Book ~ "The Pension Puzzle" (2007) Bruce Cohen and Brian Fitzgerald

From Amazon ~ An "owner's manual" for every Canadian with a pension plan. Millions of Canadians are covered by pension plans in one form or another, whether that's CPP or a company plan, or personal RRSPs. But pensions are the benefit least understood by employees. They're confusing and complex but understanding pensions is crucial to every Canadian's financial security in retirement. Since its initial publication, The Pension Puzzle has become the definitive book on the subject. Now completely revised and updated, The Pension Puzzle remains a true owner's manual for anyone with a pension plan. The Pension Puzzle is not just for those about to retire. It's for every working Canadian who needs to make decisions about their pension plan and how it affects their financial future.

Since I work in the pension and group retirement industry, I'm always interested in reading books about it to see what others are saying.

This wasn't a bad book. They explained some complicated products and gave examples to make them more understandable.

Book ~ "Buffalo Jump" (2008) Howard Shrier

From Amazon ~ Toronto investigator Jonah Geller is at a low point in his life. A careless mistake on his last case left him with a bullet in his arm, a busted relationship and a spot in his boss's doghouse. Then he comes home to find notorious contract killer Dante Ryan in his apartment — not to kill him for butting into mob business, as Jonah fears, but to plead for Jonah's help.

Ryan has been ordered to wipe out an entire Toronto family, including a five-year-old boy. With a son of his own that age, Ryan can't bring himself to do it. He challenges Jonah to find out who ordered the hit. With help from his friend Jenn, Jonah investigates the boy's father — a pharmacist who seems to lead a good life — and soon finds himself ducking bullets and dodging blades from all directions. When the case takes Jonah and Ryan over the river to Buffalo, where good clean Canadian pills are worth their weight in gold, their unseen enemies move in for the kill.

I read Shrier's second Jonah book last month and liked it so I wanted to go back and read the first one.

I enjoyed this book ... I like mysteries and there aren't a lot that are based in Canada or Toronto.

I found, though, that there were a lot of characters and it was hard to keep everyone straight.

I like Jonah and I hope Shier continues with the series.

Book ~ "An Ordinary Decent Criminal" (2005) Michael Van Rooy

From Amazon ~ All ex-drug addict and reformed thief Montgomery Haavik wants to do is settle down with his wife and baby in their new Winnipeg home and work on building a straight life; one free of the day-to-day hustle and danger of being a career criminal. But for a man who's never held down a legitimate job and who faces the daily temptation of returning to the drugs and violence of his past, it isn't going to be easy.When Monty foils a robbery in his new home, killing the intruders, it doesn't make staying on the straight and narrow any easier. He soon finds he has both a small-time crime boss and a star police sargeant looking for ways to ruin him and run him out of town. It's going to take all of the tricks this aging, streetwise ex-con has up his sleeves to prove his innocence and protect his family, all the while avoiding the seductive allure of the life he left behind.

There aren't many mystery novels set in Canada so I was excited to come across this one.

But I didn't enjoy it ... it was confusing, boring, dumb.

Book ~ "High Chicago" (2009) Howard Shrier

From Amazon ~ Toronto investigator Jonah Geller has opened his own agency, World Repairs, and he and his partner, Jenn Raudsepp, are immediately drawn into investigating the apparent suicide of a young girl — and the high-stakes world of construction and development on a long-neglected parcel of Toronto’s waterfront. 

Clues lead them to suspect that fabled real estate tycoon Simon Birk — the partner of the dead girl’s father — is killing people who get in the way of the project but the evidence isn’t rock solid. And Jonah has to craft an audacious plan to take down one of Chicago’s most powerful men.

There aren't many stories that are based in Toronto so I was drawn to this one ... especially because it was a mystery.

It took me a couple chapters to get into it but once I did, I found it interesting.

This is the second in the series so I'm going to go back and read the first one.

I find it curious that male investigators must have lesbian partners ... why?

Book ~ "Fear the Worst" (2009) Linwood Barclay

From Goodreads ~ Your daughter doesn’t come home one night from her summer job. You go there looking for her. No one’s seen her. But it’s worse than that. No one’s ever seen her. So where has she been going every day? And where is she now?

In Linwood Barclay’s riveting new thriller, an ordinary man’s desperate search for his daughter leads him into a dark world of corruption, exploitation, and murder. Tim Blake is about to learn that the people you think you know best are the ones harboring the biggest secrets.

Tim is an average guy. He sells cars. He has an ex-wife. She’s moved in with a man whose moody son spends more time online than he should. His girlfriend is turning out to be a bit of a flake. It’s not a life without hassles, but nothing will prepare Tim for the nightmare that’s about to begin.

Sydney vanishes into thin air. At the hotel where she supposedly worked, no one has ever heard of her. Even her closest friends seem to be at a loss. Now, as the days pass without word, Tim must face the fact that not only is Sydney missing, but that the daughter he’s loved and thought he knew is a virtual stranger.

As he retraces Sydney’s steps, Tim discovers that the suburban Connecticut town he always thought of as idyllic is anything but. What he doesn’t know is that his every move is being watched. There are others who want to find Syd as much as Tim does.

But they’re not planning a Welcome Home party.

The closer Tim comes to the truth, the closer he comes to every parent’s worst nightmare—and the kind of evil only a parent’s love has a chance in hell of stopping.

I enjoy Barclay's writing. It's fast-paced and action-packed.

This wasn't a bad story and I will admit that I peeked ahead to see if Sydney was alive at the end of the book (you'll have to read it yourself to see if she makes it).

For a car salesman, Tim attracts a lot of trouble but amazingly is able to able to conquer it.

There is a soap operaist twist towards the end. I can see why it happened (cuz it needed to tie the story together) but I thought it was dumb.

But all in all, I'd recommend it.

Book ~ "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free" (2004) Ernie J. Zelinski

From Amazon ~ What sets this retirement book apart from all the others is its holistic approach to the fears, hopes and dreams that retirees have about their retirement years. This international bestseller goes way beyond the numbers that is often the main focus of retirement planning in most retirement books. Readers can better envision their individual retirement goals, including where they want to live, what they want to do in retirement, and what they should do when they are still working to ensure that they have a happy retirement. There are many ingredients of a happy retirement and several retirement planning tools that help retirees plan for their retirement in new and more meaningful ways. One of the most powerful tools is The Get-a-Life Tree that you won't find in any other retirement books. In short, How to Retire Happy Wild, and Free helps readers create an active, satisfying, and happy retirement in a way such that they don't need a million dollars to retire.

Definitely a different approach to retirement since most books tackle financial planning.

This books covers why to stay engaged and happy ... have friends, keeping learning, keep active, etc.

A refreshing preparation for retirement no matter what age you are.

You can check out the author's website here.

Book ~ "The Boomers Retire: A Guide for Financial Advisors and their Clients" (2008) Lynn Biscott

From Chapters.ca ~ Well over five million Canadian boomers hope to retire in the next 10 years. The shift from planning for retirement is now on to ways of living in retirement. Using plain language throughout to explain fiscal and investment strategies, the author is writing this book for the consumers of advice as well as for their counsellors. The transition to becoming a retiree involves knowledge of government benefits, employer-sponsored retirement plans, personal sources of retirement income, and a good grasp of the options for living well after one's working days are over.

I've been in the group retirement industry for over 20 years ... and I learned some stuff from this book.

Not enough information for novices but it fills in some details if you know the basics.

Book ~ "Always Fresh" (2006) Ron Joyce

From Chapters.ca ~ It's as Canadian as hockey and beer and almost every town has at least one. Many know that it was hockey legend Tim Horton who opened the first Tim Hortons restaurant in Hamilton, but few know the inside story of Ron Joyce, the former cop who, after the death of Horton, grew the company into a colossal North American enterprise that now earns over a billion dollars a year.

Always Fresh is Joyce'’s own story in a blend of memoir and business book, as he looks back at how the franchise became a sacred cultural tradition. Joyce takes us back to 1964, from the first almost-failed Tim Hortons Donut Shop in Hamilton, to his full partnership with the eponymous hockey player and the tough years of franchise expansion. Recalling the tragic death of Tim Horton in 1974, and relating the little-known chapter on Joyce’'s attempt to sell the chain and his subsequent legal battles with Tim’s widow, Lori, here Joyce sets the record straight. With great candour, he reveals the strategy behind the chain'’s phenomenal expansion, including the introduction of Timbits; how Tim Hortons' coffee has become a number one seller, despite intense competition; an inside look at Donut University; and just why it is that every day tens of thousands of Canadians line up for Tim Hortons products. Joyce also gives the inside scoop on menu items that didn’'t quite work out, the company’'s launch of drive-thrus, why the franchises have done so well in small towns, his decision to sell the company to Dave Thomas of Wendy'’s, and gives his take on Tim Hortons’ much-anticipated IPO. This book provides an insider’s look at an empire, its successes and failures, and the determined passion and character of the man who created it.

Gord picked this book up at the library and is reading it. It sounded interesting so I started it last night (and just finished it).

I like reading non-fiction and who hasn't heard of Tim Hortons?

I'm not a coffee drinker but rarely say no to a donut!

Joyce grew up poor in Nova Scotia (I'm from NS too). So it was interesting to read how he achieved what he has.

Realizing we are just hearing his side of the story, I still found it entertaining. I enjoyed the writing style (though there were some typos). It wasn't too deep or detailed ... just right for me.

I used to work for a group retirement plan provider who provided their pension. I've done some investment meetings for their employees in Oakville and Kingston (I wasn't crazy about doing the 5am meetings, though ... ha!).

Book ~ "Trigger City" (2009) Sean Chercover

It was so nice out this morning so I sat outside and finished this book.

From Amazon ~ When Isaac Richmond, a retired army colonel, asks Chicago PI Ray Dudgeon to look into his daughter's murder, Dudgeon, who's still recovering from the injuries he sustained in Big City, Bad Blood, reluctantly agrees to take the $50,000 case in this engrossing follow-up. Joan Richmond's death looks straightforward: a deranged co-worker, Steven Zhang, shot her in her home and then committed suicide. Never one to accept the simplest answer, Dudgeon starts digging and discovers that Joan's former employer was Hawk River, a military contract company under congressional investigation. Steve's widow soon reveals her husband's ties to China, and Dudgeon realizes that Joan's murder could lead back to both the Department of Homeland Security and some ruthless military contractors.

I enjoyed Big City, Bad Blood but it had been over a year since I'd read it so it took me a while to remember the background and characters.

It took me a couple chapters to get into this book ... I found it a bit cold.

And as a Canadian, I don't know all the agencies in the States so some of that didn't make sense.

But I eventually got into the story and enjoyed it.

The Canadian Book Challenge 3

From Canada Day to Canada Day, can you read and review at least 13 Canadian books?

Starting July 1st, 2009, and ending July 1st, 2010, Canadians and non-Canadians are challenged to read 13 or more Canadian books.

Pick fiction, pick nonfiction, pick poetry, graphic novels, picture books, plays, etc. -- if it's Canadian and if it's a book, it's in.

For more info, click here.

Book ~ "Too Close To Home" (2008) Linwood Barclay

From Goodreads ~ In a quiet suburban neighborhood, in a house only one door away, a family is brutally murdered for no apparent reason. And you think to yourself: It could have been us. And you start to wonder: What if we’re next?

Promise Falls isn’t the kind of community where a family is shot to death in their own home. But that is exactly what happened to the Langleys one sweltering summer night, and no one in this small upstate New York town is more shocked than their next-door neighbors, Jim and Ellen Cutter. They visited for the occasional barbecue and their son, Derek, was friends with the Langleys’ boy, Adam; but how well did they really know their neighbors?

That’s the question Jim Cutter is asking, and the answers he’s getting aren’t reassuring. Albert Langley was a successful, well-respected criminal lawyer, but was he so good at getting criminals off that he was the victim of revenge—a debt his innocent family also paid in blood? From the town’s criminally corrupt mayor to the tragic suicide of a talented student a decade before, Promise Falls has more than its share of secrets. And Jim Cutter, failed artist turned landscaper, need look no further than his own home and his wife Ellen’s past to know that things aren’t always what they seem. But not even Jim and Ellen are ready to know that their son was in the Langley house the night the family was murdered.

Suddenly the Cutters must face the unthinkable: that a murderer isn’t just stalking too close to home but is inside it already. For the Langleys weren’t the first to die and they won’t be the last.

I've read Barclay's other books and enjoyed them. So I was looking forward to reading this one.

I thought it was so-so, not great.

It's a big book (400 pages) and there are a lot of storylines that all come together in the end. I'd figured out a lot of them. And I didn't buy the ending ... I found it weak.

I liked the main character, Jim, but wasn't all that crazy about his wife, Ellen. Not many of the characters are likeable.

The F-word is used a lot ... I don't think it was necessary a lot of the time.

Book ~ "Foods Pets Die For" (2008) Ann N. Martin

From Chapters.ca ~ The commercial pet food industry has a secret to hide and Ann Martin wants to make sure you know it. Her research reveals some startling facts: that the pet food industry conducts animal testing in order to improve their product, and includes euthanized cats and dogs in the mix to heighten protein content. In this revised and updated edition, Martin continues to explore the shocking processes by which commercial pet foods are produced. She offers alternative recipes for feeding pets, nutritional advice, and an exploration of "Pet Peeves," in which she explores several scams aimed at pet owners. This groundbreaking book gives us a glimpse into exactly what we are doing when we buy pet food.

If you have a pet, you should read this book.

It talks about what is in pet foods. If you are feeding your pet food that has meat meal in it, you are feeding your pet the carcasses of dead cats and dogs. How ghastly is that?!

If you want to avoid feeding your pets processed food, there are lots of recipes you can make at home.

Book ~ "New Rules For Retirement" (2008) Warren MacKenzie and Ken Hawkins

From Amazon. com ~ The financial advice industry - including banks, mutual fund and insurance companies - has a vested interest in our hard-earned savings. Industry advisors are constantly warning us that we may not be financially prepared for retirement. And, feeling anxious about our future, we become convinced that it's a good idea to let them handle our money. After all, they seem to have all the answers. But retirement planning today isn't the same as it was in the past. We're living longer, leading more active lives, with more options about how we want to live once employment is no longer the main focus. For the 1.6 million Canadians who will be retiring in the next five years, the questions at play are more complex than "How much do I need to retire?"

Industry veterans Warren MacKenzie and Ken Hawkins have seen firsthand the mistakes that Canadians make in their financial preparations for the future. In The New Rules for Retirement, they offer simple, unbiased advice while at the same time debunking the many myths surrounding retirement.

I've been working in the investment and retirement industry since 1988 in marketing and education. I freelance with an insurance company conducting seminars to the members of their group retirement plans. So I enjoy reading books about retirement planning.

There are a variety of topics covered in this book including demographics, retirement lifestyles, calculating your cost of living in retirement, calculating your retirement income and determining which is the most appropriate asset allocation.

I especially liked that in the back of the book there are many online resources listed by chapter. Plus there is a bibliography in case you want to follow up on the books and articles mentioned throughout.

This is an excellent book, whether you are a newbie or a pro. As someone who has been in the industry for more than 20 years, I did enjoy it.

The authors are with Second Opinion Investor Services Inc., which according to their website, gives unbiased independent advice on the investing process. They're not influenced by incentives to sell or manage investment products because they don't sell or manage money - they charge by the hour the way accountants do. The fact that they are unbiased comes through in the book.

Book ~ "War Brides" (2009) Melynda Jarratt

From Goodreads ~ For thousands of young British girls, the influx of Canadian soldiers conscripted to Britain during the Second World War meant throngs of handsome young men. The result was over 48,000 marriages to Canadian soldiers alone, and a mass emigration of British women to North America and around the world in the 1940s. 

For many brides, the decision to leave their family and home to move to a country thousands of miles away with a man they hardly knew brought forth ensuing happiness. For others, the outcome was much different, and the darker side of the story reveals the infidelity, domestic violence, poverty, alcoholism and divorce that many lived through. 

"War Brides" draws on original archival documents, personal correspondence, and key first hand accounts to tell the amazing story of the War Brides in their own words-and shows the love, passion, tragedy and spirit of adventure of thousand of British women.

Can you imagine quitting school at age 14 because you have to help support your family during World War II in London? A couple years later you meet a Canadian soldier at a dance or in a park and you get married (after much paperwork and permissions) within a week, a couple months or a year. You leave your parents and siblings (not knowing if you'll ever see them again) and follow your husband months later by ship (perhaps with a baby) to rural Canada where they may only speak French (you don't). You are used to having running water and electricity and live for the next 20+ years hauling water from the river and using an outhouse. Yet your 60+ year marriage is a happy one and you have no regrets and consider Canada home.

Hard to imagine!

This book is an interesting collection of more than 50 stories of Canada's war brides, set up geographically by province, along with pictures of most of the brides. Some of the stories are told by the brides themselves, others by children or grandchildren.

Definitely a book I'd recommend!

If you want to learn more about Canadian War Brides, you can go to the extensive website.

Book ~ "The New Retirement" (2008) Sherry Cooper

From Amazon ~ In The New Retirement, global economic strategist Sherry Cooper explains that the boomer generation will be reaching traditional retirement age very soon and the enormous wave of boomer retirees will crest in 2025. This phenomenon will profoundly affect the labour markets, the economy and financial markets for decades. But will boomers retire the way their parents did? Will they work longer and transition gradually into semi-retirement? Cooper tells us that boomers will redefine retirement with great energy and creativity, working well beyond age 65 and mostly by choice. With the dramatic rise in their longevity, healthy goal-driven boomers will seek purposeful leisure focusing on regeneration, rejuvenation and low-stress contributions to society and their own personal wealth. Follow Cooper through her own journey to discover the route to financial security in this engaging and insightful read. Learn how the new retirement is about living well while achieving both monetary security and your personal goals. The New Retirement is an indispensable roadmap to the best years of your life.

I was expecting this to be more of a financial planning book. That would have interested me ... but as it turned out it wasn't.

Instead it was more about demographics (which I find interesting) and how the boomers are redefining retirement with our behavior and lifestyle. Our retirement isn't going to be like our parents or grandparents. We will work later in life because we want to, for example.

The book also takes a holistic look at retirement in urging us to be healthy both physically and mentally today as it will benefit us in having a longer healthy retirement.

It's not a heavy duty read which you'd expect a book about retirement to be. It's worth checking out.

Book ~ "Nova Scotia Drink-o-pedia" (2008) Graham Pilsworth

From Amazon ~ A "spirited" look at the history of drinking in Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Drink-o-pedia is a collection of anecdotes, bits of trivia and stories. From alcoholic drink staples like rum and beer to tea, coffee, and even water, Graham Pilsworth's fun history of Nova Scotia's drinking habits is jam-packed with interesting and little-known facts. The book discusses the role of women in rum-running, the development of Alexander Keith's business empire and the importance of coffee in Nova Scotia culture. The book includes photos, advertisements and artifacts, as well as original and humorous illustrations. The sections are divided by "drink": rum, beer, whisky, wine, moonshine, tea, coffee, soda, and water.

Sister Sarah gave this book to Gord for Christmas.

It interested me because I'm originally from Nova Scotia and I like rum, wine and beer.

It's a fun book to read. I like history and I learned a lot about the names and brands I had grown up with.

In case you always wanted to know ...

To cure a man of drink, take an eel and put it in rum but don't leave the eel in long enough to die. Then give the rum to the person to drink. But don't tell him about the eel. If he drinks it, he will never touch rum again.