This is a fasinating and gripping history of Canadian involvement in WW 1. Having visited Vimy, Mons, Bruge and Verdun in the 1950s, her book, encouraged me to make a return visit which I did on July 1 2001 for local celebrations.It is must reading for Canadians and necessary forothers who want a complete picture of WW 1. Mixing in her father's letters and journals with the history gives the reader a very close sense of presence at the battles. It has made me check out my relatives who also were in WW 1. It is especially poignant given the present state of world tensions.

Robert James Kennedy served with the 2nd Battery, 1st Artillery Brigade during World War I and saw action on the battlefields of every major operation involving the Canadian Expeditionary Force until he was wounded in August 1917 from a direct hit on his gun pit. Kennedy was present at St. Julien during the first gas attack in 1915, and was mentioned in dispatches "For gallant and distinguished service in the field" in April 1917 during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. In October 1917, Kennedy was sent back to Canada as a result of his wounds. During the course of his battlefield service, Kennedy wrote in his diaries which, along with his letters home, are the basis for Distant Thunder: Canada's Citizen Soldiers On The Western Front. Joyce Kennedy is the daughter of Robert Kennedy and has enhanced her father's writings with period battlefield photographs and maps. Distant Thunder is a superb contribution to the growing body of World War I literature and highly recommended for personal, academic, and community library military history collections.

Distant Thunder tells the truth behind the real contribution that Canadians made in the First Great War. The book shows that even though Canada's great contribution, the nation was never praised for the blood and men it drained on the trench lines in the heart of Europe. It shows the true determination and grit of the men fighting there and it is told in a very easy to follow and understandable way. Since I am a Canadian, I can relate to the story. A true Canadian story that could never be told but now is there for anyone to read.

The book gives accounts of battles such as Vimy Ridge as realistically as possible and make the reader believe that they are truly in the shoes of the soldiers. Dr. Joyce M. Kennedy Ph.D. wrote a gem of a book here and I stamp it a must read for everybody.

Boy were we glad that some people DON'T keep their opinions to themselves. We've hiked several of the trails this book recommends over the past few years and have found them all outstanding. Now some may say, "how can you go wrong anywhere in the Pacific NW?" Well... for the most part that's true, but this book focuses on the cream-of-the-crop. If you want to maximize your fun while visiting British Columbia, use this book and you won't go wrong.

I spent many a fine day frustrated because I couln't find a trailhead or figure out which way the trail was heading or just tromping endlessly on crummy viewless trails. I had one of those 100 hikes in ... books and I had done quite of few of them but finding a rewarding trail had to do more with luck than anything said in that book. With the arrival of the Copeland's book a few years ago all that changed. It makes bold statements about which trails to hike and which to avoid. Having already hiked many of the trails in this book I have to say their descriptions very accurate. My advice don't waste your money on another hiking book because it lists more trails (this book has only 72) they aren't worth it anyway. Instead grab the other two books in this series and get ready for some great hiking!

Ask anybody who's hike and backpacked here in the B.C. west coast and they'll tell you that this book is the "bible" when it comes to finding the perfect backpacking or hiking excursion. Very well written and invaluable information on finding the right hike at the right season. This book has saved me precious time and wasted energy. The authors are extremely well informed and the reading is simple and straightforward. I highly recommend this book!!!!

The book is written beautifuly and I learned about my fellows Polish immigrants a lot. I can be proud of them. It is written with genuine talent of observation, showing interesting details, thoughful thoughts, impressions. I recommend the book for everyone who wants to immigrate, not to scare him/her, but to appreciate the circumstances the others had to go through. This book helps to appreciate the new adopted country, and... to love the old country - Poland.

The talented writer shows her interest in Polish immigrants to Canada - their life and struggles, their hopes and dissapointments. It shows the achievement and happiness they found in a new country and a new environment. The book is true, touching and very well written.

In the monthly magazine published in Paris "Kultura"(9. 504 1989), a review of the book "Dreams and Reality" was published. Benedykt Heydenkorn stressed that the author of the book, Aleksandra Ziolkowska, a young Polish writer, depicted the Polish immigrants in Canada in an interesting way, with a great talent, but also in a very objective way. He remarked that she didn't want to prove anything, she only wanted to share all kinds of stories of people's lives, their views on Canada and their views on the old country Poland. He stressed that she didn't generalize anything.

In the quarterly Ossolineum "Dzieje Najnowsze" ( 3-4 1988), Prof. Marek Drozdowski wrote that the stories are written with talent and understanding. He asserts that the reader can learn about the painful episodes that immigrants faced in establishing themselves and finding their own place in a new society in Canada. He liked the philosophy of immigration shown in one story about Irma, and he also liked the way Ziolkowska portrayed the Canadians Indians.

Professor Marcin Kula , the well recognized historian at Warsaw University, wrote in the Krakow scientific magazine "Przeglad Polonijny" (NR 2, 1988 ) that the book "Dreams and Reality" teaches more about the problem of immigration than the scientific essays about that subject. The book gives material for reflection about the myth of a "gold Eldorado" that was so popular among the people leaving Poland.

In my state we have something called Readind Competition.It's where you have to read a book and answer qustions about it. I raed this book for it and loved it.It's sad and exiting so please buy it it's worth the money!

This story "The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito", was about the hardships a girl named Sara Warren and her friends and family faced while World War II was going on. Sara Warren lived with her parents in England, but because Germans were bombing England, her parents sent her to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to live with her relatives. She stayed with her Aunt Jean, Uncle Duncan, cousins Mary & Jamie, and their friends. Many horrible and unexpected things happened.

This was a really interesting novel. To me this novel explained life and all the horrible things that happen. Mr. Ito was a very special man to Sara.

To me this novel means a lot. It means that even when things are at their worst, there is still hope. And that little hope may be strength and courage to move on.

The significance of this novel within the theme of Heroic Adventures was expressed a couple of ways. Sara stood up for herself and the way she cared for things and helped people made her a hero. She looked beyond everyone's face and saw something different that made her want to help people. Sara displayed heroism in a way that she cared for her plant, and everyone around her. She especially cared for the Itos because of all the trouble they were going through. Sara was very strong when things were at their worst.

The genre I would include this story in is realistic fiction. Everything in the story was true. World War ll really happened, and sadly people do die. Comparing this novel to the last novel I read, I like this novel much better. Their similarities were both about heroes and a girl that tries to save the day.

I would absolutely recommend this book to others because it is very interesting. I guess I could say that I learned something from this book. That is that once you read this book, you can't put it down!

This is agreat book. Anyone who is looking for a Historical Fiction book, this is great!!!

In almost a half century of reading, I can recall about a dozen books that were absolutely captivating, as much for the author's narrative skills as through the subject matter. This is one, and Pierre Berton is almost the only author whose works made that list more than once. The War of 1812 is a generally neglected subject in America, except perhaps for the New Orleans campaign of 1815. Berton writes from a distinctly Canadian viewpoint, although he writes so wonderfully that even the most chauvinistic American will hardly notice and won't care. Any time I begin to write something that I hope readers will enjoy beyond simple information, I try to look back over a little of Berton's work in vain hopes of picking up something of his incomparable style.

It is a pity that Americans do not understand nor have any knowledge of the War of 1812. Our relationship with Canada would better understood and accepted if it did. Pierre Berton, a Canadian, has told the story of the war from a Canadian perspective but in such a manner that we can all relate and sympathize. He has taken reality/history and written it like historical fiction while maintaining a scholarly credability.

History written like fiction. Can';t say enough about how readable and entertaining this book is. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the War of 1812

I could not put this book down because this book symbolized what it takes to succeed in life. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for what it takes to be successful at whatever you want to do with your life.

Dryden may be the Canadian hockey equivalent of basketball's Bill Bradley. I wouldn't be surprised if Dryden becomes Prime Minister of Canada in 20 years.

Dryden studied at Cornell and took a year off playing hockey (after winner a playoff MVP award and Rookie of the Year)to complete his law degree at McGill. He won a fistful of trophies and Stanley Cup rings during his brief Hall of Fame career as a goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens. The rare combination of scholarship and athletic brilliance results in an very well written book.

The book is a diary of the last part of his final season. While light on anecdotes, it delves into the heart of what is right and wrong with hockey.

Is is most likely the best book ever written by an athlete.

This is the definitive book of hockey. Dryden's thoughts on goaltending, the city of Boston, and on the state of hockey cannot be matched. Dryden had an incredible insight on what was wrong with the game and where the game was headed, even back in 1983. I read this book once a year, it is that good.

I've always found Gayellow Pages an invaluable guide and source. Whether I'm traveling or home in NY, I find clubs/restaurants/bars and even gay twelve step meetings. Any Gay owned or Gay friendly listing has turned out to be up my alley. Easy to use too. The original is still the most comfortable for me.

This latest edition is as informative as all the previous editions. I find Gayellow pages to be the easiest guide to use for all gay searches. It is invaluable for travel arrangements and for finding local bars/meeting places/and organizations no matter where I happen to be.

The Gayellow Pages is an indispensable guide for me as a traveller and as a writer. In it I can find connections to gay resources all around the US and Canada. Information lines, accommodations, and other gay businesses are listed in a convenient way and are easy to reach using telephone numbers or Internet addresses. In addition, there are gay-friendly listings which are very useful. I always take the guide with me as I travel for business or pleasure. I have been able to locate any number of useful connections for research purposes in some of the work that I do and that is, in itself, an important reason for me to own this guide. Using the Gayellow pages I have been able to pinpoint reasonable accommodations, find bars that cater to my tastes, and get information on events and other goings on using the various telephone numbers listed for each location. I highly recommend this guide to anyone.

This book is THE resource if one is looking to plan a ranch vacation. The pictures are absolutely breathtaking! Well-written and chock full of info.

My wife and I purchased this book to search for a ranch vacation. It has been on our coffee table ever since. There are about 200 pages worth of color pictures. Some of these resorts are just beautiful. We can't wait to actually go on our vacation. This book has been great in helping us plan our trip.

I own two editions of this book and love them! This book helped me locate the environment I was looking for on three occasions. So far the descriptions have been accurate and fair. I have not been disappointed. The pictures are beneficial in the decision process as well. Give it a try!

Beautifully -- in places lyrically -- written, this small volume makes a compelling case for preservation of the natural beauty that once prevailed throughout North America, and which now has become all too rare. Never straying far from her main theme (the life of Grey Owl), Jane Billinghurst draws us into the passion and dedication of her subject, leading us reflect on environmental questions not as dry policy issues, but as ones that can relate to an almost spiritual connection between the individual and his natural surroundings. Must reading for historians, environmentalists, and those with an interest in Canada, this insightful book is thoroughly rewarding for the general reader as well. Very highly recommended.

This is a wonderful book. Well researched and balanced. Jane Billinghurst tells the story of Archie B. and I could not put it down. Other's have borrowed it and have praised it also. I am off to check out what else Billinghurst has written!

It has been said, "one cannot judge a book by it's cover", however, we must also keep in mind that there are no absolutes as this book is a story which is depicted, in large measure, by the cover. Sensitive, warm, and poetic presentation of the life and contributions of Grey Owl. The photos exceptional in quality, and accurate as to life and times of the era. These are real people, places, and times that were a part of North American history. The manner in which sayings and aspects of Grey Owl are available as the story unfolds are done in such a manner I think you get two books for the price of one. I read the book from cover to cover the first time then re-read the white pages only, and then followed by reading the tan colored pages. Either way it is easy, fast, and enjoyable. I think the author did an excellent job in demonstrating the efforts of Grey Owl. He was an interesting fellow who had a vision and purpose in life which is so unique that a major moving picture has been make about him as well as four documantaries. Jane Billinghurst has created a work which makes possible an interpretation of the content, by the reader, as it is a factual and well documented treatise. There have been several books published about Grey Owl, in my opinion this is, like the Land of Shadows (Don Smith), is a must read for a deeper appreciation of this most remarkable fellow, Grey Owl.

This book is unbelieveable! It has history on the steam locomotives, the railroads who owned them, the manufactures, some of the major loco designers and the list goes on. My copy continues to get worn as I carry it to every Rail Museum I visit and carefully look up and read about each loco I look at. Don't visit any rail museum with out this guide!

I highly recommend this valuable addition to any railfan's library.

Not having grown up in the era of these fire-breathing monsters, I can fully appreciate the power and technology of perhaps the greatest machines ever to roam the land. This book is absolutely necessary for any serious rail historian as well as the 'armchair railfan' who is wondering what 'super power' actually once meant.

This is a very complete review of all the major types of steam locomotives in service, from 1880's through 1950's. The archival photos are clear and beautifully detailed, all in sharp black and white. The best feature is the alphabetical format for road names and types of locomotives, as well as interesting detail topics like water usage, superheating, and types of fireboxes.

The steam railroad fan will find lots of detail that will add to his knowledge of the type, period, or rail line of his interest. The model train buff will find a lot of information on detailing his models and layouts to look like the exact prototype. If you want to mix lines and engine types, this is a great source to use to make sure you are not far off the historical track. The photos and printing are so good, you will want to use a magnifier to see all the detail.It comes in a handy pocket size, and you can only improve on this book by increasing the size to better see the great photos.