Broken Scarecrows: Deceit and Cheatby D.R. CameronPublished by Cameron NarrativesReview by Toby A. Welch$25.00 ISBN 9781738687763 Broken Scarecrows is the third book in D. R. Cameron’s satirical fiction series exploring regulatory bodies and whistleblowers.  The series begins with Dysfunctional Regulatory Bodies: Scarecrows and Stupidity, where readers are introduced to BruceG, a man locked in battle with regulatory bodies. The conflict escalates in book two, Dysfunctional Regulatory Bodies: Cowpies and Lies, as BruceG takes on the environment ministry (Ministry of GoodforAll.) By the time you dive into Broken Scarecrows, the regulatory system is almost entirely broken – and it’s time to start fixing things.  In this third book, BruceG clashes with the LOG (League of Growers) and the LOP (League of Prosecutors) after whistleblowing on questionable bylaws passed by council. While the story builds on earlier events, new readers to the author’s work don’t need to worry about jumping in here. Cameron includes a detailed preface summarizing the first two books, along with appendices at the back that provide even more background. Even though I read the first two installments, I found these sections helpful as a refresher. Given the large cast of characters in Broken Scarecrows, Cameron thoughtfully provides a list of main characters near the front of…

My Tarzan Tree and Other Farm Boy Memoriesby Doug CameronPublished by Cameron NarrativesReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$25.00 ISBN 9781738687749 I grew up in small-town Saskatchewan and thus am familiar with folks who congregate daily at “coffee row” to remember the good old days, tell amusing stories, share gossip and passionately discuss current events. I continually thought about coffee row while reading Swift Current-area writer Doug Cameron’s memoir, My Tarzan Tree and Other Farm Boy Memories. This 1945-born author is obviously a storyteller at heart, but more than that, he’s done what many people talk about doing—writing a book about their life—but few accomplish. Cameron’s light and informal tone; the emphasis on his rural upbringing (near Alcomdale, Alberta); and rambling reminiscences of boyhood escapades with eight siblings, cousins, and friends reads like coffee row conversation: I could even imagine Cameron’s coffee mates nodding in recognition as they stirred another spoonful of sugar into their coffee cups. Cameron, who had a significant career in agricultural science (he was employed at Ottawa’s Agriculture Canada Research Station, and worked globally), has culled his varied childhood experiences into an easy and pleasurable read. He says that he’s “always wanted to write about [his] boyhood days…

Dysfunctional Regulatory Bodies: Cowpies and Liesby D. R. CameronPublished by Cameron NarrativesReview by Toby A. Welch  $24.99 ISBN 9781738687725 Last year I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dysfunctional Regulatory Bodies: Scarecrows and Stupidity. So when I received a copy of its sequel, Dysfunctional Regulatory Bodies: Cowpies and Lies, I couldn’t wait to dig in.  Like its predecessor, Cowpies and Lies is a humorous satire poking at regulatory bodies. Three self-regulatory bodies are given character designations and a story plays out that involves a Tea Party, a subsequent inquisition, and shifting bylaws. Cowpies and Lies picks up where the first book concluded. BruceG is a main character in this book, just as he was in Scarecrows and Stupidity, and he still resides in the imaginary Kingdom of Aspen. He gets drawn into changes being made as to how the environment ministry (Ministry of GoodforAll) handles projects. BruceG must deal with the ensuing bureaucracy and drama in the environmental realm.  BruceG is still a fascinating character. He grew up a farm boy with a traditional rural upbringing. He went to university and became an expert in soil, crops, and hydrology with a PhD in Watershed Science. He continued farming as an adult with a family of his own. He started an environmental consulting firm…

Dysfunctional Regulatory Bodies: Scarecrows and Stupidityby D.R. CameronPublished by Cameron NarrativesReview by Toby A. Welch$24.99 ISBN 9781738687701 Dysfunctional Regulatory Bodies is a work of satirical fiction. That’s a new genre for me so I needed to get the lowdown. It turns out that satirical fiction is loosely defined as a work that ridicules a specific topic in order to provoke readers to change their thoughts and/or opinions on the topic. That works for me – bring it on!  I was clueless when I dove into this book so I was grateful for the preface that Cameron included before chapter one. I highly recommend you don’t skip the preface as it gives you a solid explanation of the treat that you are in for in the pages ahead.  The layout of this book makes it a joy to read. It’s broken up into short chapters, which I love. The font isn’t large but it’s not small either – my eyes were grateful. The frequent use of bullet points is aesthetically pleasing, breaking up the pages into easily digestible chunks.  Each chapter begins with dysfunctionality questions for you to keep in mind as you read the next few pages. I found them…