________________ CM . . . . Volume VII Number 7 . . . . December 1, 2000

COVER The Great Canadian Book of Lists.

Mark Kearney and Randy Ray.
Toronto, ON: Dundurn Press, 1999.
324 pp., pbk., $19.99.
ISBN 0-88882-213-8.

Subject Heading:
Canada-Miscellanea.

Grades 5 and up / Ages 10 and up.

Review by Mary Thomas.

*** /4

excerpt:

I picked up this book with the internal comment: "How silly can you get!" Forty minutes later, I was still reading, gripped by a combination of lists that:
  1. supported my prejudices (the top two items of the "Six Great Canadian Non-Fiction Books for Young Canadians" are Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat and The Story of Canada by Janet Lunn; the twelve fiction titles were headed by Anne of Green Gables);
  2. flattered me (I had read all five of the top "Canadian Fiction Titles");
  3. amused me (Pablum is #1 of 13 significant inventions by Canadians, as well as being the first of the "Ten All-Canadian Eats in the Twentieth Century");
  4. roused no interest (who cares who the "12 Best Canadian-born Baseball Players" are! Other than their mothers, presumably.);
  5. surprised me (several of the "Thirteen Misconceptions about Canada's Aboriginal Peoples" had me saying, "I didn't know that that wasn't right!"); and
  6. annoyed me (the "Canada's Ten Most Notable Twentieth-Century Buildings" list is very heavily slanted towards Toronto. On the other hand, it was compiled by a columnist at the Toronto Star, which does at least explain, if not excuse, the weighting).
As well, of course, there were lists of quotable quotes (handy if you have a speech to make and historical firsts and/or greatests. The sources of most of the lists are given and appear authoritative (other than the Toronto Star man; see above). This book is not great literature, but it's fun, and I can easily hear a 10-year-old saying, "Gee, Mum, did you know that ...?" or "Listen to this!" For some kids, it would be even better than a book of bad jokes!

Recommended.

Mary Thomas, who works in two elementary schools in Winnipeg, MB, figures that, if you review lists, you should write one.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - December 1, 2000.

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