Aoki Books

I love this book. Tells Santa's favorite story of Christmas which is about the birth of Christ. Santa is sad and tired because everyone has forgotten what the true meaning of Christmas is. I got it in hardback so it would last.

A wonderful children's story to bring the true meaning of Christmas to a child from Santa's perspective

This is a great book that helps keep the meaning of Christmas focused on Jesus, while kids can still experience the tradition of Santa Claus. Basically, Santa explains that Jesus is the real reason for celebrating Christmas.

"No, no, no," said Santa in a kindly voice, "Christmas hasn't got anything to do with me. Sit down and I'll tell you all the story of the first Christmas."

"Santa's Favorite Story" is an attractively illustrated (with watercolors) picture book for children, which helps to de-emphasize Santa's role in Christmas, and helps to place the focus where it should belong. I'm sure the real Saint Nicholas would agree that it's part of his favorite story as well! (For more on the real St. Nicholas, take a look at "The Saint Nicholas Secret," by Dennis E. Engleman, available here at Amazon.com.)

As an Early Childhood Educator, I read many books to children and value quality literature. This story is by far the best book to read to children during the holidays. The connection to Jesus is wonderful. It has become the traditional Christmas story at my school and at home. DON'T LET IT EVER GO OUT OF PRINT.

The book arrived quickly in excellent condition. It is a "kick", really funny
how the author took off on traditional Mother Goose rhymes and gave them
a Hawaiian flavor "Shark Boy ate no poi, his sister ate no fish, etc."
It does give some ideas about the traditions and language. B. Sahota

A reader from Sacramento, CA USA
My daughter loves it and found it the next best thing to Barney. We just put her down for the night and she went to sleep willingly and easily after our 5th reading. I like reading it to her because of the colorful artwork and because it reminds me of our last trip to Hawaii

This is a very amusing book sent to us by friends in Hawaii. The new words to old favorites are easy to remember. It is a great way to introduce children to common Hawaiian words and elements of Hawaiian culture. The illustrations are well done and colorful. "Go Go Gecko" and "Three Big Pigs" are our favorites. Don't be surprised if your children want Tutus and slippers! I would definitely consider giving Hawaiian Style Mother Goose to friends, especially those with a Hawaiian connection.

My daughter loves it and found it the next best thing to Barney. We just put her down for the night and she went to sleep willingly and easily after our 5th reading. I like reading it to her because of the colorful artwork and because it reminds me of our last trip to Hawaii

This is a very amusing book sent to us by friends in Hawaii. The new words to old favorites are easy to remember. It is a great way to introduce children to common Hawaiian words and elements of Hawaiian culture. The illustrations are well done and colorful. "Go Go Gecko" and "Three Big Pigs" are our favorites. Don't be surprised if your children want Tutus and slippers! I would definitely consider giving Hawaiian Style Mother Goose to friends, especially those with a Hawaiian connection.

Very insightful and informative, and a must for any artist in any facet of the industry. To know what the law actually says regarding copyrights and fair usage is key to being a successful commercial artist.

Reading law is dry. Reading graphic novels is fun. Aoki, Boyle, and Jenkins have created the ultimate legal graphic novel. In about 53 pages they have illustrated to me everything I wanted to know about Fair Use of materials in the Public Domain and of copyright laws. As a videographer, I am now more educated, yet more wary of what I can and cannot use when shooting. At first, I read the whole book on line, then I realized that the information in it was too valuable not to have as a hard copy. And my bonus is that I can color the pages as I see fit while learning the law!

In August 2004, the BSA launched an "educational" campaign, "Play it safe in cyberspace". It comprised a comics whose hero, Copyright Crusader, was an ugly grabbing sanctimonious ferret. This animal version of Mackie Knife can still be seen in Ferreting out copyright scofflaws by David Becker (News.com, 08/10/2004).


"Bound By Law" is far more fun, and far more informative. For instance, the authors do not only make their characters talk about fair use and parody, but they use parodies themselves, as Cory Doctorow points out in his review, Comic book brilliantly explains copyright for documentary filmmakers in Boing Boing (02/03/06).

More information - and a link to the online version - in the comics page of Duke Law.

It seems appropriate that the first image you see when you open this work is reminiscent of the Crypt Keeper. After all, the topic is something most people fear -- law. In fact, the specific area, copyright law, even causes the knees of some lawyers to quake.

Bound by Law? is a comic book (or graphic novel if you prefer) issued by the Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law School. It seeks to explain to the layperson two of the thornier issues in modern copyright law for writers, musicians, artists and filmmakers.

Basically, the work (written by James Boyle and Jennifer Jenkins and illustrated by Keith Aoki) uses a documentary filmmaker to examine the impact of the doctrines of "public domain" and "fair use." The public domain is comprised of material on which copyright never existed or has expired and, hence, can be freely used by the public at large. Fair use is a statutory exception to the copyright laws that allows use of portions of copyrighted material for a variety of purposes as long as the use doesn't exceed the boundaries of a four-factor test the law establishes.

Why a comic book and a focus on documentary filmmaking? Because they are excellent vehicles for exploring the issues.

The work's filmmaker wants to make a documentary of the day in the life of New York City. She encounters what anyone would, albeit perhaps to a greater degree. Almost everywhere she goes there is copyrighted or trademarked material: music on the street or in a nightclub; a program or movie on the television in a particular room; or the logos that are ubiquitous at almost any sporting event. To figure out if she can use any or all of these materials without being sued for copyright infringement, she needs to sort out whether the material is protected or in the public domain. If it is protected, does her use constitute fair use?

Similarly, a comic book graphically demonstrates the seemingly endless circles and mazes in which an artist or writer can be led trying to sort out these questions. Bound by Law? also frequently relies on a montage or mix approach that displays how material which may or may not be in the public domain or may or may not be copyrighted plays a role in the expression of ideas. The latter is used to particular effect. As might be expected from strong advocates of the fair use doctrine, the book is replete with undoubtedly copyrighted and trademarked images, logos and symbols. Thus, the comic book not only illustrates but makes a point far better than a traditional written work.

The problem today is at least two-fold. First, Congress has repeatedly changed and extended the length of time before copyrighted work falls into the public domain. These actions have effectively resulted in most of 20th Century culture being protected for almost 100 years. Likewise, much of the material published today likely will be protected into the 22nd Century.

The problem with fair use stems not only from a lack of clear rules but also the fact some copyright holders have taken a very tough -- some might say extortionate -- stance. Bound by Law points out a variety situations in which works had to be cut or modified because of the money the copyright holder demanded in exchange for using a few seconds or snippet of their material.

Bound by Law? brings these complex issues across is a simple, enjoyable style. Not only does it show the firsthand impact of the problems, it also educates about a variety of relevant court decisions. It is also a commentary on trying to make intellectual property law a benefit rather than a hindrance to modern creative work. Some of its references in this regard are subtle, others more straightforward.

The former is seen from the outset. In the very first panel, the book quietly acknowledges the contributions of Lawrence Lessig, a Stanford University law professor in the forefront of arguing that intellectual property laws are hindering creative freedom and technology. Lessig isn't mentioned in the panel. Rather, the titles of several of his books appear on a bookshelf, together with the titles of other works exploring how copyright fits with new media and new technology. Lessig makes a later cameo appearance as the Statute of Liberty, holding a video camera as his torch and a copy of his most recent work in lieu of a tablet in the left hand.

More explicit is a closing discussion of "cultural environmentalism" as an approach for a future copyright system. Initially proposed by Boyle a decade ago, the theory is that just as the environmental movement demonstrated the impact social and policy decisions had on the environment, cultural environmentalists should show the public how intellectual property laws affect culture. The idea has taken root among a wide number of individuals (including Lessig) who continue to examine how to strike a balance between protecting intellectual property and encouraging creativity in an increasingly remixed culture.

Bound by Law? won't qualify anyone for membership in any professional organizations dedicated to intellectual property law. In fact, carrying it might alone be sufficient to keep a person out of some of those groups. But the aim isn't to make readers intellectual property experts. Rather, the goal is to educate artists and the public about current issues and provide commentary by those who believe copyright law must be fixed to remain a useful tool in a digital world. And a comic book is a far more enjoyable way to learn this than a case book or law review article.

I'm a long-time mainlainder now, and when I read this, it brought back all the quirks and joys of being from Hawaii. You can leave the islands, but the islands never leave you.

What a good read this book was. It's got smart writing and whimsical art. Very funny stuff!

I'm from New Jersey and I was laughing my okole off.

Deb Aoki is an accomplished cartoonist with an amazing eye for the idiosyncracies of life both in Hawaii and on the Mainland. Crazy Asian families, cranky cats and the usual pitfalls of life, love and work are all brought to humorous light in a way that we can all relate to.

I read the book looking for an introduction to Japanese feminism more interesting than your average textbook and I was not disappointed. The interviews explore the women's personal interests, projects, and views about feminism. Each interview is supplemented by the a brief biography of the interviewee and an exerpt from something she has written.

Dense and interesting, definitely worth it.

This book breaks the stereotype of the submissive Japanese woman by presenting interviews and written works by Japanese women who are considered to be leading feminists in their fields, surprisingly few of those academic. It shows that Japanese feminists have the same concerns as American feminists, but they continue to focus on the family and mother roles as the saving grace of society. It's a refreshing viewpoint away from radical feminism, and it made me rethink my definitions of feminism. There are extensive references to Japanese culture and language, which may be hard to follow for those not familiar with Japan, but a good chronology and glossary are provided. It covers such issues as abortion, pornography, fertility treatments, and environmentalism. It's a very interesting book without the heavy obscure jargon of most academic publications. I highly recommend it if your interest lies in Japan, feminism, or both!

this book was really useful for me while i was working on my senior thesis. but i think that it would be a good read for anyone who is interested in feminism and women's issues. japanese feminisms have many differences from american feminisms, but at the same time, there are quite a few parallel. one of the best parts of this book was the section on the translated version of our bodies ourselves.

We needed pictures of the type of clothing the Ainu wore. This book provided clear pictures and explanations

Great book for young golfers, new golfers, new and young golfers, or anybody else who likes reading golf books. Corbett and Aoki lead the reader on a fun path around the world of golf. The reader learns golf history, golf etiquette (which is not too surprising considering co-author Jim Corbett doubles as Mr. Golf Etiquette at www.mrgolf.com), golf terminology, lots of helpful golf tips, and finally everything is brought together in a short, entertaining golf story at the end of the book. I'm an adult myself, but I like golf books and this one was no disappointment. I originally picked up the Golfbook for Kids because I'm a fan of Mr. Golf Etiquette and all his zany humor- but Corbett and Aoki have proven they are more than just golfing around this time- they are actually darn good writers and the result is an enjoyable, positive, easy-to-read golf book.

This book is one the most cited material in the field of Japanese study. From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, studying the Japanese firms was a fad in social sciences. There was a deluge of papers and books on that subject. It must be the golden age of Japanology. And this book could be regarded as the fruit of such activities.
First, editors themselves are the leading figures in the Japanese study, and articles in this book were written by distinguished scholars too. So you can expect the quality papers.
Second, almost all the issues raised up to that time are tackled in this volume from organizational learning in the Japanese firm, quality control, lean production, Japanese-style R&D, the human resource management in the Japanese firm, to keiretsu.
But just like all other things in the life, this book has its own weaknesses.
First, as you can guess from the publication date of this book (1994) and the subtitle of the book (sources of competitive strength), there is no account of why Japanese firms are mired in difficulties now. Poster children of Japanese business like Nissan, Toshiba, Hitachi all have suffered over the 1990s and now. There is no explanation for such troubles. It's natural for most didn't imagine the Japanese economy has stumble more than a decade up to 1995. They thought downturn caused by bubble bursting should be short-term problem. So we can't pillory authors for this weakness. But now it's the obvious problem.
Second, as we can guess from the name of editor (Aoki), most articles are confined to incentive or contractual approach in dealing with the firm. Some articles adopt the organizational learning approach. Other approaches on organization than contract theory are few in this book. It goes without saying that this problem doesn't stand for the jaundiced eye of the editors. At the time this book was published, other approaches in organizational studies were not fully competitive.
In spite of these two obvious flaws, you'd better read related articles in this book if you are intended to write the paper about the Japanese firm. As I said, articles in this book could be considered as the fruit of pervious studies on the Japanese firm.

I cannot belive the whole story how he has become what he is today. He came to the US without any money and eventually created the empire of Benihana. He is a multi-millionaire now.

His sprit of not to give up is simply beyond description. Not ginving up on someting sounds easy, but we all know how hard it is. You should read this book and learn his unusual method of success. Recommended. A+++!!!

This is a 1300-page dictionary comprehensively detailing the Nez Perce language, with multiple verb tenses and example sentences for each entry. There is also a pronunciation guide, grammatical notes, a separate English-Nez Perce section, illustrations, several black-and-white photographs, and a map. Quite an impressive work.