Books On Beechwood (Ottawa, Canada)

“The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection” by Alexander McCall Smith

Dave — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:26:35 +0000

Alexander McCall Smith was born in a part of Africa that was a British Protectorate. His books are never political. He does however bring out qualities of generosity and humour of this country at its best.

The new book is part of the No. l Ladies Detective Agency series (he has a number of other series, all of which he writes from his home in Edinburgh). His readers know and love the lady detective, Precious Ramotse and her family. In this story there are the usual complications from nearby neighbours. An unusual addition is the arrival of a tall stranger from overseas who turns out to have written the manual on detective work that Precious and her assistant use in their work. He helps right the injustice that Precious had been struggling with and in the process discovers something new about being a good detective.

Like all McCall Smith’s books, this one is “charming and hilarious” – to quote The Seattle Times. Also pure pleasure for a holiday weekend.

Review by Anne McDougall

“The Pursuit of Perfection – A Life of Celia Franca” by Carol Bishop-Gwyn

Dave — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:57:00 +0000

This is a penetrating biography of one of Canada’s most important dancers, by an author who is a writer as well as dance historian, with degrees in dance history from both Canada and England. She tells Franca’s story with sharp insight and considerable detail. It is an impressive feat.

Celia Franca was born in l92l to a Polish-Jewish family in east-end London. Her parents had very little money to back their daughter when she began dancing around the house and at parties, but her obvious talent did lead to music, then dance lessons. Celia was rather short, with sturdy legs but not the high arch of most ballet dancers. She made up for this with a great sense of rhythm, of drama and showmanship, a long beautiful neck, and a high jump. She won a professional audition, got into Ballet Rambert and eventually Sadlers Wells. By this time she had made her mark outside England, and then came the offer to start a national school of ballet in Canada.

The rest is history and Carol Bishop-Gwyn describes the challenges Franca faced in getting dancers and money for the National Ballet of Canada. The book is full of all the dancers of this generation from de Valois, to Rudolph Nureyev, Margot Fonteyn, Veronica Tennant, and Karen Kain. There were lots of heartbreaks for the determined Franca – but nothing stopped her and her high standards gave this country a fine ballet company. The book is full of photographs showing Franca with her three husbands, but also being feted in countries around the world. She paid the cost of her pursuit, but we see that she had no choice.

Review by Anne McDougall

Elizabeth Sellers Signs “If Horses Were Wishes” on Saturday, May 19 from 11:00am to 1:00pm

Dave — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:34:56 +0000

Elizabeth Sellers will be here signing her new young adult book “If Horses Were Wishes.”
From the jacket:
“Katy, an unhappy foster child, daydreams constantly. But when she dreams of doing something admirable to impress popular Sandra Magill, the results aren’t quite what she had in mind – waking up as a horse! Being cared for by Sandra and her friends (and pony!) all help. Through various adventures unexpected friendships develop, bu the burning question is: will Katy prefer being a horse, or will she try to become a girl once more?”
For more information about Katy and her adventures, visit www.elizabethsellers.com

We hope to see you all on Saturday!

Kathleen O’Hara Signing New Book “Lost and Found in London” Saturday, May 5 from 11:00am to 1:00pm

Dave — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:00:29 +0000

Kathleen O’Hara will be in the store signing copies of her new book “Lost and Found in London” on Saturday, May 5 from 11:00am to 1:00pm.
From the jacket:
“Kathleen was lost in London; now she’s about to be found. Her stay has been rich and exciting – museums, galleries, influential people. Romantic trips with a new lover. But UK authorities say it’s time to go. It’s not their problem she doesn’t want to leave, and has no idea what to do next. Fortunately, the right person comes along…”
This book is “a timely, thought-provoking, and fun guide for these uncertain times that could potentially change your life.”

We hope to see you here at the store on Saturday!

Dick Bourgeois-Doyle Book Signing on Thursday, May 3 from 5:00 to 6:00pm to Celebrate Machiavelli’s Birthday!

Dave — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 20:15:21 +0000

Come down to the store on Thursday, May 3 between 5:00pm and 6:00pm to meet local author Dick Bourgeois-Doyle and celebrate Machiavelli’s birthday. Dick will be signing copies of his new book Il Principio – The Principle which satirizes Machiavelli’s famous work, The Prince.
From the jacket:
“In this book, humorist Dick Bourgeois-Doyle as Piccolo Mochiavelli (Little Mock of Machiavelli) presents a collection of apocryphal tales that poke fun at the Italian philosopher as well as the messy blend of ideology, people and process that makes up politics and government in any time and place.
It is the second in a series that includes the tale of a quixotic government administrator: The Most Strategic, Integrated and Aligned Servant of the Public Don Quincy do la Mangement.”

“Bringing Up Bebe” by Pamela Druckerman

Dave — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:45:24 +0000

Pamela Druckerman is an American journalist married to an Englishman. They are living in Paris, both writing books, when they have their first child.
This is the mother’s story of what she learns from French families, where she finds the children sleep all night, eat regular healthy meals and the parents remain relaxed. Druckerman has a funny, honest way of describing all this, which makes for a very amusing book, made funnier when her twin boys arrive.
She watches the French mothers set out a “cadre”, or framework, within which the children must be obedient to certain rules, but after that are free to play as they like, making up their own games without supervision. At meal times great attention is given to regular four meals a day, with the grown-ups, and including a four-o’clock afternoon snack. Apart from that there is no snacking during the day, unlike American families. The result, Druckerman notes, is no obese children in France, unlike her own country. This also meant much more fresh vegetables and fruit and less pasta and hotdogs.
At the “creche”, which is state-funded, the children had the same system of basic obedience but also much free time to explore on their own. When the children did join their parents, they did not grab all the attention but allowed parents and their friends to continue their conversations uninterrupted.
Druckerman shares her efforts at learning to say “non”, and the book gives a fascinating picture of the two cultures, French and American. It may be a bit repetitive – but what book on Bringing up Bebe could not be?

Review by Anne McDougall

“Walking for Peace: An Inner Journey” Book Signing on Saturday, April 28 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Dave — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:39:20 +0000

Join us at the bookstore on Saturday afternoon for a book signing with Mony Dojeiji and Alberto Agraso. They will be here on Saturday, April 28 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm signing their book Walking for Inner Peace: An Inner Journey.
From the jacket:
“The course of one’s life never unfolds quite as we imagine it would. While traveling to gain perspective on her life, Mony, a Lebanese-Canadian woman, feels called to walk an ancient path known as the Way of the Soul. She wavers, allowing her fears to drown out her heart’s yearning. Until 9/11. Fate orchestrates all the necessary preparations, including an unexpected companion named Alberto, an Andalusian mystic whose ideas would challenge every preconceived notion Mony holds about peace, life and love. Their 13-month, 5000-kilometer odyssey across 13 countries would lead them physically to Jerusalem, but more importantly, to what was perhaps the intended destination all along: their true selves.
This remarkable true story reminds us that it’s never too late to listen to our hearts, that omens appear to guide us in our journeys, and that following both will lead us to realize our dreams and fulfill our destinies.”

We hope to see you all here on Saturday afternoon to meet these wonderful authors. See you then!

Maurice Hladik Signing “Demystifying Food from Farm to Fork”

Dave — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:01:34 +0000

On Saturday April 21, from 12:00 to 2:00pm, local author Maurice Hladik will be in the bookstore signing copies of his new book Demystifying Food from Farm to Fork.
Maurice grew up on a farm in western Canada and was an active farmer into his early adulthood. He earned two degrees in agricultural economics from Canadian and US universities and became an agricultural attache in New Zealand and Germany.
From the jacket:
“In North America and elsewhere, there is a growing concern by many that they are no longer connected in any meaningful way with the production or processing of the food they consume. Furthermore, many sources portray a negative bias regarding the production, transport, processing, and marketing of today’s food.
In Demystifying Food from Farm to Fork, author Maurice J. Hladik examines a plethora of issues surrounding the agricultural industry. It answers the questions of what is food, what does farm to market really mean, and whether the food we eat is safe.”

We hope to see you all here on Saturday between noon and 2:00pm!

“Blitzkrieg and Jitterbugs” by Elizabeth Hillman Waterston

Dave — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:26:20 +0000

In Blitzkrieg and Jitterbugs, Elizabeth Hillman Waterston gives us a very particular picture of what it was like going to university – McGill – while the country had just started World War II.

She entered McGill in September l939, the month war was declared. The first eight months moved slowly with the defeat of Poland, war in Finland, and battles on the sea and in the air. By April l940, Hitler’s blitzkrieg brought the fall of France, Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, and ended with the invasion of Russia and Pearl Harbour.

All this time, Elizabeth headed out from Montreal West by bus or street-car to college, where she was sorting out her lectures, getting to know the professors, going to freshie dances, and trying out articles for the student paper, The McGill Daily. Certainly the headlines brought the war news, and students across campus were also wondering which young professors would be joining up, and most of all, which of their family, and men friends, would leave the campus.

The book brings out the strong contrast between the frivolous insistence of youth “to have a good time at college” and the darkening demands from overseas. With diaries and scrapbooks, and a natural ability to report what she saw – and now remembers – Waterston gives a very intimate portrait of these days. It is certainly a pleasure to read for anyone who was at university at this time. She shares photos and newspaper clippings, and altogether brings the period very much alive.

Waterston herself became a Professor of English, and taught at Sir George Williams, the University of Western Ontario, and the University of Guelph, where she is presently Professor Emeritus.

Review by Anne McDougall

Esther Fueter-Matharu Signing on Saturday, April 14 from 11:00am to 1:00pm

Dave — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:05:50 +0000

Come on down to Books on Beechwood on Saturday, April 14 to meet local author Esther Fueter-Matharu. She will be here from 11:00am to 1:00pm signing copies of her two books, Man on Trial: The ABC of his Folly and De-Feet.

De-Feet — a book of poetry
From the jacket:
“Love, war, nature, the environment – all reflect different phases on the journey of life that the poet who lives in each person can observe and corroborate. With tears and laughter, fears and mockery, Esther Fueter-Matharu takes us on a journey from the wall in Palestine to the bombs in Tennessee, from a tranquil lake in Quebec to the heart of corporate America, from the joys of friendship to the spiritual ponderings for authenticity in the world where lies and pretence dominate. She describes a world that is hot and angry, loving and tender. Both the oppressed and the oppressor will recognize themselves in Esther’s poems.”

Man on Trial: The ABC of his Folly
From the jacket:
“Why, in Canada, do so few women aspire to enter the political arena?
What holds them back?
What needs to happen for women to actively seek to have a fair and proportionate representation in the decision-making processes in all areas of government?”
“From A for Arrogance, to Z for Zero, this book attempts to describe how the dominant paradigm has affected Woman. Structured as a pyramid (the powerful few at the top, the vast voiceless majority at the bottom), and based on the military model of command and control, this model has failed Women, the Environment and Community.”
“The paradigm must go and a new one adopted in all areas of governance.”

About the author:
Esther Fueter-Matharu sees herself as a woman among the millions of women who feel deeply that something is wrong in the way things are going. She is a founding member of the Women’s Alliance Party and a member of its Council of Thirteen.

We hope to see you all here on Saturday! Come on down, meet the author, buy a book, and get it signed!