Bridges Books

Dar es Salaam is one of those novels that captures a young woman's soul. Tara Kai takes the reader into a world filled with questions and thoughts of a girl named Tatum. Her experiences and feelings for the characters in the novel help one understand a young woman's mind and ideas. I believe every girl and woman can relate to any of the women in this story. The novel has an original voice and it truly stands out on its own. Tara expresses the events and ideas in the book beautifully (and let me say... GREAT ending!) A very lovely book and a very gifted author.

Dar es Salaam is one of those novels that captures a young woman's soul. Tara Kai takes the reader into a world filled with questions and thoughts of a girl named Tatum. Her experiences and feelings for the characters in the novel help one understand a young woman's mind and ideas. I believe every girl and woman can relate to any of the women in this story. The novel has an original voice and it truly stands out on its own. Tara expresses the events and ideas in the book beautifully (and let me say... GREAT ending!) A very lovely book and a very gifted author.

Tara Kai manages to weave the world of illusion with the hard facts of reality in "Dar es Salaam." It is a wonderful work, detailing the mystifying beauty of Africa through the eyes of an adolescent 14-year-old, Tatum. Tatum's train-of-thoughts are innocently humorous, (particularly because the novel is written in the voice of a 14-year-old), and I think Kai is being critical on the commercialized notion of feminity and sex in popular women's magazines, such as Cosmopolitan and Seventeen.

Here we see how silly the love advices and how ludricrious magazines, geared towards women to tempt them to drastically change their appearance, really are. One almost feels sad for Tatum, and the characters are so real, that you feel that you want to grab Tatum by the collar and shake her into reality. Life-like and humourous, I recommend this book for anyone who loves fiction, and especially for those people who need a wake-up call to realize that there is more to life than the fine, glossy print of magazines.

Tara Kai's debut novel, Dar Es Salaam is the story of Tatum who is transitioning from a fanciful adolescent girl to a knowledgeable woman. Tatum travels with her family on vacation to the Tanzanian capital city of Dar es Salaam where she finds herself drawn to Mohammed (called Mo), a 40-year-old Indian man and friend of her stepfather. Tatum's attractions evolves into desire, then obsession, culminating in a resolute and emotional manipulation of the older man by the much younger girl. A deeply engaging, ultimately satisfying, highly recommended novel, Dar Es Salaam is deftly written, with the characters truly coming alive within the mind's eye of the reader.

This is probably the best book on bridge defense ever written for novice to intermediate players. "Big Red" (so called because it is in 8x11 format with red covers and 1-1/2 inches thick) demonstrates all the basic defensive techniques in clear, concise fashion. Kantar's numerous examples make the required thought processes simple to grasp, and his wit makes the book fun to read as well. Abundant quiz material strengthens the reader's grasp on the topics presented.

The book is still fresh even though it dates to 1974. Some readers may be put off by the rough format of the book - it looks like photocopies of typewritten pages. Trust me; make the effort to see past the cosmetic shortcomings, and you will be rewarded. Eddie's treatment of surrounding plays is worth the price by itself. I find myself re-reading this book every year.

I faced usual beginner's problem after finishing my first course of bridge lectures and playing a few tournaments. I've noticed a big gap between me and more experienced players when playing defence hand. I consider myself very ambitious so only thing for me was to do real hard homework. But I couldn't find any good resource for my work. I was advised to play a lot, but I simply couldn't wait. There had to be some good book about defence play in bridge for me. For a very long time I was searching for such book. I've got a tip from a senior player recently about this book and I got it! It covers 12 aspects of defense play as opening leads, signals, making defence plans and so on. These areas are very throughly analyzed and presented with very simple and humoured language. After every chapter there are examples of play and some exercises. But beware! This book requires also a lot of hard work because every sentence is a small lesson. This is not an easy going book with anecdotes and famous deals. It is more like some advanced manual and hard work is needed to have benefits from this book.

One of the all-time best bridge books will raise your defensive play to the expert level.

Originally published in 1974, Kantar's Defensive Bridge Play remains (in my opinion) one of the definitive works on the subject. I would strongly recommend this book to any player serious about improving his game and willing to dedicate time and effort to working his way through this book. I'm a tournament bridge player and I still make it point to re-read 'Big Red' every six months -- there's always more to learn!!

A word of caution to beginners: you might be a little overwhelmed by parts of this book. Kantar provides guidelines, thorough explanations and lots of examples, but he doesn't ignore the complexity of the game. If you're looking for easy answers and hard and fast rules to memorize, you'll be disappointed by Defensive Bridge Play. On the other hand if you want to learn how to THINK on defense, this book is an invaluable reference that will grow with you as your bridge game improves.

Also, 'Big Red' retains it's original formatting and typeset (from 1974, so don't expect much besides the great content!). If you prefer a snazzier layout, much of the same material is re-presented in _Eddie Kantar Teaches Modern Bridge Defense_ and _Eddie Kantar Teaches Advanced Bridge Defense_.

As I've been told my last review was not a "review", I thought I'd rewrite it and post it here. I was thinking of putting this in the new edition version, since Amazon for some reason has several editions for Dianetics! Obviously you want the 2008 edition.

What's new in this edition? Well, nothing! The publisher didn't change anything in the book itself other than typos and punctuation errors that were introduced by Hermitage House Publishers back in 1950. In comparing the original manuscript and putting those footnotes in the back of the book, enlarging and darkening the font size, it makes for a more comfortable read.

Dianetics is an alternative to psychology and outlines several basic things that can help a person help themselves (thus the phrase "self-help") as well as help others.

Among the chapters in this book we find the following: The Goal of Man; The Dynamic Principle of Existence; The Four Dynamics (a dynamic is a drive upon which life is compartmented); a descriptive graph of survival (which was interesting - I never knew survival was more than "just barely making it" until I read Hubbard's definition); and the discovery and complete anatomy of what Hubbard calls the "Reactive Mind", which commands one to act irrationally against their own wishes and goals. Since I have been known to act irrationally, it's good to see what's causing it and what to do about it.

It's a thick book, 491 pages of actual text, divided into Theory and Practical applications; a 5 page glossary of important terms; a chapter called Dianetics in the 21st Century that brings us up to date from those long-gone days of 1950 (the year Dianetics was published) which has reprints from the LA Star and The Daily News, which did news articles on Hubbard and Dianetics at that time. Lots of photos in this section, too.

It's interesting to see what their view was. And finally, an appendix that briefly lists other self-help books by Hubbard, which are all new 2008 editions!

Oh, and finally, finally, The Editor's Glossary, that gives dictionary definitions to English words as they were used in 1950 as well as specialized Dianetics terms, as they were used at that time of writing. This is real handy and makes reading the book that much more easily read.

It's tough for me not to write a long review on a book that is over 600 pages thick. It has every imaginable area of human relationships clearly delineated and how Dianetics can help problems associated with these: alcoholism, post partum depression, divorces, domestic violence and drug abuse amongst them.

So get this book but use Amazon's latest and greatest 2008 edition of the book, as I've described above. Remember, Dianetics is not Scientology and Dianetics is not a religion. It does not obligate anyone to just pick up a copy and read it. It is also in Tagalog, Spanish, French, German and a few other languages. Good luck.

I used to think that I was a very stable and industrious human being. I guess I was for the standards that I knew and what I knew about my mind.
This book has made a huge change in my life and with the knowledge I have gained, it is not just a placebo.

This book marked a turning point in my life. I really started to understand myself and where various problems were coming from.
The more I read of this book, the clearer things became. I could not only see the source of my own problems, but understand other people and their behaviour as well. As a result of applying Dianetics, my life started to turn around, I became happier with myself to a point where I was looking forward to and getting involved with life rather than just trying to get through it.
23 years on since reading the book I can honestly say that my life would not have been the same without Dianetics.

I have never read another book that realistically explains the mind, what it is, how it relates to our bodies, and to us as people like this one. This book just makes sense. You can forget all the other self help books because those just don't work for as many people as this one does.
In the book Dianetics, L. Ron Hubbard describes in detail about the reactive mind and how this creates fears, aches, illnesses, and unwanted sensations. It also tells how to get rid of this reactive mind. You can follow the book to have a healthier childbirth for mother and child. It is the best self help book because of the workable, usable, applicable to life information. Just remember to use a good dictionary while reading it and you'll understand every word!

"Easier Done than Said - Brilliancy at the Bridge Table" by Prakash Paranjape is a beautiful book to read. It is a great book for bridge players at all levels. I have never been (acknowledged as) a Bridge Expert. It is said that one cannot know how a millionaire thinks (especially when it comes to spending) unless one is a millionaire. I may never know what experts think about this book. But I know that some so called experts were scared to read Hugh Kelsey's book "Adventures in cardplay" when it was published, thinking that it may confuse their thinking process and they may actually do worse in the Bridge tournaments if they read it. Well, no one needs to be scared of Paranjape's book in that way. It is a great book because it is easy to read and easy to understand. It has been known that Paranjape has a fine eye for instructive deals. What I think is, any deal that Paranjape sees, he will find an interesting point or two from it. What he and the editor Ray Lee have done extremely well in this book is that they have selected the deals wherein not only a great analysis has been presented, but it can be understood easily. There are no cliches used and a reader does not have to be a great statistician to understand the concepts presented. And still readers can learn a lot from the book and play better. Paranjape has described some great plays that are brilliant and elegant at the same time. Logic of each situation has been presented so beautifully, that a reader is enthralled by the simplicity. My hats off to the author, editor and Chuck Messinger, who has done the additional analysis for the deals in the book. I would give "TWO THUMBS UP" to Paranjape's book and recommend strongly for your reading pleasure. It is pleasing, entertaining and instructional for any Bridge enthusiast.

-Mahadeo Patwardhan

I expected to have seen most of the problems since I trained under Panja 4 years back but was pleasantly surprized to see quite a few new themes. Defintely worth buying even for all levels.

I am now waiting for the DemiComa system to become publicly available.

"Easier Done than Said" will be enjoyed by bridge players of all standards. The bridge technique highlighted is not new, but Dr. Paranjape has a discerning eye for novel settings and the teacher's skill for taking the mystery out of complex ideas and making them comprehensible to the layman. The expert bridge player will enjoy the unusual setting of the hands; the advancing player will learn from the clear exposition of expert technique.

This book is refreshingly different from the normal bridge book the reader comes across. For one, it talks about the bridge scenario in India, which has never been captured before. The problems discussed are interesting and the analysis is thorough. Players of all levels should find this a useful reading material.

The price beats what most college bookstores charge. I always reccommend purchasing online it could cut the cost of the book in half. However if your going to purchase your college book online you should visit the college bookstore and find out what the instructor requires for the class a few weeks ahead of time so you dont get stuck paying for expedited shipping.

Overall the book is written well . I especially like the "evolutionary connection" segment at the end of each chapter. My only gripe is is that while it repeatedly stresses in the text and test data bank that the "population is the smallest unit of evolution", it fails to explicitly mention that the "gene is the smallest unit of selection". It make the authors suspect to be adherence of the old "group selection" thinking.

Also would it be nice had it address basic sociobiological concepts which are cornerstone of evolutionary thinking.

I needed this book for college. At the college book store the same exact book was $120.00 plus tax. On Amazon it was $80.00!!

Campbell and Reece are best known as the authors of the hefty and excellent "Biology", now in it's 6th edition used by undegraduate biology majors and AP Biology students.

"Essential Biology" uses a different approach. The authors have packed a great deal into this amazingly small textbook. I recently reviewed a huge number of introductory biology texts for adoption in our school district. We use Campbell and Reece's Biology, 6th edition for our AP biology course but were looking for a textbook to use with our 9th grade honors biology students.

After a lengthy comparison of textbooks we picked "Essential Biology" based on several things. First we found the book to be accurate, readable, and concise. We felt that it would give the students a depth of understanding in the core biological principles so that they would be ready when they moved on to AP biology later in their high school career.

Instead of trying to "cover" everything under the biological sun, "Essential Biology" focuses on four core biological topics: cells, genetics, evolution, and ecology. It's 20 chapters are broken up into these 4 units and does a wonderful job of pulling it all together.

Other textbooks certainly cover more material but with less depth. What is the use of having a huge textbook that the students either never finish or rush through with no real understanding? This is a textbook that the students can dig into and throughly understand during one course.

It is supported by CD-ROM's and on-line material. The website provides activities, on-line labs, quizes, and other practice. Students can print out results or e-mail them to their teachers.

I would recommend this text as one for use in a non-majors biology course or as an advanced high school biology introductory course.

While most books on logistics and Supply Chain focus on the manufacturing and suppliers' side of the chain, this one takes you to the complete opposite, where the real value is, the CUSTOMER.
The book provides a thorough analysis of the 4 different models of delivery used by online retailers. The greatness of this book resides in the fact that it describes both the most successful online retailers' practices (Amazon, Freshdirect...) AND the biggest failures (Webvan) so we can learn from their mistakes.

Extending the Supply Chain is an excellent resource for the individual interested in establishing or perfecting a business that involves home delivery. The authors clearly identify the challenges relate to each type of customer. The research is thorough and comprehensive. The book is well laid out and easy to read. It is a great reference book!

Excellent!  For any company delivering goods directly to consumers' homes, this book is a must read!  Of particular interest to me were the following quotes: ..."The second major change that must be facilitated to make last mile supply chains truly soar is greater efficiency and standardization of home delivery."  ..."The primary challenge is delivering to a customer who is not home."  ..."Most, if not all, of the major third-party delivery companies are testing methods for unattended deliveries involving some type of controlled access smartbox."   ..."It is our belief that some type of larger, access-controlled box that is available to a wide variety of home delivery companies is an important hurdle for growing last mile deliveries."

This book provides great insight from "industry leaders" on how to promise and deliver product sold through the Internet. Many of the early adopters of Internet based sales systems failed to consider the difficulties of integrating a new system into their existing strategy. Extending the Supply Chain provides great examples of both failures and successes in industry, as well as, outline a framework that will help companies better position themselves to use the Internet as a competitve advantage. This book is a must read for all individuals that wish to take the last mile and use the Intenet to build a strong, viable sales channel.

This book is a must-read for the true Christian. Ms Kuhlman's down-to-earth realism is portrayed in this book and leaves no doubt that she was truly of child of God. Read the part about Humility and read and re-read the entire book. You will be blessed. I highly recommend its reading. HLJ

Such a powerful book, totally anointed by the Holy Ghost, from the heart of a woman who knew the heartbeat of God.

I Like this book because it makes you understand more about the gift of ministry. This women of true faith in God delivers in her past teaching.

Well, to be honest, the reason I like Katie Kuhlman is because she was a homewrecker. She busted up a marriage and ran off with the guy in a brief but not all too talked about episode of her life. This suggests to me that if God can use an adulteress like Katie, then hell, he can use any of us now can't he?

being a non golfing lawyer who is under pressure to play the game i thought the book a great read.to all none golfing lawyers go get and surprise your partners!

Golf Made Difficult is epic poetry which, in parts tragic and parts comic, speaks to the non-sensical, unreasonable, and wonderfully passionate golfer inside each of us. Tom Trowbridge deftly rhymes his way through the world of golf clubs, golf lessons, and golf games with the inside knowledge of a man who has spent long hours of unspeakable agony on a golf course for those brief seconds of delicious ecstasy. In this Iliad, we have found the Trojan horse in our golf bag but are having much too much fun to toss it out. This beautifully written and illustrated book will probably not drop your handicap but will surely make you stop crying about it. I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves golfing, and for anyone who loves someone who loves golfing.

I found this book to be very witty and entertaining! It should be available at every pro shop in the nation!

Every now and then one comes across a book that evades description, let alone classification. This is just such a book and so writing a review that does it justice is a considerable task. Trowbridge has written a book which golfers will love and which us "golf outsiders" can certainly relate to. But this book is no mere Tiger Wood's tale, rather it is an epic poem--a modern Beowulf, only instead of the mead hall, this tale takes place on the putting greens. Wonderfully illustrated and devilishly clever this is one of those rare books that is both humorous and poetic. A real treasure.

Brian Fagan first published this book in 1987 and an undated version was published in 2004. You want the updated version as it summarizes new developments and changes in thought in an introductory chapter.

What has not changed is the eternal dispute about when man first arrived in the New World. The conservatives, among whom one could probably include Fagan, say less that 15,000 years ago. The dissenters say 20,000 to 50,000 years ago. In a book for the general reader Fagan undertakes a careful summary of the evidence. He looks at the spread of Homo sapiens from their place of origin in Africa to the rest of the world. He examines the archaelogical evidence for man in Siberia -- the jumping off place for the New World -- and in Beringia, the now vanished land that linked Siberia and Alaska during the last Ice Age. He evaluates migration scenarios for paleo-Indians from Beringia south to the Americas and the archaelogical evidence from a multitude of ancient sites. Along the way, he illustrates the relevance of things such shovel-shaped incisors and linguistic theories. A thoroughly fascinating presentation!

The author has no ideological axe to grind but the weight of the evidence he presents supports the conservative view of a Paleo-Indian arrival in the New World about 15,000 years ago and a rapid dispersal reaching as far south as Chile by 13,000 years ago. But the evidence is thin and dissenters will find theories more to their liking also evaluated by the author. My opinion hardly matters, but I stand among the conservatives, However, I have a nagging doubt. How did those people get to Chile so fast? Is the famous Monte Verde site there mis-dated? Does hope still exist for for those who believe paleo-Indians arrived in the Americas 20,000 years ago?

Unlike many archaeologists, the author doesn't get lost in fascination with pottery shards or chopper blades, but keeps his eye on the goal of presenting a comprehensible, reasonable, scientific, and interesting tale of how the Americas may have become populated.

Smallchief

I enjoyed this very readable book. I first read it in 1988 and after doing so, actually went out and bought the thing. The author has some very nice theories as to the peopling of North America and is quite well able to back them up. The book is easy reading and logical. While not all may agree with the author's explanations, they do give food for thought. Recommend you add this one to your collection.

I first came across this book in 1990. I have read this book 4 times since then. The book is very easy to read and comprehend.

The saga of how Asians came across the land bridge following the mega fauna is very interesting. Based on speech and dental patterns, the history of at least two waves of people moving into North America and southward is unfolded.

Fagan explains how the evidence of the nomadic cultures was discovered and how this evidence shows how these people survived. From this discovery of Clovis points to group kills of now extinct species, Fagan tells a fasinating story of how the native Americans arrived here.

The extinction of the mega fauna, the land bridge, and ice age's impact on the peopling of North America are interwined into a good reading book.

I wish all anthropolgy books could read so smoothly!

Updating an older book on a broad and varied topic is a risky enterprise. If much work has been done in the ensuing years, a complete rewrite is usually in order. Too few results can fail to justify the reprise. Fagan's original effort on the peopling of the Western Hemisphere was an excellent survey. This edition is essentially that first account, with an explanatory chapter inserted at the beginning of the book. That technique has the advantage of warning the reader what to look for while going through the text. And while much new information has come into view, Fagan reminds us that the underlying questions about where "Native Americans" originated, and when, remain unanswered.

The human diaspora begins in Africa, some five million years ago according to Fagan - [recent finds emerged too late to appear here]. Unique among migratory species, Homo sapiens sapiens moved in but one direction. From our origins on the savannah, the author traces our path into north-eastern Asia. When conditions permitted, glacial ice having trapped enough water to reduce sea levels some 300 metres, these ancient Asians moved onto a lost continent now named "Berengia". This link between Asia and North America must retain evidence of human occupation, but retrieval from the sea bottom is difficult. Fagan describes the intense research into climatology, palynology and other fields to explain how the data has been accumulated over many years.

Hidden evidence provides opportunities for speculation and controversy and the studies of ancient Americans is rife with both. Fagan describes what research has revealed and reviews the suppositions drawn from the scattered and inconclusive evidence. Fagan examines the various theories of when humans entered the Americas and what dispersal paths they followed. He lists the dig sites with the opinions derived from the evidence, weighing the contending arguments with care and a considered detachment. Where dating is flawed or suspect, he resists ill-considered judgment, calling for further investigation. A few anomalous sites, such as Monte Verde in Chile and Meadowcroft in Pennsylvania receive extra attention. He's quick to praise diligent methods while readily disparaging hasty proclamations. The Pedra Furada site in Brazil, once extolled as "challenging ideas on the First Americas", is given a lengthy description, but is dismissed as poorly investigated and reported. As Fagan notes, tracing the movements of humanity in ancient times is a detective's work, with clues assessed only with extreme care.

Some points of contention the author passes over with summary evaluation. After his presentation of Paul Martin's thesis that the disappearance of large mammals was due to human predation, Fagan dismisses it. Climate shift, he states, changed the nature of plant life leaving these prey species bereft of fodder. Yet Tim Flannery, in two books published since the original edition of Great Journey, demonstrates that browsing and grazing species would have adapted to climate change. The timing of human occupation and megafauna extinction is too proximate to be ignored. The prime example of Maori hunting of moa species in New Zealand is symptomatic and well documented. Martin may have been wrong in details, but his basic thesis has withstood criticism.

These flaws don't negate the exceptional worth of Fagan's achievement in this study. It's a powerful and informative narrative of Western Hemispheric archaeology, its practitioners and their results. Starting with early views of the first European invaders, he explains how improved scholarship, better technology and disciplined approaches have clarified the picture of Native American life. Fagan provides photographs and maps for additional support of the text. This remains a valuable book, easily read and understood. It has not been replaced and will keep its well-earned reputation. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/06)

Traditionally, haiku is Japanese poetry that is written on three lines. The first line and the third line are composed of 5 syllables and the second line has seven. "The Haiku Apprentice," written by Abigail Friedman, takes us through her journey of discovering how to write Haiku well. It is really more than just those three lines. The Haiku Society of America defines Haiku as, "A short poem that uses imagistic language to convey the essence of an experience of nature or the season intuitively linked to the human condition." Through Friedman's experiences, she not only learns how to write haiku, but she also learns about the culture and the lives of other haiku writers in her group. As you read her story, you also learn about the richness of the culture. Friedman is able to convey how the Japanese people are able to connect their writings to their lives. As a people they work hard on doing everything well. When you are in their country, you really see this. It doesn't matter what their jobs are, or how menial a task might seem, they do it well. From my personal experience, they are very gracious people. Friedman conveys this in her writings. It adds to the richness of her memoirs. Just reading her story alone is enjoyable, especially when you are learning about her experiences as a diplomat in Japan. I really think that a haiku writer who is not well versed in the Japanese culture will be able to write much better after reading "The Haiku Apprentice". I enjoyed learning about haiku by reading her story, rather than a textbook. This is also a great book to read if you are interested in writing haiku or starting a haiku writer's group. At the end of the book, she offers information and advice on how to start a group. She also has a list of questions to stimulate discussions for a readers group.

Ms. Friedman's first literary work is a delight to read and most helpful to anyone interested in learning about Japanese poetry. She painstakenly explains her journey into the Japanese culture necessary to appreciate the feelings and emotions expressed through the Haiku.
It's refreshing to read how this remarkable woman can balance her devotion to her family, her diplomatic career and yet develope an interest in the Haiku.
It's a good relaxing read at anytime and in any place.

The Haiku Apprentice: Memoirs Of Writing Poetry In Japan by Abigail Friedman is not a standard poetry collection, but rather the personal memoir of an American diplomat in Tokyo who discovered that anyone can enjoy the pleasure of writing haikus. Learning to express herself in haiku introduced her to a literary and cultural world in which poetry was more than a vehicle of expression; it was a means by which neighbors and friends could form a connective bond and see the world in a new way. The Haiku Apprentice is a warm and inviting autobiographical story, and also a kind of loose blueprint for forming haiku or other poetry-writing societies in one's own backyard in order to better foster communication, understanding, and a fresh perspective ready to absorb the wonders of life. A unique and thoughtful memoir, The Haiku Apprentice is enthusiastically recommended reading.

The Haiku Apprentice is the joyous story of an American diplomat's journey into the realm of haiku while living in Japan. More than that, it is an account of spiritual and political self-scrutiny. Abigail Friedman is a marvelous narrator, and I find it easy to enter her world. Friedman's descriptions are vibrant, while her down-to-earth wit spices the narrative, which is consistently intelligent and sharp.

This writer is careful not to leave linguistic stumbling blocks. She opens doors for less experienced readers, with lucid explanations of Japanese words, pronunciations, and traditions. As Friedman describes her haiku education under the tutelage of Kuroda Momoko, one of Japan's most esteemed haiku masters, readers will surely find it impossible not to learn along with her. Every haiku student should read her discussions of kigo and Zen. She features contextually relevant haiku throughout, including some written by her fellow poets in Japan and a few by the author. Her translations of well-known haiku by the Old Masters invite readers to rediscover their timeless appeal. When seen again through Friedman's eyes, long-familiar poems are newly inspiring.

After the author joins a haiku group, she shares a new awareness regarding haiku poets: "Perhaps all these people had discovered something I was just now learning; that survival in an increasingly complex world requires each of us to tend to our souls, our individuality, more than ever. I needed to nurture my ability to see the world as I saw it, not as others might see it."

Abigail Friedman ends the story of her haiku quest with perhaps her most important insights: "My new name was a reminder to me that haiku is not just about writing about beauty, but is a path of self-discovery. I could not expect to write good haiku if I was not seeking to be true to myself."

This book is delightfully accessible, regardless of the reader's experience (or lack of it) with poetry or Japanese language and culture. I recommend The Haiku Apprentice, not only to haiku aficionados, but also to anyone who enjoys a good read. - Ferris Gilli, Associate Editor, The Heron's Nest