Asia Books

Sometimes fiction is truer than memoir. In reading a memoir, the reader is outside the story, looking in; but in good fiction, the reader enters the story and experiences it almost as if there. With her newest book: Shanghai Shadows, Lois Ruby conjures up the magic of "being there." The setting of the book may be Shanghai, but the real story is human nature.
Ilse, her older brother Erich, and their mother and father have come to the awful realization that Austria is no place for a Jewish family. It is time to get out, but to where? There is only one possible place, Japanese occupied China--or Shanghai. At first, conditions are tolerable. As the political situation deteriorates and the United States enters the war, the immigrant population is imprisoned in a ghetto where the inhabitants have to deal with near starvation and an odious, cruel, but eccentric keeper of the gate. But it is the relationship that develops between Ilse and the little Chinese street-boy, Liu that make this refuge story so outstanding. Filled with daring resistance activities in which she and her brother participate, and inhabited by wonderfully drawn characters like Ilse's parents-- once proud and proper upper class Viennese Jews who evolve realistically as their fortunes change--this book is highly recommended.
Ages 11-14.
Reviewed by Rachel Kamin

Shanghai Shadows is another great read from Lois Ruby. The plot and setting are novel as well as well-researched. The main character Ilse is complex--at times not too admirable but always honest.

Recommended for mature readers--too old for most young children.

For suspense and surprises, twists and turns, no one invents plots like Lois Ruby. Shanghai Shadows covers six years in the life of Ilse Shpann, her brother, Erich, and their parents - six years as "stateless refugees" in Shanghai, to which they have fled from Nazi-occuped Vienna. Amidst intensely realistic evocations of the sights, sounds, smells, and diverse population of the city, Ilse matures from a willful child to a courageous, self-sacrificing (but still willful) young woman. Her acerbic sense of humor and love of adventure sustain her as conditions of life for Jews and everyone else go from bad to worse. Ilse and Erich both work for a resistance group; their father, an unemployed violinist, grows apathetic; their proper mother is the iron will that keeps together and alive until a secret from Mrs. Shpann's past shatters the family. So eventful a plot is held together by sparkling dialogue and superb characterization, with major and minor characters all interacting believably as well as coherently. The grimness of the Shpann's six years in Shanghai never overwhelms the story because it is mitigated by flashes of humor, humanity, and Ilse's indomitable spirit. Ruby is the author of Swindletop and The Moxie Kid among other books. The talent that was glimpsed in those reaches fulfillment here, in a historical novel that should not be missed! Highly recommended for grades 6 - 9.
Reviewed by Linda R. Silver
Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007

Soldiers of God provides a good account of Afghanistan in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The book may seem a little dated because Kaplan doesn't mention the Taliban, though they probably weren't that powerful when the book was published in 1990s. Soldiers of God focuses on the history of Afghanistan such its creation. It deals with the Soviet invasion of the 1980s and American involvement in that war. The different factions and ethnic groups are dealt with giving a useful background into understanding the conflict. The role of women and islam in society are also dealt with.

Robert Kaplan did what few Westerners dared to do in the 1980s: he entered the killing fields of Afghanistan to report on one of the century's most brutal wars. This book is a searing and eloquent account of what he witnessed. It is largely anecdotal and linear and follows his travels from the Pakistani frontier into the heart of Afghanistan. Among the topics he explores are the brutal extent of the Soviet campaign - which includes a trip to the razed city of Kandahar - the role of the Pakistani ISI in aiding the mujaheddin, and internal feuding between resistance groups. This book was written in 1990, well before the overthrow of Najib, yet it is highly prescient in forecasting the rise of fundamentalist Islam in Afghanistan. In that sense, it retains all the force and relevance it had at time of writing.

An engaging trip into afghanistan during the civil war in the 80s. . . Kaplan does a great job in describing the mentality & motivation of players during this war. I would love to see this book reprinted with an extra chapter or two devoted to what became of the key players in the 7 muj factions after the Soviets left Afgahnistan and the taliban took power. A difficult to find book these days, but one well worth trudging to the library for.

The stories are very inspiring, the photos are great, and the book itself is well done from the cover on.

"Soul Survivors" brought the horror of the Cambodian genocide to me in a way that the modern media never has. In a world where the news numbs society to mass murder and political unrest, "Soul Survivors" left me unable to remain numb to these atrocities. The book focuses on personal stories from a wide range of survivors of the genocide - stories that are essential to gaining a true understanding of how genocide affects a nation and culture. When I closed the book, I was filled with the kind of restless compassion that only comes from truly learning about the pain of another people and culture. "Soul Survivors" was an inspirational book and really made me want to change the world - something that every great book should do.

This book offered me a chance to face a devastating period of human history with courage, compassion, and determination to make the world a better place. It tells the story of women and children who endured the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s and managed to rebuild their lives afterward. It includes the stories of two refugees who came to the United States as orphans, returning as young adults to help their country. In a series of personal narratives, the author lets these survivors tell their own stories in their own words, and there are accompanying photographs that give a wonderful added glimpse at their lives. Wagner also provides some brief but helpful political context for the suffering in Cambodia. Living as we are in a time of so much hatred and conflict and fear, Soul Survivors reaffirms the futility of violence and helped remind me of the possibility of redemption and reconciliation.

A stunning integration of photography, biography, history, and spiritual teachings, this book touches readers on many levels. The images, from the expansive landscapes of Tibet, to the intimate features of Tibetan faces, are inspiring and telling. The biography, of one of the great spiritual teachers of the past century, is fascinating. (What actually transforms in a human being who spends decades in solitary meditation?) The history of what happened when China invaded Tibet and proceeded to decimate its culture is necessary, dramatic, harrowing. The spiritual teachings are sublime, yet accessible to those of all faiths. A rare book: beautiful, compelling, liberating....

Do not purchase the two books about Khyentse Rinpoche (listed above at a special price if both are bought together). They are the same book. One is hard cover, and the other paperback. The titles are slightly different, but the books are the same. It is a wonderful book, but you probably don't need two of them!

Matthieu Ricard, a French scientist who left a lucrative and prestigious research job in Paris to explore the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and ended up becoming a monk and spending most of his life there, provides us with a remarkable book of photographs and memorable quotes chronicling the life of his teacher, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, to whom he dedicates this worthy tribute.

Although little known outside of the world of Tibetan Buddhism, Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991) has been called "one of the twentieth century's greatest spiritual figures and a teacher of many of the Tibetan masters of today, including HH the Dalai Lama" (Snow Lion Press). Indeed, this book features a good-length preface by the Dalai Lama, in which His Holiness names Khyentse Rinpoche as one of his teachers (gurus), especially in the Dzogchen teachings and "rigpa" (the awareness of mind). Just reading a few of the excellent quotes provided in this volume from this remarkable teacher will convince all but the most hard-hearted of skeptics that this was a truly great spiritual master who embodied the teachings of Buddhism in a remarkable way.

Even for the non-practitioners, the book is filled with so many stunning photographs of Tibet, Bhutan, the rituals, the people, and of course, the master himself, that it would bless and honor any coffee table in any home. Indeed, I cannot but feel that any home would benefit from having a copy of this book. For those who follow the path, it is, of course, much more than that.

I was amazed when I saw this book -- it is lovely in every sense. I hope you will also enjoy it as much as I have. May all beings enjoy peace and happiness!

Oral histories from the men who where actually at places like Okinawa will soon be a thing of the past. Ms. Lacey has done a supurb job in tracking down and getting their histories from forth men of the Sixth Marine Division. And in the picture section of the book she shows pictures of several of the men, as they were during the war and as they are now. A surprising number of them then say something like 'Died in 2001.'

The Sixth was a division that came about as a result of the tremendous expansion of the Marines during the war. They were formed late in 1944, they were disbanded in 1946. They only had one big battle, but it was Okinawa where virtually all of the original front line riflemen, machine gunners, or anything else was killed or wounded, just about a hundred men per day.

Ms. Lacey is the official historian of the Sixth, and she has indeed done her job well with the publication of this book.

Stay Off The Skyline: The Sixth Marine Division On Okinawa is an oral history collecting the testimonies of the Sixth Marine Division in their own words. The Sixth Marine Division was formed of battle-tested veterans and fought its only action on the island of Okinawa from April to June 1945, capturing most of the ground in some of the bloodiest fighting of the war. A gripping compilation that immerses the reader in the experiences of those who laid their lives on the line for their country, Stay Off The Skyline is a primary source enthusiastically recommended for lay readers and military historians alike.

Although as a participant I have a built-in prejudice, I feel compelled to comment on this notable example of the effectiveness of oral history. Ms. Lacey has combined her talent for conducting oral interviews with her ability to weave a most absorbing tale of the 6th Marine Division and its significant contribution to the Battle of Okinawa. She expertly and objectively explains the significance of the Battle of Okinawa and its influence on the decision to drop "the bomb." Her credentials are most impressive and she has gotten into the trenches for this endeavor. It's a MUST read, not only for military historians and history buffs, but those who want to learn what war is really like upfront and personal, with all the glory and hurrahs cast aside.

I bought a book back in 1992. Used it for travels to Asia and Afrika. Handy size can always fit your backpack, no matter how light you must pack. I used it for rough trips, as well as for trips around Europe with kids. The book covers all essential aspects that you will need for your travel: (i) which vaccinations to take before you go and what to pack, (ii) what precautions to take to stay fit and healthy, (iii) what to do in case you get sick and (iv) what is the bottom line when you really need to stop being your own doctor and need to find a physician. The book is well structured and you find in a second the topic you are looking for. I strongly recomend the book to travelers who are serious about staying healthy.

I found this book to be very informative. It showed the vaccines that you should get but not only that. It told about the bugs and "creepy crawlies" that you should stay away from in your particular country you are going to. It told of the plants that are poisonous and to stay away from there water unless you have a purifier. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who is goind to a third world country!

I have travelled and lived all over the world and I always have this book with me. Not only does it cover how to protect yourself, but if you do get sick it helps you to get better. I love that it includes different drugs for you to take for different bugs, and it tells you the exact dosage. This comes in handy when you are living in the bush in Africa, no doctor for hundreds of miles, but a well stocked pharmacy near by. I HIGLY recomend this book or anyone planning to travel or live overseas.

The book Still Lifes: Techniques and Style : An Examination of Paintings from the Rijksmuseum is a fabulous book. As a professional artist who is a serious still life painter, this book answers many questions on techniques used. If you understand the techniques and principles of this style of painting, you will have to have this book in your personal library. A must have for the serious still life painter.

William Yenkevich at www.wmystudio.com

This beautiful book is an intensive and visually enchanting examination of nineteen flower and still life masterpieces from museums around the world. This book was written in conjuction with the show presented at the Rijksmuseum, June through September of l999. Art lovers, artists, scholars, conservators and laymen will enjoy this journey back to the seventeenth and eighteen-century workshops of such artistic giants as Jan Brueghel, Jan Davidsz de Heem, Rachel Ruysch, Jan Van Huysum and more. Historical backgrounds of fifteen painters are featured along with technical information on supports (canvas, wood or copper), imprimaturas, under drawings, mediums, and paints. Beautiful color plates, artistic techniques, and scientific knowledge are shared.

Paintings by Jan van Huysum are examined through mmicroscopic analysis, made possible by the Molart Project. Such scientific examination tells us the chemical and physical condition of Huysum's paintings, and the methods he used to paint his beautiful still lifes. Such scientific examinations offers us a great amount of information that can be applied to artistic instruction, preservation or just good reading.

This is one of my favourite books, although the title is a bit misleading. I saw the word 'techniques' in the title and thought 'hey great - a book that's going to give me some of the techniques of the old dutch masters'. Hmmmm. All I can say is; if you thought that as well, don't get your hopes too high.
This is a great book - beautiful illustrations (although only 17 paintings are covered so it's not an extensive collection of works), clear text and nicely presented. However it strikes me as being written more from the perspective of an art curator or researcher then an artist (like so many art books written these days on the 'greats' of the past). Thus it misses out on a lot of information that would be of interest to the painter and gives very few actual 'how to' details. To me too, the majority of the technical information seems to be stating what can already be seen in the close ups, or revolving around scientific analysis of pigment samples. The dead colouring, whether a portion of the painting was done wet in wet or in layers and what pigments were used, seems to be the only technical information really covered.
However this is still a great book - I totally recommend it. Overall, it has to be the most helpful still life painting book I own to date,(mostly because of the closeups and the quality of the paintings). So I would say, get it if you love old masters still lifes, it's worth it.

The book is well written and has good pace. The The true stories of two Tibettan lives, largely imprisoned, at the hands of the Chinese is an important historical document and a sad testament to human cruelty. I highly recommend this book as background to travelers and for those interested in the plight of Tibet.

The book is well written and has good pace. The The true stories of two Tibettan lives, largely imprisoned, at the hands of the Chinese is an important historical document and a sad testament to human cruelty. I highly recommend this book as background to travelers and for those interested in the plight of Tibet.

This honest and shocking book recounts the true story,in their own words,of two Tibetans imprisoned by the occupying Chinese. Ama Adhe's story is perhaps the most shocking and disturbing account in this well written book. An ordinary Tibetan woman who commited the "crime" of being related to a Tibetan freedom fighter, she recounts her early years in the then free Tibet and offers a fascinating insight into a lost world. She details the brutal Chinese Gulag, and details the systematic starvation,(and the attendant cannabalism)torture, execution and rape she encountered there. Her survival was reliant on both luck and the attentions of a Chinese doctor who did not approve of what the Communist authorities were doing. A truly harrowing account from one lucky enough to survive and escape to bear witness.

Tenpa Soepa's account is hardly any less disturbing. A Tibetan government official he was intimately involved in the flight of the Dali Lama. Because of this he was selected for special treatment by the Chinese and endured several years in a prison in China along with seventy four others; twenty two and a half suvived. It is hard to understand how one reduced to cannabalism can relate his story so honestly. His story proves that the Tibetans did not meekly submit to Chinese rule as some may erroneously believe, but fought courageously against overwhelming odds in the face of almost certain death. Tenpa Soepa's survival is down to the fact that a fellow inmate and friend chose to commit suicide rather than implicate him in an escape plot. "Greater love hath no man......."

This is an important book. Witness to the destruction and genocide of a nation it is a searing testament of man's inhumanity to man and a humbling book to read. It should be required reading in the schools system, to stand as a warning of what happens when humanity is subjugated to ideology, and the consequences of the loss of humanity. "I was only following orders..." Read it and weep.

What a WONDERFUL BOOK! .... this should be on everyones top 10 lists ..... makes you think about NOT buying those next exotic wood chairs.... Eric has such a marvelous way of making you live the jungle and its rhythm....I was sad when the book ended....it was better than Motoring with Mohamed.... wish he would write MANY MORE books .... a gifted writer and free spirit.... love this book

One of my favorite travel adventure books... one of my top recommends to friends who love exotic travel or anthropolgy or have an interest in the rainforest/SE Asia. Hansen is a terrific writer; although he's not funny like Tim Cahill, his simple yet descriptive prose draws you in so that you feel as if you are trekking across Borneo with him. His experiences while traveling with 3 Borneo natives (enjoying barbequed giant grubs and scorpions, finding that after a few days his eyes adjust to the darkness below the forest canopy and he gradually begins to see colors he's never seen before) are so compelling that I found I was unable to put the book down once I began reading it.

Intrigue, mystery and danger abound as author Hansen finds his Western culture colliding dangerously with the myths of a tribe's culture. This section actually had my heart pounding... a few friends who've read the book had the same experience. It was real life scary!

Since it's out of print, try to find a copy. I bought a used copy at a library sale and made my friend promise to return the gift to me if she ever decides she doesn't want it!

A must read for travel adventure enthusiasts.

Eric Hansen is one of the most insightful, sensitive travel writers I've encountered. This book is a delightful window on the world of forest nomads in the jungle of Borneo. Hansen captures their incredible lifestyles that tie them to so intimately to the land but never lets you forget that they are modern human beings, as sophisticated and brilliant at moving through their world as any from what some might call the "civilized" world. As he travels with them, he is like a child in their world and his respect for and dependence on them is evident as they teach him how to survive their jungle.

What a great book!

At first it looks pretty serious and unapproachable, but here is what I recommend. Start on page 149, the Background chapter. Then read the texts, the words of Nagarjuna, starting on page 7. You'll be surprised how much is approachable without a knowledge of Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Buddhist philosophy.

As the Dalai Lama's translator says on theback cover, "A remarkable example of what a combination of Sanskrit and Tibetan scholarship can do to illuminate the meaning of ancient Buddhist texts."

Everyone is reading Jamieson's Perfection of Wisdom, but actually this Nagarjuna book has a lot more to it, greater depth, less glossy. And it is guaranteed to be the book with the longest title on your shelves! :-) On the BBC interview this book was not even mentioned. It may not be as trendy and fashionable in London literary circles, but it is my preferred Jamieson book.

An important academic tome but also an exciting story. The homepage for this book has many illustrations reflecting the excitement of Stein and Pelliot in Central Asia recovering ancient texts from walled up cave temples and bringing them to Paris and London. This book takes certain philosophical texts of Nagarjuna and makes them readable and accessible. It is good to see that the treasures brought to western collections so long ago are not forgotten but scholars of Jamieson's caliber carefully work their way through the material and publish it. It is rather like the archaeologists who love to dig and produce finds but put off writing up the work. But if no one finishes these things who is to know about them. A great book!

Prof. Jamieson has written a book which provides translation and commentary on Nagarjuna's Verses on the Great Vehicle and the Heart of the Dependent Origination. The text will provide new understanding and insights for the knowledgeable reader, with enough background information and notes to allow an interested newcomer to also benefit. This is a rare feat, especially in a book that is unfailingly useful and intelligently crafted.

Unlike Jamieson's other work, "The Perfection of Wisdom" this book does not contain illustrations from the Cambridge University manuscripts (of which the author is keeper). Its focus is more purely scholarly, and should be considered essential by any interested readers.