Well, I certainly agree with those who said this book isn't very funny. I've been struggling with this book for over a month now. It tries but just doesn't cut it. For humour it can't compare to the Leacock Awrd winner Ian Ferguson's, 'Village of the Small Houses", a man who I think is funnier than his brother Will.

This extremely well written historical novel is virtually flawless. Everything about the book-the streets and locations in Paris are the very streets I've strolled along unaware of their historical significance. I've now picked up SUITE FRANÇAISE again to further experience the horrors of the Vichy era.
You'll love this book.

The only part of this long, medically- detailed book that I didn't like was the choice of names of the male twins-Marion & Shiva.
Otherwise, this was a highly realistic, skillfully written, medically accurate, book. The details might put a lot of readers off but I found them both relevant and interesting.
I really recommend this book.

Mr. Lewis' voice roars off the page, grabs you by the collar, and shakes the hell out of you. His compassion for and commitment to the AIDS-stricken African continent forces the reader to take action by contributing to his own foundation [...] or to other such caring organizations as Doctors Without Borders.
At times frustrating and depressing, this series of lectures by the special UN envoy paints a grim picture of the pandemic of aids. However, Mr. Lewis stands out as a beacon for all who care about their fellow man, as Mr. D'Allaire did with his fine book, Shake Hands with the Devil.

I have gotten away from reading fiction, leaving many books half -finished over the last few months. This book drew me right in and just held and haunted me until I finished it. It must have have done the same with the author. I can imagine him struggling to live day to day while carrying this around in his head and heart, letting it out bit by bit, wondering where it was taking him.
I loved the author's style and the unique point of view of the narrator.
What a great book!

What a great introductory novel! Lori Lansens has now joined that select group of writers who have added to the body of black literature. Read in conjunction with Paula Fox's The Slave Dancer and Christopher Paul Curtis' award winning works, you will have taken a giant step in your awareness and experience of the hardships of the effects of the slave trade.
Rush Home Road is a gripping story told by means of time switching-following the ups and downs of a free black woman whose rape as a teenager serves to keep her a slave to misfortune, struggles and pain. The story characters are real and Addie, the main figure, is as strong as any woman in literature. This is a worthwhile read.

Adults would do well to read this award winning children's author's works.......he consistently creates memorable characters and stories and he has singlehandedly added to the body of black literature with his award winning junior/intermediate level novels. Curtis has an uncanny sense of the history, the language and the speech patterns of the blacks who were enslaved and those who may have sought freedom in Canada via the underground railroad.
Elijah of Buxton indeed has hints of John D. Fitzgerald's "Great Brain" series but this is more gripping-it reminded me of Paula Fox's heartbreaker, The Slave Dancer-I actually was flipping ahead to find out how a particular adventure turned out.
It's not often a writer this gifted comes along-winning two Newberry awards for his previous fiction as well as as a Newberry "Honor" award for this one.
Read his three fine books in conjunction with The Slave Dancer and then another fine Canadian author's debut novel, Rush Home Road by Lori Larsens, and you will have a wholly satisfying experience. You'll develop a greater respect for children's literature and a greater awareness of the horror and effects of slavery. Most of all you'll want to read more about the brave champions of freedom, those who risked all for the underground railroad.

This book slowly draws you in, the tedium of the far north aptly reflected in the writing. The intrigue of the north and its harsh climate, its flora and fauna is captivating, provided you possess a secret admiration for the likes of Farley Mowat and perhaps a secret desire to trek, to explore the unknown, and to be self-reliant. The setting-Yellowknife and the barrens to the northwest acts like a magnet for the seemingly troubled characters who come from elsewhere to find themselves and who leave changed forever. The man vs. self and man vs. nature themes carry this book.
You won't be sorry you read this one!

Over my thirty year teaching career, I gradually developed a solid age/grade appropriate list of books which I read aloud to my classes. Me and Caleb (and its sequel Me and Caleb Again) was always a great standby although somewhat dated (I doubt if kids today have snowball fights between two neighbourhood "gangs" or go out roaming and playing such pranks as setting off car horns on Hallowe'een), kids from Grade 2 to 6 still enjoyed the antics of these two loveable characters.......

If you only read one of Mr. Mowat's adult books, this should be the one. A gripping account based upon his desire to re-experience the caribou migration which he recalled seeing as a boy, this first person adventure will have you swatting at imaginary swarms of mosquitoes, ducking deer flies, scratching all over from the fleas and lice, and shivering with cold and fear as he canoes on Hudson Bay in late fall during a storm. After reading this book, you'll have a much better appreciation of a truly Canadian way of life that has been all but lost and you'll better appreciate the comforts of a cozy bed.