Book Reviews - Page Turners

Trent-Severn Waterway: Then and Now by Elizabeth Bower

The Trent-Severn Waterway has been called one of the finest interconnected systems of navigation in the world. If you’re a boater, the bad news is that the canal system is closed for the season and won’t reopen until next May. But the good news is that it is still possible to take a imaginative journey along its 386 kilometers by checking out Elizabeth Bower’s “Trent-Severn Waterway: Then and Now”

Gourmet Cheese

“Cheese, please!” You have to be a certain age to remember that catch phrase from the milk marketing board. But whether you remember the advertisement or not, when you hear the word “cheese” like most people you probably envision cheddar. While Canadians probably consume more cheddar than any other type of cheese, there are thousands of varieties of cheese produced world-wide.

The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly

Jack Batten, Toronto Star critic, didn't like the novel “The Brass Verdict” but I found it to be very good. Firstly, I like Michael Connelly; secondly, I like the character Mickey Haller (whom we met in “The Lincoln Lawyer”). As an added bonus, we have Connelly's main protagonist, Harry Bosch, in the story too.

Taking the Leap by Pema Chodron

For many people the beginning of a New Year represents a time of self-reflection and self-improvement. One person might compose a list of New Year’s resolutions while another might pick up a self-help book. Your local library has a huge selection of books that can help you along the path to self-actualization.

The Library’s Most Borrowed Books for 2009

City residents are great library users and borrowed more than 340,000 items from the Library during 2009. The most borrowed library book of 2009 was “Silverwing” which was loaned out by 200 people. The list below contains the fifteen most popular books borrowed from the public library during the year.

Holiday Music

Do you have a favourite holiday song, carol, or hymn? Seasonal music is something that you only listen to at certain times of year because it helps to create a special mood as well as elevate the spirit. Your local library has lots of seasonal music on cd available for you to borrow.

Slow Cookers

As an antidote to all the rich food that is consumed over the holidays and the labour-intensive meals that require hours of preparation time, your local library suggests one of the many slow cooker cookbooks that are available. Toss a few ingredients into the pot in the morning and by dinner time you’ll have a mouth-watering, nutritious meal. The lengthy cooking time tenderizes almost anything so you can save money by using less expensive cuts of meat. Whether you slow cook in the oven or use an electric crock-pot, there’s no better way to take the drudgery out of meal preparation.

Winter Olympics

Next Wednesday, December 16th, the Olympic torch relay travels through the City as it makes its way west to Vancouver. Keep Olympic fever alive until the Games begin with a trip to your local library where you can pick up books in your favourite sport and learn more about the Olympic Winter Games.

100 Photos That Changed Canada

The old saying claims that a picture is worth a thousand words. If that is indeed true, then “100 Photos That Changed Canada” is of unparalleled worth. Compiled by Mark Reid, a Canadian journalist and editor of The Beaver magazine, the book offers an amazing collection of images that span more than 160 years of Canadian history.

Voluntourism

Perhaps your ideal vacation involves something more than just the opportunity to laze around on the beach. In that case, how does caring for baby elephants in Sri Lanka sound? How about restoring a medieval village in Tuscany?

Life's Too Short to Cry By Tim Vigors

Remembrance Day takes place on Wednesday next week. It’s a time when we honour the sacrifices made by the men and women who served for their country. Silent tribute is the traditional way of recognizing their selflessness. Reading is another way that we can keep the memory of those sacrifices alive. Your local library has a large selection of books written by and about people who served their country in times of war and peace.

Books on Modern Etiquette

Modern life is fraught with stress. As we race against the clock to complete our tasks, we sometimes forget to take the time to treat other people courteously. The truth is that a polite request using the words “please” and “thank you” is much more likely to get us want we want than a gruff or rude demand. Manners help us to interact with other people in a way that is pleasant for everyone.

Books and DVDS about Bees

Bees are amazingly useful little creatures that produce two important products: honey and beeswax.

New Cookbooks

Whether you grow it yourself or pick it up at the local farmers’ market, there’s something very special about fresh produce. The great abundance of local fruits and vegetables that are available at this time of year can motivate even the laziest of us to crack open a cookbook and contemplate the benefits of home cooking. Your local library has a whole smorgasbord of new cookbooks available. The library’s online catalogue can be found at http://www.city.kawarthalakes.on.ca/library and allows you to place a hold on any item you wish.

The Cost of Bad Behaviour: How Incivility is Damaging Your Business and What to Do About It By Christine Pearson and Christine Porath

How do you define incivility? If you think that it’s the exchange of inconsiderate words and deeds that violate conventional norms, then you won’t be surprised to learn that incivility is a common complaint in today’s workplace. Authors Christine Pearson and Christine Porath claim that incivility has huge economic and personal costs. Their new book “The Cost of Bad Behaviour: How Incivility is Damaging Your Business and What to Do About It” should be required reading for any business manager or supervisor.

The Curse of the Labrador Duck: My Obsessive Quest to the Edge of Extinction By Glen Chilton

Have you ever heard of the Labrador Duck? Even if you have, it’s unlikely that you’ve ever seen it because they’ve been extinct since the last one was shot in 1875. Only 55 stuffed specimens are known to exist and only three are located in Canada. One of the best specimens is currently on display at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. This is the first time it has been on display since 1964 so it’s an opportunity not to be missed.

Canada and Other Matters of Opinion By Rex Murphy

Rex Murphy has been called Canada’s most opinionated man. Whether you love or hate him, you have to agree that he is by turns amusing, incisive, exasperating, and always entertaining. A versatile writer and broadcaster, Murphy is equally at home with every type of news media. He’s a weekly commentator on CBC TV’s The National, appears as a columnist in the Globe and Mail newspaper, and is the host of CBC Radio’s Cross Country Checkup. His new book “Canada and Other Matters of Opinion” contains a collection of columns and essays written over the past six years.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem By Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem” by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. If you’re a fan of the novels of Jane Austen, the mere idea is probably enough to set your teeth on edge. But if you’re a fan of supernatural fiction, then it may pique your interest. How on earth did they come up with the idea? And more importantly how did it manage to climb to the third place on the New York Times Best Seller list? The answer involves the rise of a genre of fiction known as urban fantasy.

Shelf Discovery: Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading By Lizzie Skurnick

Bibliography is the term used to describe a list of books or a book that is about books.

Dread: How Fear and Fantasy Have Fueled Epidemics from the Black Death to Avian Flu, by Philip Alcabes

Each year far fewer people die in epidemics than in automobile accidents. But if you worry more about the H1N1 virus than the highway, you are not alone. Throughout human history people have held deep-seated anxieties about disease and epidemics. How they choose to respond to those threats can tell you a lot about a society and its culture.