THE MONEY SPINNERS: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF THE MEN WHO RUN CANADA'S BANKS Rod McQueen. Toronto, Macmillan, c1983. 276pp, cloth, $22.95. ISBN 0-7715-9779-7. Grades 11 and up. Reviewed by John D. Crawford. Volume 12 Number 3 1984 May This is a highly entertaining look at banking in Canada. Chapters describing a variety of banking activities are presented together with other chapters providing brief biographical sketches of the leading bankers in the country. Most of the book deals with the wheeling and dealing in the rarefied atmosphere populated by the power brokers of the financial community, and, while to some extent the nature of the operations are straightforward, the addition of a few zeros to the end of the numbers involved lends heft to the proceedings. The reader understandably asks if the bankers and other personalities are of interest in themselves or simply because of the financial clout they carry. The author brings many important features of banking at the present time to our attention. As money-lenders extraordinary, banks exert considerable influence over many of the most important companies in Canada. This influence can be exercised in ways which have enormous impact on the Canadian economy. The relationship of Canadian banks with those of other nations adds to the awareness that many important decisions affecting Canadians are made within an international context. However, there remains a feeling that while the bankers are very powerful, an invisible restraint operates to keep their activities under control. This book can be highly recommended to those seeking insights on banking in Canada. There is an enormous amount of fascinating detail that informs as well as entertains the reader. John D. Crawford, Frank Hobbs E. S., Victoria, BC.