Asia Books

Particularly impressive is the author's approach at presenting the Chinese thought process in such a manner that Westerners can not only understand the Chinese psyche, but respect and learn from it as well. This book was perhaps one of the most enlightening books I have read in a while. There is a a concerted effort to show business protocol and potential avenues of entry, but more importantly this book addresses the fundamental social concepts that need to be FULLY understood before attempting to grow in China.

Of the vast number of books about China, this one is a very useful account of how successfully doing business in China. Western Managers at the forefront in China should read this book which brings together a lifetime of research and practice on China.

Doing business in China!
Relation, Relation And Relation....

If you are using your American or European style to work and even partner with China's firms, you must be failure in the end.

Relationship with the Government and officials are the major concerns when you stepping into the door of China.

Think Global and hire Local Chinese people is the only way to have the final success with your partner in China.

China means: " Always in the historical culture "
So don't think about China with your American Standard !

Try to learn with your local Chinese people (doer)

Anyway, China is opened now and also needed to face the ways for WTO ! Reckon, China can learn from their European and American business partners from today.

This book is actually several stories about the Dream-of-Jade Cat and the Emperor. There are beautiful illustrations and the stories good, this book is rated for ages 9 - 12 and I agree.

The stories are:
How Dream of Jade Looked at the Emperor
How the Dream-of-Jade Cured the Emperor
How the Dream-of-Jade Made the Emperor Laugh
How the Dream-of-Jade Chose a Gift
How Dream-of-Jade Wrote the Law

Come laugh with me and allow an Imperial Feline to draw back the veil of Time that obscures Imperishable Truths. You doubtless know Lloyd Alexander as a prolific writer & author of medieval fantasies. In "Dream-of-Jade" his wonder-filled stories tell us about ancient China and Emperor Kwan-Yu. "Jade" is the cat who stole his affections.

The author dedicated his book to "my dear cats who told me these tales." Fables can be enjoyed 'time and again' - - these were first published in CRICKET magazine in 1976. We learn how historical events were clarified by the wisdom of "Jade": how she cured the emperor, wrote the Law, and most importantly made the emperor laugh. Her beautiful green eyes & white fur is realistically portrayed through the artistry of D. Brent Burkett. He, as well as the cat, get in a few 'swipes' at pompous know-it-all bureaucrats. Some of the tongue-in-cheek humor may be lost on the youngest listeners but they will love the highly stylized speech with "important" words, and the rhythm of complicated 'titles' - such as this on page 36: "the Glittering Repository of Highly Valuable Objects."

If we listen attentively as any cat lover should, we will realize there are often lessons for adults to be found in children's picture books. Reviewer mcHAIKU suggests that you allow yourself to be hypnotized by "Dream-of-Jade."

Dream-of-Jade is a fabulous and fantastic story that emphasizes kindness, generosity, diplomacy, and common sense. The setting is beautiful, the characters are delightful, and nestled throughout the stories are bits of humor, pieces of irony, and the occasional new vocabulary word. Mr. Alexander's book is smart and charming, and as good a read for adults as it is for children. As an added bonus, the artwork, while more impressionistic than many children's books, adds to the flavor of the story quite well, providing a detailed enough view of events that one can see them while not detracting from the reader's eager imaginings.

My friend give me this book as a birthday gift to teas me. She didn't know that my father collect some of it's kind for his literature studies (seriously) since fifty years ago till he passed away seven years ago. I've been reading this kind of pictures and books in my father's lab located at his University in Taipei since I was little. The contents are erotic but artful,cuturing and healthy. The printing of this book is very good. It's a very sophisticated book. It's great for your bed- room collection and art collection. It's the best...

When reading the introductions and admiring the illustrations i felt i was before art so wise and so deep i felt happy. Very simple and very true. Reading this won't make you want to run away from it but rather takes you inside the scenes. You certainly want to be part of the escenarios. The tenderness and passion of chinese erotic art has quite a different flavor from the more agressive, macho-like of the japanese. They make a good combination, though. See and enjoy.

This is a wonderful book. It's coffee-table sized, allowing reproductions large enough to show their many details. Every image is beautifully printed, with lush, strong color. The examples cover a variety of styles. Most of them are paintings on paper or silk, though a few ceramics and other works appear. Notes are sketchy, but most of the images seem to date from the 17th or 18th century forward.

Across the whole period covered, a few things stand out. First is the whole tone of the works: they all depict affection between the players. Some of the pictures show an illicit love, or a senior wife unhappy at attention given to a concubine. None of scenes depict coercion or aggression, however. They are all about people happy together, or who were happy until found out. The second is the wide ranges of practices. Most scenes depict coition, in numerous, often improbable poses. There are also repeated themes of caresses, genital kissing, toys, multiple players or helpers, and same-sex couples. Although the male usually held the dominant position, nearly every practice was practiced for him and her both, by him and her both.

The paintings usually display intricate detail in the surroundings, to invoke rich furnishings, fine clothes (often discarded), or outdoor scenes. Most of the reproductions here are large enough for even fine detail to be visible. In fact, the relatively few small pictures became frustrating, since it was harder to read the finer marks in the pictures.

Text is very helpful. It often explains fine points that I might not have understood otherwise. It also contains extracts from stories and poems about physical love, and the first section skims nearly two thousand years of Chinese history. I found that helpful for placing the pictures and passages shown in a larger historical context. Given its generally useful content, I found it nearly maddening that so few of the comments told when, where, or by what artist any picture was created. Just a few sentences more per page would have made a huge difference.

There's a lot to say about the images, the culture behind them, and the historical shifts in surroundings, practices, and visual style. I'll let you see that for yourself, though. This book really isn't about the text, it's about the pictures.

//wiredweird

Yaseem lari is one of my favorite authors because her topics and writing style have a personal effect on me. I am also a Lari but that has nothing to do with anything...
The reason i chose to read this book was because i was born in Karachi and i wanted to learn about the wonderful city that i was from. This book does an wonderful job in describing the climate and history of the largest city in Pakistan. If you are not interested in such a topic then i don't reccomend reading this book but if u want to get an idea of Karachi and the changes it went through its history then its a great book for you!

This is a must read for anyone interested in Karachi and its history. I highly reccomend this book.

Disclaimer: Yasmeen and Mihail Lari are related to my wife. Regardless, I am going to provide as objective a review as I can.

I throughly enjoyed what I have read in this book so far! The maps, the illustrations, the descriptions, make this book come alive in a way that makes it simply a joy to read. Particularly if you have lived in Karachi for any length of time.

I have often seen that the inhabitants of a city - any city - are often the least knowledgeable of the history of their locale. This is not very surprising, I suppose, because there is a tendency to assume that "I already know my home town"! I find this book (and other history books that relate to my country!) opens up new revelations and provides knowledge that I simply did not have about Karachi.

I throughly recommend this book to everybody, particularly if you have any acquaintance with the region or the city. The book covers details that are not found elsewhere.

Dubai is changing so fast that it is important to get the most current edition. Selling this edition that was published in 1999 for $89.00 is a ripoff. The book is only worth the money if you get the 2005 edition.

The best thing since sliced bread ! The Dubai Explorer has it all, from info on your visa or driving license to where to get the best margaritas in town. A very easy to use guide which comes in handy when you want to try out a new restaurant,the guide is being updated anually which ensures that you never mis out on the latest that is going on in Dubai, even for the long time residents The Dubai Explorer is a must.

Very informative and up-to-date guide - useful for visitors and expats alike. Split into 8 broad sections the guide starts with the usual general help - including cultural and practical information. Particularly liked the summary boxes and top tips - saves a lot of time ! The hotels listing may be disappointing for visitors (just a contact list) but the guide more than makes up for this by the great Eating Out/On the Town sections, with price guide and pretty accurate reviews of restaurants and the varied nightlife. The New Residents section is essential reading for expats or potential expats - great practical information. The 'Exploring', 'Pleasure and Leisure' and 'Sporting activities' sections contain all a reader needs to know about what to do in the Emirates - without this book a visitor could miss out on many of the delights offered in this part of the world. Since shopping is a major pastime in Dubai this section of the guide is an excellent timesaving guide to the malls and the huge range of goods to buy.

Extensive index and the simple, practical layout of the guide make it easy to use. The aerial maps at the back of the book are stunning ! Dubai is a rapidly developing place and a current guide is essential - this guide contains much more up-to-date information than many other guidebooks and is thoroughly recommended for expats and visitors alike !

Excellent coverage of recent as well as past events! Tariq Ali has come through again.

october 9 2008, after last night's presidential debate, i recommend getting ahead of the reductionist version we will get through the mainstream media. Tariq Ali's
The Duel: Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power

takes us from The Partition in 1947, thru the War in Bengal (aka West Pakistan, aka Bangladesh) with a death toll approx 2 million, of course you remember, right?), to the present, and the continuous American support for the succession of military dictators strictly in the interest of a stable government, which finally cost, at least, the birth of that nuclear power.
Who are the people? btw, i learn that the Rolling Stones wrote "street fightin' man" about Tariq.

enjoy, and get ready to tremble...

The timing of the book could not have been better! For readers of Tariqs non -fictional work,the book ,its contents and the layout would come as no surprise.The depth and breadth of the work is charcteristic of Ali
with some amazing footnotes.His style of histoy telling makes the book "unputdownable".
For anyone who wants to know what has been happening in Pakistan,Afghanistan, this is almost a bottomless source of information...........highly recommended.

In addition to offering great historical and cultural perspective for anyone interested in the "American War" - the Vietnam War - and previous history...this book is just funny.

It is an intelligent, witty, insightful book, and yet is somehow familiar...almost 'quaint' - with characters who are endearing, comfortable and delightful even to an American reader many decades later.

I was assigned this novel for a Vietnamese history class; I would not have even heard of it otherwise.

This novel is excellent. The writing style, translated from 1930's Vietnamese, is humourous, witty, and fast-paced. The luck, charisma, and quick thinking of Red-Haired Xuan is hilarious, and the plot is worthy of the best modern comedy movies (particularly British ones).

I have no clue how you would find out about this novel, but if you do, you should read it. It had me laughing out loud, and I am not a fan of historical or foreign novels. Considering that this novel is 70 years old and from a totally different language, it must be a masterpiece if to still be so good.

i haven't read a lot of vietnamese literature but among those i've read, i would rank dumb luck and tale of kieu at the very top. dumb luck is hilarious and absurdly modern for its time and place. i could definitely see this book translated into a quirky comedic film (i think the preface says the author may have been influenced by such french films and i can see that, if that's true). the main character, red-haired xuan, is delightful but not annoying. not a word is wasted here -- every character and line of dialogue is essential to the story. the book is a quick, refreshing read. however, in trying to give an objective comparison, i can tell you that my israeli boyfriend also loved it but my vietnamese high school brother merely thought it was funny but not hilarious. pick up this book if you want to read an excellent piece of vietnamese literature or want to spend a few hours rollicking with laughter (or more likely smirking and uttering a couple of "hah!"s every few minutes). this is a rare, obscure find. read it if you have the opportunity to do so.

Eat a Bowl of Tea by Louis Chu was first published in 1961. It's a satire of New York's Chinatown's bachelor society.Characters include the Ben Loy the son of a "bachelor" father. He has been sent to China after WWII to get married. After getting married to his bride Mei Oi, they return to America where he finds himself impotent to love his traditional good wife. Another character Ah Song is a thug and a gambler who seduces Mei Oi. The story continues and basically depics Chinatown and the Chinese Americans of the time. In the novel there are examples of the language with the heavy Chinese accent. The story expresses the theme of the bachelor's society and and the morals of a traditional wife compared to a prositute. Pages 250

Truly original. There are no "oriental" stereotypes in this important book. It is purely Asian American. I'm sure it will be treasured throughout the years. Eat a Bowl of Tea came out in 1961 and it is the first Chinese American novel set in Chinese America. That alone should motivate you to buy this book. It's a shame that Louis Chu is no longer with us, he could've authored more books -- "Wow, your mother!"

After reading Louis Chu's book, much of recent work by Asian Americans seemed even more lackluster than before. Chu writes about Asian American culture with the emotional depth and dignity that it deserves. I got this book from my brother who also felt dissatisfied with the representations of Asian life a la Amy Tan, Kingston, etc. They don't seem to write with the same respect for Asian romanticism that Chu recognizes with such literary power.If you want to see an intimate, caring portrait of NYC Chinatown, start here...

I simply happen to like common Japanese cuisine (especially sashimi). But, growing up in rural Minnesota, I had no idea how to explore a sushi bar properly. I was lucky enough to find a copy of this book.

I may never need the maps, but the color illustrations & descriptions of the foods are extremely useful, & will help an "gaijin" who wants to explore the cuisine, no matter where you happen to find yourself.

This is a great book for travelers to the Far East. If you are there for the first or fifth time this book will help guide in the various dishes that are offered. It has pictures and brief discriptions ....it is pocket/back pack size and I felt truly valuable!!

Reading "Eating Cheap in Japan" is an excellent way to broaden one's culinary horizons. It contains mouthwatering pictures and descriptions of many of the inexpensive and delicious foods to be found in that exotic country, as well as the types of restaurants in which to find them. While in Japan, I recommend keeping this book on your person at all times, much like you would your passport. Indeed, it is a passport--a passport to a land of gastronomic delights.

I just receieved this book the other day and I must say I am very impressed by it. The introduction by Marijo Moore says it all--what this book is about. " To eat the fire of truth is to taste the blood of our existence." Such a beautiful line. Also in this book are great stories and testimonies by Charles Eastman, Steve Russell, Vine Deloria Jr, Joseph Dandurand, also a fabulous poem by Marijo Moore herself "Atop Polacca on First Mesa."
Also some great pieces by Susan Shown Harjo, Linda Hogan, and a slew of other amazing writers.
With a great title and great chapter titles this book is a great follow up to GENOCIDE OF THE MIND. This book should be read in classrooms all across the U.S. It is a burning reminder that the Indian voice is still not heard, but we will continue to start the fires, and make your blood boil.

JW

To tell the story, the real story, who better then the current generation of Native American writers. With Marijo Moore as a contributor and editor of Eating Fire, Tasting Blood she has gathered the essays and poems of her peers to tell us what we were never told in school.

With specific references to tribal nations like the Conoy, that are gone but not forgotten and accounts of massacres like Sand Creek and Wounded Knee, these writers bring us up to date and put forth the message that there was a holocaust here too, it just gets no recognition in books or on film.

This anthology hopes to change all of that. With the details brought front and center there is no turning away from what was covered up, taken and not returned, and is still being perpetrated on the survivors. To balance these accounts Moore has included tales of children going back home to learn where they came from, and poems that tantalize the mind and make the spirit soar.

The accomplishment of bringing the likes of Paula Gunn Allen, Vine Deloria, Jr., and Eduardo Galeano in one volume is to say the least, incredible. Read it and learn about the trail, still being walked today.

This book is important in many ways, as the other reviewers have described. I just wanted to mention that the article by David Seals titled "Nicaragua: What's Ward Churchill Got Against You?" was pretty pathetic. It included juvenile insults like calling Churchill "Lurch," which is the same crude name that right-wingers directed toward John Kerry.
No one knows all the details of Churchill's experiences in Nicaragua. But we can all learn many things from his books on FBI counter intelligence programs, the Native American holocaust, the horrible boarding schools Native kids were subjected to, current day ecocidal assaults from mining, timber and massive hydroelectric projects, and many other important topics.
Ward doesn't get it all right, Ward has "issues," - as we all do.
But Churchill has made many important contributions, including having the courage to speak some uncomfortable truths regarding the blowback of September 11.

Regarding the "scandal" over Ward's heritage, I'd just say even Europeans have tribal roots. Unlike Ward, most Europeans do not have a grandfather who is buried in a traditional Indian buriel ground (so, one could understand the roots of Ward's own assumptions about his ancestry). And unlike Ward, most of us have not spent countless hours writing, speaking and teaching about indigenous holocausts - past and present.
Seals' effort to degrade Churchill ultimately speaks more poorly of Seals himself.

In addition to this book, I'd recommend anything by Winona LaDuke and the DVD "Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action" produced by the Katahdin Foundation.