Bell Books

Professor Daniel Bell happens to be one of the two most serious authorities to write about Chinese society, politics, and its culture. The other writer being Mr. Edgar Snow. Professor Bell writes in a comprehensive and detailed manner various prevalent social and cultural practices of the Chinese people and the underlying philosophy guiding their psyche. The Middle Kingdom has always been an enigma. China turned inward because of constant foreign invasions and it is little wonder that Confucianism and Taoism would be their soul's activities. Henry Kissinger has written that China is well content with its inward philosophies. In the section dealing with China, my book 'Tracing the Eagle's Orbit' throws a lively insight into the Chinese psyche. Professor Bell, the author of so many good books is well placed to write on China and his stupendous efforts even at this age must be a model for every writer and politician. I strongly recommend this book to those who want to know the reality within contemporary China.

Gautam Maitra
Author of Tracing the Eagle's Orbit: Illuminating Insights into Major US Foreign Policies since Independence'.

This is an enchanting story in a somewhat pompous but fitting style. Myra Scovel and her husband Frederick, a Presbyterian doctor, spent two decade in China, travelling from one corner to another, practicing medicine through the suzerains of both the Japanese and Communists. The account of the treatment of a ward full of opium addicts, as well as of the Japanese invading the hospital/missionary post the Scovels owned, are well treated and exciting. Myra and her husband were also missionaries in India; this is mentioned briefly toward the end of this memoir.

This is the best beginning chess book I have ever read. The author does a great job of connectiing various game situations with appropriate scripture. Each situation is illustrated with comments with space to make a reader's own comments.

A flight of fantasy for the eye and mind, this fun and fanciful book is a real treat! Lisbeth Zwerger's charming illustrations are the perfect match to the whimsical and sometimes peculiar words of Morgenstern's unique imagery. Bright and bold yet subtle and delicate, Lullabies, Lyrics and Gallows Songs is a true joy to look at and wonder about.

Maja Dusikova's simple and compelling drawings lend to this story of Rachel, who finds a beautiful silver bell in the street and sets off on a journey to Bethlehem, where she finds the baby Jesus. The Christmas Bell is a new and entertaining twist on the traditional story - one which involves an unusual gift and a girl's quest.

This book contains the history of the London Charterhouse of the Carthusian Order. The history starts in 1348 with the plague that ravaged the greater part of England. The number of dead was so great that the Bishop of London purchased and consecrated a piece of ground three acres in extent, called No Man's Land. This land was situated outside the walls of London and was straddled by the lands of the Abbey of St. Peter at Westminster and those of St. John of Jerusalem. On this land the Bishop erected a small chapel where masses were said for the repose of the dead. Later known as Pardon Churchyard and Chapel.

In 1361, the succeeding Bishop of London died and bequeathed a large sum of money for the founding and building of a Monastery of the Carthusian Order at Pardon Churchyard, which he endowed with income in perpetuity. With a royal license the Carthusian Monks Charterhouse was founded. Construction was completed in 1370 with the consent of the General of the Order.

We read the history of this Holy Order where Sir Thomas More lived a devoted life without vows for four years. They brutal end to this monastery comes about by Henry the VIII's High Secretary Thomas Lord Cromwell. A long a brutal destruction of this religious house is shared. Not only of the holy work of these good monks, but the lost benefits of literature, of science, of hospitality and of splendor. To quote, "...the manner in which their dissolution was affected is a blot on the page of British history, unjust, cruel, and revengeful."

We read as this monastic house of God is taken by the King and sold off as if passed through the ages from owner to owner. In its new life it gave housed visiting kings and queens throughout time. As we read the history of the structure over the centuries, we also follow the Carthusian monks plight as they are martyred, invited back into England, and then driven out again. In the late 1500's the property came into the possession of Mr. Thomas Sutton, who upon his death, and with a charter from King James, to turn this property and its income into a hospital for the poor and a school.

But even this noble foundation was fought upon after his death. His executors had to fight to have his will honored. The hospital finally officially started its existence in 1614 and final resolutions made in 1627. The hospital, school and chapel exist until this day. The final part of the book goes into great detail of the architecture of the Charter-House, as it was known, as it existed in 1867. The school itself now resides in a new location outside of London; this is outside the scope and time period of this book.

There is in depth detail of some of the coercions and pressure brought to bear on both the Carthusians when it was a monastery during the reformation. As well as the later time when those of greed try by fighting of the will of Mr. Sutton. This is shown by actual letters of the time of the reformation to the Carthusians and court arguments and counter arguments on the Charter-House becoming a charitable foundation later on.

This is a sample of what translations should be. The English text is modern and idiomatic, with a few informative footnotes. At least as much as literary translation, highly technical material presents significant challenges for the translator. The 17th and 18th century Japanese miners and metallurgists used tools and alloys that have no Euorpean equivalents, and used processes with slightly different intermediate steps. Even the original writers had problems with their own written language. When no ideograph existed for something (e.g. the "black copper" intermediate in smelting), they had to invent one of their own - even translating the Japanese into Japanese was difficult. Related texts, cited here, are simply confused in themselves, leaving the modern translator to untangle the technical errors in the original sources. The modern translator of this pair of texts (including an un-named one in the second half of the book) has overcome those challenges beautifully - the plain ease of reading belies the huge effort of its production.

This book's second succcess is in its display of the original illustrations, delciately colored woodblock prints by Tokei, a minor master of ukiyo-e printmaking. The images themselves are enlightening - parts of the work were traditionally assigned to women, including crushing and sorting the ore and slag. In all cases, the pictures are clear and detailed, giving very clear ideas of how every process worked, from shoring up the mine with timbers and pumping it dry, to bundling the final ingots for sale. These full-page, color reproductions show every detail of the original art, down to foxing on the prints and woodgrain in the printing blocks. It's a coffee table book, as much as it's a historical and technological document.

The books third success is the one that makes it truly worthwhile: the translator worked with modern metallurgists in understanding exactly what chemical and physical processes took place, and at what temperatures. The introductory material even includes a phase diagram indicating the physical behaviors of lead/copper alloys of all proportions, depending on their temperatures. (Commentary shows how separation of the different phases interacts with the solubility of silver in each to eplain why each of the refinement steps makes sense. The insight is there for technical readers - others can ease by the details with little loss.) I've seen similar explanations of medieval Western metallurgy - this is by far the most informative of any I've read.

Tsuna's text and its modern rendering succeed in every way: as literature, as art, as science, as history, and as insight into Eastern thought and culture. For example, one print shows how water was pumped over 200 meters up to the mine head. 130 laborers did the job, each working a manual piston pump to raise the water another two meters or so, in a vertical bucket brigade that beggars Western imagination. This lovely and informative book has my highest recommendation.

//wiredweird

Everything you need in a guide book, wonderful reviews, detailed descriptions of everything Turin and outstanding photography. This is a must-read for anyone interested in visiting Turin or anyone who is planning on going to the Olympics. The author displayed a wonderful sense of writing a guide book.

-NW

Classic Gunfights tells the true story about the famous gunfights of the Old West. The book is written and illustrated by Bob Boze Bell and the staff of True West magazine, so the descriptions come from an authoritative source. Gus Walker's maps bring clarity to actual events and Robert McCubbin's vintage photographs help the reader visualize the participants as real people.

The book describes twenty-six gunfights and compares the actual gunfights to the myths and legends. Great illustrations, graphics, and photographs surround each narrative. Despite being factually accurate, the stories remain interesting and don't take anything away from these legendary men and the mystic of the Old West. To a large extent, truth is stranger than fiction. A pleasant surprise is that the sidebars seem to anticipate the reader's questions. I left each story feeling satisfied that I understood what happened.

Classic Gunfights is a tour de force that substantially adds insight into the history of the period.

The Shut Mouth Society
The Shopkeeper

This is a delightful little book that will not take up much space in the backpack or other bag. It is full of short; 2-3 page sermons that, hold the reader's interest because although they are mostly about the nativity, they are distinctive, being as they are from Christians of various denominations, who lived in different eras.

Mr Bell has compiled excerpts or "adapted" the sermons / writings of: Charles Spurgeon, Henry Vaughan, John Milton, Christina Rossetti, Edward B Pusey and Ambrose of Milan among others.

There are also a few non nativity Christmas related essays. For example the telling of how 'Silent Night' came to be written: We almost missed this beauty.

This is preaching at it's most meaningful but not heavy as good preaching sometimes is. Good to read anywhere especially while traveling. Great for Urban residents traveling on subways and trains or anyone.

This book is also nicely produced with cream color pages that are easy on the eyes. A lovely book.