India Books

The title character, Younguncle, is endearing, benevolent and completely, unconventionally brilliant. It is rare to find a book that is truly fascinating to all ages. My five year old devours each word as I delight in reading it again and again. Singh's words dance and entrance as the stories demonstrate that the world can be made to be a better place. A most enchanting book.

Ursula LeGuin said of YOUNGUNCLE COMES TO TOWN, "Anyone who reads this book will be perfectly happy." It's true. It's a glorious children's book that adults can read and enjoy, where the good people win and the bad people get exactly what they deserve, told with a deceptive gentleness and set in an India that perhaps exists nowhere but in the world of Vandana Singh. Also a prizewinning adult writer, Vandana Singh has a storytelling voice that can be compared with T.H. White in its down-to-earth kindness and its respect for the fantastic nature of the world.

There's a second book, so far published only in India, that will come out here if this one does well. So I'm giving it to EVERYONE for the holidays.

This is a very funny book with a wonderful plot. It is actually several short stories that together make a bigger plot! This is a great book!

Young reader books. Bane of my existence. Light of my life. Sometimes I swear that half my life is spent relentlessly tracking down worthy early chapter books for those kids who still need large fonts and plenty of pictures with their stories. In the year 2006 I've managed to locate two worthy early chapter books for the kiddies. One is "Roxie and the Hooligans" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. The other is the so far ignored "Younguncle Comes To Town" by Vandana Singh. Now for years I've been complaining to friends, family, and blogosphere alike that there are far too few Indian children's books brought to America. For crying out loud, they're already going to be in English! How hard is it to bring in some literature from another culture? And now it's as if Viking Children's Books has heard my plea. Straight from India (though written by a resident of Massachusetts who was born in Delhi) comes the first adventure of Younguncle. He can't hold down a job. He was kidnapped by monkeys as a child. And he hasn't an American equivalent anywhere that I can find.

Sarita, Ravi, and their little baby sister are just thrilled. Their crazy relative Younguncle (everyone has forgotten his real name) is coming to live with them for the very first time. Younguncle is their father's youngest brother and he's like nobody they've ever met. He's incredibly intelligent, sweet, good with kids, and afraid of settling down in any way. Once he moves in with the family, everyone in the village gets to know and love him. Of course, he can't stay in any one job for any amount of time. It isn't that he doesn't enjoy his work. He enjoys it way too much. He scares off customers with his intense adoration of car repair, sewing, and train timetables. At the same time, he manages to get mixed up in all kinds of trouble. There's his constant battle with the family baby who is intent on devouring one of his shirts. He manages to rescue his uncle's prize-winning horse from rich and powerful schemers. He employs some naughty monkeys in the search for a beloved village cow. By and large, if there's a mystery to be solved or an adventure to be had, Younguncle is on it. This is modern day India as few American kids have ever seen it before (and will ever see it again, for that matter).

The review of this title in Booklist was more than a little harsh, by the way. In it, the reviewer states, "The chief charm of these low-key stories, for American readers, is in their introduction to Indian culture, family life, lore, and legend". I respectfully disagree. Not about how well the book introduces Indian culture, mind you. You are certainly not going to find a book in America that talks about that particular country with a narrative that's half as light-hearted and easy going as this one. And certainly not for this reading level. Keep your "Blue Jasmine"s. I'm sticking with "Younguncle". But for Booklist to say that this is the chief charm of the title is a bit disingenuous. Humor is hard. Drama is simple (see the aforementioned "Blue Jasmine" which is very good but...). So the fact that Singh's book is as honestly amusing as it is no small feat. Singh works in subtle jokes alongside wonderful vocabulary words (as in a sentence about mangoes that reads that they were, "large, golden, luscious, and ambrosial, enough to inspire poetry in the most prosaic soul"). The slapstick scenes are funny without getting gross. The funny stuff is honestly funny.

Actually, you know what book this reminded me for quite some time? "Mr. Popper's Penguins" by Richard Atwater. The reading level and the good-natured animal-inspired insanity just struck a similar tone with me. On the other hand, Younguncle himself views the world in a particularly Pippi Longstockingish way. You wouldn't be surprised in the least to find him living with a horse or crashing a tea party (which he essentially does when he wants to break up his sister's arranged marriage). Not every book to hit bookshelves gets a blurb from Ursula Le Guin. This one did. And not every early chapter book is going to talk about a culture outside of America with as much charm, verve, and honest-to-goodness down-to-earth storytelling as, "Younguncle Comes To Town". The second book in this series is already out in India. Let's encourage Viking to bring it stateside as well by giving this first novel a shot. Fine fine reading.

This book along with its companion volume (Zen Buddhism, Volume 2: A History - Japan), also by Heinrich Dumoulin, is a unique offering among the many fine books of Zen. As the only extensive single-set history of Zen Buddhism available it is an essential reference for all Zen students, teachers, and practitioners. It also has plenty to offer students of Buddhism of all traditions, especially those of Mahayana.

Zen Buddhism, Volume : A History - India and China, begins by offering an extensive examination of the rise and development of Buddhism in India. Starting with an introduction to the pre-Buddhist spiritual traditions, including discussions of the major ideas informing the various philosophies, literature, and practices of those traditions.

After furnishing the reader with a solid grasp of the cultural and spiritual landscape of the India of Shakyamuni's (the historical Buddha) time, Heinrich Dumoulin examines the life of the Buddha. Though brief, he gives a well-rounded explanation of the various facts, as well as the theories and legends surrounding both the historical and mythological significance of the birth, quest, enlightenment, teachings, and death of the Buddha (after teaching for nearly 50 years!).

Next, Dumoulin traces the developments of the major schools of Buddhism arising in the wake of the Buddha's death. He provides readers with solid insight of these schools by highlighting their various points of contention, and unique interpretations of the Buddha's teachings.

Heinrich Dumoulin also examines the development of the major sutras (scriptures) and shastras (treatises) offering the reader not only an outline of the main ideas informing this literature, but also highlighting how the various Buddhist schools related to and were influenced by it--focusing, of course, primarily on Ch'an (Zen).

By providing both, historical as well as legendary (or traditional) information each of the Indian Zen "ancestors", Dumoulin allows readers to "see through" the traditional accounts, without losing sight of the "mythic" elements that served to distinguish Ch'an from other Buddhist schools.

The book then presents an overview of the transmission of Buddhism to China through the Indian Buddhist master, Bodhidharma, the semi-legendary founder of Ch'an (Zen) in China. Dumoulin again offers both historical and traditional accounts of how the teaching slowly took root and over several generations of development and adaptation with Confucian and Taoist elements of Native China.

Next Heinrich Dumoulin describes how Ch'an (Zen) finally came into its "own" distinctive, and specifically "Chinese" flavor with the teachings of the revered Sixth ancestor of China, Huineng. Extensively covering the great masters of Ch'an history, Dumoulin describes how the various "schools" came to be identified through a number of factors including the "styles" of great master, the development of specific techniques or doctrines, emphasis on particular aspects of the path, etc.

Finally, this book explains how later generations of Ch'an teachers, students, and practitioners came to collect, and systemize the teachings of the "Seven schools and Five houses" of Zen in efforts to preserve, maintain, and transmit the teachings of Buddhism in light of the uniquely vivid, liberating, humorous, and powerful tradition Ch'an.

While this book, in offering such an extensive overview, does not go into great depth, it does deliver the goods. Even though some of the material is not up-to-date with recent scholarship, all in all, most of the "out dated" content is of minor significance.

With all the trimmings, front and back matter of quality scholarship (notes, detailed index, glossary, etc) this two-volume history of Zen offers plenty of unique material that will be welcomed by Zen students for many generations to come.

Basically the book is just what it claims to be: a history of Zen Buddhism in China (it says "India" because it discusses the precursors to Zen in the Mahayana tradition and yoga). It is perfect for students interested in the topic.

I've heard from a few people (and the preface of the book admits it as well) that this book is somewhat dated because scholarship in this field has ballooned in the past decade or two. However, there is no equivalent introduction to all of Zen history. Thus, if you plan to study Zen history in depth, this is still the best place to start and you can move on to more recent books covering more specific movements and time periods. On the other hand, if you're not going to study in depth, then the new developments are not so radical as to render this unhelpful. Within ten years a better, up to date history of Zen is bound to come out. If you can wait...

On the other hand, I believe that a background in Chinese religion would be helpful, since Dumoulin really doesn't provide the background that a student needs in that area. But he does refer to them--Taoism and other strands of Chinese Buddhism--enough that perhaps he ought to have given a bit of introduction to them. He does give an interesting coverage of Neo-Confucianism, although not in much depth and only discussing their relationship to Zen. I was glad I had some familiarity with Taoism, but I found myself wishing I'd had more familiarity with Chinese Buddhism.

For that reason, if you are a beginning student, I'd strongly recommend some other books first.

If you're new to Zen, start with "An Introduction to Zen Buddhism" by D. T. Suzuki.

If you don't know much about Taoism, I recommend Livia Kohn's "Daoism and Chinese Culture."

If you don't know much about Chinese Buddhism, I recommend "Buddhism in China" by Kenneth Ch'en.

I think, at that point, if you want to get into the history of Zen Buddhism in greater depth, then you'll be ready to get a lot out of Dumoulin's fine book.

Of course, if the history of Zen really is the ONLY thing you're interested in, not how it interacted with Taoism or other kinds of Chinese Buddhism, then go ahead and just jump straight into this one.

Zen Buddhism: A History India And China is a new edition of volume 1 of the classic two- volume history by Heinrich Dumoulin (1905-1995), one of the world's most renowned Zen scholars. Covering the emergence of Zen through India and China, the new edition also includes additional notes by James W. Heisig of the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture; a new introduction by John R. McRae of Indiana University exploring recent developments in the study of Zen; and the complete original text. An excellent, thoroughly researched, in-depth history especially recommended for advanced students and scholars of Buddhism and religious history.

A detailed survey that begins in India with the historic Buddha, Sakyamuni, and finishes with the decline of Zen in China. The amount of detail would be overwhelming if Dumoulin hadn't digested it so well and hadn't written so well. Packed no only with historical events and persons, there are many observations and insights that reveal not only how Zen developed but the extent of diversity and challenges within it.

There were some highlights for me: the roots of Zen in yoga (hence the emphasis on the lotus pose for zazen), the importance of the Mahayana sutras with all the work to translate them into Chinese, the interplay of Buddhism with Taoism in China that led to Zen, the persecution of Buddhism in China that only Zen and Pure Land survived, and the settling down into the methods of regular zazen and koan practice. The differing views on enlightenment and other key Buddhist concepts as well as on meditation practice reveals that Zen was ever exploratory and many things to many of its masters and those who followed them.

Remarkably NeoConfucianism eventually gathered strength so as to be able to successfully challenge Zen for the Chinese heart. This volume closes with Chinese Zen in a decline from which it never recovered. Dumoulin explains how NeoConfucianist scholars were able to weaken the hold of Zen upon the Chinese such that Zen only was able to progress outside of China. Thar Zen later prospered in Japan did not lead to its rehabiilation within China so one is left wondering if Japanese Zen largely succeeded due to not facing a NeoConfucian challenge within Japan: all the more reason to read carefully Dumoulin's history of why Zen declined in China. I find it impossible to wonder if Japanese Zen, however much it flourished there, did so to some extent by avoiding the challenges that Zen faced in China. Any such questions may be answered by a careful reading of both this Volume 1 and the companion but consensus seem less to be found than a struggle by many that shaped the tradition without bringing it closure.

Zen Buddhism, Volume 2: A History (Japan) (Treasures of the World's Religions)

I just made the Egg and Lentil Curry; I have no words to describe how good it is! The recipes in this book are all easy to read and VERY easy to eat! Some of the spices I can only get at my local natural foods store, but since that's where I shop anyway, it's not a big deal. I'm a vegetarian and have found that Indian food is one of the easiest types of food that will accomodate my needs. Although not all of these recipes are vegetarian, the ones that aren't make it easy to substitute tofu or beans or veggies or whatever you want. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

The curry recipes in this book are simply exquisite. My favorite is the Tikka masala, which is a rich and creamy suace with a little bite. My fiance was absolutely blown away by it and asked me to cook it twice in the same week. If you have a food processor and a store near you, these recipes will all be easy to prepare. This is one of my two cooking bibles along with Thai Home Cooking by Robert Carmack. If you have any inclination of making Indian curries, and want to do so as good or better than a gourmet chef, this is the perfect book for you.

I've always been a fan of curries, but have never been able to cook a really good curry. I've had this book for two years now and can say that since using it I've never had a failure.

The recipes are very clearly laid out and easy to follow. The instructions and ingredients are sufficient without being over done. The book is extremely well illustrated with many bright and attractive photos of ingredients, cooking steps and finished meals.

As for the acid test. The food tastes and looks great. I am now asked to cook curries by friends and family, and have had several requests for recipes. This book is now my favorite cooking book, and I believe should be on the shelves of any would be curry cook.

I recommend it highly

It was a great pleasure to read this book about such a splendid spiritual Master. I had the great fortune of being in Prakashananda Baba's presence during my years with Swami Muktananda. I thank Titus Foster for awakening many submerged memories of Prakashananda Baba. He and Muktananda were the closest of friends. When such a relationship exists between such beings, the notion of Guru-Disciple intertwines into oneness. I was there when Baba spoke about his desires for Prakashananda Baba concerning SYDA lineage. It was at a time when Baba Muktananda was worried about his health and wasn't sure he would complete his work. He told us that if anything happens to Him, we should go to Prakashananda Baba. Swami Muktananda was well aware of Prakashananda's aloofness concerning the structure of school walls. They were simply the best of friends. Baba Muktananda said to me that successorship just doesn't happen the way people imagine. Prakashananda is the successor of Siddhahood. Everyone involved in SYDA, Shanti Mandir and all other offsprings of Bhagawan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri will find a veritable river of Grace from this book. Thank you for your seva, Titus!

Titus Foster a long-time devotee of Swami Prakashananda has done the world(All of us) the greatest service. He has brought to the world the wisdom and stories of one of the most loving compasssionate souls to ever walk this earth. In a world colored by hatred and prejudices of every kind. This man didnt live for name or fame or power.As he said,"I came for Love and Knowledge and service to humanity"- and he got it! After Muktanandas death, Baba took on the task of helping many of Muktanandas orphaned children continue their spiritual destiny under his compassionate wing. Being part of a large group of devotees around Muktananda, I had always wished for the close contact and training of a great being. In Prakashananda I found a simple loving presence of great light and over-whelming spiritual beauty.I had the Opportunity to live with Prakashananda and Titus off and own for years. It is of great importance that the genuine article is now available for everyone and my only wish is that Babaji now to enjoy the "Name and fame" that he ironically so deeply deserves in service to humanity.Thankyou Harihar!

This small book consists of a short biography of Swami Prakashananda (58 pages) plus a lot of parables he told as his way to answer to requests of his pupils. This Swami seems to have had a very "rich" life. Lot's of travels and deep spiritual insights. One would really like to know more about him, but since he was not in the limelight, nearly nothing has remained about his pilgrimages. Nevertheless, it shows one, that there are great souls out there, even if nearly unknown. In the later part of his life he was a pupil of Swami Muktananda, and one learns here, that Muktananda would have liked Prakashananda to become his successor, Prakashananda declined, and therefore Chidvilasanda and Nityananda have been choosen. As we know from other sources, Nityanda left the "position", so nowadays one hears only about Chidvilasananda, when it comes to SYDA Yoga. But Swami Prakashananda was a man of his own and basically a Shakta in his Temple Sapta Shring. The book is short, but touching and worth reading. The author lived with the Swami for eight years and tells the story without bringing himself into it, which is quite an achievement. Thank you Titus:-)

Unscrupulous wastrel (and moma's boy), trysts with the wrong maidens and consequently must flee mid 19th century Holland for the wonder and wealth of the Far East. Author has a wonderful sense of place, invoking the taste and smells of the period, delighting in plot twists, daring escapes, flim flams and danger while providing an insightful travelogue. Not simply a ribald send up of the genre, but an affectionate tribute worthy of Stevenson, Defoe and Dumas. In flavor, comparable to Flashman saga

KB at his best! The Mordecai Books could only give a reader the slightest inclination of the delights of ATTIC (All The Tea In China) - a fantastic romp (no other word will do) round the globe and human conditions!

A must read for any sporting young man!

Bonfiglioli is at his best in ALL THE TEA IN CHINA . It is a satire of the English which employs an historical perspective in a unique way. The narration employs social history using the form of a patriarch's memoir to his descendants. Full of admonitions and asides about inheritance, or the lack thereof, Bonfiglioli raises the non sequitor to an art form and re-creates the world of 19th century England and its mercantile destiny. His sense of character, the pacing of his narrative, all make for wonderful reading. In fact, one can read him too fast- it is necessary to re read to fully appreciate his humour and insights. And re-reading is perhaps more rewarding than one's first impression of this original writer. This is a book which proves hard bindings aren't obsolete .

This book gives a concise biography of Amy's life, yet is written in a way to draw the reader into the circumstances and time in which Amy lived. I gained a great admiration for Amy. She truly lived out her love for the Lord and the Indian people.

This book opened my eyes to see the truth of the children in India. It broke my heart for these children, but I loved hearing the story of Amy's dedication to these children and how she changed thier lives. It encouraged me to see how God worked in the situations that she was in.

A very good approach to the suffering of children in India. It Was well written. Is a very good example of the power of prayer and how people need Jesus

I really enjoy the thought provoking writings in this book and would recommend it to others seeking to view another way of seeing and understanding ourselves and the world.

This is a powerful little book. It explains how our thinking becomes the law of our life and that if we are sitting around blaming God for our suffering and our challenges, we are misinformed. We must learn to change our thinking which will change our life. This isn't as easy as it sounds but it becomes doable when we understand that we are co-creators with God, and connected to the All Knowing. When I was Editor of Science of Mind magazine, and a spiritual counselor at Agape, I was so fortunate to be focusing my attention on Dr. Holmes's writings and teachings almost 24/7. The end result of all my focused positive thought did change my life and will change yours. Your life experiences must change because, as Dr. Holmes teaches, it is the Law of Attraction - like attracts like. Thinking about health, draws health. Thinking about success, draws success. But the proof is in trying this thinking for yourself. I guarantee it - even Doubting Thomas's will be convinced by this book. Elaine Maginn Sonne, Ph.D., Author of Legends of the Stones and other books on empowerment.

I read this book in a study group. It was an amazingly concise explaination of some major concepts. If you believe that God is always in us and around us, that our thoughts make our world and that we can access the power of God to co-create our universe or if you've suspected any of those things might be true, you will enjoy this book. It may even help you explain some "new thought" ideas to all those people who think you're too "woo woo"

This book has provided me with a good solid overview and a list of further resource material.

This is a must-read book for US servicemen given the coming conflict in Afghanistan that provides important information about our likely Afghan opponents and the lessons learnt over the decades by the Brits. The lessons learnt then have relevance still today and the book should appear on officer and NCO required reading lists.

This is an informative, well-written and impressively researched account of how British and Indian units fought on the North-West Frontier of India for nearly a 100 years. Fighting against the Pathan tribes became almost a way of life for imperial troops during repeated skirmishes and major campaigns in the period covered by the book. It effectively combines detailed and lively accounts of important battles with analysis of how the military prepared itself for this very specialised form of unconventional warfare.

Moreman provides a wealth of new information about frontier fighting and a detailed bibliography that makes it a must for all interested in British imperial military history. I thoroughly recommend it other readers.

This is an excellent translation. The book contains a number of appendices which are superb analyses of different issues dealing with Alexander's history.
As a professional historian I can recommend the book without hesitation.

MJ Olbrycht

This book is one of two volumes written by Arrian on Alexander the Great. So many books have been written about this fascinating and charigmatic young man.Although most of the documents from Alexander's lifetime have vanished,this one is the closest that we can get to him.

In my own opinion I think that the documents that vanished may have been in the Alexandria library,or possibly were the body or remains of Alexander are.

What I liked the most in this book is the fact that the name of the cities and places that Alexander conquered are also named with today's actual names,making it easy for us lovers of history to relate to today's geography.

The Theban battle is very well written with so many details, not only the amount of horses,companions,hypastis and so on but the way that Alexander he himself planned.How Alexander took care of the innocent people,and how he cared for them,example the battle of Agis. What he did to the citizens of Soli, giving their land and money back.Details of Darius' mother,wife and children.
For instance I did not know that Dairus married his own sister.
there is so much in this book that it is really worth having if you are a true historian buff of Alexander's time.

The details of the army that conquered which tribe and city.How many horses, carriages, elephants, companions were used for each battle.

The treason fo Philotas and the killing of Parmenio,are also detailed here.The revolt of Agis,India and the Persian Empire, plus detailes of Alexander's army.

I enjoyed reading it very very much.I hope that you will do the same.

Arrian's Books, in two volumes, are perhaps the most informative and accurate existing account of the expeditions of Alexander the Great. The accounts are historical and also give insight into the personality of Alexander. Contrary to most histories, the texts are an easy read, with descriptions of places, people, and events giving the reader a good sense of the adventures encountered by Alexander and his men. The tale is told directly. Alexander's sexuality, the love of his troops for their leader, and all the other human qualities intermingled in a real life situation are presented without bias.
The text is in greek and english, in flanking pages. The footnotes are helpful, providing clarity to definitions of words in their historical context. The second volume contains various Appendixes providing added information on Military Questions, India, Mearchus' Voyage (Alexander's Sea Captain), etc.
For one wising to learn of Alexander, this is the best source available.

This guy really knows his stuff!! It's as if he's there talking you through your back pain problem. Thanks for the help!!

This book has suggestions for both neck and back pain. If your pain is so severe you have trouble with everyday tasks or functioning as I did when I first got this I highly recommend this for you. It has continued to help me with moderate to slight back pains as well as helping me not to throw my back out again. I would also suggest that you get an electric massager with a long enough handle to massage the muscle spasms away and also try floating in a swimming pool (get a cheap membership at the YMCA!) because it will really help to relieve the pressure causing the pain. Other items I found helpful in my recovery are "AM Yoga" with Rodney Yee and "Stress Relief Yoga" with Suzanne Deason.

Wow. I can't believe how easy this book was to read and follow. The illustrations make it simple to be sure you're doing the exercises the right way, which is so important when you're dealing with back and/or neck pain. The text covers immediate pain relief, good moves/bad moves for everyday activities, and strategic exercises for long term improvement. The really great thing about this book is that is was written by a Physical Therapist with real hands on experience in working with people with back problems, so you know the recommendations and exercise program are sound. My only regret is that it doesn't have a companion video, which would be neat; and my only complaint is that the book does not lay flat when you want to keep it open to a particular page while you do the exercises. Otherwise, I highly recommend it!