The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Library staffers review their favourite spring selections (F) Fiction (NF) Non-Fiction Motorcycles and Sweetgrass / by Drew Hayden Taylor (F) Motorcycles and Sweetgrass, written by Canadian Drew Hayden Taylor, is set in the fictional aboriginal settlement of Otter Lake. It is the story of a handsome, charismatic stranger who rides into town on a 1953 Indian Chief motorcycle, disrupting the community and its inhabitants. Maggie, the reserve's chief who is embroiled in a land claim dispute, falls head over heels for him. Her teenage son, Virgil, is upset with her infatuation and suspicious of the stranger's identity and his intentions. Virgil decides to enlist the help of his "crazy" martial arts uncle to drive the stranger out of town. Meanwhile we are wondering who this stranger is. Is he the devil, an angel or just a misunderstood drifter? Only the raccoons know for sure! Reviewed by Darlene Green Requiem / by Frances Itani (F) Just after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, young Bin Okuma and his family are forced to leave their fishing village on the west coast of Vancouver Island and are moved to an internment camp in the mountains. Living conditions are difficult, and the family's property is stolen from them, never to be returned. Bin is the youngest in his family- "number-two son". For reasons that are inexplicable to a little boy, Bin's father gives his son up for adoption, to the wise and gentle Okuma-san, a childless elderly musician. Many years later Bin, a recent widower, decides to drive across Canada to face the people, places and events that shaped his childhood. Frances Itani, a member of the Order of Canada, is the author of the best-seller Deafening. Reviewed by Lisa Hunziger The Sandalwood Tree / by Elle Newmark (F) Author Elle Newmark weaves together two remarkable stories, both of which take place during important periods of India's history. In 1947, American Evie Mitchell moves to India with her husband Martin and their young son. Martin, a historian, is documenting the end of British rule in India. Evie plans to work on their crumbling marriage and their colonial bungalow, when she discovers some old letters hidden behind the kitchen wall written by two Englishwomen, Adela and Felicity, who lived in the bungalow in 1857. Intrigued, Evie uncovers a fascinating story of love and betrayal during a dangerous time of rising tension between the British and Indian people. The Sandalwood Tree is a compelling read, full of the history and flavour of India. Reviewed by Etta De'ath Talk to the Headscarf: a Memoir / Emma Hannigan (NF) When Emma first found out that she had the BRAC1 gene, the gene that indicated that she had an 85 per cent chance of developing breast cancer and a 50 per cent chance of developing ovarian cancer, she did not think of it as bad news. Instead she felt is was a chance to gain the upper hand and she agreed to preventative surgery- a double mastectomy and the removal of both of her ovaries- steps that reduced her risk of cancer to 5 percent. Despite such radical precautions, the cancer came anyway. In this light-hearted take on a very serious subject, Emma describes how she not only endured but also persevered by fighting the battle with laughter- often to the dismay of her concerned family. This is an inspiring story of a very brave woman, who fought cancer and won- not once but six times! Reviewed by Clare Hanman The Third Man Factor: The Secret to Survival in Extreme Environments / by John Geiger (NF) John Geiger, author and president of the Royal Geographical Society of Canada, explores the ineffable. What is the benign presence that helps those near death survive extreme and unusual environments? How do exposure, critical injuries, starvation, monotony, loneliness, and sleep deprivation give rise to this presence? Who is the "third man?" Geiger delves into religion, medicine, mysticism, biology, psychology, and philosophy in search of an answer. The extreme environments cited range from 9/11 to Second World War shipwrecks to Ernest Shackleton's Endurance expedition in 1916. Whatever the source of this presence, neurological or other-worldly, Geiger believes we are never truly alone. Reviewed by Mary Land 519-855-6562 ·416-571-6476 exteriorexpress@yahoo.ca www.exteriorexpressions.ca Doris Calder - Certified Horticulturist Landscape design · Garden Installation and Maintenance Spring is in the Air! 65% OFF ·Limited time offer ·Products extra FULL PROGRAM Sara lost over 30 lbs and 30 inches! "Herbal One has given me the tools necessary to live a longer, healthier and more confident life" LE LS SPRING · 2012 41 S I D E R O A D S O F HALTON HILLS