Asia Books

"Merdeka Square" ("Freedom Square")

For the Western spies on the prowl in Jakarta, 1965 was the best of times and the worst of times. The political climate was as sordid as a Turkish steam bath and just as tricky to find your way about in. But there was real intelligence work to be done. The agents saw their task as saving Indonesia from the creeping Red menace. The country's Communist Party was Asia's largest outside China and was gaining influence over President Soekarno. His wavering threatened to destabilize an already shaky Southeast Asia as the Soviet Union's influence and investments in Indonesia soured, whilst China increased its hold on political life.

The West, alarmed by the growing communist influence in Asia, funded six assassination attempts against President Soekarno and, when these failed, coerced and bribed a group of generals to overthrow their charismatic leader. Secretly, Australia deployed its SAS along the Malay/Indonesian border and for three years these special forces troops penetrated deep into Indonesia, killing the Soviet backed enemy, the skies above protected by nuclear-armed British Vulcan bombers which flew regular, covert missions over Indonesia's densely populated cities.

Among the secret service agents watching these developments was Harry Bradshaw, whose sexual adventures land him in a Soviet entrapment. His protégé is Murray Stephenson, a trained ASIS agent whose position in the embassy provides a colorful background for the sinister, dangerous machinations and turmoil which brought President Soeharto to power, resulting in the slaughter of half a million Indonesians.

Based on fact, the story commences with Murray being recruited by the Secret Service and sent to Indonesia where he assimilates easily, reporting on student unrest as university campuses are infiltrated by communist elements. Handsome, young and fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, Murray's sexual exploits lead him into dangerous liaisons with influential Javanese women, one a member of the spiritualist sect, Subud, the other an active officer of the communist women's militia.

When Bradshaw is murdered by the Soviets, his replacement, the Melbourne based ASIS chief, obviously unfriendly to his predecessor's protégé, tragically creates an air of distrust amongst the Jakarta based agents. Murray becomes reluctant to pass all his intelligence findings back to Melbourne, confiding in the Military Attaché who accompanies the agent on his mission to save the life of the man who would become the Indonesian president for the next three decades.

This is the inside story to The Years of Living Dangerously. In 1965 as three different factions move to effect their coup d'etat against the ailing president, we find the Americans backing a group of generals whilst Murray is deeply involved in the intrigue surrounding the communists own plans to effect a takeover. Secretly, the West also supports a junior general by the name of Soeharto.

-2-
During the last days of September a list is given to the communists who sweep silently into Jakarta and commence their bloody coup. Six generals are captured and murdered, unwittingly clearing the way for Soeharto to assume power the following day. Tanks fill the capital as two hundred thousand troops swarm over the city, split loyalties spawning firefights throughout Jakarta which falls to the communists for less than one day. Soeharto's headquarters face the US embassy on Merdeka Square and it is here, alongside the national monument, that the young general makes his bold move. Within hours he recaptures the capital.

The Soviets move to shore up their own position, fearing that the West had effected the coup which would result in Indonesia turning from its Russian allies. The KGB First Secretary contacts anti-Soeharto army officers, who set about plotting to kill the pro-West, General Soeharto whose forces commence their campaign of slaughter across the nation, throwing the archipelago into civil war.

Murray's communist lover Yanti temporarily escapes the purge only to be captured, interrogated and executed. His other companion, the seductive Ade, has been reporting on Murray activities to the interim military regime that attempts to execute the Australian spy.

Traitorous military elements initiate a plot to kill Soeharto, foiled by Murray who manages to prevent the new leader's aircraft from taking off with the deadly bomb on board.

Murray returns to Melbourne and, disillusioned with the Secret Service, resigns.
As he leaves the building there is a curt exchange between him and the new ASIS chief, and the reader is introduced to Stephen Coleman, Murray's replacement who takes the story into the post coup period of corruption, murder and the amassing of incredible wealth as Indonesia leaps forward. The sequel is titled "The Timor Man".

If you like Tom Clancy you will love this book. Also if you have any interest in looking into the minds of the Indonesian government or military then this book is for you. Kerry Collison writes about a subject he lived not just something he read about in history books. The writing style is not the traditional American style, which gives the story more power. Kerry carries his readers along with his characters as if you were there. Great read I look forward to reading the second in the Trilogy.

I first read Merdeka Square and was surprised by the factual accounts contained in the book. However, Jakarta has more surprises in store for the reader, and anybody interested in Asia (or who has investments there) should put this in their reading list. Collison writes a gripping account of how business is (or used to be) done in Indonesia, and details the life of a very human hero,Murray Stephenson,who may very well be Asia's answer to Jack Ryan.

Jakarta is probably Collison's best book to date. His accounts of Indonesian politics, financial troubles, and social unrest happened to predict quite accurately events that transpired after the book was published. Collison obviously knows his primary subject (the people and government of Indonesia) and has done a meticulous job of researching everything else. It is also interesting to note that his description of two nuclear power plant near-misses is remarkably close to a recent event in Scotland.

Having lived and worked in Asia,with a number of years in Indonesia, Kerry Collison's books have not only given me substantial pleasure in his presentation of life in this giant archipelago, but has also provided me with a much deeper understanding of what makes these people tick. Move over Tom Clancy! We have a new author in town!

Stephen Addiss is, quite frankly, my hero. Any book he puts out combines in-depth knowledge, thorough (but accessible) scholarship, and a kind of keen commentary that reveals the experience of one who has had hands-on exposure with his subject matter. For example, another work of his entitled _77 Dances_ is an exceedingly beautiful collection of Japanese calligraphy, with mind-blowing commentary on every page.

The volume under consideration here ranks among one of Addiss' best. As a coffee table type art book, the print quality is superb, the proportions generous, and the colour detailing exquisite. Addiss has provided a comprehensive selection here of artists and subject matter: from Buddhist iconography, to woodblocks from Edo period ghost stories [kaidan], to the eroto-grotesque masters of the Meiji period, such as Kyôsai.

Far from simply compiling the pictures, Addiss provides brilliant detail and historical information, never flying off into punditry. He is an absolute model of clarity combined with research, making his work totally enjoyable to the non-specialist. Asian Studies PhDs out there, take note: you can publish books without losing yourself in a morass of insider cant.

I notice this book a lot on the selves of tattoo artists: obviously, the quality must be good if those who practice that craft trust it for deriving their stencils. I'm not into that scene myself: I think of this volume as providing the kind of illustrative detail, and sensory impressions, that Lafcadio Hearn could not have mustered in his time.

The subject matter detail includes a range of sources: religious, folkloric, theatrical (literary), and so forth. Addiss never condescends when describing the superstitions and spiritual practices associated with the personages.

That this book is out of print is a shame. I would say that, even at twice the price, it is will worth getting a hold of if you have an interest in the subject. It is *vastly* superior to the usual scruffy insights that travellers pass off as 'mysterious Japan'.

A great resource if you wish to get a better grasp of the many Japanese ghosts and supernatural elements which appear in woodblock prints. Well researched. I enjoyed it very much.

As the preface to "Japanese Ghosts and Demons" notes, this book is the fruit of interdisciplinary studies undertaken by the Spencer Museum of Art and the University of Kansas at Lawrence. And it is the results of just such an interdisciplinary approach that have lifted this book out of the realm of an ordinary exhibition catalogue and propelled it into the rarified ranks of an art history classic.

In historical terms, the focus of the book is the Edo period. This long (1615-1868) and peaceful period saw a concatenation of several important trends, including the perfection of the woodblock print, a democratization of art that--for the first time in Japan--served the masses, the rise of the kabuki theater, and a diffusion of popular literature and tales that often focused on the ghostly and the supernatural. The fusion of these trends was most clearly seen in the woodblock prints of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Utagawa Kunisada, and Ichiryusai Kuniyoshi, many of which are reproduced here. These three giants of the late woodblock period not only made a major contribution in documenting the theatrical and literary trends of the Edo period but also provided many of the visual models still employed in Japanese-style tattooing.

Apart from the rich feast of art presented in this book, "Japanese Ghosts and Demons" will nourish the souls of those interested more in the fields of anthropology and comparative religion. Even today, when Japan has emerged as one of the most technologically advanced nations on earth, fundamental cultural beliefs are still strongly informed by a sense of mutability. "Japanese Ghosts and Demons" makes an important contribution to explaining this phenomenon, in which the boundaries between the living and the dead, humankind and animals, the animate and the inanimate, and the sacred and profane are far more permeable than is believed to be the case in the modern West. Several thousand years ago, before the rise of the three great monotheistic religions, most of the world's societies believed in a universe more pregnant with magical possibilities, a type of universe that this book helps us better understand.

"Japanese Ghost and Demons" is something I really wish I could have been a part in making. A college with a fine collection of supernatural-themed Japanese art, in a variety of mediums, decides to offer an interdisciplinary study class with each group producing papers on a folklore theme, with supporting artwork from the collection. Brilliant.

Each of the chapters is incredibly insightful, providing a complete education on the topic. Along with the traditional subjects such as the Oni, Ghosts and Tengu, there are many less-often covered subjects such as Sennin: The Immortals of Taoism and Shoki the Demon Queller. I was particularly pleased to learn about Shoki, as I was browsing a print shop in Kyoto and was able to recognize the Demon Queller himself in a few prints.

The plates are, of course, beautiful, and cover an incredible range of medium, from the familiar prints to the drawings, paintings and netsuke carvings. The reproduction quality is high, and the size of the book is "coffee table" size, allowing for nice sized images. The majority of the plates are in full color.

As someone who has read quite a few books on Japanese supernatural folklore, I recommend "Japanese Ghosts and Demons" as one of the best. It would be hard to be disappointed by this treasure.

I almost hesitate to add a review since there are two other reviews here that do such a fine job. I actually attended the University of Kansas and was therefore able to visit the Spencer Museum of Art and see some of these works on display. I purchased my copy of this book at the museum and used it as part of my source material for a theses I wrote while matriculating at KU, so I am very familiar with this book.

This is a very, very impressive book with loads of gorgeously rendered and reproduced wood-block prints. If you like Japanese art you will wish to have this book simply to look at the pictures. My children actually like to get this book down and look at the pictures, half because it is truly amazing art and half because the art is focused on the creepy-crawly and supernatural. An element of Japanese culture and psychology is viscerally on display in these fine prints and it is easy to see that this form of art is the precursor to the Manga that is so popular today.

This book is much more than a simple visual display though. There is a wealth of information, meticulously researched, presented here on the creatures that make up the pantheon of the eerie and supernatural in medieval Japan. For serious students, or even those with a surfeit of Hobbits just wanting a better grounding in an alternate milieu of the supernatural, this is an excellent tome, well-written, easy-to-follow, and chock-full of information. Buy it for the pictures, buy it for the text, or buy it for both, you won't be disappointed.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/07)

"Japanese Yoga: the Way of Dynamic Meditation" introduces the form of Shin-shin-toitsu-do, which means "the way of mind and body unification." The author describes it as "the direct investigation of universal principles for living." He believes that we can transform our lives by following this practice. It was created by Dr. Nakamara Tempu, also a sensei, when he went to India in the early 1900's to study yoga. In developing Shin-shin-toistuo-do Dr. Tempu incorporated his knowledge of martial arts, western medicine and psychology, and healing into this form.

Shin-shin-toistu-do is different from Indian yoga. It uses a variety of stretching exercises, breathing methods, methods of seated and moving meditation, massage-like healing techniques, auto-suggestion techniques, and mind and body coordination drills. Included are also principles for the unification of the mind and body. This practice is very practical and can be used in our everyday life.

We are encouraged to use this practice because it will teach us to transcend our bodies and it places a higher importance on mental and physical health over material wealth. In reading and learning about this practice, I appreciated the humbleness of Mr. Davey. He encourages the reader to look inside ourselves to find truth, not at him.

I think that this is a great book for anyone interested in meditation and healing techniques. I think that people with a passion for the Japanese martial arts will really benefit from the training. It is in no way difficult to follow and Mr. Davey keeps it very interesting. He also provides resources to accessing instruction and supplies, and a glossary for quick reference.

My personal interests lie in Japanese martial arts and healing. I am pursuing my third degree black belt in karate and have been attuned to mastery level in Reiki. I was very excited to read "Japanese Yoga," because I felt that in addition to assisting me with my everyday life, it will also help me to achieve my next levels of training in the other art forms. Physically and mentally, I will benefit, especially as I feel myself physically aging. I also think that incorporating something new into my life will bring an additional excitement to my training.

One of the key principles of Japanese Yoga or shin-shin toitsu do is being and staying positive. When you stay positive, the ki or the energy starts to flow in you. When you turn negative, the ki stops flowing. It is as simple as that! H. E. Davey writes in a simple and most effective manner to instill in one this simple principle.

If you are practicing Yoga for some time, you will know that Yoga is not all postures. Living life to its maximum is yoga; letting that universal energy flow through you uninterrupted is yoga. The author writes about the teachings of his master - Nakamura sensei. While acknowledging the roots of Japanese Yoga lies in the ancient practice from India, Nakamura sensei went on to form the foundations of Japanese yoga through his own interpretations and experiences.

As with staying positive, concentration of the mind is a big part of the book. There are several exercises/techniques (candle gazing, listening to the fading of the ringing bells to eternity) explained in the book and how, with such exercises once can connect to the universal energy. The exercise with a pendant is a simple and profound way to illustrate the effects of the mind on the body. You will find the many gentle stretching and ki stimulating exercises easy to learn and practice. This is one of the yoga books that I could read through without the express need to 'know' the steps of postures, the sequences and combinations of different categories of postures, etc, etc.

I found the book to be simple and devoid of the numerous asanas that one needs to learn to 'practice' yoga. You need to read quite a bit of the book to get a sense of what Dynamic Meditation is. That's how this book is different. If Yoga were to be condensed into a two-page booklet readied for a crash course, then there wouldn't be so many books on the subject. Each author and each way of yoga uses a different and often unique way to get the message across. H. E. Davey speaks from his own experience and practice in writing this book and in it you will find a different and welcome way of practicing yoga. This book will be a unique addition to your Yoga library.

`Japanese Yoga' is comparatively an easy book to read and to follow. The author has a good gasp of Japanese culture and its philosophies. His explanations are relatively easy to follow. I think the paradox of Japanese is that they don't say much as most of their communication is through their actions and Davey has managed to explain many of demonstrated action into simple words. Although the book has fewer illustrations of yoga techniques which was rather disappointing but the explanation behind `Japanese Yoga' concept was well handled by the author. I will certainty recommend this book to any student who is keen to understand the basic principles and the source behind various exercises discussed in the book and those who are keen to understand the primary connection between the body and mind.

'Japanese Yoga' is a surprising book that affects your daily life from day one that you practice it.
The fact that i keep on practicing it everyday is a solid proof that the exercises are helpful in many ways.

The author H.E. DAVEY reveals in a clear and instructive way the teachings of NAKAMURA TEMPU SENSEI.
Both the psychological and spiritual background of his method are written in a down-to-earth way and without acting as a 'guru'.
Each of the principles has a PRACTICAL pendant as an exercise or test to make you really feel what is meant. In this way these principles are not mere assumptions, but become true and real, here and now.
For example : the principle that the mind moves and controls the body : the author includes several tests and exercises to make you find out for yourself what is meant.

The practice of Japanese Yoga has a lot to offer : stretching exercises, improvement of posture and breathing, centered movement, healing skills, meditation etc. These are not too difficult for most people, if practiced in the right frame of mind. And they are beneficial indeed.

The author suggests that there could follow a second volume of this book. i would be very pleased to read and learn more about Japanese Yoga.

H.E. Davey also wrote "Living the Japanese Arts and Ways", 45 paths to meditation and beauty. This volume
further explores the Japanese Ways (do) and is equally interesting and revealing. It looks at "body-and-mind-

unification" through the traditional crafts and arts of Japan.

If you're just interested in whether I liked this book or not, I'll get that out of the way first. I enjoyed this book and I expect to read it again in the near future.

I should mention, before discussing the contents, that this book is well-constructed. I like to read on airplanes and took this book on several short trips. It not only fits well into carryon luggage, but also withstands the rigors of travel and hotels extremely well.

This is not just a how-to type of book. Readers will not be overwhelmed by images of slim, svelte individuals in contortionist stances or situations. Rather, this book discusses the mental process of meditation. Any physical postures or exercises mentioned seem to be designed to facilitate the meditation process, not merely to lose weight or
fit in with the burgeoning yoga crowd.

I don't think there is any one good manner of addressing the mental processes, especially those of meditation. It is just too complicated an area. This author takes the approach of discussing some of the short-term goals of the incremental steps of his method, Shin-shin-toitsu-do, rather than ephemeral discussions of long-term, years-down-the-line goals. He
repeats important points, usually from different angles and perspectives. This approach can be heavy-handed and burdensome, if not done correctly.
Mr. Davey keeps his approach light. Just when it seems he is going to spoil things, he is off on another tangent that brings the reader back to the same goal.

I couldn't read this book in one sitting, although it is not a ponderous tome. I felt the need to break it into many short, educational readings. Sometimes just a snippet, sometimes reading longer. The material was presented in an easy manner, free of self-importance, yet not disrespectful. I know I probably didn't pick up all the important material
discussed, but I put it down with the feeling that I had found something that was important. I will read this book again, soon.

I ordered this book mainly because of my fascination with a blog by the same name. Here is a link to the blog "Japonisme" http://lotusgreenfotos.blogspot.com/ . I ordered my book "used, but in excellent condition". Its appearance is like any book that I have had for a few weeks. With 1105 illustrations and 432 large (10" x 12") pages I still haven't read it all.
The layout of the book really helps a novice like me to understand the influence of Japanese art on the West. Wonderful western images that capture the spirit of the Japonisme but don't copy them are abundantly reproduced in black and white and in color. Japanese images from gardens to tea bowls place no one technique over any other as long as the result is beautiful. Each wood block print is carefully calculated to achieve the most impact within a confined area. In all designs are based on nature, but don't replicate it.
I will be looking at this book for years, reading, looking at the illustrations and just enjoying it.

Exquisite book, most comprehensive I have seen on this subject. Worth ten times over the Amazon price!

This beautiful book really opened my mind to the influence that Japanese art had on the Impressionist movement. Some very interesting comparisons of woodblocks and the work of Van Gogh.....Wow...It had never occurred to me before & to see the works side by side is fascinating. I first found this book in the school library & kept borrowing it; such wonderful images.I decided I had to own a copy & made my first Amazon.com purchase. Great service, Amazon, thank you....so quick & efficient. This book is great value and very well illustrated. The text is extremely interesting and thought provoking.

For anyone interested in both Japanese Art and European Art at the turn of the last century, this book will become the most satisfying reference book in your collection.

"Japonisme" is the term used to describe the Victorian fascination with all things Japanese. Wichmann's book successfully demonstrates the influence of this fascination on the fine art of the era. Lavishly illustrated with over a thousand images, Wichmann's essays are informed both historically and artistically on the detailed ins and outs of the sharing of the two cultures of East and West. Topics include the Asian influence in composition, pictoral space, design, choice of material, and subject matter in the visual art and architechture of turn of the century fin de siecle Europe and America. Visual examples are given from a wealth of artists including Van Gogh, Manet, Cassatt, Whistler, Degas, Mucha, Klimt, the architechs Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard Neutra, and Japanese artists such as Hiroshige and Hokusai, just to name a few.

Being a visual artist from the west trained in the Western tradition and yet fascinated with Japanese fine art and in particular the tradition of ukiyo-e, discovering this book for me was like finding the holy grail, a book filled to the brim with stunning visual compromises between the traditions of East and West from which to take my own influences. Fantastic.

the title says it all - "The Japanese influence on Western art since 1858" --- details print making, textiles, jewelry design, ceramics and glass, home and garden, objects d'art and of course painting. Amazing, for example how much Van Gogh was influenced by Japanese art especially wood block prints and you will see examples of his art and Japanese art which he had access to "Theo and I have hundreds of Japanese prints in our collection..." --- I truly wish I could see an exhibition as put together as this book --- it is absolutely indepth, articulate, clear and consise and immense in scope. Weighs a ton and worth its weight in gold.

This is phenomenal book! There's a slight bit of difficulty with so many Indian names, which are unfamiliar to Western ears and a bit difficult to keep track of. My solution was to turn around when I finished the book and immediately re-read it. I was totally unaware that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands even existed until reading this book, and now I'm mad to see them for myself. The story of the destruction of these ancient tribes over the last 200 years is one of the saddest things you will ever read, and it makes you root even harder for those people on Sentinel Island, who have resisted all attempts at contact by the "civilized" world and are shooting Stone Age arrows at our airplanes when they fly over. Let's hope they're able to maintain their independence--

Madhusree Mukerjee's writing is so compelling I didn't want to stop reading. The historical background she relates is based on solid scholarly research, but the book should easily appeal to popular audiences. Readers will admire the author's persistence on her visits to the Andaman Islands in striving against bureaucratic resistance and other difficulties to search out, experience, and report on the current situations of the aboriginals.

In reading the book, I continually found myself, as the author did, identifying with the native peoples in their confrontations and interactions with the invading visitors, settlers and administrators. Mukerjee has an excellent way with words, including the manner in which she describes the many ironies and the bunglings by the governing bureaucracies. Regarding the resulting messes, she uses perfect imagery: "One could always blame the previous administration, a long line of pointing fingers fading into history."

It's unfortunate and sad how, over much of the world, so-called civilized outsiders continue to arrogantly and ignorantly devastate other lands and their inhabitants, intentionally, unintentionally, and through greed and indifference. Even though the facts recounted in the book eloquently speak for themselves, the manner in which Mukerjee frequently relates her own reactions and feelings on her visits seems entirely appropriate. Hopefully, this book will draw considerable attention, both in India and worldwide among concerned citizens and officials positions to influence policies.

The book is excellent, beautifully written, even poetic in places. The author describes the history of contact by the 'civilized world' with the people of this lost world on the Andaman Islands, a world about which I knew nothing. She uses an interesting novelistic device of weaving together past and current events to described the world of the Andamanese and of her trials and tribulations of trying to work through an uncooperative bureaucracy to meet the fascinating original inhabitants. The cast of characters is huge and includes historical figures from as far back as 1771 to people of today. The role of the author is that of compassionate observer. Ultimately the tale is sad; thoughout I kept asking, "What are we doing?".

Discussions of endangered peoples often invokes stories about Amazonian natives, Kalahari Bushmen, and Australian aborigines to name a few. The people of the Andaman and Nicobar islands are seldom mentioned however. Mukerjee does a great service to the indigenous people of these islands by exposing the destruction wrought upon them by modern intrusions.

The Andamanese and Nicobarese have lived in isolation from the modern world in the Bay of Bengal for thousands of years. They were portrayed in travelogues, including Marco Polo's, as ferocious, cannabilistic, and uncivilized to the highest degree. These impressions were often based not upon direct interaction but rather on distant observation of a unabashedly naked people with a hunter-gatherer culture. When actual interaction did occur primarily by the British, the Andamanese and Nicobarese were often ferociously defensive as can be expected when confronted by an imperialist power intent on conquering and also gathering human specimens to study and display on the mainland. Even in the face of these dangers, they attempted to maintain some peaceable interaction with their conquerors and displayed the great attributes of their cultures.

Mukerjee spent some time in the islands in an attempt to interact with the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, Nicobarese, and Sentinelese and in the process, has exposed the Indian government's wrongheaded and destructive policies toward these indigenous peoples. It is apparent that most Indian bureacrats in the islands are there to live the easy life and make a quick buck, and the few who desire to make change often are faced with insurmountable obstacles in their attempt to improve policy toward the natives. Mukerjee describes her subjects in affectionate detail, and her love for them and her sorrow for their plight are evident throughout the book. Her feelings for them culminates as she approaches the Sentinel Islands, home to possibly the most undisturbed culture on earth. As her boat nears the islands, she begins to regret her intrusion and thinks to herself "Please please please, let us not destroy this last haven."

Unfortunately, disease and war has wiped out most of the islands' population. Construction and deforestation is wiping out native habitats. The islanders are impotent to change the situation, and the Indian government will ultimately be responsible for protecting these vulnerable and beautiful people.

I highly recommend this book to anyone concerned with the disappearance of a people who have not been able to fight back and are quickly disappearing from our earth.

_The Land of Naked People_ by Madhusree Mukerjee is an interesting and informative account of one of the last stone age peoples in the world (or what is left of them), native peoples of the Andaman Islands, a archipelago located north of the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean, a people that according to archaeologists, linguists, and geneticists have been isolated from the rest of the world for tens of thousands of years. Mukerjee interwove personal accounts of travels to the islands and interviews with government officials, researchers, activists, local residents, and the tribesmen themselves with vivid historical narratives of early contact situations, warfare with, and research on these aboriginal peoples.

The people of the Andamans, long known to Asian and European travelers, were feared for centuries as cannibals and headhunters. They were often referred to as "dog-people," as sub-human; in the nineteenth century some were displayed in the Calcutta zoo, where Bengali visitors took them to be descendents of the monkey god Hanuman, and as late as 1925 a paper published in _Man_, a journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, defined the Andaman as a new species of human, _Homo mincopoeus_. Simultaneously intriguing and repulsing Arab, Chinese, and British travelers by their casual nudity (the natives wore virtually no clothing), ferocity towards outsiders (many of the historical accounts are of hostile first encounters and "punitive expeditions" against islanders), and their physical features that were more African than Asian, the islanders were little bothered for centuries, the islands mostly unsettled despite being located on major trade routes between India and China. Though outside civilization has become increasingly dominant in the last 200 years or so, there are still remote areas in the archipelago; the one hundred or so individuals who make the island of North Sentinel their home are still very much a stone age people (though many technically no longer use stone but rather work metal from nuts and bolts that wash up on their shores into arrowheads) who may be among the most isolated humans on earth (though how long they will stay isolated is a matter of some concern).

Mukerjee divided the Andaman islanders into four groups. About ten tribes (at one time during colonial times comprised of as many as 5,000-8,000 people) made up a group called the Great Andamanese, occupying most of the Great Andamans (the South, Middle, and North Andaman Islands) and several adjacent smaller islands. They were at war with the elusive Jarawa, a small group that numbered at one time as many as 600, a group that lived in the dense western forest of South Andaman. Seven hundred or so Onge tribal members lived on Little Andaman, a sizable island farther south, and a hundred Sentinelese lived on the eighteen square miles of North Sentinel off to the west.

The author painted a vivid picture of an interesting group of people. Though only distantly related to the Congo Pygmies, they were originally similar in many respects; they lived in dense, moist tropical forests in small bands, had peppercorn hair, painted their naked bodies with clay (a practice which the author discussed at length), used bows, arrows, and nets to obtain food, and had extraordinary botanical knowledge. Hunter-gatherers, they subsisted on a variety of plant products, fish, sea turtles (a favorite), dugongs (now virtually extinct in the islands), and a number of forest animals, the most favored of which was the wild boar, believed by some to have descended from the southern Chinese pig. The natives cared greatly for children; among the Great Andamanese it was considered a compliment and a mark of friendship if a married man, after paying a visit, asked his hosts to adopt one of their children; these parents would in turn not only visit frequently their own but adopt others. Several of the groups had taboos against killing certain creatures. The Great Andamanese for instance ruled that it was taboo to kill a certain spider, a type of beetle, two bird species, two fish species, a certain mollusk, and two types of trees. Cicada grubs were much coveted in several of the islands as food, but many were fearful of upsetting Biliku, the northeastern monsoon wind, whom the cicada was the child of; the islanders would be "silent as a mouse" during early morning and late evening singing of the cicadas, not doing any work or making any noise.

Unfortunately much of the book is about the very sad state of the Andaman Islanders. Massive, often illegal, deforestation, even in the protected tribal reserves, has resulted in huge erosion problems, silt runoff that has killed nearshore corals and local fisheries, and deprived the islanders of much food and shelter on every island but North Sentinel. Only 42 Great Andamanese remain, most of them alcoholics (a dependency on alcohol and other substances in the past deliberately encouraged by the authorities), suffering from malnutrition thanks to a diet largely of oil and starch, and many of the children fathered by the welfare staff who are supposed to care for them, Mukerjee documenting how the social workers sometimes took cruel advantage of them. The remaining 100 or so Onge are only a little better off. Disease in the past devastated the islanders and still thins their numbers to this day as they are a people without previous exposure to such illnesses as pneumonia, mumps, and even the common cold. The Jarawa are famous for their resistance, having fiercely fought logging and road construction in their forests, killing laborers and travelers as recently as 1998. Much feared, laborers required guards, police had to escort travelers on the road through their forest; one person told the author, if asked if he ever saw a Jarawa, replied, no, "To see is to die." Though there have been some reverses in favor of the Jarawa in the end it seems that they are doomed to be assimilated into Indian culture if they don't perish from disease and deforestation first.

When I decided to move to Lebanon three years ago, I bought the first edition of this book, and it was like a bible for my husband and me as we got our bearings, traveled around the country, and branched out on our own. We still use it as a reference when we go back to visit our favorite places. The information is clear and easy to follow, the historical sections, information about the culture, and practical information are all up to date and accurate. All in all, this is an excellent resource for anyone coming to Lebanon. Enjoy your stay!

For thousands of years Lebanon has occupied a position in history that is entirely out of proportion to its size. Nearly every Westerner has read or heard about this tiny country, yet its past and present, its inhabitants, and the land itself hold countless secrets. Ann Jousiffe's "Lebanon" will help you explore this legendary corner of the eastern Mediterranean, discover many of its unique treasures, and savor its seemingly infinite variety. Her book provides historical, cultural, and political commentary, advice on food and accommodations, extensive background on archaeological sites, a useful language section, and a glossary. It also includes maps and color photographs.

A perfect companion to Jousiffe's book is "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen: A Culinary Journey through Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan," by Lebanese-born Sonia Uvezian. An astounding achievement of culinary, historical, and cultural research, this masterly volume is a godsend for anyone who plans to visit Lebanon.

When I decided to move to Lebanon three years ago, I bought the first edition of this book, and it was like a bible for my husband and me as we got our bearings, traveled around the country, and branched out on our own. We still use it as a reference when we go back to visit our favorite places. The information is clear and easy to follow, the historical sections, information about the culture, and practical information are all up to date and accurate. All in all, this is an excellent resource for anyone coming to Lebanon. Enjoy your stay!

I returned to Lebanon after many years away. This book had everything! My family (who have never left Lebanon) were also amazed by the detail and accuracy of the book (even the cost of a Taxi from Homs to Beirut to within 50 cents US). Insightful and straightforward. Arranged very well. There is very good detail, even on places that the Ministry of Tourism is scant on. Highly recommended!

Having travelled a lot using the LP guides with no problems I can only recommend them... but even if your not planning a trip to Lebanon- this book is amazing as a reference to the region; making order out of the chaos of Lebanon's recent history in an unbiased and moderate historiography- unswayed by religous or cultural persuasion and remaining sensitive to Lebanon's unique history of generally fruitful co-existance and co-operation between some 15 different religous/cultural groups who inhabit and interpret such a dramatic and tiny country, especially in a region characterised by the sometimes not-so-happy collision between east and west. This is an extremely valuable guide for travellers, people with an interest in the Mediteranean and the Near East, or for that matter, any one of the 13 million Lebanese descendants living outside of that tiny piece of heaven. The section on Mount Lebanon was particularly good, though the author could have covered more of the awesome hiking trails and forest overlooking Beirut to be found in the Metn valleys (midway between Jenkins & Jousiffes Mt Lebanon & Chouf)... but no body's perfect!! :) This book is excellent and very well written- the authors deserve great credit.

You will enjoy & learn a lot from this book. One of the most pleasurable experiences I've ever had in Thailand is eating the food. There is such a wide variety food you can eat in Thailand. As you begin to fall in love with this cuisine, you will want to eat new and more varied dishes. Ordering can be challenging as you evolve into more advanced Thai foods. Yes, you can point and gesture, but if you want to more fully enjoy the culinary delights of real Thai food, you need to know what it's called, and say how you want it cooked or mixed to your spice preferences. There is a lot of important etiquette tips, that will help you if you're invited to eat in a home of a family in a village, or with associates in the city. The regional, colloquial, and relevant slang is included. This means, the author has been there and done it, having lived in Thailand for for the most of 25 years, along with superb homework & research. The photographer, Jerry Alexander helps the reader identify visually with some of the foods that are described. The dictionary at the end included many useful phrases in addition to the food vocabulary. One error though, is that the letter "G" in Thai is listed as a "K" which is only the case when it is a stop final, at the end of a word, or syllable cluster. Read, learn, eat, and enjoy.

I went out on a limb and picked this little treasure up with out even looking at any of the recipies. Glad I did. I spent years as a cook and found that most ethnic dishes are a product of the environment and what the people have at their disposal. And that most methods of cooking are the same with just different spices. These cook books have picked up on that and give you the basics. Every Thai Grandma has her own special recipie for curry but the core recipies are all here. Along with, and this is why I'm so impressed with these books, a history of the culture and it's evolution, common customes at the dinner table, how to shop in the markets, what to order when and where, a great map of the country specifying each regions specialties and (these guy's are great) a little dictionary of the Thai language and their pronunciations. These books would not only make a great gift but a perfect addition to a collection of cook books. I only wanted to buy one Thai cook book and I'm glad I found this one first. It's got evey thing you need to learn and creat great Thai food.

I thought I was an expert on Thai food as I have been living in Thailand for 6 years. However, Joe's easy to read book taught me many a new thing. This is not your average cook book. It is really a cross between a travel guide and a recipe book with a sprinkling of cultural information. I would say that it is the definitive book on eating Thai food - whether that be in Thailand or abroad. Highly recommended for anyone who has visited Thailand and has fallen in love with the food or the armchair traveler who is eating Thai food at home.

I bought this book thinking it was just a cookbook, and was surprised to find much more. Eating is an essential part of life in Thailand, and Joe Cummings gives deep insight into Thai culture -- specifically how "being Thai" comes out in the preparation and enjoyment of food.

If you're buying the LP guide to Thailand and are going there for the first time, also buy this book. You'll get a much more in depth description of the Thai way of life, as well manners & etiquette for a foreigner. And you'll want the recipes when you return!!

The Lonely Planet Guides are justly regarded as bibles by backpackers the world over. They are exhaustively researched and very reliable. I backpacked through Thailand last year and relied heavily on Joe Cummings brilliant LP guide for advice, inspiration and tips on what to eat. When I heard that Joe Cummings had written the LP World Food Guide to Thailand I knew it would be as meticulously researched and filled with the same infectious enthusiasm as his guide to the country itself. I was not disappointed. Though this is not the only Thai cookbook you will ever need - there are only twenty or so recipes - the book rightly sets Thai cuisine in its rich context, building the case that Thai food - real Thai food - is one of the world's most exciting cuisines. The story of Thai food - it's distinctive ingredients, the way it is eaten by Thais, the many regional variations, how to shop for Thai ingredients, street food, etc - is studded with relevant recipes made all the more appealing by what you have just learned. Buy it - you won't be disappointed.

When I was preparing to visit China, I sought for more knowledge about China and their culture. Additionally, I wanted to know what things I should look when shopping. Americans buy so many things that say "Made in China", I did not want to bring home one of these items. This book "Look What Came from China!" by Miles Harvey was very helpful. There was just enough information to lead me to further investigate items for which I was interested. I have read this book several times to my grandchildren. They like to play a game with each other trying to see who can name the most things that came from China.

This nonfiction book gives many interesting facts about things that come from or were invented in China. The book is well organized because there is a table of contents and the book is divided into sections. Along with a glossary, a resource page is also included, which lists other books and websites about China. The book is very educational, and the information presented is clear and direct. The photographs help capture the essence of China's great inventions. The most exciting thing included in the book is the Mandarin language, the official language of China, for some English words. The calligraphy is given first, and then a pronounciation key is provided. The one and only flaw in the book is the illustrations of ancient Chinese people making paper from pulp. The illustrations are vague, which makes it hard to understand the process it took to make paper. This is a great resource to have in any classroom library. Teachers can use this book to introduce a lesson about China. If students are doing research about China, they can use the book to learn valuable information.

Mr.Harvey's series on the different aspects of life in other parts of the world is an excellent way to introduce grades 2 through 5 many other cultures! This is very well organized information! I highly recommend this book and others in the series.

If your preschooler likes pictures, and you as the parent like educating, then this is a fun, educational book! I love to use it to teach my chinese daughter about her birth country!
Kay

As a teacher of history, one of the most important lessons I hope to convey to students is why the study of history is of such importance. One reason is, the study of history helps us to comprehend why we are the way we are. In other words, we must look to the past to understand why we eat what we eat, wear what we wear, and view the world as we do. This book admirably supports, with clear, concise prose and colorful illustrations, why the China's history is everyones' history. It is also great fun to read!

In another book called The Commanding Self Idries Shah says that the desired effect of these Teaching stories depends upon someone not knowing the intended effect. And this in a Teaching narrative that next tells us that the person he said this to, an editor for one of his books, then asked for an introduction explaining the intended effect of the stories. If you don't think thats funny, you probably won't like this book. There are no explanations here, no descriptions of spirituality, or theories about personal development. What is here, is very finely crafted Teaching stories and narratives that Shah collected from both oral and written sources, adding some of his own when "Sufic comprehensiveness demanded it". The stories are beautiful, challenging, disturbing, and often banal. And then one reads them again and finds that they are none of these things; that those were simply some of your own personal reactions to them. This book is a remarkable acheivement; a mirror for what can't be written down.

This book not only entertains, it educates as well. The tales and vignettes in it are called Teaching Stories because teaching is precisely what they do. They teach the reader how to escape from the confines and limitations of usual, normal thinking processes. They do so by showing the reader to himself or herself, reflected in the actions and motivations of the characters in the tales. The reader can learn how to operate more free of bias. The effect is similar to suddenly coming across riches, the riches buried within ourselves. Repeated readings reveal more layers and depths, each guiding the reader to greater understanding and freedom. 'The Magic Monastery' is, for these reasons, quite a catch.

About Sufism, it has been said that "in the West it's become very complicated because spiritual authority is understood on the wrong levels."

Shah's delivery is often times directed toward certain constructs of the ego within this reader's psyche. Painfulness is almost always imminent because he is capable in pointing out the fractures of this reader's brittle comprehension of Life. He points out how I can be my own worst enemy that keeps me from taking necessary steps needed to live a healthy and fulfilling life. In this sense, his tone can, in some instances, become characteristic of a stern father, a strict sensei, or a tough coach helping me steer clear of self-imagined obstructions. These moments aren't really ever pleasant, as they tend to turn my insides, and I feel singed. But, with some help, I am able to understand that this is an essential prerequisite for transformation in the Sufi way; therefore, I choose to understand these types of stern approaches in terms of "tough loving" that help bring equilibrium to my egoic ratios (inflation:deflation), and step in the direction of freeing myself of myself.

The Sufi stories within the Magic Monastery are, for me, the best times of diligent reading and mindful inner listening. I definitely become more aware of any inner voices compelling reactions and responses. Self-punishing? or self-rewarding? You make what you want of it.

Do you want to get to know yourself? That's what I did. Each of these stories is an opportunity to discover another aspect of your personality. Like me, you will find stories which you will like or find amusing, perhaps others that will annoy or startle you. Each is a mine of possibility that enriches with subsequent readings. Spend time with Idries Shah... and get to know You.

Here are 157 pieces of literature, most on a single page. Each one is like a room in a monastery; not the one in the title story, which is the product of the illusions of the greedy, but a genuine, inner one. Some rooms have windows through which to see the world around us more clearly. Some rooms have mirrors in which to see ourselves more clearly. Both windows and mirrors are specialized to help us see subtle things that we would otherwise miss. Then we realize that the windows have become mirrors, and the mirrors, windows. A handbook for inner work.

I found this book in the library when I was 14 and LOVED it. I didn't get my own copy until I was 19 (yes, long wait) but I was so happy when I did. The selection is great and the format easily readable. Having never read any tanka before I found this book, I can assure you that the poetry retains the beautiful lyricism of Haiku while expanding on concepts and often adding a more "human" element to the ideas portrayed. Great book for any Tanka lover or to those new to tanka.

Seeing the way this 1000 year old form is being used by modern Japanese writers is inspiring. If you are trying to get the hang of writing any kind of poetry, reading these selections will give your imagination a boost.

a sheer delight in every possible sense. luminous translations, excellent choices, and fascinating biographies. a must for lovers of japanese poetry. or anybody looking for an other-worldly experience.

A wonderful (and beautifully laid-out and translated) anthology crammed with dozens of astonishing poems, plus an excellent introduction. A must for all lovers of poetry, especially tanka

Not only is the book beautiful to have in your hands, its contents are excellent. Ueda's introduction is a comprehensive look at the development of the tanka form, and an orientation of its poets within the broader literary movements of Japanese tanka, and other contemporary poetry. Each poet is introduced with a reletively lengthy biography which provides personal information helpful to the contemplation of their poetry, especially considering that tanka are mostly occasional poems written as an expression of daily living. If you've never read tanka, try it. You'll find yourself seeing your life in immortal poetic fragments. And if you already do document your life in poems, here is an elegant and simple way to express yourself in metric form.