China Books

(I read this book last month, so the details aren't fresh. Still, I was impressed with Richmond's writing that I feel compelled to post a positive review.)

Two Southern girls fall in love and lust during their teen years. One is murdered, the other moves on with her life. She is forever scarred by this murder. Years later, the protagonist is cruising down the waters of China, attempted to put to rest two deaths: her marriage, her former lover. The protagonist spreads the ashes of her teen lover within the waters of China. She also realizes her marriage is over. Her husband is shacking up with a recovering drug addict who sits at their table on the cruise ship. The protagonist is wooed by a handsome older man with ALS. Will they find happiness? ALS kills. Will the protragonist come to terms with her new lover's impending demise?

Against the backdrop of China, with colorful snapshots of the modern communist country, we learn a little about modern Chinese culture, but mostly about love and loss. Richmond interwaves past and present into the novel. We learn of the protagonist's lesbian relationship with her (now deceased) lover. We learn of the impact that China had on her lover, and how "something" Chinese led to her murder.

I appreciated the symbolism of the cruise ship. The ship, ultimately, has maintenance problems. At one point, the passengers are forced to stay on the ship while these problems are fixed- bad food and mindless games to occupy the time. (That's part of life, especially the mindless games we don't want to play, but sometimes there's nothing else we can do.) The Chinese young adults with the Americanized, celebrity-inspired names- we all want to be celebrities- Hollywood celebrities. (There's more symbolism....)

The ending, thankfully, is neither happy or sad. It is what it is. In a world of "wrap it up with a bow" fiction, Richmond chooses to let the reader draw his or her own conclusions about the story. And, that, too, is life. Sometimes we don't get a happy or sad resolution. We continue to exist, to live, to move, without any sort of closure.

Highly recommended, China buff or not!

Reviewed by Joanna Pearson for Small Spiral Notebook

Foreign travel is about learning to exist in a dreamy state of in-between-ness. Unknown and ungrounded, you wander through strange environs seeing strange faces, and yet the ever-resourceful mind manages to seize upon vague familiarities, constructing a hybrid place that has the eerie quality of a dreamscape. So we find our main character, Jenny, on a cruise ship in China in Michelle Richmond's debut novel Dream of a Blue Room. Tense and insomniac, Jenny has traveled here on a dual mission: to resolve her collapsing marriage one way or the other, and to scatter the ashes of her murdered childhood best friend. As in all good stories that unfold on a plane, train, bus, or ship (with a nod to the Hitchcockian principle), Jenny soon finds her task complicated by the pull she feels towards Graham, a fellow traveler she meets who has his own reasons for making this voyage.

Redmond excels in conjuring that state of heightened, dream-like awareness fueled by lack of sleep and periods of intense emotional stress. Her deft descriptions of the Chinese landscape and Yangtze serve as a context for Jenny's extended meditation on her own riverside childhood in Alabama and the history of her failing marriage. The two settings and time periods are ambitiously and successfully interwoven, much to Redmond's credit. She is as en point in her descriptions of Chinese river dolphins, funeral ceremonies, and elderly tea shop ladies as she is in her descriptions of tubing, Sunday School, and watermelons in Mobile. Much more than travel fiction, this is instead a story of growing up as an outsider in the South, revealed through contrast-like looking at the negatives of a series of photos in order to see what you couldn't have noticed otherwise. In this way, China triggers a reflection on Jenny's life back home, proof of the idea that one understands home the best when away from it. We realize very quickly that Jenny's relationship with the murdered Amanda Ruth was more than a mere friendship. Redmond beautifully describes the intimacy, both physical and emotional, between two girls during the pivotal period of late adolescence, as well as the grinding forces of Southern culture and religion that threatened this intimacy.

For the most part, Redmond's prose has a lovely lyricality. She is at her best when describing situations with clarity and simplicity-she has a keen sense of place, an eye for details like how the raindrops fall at a particular instant. Redmond is a sensual writer and on occasion, her writing can veer towards the overripe, particularly when describing erotic moments. There could have been fewer oversignified descriptions of sex, and the book would have been none the worse for it. Throughout most of the novel, however, Redmond's touch is far subtler, allowing a memory of a summer afternoon in a boathouse or a Chinese funeral procession to do no more symbolic load bearing than warranted.

As the cruise ship eases down the river, the reality of Jenny's ending marriage becomes apparent even as her relationship with newcomer Graham rapidly progresses. It is through this new, albeit short-lived relationship with Graham and the drastic act he requests of her that Jenny is ultimately able to exit her suspended state. With the slow build-up of a mystery, the exquisite pain of a coming-of-age novel, the masterful images of a travel writer, and a darkness that is true to the Southern Gothic, Dream of a Blue Room is a work of wonderfully chimeric form. And through this, a novelistic form that skillfully defies a single genre, Redmond, quite fittingly, tells the story of a woman finding her way out of the boundaries of singular categories, out of limbo, out of the in-between.

Michelle Richmond's novel is an impressive, impressionistic vision of a woman suffering one loss after another, and growing incredibly strong along the way. There's a vivid evocation of China, almost a secondary character in the novel. And there's even a villain or two for the reader to hate. There are many moments of luminous writing, reflecting the dreamlike quality suggested by the title. And, oh yeah, there's some really good sex too.

This novel takes you up the Yangtze River during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. The descriptions of abandoned villages and bustling riverside cities are lush and unforgettable. But something more is happening in this novel. While the main character, Jenny, travels up the Yangtze, her marriage is falling apart. The dissolution of the marriage is captured with painful accuracy, and the memories of Jenny's adolescent relationship with a girl named Amanda Ruth are both sensual and poignant. Jenny and Amanda Ruth were so close and Jenny's love for her was so strong that, even though Amanda Ruth is dead, she is a constant presence in Jenny's mind.

If you've ever been to China, or if you ever plan to go, this book should be your travel companion!

I really enjoyed reading this novel but what kept me going was wondering how the death of Amanda Ruth was going to be resolved. Did the main character do it? Would there be a confession, or was it some unexpected person or the girl's Chinese father. The problem is that nothing ever really happened. Nothing was resolved. I was disappointed with the ending, with everything hanging up in the air, people left with other strangers, trying to drudge up something, but never really having it come to the surface.

The writing was interesting. The short paragraphs and chapters helped to propel me through the book, but my opinion is that there was no real story here, just a listing of feelings, observations and events. I agree with other reviewers about the delightful dream-like quality of some portions of the book.

I was also disappointed with the depth of her observations on China. I mean, I was hoping to actually learn something, to come away with something I didn't know before, but no. I got about the same amount of info that I'd get from reading a Wikipedia piece or some travel book.

Maybe I'm being too harsh, but I gave it 4 stars, and I'm not related ...

This biography of Gladys Aylward takes as resources all of the other biographies. It is written at a level so that children 9 and up can enjoy and benefit from. Gladys' life shows how God can do great things through a submitted and willing servant. Gladys started life as a servant for wealthy families, but God had other plans for her. While at a revival meeting, she became convinced that he was leading her to China. Even though she knew no Chinese, had no contacts in China and flunked out of China mission school, Gladys saved up her money and bought a one-way ticket to China. The adventures and close escapes she had keep you glued to the pages, all the while glorifying God and all that He did for the Chinese people through His humble servant. Well recommended for home-schools.

I love this book. It is down to earth and very clear for the younger children to understand. It gives a clear picture of Gladys' life. I definitely recommend this book to all young readers. The life of this missionary is exciting and leaves you feeling inspired!

I read this to my children a few weeks ago, and I found it incredibly moving. I am not one to get sentimental over books, but I found this story so inspiring and really incredible. The book begins with Gladys being told by the head of a missionary school that she would never make it on the mission field. She isn't cut out for missionary work. She is urged to go back to being a professional housekeeper. Instead, Gladys stubbornly chooses to pay her own way to China. God uses her in a mighty way, eventually bringing the mandarin (similar to a governor) to faith in Christ. I was so touched by how God was able to use her in spite of what others thought that it brought me to tears.

I've come to the conclusion that any book by these authors is worth reading -- every book I've read of theirs is excellent.

Gladys is my heroe. I was spellbound by not only her difficulties but her tenacity to stay the course when circumstances said to throw in the towel. I've never had a book grab my heart like this one. I immediately bought two other versions of her story and the movie, 'Inn of the Sixth Happiness' based on her story. Lord help me to be as focused as Gladys was.

It is incredible to think that a single young lady could accomplish so much in such a short lifetime. Only someone sold out to God could be used in wonderful ways like this. Thank the Lord that people like Gladys Aylward do answer the call to spend their lives serving Him. She gave up all of the normal comforts of western life and totally followed God's will. She even sacrificed the hope of a husband and family, but God gave her a bigger family than she could have ever imagined! She dared to head off into the unknown with nothing but her faith in God. It proved to be more than enough and God blessed her with spiritual fruit beyond our understanding. You must read this book! It is so well done and inspiring! It would be great for the whole family. I pray He will call out many more people like Gladys Aylward into the dark corners of the world.

As far as I'm concerned, this book does an excellent job detailing China's foreign policy. From relations with the West to African affairs, Nathan and Ross are able to concisely explain the importance of each relationship and the dangers confronting China. Furthermore, they also touch on the internal security concerns that the Chinese government must confront. This is a great book to read for people interested in China's foreign policy and what impacts it has on the world.

This book should be mandatory reading for anybody interested in China, or in world politics. Nathan and Ross explain China's place in the international political arena, both froom Chinese perspective and from western point of view.

Excellent!

Nathan and Ross have constructed an excellent book discussing the vulnerability of China. The book goes into great depth discussing issues such as: Taiwanese independence, nuclear proliferation, the strength of the chinese military, the necessity of U.S. intervention in Asia, the relationships existing between China and Japan or the two Koreas, Tibetan freedom, technological exchange with Pakistan. Ultimately, Nathan and Ross conclude that China is a weak and vulnerable country that is more concerned with maintaining its borders and internal stability than initiated a policy of imperialism. This book is a great edition for any student of Asian Politics. Easy to read.

Andrew J. Nathan and Robert S. Ross's THE GREAT WALL AND THE EMPTY FORTRESS is a clearly and tightly written presentation of Chinese foreign policy and defense issues. It is as reliable in its treatment of aspects of the pre-modern Chinese state and society that impinged on the course of modern Chinese affairs as it is authoritative (and well documented) in its analysis of the contemporary Chinese situation. With books on contemporary Chinese affairs, one must be concerned with material becoming dated, but though this book is some four years old in content, nearly its entirety is nevertheless very relevant. Its treatment of Chinese-Taiwan relations, for instance, is still on the mark. Since the book was written before the restoration of Hong Kong to China, the reader will not be able to glean anything new about that situation here. However that may be, this book remains as "must reading" for any student of contemporary China. The reader will happily discover that the style is eminently readable.

National security is a term we're used to hearing in the United States, but with rare exception "security threats" are in fact threats to America's vast informal empire abroad (military bases, troop deployments, the security of client regimes and business interests). As Ross and Nathan ably show, this is emphatically not the case for China. Even though "China is stronger today and its borders more secure than at any other time in the last 150 years", it continues to face a bewildering array of vulnerabilities -- from internal unrest to border insecurity to economic instability.

This book is a good corrective to the growing right-wing trend of playing up the "China threat". Ross and Nathan make clear that China's goals are not particularly ambitious and their capabilities so limited that even if the sinister cabal of Communists plotting against America's beneficent reign were real, it would be hard pressed to act out its evil intentions. Chapter 8, in particular, demolishes the idea that China's military will any time soon provide a real challenge to Japan, much less the USA.

Despite the great service Ross and Nathan provide in refuting the containment school's arguments, this book also has basic problems. Because it is a survey, the authors can only superficially treat each of the many issues raised. They do a good job of integrating history and current events, and the book should be quite useful for those mostly unfamiliar with its topics, but for those with more detailed knowledge it will often by unsatisfying.

Second, the authors use the national security paradigm to orient their analysis, but seem unaware of the drawbacks to such an approach. "National" security indulges the false idea that all groups and individuals within a nation can share the same interests and that national leaders act, fundamentally, on behalf of the whole population. In reality security policies generally hurt the interests of some groups while advancing those of others, and China's leaders act to perpetuate their own power and the power of the Communist Party, and to protect the interests of the increasingly influential business elite. The authors' inability to consider such matters leads them to seriously downplay the ruling class's increasing economic exploitation of workers and its violent domination of ethnically non-Han peoples in East Turkestan/Xinjiang, Tibet/Xizang, and Inner Mongolia.

And finally, the authors approach the subject from the perspective of the engagement school, which has both strengths (discussed above) and very serious weaknesses. Proponents of engagement are ideologically incapable of seeing that the current global economic system is based on inequality, exploitation, and the denial of people's basic needs (food, health care, shelter) and that it is upheld by American military domination of other people. Ross and Nathan's ultimate recommendation, then, is that China be safely integrated into this system -- not because doing so will help the Chinese people, but because doing so removes a threat to the safe operation of a fundamentally unjust world order.

When I read this book sometime back, I was reading it just to read.As I got into the book I found it hard to put down. I cried, I got angry,I hated HATE. I lost two brothers in this mess! Whose loss is greater. Are we not all equal? What these people went through just to survive was dispicable. We take advantage of life! I fell in love with Haing Ngor, I wish I could have met him and hugged his neck. Not in a sexual way, but as a loving sister. This was the most precious kind of man. He gave of himself in a way we should all be doing.What he went through we could only imagine. To watch babies be ripped out of the wombs of women and to go from rich to poor, to watch your world crumble before your eyes and still have love for your fellow man. I have a respect for all life, we all need to open our eyes and look around. Life is a blessing and we should count ours. I love my country,and our people, but that doesn't mean I can't love others to. Haing S. Ngor was a great man who gave for all countries, and all men. He had a heart of gold. May God forgive us all for the Hate we hold.

Enter into the compelling story of a truly remarkable man, Haing Ngor, living through the Cambodian holocost of the late 1970's under the Khmer Rouge. Be prepared, however, for some of the most gruesome torture that a man could suffer - both physically and mentally. If you have any heart at all, you will be changed by this book.

The story begins with a history of Haing's early life in a peaceful Cambodian existence that would be no more. You see a life that is transformed into that of a frial, hungry, tortured and battered peasant. He has everything physically and materially stripped away from him and only his wife to live for. And the story gets even worse. But, through it all, this man clings to hope and a faith in his God that defies all sense reason.

The story does not end painfully. You will see how this one man's deep scars and loss literally transform him into something greater than what he began as. It is not an easy read, but a very compelling one.

I'm sorry that it took me so long to find this book, partially because the book is actually entitled "SURVIVING the Killing Fields: The Cambodian Odyssey of Haing S. Ngor" (and after all this time it took only a few days to read it). Aside from that, it's probably the most intense memoir about life under the Khmer Rouge. Also gives thorough insight into the social and political maze that led led to Pol Pot's reign of terror, and what happened to Cambodia afterwards. Ngor also told not only the *deeply* disturbing details of his life as a war slave, but also the difficulties of starting a new life in America. In addition, he clearly portrayed the bizarro-ness of life as a celebrity, as opposed to the life he lived in his homeland. The reader gets a real sense of the isolation he must have felt, even after his successes in America. All this, along with his spiritual beliefs in karma, which helped him explain some of the madness, make this a beautiful and haunting story. By the way, reading this will make you want to see 'The Killing Fields' again, just to see his performance one more time. It's clear that this memoir served in part as a therapeutic device for him personally, but it's also a truly inspiring book for anyone to read. Reading about his journey was weirdly prophetic, bittersweet and sad because ten years after this book was published, Ngor was killed in a senseless act of violence in L.A.

This book was my first exposure to what had happened in Cambodia. I saw a man go through a typical childhood for his class abnd become a doctor and meet the woman of his dreams. His life was perfect. Then on April 17,1975 it all came crashing down. He and the rest of his family were plunged into some of the worst conditions to ever exist in history. He survived almost his whole family. Then, he had the courage to show the whole world what had happened to his people. Sadly, this man was killed in a "random" murder in his home in LA. We promised the survivors of the Holocaust that we'd never let it happen again, but we did in Cambodia. Read this book and see why again we must try and keep it from happening ever again.

This is an outstanding portrait of a man who survived the barbaric reign of terror of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Anyone who has seen the movie "The Killing Fields" has a cursory understanding of the Khmer Rouge and their attempt to transform Cambodian society during their control of the country from 1975 to 1979. However, this film omitted most of the astounding atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge as anyone who has visited Tuol Sleng S-21 in Phnom Penh (as I have) can tell you. In this book Dr. Ngor relates his horrifying experiences of life under the Khmer Rouge in detail and in the process educates the reader as to just how horrible an existence it really was.

This book is remarkable because of the detail related by Dr. Ngor and the personal nature of its content. Many Cambodians to this day will not talk about his period in their lives. For many, the mental and physical abuse they suffered during this period was too painful to re-live ever again. As I read this book, I could not help but wonder how Dr. Ngor was able to keep himself together.

Dr. Ngor effectively puts the period of Khmer Rouge rule in historical context by explaining the historical events and forces which led to their capture of the country. These events and forces included the People's Republic of China, North Vietnam, the Vietnam War, the United States, and of course, the C.I.A.

I admire Dr. Ngor for his extraordinary courage, and I regret that I did not have the opportunity to meet him during his lifetime. May he rest in peace.

Since this is written much as a diary of a young WW2 fighter pilot there are some sections that, like life, are a little tedious. That fact aside I found Mr. Lopez's work an interesting and inciteful view of the famous Flying Tiger unit after it was absorbed into the Army Air Force after the US officially entered the war. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in the China theater of the war and how it was used to get the Japanese to attack us and get us involved in WW2. The vivid air combat descriptions are great insights into what pilots of that era were up against as opposed to the "video game-like" air battles of today.

Haven't read a pilot's memoirs for quite a while, although doing much more of it now. Into the Teeth of the Tiger was the first of a long line of new purchases that I need to read and it was well worth the purchase. Mr Lopez, while an excellent flier and leader, is also a wonderful writer. He writes with modesty and is not afraid to describe his errors in addition to his successes. The action sequences are superb and the humour used by the pilots and crews to lighten things up a bit is guaranteed to generate a smile and even a chuckle. Of course, this is war and the deaths of friends and the treatment of the civilian population was no doubt shattering for all involved. I get the impression that this book has become somewhat of a classic and justly so. It is a well-written account of a less publicised theatre of the war by a (then) very young pilot. What these guys did at 20-25 really puts things into perspective. A bloody good read!

I've read a lot of World War II flying book and this is the best! Mr. Lopez writes well and tells the unvarnished truth of what it was like to fly a P-40 against an agile and determined foe.

Don Lopez was a 23-year-old fighter pilot in the 14th Air Force Flying Tigers, flying a war-weary P-40 against the Japanese army air force in such close combat that he once took a wing off a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa ("Oscar"). Good pilots are easy to find, and so are good writers, but Don is that exceptional individual: a pilot who can write well and to the heart. This book is a keeper.

This is an engrossing story of a young fighter pilot's experiences flying P-40s and P-51s in mid to late World War Two with the 75th Fighter Squadron in China. Donald Lopez writes excellent flying sequences and conveys the essence of the people he flew and fought with. A good read if you have any interest in military history or aviation.

I have just stumble on to the writings of Ms Neel. First, this book provides a view into the old traditions in Tibet that are not buddhist in nature but rather part of the old culture of Tibet. It provides a perspective on the old traditions versus the true practice of buddhism. The author takes a very knowledgeable approach to the pactice of magic and devination which is sometimes confused with the main line practice of buddhism. The author also explains in great detail some of the main practices of buddhism and includes a detail 3 fold explanation of "om mani padme hum". I was amazed that someone who was a very nice looking women who also perfomed opera and had many other accomplishments would put all that aside during the time period and travel to Tibet and learn all the languages in order to develop the insight that is present in her works. This book provides an excellent backdrop for the study and practice of buddhism.

Also, the practice in the monasteries in Tibet is illuminated. The point of the Theocracy vs true buddhism is brought out with the exposure of the sham and material based approach of those who are in the business of Buddhism versus those who are in practice of the middle way. The presentation is suttle but none the less obvious. Those following the middle way should read this book in order not to get caught in the web of Theocracy.

I first came across this book in 1973, in an Abakwa bookstore that carried occult titles and it made a powerful impression on me, lighting a lifelong interest in matters Tibetan and Buddhist as well as instilling the idea of a lifelong spiritual quest. I assumed then that the author was still alive, because the dust jacket wrote of her in the present tense. I was not wildly off mark, because she had died only four years before. She was the real deal and saw the magical land of Tibet first hand before the Chinese invasion. Moreover, she was recognized and valorized posthumously by the Dalai Lama.

This book present an excellent overview of Tibetan spirituality and the various practices that occur within that spirituality. Perhaps what I liked the best was that the author seemed to avoid incorporating Western cultural biases into her description. Indeed she seemed very intent on describing the practices in an accurate manner.

I was able to take her description of tumo and actually incorporate it into my daily practice. I've also used her chod ritual.

This is information you will find nowhere else. A fascinating book
on the mysterious world of Tibet at the beginning of the last century.

While many books about Buddhism and other historically eastern religions focus on high theology, the book describes Tibetan Buddhism as it was practiced in the early 20th century. It is fascinating.

I first read this book in college and have just read it again after many years. It was better the second time around.

The first time, I was entranced by the accounts of exotic magic and mystery. This time I searched for themes and Ms. David-Neel's viewpoint. Dealing with death is the primary theme underlying at least the popular practice of this religion. As for Ms. David-Neel, I was interested in her viewpoint and experience as a Buddhist who did not find the Tibetan version to be her paricular brand. Because of her distance from this version of Buddhism, her accounts of events that she saw or experienced personally are particularly interesting.

An exciting adventure of World War II...would make a great action movie. Mr. Frank Moore, Slidell, L

Molnar's book reads like Grisham...it just burns along...you can feel the action, see the people and feel their pain. A great book. Rhonda Herring, Gulfport, M

The realism placed you in the middle of the action, heart pounding, tasting the fear... Christine Kirby, Diamondhead, M

A very realistic book, written in the matter of fact manner of a man who has been there and lived these kind of war experiences. Lt. Wayne Day, USN, Slidell, L

A great read...as good as Tom Clancy and John Grisham. LCdr, USNR, Sexton, Baton Rouge, L

This volume provided an excellent translation of a chinese text that was written many years ago. It describes the social mores and conventions of an era that has long passed. The translation of the story is accompanied by very comprehensive notes to each chapter and also an extensive bibliography. While the book should be regarded as a work of scholarship the story nonetheless is captivating and entertaining and the frequent descriptions of erotic and racy interludes throughout the story creates a certain charm and allure for a lost age. I was so impressed by the translation and intrigued by the story that I have progressed to the next volumes.

hard to rview..read the book 50 yrs. ago and am looking to replace it. orig. was lost in moving. question i have is why vol.1 ..am looking for the entire book...as i recall it was well over a thous. pages .. would like more info. fm. author re; future volumes..when can they be expected? th orig. book was a extremely interesting view into the way things were way back when in feudal china..as i recall it covered not only the rich but also the very poor and how each existed in their world

David Tod Roy's translation of the classic 16th century Chin P'ing Mei is awesome and right on the money. The story leaps off the pages - this is how this famous vernacular Chinese novel was meant to be read! Every element of the story is clear and concise in Roy's translation, allowing the reader to enjoy the plot and the fascinating characters.

To briefly discuss the storyline, Chin P'ing Mei is a "spin off" from the classic Chinese novel Outlaws of the Marsh, and focuses on the trials and tribulations of the conniving seductress Pan Chin-lien and the new life she leads after murdering her husband. Some scholars of Chinese traditional literature will not like this allusion, but the story reads like a modern-day soap opera. The characters are lusty and scheming, and the general climate is electric. The general plot follows the intricate daily triumphs and frustrations of Hsi-Men Ching and his `harem" of six wives and concubines (among them Pan Chin-lien). The story is rife with inter-household competition, infidelity, corruption, domestic abuse and eroticism. Characters are well developed, and the scenery is vivid. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the merchant class in 16th century China. It is easy to see how this novel has captured audiences for 400 years - and David Tod Roy's excellent translation will no doubt help it to endure for many more years to come.

This is the book to read if you want to taste medieval Chinese culture: Salty love poetry, sweet wickedness, sour decadence, bitter philosophy, oily sex, all rolled up in a ginger and garlic spiced, fleshy bun. Roy lets you savor all the ingredients and, with a healthy sprinkling of notes, let's you peruse the cornucopia that inspired the recipes. Bon apetit for this first course of five.

David Tod Roy has done Chinese literature proud by producing a scrupulously exact translation of this classic in Chinese erotica. Like what a previous reviewer says, it is "clear and precise", bringing out the naturalistic details of the novel fully to the reader; yet, for all its accuracy, it reads exceptionally well. For introduction, Roy has written a well-argued essay on why Jin-Ping Mei should be read as didactic literature, not as mere erotica, as it has for centuries. Jin-Ping-Mei's checkered history in Chinese literature doesn't disguise the fact that it is a very well written (and detailed) account of the rise and fall of an extended household, made obvious by corruption and its list of licentious dealings (both in Ximen Qing and his harem).

We enjoyed eating and making the recipes in this book.

A warning though, the food is very much like what you would find in the homes of those in China. Do not expect it to taste like the food found in an American Chinese restaurant.

I am originally from Hunan and loved its food when I was there. The recipes here are (brace for cliche) AUTHENTIC, insofar as reading these pages brings me to these very dishes experientially.

The tastes and influence of the Hunan region of China are fully explored in Fuchsia Dunlop's Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, which provides over a hundred dishes easy to make and accompanied by color photos and stories from the province. Dishes come with historical introduction, many a cultural insight, and the author's own experiences discovering and cooking the dish: all these factors make for a fine and well-rounded cookbook which goes far beyond the usual light Hunan coverage to probe the depth of Chinese culture and cuisine, making it a 'must' for any serious collection offering Chinese cookbooks beyond one or two basics.

This is one of the best cookbooks I own. I received the book as a gift and I use it everyday.

Ms. Dunlop continues to amaze and delight with her second book. The current tome educates the reader in the disciplines of cooking (as well as) ancient Chinese history (Appendix: the Main Chinese Dynasties), language (Appendix: Glossary of Chinese Characters) and contemporary history (revolutionarily centric). Echos of David, Grigson and Fisher resonate. [Not unsurprising considering her Cantabrixian education! (superb bibliography)] I haven't yet tried any of the recipes, so cannot vouch for their efficacy - but, they have a good feel about them. Will become a classic by aficionados.

Sawyer knows his subject. He is a master of Chinese warfare and culture. He even teaches you how to pronounce some common Chinese words that we in the west always mispronounce.

The book is great. It covers a lot --- not just The Art of War, though that's included. It is a complete study of the Chinese strategies of war and I recommend it to those interested in this topic.

Ralph D. Sawyer's translations is a must have for anyone studying military thought and theory or martial arts. This translation brings to the Western reader the ideas set down by these wise men of the past. My friends who do read Chinese say this translations is one of the best English versions. Many business professionals like to say how "Business is war" and use these warriors' thought, but here the Saywers show that the ideas set down in these classics are for the warrior and especially for peace. A lost business deal pales in comparison to what a warrior faces when he/she looses in combat. These seven classics are a wonderful guide to one who wishes to live a martial and peaceful life.

The works in this book are:

1) T'ai Kung's Six Secret Teachings
2) The Methods of Ssu-ma
3) Sun-tzu's Art of War
4) Wu-tzu
5) Wei Liao-tzu
6) Three Strategies of Huang Shih-kung
7) Questions and Replies between T'ang T'ai-tsung and Li Wei-kung

Hope that helps.

My one complaint about this book is that it uses the Wade-Giles transliteration rather than Pinyin, which is what everyone, including China, is using. Wade-Giles is now over 35 years outmoded, and can be very confusing for the uninitiated. Compare Ssu-ma I (Wade-Giles) with Sima Yi (Pinyin). Would you know that they're the same bloke? (If you do, bravo.) I assume this speaks to the age of the translation rather than an editorial choice, but it's pretty annoying that they didn't update it.

If you think you might like this book, but want more of a story than essays/discourses, I recommend 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms.' It's very long, but well-loved in most regions of Asia, and with good reason. Also, search for Zhuge Liang's commentary on 'The Art of War.' It's all on Amazon.

I first saw this book at my public library, and loved it. (Evidentally someone else loved it too, 'cause it wandered off and left a few years later.) It holds a great list of books.

Sun Tzu's "Art of War" is in there, but I especially like Tao Tai Kung (or "The secret teachings of the Tai Kung") The most entertaining thing about this work is that it is a beautiful example of a different world view. It was an excellent introduction to an entire philosophy.
(look for surprising parallels twixt this and Adam Smith's "...Wealth of Nations", with an eastern perspective.)

In considering Ralph Sawyer's translation of "The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China" one must look at the work from two angles. First, one must consider the quality of the translation, and how well the author has set the historical stage for the piece. Second, one must consider the pieces themselves, and their pertinence to modern strategic thinking.

Regarding the first issue, Sawyer has done a superb job in both his translation, and in his historical research. The prose is easy to read and understand, but the essential, almost poetic, essence of the original language has not been sacrificed. Furthermore, each piece is prefaced by a brief, but detailed, overview of the work including a biography of the author, or possible authors, and a synopsis of the historical context in which the work was created. In addition, the book is heavily footnoted, which allows the reader to fully comprehend each piece, without the primary texts being chopped up.

Regarding the second angle, I was genuinely astonished by how pertinent theses works are to modern military thinking. For such primitive (chronologically, not intellectually) works, they do a superb job of capturing the key elements of strategic thinking: maneuver, logistics, terrain, combined arms and command hierarchy. Moreover, they are extremely sophisticated in their consideration of Grand Strategy and the mobilization of the population. While these works are by no means a blue print for a modern army (the codes of conduct are draconian, to say the least), they undoubtedly provide a framework for the analysis/planning of modern operations.

This is truly a superb work that captures both the philosophical and the practical aspects of some of the most ancient books on the planet. Furthermore, it is a fascinating look at ancient Chinese history. It is truly a must read for anyone interested in military theory or international relations, particularly with China once again ascendant on the world stage.