This book is a bit of home that is comforting in times of homesickness. Yet is still manages to emphasize the diversity of a great nation without seeming over patriotic. I good read for all Canadians whether at home or abroad. Also a good bit of insight for Americans to read to better understand their quitely proud neighbours to the north.

As the Canadian Co-author of Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul, I am so honoured to have been part of creating - of bringing to life - this very special book. Our vision was to put together a collection of stories that all Canadians would be moved and inspired by. In the process, we read over 6000 stories from Canadians from one coast to the other, and then we talked to some of our greatest Canadian heroes. The result - History, Heritage Heroes and Heart! The Heart is courtesy of Chicken Soup for the Soul, but the history, heroes and heritage are all ours, they are all Canadian. Read The True Story of Lake Ontario by Marilyn Bell Di Lascio, In 1954, at the age of 16, Marilyn was the first person in history to swim across Lake Ontario. This story is in her own words, from her own heart. Like The Goal of the Century from Paul Henderson, Becoming the Man in Motion from Rick Hansen, and The Magic Skates from Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini, these stories are not journalistic renderings, but rather a passionate reliving of the story by the person it happened to. And for the first time in this short story format, you can read The Legacy of Terry Fox by Leslie Scrivener of the Toronto Star. Other contributors include Kurt Browning, Jann Arden, Natalie MacMaster, Chief Dan George, and Pamela Wallin, as well as some wonderful historical and heritage stories, told by authors from all across Canada,in the compelling and heartfelt Chicken Soup style. Buy this book for yourself, or for someone you love. Give it to your kids, your parents, or you best friend. This book is for anyone who loves Canada - no matter where they live!

We live literally across the street from each other - Canadians and Americans. But Americans don't really know us. This book shows our big hearts, humor, valiant spirit, courage and creativity. Every American should read this book and learn just a little bit more about the people who use strange words like "eh" and "toque"! Come on up and visit - or better yet, read this book. The folks who were stranded in Gander, Newfoundland on September 11 will tell you that every word is the truth.

The Dancing Chain by Frank Berto dvanhook 06/18/01 01:48 pm EDT rating:

An invaluable reference document for vintage bicycle enthusiasts! It is well and thoroughly researched and fully illustrated with photographs and beautiful line drawings of bicycles and bicycle parts as they have developed over the past one hundred years. It also contains a many helpful and interesting graphs and charts. This beautiful book is as complete and authoritative as is possible, but is very readable even for those with no technical background. It is certain to become a collectors item and was published as a very limited edition.

I am very glad I purchased this book. This book involves much more about the history of bicycles than the title may lead you to believe.

For over 30 years, since my freshman year at UCLA, I have been an avid recreational and utility cyclist and "gear-headed" bicycle collector, tinkerer, and restorer. Since I always enjoyed Frank Berto's technical articles and insights on the design and operation of bicycle transmissions, I eagerly awaited publication of "The Dancing Chain." I was not disappointed! This well-illustrated and well-researched tome is the only comprehensive reference I have ever seen on the history of bicycle transmissions. It is a great read for any bicycle fan with an interest in history or technological evolution. My only nit-picking gripe is that the organization of the chapters sometimes makes it a little difficult to follow the chronology of a specific product line or manufacturer, although the material is all in there. I share Berto's appreciation of SunTour's innovative slant planograph rear derailleur design, which has since been almost universally copied by the competition.

Patterson makes a 200 mile snowshoe trek in 50 below weather to pick up the mail seem like slightly unusual walk to the post office!

"Dangerous River" is one of the finest Far North adventures ever written. R. M. Patterson and his partner Gordon Matthews were the last of a breed of men who tackled the Far North with nothing but stamina, courage, and consummate skill with rifle, pack and canoe. Trapping and searching for gold in the legendary South Nahanni River country in the 1920's, Patterson describes their adventures in language that makes the reader yearn to see one the premier rivers of the world. Patterson's style is laced with wonderfully dry British humor as well as a poet's skill in describing the breathtaking landscapes. You feel as though you're right beside him throughout his adventures and hungering to go there yourself. You can't ask more a writer and his book than that!

This tale of wilderness adventure is set in the unexplored region of the South Nahanni river valley in the Nortwest Territories, Canada. It tells of unexplained deaths (the reason it was called Dead-Man's Valley), and the survival tactics and techniques of explorers during the gold-rush days of the area. Patterson spins the tale in a way which makes you feel the icy cold winters and the lavish and wildlife filled summers. His writings are non-fictional, and he includes maps and photographs taken while he was there. It is exciting, and laden with danger about the rapids, ice-flows, and Indian legends. I highly recommend it to anyone with a love of the outdoors, adventure, or wilderness history!

If you want to know what the wing-t is and how to use it. There's no better book. This book explains all. For the experienced coach, it helps remind why we chose this offense. For the rookie, it fills you with the basics of this offense. Even if you chose not to run it, there's going to be something you get from this book. And for the defensive coach, well, now you'll see what we want to do to you, so stop us if you can!

This is _the_ wing-t bible from perhaps the biggest innovator of this successful and long lasting offensive system. Enough said.

This book is an excellent resource for any football coach that is interested in the Wing-T offense. Tubby Raymond outlines everything you need to know to run the most effective offense in football today. If you run the Delaware Wing-T offense now this book is the bible for Wing-T coaches...

In 1635, at the age of 62, John Pike embarked from Southampton, England to Suffolk, Massachusetts with two grown sons and three daughters. This book looks at their descendants who, after 14 generations, have spread through the United States from the shores of New England to the Gulf Coast and to the Pacific Ocean, covering over 350 years. Families are organized and presented within generations. Brief family histories and individual biographies add greatly to the well-presented family group and personal information. The author's personal insights and explanations increase the book's value and understanding. The index includes some 14,000 names. (Genealogical Helper, May-June 1997, p.198)

The ansestors of John Pike of Newbury, Massachusetts owe a debt of gratitude to Allen R. Pike for the substance, content and joy contained in his book. He strikes out from the first ship's manifests, journals, wills, deeds and letters of John and his family upon their arrival and generation by generation builds upon the family story and connection.

Included in this line are: Major Robert Pike, whose force of personality and logical defenses finally put an end to the public madness known as the Salem witch trials; General Zebulon Montgomery Pike, known for his exploration of the southern reaches of the Louisana Purchase lands at the same time that Lewis and Clark explored the north; he who was to discover Pike's Peak in Colorado, the mountain top that provided the inspiration for the song "America" and which provided the early settlers traveling east with a beacon and a slogan "Pike's Peak or Bust"; or there was General Albert Pike, commander in the Confederate army, who resigned his commission rather than carry out an order to enlist the Indians to attack the Union army and he who later became the most celebrated Freemason and whose statue stands at the corner of Third and Indiana Streets in Washington DC.

Family members and historians seeking to know and understand the impact of an early American family on the shaping of the country will find many samples in the stories of the men and women of this family. While not a narrative per se, tracing the lines from generation to generation gives a great account of the forces at work and the personalities.

Decendants should take to heart the importance of keeping a record of the accomplishments and notable accounts of their family members for archive and future studies of the family heritage.

Marshall Pike, Acting Sec.-Treas., Pike Family Association of America

Very well written and documented history of the Pike lines stemming from John Pike who came over from England in 1635 and settled in MA. His lines spread mainly through New England and the book covers twelve generations. A genealogy of this type will be of interest primarily to those who have the Pike name in their ancestry. However, if one is starting to prepare a published account of a member of their line, this is an excellent source for study and how to organize material. It is a large book, some 875 pages. However,it is well done and attractive. There is a significant amount of information here that may prove to be of immense value. Different typing fonts are used very effectively in high lighting names, dates, and lines of decent. In many cases, short biographies of numerous individuals are given. This adds an unusual slant and offers an insite into the lives of the people discussed. Wills are reproduced where available and in several cases weddings are described. An appendix is attached and gives family lines for allied groups which tie into the Pike line. Examples are the Carr, French, Bradbury, Plummer, Stockman, Cutts, Worth, Bloomfield, True, Fletcher and Coolidge families. An excellent bibliography is given along with a complete every-name index. Mr. Allen R. Pike is to commended for assembling this material into a usuable and interesting form. It had to be a monumental effort and the result is an exceptional addition to the family history library.

This book is the pinacle of riddle fun! I popped like a spring chicken when I bought this book because it's so small, but HUGE with entertainment and mind-titilating fun. Most riddle books are really joke books, but this one is the REAL THING! There are hours of enjoyment and tons of mind-stumping exercises- Great for the whole family!

I bought this book because I'm a riddle fanatic. I was really pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of riddles. This book kept me busy for hours! The illustrations and the design are great too. This book makes a great gift for people of any age and is great at parties! It would be great if the authors did a follow-up book.

This is a fabulous book to entertain both child and parent. As a psychologist, I recommend this book to families as an activity that parents can do with their children. It is one of those rare activities that engages all ages and that often children are quicker at than their parents. My children and I have had great times trying to solve the riddles and we are still trying to solve some of them This is a great gift to give any child or family--they can be assured to share many enjoyable hours using it.

I realy like to read this textbook.It will help me to know more new grammer from the English language.I would want to tell much thanks to the authors,for this nice textbook.I am so proud of you,thanks for everything which you write inside this book and to share to other people.I always want to study more new vocabulary and grammar too from the English,because I really liked to learn more.And it is good practise to know more new things from the English languadge too.I would want also to buy this book for me,because i need to use now here in the US.
God bless all of you!

This is the best English grammar textbook I know. It is very clear and concise. It is perfect to learn and useful as a reference book. The exercices are related to everyday life situations, which is very helpful. If you want to improve your English, I also recommend The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Good luck!

Raymond Murphy's "Grammar in Use" series (Cambridge University Press) provides concise exercises, clear examples, a simple format, and a systematic approach to learning English grammar. It's almost ideal for self-study since each lesson (unit) can stand alone and unit answers can be easily found and understood.

Plus, the "Grammar in Use" books cost about half as much as the other "classsic" texts like Betty Azar's overrated and impractical "Fundamentals of English Grammar." Administrators and teachers, especially ones working with immigrants and refugees, should consider price and practicality when choosing texts.

Just compare "Grammar in Use" with Azar's "Fundamentals of English Grammar." Murphy's text uses 340 pages to explain esential grammar points while Azar takes almost 600 pages to overwhelm students with exceptions to rules. Murphy's book focuses on common expressions and everyday language; Azar's thick book offers the drill and kill approach to learning languages.

Granted, many ESL teachers have an almost religious faith in the Azar series. They can recycle their grammar lessons year after year. But the Azar series costs far too much, weighs too much, and contains far too many impractical exercises of limited practicality. ESL Teachers may find the Azar's grammar charts fascinating, but adult students will find Murphy's series helps them actually using English at work, school, home, and shopping. What is the goal, anyway?

Since immigrants and refugees don't need, want, or have the time to master these often silly grammar distinctions without a difference, I strongly recommend Cambridge University' "Grammar in Use" series. Don't busy adult students deserve an accessible, practical grammar text?

I don't usually like requiring grammar books for adult ESL classes. The desire to speak "correct" English can sometimes morph into a strange cult of some idealized English that one can't find spoken in American cities. Still, Murphy's clear exercises avoid this common pitfall by focusing on essential grammar points, using practical examples, and skipping over the peculiar oddities that mesmerize too many grammar fundamentalists. This affordable book lives up to its title and helps students learn English by using the language.

Finally, "Grammar In Use" stands out as the most student-friendly grammar series that I've seen in a decade of teaching English composition and ESL. Buy it.

Lakota Belief and Ritual is a book rich in oral history. It was recorded at the a time when there were First Nations members who had the personal experiences of a lifetime and whose tradition was an oral tradition. Dr. Walker (a physician and anthropologist) collected and preserved this oral history in the face of the destruction of most First Nation's cultures through the intervention of the European cultures.

The narratives are all excellent and there are 90 + documents containing those first-person narratives along with several photographs.

The Bison Books edition has an extensive (and very valuable) series of appendices, including an extensive (modern) bibliography.

The original Walker papers (or the majority, at any rate) are now part of the Colorado Historical Society collection.

A first rate piece of work by the editors, DeMallie & Jahner, working from the primary materials created and preserved by Dr. Walker and his family.

An invaluable work. This book -or at least excerpts- should be part of any text on U.S. History. The inclusion of First Nations culture in our textbooks is rare, indeed.

James Walker went to the Pine Ridge reservation in 1896 (as a Christian) to serve the indians as a Medical Doctor.

18 years later when he left the reservation; he had adopted the Sioux form of Spirituality, and had become a wicasa wakan (holy man). He was trained by George Sword, and other medicine and holy people.

Some of this material is very dry, and dificult reading because a large part of the book (expecially the rituals and myths) were translated into English from the Language of the Sioux. But if you have a sincere wish to understand this form of Spirituality; this book is well worth reading.

I do wish to confirm one statement in this book by wicasa wakan (George Sword). "Any pipe can be used in a sacred manner" I could NOT agree more! I have used a meerschaum pipe, a pipestone (catlinite) pipe, and a briar pipe. The condition of the heart and mind is far more important than the kind of pipe one uses.

I encourage questions and comments about my reviews; Two Bears.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

This book is the litmus test for subsequent interpretations of the Lakota religion. Since the true authors felt that their culture was disappearing, they were extremely forthcoming with their information to Dr. Walker. All Lakota expressions of religion that follow this revelation of the Lakota medicine men are in fact derivative of it. Some have questioned the qualifications of the "informants" within Lakota society, but I have seen no contemporary Lakota belief or ritual that deviates from the broad strokes of this book. If you truly want to learn about traditional Lakota religion, start here, and then move on to Raymond J. DeMallie's edited texts under the title The Sixth Grandfather.

Meet one of the most gallant warriors of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. This biography depicts ARVN Major General Hieu under different facets: his personal life, his military career, his military exploits, and his unjust death. It reveals General Hieu as an unsung hero, whose tactical and strategic skills put him among the best soldiers of modern times, at par with General Rommel of Germany, Patton of the United States, Montgomery of England and Leclerc of France.

The Internet format of this biography has received wide acceptance from its readers with more than 20,000 visitors the first year. One reader comments, "Besides its military historical value, it has room for deep, emotional feelings," and another reader writes, "Of all the military stories I have read, yours is the most touching. What a fine officer General Hieu must have been, so very much an all around person. I did not know him. But I am sure glad I have read about him; it seems as if he comes alive again through your stories, and once again he is an inspiring figure, as his modesty transcends the years," Vietnam War Veterans have found it "fascinating", "incredibly factual," "exceptionally superior," and something that "may well be required reading in high schools, military college..."

Containing first hand military documents pertaining to operational orders, it provides a rare presentation for ordinary people; one is allowed to see how a divisional commanding general plans and executes his battles. The story of an individual life, this biography offers an illuminating insight of the ARVN and provides a unique perspective of the Vietnam War.

This book gives answers to the following questions:

- The NVA has General Vo Nguyen Giap. Does the ARVN have someone comparable?

- How did General Hieu score next to General John Norton, Jr of the US 1st Cavalry Division?

- How did General Hieu score next to General Albert Milloy of the US 1st Infantry Division?

- What did General Dennis McAuliffe of the US Big Red One Division think about General Hieu?

- How did Colonel John Hayes, Senior Advisor of ARVN 5th Division, evaluate General Hieu?

- How did the ARVN 22nd Division score next to the US 1st Cavalry Division?

- How did the ARVN 5th Division score next to the US 1st Infantry Division?

- What role did General Hieu play in the Ia Drang Valley Battle (US 1st Cavalry Division), Pershing Operation (US 1st Cavalry Division), Dong Tien Operations (US 1st Infantry Division), Total Victory 46 Operation (US 1st Cavalry Division)?

- How did the ARVN Airborne Division score next to the US 173rd Airborne Brigade and the US 101st Airborne Division?

- etc...

This biography, a reader would notice at the outset, is not written by a historian, an investigative reporter, or a professional biographer. It originates instead from the pen of a younger sibling seeking to resolve the mystery surrounding his brother's untimely death. This legitimate curiosity has evolved into a collection of articles depicting General Nguyen van Hieu as a family man, a patriot, a military strategist, and a man of integrity. This collection of articles authored by siblings, friends, and fellow military men unexpectedly converges to project a dynamic image of an intelligent soldier and brilliant strategist engaged in the twofold quixotic task of overcoming a corrupted military hierarchy and fighting the invading North Vietnamese communist army. The book presents the reader with glimpses of a man living the yin aspect of the Vietnamese society (egalitarian, flexible, spiritual, congenial) and, at the same time, confronting the yang aspect of the neo-Confucianist military and government hierarchy (male dominant, rigid, self-serving, elitist, concerned with face and status). Without any claim to being systematic or thorough in his research, the author has nevertheless gathered a number of revealing personal anecdotes, testimonies from living witnesses, declassified documents from the National Archives, letters from former military academy classmates, phone interviews, excerpts from books, and so forth. From this cacophony of voices emerges the image of a virtuous man, caring father, loving spouse, and competent general respected by Vietnamese and American military personnel of all ranks. The reader would no doubt be surprised to discover this unsung hero in the stark background of negative memories of the Vietnam War and betrayal of the Vietnamese people by the neo-Confucianist military and government hierarchy. Though modest in its presentation, the book manages to do justice to a dedicated soldier and competent general, who is mostly unknown to both the Vietnamese and the American public. After reading this fascinating biography, the reader comes away wondering what might have been had this uncommon general, who epitomized the true Vietnamese people, been allowed to fully exercise his military competence.END

This biography, a reader would notice at the outset, is not written by a historian, an investigative reporter, or a professional biographer. It originated instead from the pen of a younger sibling seeking to resolve the mystery surrounding his brother's untimely death. This legitimate curiosity has evolved into a collection of articles depicting General Nguyen van Hieu as a family man, a patriot, a military strategist, and a man of integrity.

This collection of articles authored by siblings, friends, and fellow military men unexpectedly converges to project a dynamic image of an intelligent soldier and brilliant strategist engaged in the twofold unenviable task of overcoming a corrupted military hierarchy and fighting the invading North Vietnamese communist army.

The book presents the reader with glimpses of a man living the yin aspect of the Vietnamese society (egalitarian, flexible, spiritual, congenial) and, at the same time, confronting the yang aspect of the neo-Confucianist military and government hierarchy (male dominant, rigid, self-serving, elitist, concerned with face and status).

Without any claim to being systematic or thorough in his research, the author has nevertheless gathered a number of revealing personal anecdotes, testimonies from living witnesses, declassified documents from the National Archives, letters from former military academy classmates, phone interviews, excerpts from books, and so forth. From this cacophony of voices emerges the image of a virtuous man, caring father, loving spouse, and competent general respected by Vietnamese and American military personnel of all ranks. The reader would no doubt be surprised to discover this unsung hero in the stark background of negative memories of the Vietnam War and betrayal of the Vietnamese people by the neo-Confucianist military and government hierarchy.

Though modest in its presentation, the book manages to do justice to a dedicated soldier and competent general, who is mostly unknown to both the Vietnamese and the American public. After reading this fascinating biography, the reader comes away wondering what might have been had this uncommon general, who epitomized the true Vietnamese people, been allowed to fully exercise his military competence.

(P.S. Please use this book review instead of the earlier version I sent to Amazon.com this morning. Thank you. Tri V. Nguyen)

This is a beautiful book. Richard Nixon is an unlikely vehicle for beauty, but Maxwell does it somehow-- his gentle portrait of Raymond Carver no doubt has a lot to do with it. He has created a tragedy that does what tragedies should do-- simply, it makes you feel for another human being.
Also interesting in the same vein is Russell Lees' play "Nixon's Nixon"-- between the two of them these works do what history should do but can't.

buy the book, better than any "real" biography of either man...it leaves you hungry for more!.

I do not like to fish, play poker or clean the garage, but I loved Nixoncarver! Maxwell must have a vivid imagination because some of the images he created gave me a physical response--I will never look at a bluebird or my mother's arse the same way! After I finished the book, I regreted reading it so fast. Now I miss my new friends Nixon and Carver. Perhaps there is a part two in the works? Nixoncarver: Heaven or Hell? I hope so!