China Books

Hexter and Woetzel's Operation China is a gem for its forward looking, practical advice for companies operating in China. This book lends C-level executives insight into not only what processes and practices will drive China, but also forces behind global competition in the future. Instead of simply another retrospective on China, or basics of doing business in China; Operation China innovatively stands apart as a practical guide on how a business should approach the unique nuances of China, and how to understand the new competitive forces that are increasingly at work in today's global business environment. As the by-line of the book reflects, it does an admirable job bringing the reader through achieving success for your business all the way from "Strategy to Execution."

Operation China is essential reading not only for successfully operating inside China; but also for how a company's China operations can be used as a tool in order to achieve more success outside of China. It will be a wake up call to those still laboring under the misguided impression of how simply being in China is enough - and the misguided belief that solely importing complete systems developed elsewhere and for different markets is sufficient. Hexter and Woetzel explain not only is world class execution necessary to win in China, but a company must also adopt their systems for China to be truly successful. The combination of adapting outside systems and processes to China, in conjunction with practices and processes that are hallmarks in other competitive markets, will result in innovation in such systems and processes and make them even better for a more competitive advantage. The resulting innovation may in turn be exported back to the global market. In other words, part of a company's competitive strength can indeed come from innovations developed when seeking to achieve world-class execution within China, and then taken to make the company stronger globally outside of China. Such world class execution will be needed in order to succeed in both China and the global market.

The book is organized in an extraordinarily helpful and practical way. It begins with two chapters on why "Good enough is no longer enough in China", and the changing rules to achieve business success and world-class execution in China. Part two of the book is organized by subject matter, allowing the busy executive to read the most relevant and helpful portions for their business - whether it be marketing, distribution, the war for talent, or a number of other helpful topics. Finally, the book concludes by focusing on the future of business in China, including the predicted significant wave of future merges and acquisitions. I think the title of the last chapter says it all "Win in China - or Lose Everywhere."

The sophisticated and well-written analysis by these two talented long time China consultants provides the necessary overview and advice that will provide any executive a competitive advantage to both win in China and the rest of the world - and indeed, as the book explains, this success between operations in China and globally is now strongly and unavoidably linked. Operation China is leading the way towards the new wave of how doing business in China must be viewed, and is highly recommended reading for executives in China, or for those simply interested in the future of global competition.

Mark R. Williams,

DLA Piper UK LLP - Beijing Managing Partner

"...the twenty-first-century business model for nearly every industry is cooking on the stove in China." That's one of the key insights from Hexter and Woetzel that should make this required reading for every CEO and every business leader around the world. This is a China book with a difference. The authors clearly know what it means to do business in China, and they're able to describe the nitty gritty of operating there and at the same time draw conclusions that should influence the strategies of most western companies.

I've been doing senior level executive search for Spencer Stuart for almost 15 years in China, and what Hexter and Woetzel say rings true. Their descriptions of the manufacturing, sourcing and distribution environments reflect what I've heard from clients and candidates. Why is it so hard for me to find great manufacturing talent in China? Simple, say the authors -- just moving manufacturing to China gave such an advantage that no one had to worry about Lean or Six Sigma or any of the other tools. But watch out, they say, that won't be enough for much longer.

One last comment -- for anyone who thinks that McKinsey consultants can only do strategy, just read this book and you'll see there are at least two consultants there who are as hands on and operational as anyone.

This is really the book for serious business people trying to get things done in China - particularly multi-national executives that have entered the market (or that inevitably will).

Amid the sea of China books with either excessive hyperbole or pessimistic doom-and-gloom predictions (especially anything with the phrase "rising dragon" in the title), this is the real thing. Current, factual, bottoms-up analysis that provides an accurate snapshot of a very complicated environment that is rapidly changing. Jonathan and Jimmy are the guys to listen to in China. A great book and a good extension of Capitalist China by J. Woetzel. I keep three China books in my office. This is one of them.

What we have here is a rigorous analysis by Jimmy Hexter and Jonathan Woetzel of a transition period during which "China is turning the corner from an emerging market, where local context drives most of the strategic and operating decisions managers make, to a maturing one, where top-quality execution is a cornerstone for success." They wrote this book for C-level executives in multinational companies (MNCs) to share what they have learned while in residence there in recent years. In the Preface, they observe:

"Good execution in China is about adapting - sometimes a little, sometimes a lot - world-class operating standards, management tools, and frameworks to the realities of the Chinese environment. The advantage that MNCs have in China over their domestic Chinese rivals is their knowledge of, and experience with, such operating standards. Indeed, top-performing MCNs are frequently the very definition of world-class execution - [begin italics] outside [end italics] China." To take full advantage of business opportunities whose nature and extent are unprecedented, Hexter and Woetzel suggest that MNCs need to "select the right standards, tools, and frameworks from their global arsenal to put into place in China, adapted in the right way to optimize them for the local context." Meanwhile, Hexter and Woetzel further suggest that executives in China as well as their colleagues and bosses in other countries must "change their managerial focus 180 degrees. They will have put behind them tendencies to view business conditions here [in China] as simply unique, requiring in turn unique operating approaches and performance standards, and instead will have to focus on the familiar, seeing to instill practices and processes that are hallmarks in other competitive markets, turning them locally as needed, and linking them globally at every opportunity."

Please go back and re-read the previous paragraph. The insights within the composite of brief excerpts clearly indicate why I consider this book is "must reading" for C-level executives in all organizations that are directly involved in China or are closely associated with those that are. Hexter and Woetzel share more than 40 years of experience while living and working in China. During that period, more has changed in that vast and complicated country than perhaps in any other. It is of course highly desirable to be able to speak the language but capable and trustworthy translators are readily available. Of much greater importance is understanding cultural values, especially in the business community. How to establish initial contact? How to develop mutually beneficial relationships? What are the most common barriers to effective communication, cooperation, and most important of all, collaboration? How to avoid or overcome those barriers? Which companies have been most successful doing business in China? Why? What lessons can be learned from their success?

Hexter and Woetzel respond to these and other questions throughout their narrative that is organized as follows. In Part I, they provide an overview of how the business landscape in China has changed within the last few years, and how it is continuing to evolve. They explain, for example, how and why "the emergence of the global consumer has profound implications for execution, as does the war for talent." Part II begins a series of "deep dives" to look at what top-flight execution means today in the core functions of an MNC's operations in China. For example, Hexter and Woetzel explain how various organizations operating in China "have boosted their performance for each [of several initiatives] by adapting to a Chinese context tools and approaches the organizations successfully use elsewhere in the world - what we call global markets." And then in Part II, they look ahead at how the demands on MNCs' capabilities in China will involve in what they foresee to be "two crucial ways" in the years ahead. They acknowledge that good execution has always determined whether a merger is a success or failure, anywhere in the world and then explain why companies large and small "will need to understand M&A execution in a Chinese context to win at this game."

Here are a few brief excerpts that are representative of the wealth of insights Hexter and Woetzel provide:

"The most successful multinationals in China are successful because they are stellar at execution - specifically by `applying the global standard to China'...[Moreover] it may soon be the case that companies have to win in China to win in the rest of the world. Given the scale of its markets, gaining a preferential share of market in China will deliver a global structural advantage." (Pages 42-43)

"The first step for improving the ability of the company to execute and compete in China is to revisit and potentially reset the management agenda As we hope we've made clear by now, China is turning a corner, from an emerging market in which companies developed bespoke processes and systems to meet unique operating challenges on a daily basis to a mature one in which competition requires companies to adopt proven global standards for management practices."(Pages)

Note: Hexter and Woetzel suggest five additional initiatives to improve execution and discuss all six in Chapter Nine, "Where to Start."

"In the years to come, the phrase `apply the global standard to China' may evolve to `developing the global standard in China.' For many functions, what works well in China will increasingly influence the global standard. Despite the intensity of China's markets, MNCs are investing more and more there. And they are not just placing large, capital-intensive bets. Apart from manufacturing, the investments are in sales, marketing, and product development."(Pages 197-198)

As indicated previously, this book will be of greatest interest and value to C-level executives in multinational companies (MNCs) but I think it will also be of substantial benefit to C-level executives in other companies that are now involved with - or will soon be involved with - the supply chains of MNCs.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out John King Fairbank and Merle Goldman's China: A New History (Second Enlarged Edition), Peter J. Williamson's Winning in Asia: Strategies for Competing in the New Millennium, and Global Brain: Your Roadmap for Innovating Faster and Smarter in a Networked World co-authored by Satish Nambisan and Mohanbir Sawhney.

There are a plethora of business books on China. Unfortunately, many of these are hopelessly out-of-date with the reality on the ground today, due to the breathtaking rate of change in China. In the midst of this burgeoning development, OPERATION CHINA provides a clear and comprehensive view of the decade ahead.

As a China-based executive for a large multinational corporation, I know firsthand the complex challenges facing businesses in China today. This book, more than any other in my experience, cuts through the confusion with concise, level-headed guidance that really makes sense. You can tell that the authors have deep and broad experience in China. Their assertions are backed-up with solid research and real world examples from a broad range of companies in China today. The book covers all aspects of doing business in China, with a balanced perspective and a well-organized presentation.

Increasingly, China is setting the standard for global business success and all businesses wishing to be global players will need to understand the key messages that this book reveals. Companies must bring their global best practices to China - and then step it up a notch in a China context - to succeed in China, and beyond. As explained in this book, China is providing a rapid learning environment and those that can adapt and evolve in this environment will emerge with a global advantage. OPERATION CHINA gives specific actionable strategies for everything from product development, manufacturing, and distribution, to government relations, talent development and M&A. It provides a thoughtful roadmap for business success in China.

Other Countries/Other Worlds
"Fantasy and Fiction for Adults"
By Louis Fried

This is a delightful collection of stories that hold your attention and imagination. The characters in each story are unique, one-of-a-kind and they pull you into their world never letting go until the end.

Mr. Fried takes the reader on an around the world journey full of his characters and their adventures that remain with you long after the story has ended. Each story is just long enough to enjoy when you have short blocks of time for reading.

Other Countries/Other Worlds is a book that is hard to put down, a must read. Congratulations to Mr. Fried for writing an extremely enjoyable adult fantasy/fiction book.

Tales which draw the reading witht the suspenseful adventure which captivates and overwhelms the leader with joy and longing for more more more.

Wishes do come true in this spirited anthology of short stories, all of which, whether the setting is a mythical planet or 15th century Malta or the pubs of Kilkenny, Ireland, center around the abiding desire of the protagonist. A werewolf desperately desires to rid himself of his substance abuse problem, a woman needs a mermaid's help to find love and motherhood, a guy with a horrible case of sciatica would sell his soul for a cure. All get their wish -- or what satisfies something elemental inside them - but never in the way they've planned, as Louis Fried uses fantastical settings and sometimes absurd, sometimes deadly real problems to paint a picture of human nature as sexual, avaricious, innocent, brave, and, above all, celebratory of the wonderful world of the senses. In essence, this is a thoughtful book wrapped in a sparkling package that will leave you cogitating as you chuckle.

These are the kind of short stories you found in Playboy during its heyday: well-crafted writing that makes you want more.

It reminds me of the science fiction of my youth - a bit of Rod Serling, a bit of Hitchcock, and a lot of magic and mystery. There is no techno-babble and no need to explain everything. And there is just enough sex to keep it interesting without excessive recourse to bodily fluids.

Fried is revitalizing the genre!

Fried's stories always delight with an unexpected ending.
Fried tells tales of humor, sex and war with endings you should have expected but do not.
These stories are for adults.

Stirring, compassionate, profound. One of my favorite books of all time. One of the most poetic books of photographs ever created. Best wishes to Mr. Gere.

This book is really special. The cover, first of all, feels so wonderful. The pages are on incredible quality paper. And the photographs are incredible. It's really a wonderful book.

This book was exactly what I expected from such a sensitive and intelligent man. Thank you, Mr. Gere. We need our hearts broken now and then.

Richard has access to places most people do not. Take, for example, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness is not accessable to you and I on the level that Richard has. Richard shares private photos, such as plate 63 where His Holiness is in meditation. The photo alone portrays a depth of intensity that the experience offers. Richard also has a true sense of the tragedy of the Tibetan people and can deliver that in a light that few people can ever grasp, even after several trips to the region. Richard is the Pilgrim and we are fortunate to be able to see things in a way he does. Very few photographers can say that of their work. Perhaps it is due to his experience in film, perhaps as a result of his practice as a buddhist, maybe just because the openness of his sharing is felt in his work, regardless of the medium. Thank you my friend for sharing your life with us and a wonderful book.

I cannot look at this book without crying. It is very beautiful yet pierces my heart with sadness, I believe that the plight of Tibet is the canary of our planet. This book is about an amazing and gentle people and my hope and prayer is that it will generate more compassion . The text is very direct and simple and is not next to the photos but at the back. One quote stuck in my mind, "It's all ego." You can see these photos with your heart and they will melt it, if you are open.

I found the notes to the poems particularly valuable - thanks to them, the collection becomes a window into Chinese history and society.
I really miss an index by author, and, as usual, I am ill-at-ease with Red Pine's system of transliteration. It may seem superior to pinyin to the author, but it makes really hard to connect the places and people mentioned in this book to what one already knows to about Chinese history. It may be another case of the inferior system becoming the standard, but pinyin is the standard at this point, and fighting it is a bit quixotic at this point.
These are the things one notices when a book is good enough to read and spend time with, so do not let this put this off. In fact, I can't wait for more Red Pine translations.

Those who have never read Red Pine's translations are in for a treat. Those who have read them will continue to enjoy the feast.

Beautiful graphically, the book and the poetry SING! Red Pine has a wonderful gift in transmitting wisdom and spirit with words that transport one to a higher plane of existence, even if only temporarily. Even when the reader returns, the impact still remains and the awareness of the depth of quality one's life can have, is not soon forgotten.

Previous reviewers have already summarized the more obvious qualities of this book; I agree with their comments. I found that for the student of Chinese culture, Chinese education, or Chinese thought, the book is a stunning introduction to a way of expressing observations and meaning in compact forms. In particular, the poetry seems both denser and more graceful than similar forms in English poetry, and more complex than the haiku forms descended from it. Chinese speakers I know vouched for the sensitive transliteration.

Basho advised a haiku student to "read Chinese poetry" to write better haiku. I came to this work after struggling with haiku for a long time. I found Basho's advice to be good and this book to be a remarkable way to begin. The historical text snippets offered with the poems make further reflection easy without attempting to "define" all that the poem means.

Red Pine (Bill Porter) has beautifully translated this important collection of Chinese verse. His commentaries, too, are well worth reading.

This book would be an excellent text for those who wish to learn to read T'ang and Sung poetry, and classical literary Chinese in general. The Chinese and English poems are presented on facing pages. Each poem is sufficiently brief to allow students the opportunity to (begin to) learn a complete work of literature without the intimidation that can accompany larger texts -- and there are 224 such poems in this translation, which gives ample scope for learning in nice, easy steps. (Of course this will have to be done using a dictionary like Mathews', and the student will need some familiarity with looking characters up by radical -- this is not a teaching text with a glossary and explanatory notes about language usage.)

Even if one does not desire to use this collection to learn Chinese, the English translations are certainly beautiful poems in their own right, and are worth spending time with. And meanwhile, the Chinese texts are always there, extending a gentle invitation to the curious.

Surely every lover of Chinese (and English!) poetry will treasure this book.

Another gift from Red Pine (Bill Porter) whose love for Chinese verse and the Dharma have shaped him into one of the foremost translators of the old poets. This Chinese classic has been around for eight centuries, but is here finally available in English! The volume offers 123 poets, 224 poems. Adjacent Chinese text and critical notes are provided for each poem. Included at the end are a timeline of the Dynasties from c. 2200 BCE to 1368, a complete index of the poets, and a complete index of the titles. This is a monumental work and an extraordinary gift from the translator. A typical verse from this collection, called In Reply, by a poet called The Ancient Recluse:

Somehow I ended up beneath pines
sleeping in comfort on boulders
there aren't any calendars in the mountains
winter ends but who counts the years

A sincere thank you to Red Pine and Copper Canyon Press for providing these treasures.

This book is a Buddhist western woman's dream. Ani Tenzin Palmo has the ability to transcend Tibetan Buddhism's cultural differences and bring them into clarity for us right here and now. It is funny while being drop-dead serious, and very informative.

Venerable Tenzin Palmo describes in a very clear prose the benefits of meditation, its difficulties, how to overcome them, and extend this practice to our daily life. It is a book to be read more than once, and a must for those in quest of enlightment.

Reflections on a Mountain Lake is composed of Tenzin Palmo's talks to audiences of Western lay people and Buddhist nuns and monks. The talks cover a whole range of subjects on Buddhist teachings, practices and spiritual life. Reading her words of openness, warmth and fluidity, I felt as if I was with her in the audience. She begins with the story of her twelve-year retreat in a cave in the Himalayan mountains, and the words that fill the books seem to flow from that deep place of concentrated practice.

The book is lively, intelligent, practical and straightforward. Each chapter end with questions from the audience, such as: Where do thoughts arise from? Is it a good idea to take political action to right social evils? What's the process of making amends if you have acted unethically at some stage in your life? What happens if you don't keep your commitments?

One of her consistent messages is to keep it simple. She advises people not to be overcome by ambition to do more, or get more initiations and teachings. Tenzin Palmo has gained many insights and much wisdom from her practice and commitment, as if she has dug a deep, deep well from which she can bring up what is clearly needed in each different situation with people.

We all start with an undisciplined mind, and Tenzin Palmo has many excellent examples of how to approach spiritual practices and what these practices are all about. The mind has to be relaxed yet alert, and needs to be tuned like an instrument, with the knowledge of how to return to a clear place. It is then we can be of benefit to other people.

Tenzin Palmo is an example of how women are re-establishing the lineage of yogic practice for women. She is developing a Buddhist retreat for nuns and making available the teachings of Drukpa Kargyu lineage, which has a strong tradition of fully ordained female practitioners. Because of Tenzin Palmo's work, in 1995 nuns debated publicly for the first time in Tibetan history. "There is nothing that women cannot accomplish and have not accomplished in the past. It is up to us to support them...it is time to appreciate the whole picture and bring the two sides together."

I enjoyed Reflections on a Mountain Lake because Tenzin Palmo is a storyteller. Like all great teachers, she uses her personal life and traditional stories to engage us in the teachings. It seems somehow easier for the mind to catch hold of profound ideas if they are told as myth and metaphor. And because she tells many personal stories - from her home life as a child, her searching as a young woman and her times with her guru - she becomes human and accessible, as well as an example of dedication.

If I were to be stranded on a deserted island and could have but one book along, it would be Reflections on a Mountain Lake. With her lifetime in spiritual pursuit, twelve years as a woman in male dominated Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, and another twelve years alone in a cave in the Himalayas, Tenzin Palmo indeed has something to say. Our good fortune is that she is a talented orator and expresses herself with dazzling clarity and wit. Her persective on life (before, here and after) is deeply wise, casting welcome perspective on what It All is truly about. In the West we are proud of how many books we consume. In the East, the intense study of one magnificent book is revered. This is one such book.

This is a great book for Western Buddhists, especially useful as a loaner to friends seeking to understand Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana). It includes extensive Q&A; 8 photos, and a great number of quotable quotes. Ani Palmo (Ani is an honorific for a Buddhist nun) is VERY down-to-earth and realistic and relates a considerable about of advice and commentary from her Lama. She points out that Tibetan mythological themes should not be taken literally-even Tibetan teachers indicate this. For example:
pp. 61-2: "Shantideva says, `Who made the red-hot iron floors? All this is a projection of the personal mind.' Even if we don't believe in the physical reality of the hell realms, we can definitely believe that a mind filled with anger, which loves harming others and takes pleasure in cruelty, could easily project a paranoid environment for itself...the content of our inner mind is projected outward and becomes our entire reality." Furthermore, she invokes valid psychological principles such as: p. 67: "Those who deny the shadow are in a very insecure and precarious position...It is hard to develop true compassion when you are continuously blanking out all suffering from your own life." Also, Sociological principles: p. 81: "Today the West is making a significant contribution to the way the Dharma is presented. Every time the Buddhadharma travels to a new country, that country gives it something of itself."

Ani Palmo, in a highly readable and understandable style, provides pithy advice to practitioners: p. 93: "We need to dissolve the boundary between the subject and the object. In other words, we need to become the meditation" & p. 102: "Worldly desires are like salty water. The more you drink, the thirstier you get...The problem is the way we cling to things" & p. 141: "Our problem is that we believe our mind and identify with it." She also provides logical explanations for many Vajrayana practices: p. 95: "intricate visualizations of mandalas...totally occupy the mind so that there is no room for distraction." She provides considerable, pragmatic material on relationships between Vajrayana and Western religions: p. 96: "All true religions seek to gain access to that level of consciousness which is not ego-bound. In Buddhism it is called the unconditional, the unborn, the deathless. You can call it anything you like. You can call it atman. You can call it anatman. You can call it God." She also provides a number of intriguing teaching stories such as p. 103: monkeys captured by refusing to let go of a sweet--: "If you want to hold water, you have to hold it with cupped hands. If you make a tight fist, it runs away" and of a king unattached to his palace with a guru attached to his gourd. She also observes that the movie "Groundhog Day" can be interpreted as a Buddhist film about reincarnation and karma.

And, best of all, Ani Palmo provides quotes which defuse misconceptions concerning Buddhist doctrines: p. 156: "The Buddha said, `I too use conceptualization, but I am no longer fooled by it."
pp. 159-160: "Difficult Points for Westerners" chapter: "The Buddha replied, `do not take anything on trust merely because it has passed down through tradition, or because your teachers say it, or because your elders have taught you, or because it's written in some famous scripture. When you have seen it and experienced it for yourself to be right and true, then you can accept it.'" However, the one criticism might be that she fails to apply this regarding: p. 238: Eastern images & p. 241: Tibetan lineages.
p. 166: "According to the Buddhadharma, the most important component of any action of body, speech, or mind is intention."
p. 168: when asked about hell, her "Lama just laughed and said, `Oh well, we talk that way in order to frighten people into being good. Actually, it is very difficult to be reborn in hell. You have to be especially evil, and particularly, very cruel.'"
p. 169: "My Lama once said, `Not everything you read in the sutras is true. You don't have to believe everything you read.' ... The Tibetans took from that huge ocean a few drops of this and a few drops of that and put it together into a mixture which was helpful for Tibetans. Much of it is relevant for the rest of us as well. The ways they present the Dharma is wonderful. But there is no doubt that certain aspects, although helpful for them, are not very helpful for us. We can leave those aside." Higher teachings often contradict lower teachings and not everything is appropriate for everybody.
p. 191: "Some Tibetans say it's almost impossible to realize the nature of the mind without a teacher. I don't think that's true. Some people do realize the nature of mind spontaneously without a teacher. But a good teacher helps."

She also provides valuable observations and techniques on Vajrayana practices: pp. 179-180: in utilizing tonglen - "black pearl-like seed of self-cherishing at our heart center...sometimes instead of a black pearl...we can visualize a crystal Vajra which represents our innate Dharmakaya mind. The dark light absorbs into this and is instantly transformed into radiance, since no darkness exists within the pristine nature of the mind." p. 235: "My Lama always said to me, `Don't undertake big commitments. Keep your practice very small and simple, but do it.' ... I have always been very clear with lamas when it comes to initiations. Sorry, I am not keeping this commitment. I say this before taking the initiation, then they can decide whether or not it's okay for me to take it. Usually, they say its okay."

Excellent book, it's helping me a lot with my Thesis at School.... I love it

For anyone with even a hint of environmental concern, this book provides a great look at what can and will go wrong. The problems in China outlined here teach us first hand that if economic and technologic advancement go unchecked, the cost will be the environment, and we will all pay. A copy of Dr. Economy's book should be sent to all current politicians and policy makers so that history is not repeated, in the US, or anywhere in the world, and that immediate steps be taken to reverse all environmental insults that are taking place. I really enjoyed this excellent political and economic commentary in which myself, as a common reader, can appreciate the importance of environmental salvation. Let's learn from this author's teachings.

"The River Runs Black" by Elizabeth C. Economy is an intelligent analysis of contemporary China and its burgeoning environmental crisis. This engaging book helps us understand how globalization is reshaping China and issues an urgent plea for international cooperation to help monitor and rectify an increasingly worrysome situation.

Ms. Economy tells us how China's environment has been steadily deteriorating over the past centuries due to wars, political power struggles and overpopulation. However, today's problems
are attributable to specific policy decisions by China's government that has favored rapid economic development through engagement with the international business community. Unfortunately, the particular kinds of economic development favored by China's rulers has led to myriad environmental problems including deforestation, desertification, and air and water pollution. The collusion of local government and business interests has made it difficult to obtain reliable data or to implement solutions where it is feared that plant shutdowns might
result in mass unemployment and social unrest, making difficult problems seem untractable.

Environmental consciousness in China has increased as the problems have become more visible and as the country has engaged with the world economy. Ms. Economy profiles some of the courageous and inspirational individuals who have struggled for conservation, urban renewal and grass-roots democracy such as Tang Xiyang, He Bochuan, Dai Qing and others. While environmentalists have achieved some successes (such as protecting endangered species of monkeys and antelopes), the author believes that the government's championing of highly destructive projects such as the Three Gorges Dam proves that much more needs to be done.

Ms. Economy recounts the experiences of the former Communist nations of Eastern Europe to gain insight into how China might resolve its environmental problems. The Chernobyl disaster catalyzed local environmental groups into pushing for political reforms that brought down the Communists in the USSR and elsewhere. Recognizing that China's Communist Party is a "patronage machine committed to rapid economic development" and devoid of any ideological purpose other than self-perpetuation, Ms. Economy believes that increasing democratization in China could easily undermine the country's single Party system. Of course, China's leaders are keenly aware of this threat and consequently have tightly circumscribed the activities of environmental organizations, but the author is hopeful that the contradictions between increasing environmental degradation and the lack of a meaningful democracy will eventually force China's political system to change.

In the last section, Ms. Economy speculates about the manner in which China may develop in the future. The author envisions three possible scenarios: China goes green; inertia sets in; and environmental meltdown. Ms. Economy thinks that the U.S. should take the lead in encouraging China to develop its regulatory system and implement green technologies so that the country can embark on an environmentally sustainable path. Indeed, the unpredictable consequences of a Chinese environmental meltdown should give the international community pause to consider how it might help China -- and by extension all of us -- to avoid a worse case scenario.

I highly recommend this superbly written book to everyone.

Previous reviewers have said good things about this book, and I can only agree. It is notably superior to other recent books about the Chinese environment, which (though often scholarly) are long on polemics and short on comprehensive vision.
Dr. Economy focuses on politics and policies. These have been notoriously awful under Communism, but there is now a realization of the damage being done, and thus some hope. Dr. Economy is as optimistic as one could reasonably be. Incidentally, interested readers should also look up her very fine chapter in Kristen Day's worthy edited volume CHINA'S ENVIRONMENT AND THE CHALLENGE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
I am not so optimistic. One reason is that my training is more in biology, and I am aware that the devastating damage China has done to its environment will not be clear for 50 to 100 years. It takes that long for pollution and environmental degradation to show themselves fully.
As Dr. Economy says, China wanted to be "first rich, then clean" (that's the literal Chinese; she actually phrases it more academically). They thought that the west had done this. No, the west started conservation and scientific management long ago. The United States' golden age of conservation was under Theodore Roosevelt, when the US was still poor and rural. The US and western Europe never allowed anything close to what China has done. There was much degradation, but reaction always came eventually. China, like all Communist-led countries, missed this lesson. Marx had spoken: production is all, and top-down control is the way to do it. This has led, everywhere, to dismal environmental records, though much good has come from distributing food, health care, housing, etc., more evenly (this may no longer be the case). It is now too late. The white-flag dolphin, once common and resilient, is extinct, the Three Gorges are dammed, and much else has gone beyond possibility of repair.
Dr. Economy does not draw as sharp a contrast as I would between traditional management and Communist excess. Traditional China had major Malthusian problems, but they were caused more by imperial policy than by environmental mismanagement at the riceroots level. The peasants and workers created a system based on harmony and balance. The system was full of problems, and never got as harmonious as we would now wish, but it worked; it kept hundreds of millions of people alive in spite of a premodern technology, and it managed the key resources--topsoil, water, forests, and so on--sustainably enough that there was quite a bit left by 1950. Recent books trashing the old system have titles significantly featuring elephants and tigers instead of people. Even if you prefer the charismatic megafauna, note that China had some elephants and a lot of tigers in 1950.
So a flawed, antiquated, underproductive, but still well-designed and eminently functional system was sacrificed, and the result has been a royal mess. Yields of food are way up, thanks to modern technology (some of it developed in China by the Communists--to their credit), but the future is cloudy indeed.
If you want the best account of what can be done and what is being done, look no further than this book.

Not an easy read, but one that many Americans probably should...it demonstrates well how our life styles here in the US increases demand for cheap consumer goods, resulting in corporations poisoning other parts of the planet to supply them quickly and without major expense to us.

Incredibly sickening injury to the planet is well documented and presented in a professional way, and the book is very readable.

Recommended for all of those who need a greater repetoire of evidence that we are rather quickly destroying the planet, and as a means of strengthening arguments against "globalization" and consumerism.

This is a well written book about a hero of WW II who was given the Legion of Merit, and the Distinguished Service Cross. The book reveals his patriotic character as a Christian missionary and a captain in the 14th Air Force Flying Tigers intelligence division and the OSS. John Birch's story is an inspiring account of a man committed to his ideas. It also reveals the political intrigue between the Nationalists, Communists, and America forces fighting the war in China and furthermore contributes to a deeper understanding of the political intrigue that occured in the U.S.A. during the waning yeas of the war. It's a book that can be easily read aloud to elementary aged children.

It was amazing to read this testimony of a Christian. I can only agree with so many of John Birch's convictions and views whether it is his stand against liberalism in American colleges and against communism abroad. If the message of John Birch had reached all of America in time, China would be a different nation today. There was a chance back then to defeat Chinese communism. It did not happen and look what a tyranny China is today. Most of all I like that John Birch stood squarely for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the inerrancy of the Bible, for salvation by grace through faith, for soulwinning, for world missions. He must have had some strong dispensational, premillenial views. This book encouraged me greatly and I do recommend it esp. to college and high school students as well as those interested in Bible-believing mission work.

While there could be better books on John Birch, more than likely this is the only one that will ever be published. With this in mind, it is an excellent account of one of the true military heroes of World War II and a Christian as well. Birch's name has been sullied by its use for the right-wing political organization and few are aware of who he really was. Although he is slightly known in the fundamentalist Baptist circles that produced him, even then very little is known about him other than that he was a missionary in China who became an intelligence officer and was killed by Chinese communists at the end of World War II. The authors have done a good job of documenting his life. Every American, Christians especially, should read this book.

I found it difficult to put this book down before had I finished it, and I can't say that about many books that I have read.

The Hefleys did a superb job "painting a picture" of the short life of this incredible man. Birch was a very "intense" character; I got the impression he was always working on something, he was non-stop...whether it was the rescue of the Doolittle crew, or setting up an intelligence network across the entirety of China or most importantly, bringing Chinese brothers and sisters to Christ, John never let anything stand in his way.

It has been said (in this book and in other sources) that John's death was a result of his "irrational behavior" which in turn, was a result of 3 years of his non-stop activity behind enemy lines. But from what I read, I understand that John knew something that the rest of these people did not understand. You see, John was a very intelligent man...how many English-speaking people do you know are capable of mastering several Chinese dialects in 6 weeks?

John saw something about these "agrarian reformers--" he saw the pure wickedness within them. So John, at the very end of his life, was willing to sacrifice himself, in order to make a demonstration as to whether the Communists were our friend or our enemy. This very nearly became a tragic mistake--you see, John assumed that if the Communists killed him and thus demonstrated themselves to be our enemy, then the United States would immediately seek retribution and demolish the Communists, at least those in China. This turned out not to be the case. In fact, our US Government sought to cover up John's death. This the government did by listing the murder of Birch as an "accident--" that is, "he was killed by stray bullets" was the lie. And what was the reason for this cover up? Well, the Truman administration and their allies in the press did not want to make the murder public, lest there be resentment held by the American people against the Communists! And why would these conspirators care about something like that happening? Take a wild guess.

In spite of all this, a miracle did happen. A Chinese companion of John Birch, who was left to die with Birch, and who suffered nearly the same wounds as Birch, lived to tell his story. And the truth became known. Not by many people at first, but thanks to the loving dedication of Mr. and Mrs. George Birch (John's parents) and Mr. Robert Welch, the life and death of John Birch began to become known to millions of Americans. If it were not for the work of these three people, I guarantee you you would never have heard of this man John Birch, and neither would I be writing this review.

Unfortunately too many well-meaning Americans (some are even characters in this book) chastise Robert Welch for naming his Society after Birch. They say "John would never approve." From what I read in this book by the Hefleys, I get the impression that John would approve. (John's parents certainly approved!) John may not ever have joined the John Birch Society, however I know that he would have approved the hard work and dedication of Mr. Welch and members of the Society in "getting the word out." This is exactly what John wanted to have happen.

Forget about the society that bears his name and read the Real Story of an unusual Christian hero. John Birch, soul-winner, soldier and patriot is a man you would do well to read about, and Hefly-- a foremost Christian biographer-- does a great job presenting his story and the decisions of his conscience in the light of God's Word.

Good reading for any Christian and especially any Independent Baptist.

Alan Wallace's book is full of insight for anyone seeking to understand and cultivate bodhichitta. The book is a wonderful resource for all practitioners seeking to walk the bodhisattva path.

This book is so fantastically written - B. Allan Wallace sheds light on the Seven Point Mind Training like no-one else. He uses modern language to explain this ancient wisdom, and shows how the dharma really can be brought into every part of our day, not just the moments when we are sitting quietly in a cushion. Having seen on Amazon how many other books he has written (does this man ever sleep?!)now my biggest problem is deciding which of his books I should buy next...

Realize they are two very different books! If you are looking for something to benefit your practice then "Buddhism with an Attitude" is the way to go. Although repetitive at times, this itself is helpful, and it is written in a more instructional tone. If you feel your practice has fully matured (lucky you) and you are simply interested in a concise, more academic exposition of the seven point mind training, then "The Seven-Point Mind Training" is the one for you. Also, for being more condensed, the "The Seven-Point Mind Training", will be the book you will want to carry around once you are familiar with Lam Rim practice.

All Wallace books are good Buddhist books. This book is good but its not a starter book. However it is easy reading. The material is covered rather well.

I have had mixed reactions to this author's material in the past and so have others. However, I found this book to be extremely practical, well-written, balanced and applicable to a modern context.

B. Alan Wallace has very impressive credentials, but for some reason, I feel he missed the mark with some of his earlier books or at least didn't hit a homerun. This book is one that I can wholeheartedly endorse.

In short, what the intention of the book is to make the teachings and slogans of Atisha accessible to the average aspirant living in the world. It provides a good interpretation of the teachings on training the mind to be more compassionate and provides a context for these teachings.

There is good commentary on various slogans that are the central point of the Lojong teachings and some good direction for performing Tonglen meditation. Tonglen is called "taking a receiving." The essence of it is to experience a flash of absolute bodhichitta (unconditional love, infinite space, emptiness).... and then commence taking in suffering and breathing out light, compassion, love, etc. This is a very crude description, but it's a type of meditation where you focus on particular and specific pain that you can identify with and increasingly make it more universal in order to develop your mind in the direction of compassion.

This is also a very manageable book and fortunately, Mr. Wallace does a better job of explaining Tonglen meditation than I did above! As a companion to this book, I would also purchase Good Medicine: How to Turn Pain into Compassion with Tonglen Meditation or even better The Pema Chodron Collection: Pure Meditation:Good Medicine:From Fear to Fearlessness.

The resources above provide additional information on Tonglen, guided Tonglen practice, lots of useful practical information on developing the mind, compassion and using everyday events as the stuff for a meaningful spiritiual practice. Mr. Wallace's book compliments this material and brings additional depth to it. You can also find additional resources under my listmania lists.

I decided to read "Six Records of a Floating Life" after spending a summer in Suzhou, the city of Shen Fu's birth and his home for many years. When describing this work, my Chinese friends were quick to use words like "romantic" and "touching". However I was skeptical since I had also heard that this book detailed Shen Fu's relationship not only with his wife, Yun, but also concubines and courtesans - thus setting it far outside the scope of what is traditionally considered "romantic" by modern, Western standards. Yet, if one is willing to keep an open mind and look at Shen Fu's extra-marital relations (which are, in fact, treated very briefly) within the context of the time and culture during which he wrote, one can see that that author and his wife were very much in love and cared passionately for each other for more than twenty years. Fu's description of the airy joys and carefree pleasures they experienced together as husband and wife are sure to bring a smile to the face of anyone who's every been in love.

Yet, with great happiness Shen Fu also experienced great pain and numerous hardships. Considered a failure in both business and scholarship, he was never wealthy and he struggled to provide even a modest living for himself and his family. Indeed, Fu drifted from place to place, job to job, often relying on friends and relatives to provide him with money and shelter. Adding to the pressures of poverty was his wife's chronic illness, which eventually took her life. Shen Fu's description of his wife's death is truely heart-breaking, as he writes:

"Her spirit vanished in the mist and she began her long journey... When it happened there was a solitary lamp burning in the room. I looked up but saw nothing, there was nothing for my two hands to hold, and my heart felt as if it would shatter" (p. 89)

Part romance, part tragedy, part travelogue and part memoir this book indeed lives up to it's reputation as a classic. Shen Fu articulates the joys and sorrows of ordinary human life with the skill of an artist, and he is always someone with whom we can identify. Like we all do, he struggled to find peace and comfort while trying to bear the weight of sadness. Whether you're interested in Chinese history and culture or not, this book deserves to be read and appreciated.

There are so many contradictions within this quirky memoir that it could only possibly be true.

This is a memoir of life right around the start of the 19th century. It recounts the adult life of Shen Fu, a man who appears to have been ordinary in the extreme. Although educated, he did not pass the literary tests of the civil service. At best, his career could have been a secretary under one of the successful examinees, but his times weren't always the best. His positions never lasted, and his business attempts failed. Often, he sold his possessions and his wife's down to the clothes on their backs (or less). He fell out with his family, in a time when filial duty was enforced by law, and became outcast in almost every sense.

But his life never wholly failed, either. Perhaps it was the glow of nostalgia, but his twenty-three years of marriage were always a joy to him, even when his wife's health failed, and even when she may have been the source of some of his problems. They had their times of poverty, but never to the point of starvation. He was honorable enough to quit a corrupt position when it offended his honor too deeply. He was devoted enough to heal the familial rifts. His joys and Yun's were simple - travel, each other, the beauty of the full moon, and maybe a little too much wine shared with happy company. Shen Fu and his devoted Yun never demanded much from their lives, and usually got enough to enjoy.

The text wanders. The first three chapters chart the ups and downs of the marriage to his beloved wife. She died early, from some frightening disease. Still, she and he accepted it stoically, or mostly did. The fourth chapter collects a few decades of moments together, the sights and sounds of travel. With his wife and after her, Shun Fu visited temples, sacred caves, and pleasure districts, reported in some drifting collage of personal history. Despite the "six" promised in the title, we have only four. It's probably better that way, according to the appendices.

I really think I would have liked Shun Fu. He was honest enough, loving enough, and devoted enough to his children. Even when his own situation deteriorated badly, he fostered his son as best he could and sheltered his daughter with people who could marry her well. He never wholly succeeded or failed, but muddled through the chances that appeared to him. He was no grand hero, nor villain, nor idle dreamer, nor driven workaholic. He was just a guy, living some guy's life pretty well. Maybe he dressed up his memories just a bit, but don't we all?

//wiredweird

"Six Records" (also known as "Six Chapters of a Floating Life"), c. 1805, is an extraordinarily frank autobiography that is totally unprecedented and unparalleled in the history of Chinese literature. It describes the life of the author Shen Fu and his beloved wife, Ch'en Yun (1763-1803), in extremely revealing detail. The intimacy and joy shared by the couple are as unusual by normal standards of Chinese married life as is the author's daringness in revealing them to others. Their close, playful relationship stands in defiant opposition to the staid decorum of married life expected by Confucian ideology.

A thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring read. Ch'en Yun is a woman ahead of her time who admirably balances her love of learning and passion for life with her duties and obligations as a traditional Chinese wife.

If one reads the introduction, this book is not meant to be read as a sequential narrative, instead it is a collection of memoirs and hence the word "records" in the title. Through this collection of records and memoirs, readers are welcomed to peer into segments of the author's bumpy life.

The records follow Shen Fu on his numerous failed attempts to find contentment in life: As an educated man, Shen Fu tried to gain a position through civil examinations but got nowhere, he tried his hand at being a painter but found that he had no talent, he made friends with people who eventually betrayed him, he got into debt and was disowned by his father, and the final blow came when he lost his child and beloved wife, Yun. In the end Shen Fu's decided to live a "floating Life" by giving up worldly matters to wander China.

Shen Fu is also a groundbreaking author. He is very descriptive of his environment, which is uncharacteristic of Chinese writers of his time. Through Shen Fu's accounts the reader can experience the long lost customs of ancient China, for example, lonely men with a bit of pocket money can visit brothel boats sitting "like aimless floating leaves" on the river.

Moreover, Shen Fu's accounts of his wife, Yun, were against conventions because he does not cease in describing her only as a dutiful wife and daughter-in-law according to Confucian ideology, but he portrays her as an intelligent and adventurous woman who was willing to dress up as a man to visit a temple (which forbids women) with him. To Shen Fu, Yun was his soul mate and she transcends his memoirs into a love story. She is present from his first record, "The Joys of the Wedding Chamber" where they first met as an arranged marriage to his last record, "The Delights of Roaming Afar" where Shen Fu is constantly reminded of Yun, long after her death, when he travelled to places he wished he had brought her to.

Lastly, Shen Fu's tone is full of indignant passion making him an amusing storyteller. The translators (Leonard Pratt and Chiang Su-hui) translate Shen Fu's work without losing his ease and personality, making the book a delightful read.

Keeping in mind that not many authors in feudal China reveal an honest account of their times and even less-so the intimate accounts of their domestic life, this autobiography is wonderfully rare.

a very, very good book to get to know the everyday life of late imperial Chinese!

This book is wonderful. It was what kinda got me started into the research of Chinese characters and such. Until I read this book I never knew how beautiful and interesting and deep the chinese character is. The stories and describtions just captivate you. The in depth design of every single character and the story behind it is very interesting and fascinating. Though not as long as I would have hoped, I reccomend it.

great for learning a limited number of characters - 40. step by step illustration to create each character in the order they should be formed. also a brief description of the concept/meaning for each.

I found the book to be a great rep. of what chinese art is like. The meaning are like words we want to hve written know you can write they with a different look to keep people guessing. I now have 4 tatoos that look and mean something cool.

If you only have the time and patience to learn forty Chinese characters in your lifetime, you should learn the ones in this book. Concepts such as "spirit", "benevolence", "harmony", "loyalty", and "wisdom" characterize so much of traditional Chinese thought and culture. The authors illustrate each of these characters with beautiful brush and ink calligraphy on rice paper background. There is a short explanation accompanying each character telling why it is written just so. For example the strokes making up the character "love" show us that the word means "breathing into the heart with a gracious motion". The character "enlightenment" shows the two components "sun" and "moon" which together light the world. Students who wish to practise writing these characters can follow the useful stroke order guide next to the explanations. This is a beautiful gift for the student or scholar, or just for those who appreciate Chinese culture.

This beautifully designed book is a little gem. There is a clear breadth of understanding of Chinese culture and language. The text is eloquent and if you are learning to write Chinese characters, the stroke-by-stroke instructions make it seem easy and less intimidating.