Beloved
      Exile
     
     
      (Avonova
      Fantasy
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Stone
      Diaries
     
     
      (Vintage)
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      By
      Darke
      Godwin/
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      could
      not
      resist
      grabbing
      this
      novel
     
     
      labout
      Guenever,
      as
      I
      am
      fascinated
      with
      all
     
     
      (Camelot
      lore.
      The
      story
      begins
      when
      the
     
     
      Queen
      istold,
      ‘‘Lady,
      The
      King
      Is
      Dead’’,
      and
     
     
      lit
      chronicles
      her
      struggle
      to
      rule
      England,
     
     
      (then
      Brittanea)
      until
      her
      final
      days.
      The
      plot
     
     
      does
      not
      follow
      the
      ‘‘true’’
      Arthurian
      legend,
     
     
      but
      who
      cares?
      It
      was
      an
      interesting
      read,
     
     
      jalmost
      making
      me
      believe
      I
      was
      living
      the
      tale.
     
     
      Even
      if
      you
      don’t
      particularly
      care
      for
     
     
      the
      story
      of
      King
      Arthur,
      Lancelot
      and
     
     
      (Guenever,
      this
      is
      a
      tale
      almost
      anyone
      could
     
     
      enjoy.
      There
      are
      two
      faults:
      1)
      The
      last
     
     
      page...rip
      it
      out
      and
      the
      whole
      thing
      is
      greatly
     
     
      improved,
      and
      2)
      There
      is
      a
      dryness
      to
      the
      first
     
     
      chapter
      while
      they
      get
      the
      political
      background
     
     
      lout
      of
      the
      way;
      however,
      it
      is
      worth
      it
      for
      this
     
     
      fresh
      view
      of
      the
      Queen
      of
      Camelot.
      She
      seems
     
     
      Imore
      human,
      not
      the
      untouchable
      goddess
      of
     
     
      previous
      stories.
      This
      book
      makes
      you
      think
     
     
      this
      must
      have
      been
      the
      true
      Guenever.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      --
      Aldera
      Chisholm
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ture
      when
      I
      took
      this
      home.
      There
      has
      bee:
     
     
      so
      much
      hype
      about
      the
      “‘wonderful
      Fabio”’
     
     
      that
      I
      had
      to
      see
      for
      myself.
      Our
      hero
      is
      an
     
     
      actor
      who
      is
      starring
      in
      a
      Viking
      movie
      with
     
     
      his
      lover.
      In
      the
      movie
      finale,
      theactor
      is
      sent
     
     
      off
      for
      burial
      on
      a
      burning
      ship.
      All
      of
      a
     
     
      sudden,
      in
      a
      freak
      accident,
      he
      finds
      himself
     
     
      thrown
      back
      in
      time
      as
      a
      great
      Viking
      king
     
     
      risen
      from
      the
      dead.
      Heis
      then
      determined
      to
     
     
      bring
      peace
      to
      the
      Vikings
      and
      ‘‘tame’’
     
     
      Reyna
      the
      Ravisher,
      the
      ancestor
      of
      his
      mod-
     
     
      ern-day
      lover.
      Sound
      contrived?
      You
      are
     
     
      right.
      It’s
      also
      trite,
      predictable,
      corny,
      and
     
     
      extremely
      sexist.
      What
      else
      can
      you
      expect
      9
     
     
      4
      novel
      containing
      a
      fold-out,
      inscribéd
     
     
      centerfold
      of
      Fabio?
      Don’t
      buy
      it.
      Dgn’t
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
        
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
     
       
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      feel
      rather
      ignorant
      trying
      to
      review
      the
      wonderfu
      work
      that
      Carol
      Shields
      has
      penned.
     
     
      Ican’t
      sufficiently
      describe
      the
      simple
      beauty
      of
      herlanguage
      and
      the
      intimacy
      I
      felt
      with
      her
     
     
      characters.
      The
      spell
      Shields
      is
      able
      to
      cast
      over
      herreaders
      is
      amazing,
      and
      rarely
      demonstrated
     
     
      by
      contemporary
      authors.
     
    

    
     
      Page
      by
      page,
      the
      novel
      traces
      the
      path
      ofDaisy
      Goodwill’s
      existence.
      Her
      life
      is
      one
     
     
      of
      tragedy,
      but
      nota
      kind
      of
      tragedy
      that
      is
      insurmountable.
      Daisy
      is
      an
      orphan,
      a
      young
      widow,
     
     
      a
      mother
      and
      a
      journalist
      during
      the
      nine
      decadesof
      her
      life,
      and
      all
      the
      time,
      she
      is
      desperately
     
     
      uncertain
      of
      what
      her
      life
      station
      should
      be.
      The
      family
      tree
      and
      photographs
      of
      various
     
     
      ascendants
      and
      descendants
      make
      reading
      this
      book,
      based
      on
      the
      life
      of
      a
      Canadian-born
     
     
      woman,
      an
      even
      more
      intimate
      experience.
     
    

    
     
      Shields
      has
      a
      wonderful
      talent
      formaking
      her
      characters
      come
      alive.
      The
      images
      she
     
     
      paints
      with
      her
      characters’
      thoughts
      are
      intricate
      and
      vivid.
      Particularly
      disturbing,
      yet
     
     
      fascinating,
      is
      her
      representation
      of
      themind
      of
      a
      person
      near
      death.
     
    

    
     
      The
      most
      striking
      feature
      of
      thisbook
      is
      not
      something
      found
      in
      the
      text.
      What
      Shields
     
     
      has
      been
      able
      to
      do
      with
      her
      wonderful
      bookis
      encourage
      self-revelation
      and
      self-discovery.
      The
     
     
      book
      forces
      readers
      to
      take
      a
      walk
      through
      their
      own
      lives
      and
      ponder
      the
      relevance
      of
      their
     
     
      existence.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Stone
      Diaries
      has
      won
      manyaccolades,
      including
      the
      Governor
      General’s
      Award
     
     
      in
      1993,
      and
      a
      nomination
      to
      the
      short-list
      for
      the
      prestigious
      Booker
      Prize.
      As
      well,
      the
      book
     
     
      spent
      forty
      weeks
      on
      the
      Best
      Sellers
      listwhen
      the
      first
      edition
      came
      out
      in
      hard-cover.
      Truly,
     
     
      when
      youread
      thebook,
      there
      is
      no
      doubtit
      deserves
      the
      praise
      it
      has
      received.
      The
      Stone
      Diaries
     
     
      is
      a
      perfect
      book
      for
      the
      soul-searcher,
      and
      for
      anyone
      who
      enjoys
      a
      beautiful
      story.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      (Carol
      Shields
      en
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      \x
      Steve
      Ellis
      ‘ae
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |__-»
      Shannon_Younker.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Ant
      Book
      and
      See-Through
      Model
      Set
     
     
      (Andrews
      and
      McMeel)
     
     
      By
      Luann
      Colombo,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Illustrated
      by
      Susan
      Hernday
      sien
     
    

    
     
      The
      Ant
      Book
      is
      sold
      as
      one
      half
      of
      the
      Ant
      Book
      and
      See-Through
      Model
      packaged
      set.
     
     
      This
      48-page
      book
      contains
      the
      directions
      for
      putting
      together
      the
      pieces
      of
      your
      very
      own
      ant,
     
     
      as
      wellas
      information
      on
      the
      anatomy,
      ecological
      importance,
      and
      society
      of
      various
      ant
      species.
     
     
      Colombo’s
      language
      is
      sophisticated
      for
      children’s
      reading,
      but
      many
      of
      the
      big
      words
      are
     
     
      defined
      in
      the
      text
      to
      make
      it
      more
      accessible.
      The
      directions
      were
      simple
      to
      follow
      and
      the
      ant
     
     
      can
      be
      constructed
      within
      a
      few
      minutes,
      easily
      within
      a
      child’s
      attention
      span.
      I
      have
      taken
     
     
      university-level
      invertebrate
      zoology
      courses
      and
      I
      found
      the
      story
      of
      my
      ant
      very
      interesting.
     
     
      The
      reading
      level
      of
      The
      Ant
      Book
      is
      late
      elementary.
      With
      someone
      reading
      the
      directions,
      a
     
     
      younger
      child
      could
      easily
      figure
      out
      the
      model.
     
    

    
     
      Susann
      Hernday’s
      artwork
      is
      excellent.
      Her
      ants
      are
      lifelike--
      you
      can
      almost
      feel
      the
     
     
      hairs
      on
      an
      ant’s
      antenna.
     
    

    
     
      The
      See-Through
      Ant
      Model
      is
      not
      a
      toy;
      once
      it
      has
      been
      put
      together
      all
      you
      really
      can
     
     
      do
      with
      it
      is
      look
      at
      it.
      That
      said,
      building
      the
      model
      was
      just
      plain
      fun.
      The
      internal
      organs
     
     
      are
      big
      enough
      that
      adult-size
      fingers
      can
      put
      the
      pieces
      together
      without
      frustration.
      I
      would
     
     
      have
      been
      happier
      if
      the
      pieces
      snapped
      together
      more
      firmly,
      especially
      the
      two-piece
     
     
      exoskeleton,
      which
      does
      not
      snap
      together
      at
      all.
      The
      see-through
      dome
      that
      houses
      the
      ant
      is
     
     
      snug,
      but
      my
      ant
      comes
      apart
      if
      one
      picks
      it
      up
      to
      look
      from
      another
      angle.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      (Andrews
      &
      McMeel)
     
     
      By
      Lynn
      Johnston
     
    
   
   
    
     
      --
      Sean
      McQuaid
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It’s
      The
      Thought
      That
      Counts.
      .
      .
     
     
      A
      For
      Better
      or
      For
      Worse
      Fifteenth
      Anniversary
      Collection
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Shakespeare
      bashers
      take
      heed:
     
     
      isa
      fun
      book!
      Whether
      you’
      re
      the
      last
      of
     
     
      red-hot
      Bard
      boosters
      or
      sick
      to
      death
      of
     
     
      the
      fuss
      about
      Willie,
      this
      is
      the
      book
      for)
     
     
      As
      Epstein
      says
      in
      her
      foreword,
     
     
      wrote
      this
      book
      for
      ‘‘theintelligent
      comn
     
     
      reader
      who
      is
      tired
      of
      the
      academic
      jar
     
     
      and
      the
      patronizing
      tone
      of
      the
      stu
     
     
      handbook.”’
      For
      those
      of
      you
      who
      cring
     
     
      the
      mention
      of
      Shakespeare
      in
      the
      belief
     
     
      he
      is
      too
      ‘‘intellectual’’
      for
      you
      to
      appr
     
     
      ate,
      this
      book
      is
      for
      you.
      It
      is
      an
      unpre
     
     
      tious,
      concise
      and
      deliciously
      diverse
     
     
      bag
      of
      history,
      biography,
      art
      apprecia
     
     
      and
      out-and-out
      trivia
      of
      all
      kinds.
      Thes
     
     
      of
      Jeopardy
      could
      probably
      milk
      this
     
     
      Shakespeare
      categories
      until
      long
      after
      /
     
     
      Trebek
      keels
      over
      dead.
     
    

    
     
      At
      the
      same
      time,
      this
      book
      is
      by
     
     
      means
      condescending.
      Included
      in
      the:
     
     
      umeare
      numerous
      intelligent
      discussiot
     
     
      Shakespeare
      and
      his
      works,
      with
      spec
     
     
      chapters
      for
      his
      various
      plays,
      inclu
     
     
      tragedies,
      comedies,
      histories,
      romances
     
     
      problem
      plays.
      But
      it’s
      all
      presented
     
     
      straightforward,
      accessible
      prose
      style,
     
     
      the
      book
      is
      padded
      with
      zillions
      of
      quote
     
     
      the
      Bard
      (by
      everyone
      from
      Virginia
      W
     
     
      to
      Mel
      Gibson),
      tons
      of
      trivia
      sidebars,
     
     
      reams
      of
      short
      articles
      on
      various
      aspec
     
     
      all
      things
      Shakespearean.
     
    

    
     
      Among
      the
      topics
      of
      discussion
     
     
      Shakespeare’s
      popularity,
      why
      many’
     
     
      him
      boring,
      how
      Shakespeare
      is
      taugl
     
     
      mis-taught)
      in
      schools,
      the
      Elizabet
     
     
      Theatre,
      Shakespeare’s
      life
      and
      mystet
     
     
      death,
      Shakespearean
      language,
      actors
     
     
      rectors,
      hoaxes,
      merchandising,
      adapta!
     
     
      in
      a
      variety
      of
      mediums--
      you
      name
      it,
     
     
      here
      (although
      mention
      of
      the
      deligi
     
     
      Wayne
      and
      Shuster
      Shakespeare
      sket¢ti
     
     
      surprisingly
      and
      depressingly
      absent
      it
     
     
      spoof
      section).
      It’s
      a
      heady
      blend
      of
      his!
     
     
      superstition,
      folklore,
      myth,
      and
      the
      li
     
     
      ture
      that
      inspired
      it--
      everything
      from
     
     
      ‘‘curse’’
      of
      MacBeth
      to
      whichplay
      inv
     
     
      the
      most
      spitting
      (if
      you’re
      curious,
      it’s
     
     
      Merchant
      of
      Venice).
     
    

    
     
      In
      short,
      The
      Friendly
      Shakesp
     
     
      is
      a
      very
      readable,
      accessible
      guide
      !
     
     
      Bard,
      his
      works,
      his
      world,
      and
      ho¥
     
     
      affects
      our
      world.
      It’s
      only
      a
      taste
      of
      Sti
     
     
      speare,
      but
      a
      tasty,
      eclectic
      mix
      it
      is.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      --
      Sean
      McQuaid
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It’s
      two,
      two,
      two
      books
      in
      one!
      It’s
      The
      Thought
      That
      Counts
      is
      the
      latest
      annual
      collection
      of
      daily
      For
      Better
      or
      For
      Worse
      cartoons
      by
      Canadian
      cartoonist
      Lynn
      Johnston.
      The
     
     
      chronicles
      the
      heartwarming
      and
      sometimes
      heart-rending
      nuances
      of
      day-to-day
      life
      with
      the
      Patterson
      family
      (based
      on
      Johnston’s
      own
      real-life
      family).
     
    

    
     
      Ah,
      but
      there’s
      more!
      This
      jumbo
      volume
      includes
      not
      only
      the
      usual
      collection
      of
      daily
      strips,
      but
      also
      a
      lengthy
      selection
      of
      favourite
      Sunday
      colour
      pages
      hand-picked
      by
      Jo
     
     
      accompanied
      by
      amusing
      and
      touching
      anecdotes
      about
      her
      life
      and
      how
      some
      of
      these
      strips
      reflect
      it.
     
    

    
     
      Johnston’s
      accompanying
      text,
      like
      her
      strip,
      is
      candid,
      warm
      and
      accessible.
      It’s
      a
      tantalizing
      snippet
      of
      autobiography,
     
     
      comic
      strip
      (something
      she
      alludes
      to
      at
      length
      in
      the
      book’s
      foreword).
     
    

    
     
      For
      Better
      or
      For
      Worse
      itself
      is
      the
      undisputed
      champion
      of
      family
      comic
      strips.
      None
     
     
      the
      Pattersons
      could
      be
      any
      of
      us.
      For
      Better
      or
      For
      Worse
      is
      a
      universally
      recognizable
      picture
      of
      family
      life
      and
      life
      in
      general,
      with
      well-rounded
      characters
      who
      evolve
      over
      time
      and
     
     
      the
      reader
      grows
      to
      care
      about
      like
      their
      own
      family.
     
    

    
     
      From
      first
      dates
      to
      mid-life
      crises
      and
      beyond,
      Johnston
      crafts
      a
      timeless
      slice
      of
      family
      life;
      and,
      for
      all
      its
      warmth
      and
      wit,
      the
      book
      remains
      topical
      and
      relevant--
      touchy
      issues
     
     
      the
      pseudo-infamous
      revelation
      of
      supporting
      character
      Lawrence
      as
      a
      gay
      teen)
      are
      addressed
      with
      sensitivity
      and
      intelligence,
      and
      Johnston
      often
      makes
      the
      reader
      think--
      whether
      fot
     
     
      or
      for
      worse.
      As
      this
      latest
      collection
      illustrates,
      Johnston
      continues
      to
      successfully
      combine
      humour
      and
      heart
      without
      sacrificing
      substance.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      as
      well
      asa
      revealing
      insight
      into
      how
      Johnston
      creates
      her
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      Johnston’s
      peers
      can
      surpass
      her
      blend
      of
      realism
      and
      gentle
      humour.
      The
      beauty
      of
      it
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      (November.
      15,:1994