jan 2007 18:00:46 +0000 Publisher 13@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ I will review this book. Publisher on "Circles in the Sand" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/9#post-12 Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:13:57 +0000 Publisher 12@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ If you would like to review this book, your book club must be listed with our website, and regularly updated. Please send us an email as listed in this <a href="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkreview.html">link</a>. Publisher on "Circles in the Sand" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/9#post-11 Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:05:22 +0000 Publisher 11@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/1412041902/702-8786570-0217629 "><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/circles100.jpg" /></a> Circles in the Sand E.J. "Samadhi" Whitehouse Author's Introduction Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to introduce myself as the author of Circles in the Sand, which has been described as <blockquote>"a breakthrough non-fiction with all of the passion and drama of fiction. A soul is a beautiful thing to see, and that is what Samadhi's writing shows us. " </blockquote> The journey through family and the Middle East brings a new vantage point to those of us who have been wounded, veiled in our own oppression, and unable to have the freedom to speak our truth. I now look at the tumultuous events within my lifetime as a gift, allowing me to share a deeply personal--yet communal--journey from darkness into light. Veiled oppression of Arabian women was the crucial mirror needed to see my reflection. The stark emptiness of the desert echoed my own internal emptiness—until I saw the oasis. Follow my search for what I thought was lost—my soul. E.J. "Samadhi" Whitehouse Author's Book Synopsis A personal memoir of a woman’s emotional and spiritual journey—from troubled teenage years in the ‘70s to spiritual enlightenment in the new millennium. Her soul wounded by her father’s incestuous advances toward her, the author travels through several Middle-Eastern countries—an odd choice for a woman on a quest for sexual and self-identity, healing, and escape from her family—particularly her father. Without family support, she struggles to find spiritual wholeness, love of self, and her own truth. In the war-torn Middle East, she encounters volatile political situations, the constricting laws of different countries and religions, as well as a confusing mix of social and moral behaviours. Throughout her travels, the poverty, terror, and brutal female oppression she often observes heighten her own sense of self-hatred. Meanwhile, her teenage pregnancy, the baby girl she was forced to surrender, and her father’s inappropriate actions haunt her memory. Her personal struggles with being gay, as well as denial, rejection, and harsh treatment from her family, further convince her that she is worthless as a woman—and non-existent as a child of God. But as she looks through the windows of her past, and into worlds many of us will never enter, she slowly begins to understand that her introspective journey has led directly to her soul. And this insight brings her to an acceptance of being gay, to her own belief in spirit, and to a sense of belonging. For all its raw honesty about many painful subjects—including the rape and execution of women in the Middle East—Circles in the Sand evokes the exotic tastes, sounds, and beauties of Arabia. And it shares with us the poignancy of women engaging together when temporarily apart from men—and briefly freed from their forced restraints. The author’s journey into the light of self-acceptance—from a dark place where her sexuality kept her in chains—will resonate with the many who have struggled with becoming open and comfortable about their homosexuality. Her lifetime quest to have her voice heard will speak to a wide range of today’s women, whose internal struggles for acceptance are the same. The cycle has not yet been broken, but that time will come, as the young women of today listen to the voices of the past—and discover the wisdom of those women who have already walked a labyrinth of Circles in the Sand. <a href="http://www.samadhiwhitehouse.writerswebpages.com">Author's Website</a> <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/1412041902/702-8786570-0217629 ">Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/1412041902/002-3988842-9884833 ">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "Raintree Rebellion" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/8#post-10 Tue, 05 Dec 2006 15:15:46 +0000 Publisher 10@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0006395422/701-1869843-4032327"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/raintree100.jpg" /></a> Book Synopsis <blockquote>Blake Raintree, the heroine of The Secret Under my Skin is now eighteen. She returns to Toronto, the city she fled as a child, to work as an aide to Erica, her adopted mother, on a new justice council set up to address the wrongs of the technocaust. While there, she submits the ID code from the microchip that was implanted in her arm by her parents in infancy, hoping to find out more about her past. What she learns will cause her to question everything she know about herself. </blockquote> Book Review I was generally surprised and pleased when I discovered this was a futuristic story set in Canada. The year 2370 is a time of holodisplay (tv), hologram (messaging) and Earth people living another planet called “Terra Nova”. Greater Toronto (and other places on Earth) had experienced 16 years of strong-arm straight-jackets political system. These years were called the Technocaust. To recover from this apartheid against technology, the new political system must deal with the crimes and victims of the recent past. Our world has seen crimes against humanity. We, as a society are willing to perpetrate it, or at least turn a blind eye. But what happens afterwards? How should those crimes be dealt with? The Nuremberg Trials offered guilt, condemnation, and punishment. The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission granted some amnesty after full confession. Out of 7,112 petitions, only 12% were granted amnesty. Two conditions had to be met: a politically motivated crime and a full, honest confession. Those figures only hint at the Commission’s struggles. Criticisms of that Commission say that justice comes first, then reconciliation. One cannot replace the other. Janet McNaughton used the South African Commission as a model to work through the aftermath of this fictional technocaust. The technocaust had banned many forms of technology: genetic modificatian of any type, nano- and bio-technology, satellite tracking, and artificial intelligence research or application. An eighteen year old girl works as an aide to a member of the Transitional Council. We see the process in establishing this Council through her eyes, Blake Raintree. Her victimized emotions are raw, feeling hatred to the internal protectors (home office of security). With other aides, Raintree investigates archives including radio and tv broadcasts prior to the technocaust. They must discover the triggers for the technocaust. On a personal level, NcNaughton uses Raintree’s search for her father’s identity to parallel the justice council. Good elements to discuss: 1) What crimes against humanity can you think of? Was justice done? 2) Raintree had a microchip implanted in her arm that helped her to discover her “heritage.” How do children who suffer from our crimes against humanity resolve their past? Which is better to know or not to know your past? If you could have implanted a microchip in your baby’s arm, what would you have chosen? Why? 4) How does the Nuremberg Trials and the South African Commission symbolism their times? 5) What kind of Commission would be appropriate for our time? 6) How power shifts in society? 7) How easily can power corrupt? What are the safe-guards against corruption? 8) Technology, especially computer generated programs, always have flaws. Share some of your technological horror stories. 9) How could our current technology threaten those who govern? Is it happening? 10) How did privacy invasions occur in the book? What effect could this have? 11) When and how can technology invade privacy? Is privacy in today’s world an opt-in or opt-out process? What are the implications for both paths? When should someone be told that their privacy is invaded? Is there a time when it is okay to invade privacy? 12) How can people in power hide behind technology? 13) How does technology change democracy? How will it affect the countries in China, India, and the countries in the Middle East? 14) What is the melting ground for all forms of protest? 15) When is guilt by association a crime? 16) What is forgiveness? 17) How can we forgive when we have such hatred? 18) How can public acknowledgement and confession be a way to move past hate into forgiveness? Must justice come first before reconciliation or vice versa? Or is there another way to moving past hate into the future? 19) How does the author handle spirituality and religion? <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0006395422/701-1869843-4032327"><img />Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/0006395422/103-3517426-6344666">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "In the Skin of the Lion" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/7#post-9 Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:38:41 +0000 Publisher 9@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0394281829/701-0566663-3731559"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/skinlion100.jpg" /></a> Amazon’s Product Description <blockquote>In the Skin of a Lion is a love story and an irresistible mystery set in the turbulent, muscular new world of Toronto in the 20s and 30s. Michael Ondaatje entwines adventure, romance and history, real and invented, enmeshing us in the lives of the immigrants who built the city and those who dreamed it into being: the politically powerful, the anarchists, bridge builders and tunnellers, a vanished millionaire and his mistress, a rescued nun and a thief who leads a charmed life. This is a haunting tale of passion, privilege and biting physical labour, of men and women moved by compassion and driven by the power of dreams -- sometimes even to murder. </blockquote> Submitted by <a href="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/sk/moos.html">Moosomin Book Club</a> in March, 1999 Written by Grace Armstrong who could not be at the March `99 meeting First of all, my regrets that I can't be with you this evening. I was looking forward to hearing others' reactions to this book. I like this book very much but need to read it again, maybe more than once, to fully grasp the way the plot evolves. Although it seemed disjoint, paradoxically that didn't irritate me. On the contrary I felt quite soon that I was in the hands of a master writer. given that quality of writing, you just wanted to go where the characters, the drama, and the lyrical passages led. Unforgettable images: the Finnish skaters at night on the river; skating by the light of cattails; leaping and dancing because they had to have joy, expression, life to cope with the emotion starvation of their daily labour; Temelcoff swinging down from the bridge, catching the falling nun, who then has freedom to choose to disappear into a whole new life. I found the central characters to be interesting and their evolution was believable. Patrick on page 157 describes himself as simply a prism that refracts the lives of Clara, Ambrose, Alice, Temelcoff and Cato. In the end however, he rescues Caravaggio, performs an heroic journey (whether dreamed or actual we are left to decide for ourselves) through the underwater labyrinth. He emerges to set out on the final journey to claim Clara, the enigmatic women he loves most deeply of all. These characters are satisfying, you feel their passions, angers, pains, transformation, growths. The "crow scenes" give the socio-economic context. The masses of labourers in their grinding poverty are well contrasted with the educated rich. In this novel the boundary between myth and history, reality and dreams seems always fragile. Looking back to Butala's writing in Garden of Eden, set in southwestern Saskatchewan and Ethiopia. I was struck by the much greater fluidity and poetic ease of Ondaatje's description of life, people and environment of 19th century Toronto. It seems to me that Butala researches well, describes very well, and sometimes reaches identification. Onjaatje also researches thoroughly, yet succeeds in going beyond description, beyond identification even, to writing as art. Butala got close to it in some of her passages describing Ethiopia, I thought, but not in her general writing about south western Saskatchewan. I thought Ondaatje's book to be a gem of Canadian literature. <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0394281829/701-0566663-3731559"><img />Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/0679772669/104-0743372-3342318">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "The Persian Pickle Club" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/6#post-8 Thu, 23 Nov 2006 15:27:14 +0000 Publisher 8@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0312147015/701-4212647-4677127"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/persian100.jpg" /></a> Submitted by <a href="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/sk/kipling.html">Kipling Book Club</a> Discussion rating 5/5 ***** Book Synopsis It is the 1930s, and hard times have hit Harveyville, Kansas, where the crops are burning up, and there’s not a job to be found. For Queenie Bean, a young farm wife, a highlight of each week is the gathering of the Persian Pickle Club, a group of local ladies dedicated to improving their minds, exchanging gossip, and putting their quilting skills to good use. When a new member of the club stirs up a dark secret, the women must band together to support and protect one another. Discussion We compared the similarities and differences between our bookclub and the quilting club. The proclaimed aim to read books or to sew quilts is not the true focus of groups. The real need is being together and sharing experiences, thoughts, and feelings, and most importantly to claim association with a group. In life, we define ourselves by our relationships and to the groups we belong to. Besides our not being active with our hands, the major difference between the Pickle women and us is our technical advances in networking. We network in so many ways, extra-curricular activities, phones, and the internet. But in the 1930s, the Pickle women did not have such extensive networking options. Their weekly “social” meetings provided the main survival network. Church services appeared not as frequent, nor as a free forum for exchange of ideas. The Pickle women didn’t frequent the town for social reasons, just necessities. We talked about the differences between men and women to meet emotional needs. Men tend to discuss sports, businesses such as farming, or the weather. The accepted stereotype is that men have been trained to deny their emotional needs. But one member suggested that men have always had their emotional needs met, first by their mothers, then by their wives. Men haven’t had to express their emotional needs because wives and mother watch them, and read their body language. Unfortunately by doing so, women have deprived men of the opportunities or “need” to learn how to express themselves. Recent surveys showed married men are happier than are single men. Unfortunately, we didn’t have that survey handy for age breakdowns. How do you keep secrets in a small town? The best way is to not even discuss the secret. In that way the secret can’t be overhead by “outside” people like husbands who drift in and out of the quilting room, or overhear through an open window. The Pickle women had it ingrained to not even talk about it, ever, not even to each other, to prevent “slips”. The quilting club’s involvement maintained a strict cap on Ben Crook’s murder. While the rest sewed, one woman read. This effectively prevented any discussion of the volatile past. The author illustrated the danger of being overheard with Queenie and Velma’s discussion on Velma’s illicit affair with a married man. Queenie’s husband just happened to come to the house, stand hidden outside the open door and listened to the conversation before finally making his entrance. Each woman’s decision to admit guilt, that “I did it,” helped to make blame impossible. The Persian Pickle Club community showed a united front in first getting rid of the evidence, then uniting when the secret was partially revealed. The question arose on whether a past member of the group, Ruby, had been involved in the murder and cover-up. It was tantalizing to speculate on who actually killed Ben Crook. Queenie admitted guilt at the very end, but so had all the others, previously. One member argued that the bond between Rita and Queenie over the stalled car and near rape might make Queenie’s admittance of guilt authentic. But others argued that Queenie’s bond with the Pickle ladies superseded her bond with Rita. Another person wondered if the timing of Crook’s murder coincided with Queenie’s pregnancy. If Queenie got hurt during the struggle, she may have suffered a miscarriage as a consequence of the injury and stress. We don’t believe the husbands were involved in the coverup. For one reason, Crook was buried close to the surface leading us to believe the female sex had buried him. Second, when Blue Massies told Queenie and her husband Grover about hearing of Crook’s body being buried in a drifter camp, Grover wanted Blue to go to the police. Grover emphasized the importance to truthfulness and rightness with such matters. If Grover had known about the Crook cover-up, his need to tell all to the sheriff would have prevailed and destroyed the women, and their families. Back then, women who killed were monsters. Self-defense wouldn’t hold. How can there be self-defense with one man against numerous women? We had thought it was one woman who had killed him. But it could have been two or three! The Pickle women permitted some lies, based on motivation. When Forest Ann tried to lie about her affair with Doc Sipes, the lie was waved imperiously aside. Only motivation made a lie acceptable, such as the one with Ben Crook’s death. When the Pickle women set an adoption plan in motion for an unwed woman, the plan was fairly typical of the time. People didn’t know the parents of the child or where the child’s parents came from. The motivation behind this lie was also acceptable with the Pickle women. We explored different superstitions in the book. Although different superstitions exist to today, superstitions help us to understand our world and “foretell” a bit of the future. We discussed how the Pickle women and we deal with challenges or disappointments. Sometimes we need someone to shake us up. A good example in the book is when Mrs. Judd came to take Queenie back to the weekly quilting meetings. There had been enough time according to Mrs. Judd, and perhaps a joint decision with Queenie’s husband. Mrs. Judd had been well meaning though she could have been misdirected. We discussed the purpose of the stalled car. The “episode” serves two purposes, a motivating factor for Rita to continue her search to uncover the murderer’s identity. The second purpose is to foreshadow a plausible explanation to the murderer’s identity – being a drifter. Without the car “problems” and near rape, over time, the community would have focused more intently on the “local” murderer’s identity, putting the Pickle women at risk. Different levels of social stratification were evident. This emphasis helped to shift the blame for the murder. The ruling class always blames the disadvantaged. Although Zepha Massies, a hill person, loved quilting and demonstrated great skill, Queenie never even considered inviting Zepha to the Persian Pickle Club. In one way, Zepha would have been more appropriate club member than Rita! Rita had the status and family connections but no quilting skills or desire. Zepha had the quilting skills and desire but no status to gain admittance to the club. There were pretty serious social attitudes for an insider and outsider. Some of the insider/outside attitude still exists in small towns. Newcomers, being in higher numbers today, often form clubs of their own to meet their emotional needs, often with “long-time outsiders”. The book may be slow off the start but is needed for us to identity the women, their characters and social situations. The second half of the book picks up dramatically. This is a good discussion book allowing a “permissible” divergence into personal emotional experiences! <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0312147015/701-4212647-4677127"><img />Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/0312147015/103-6343368-2044635">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "Fall On Your Knees" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/5#post-7 Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:42:08 +0000 Publisher 7@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0394281780/702-0055204-3023211"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/books/fall-on-your-knees100.jpg" /></a> Submitted by <a href="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/sk/kipling.html">Kipling Book Club</a> in September 1998 Discussion rating 5/5 ***** Book Synopsis In a Cape Breton mining community, an inter-racial marriage yields a travesty of family secrets among the three daughters and their parents. The eldest and most beautiful daughter pursues an operatic career. The middle child becomes staid and proper filling the care-taking role. Loving the limelight and the attention, the youngest sells her piano-playing and comedic talents in a dead-end club. Discussion Many of the members were easily drawn into the book but found it depressing. We covered the realism of these family secrets: Materia's delightful character over two events such as praying that her husband would not come home and hoping for a death telegram, her coming to life as a pianist while James was away, her understanding of James' weakness, and her frightful dilemma over which child to save in the context of religion and as a parent; James' hateful personality, his efforts to get killed, his different occupations, and his relationships to his wife and children; Kathleen's relationship with her maestro, her diary, and Rose, and her father's destruction of her strong will; Frances' hidden memories, her drive to entertain, her pursuit to get pregnant by a Black American, her surveillance of her grandfather, and her personality change after the birth of her child; Mercedes' perception of Lily as a saint, her actions to hide the family's secrets, and her depiction of the family tree; and finally Lily's background, her journey by foot to New York and her relationship with Rose. <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0394281780/702-8546566-4352069"><img />Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/0743237188/002-7156999-5480865">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "Nourishing Traditions" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/3#post-5 Thu, 09 Nov 2006 12:02:47 +0000 Publisher 5@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Book Review <ul> <li>Have you always wondered why you need a sugar fix? </li> <li>Is your weight gain more than you desire? </li> <li>Do you live to eat; rather than eat to live? </li> <li>Do you wonder about food additives, pesticides, artificial fertilizers, and genetically modified foods? </li> <li>Do you wonder about the taste of tomatoes you bought at the store?</li> </ul> If you answered "yes" to these questions, then it is time to pick up this book, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0967089735/canadianboo0b-20">Nourishing Traditions</a> by Sally Fallon. This cookbook is packed full of information and recipes based on a dentist, Dr. Weston Price. In the 1930s, Price travelled the world studying "native" populations who lived on local foods, untouched by processed foods such as our white refined sugar. He found good health and similarities in their foods. Can you recall paintings and photographs of the North American aboriginal when the white culture first encountered and explored the continent? The aboriginals had beautiful facial bone structure and strong, white teeth. The aboriginals must have been doing something right. No need for dentists unless you cracked a tooth on a bone or nut!! Why do people who pick raw sugar cane have such remarkable teeth? Did you know they lunch on that sugar cane as they labour? The secret is that the sugar was in a raw, unrefined state, not all like the refined sugar we consume. The secret to better living and better health is to consume foods that are as close to their natural raw state as possible. If you can't reproduce it at home on a small scale, then don't eat it. This means a return to butter, whole wheat flour (preferably freshly ground from organic wheat), unprocessed sugar, sea salt, and olive oil. If you can only make one change, then change your oil. Changing these five basic ingredients is only the start of your food adventures. But it is a major shift. Fallon will take you on a world of discovery answering many of the questions that you answered yes to above. I always thought I was an emotional eater. But now I believe my body was craving nutrients that were not to be found in the processed foods. So I ate more and more. Now, since changing to the "natural" five basic ingredients, I am no longer heading to the pantry like before! History is a teacher. Let's look back at people who did things right. You will change your life. Suitability for a book club discussion? This is definitely not a book for discussion. But the wider issue of what we eat and what we should eat could be a very interesting discussion. This book does not purport vegetarianism. Dr. Weston Price and this book are forerunners to the latest hit by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet Oz. Publisher on "Nourishing Traditions" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/3#post-4 Thu, 09 Nov 2006 12:01:23 +0000 Publisher 4@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ I am willing to review this book. Publisher on "Nourishing Traditions" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/3#post-3 Mon, 06 Nov 2006 14:32:14 +0000 Publisher 3@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0967089735/701-4423174-6639562"><img src="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/graphics/nourishing100.jpg" /></a> Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D. Excerpt from Preface <blockquote>"The premise of this book is that modern food choices and preparation techniques constitute a radical change from the way man has nourished himself for thousands of years and, from the perspective of history, represent a fad that not only has severely compromised his health and vitality but may well destroy him; and that the culinary traditions of our ancestors, and the food choices and preparation techniques of healthy nonindustralized peoples, should serve as the model for contemporary eating habits, even and especially during this modern technological age." </blockquote> From the Back Cover <blockquote>The Diet Dictocrats don't want you to know that... Your body needs old-fashioned animal fats New-fangled polyunsaturated oils can be bad for you Modern whole grain products can cause health problems Traditional sauces promote digestion and assimilation Modern food processing denatures our foods but Ancient preservation methods actually increase nutrients in fruits, nuts vegetables, meats and milk products! At last a successful challenge to Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats! Recalling the culinary customs of our ancestors, and looking ahead to a future of robust good health for young and old, Nourishing Traditions offers modern families a fascinating guide to wise food choices and proper preparation techniques. Sally Fallon unites the wisdom of the ancients with the latest independent and accurate scientific research in over 700 delicious recipes that will please both exacting gourmets and busy parents. </blockquote> <a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20/detail/0967089735/701-4423174-6639562"><img />Buy this book at Amazon.ca</a> or at <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20/detail/0967089735/002-7156999-5480865">Amazon.com</a> Publisher on "User's Guide" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/topic/2#post-2 Mon, 06 Nov 2006 14:26:12 +0000 Publisher 2@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/bkrv/ Welcome to our Book Reviews Forums! Only pre-approved registered book reviewers can post on the Book Reviews Forum. To become a book reviewer, your bookclub must be listed on our website and updated regularly. Book Reviewers: In the same section where you login, you will notice links, such as "view your profile." Please click on these and familiarize yourself with our forum. Only the Publisher can start a new topic which will be a book ready for review. When you see a book you would like to review, please indicate your willingness to review this book by replying. The first person to indicate interest will receive the book by snail mail, a free book in return for a review. You will receive confirmation once the book has been mailed from our office. You can track any thread of special interest by using “favorites” in your profile or through our rss feed, which displays content from our forum.