Asia Books

Reviewed by Patty Inglish for Reader Views (4/07)

The free verse in this book of poetry is startling. It is beautiful and covers nearly all aspects imaginable of any woman's life. Some aspects are still rather unmentionable in Western society so it is good to be startled by the subject matter of this volume and the uncanny structure of the pieces included in it. The verses contain strong imagery while some are images in themselves, designed to flow down the pages in pictures and designs made up of phrases. These images and words are powerful throughout and provided by a wide array of ages among Japanese female poets. Some published their first works in the early 1950s and others are quite new in comparison. All have something vital to say.

This collection of verse is quite surprising in its breadth of subject matter. The dedication reads: "to our mothers and teachers," and gives Japanese women and all women a modern voice with more to say than in previous generations and this time, translated in English. This opens an almost mystic door to the consideration of subjects some Western women have avoided, but perhaps can now embrace and examine. Poetry is an effective venue for crossing boundary lines, as shown by the Beat Generation of the 1950s-60s and Hip Hop poets of today. Truth cannot be ignored but it is easier to face through a doorway that is beautiful

The introduction of "Other Side River" describes Japanese poetry historically and the emergence of women poets. Geishas have a long history of writing poetry as part of their art and profession, but the free verse of "Other Side River" is not quite like those types of poems. These women poets are not Geishas and there is no white make-up and wig to hide anything about them. They are more realistic and strongly voiced in confronting the truth and the human condition, including relationships between men and women in Japanese society - perhaps all society. These poems feel like jazz at times and at other times seem surreal. Then there are interspersed among them, verses of stark reality, some of nostalgia and longing, even of death and sorrow, and other works that form actual pictures on the pages. It is riveting as a whole.

Several poems are displayed with the English translation beside the Japanese original, in Roman letters. This is a fascinating structure, allowing the reader to read the poem in both languages. Even though I know only a few words of Japanese, reading the original language provided me with additional poetic rhythm, flow, and even emotional value. My favorites of the verses in this book are those that are rather experimental visual poetry, such as "Vase," -- the words of which are arranged to form the image of a vase on the page. Another favorite is "Living Thing," which pictures trails of letters forming phrases and sentences just below the title in order to look like literary tentacles of a man o'war.

In the back of the book is a list of the authors and a short biography of each and all are interesting. Aside from lives as poets, some of these gifted women are embroidery artists, illustrators, novelists, painters, PhDs, teachers, and translators. The poets of this book also include those who have been in Japan's "untouchables" class, lesbian poets, Korean-Japanese poets, and even Japanese poets writing in English as their second language. I have found in the East, that poetry is an expressive art form used by many people from all lifestyles, and that a poet is usually accomplished in other arts, literary forms, and professions. In fact, I have found these poets to be decidedly multitalented. The experiences from their occupations and vocations enter into their poems, which are like gold refined through fire over and over until the refiner creates a small amount of a material that is priceless. It is also like a piece of coal on which the pressures of life have exerted themselves with such force as to create a flawless diamond. This is the difference, in my mind, between outstanding poetry of the type offered in "Other Side River" and, say, a philosophical book.

The poems in "Other Side River" should be read by anyone interested in free verse and diversity of poetry types and author backgrounds. The free verse will be enjoyed by readers attracted to the Far East, as well as those interested in women's studies and the global human condition.

From an editor, poet and reader There are no Madam Butterflys in this book. Leza Lowitz and Miyuki Aoyama have gathered together, edited and translated an amazing collection of contemporary Japanese women's poetry in other side river. Very prominent on the cover and title page are the words FREE VERSE, and free it is. No one is singing "Un bel di.." in this group. Until now my view of Japanese women was confined to Korosawa's movies and Puccini's heart-rending melodies. What an awakening! Nobody is bowing and smiling, giggling and shuffling among this crew. There may be songs of fleeting love, of disappointment, of nostalgia, even a lament after an abortion-- Hiromi Ito's "Killing Kanoko", but these are modern women expressing themselves in an open, bold and incredibly brave fashion, expressing themselves in songs of protest, triumph, love, survival and on a variety of subjects in a unique way. These are women from every province, from every walk of life. Some embrace the counter culture, some write in more traditional ways but each poet has a distinctive voice, a recognizable style and makes a strong, vibrant contribution to the whole. Leza Lowitz and Miyuki Aoyamo have gifted not only women, but what is more important, the life of poetry wherever it may breath.

This beautiful collection surprised me with its depth and breadth. The poetry of Japanese women of all ages and backgrounds comes together in this landmark anthology in clear, poetic translations. What's more (thankfully), there are no geisha or shrinking violets to be found in its pages. Rather, this is a flowering of contemporary women poets from the famous to the virtually unknown, including a range of powerful, strong poems from those whose voices haven't been heard before in English translation. Korean-Japanese poets, Ainu poets, poets from Japan's "Untouchable" caste, lesbian poets, poets writing in English (not their native tongue!) and others are some of the diverse talents blooming here. From the surrealistic to the realistic, from the prose poem to the jazz riff, from experimental visual poetry to confessional chants, this brave and beautiful anthology delights upon each re-reading. A sample from its pages is:

"Attica Blues/Archie Shepp":
Chained in the bottomless marshpond/
I dye my body as black as possible/
Tomorrow I'll be blacker than today./
The days stand on unreasonableness,/
Historical questions crushed under their feet./

But I don't stop protesting/
Even though I can't move when I'm held down/
Even if my last blessing was the sound of my twisted neck,/
I'd make you listen from underground.--by Harumi Makino Smith

From an editor, poet and reader There are no Madam Butterflys in this book. Leza Lowitz and Miyuki Aoyama have gathered together, edited and translated an amazing collection of contemporary Japanese women's poetry in other side river. Very prominent on the cover and title page are the words FREE VERSE, and free it is. No one is singing "Un bel di.." in this group. Until now my view of Japanese women was confined to Korosawa's movies and Puccini's heart-rending melodies. What an awakening! Nobody is bowing and smiling, giggling and shuffling among this crew. There may be songs of fleeting love, of disappointment, of nostalgia, even a lament after an abortion-- Hiromi Ito's "Killing Kanoko", but these are modern women expressing themselves in an open, bold and incredibly brave fashion, expressing themselves in songs of protest, triumph, love, survival and on a variety of subjects in a unique way. These are women from every province, from every walk of life. Some embrace the counter culture, some write in more traditional ways but each poet has a distinctive voice, a recognizable style and makes a strong, vibrant contribution to the whole. Leza Lowitz and Miyuki Aoyamo have gifted not only women, but what is more important, the life of poetry wherever it may breath.

Ray is the roadie for the rock band Laika Satellite. On the last performance of their latest tour, Ray once again fills in for the lead guitarist (who just... fails to show up, now and then). Ray gets a little too creative with one guitar solo, earning the wrath of the lead singer and leading to a full-out brawl on stage, as the bouncers and audience look on in dismay.

This appears to be business as usual, though, at least no one seem any more upset than is typical afterwards, backstage. The lead singer hits on girls, who ignore him, while the missing guitarist reappears just in time to pick up chicks, and the bizarre tambourine player drifts around making enigmatic yet probably friendly comments. Ray picks up the pieces, packs the van, and finally gets a chance to go home.

Tired of sitting in vehicles, he walks homeward with the band's bassist and sometime-girlfriend of the lead singer. Ray obviously has a crush on her, but she's oblivious. He leaves her at her apartment, then heads home alone.

The excerpt is fun and full of energy, with lots of vivid details, especially the on-stage riot. The antics of the band are hilarious, absurd, realistic, and pathetic all at once. The writing is a bit... wild, but I don't know that polished literary prose would suit this piece. It felt spontaneous and was plenty clear.

The synopsis seems almost to be about a different book than the excerpt I read, but if the style continues to be the same, I can only imagine it will be highly entertaining.

Nice title--eye-catching and has a nice ring to it.

Because there is so much description, the excerpt so far seems almost awkward told in the first person. When the narrator's character talks, he does not talk like the narrating voice, which is very descriptive and literary, so that can be a little distracting.

Look forward to seeing the Japan part of the story. So far it promises to be a good Saturday night movie, once turned into a screenplay!

I love the clear, sharp writing. The opening felt like a rollercoaster as it took me from the glorious musical moment that sustains forever, to the accelerated action of the frenzied onstage brawl. The characters are interesting. The descriptions are evocative. I would like to read this novel.

It is a great beginning and makes me want to keep reading...what happens, where do they go, what benefits does he gain from being with this group, lots of questions keep popping up - always a good sign for personal happiness with a book. Something tells me I'll love it.

This is a good read notwithstanding the sometimes academic treatment of the topic which at best is boring and long winded. Having said as much, the author does a pretty through job of addressing the various aspects of Pathan history which departs quite significantly from the common understanding of the average Pathan of himself and his heritage.

I for one was quite amazed to see the argument posed by the author and the facts laid therein to substantiate his proposition. However, by and large it is a book worth reading given the subject of Pathan history is something that can not be fully understood from a single read.

If you are not a Sindi, Punjabi, Hazara, Tajik or other enemies of the Afghans/Pakhtoon, this is a must reading for you.

This book is an extremely useful work for historical reference, perhaps the only one in its category extant. It can be called a magnum opus. The narrative of its writer is, of course, tinted heavily with his own emotion--and he has pointed this out to the reader himself when describing the nature of his book--therefore this aspect of the book may also be taken as a "historical reference", to its VIP author's attitudes, but otherwise has no value and is sincere, but very harmfully misleading to the unacquainted reader, about the true nature of the evil Pathan society and its ways, in the present time especially. The Pathans/Pakhtuns/Afghans were always a backward, turbulent society with a criminal culture, but they have changed drastically for the worse in the 44 years since this book was first written, mostly in the last 20 years or so.

This is one of the most comprehensive books on the subject of the Pathans (Pukhtoon or Pushtoon. Written by the last British Governor of the North West Frontier Province, this book traces the geneaology of this unusual race. Recently the Readers Digest (July 2000) wrote a story on the connection with Alexander the Great. This is a scholary work so if you are looking for light reading this is not for you. At one time Afghan and Pathan or Pukhtoon/Pushtoon were synonymous. It was the fear of the Pathans of Pakistan joining with the Pathans of Afghanistan that led Pakistan to deny naming the province "Pashtunistan" (Land of the Pashtuns)for fear of lending legitimacy to their desire for independence. Winston Churchill fought here. So did Sherlock Holmes' friend Dr. Watson. The general fascination with this area can be gauged by the number of National Geographic articles about it. This book brings these people to life and gives them the honorable treatment they have earned. I should know, I am a Pukhtoon of the Yousafzai (Joseph's Children) tribe.

Brilliant in every way, David Kidd's carefully weaved tale of the end of Old China, as seen through the eyes of an upper class family, is profoundly personal and endearing. As it wavers between fact and fiction its underlining message becomes abundantly clear: the Old China is gone and never to be forgotten, even as those who lived it fall into the abyss of time. A moving,humorous, delightful, and sorrowful read. Simply brilliant.

This book haunts..it stays with you as a most intimate portrait of those special and tender people caught in the transition between the old China and the Revolution in 1948. No account has ever brought more tears and love for those real people who saw and felt their world change almost beyond their understanding.

Beautifully, lyrically rendered in the author's inimitable voice, full of haunting descriptions of a world that is gone forever yet never to be forgotten. David Kidd was truly one of a kind, unique in every way.

Memoirs of the surviving privileged classes who lost everything in twentieth-century revolutions can often seem terribly materialistic and self-pitying: when displaced aristocrats wail and wail for their lost tiaras or smashed porcelain, without a jot of sympathy for why they were asked to leave in the first place, you can begin perversely to develop sympathy for the cadres who called these people class parasites and threw them out. David Kidd's memoir of marrying into an ancient and wealthy Chinese family in 1948 shows every sign of such a work, but it's far better than it starts out to be (given his adoration for lives of privilege and his almost willfuil refusal to see the point of view of why anyone would support the Communists in 1949 in the first place). The superb descriptions of the Yu family's rotting but beautiful manor are done with great humor and artistry as well as with melancholy, and the very memorable portrait of the phlegmatic and wry Yus themselves seems to bring additional perspective and depth to the material. What emerges in the end is (despite the book's brevity) a very artful and moving snapshot of a world in transition

I bought this book as a present and had to read it first for myself. The book's illustrations help you understand the Chinese characters and bring the story together. After one look through, i was already testing myself on which characters I had learned. You'll be surprised at how fast you can pick up on it. I definitely recommend this book for you, your child or as an awesome present!

I was struck by the creative use of the Chinese characters in the drawings themselves which were very fresh and alive. A Chinese/American friend of mine also read the book and said that these characters must be rather new. She didn't think that her father would recognize them. I think the book would be compelling for both children and adults.

This is one of the easiest children's books for Chinese characters! The illustrations are exceptionally simple. Highly recommended.

I love this book! It is a large format so my son has a lot to look at and does not get as easily distracted as he does with smaller books. The pictures are also high contrast. I enjoy the illustration a great deal myself. And did I mention the clever integration of the Chinese characters into the illustration. I'm not sure yet how much my son has learned but it has taught me a lot. Great book!

I never had an interest to go to China. It just seemed like some distant fantasy. But when I was required to pick a book from my high school book report, I picked Postcards From China. I must admit that I partly picked it because it was written by my Aunt, but it was no mistake. This book journies through the lives of a family trying to survive in a country where the language is foreign and the culture is out of the box. As I finished the book I realized how badly I want to go to China. I want to experience being in a different culture, and being with different people. More than that, I want to go to China show the love of Jesus to the people who are suffering there. The pain of the people that is expressed through this book opened my eyes to see how lost this world is. This is an amazing book, and it is worth your time to read it. I am a sophomore who is not a big fan of reading, but I am telling you, it is amazing.

The Postcards came from Xiamen, China's incomparable "garden city". I received Sandy's Postcards one by one, as they were written, and I was one of the people who urged her to publish them in book form so that others could also enjoy Megan, Larry, Sandy, and Xiamen. Sandy's writing is just like her voice---she is a great communicator. I was worried that her editor might tamper with her writing, thereby obscuring her inimitable style, but thankfully, this did not happen. The editor had the good sense to leave her excellent writing intact.
The story is a charming and compelling one, but is Xiamen and its people really like Sandy has described, or is this fiction masquerading as non-fiction? Well, I was so enchanted with what I was hearing about Xiamen that I went and visited the Slavins twice, for a total of ten weeks. The Xiamen you will read about is truly the Xiamen I experienced first hand.
Do something nice for yourself---read this book!

The most impressive part of the story was when the Slavins moved to China so their adopted daughter can reconnect with her country of birth. Their open hearts and eyes made the book a joy to read. I liked its down-to-earth view of life in China that any American can understand. Even though China is westernizing at a dizzying pace, their daily adjustments to life in China reminded me of the many conveniences we take for granted in the U.S. Their spirit of adventure was inspiring. A fun read!

Sandra Slavin relates their family's China experience with an astute eye. She paints pictures with charm, wit and a insight and portrays a culture that eventually impacted their lives in unforeseen ways.

I really like this book for a first course in topology. It has the right level and balance of subjects. The book has been very hard to find for a number of years but has now been republished by Thomson Learning in Singapore. The new ISBN is 981-243-288-4.

I was very disappointed to see that this text is out of print. I would like to use this text for our topology topics course at USAFA. It pitches the subject at just the right level for the beginner in topolgy! Fabulous First Text! Does anyone know how I could get my hands on about 30 copies. OR know of one similar to this text which is still in print?

I taught a one semester course on basic point set topology out of this book. The emphasis in the first half is on metric spaces, which provide the most natural class of examples for the basic principles of point set topology that any student taking a course in topology must know about. There is little extraneous material, and I found that the students thought the book was very good. This was a group of students at a regional campus of a large state university, and I would recommend the book for a beginning course at a comparable campus. Those teaching at research institutions will want more.

As many math educators agree, there are many textbooks not written for beginners. This textbook is outstanding for any level of beginner. I wish it can be picked up by Dover. I highly recommend it to any reader who wants to know the subject: Topology.

William Berry has written a well-detailed, although brief, look at his attempted escape and captivity after the fall of Correigdor. While not a scholarly look at these events, the author gives a good account of his capture, escape and trek through the jungle, recapture and liberation by American servicemen from Bilibid prison in Manila. He painfully recounts the agony these men went through as they were crammed, up to 13 men at one time, into a 10 by 10 cell and forced to sit, without flinching, and stare at the wall all day.

As a recaptured prisoner, Berry and his two comrades somehow survive the war, as the usual penalty for escape is execution. They were sent to the maximum security prison in Manila for "special prisoners", and many prisoners stopped here only long enough to be sentenced and shot. Berry, who was a fledgling lawyer before enlisting in the Navy, saw these skills save his life and the lives of his friends when being sentenced, not so much his arguments, of course, but rather how he shaped it to fit his audience (A Japanese tribunal)

This book does not take long to read, but it is an interesting tale, and well worth the time invested. But, if you want greater scope and detail of Americans in Japanese captivity, read "Prisoners of the Japanese" by Gavan Daws, an extremely informative and well-written look at the horrors these men had to endure daily.

The author of this book is my grandfather. I found this book to be inspiring as I am also a soldier. I am in the Army and found this book to give me a greater appreciation of my profession as well as bring a greater understanding of my grandfather's life and why he is so proud. I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to understand what POWs in the Philippines went through. I have lent my copy of his book to several of my friends and they all gave it great reviews as well.

This is an excellent first hand account. It is rather well done, more so than several others I have read. I do wish we had more like this one. Very inspiring. I felt it gave even a greater insight to the war in the Pacific. Recommend you add this one to your collection.

One of the few true to life books written by a WWII POW. As a history buff I find the first hand accounts in this book of the authors experiances and the others he came in contact a first rate story of America's darkest time. A must for all those who want to know more about POW's of the Japanese.

Having been stationed in the Philippines and traveled to Battan and Corrigidor it brought the meaning of those visits a little sharper in focus.

This touchingly illustrated book normalizes the adoption path toward building a Jewish family. The author describes the process of adding a Vietnamese-born child to a Jewish family. The text resonnates with its simplicity. Even though it is filled with warm emotions, it is never corny and respects the diversity that it added to a family in a multi-cultural adoption as an addition of greater wealth of identities. This book would appeal to children as young as 3 and up to about 8.

Hear an interview with Rebecca's Journey Home author Brynn Olenberg Sugarman on The Book of Life podcast's September 2007 episode "Seeing Through New Eyes," at www.bookoflifepodcast.com! Brynn talks about the book's creation, and the inspiration for adopting her own daughter, Rachel.

Mrs. Stein is eager to adopt a new baby girl to add to her family, consisting of herself and Mr. Stein, along with Jacob (age 8), and Gabe (age 4). As she tells her family," There were so many babies and children in the world whose parents had loved them, but could not take care of them". The story follows familiar territory- over a period of a year, Mrs. Stein gets ready for the big day; she needs to fill out documents, answer questions, and attend meetings until she is finally told there is a baby waiting for her in Vietnam. While in Vietnam, she patiently waits for permission to take the baby home and spends her time shopping and emailing her family who can't wait to meet baby Rebecca. Back in the United States, the focus is on Rebecca's Judaism; on Shabbat, a special blessing is made for her. When she is almost one; Rebecca is taken to the mikvah and given the Hebrew name, Rivka Shoshanah. As her mother proudly states, " She is now Vietnamese, American, and Jewish!".
This endearing picture book perfectly captures the growing trend of international adoption among the American Jewish community. Warm, stylized pastel double-spread illustrations complement the text and make this a great book for sharing aloud. The author, a mom with an adopted Vietnamese baby, draws on her own experiences, to realistically portray the excitement and joy of having a new family member. For all families, this title would be especially useful in a Jewish preschool or temple library.
Ages 4-8.
Reviewed by Debby Gold

A picture book portraying a Jewish-American family adopting a child from overseas is long overdue and Rebecca's Journey Home handles the subject with sensitivity and warmth. The beautifully written text explains how the Stein family, with two biological children, wish to build their family and share their home with one of the many children in the world "whose parents had loved them but could not take care of them." Each Shabbat since the beginning of their adoption process the family blesses their two boys and includes a blessing for their new daughter in Vietnam. They explain to their sons that while their new sister Rebecca will always be Vietnamese, she will also be American and Jewish. The story ends with Rebecca's trip to the mikveh where she receives her Hebrew name. This book will especially appeal to families with adopted children and libraries who wish to celebrate the diversity of the Jewish community.

Jim Rohwer could not have known how right he was.

The blistering pace of economic growth in China has really accelerated in the couple of years since this book came out. China is now firing on all cylinders, delivering a phenomenal performance which combines high GDP growth with low inflation, unlike in the first decade of reform, which suffered from rampant inflation. FDI into China is now at an all time high, projected to exceed $60 billion in 2004. In 2003, electricity production is up 14% (the average in the preceding 10 years was 7.8%). Industrial production is up something like 15%, while oil consumption is up at least 30%. GDP growth for all of 2003 was revised upwards to 9.1%, and the 4th quarter of 2003 was up 9.9% year on year, meaning the economy speeded up in 2003. Western estimates, made by Morgan Stanley, CSFB, Goldman Sachs, and others, are beginning to believe that the Chinese government's official data are now UNDER-estimating real GDP growth, which, based on a broad basket of economic indicators, should be in the double-digits.

Thus, China is growing at two-and-a-half times America's rate of 4%. Maybe more. In the next decade this amazing performance may not be able to sustain itself. But China can still hope to grow at twice America's rate on avereage until 2020 or 2025, which is what Jim Rohwer expected.

By then, China's economy will be the world's third largest, and if the yuan rises in value in the meantime, China's nominal GDP will be bigger than Japan's and thus the second largest in the world. In PPP, however, China will be larger than America. Overall, China is going to be the second largest economy in the world in 20 years' time.

China could never get there unless its methods are "remade in America."

Rohwer said China was on the verge of a boom, and America a slowdown. He said this when all of Asia (minus Japan) seemed mired in the Asian financial crisis, while America was prospering and its stockmarket at dizzy heights. Well, how right he was. And Rohwer, who died shortly before 9-11, could not have foreseen all the reasons why he would be proven prophetic. My guess is, even he would have been surprised by his own amazing fortune telling abilities (about international economics anyway). This book is a gem.

Jim Rohwer does a wonderful job explaining the complexities of the 1997-98 Asian economic crises and what the future holds for the region in this era of globalization. Using a unique style, he tells the stories of Asian nations - how the `90s crises affected their economies and populations, what they've done in response and how they are positioned for the future. This is done with a striking lack of hard numbers, which might diminish the credibility of some observations, but certainly helps them go down a little easier. We from getAbstract recommend this book to all readers with an intellectual or business interest in Asia.

Rohwer's academic credentials are sterling. No ivory tower academic, he had a lot of first-hand field experience, in addition to sharp writing skills. Rohwer also spent a good deal of time in China, so he saw "frontline" duty too. Rohwer had a unique combination of qualifications - perfect for writing this book. I would give him 6 stars if I could. If he was right, then clearly China is on course to become an economic superpower. He also predicted America's slowdown, writing at the height of the Clinton boom years. The sad postscript about this book is that there won't be a second edition. Rohwer died in an accident in France in Sept., 2001.

I recommend this book and his previous book as antidote to Bill Emmott's "20:21". Both worked at the Economist, coming to different conclusions about China. If you haven't read either book, I'd only point out that not only did Rohwer have a much better resume, he was far more articulate and realistic in his facts, figures, and views than the contrarian Emmott, who seems to have forgotten Henri Poincare's admonition: "To be credulous and cynical about everything are both wrong - they dispense with the need to think."