Asia Books

Don't let the suggested age for this book throw you - a person of any age would enjoy coloring these Japanese drawings. This delightful little coloring book has 16 beautiful transparent plates of geishas (reading, dancing, playing instruments, etc.) that can be colored with any medium and then placed over a lamp or window to give the illusion of stained glass. My only wish is that there were more pictures.

This coloring book, as well as other stained-glass coloring books from Dover, is suitable for all ages, including adults. In fact, the books would be wasted on young children. All of them are especially beautiful when colored with the deepest shades of markers, and particularly when viewed from the back.

This Geisha coloring book was a big hit with a highly educated young woman of 16 for Christmas. I called a week after, and she had four or five of the images hung in her window; she had very much enjoyed the gift.

Beasley is really trying to say something to the academic world about imperialism but one would hardly notice it in a book which gives a careful overview of the history of Japanese imperialism in Asia. He covers most of the main issues objectively and interestingly, especially when it comes to setting up the background in which Japanese imperialsim developed.

Beasley does a superb job of explaining the multi-faceted nature of Japanese modernization and empire-buliding from the Meji Restoration to the Pacific War. He discusses the creation of an intellectual justification for expansion as the liberation of asian peoples from european colonialism, while exploring the changes in the Japanese elite's perceptions of its political goals, economic exploitation, and national security requirements. Neither an apology for not a treatise against this phenomenon, the author focuses on some much neglected issues while not being distracted by dwelling on Japanese "culture" as an explanation for everything.

There's more to this book than its title might suggest. In little more than 250 pages, Beasley has managed a remarkably clear overview of the development of Japan's entire external policy from the beginning of the 19th century to the end of the Second World War. In the process, he pays careful attention to the internal political and economic dynamics that propelled policy, and thus lays out a great deal of the story of the development of modern Japan up through 1945. While always making his own views (and the bases for them) quite clear, he gives alternative interpretations their due. Although more recent work has extended the story in certain respects (e.g., Frederick R. Dickinson's fine War and National Reinvention), Beasley's work still stands the test of time. Remarkably, for a so brief a book treating so broad a topic, Beasley manages to organize and present his story in a way that should be easy to follow even for those who do not have much background in Japanese history. An especially good book, strongly recommended.

Oliver Statler's Japanese Pilgrimage is a delight. Retracing the steps of generations of past pilgrims, he brings their stories to life and evokes a gentle reflective mood for the reader. As well, modern Japan is brought into focus through his appreciation of the links between tradition, Buddhism and Shinto and contemporary culture. A really delightful read, and a good "travellers tale" that will be enjoyed by those who have or are planning to visit Japan.

This book tells the story of an American man who makes a famous pilgrimage around the island of Shikoku with his Japanese friend.
Having lived/studied in Zentsuji Shikoku for a year, (the home of Kobo Daishi the monk who created the pilgrims trail) I can vouch for the books authenticity.

It is a tale about the 88 temples along the way, the political intrigues, secret love affairs between villgers and pilgrims and the stories of despair and pain. Oliver weaves a beautiful web between the past history which he quotes and the present conditions of the modern pilgrims and village people he meets along the way. It is not only a book about Japanese culture accurately and sensitively crafted but the spiritual journey of the author also and his struggle with his inner darkness. Its a great read.

Each temple along the way has a personality and a shadow and the pilgrim connects the stories of the past with his present journey as he interviews the local people and describes their various characteristics. The journey traverses various provinces from Kagawa to Kochi where the various people display unique attitudes towards the pilgrims varying between open hostility to hospitality.

It is a good book to realize the complexity of Japanese culture and to appreciate the beauty of this amazing island of sea, temples and mountains. Oliver is truly an amazing oriental observer with the spirit of zen in each page. He writes honestly, openly and without pretention.

They just don't make books like this anymore! This is a wonderfully rambling, lyrical, impressionistic portrait of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, anecdotal and episodic and yet gradually unfolding according to an underlying narrative plan. It's accessible and simply written and yet well-researched, informative, and highly evocative of Japanese religiosity as it functions in real life. At times it's intensely personal, based as it is on the author's own pilgrimage experiences (mainly a complete walking circuit of the eighty-eight temples accomplished with a friend in 1971), and yet at other times it's intriguingly biographical concerning monks and pilgrims prominent in the pilgrimage's long history. The author's fervent enthusiasm and deep esteem for this religious phenomenon and its underlying spirituality overflows on every page, and yet he's quite realistic and straightforward about some of the shadier and unsavory aspects of the pilgrimage. Finally, the icing on the cake, the book is profusely illustrated with fine woodcuts and paintings both premodern and modern, once again proving the principle that a picture's worth a thousand words.

The book is divided into three sections, and with each section the reader gets closer and closer to lived religion in Japan. In the first part Statler concentrates on outlining the historical personage of Kukai (later known honorifically as Kobo Daishi), the 8th/9th-century monk and founder of the Shingon school of Buddhism in Japan upon whom the pilgrimage is focused. In the second part Statler attempts to portray how layers and layers of legend and belief enlarged and eventually apotheosized Kobo Daishi and of how faith in him as a divine savior was spread among the populace by wandering, itinerant holy men (many pious if unlearned, some inevitably charlatans). Finally, in the third section the pilgrimage itself comes into sharper focus, including discussions with current pilgrims and priests along with accounts of many past pilgrims such as the Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danzo VIII, the feminist writer Takamure Itsue, the Chicago anthropologist Frederick Starr, and the haiku poet Masaoka Shiki, to name only a few. And of course all three sections are permeated with legends, folk stories, anecdotes, and miracle tales that are fantastic or even bizarre--and that capture the mood and feel of the pilgrimage perfectly in all its ambiguity.

Just a word of warning, though, this is not a guidebook. Statler does not describe every single one of the eighty-eight temples*, and for those temples he does describe he skips around a lot and backtracks now and then with no attempt at going along in their order on the pilgrimage route. And there is absolutely no concrete information on travel and accommodations or the like, so don't count on this book for such purposes. Instead, allow this book to get you into the spirit of the pilgrimage, whether you really intend on actually performing it or not, in fact. Indeed, you don't need to know a thing about Japan to follow and enjoy this fine account, and yet those who've studied Japan for years will doubtlessly find much to learn and enjoy as well. And if you happen to have fond memories of life in rural Japan, then believe me, this book will definitely take you back there in spirit.

*(In the back there is an appendix with each temple listed by name and number along with the principal deity and sect affiliation of each, though this is more in the nature of an FYI than a guide per se).

This is a very well-written book, containing both exhaustive background and practical travel information on Java! It is MUCH better than the Java section of Lonely Planet's general Indonesia guide - lots of "off the beaten track" places included. Despite being a few years old now, it remains highly recommended - you just have to be prepared for the prices being higher!

This is one of the better travel books I've ever used. It provides information about food, lodging, and activites that are helpful whether you're travelling on an unlimited or, like me, a shoestring budget. The maps are helpful; very detailed and usually only showing the parts of cities that are interesting to tourists. There are excellent and insightful cultural essays that really add to the traveller's enjoyment.

Take this book if you're off to Java. It's a wonderful wonderful place, so don't miss it if you've ever considered going East!

This is the book, that you have to take with you. Its not the first time I took Lonley planet books with me. Its saved me a lot of money with very good b&b recommendations. The money you spend for the book you probablly earn the first night you take the advice about the hotels.

In recent years there has been much discussion about the harsh realities, particularly in terms of socio-political contexts, facing the ASEAN countries. With the impending threat of Islamic fundamentalism rearing its head, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, observers are keen on noting any event, personality and occurence which might indicate movements either towards or away from this broad-based fear.It is interesting that several academics have put forward all manner of argument to underline the crucial role of religious freedom in the context of the multi-cultural scenarios found in SouthEast Asia.

Mike Millard's excellent book, JIHAD IN PARADISE, takes you on an expoloratory journey starting from Singapore (or Japan, really, from which this fascinating writer seems to have come!)to Malaysia. But this is only geographical ground: much of the book is centred on a larger journey - the author's personal journey as he chooses to make Singapore his home and as he confronts some hard truths in making this choice/decision.Being American, Millard is very aware of the implications, consequences and meanings of 9/11, and being in a region where the majority religion is Islam makes him think seriously of the associated realisations.So some tough issues are brought up, especially about Singapore where religious freedom is delicately balanced with inter-religious tolerance/harmony.Millard does well to interview some of the key people involved in determining, in varying degrees,the current Singaporean ethos as well as the future trends which will, invariably, help bring about basic changes in this tiny Island-Republic.

JIHAD IN PARADISE is an easy read, though what it covers requires sustained engagement, for the themes brought up and scrutinsied are exacting.Millard does not mince his words, nor do the many intellectuals he meets and talks with -and this, for this reader, is the great strength of the book: straightforward narrative without unnecessary apology or diplomacy.They say tough times require tough leaders; well, we can also say, pressing times require direct writers. Millard's style is broadly conversational, his narration and anecdotes sprinkled with wit and his insights encompassing wide reading and shrewd observation.This is a *must read* -not only for thsoe who worry about Islam in SEAsia but for anyone wanting to know more about the very complex nature of the geopolitics of SEAsia, particularly the complex driving forces of tiny Singapore.
- A Reader from Singapore

One of the first things that struck me while reading Jihad in Paradise was how I felt I was on the same journey as the author as he travelled through Southeast Asia - from the neighbourhoods of metropolitan Singapore, to the east coast and villages of peninsular Malaysia and the tranquil beaches of Bali - in search of answers after Sept. 11.
While Jihad in Paradise is not a travelogue per se, it does bring you on a journey of sorts - exploring the intricacies of the politics of Islam in this corner of the world. Millard delves into the challenges facing governments in the region as terrorism and religious extremism threatened decades of peace that have been established in these multi-racial and multi-cultural Shangri-Las.
A good part of this book is the author's analysis of Singapore. The reasons behind the decision to make this island his home for a time, of the extremists who lurked in the shadows and the omen of unrest, the possibility of a select few unravelling what the government had taken decades to establish - peace among all the racial groups. Millard also attempted a glimpse into the country's future, of the need for the island to ensure its survival in a new and ever-changing world by taking more risks instead of depending on that well-trodden path.
The last three years were a turbulent time in Southeast Asia and Millard in his book speaks to several of the prominent newsmakers of the time. This is THE book to read if you want to know the politics of a region that has not escaped unscathed from the scourge of terrorism since Sept. 11.

As an Australian who lived in Southeast Asia previously and who had followed the developments of the nefarious Jemaah Islamiya, I found this book an excellent read on the rise of a small group of deviant Muslims in Southeast Asia who believe in the use of violence to overthrow their secular governments. Millard's book is easy to read and understand, but yet it credibly gives a snapshot of the complexities involved in deciphering how jihadi sentiments can grow in affluent Southeast Asian states like Malaysia and Singapore. Chapters 2 (Sources of Jihad), 3 (Terror in Singapore) and 4 (To Bali and Back) are particularly insightful in highlighting how the Jemaah Islamiya is not necessarily a fictitious bogeyman like some cynics have depicted.

"This audacious book, a centennial stock-taking on an independence that never was, constructed as a journey to a goal yet to be realized, is in all of its parts, an interrogation of the colonial condition. In spite of profoundly divergent viewpoints, it strikes a resounding echo: Tama na!" - from Roger Bresnahan's book review of Journey of 100 Years, which appeared in Amerasia Journal.

This is an important book which collects essays by some of the great Filipino and Filipino American minds. This great resource is a very useful educational tool. I highly recommend it to all educators and students of Filipino and Filipino American studies.

The editors, Brainard and Litton, have assembled a unique and important volume of personal and historical reflections on the Filipino experience. This interdisciplinary collection brings together views from the Philippiines and the voices of Filipinos in the U.S. It's a must-read for anyone interested in the post-colonial experience. I highly recommend it!

A very humane and sensitive account that explores the world view of people far from the beaten track. Despite the differences we are led to understand their concerns which turn out to be far less foreign than the material setting would suggest.

Chaffetz does an admirable job of describing northwest Afghanistan as it was circa 1975 and the effect that the country and its people had upon him. As one who had passed through the country in the late sixties, there was much I could recognize in both the stimulus and the author's response. Particularly gratifying to me was the "update" aspect - the provision of information from that particular time period, of which I had previously read and heard only the barest political and economic facts. Chaffetz ably uses history to inform and frame the life and times he experienced. A further enhancement is the author's knowledge of Farsi and the inclusion of translations into English of words, old inscriptions, and occasional couplets of Persian poetry. The title of this review is taken from one of those couplets. The book is evocative and commendable.

Chaffetz book "A memorial" is the last in my trilogy of readings on Afghanistan for this year. First, I read about Nic Danzinger's travels through the area in recent years. Next, I jumped back to the 1950's and '60s with Sir Wilfred Thesiger's--"Among the Mountains". I finished with Chaffetz's "A Journey Through Afghanistan". They are all brilliant but Chaffetz's book stands out as a scholarly piece and could well be used in anthropological circles for it's in depth study of the urban and nomadic Afghanis prior and during the Russian invasion. The recent drought that has affected the Hazarajat and Kuchi nomads of Afghanistan was brought that much closer with this book. I had bought this book in the late 1980's but between different trips to the Near East--I had fogotten where I left it. As a result, it took me 10 years to actually get around to reading it and after finishing it, I wondered why I hadn't cracked the spline earlier. Chaffetz' style can be a bit off-putting but his travelling companion is a perfect foil to David's abrasive personality. I would really like to know why Chaffetz was studying Parsi in pre-revolutionary Iran or was that just a cover?

This is part three of one of the four great written masterpieces of China, beautifully translated by Professor Yu. If you've gotten this far you've undoubtedly found it hard to put down. This volume includes the episode of the fake Monkey King; it is a very gripping tale highly relatable to these modern times, where indeed the unreal makes as much if not more sense than the real. The CCTV Beijing production did a great job putting this and other tales from this volume on the screen.

This is a great story not just this volume, I really recommend these books to be read by anyone it has everything that a great -great story need.
Prepare yourself for a great journey...read the story.

This has got to be one of the best stories ever made. and this volume is my personal favorite. It keeps you thinking from start to end. If you are someone who enjoys mythology then this is a great book. It's also a must have for the die hard Dragon Ball fans.

This is the final volume of one of the four great written masterpieces of China, beautifully translated by Professor Yu. You can feel the long and arduous journey to India coming to an end at last, along with the end of the even longer and harder journey from immaturity to maturity. The point of the Monkey King's very first teacher, "Nothing in the world is difficult, only the mind makes it so" comes back to the fore in this brilliant wrap up to a story that has no equal. If you have been using some visual aids, such as the CCTV production, to help with your comprehension up to this point, my advice is not to use them for the last part of this volume. The arrival of the group at Vulture Peak and all the incredible human vices, bureaucratic red tape and mistakes that occur from that point on are most impressionable if experienced in the imagination though reading.

One of the most important features of this translation is its accuracy. It is difficult to find a translation that is as true to the original language as this is. Much of the Chinese, especially the poems, is not only archaic but extremely obscure and difficult to approximate in the English language. The author has accomplished this with this work. The footnoting should also be mentioned, The information contained in the extensive footnotes and appendix's has been an integral part not only in my understanding of this book but much of my other studies of Asian mythologies and related materials.

I have long adored Chinese Classics, this being my favorite one. I have Chinese ancestry, but cannot speak or write or read Chinese. I am glad this book has now been put into English for many readers to read. Journey to the West tells of a Tang Priest who is sent on the Tang Emperor's orders to get the scriptures from the Tathagata Buddha in the West. Along his journey, he frees Monkey from the five elements mountain, gets Zhu Bajie (Martian Tian Peng), but now a pig, and Sha Wujing. They overcome 81 obstacles to finally reach the Buddha and become buddhas themselves. The characters in this book are so vivid (especially Sun Wu Kong). The way the author writes, its like being with the Monkey King and watching his journey. When I first watched the Journey to the West the TV show in HongKong, I was hooked. The fascinating martial arts, the humorous bits in the show, and the plot that makes you hang on the edge of your seat. When I read the book, I was so intrigued in the writing, I couldn't put it down. THis is definitely a book worth reading. The language is moderately difficult. I had quite an easy time reading it (and I'm only 8). A must read, it is absolutely fantastic. (by the way, the Monkey King is played by Dicky Cheung in the movie, who is a WONDERFUL actor. Journey to the West (not animated, its real picture) is a great show! )

Take the time to get out of your box and the comfort of home and travel with the author to a far away land called India. Experience the beauty, joy, sadness and often exciting times the author describes so well, as seen through her own eyes.

If you like adventures and travel, you'll find plenty in this real-life story of 'strangers in paradise' -- an American family encountering a different world. The author shows you India vividly through her eyes, as she and her family explored the country, struggled with the problems, and ultimately were captivated by the land, the mystique and the people. She writes candidly about her experiences, both serious and humorous. A great way to get an inside look at some intriguing cultures and places.

Author Mary Stickney has a real winner here. A former wife of an American diplomat assigned to a remote province in India in the politically turbulent 60s, Stickney successfully takes the reader on an exotic, sometimes perilous journey. Opening with the arrival of her young family in India, the author's primary literary device is offering readers excerpts from personal journals. This makes her writing as fresh and inviting as the time they were first written three decades ago. The book is personal and unassuming, easy to read, and a genuine page-turner.

Highly recommended for those wanting to revisit India, as well as for first-time visitors to this fascinating, often physically challenging land. The writing encompasses history, overlapping religions and languages comprising the fabric of the country, and the complex social systems and customs of the land and its people. At the same time, JUNGLE PATHS deals with personal encounters and offers objective observations and fair criticisms throughout the course of the book. The continuing chasm between wealth and abject poverty in many parts of India is especially well-presented here.

I very much enjoyed reading this book.

Rod Haynes