Burns Books

this book was very informative and nice for teaching kids nature
slonina nature photography
www.sphotography.com

Like its predecessor (_Fun with Nature_), this hardback volume is really five "Take-Along Guides" bound together: _Wildflowers, Blooms, and Blossoms_; _Berries, Nuts, and Seeds_; _Birds, Nests, and Eggs_; Seashells, Crabs and Sea Stars_; and _Rocks, Fossils, and Arrowheads_. You often see those individual paperbacks on sale at nature center gift shops. Each page features a single plant, animal, or object, and matches simple facts with realistic artwork. These are the kids of natural items children will be most likely to find in North America. Relevant basic activities are scattered among the entries. My favorite section here is from _Birds, Nest, and Eggs_, because each species takes up a double-page spread, with the bird on the left-hand side and its identifiable nest and eggs on the facing page on the right. The illustrations are beautiful. Recommended for naturalists, educators, and parents -- anyone who works with young children to help them understand the natural environment around them.

We purchased this book, along with its companion "Fun with Nature" at the Cabela's in Boise, Idaho.

My daughter always has one of these books nearby - she's sitting on the couch reading one right now.

A good deal of information is presented in a neat, friendly way. We used this book to identify a luna moth and a douglas squirrel within days of arriving in Washington. Although not as thorough as a field guide, the format makes it very accessible (and therefore more likely to be read) to children.

I highly recommend both books and look forward to purchasing more in the series.

this book is actually five seperate nature books put together in one volumne. I would recommend it as a book for a child just getting into nature-birdwatching, rocks,trees and seeds, etc. It gives you basic info on several common "natural" things found in the US.

The book has it's good and bad points. While it covers lots of different areas-what it does cover is VERY basic-kind of like a starting point in several natural fields. The drawings are OK-but to be honest they are not clear enough for proper id of many things-for example, several of the seed id's-even I as an adult couldn't tell one from the other. I think either better art or photos would have been more appropriate in this type of book.

The age range suggested is 7 to 10. My 8 year old son did skim through it, but nothing really seemed to grab him. He's pretty "into" all things nature, and has many field guides-so-a child just starting out might appreciate it more.

The craft aspect I give 0 stars-as the projects are few, and VERY simplistic and barely explained-very poor- do not buy if you are looking for nature crafts:(

Overall, I'd suggest it for a young 6-8 aspiring naturalist-if you buy it used-I wouldn't suggest paying full price as it's honestly pretty run of the mill.

3 stars.

This book is what I reach for before I go to sleep, have always loved poetry & tend to read when I seek solace. Love this Robert Burns book, very nicely done, reasonable price, if you have never given Burns a try & wish to expand your reading list, this would be an excellent addition. Also as a nice gift it is a kind & thoughtful book to share with others.

I need Burns beside me as I live life, and this is a great one-volume collection of his greatest works in a convenient format. Glossed well; you won't have to use an index at the back of the book. Here's tae ye, Rabbie!

Robert Burns uses a lot of Scots words, but any word you don't understand is defined in this edition in the margin right alongside the poem. So reading is smooth and very enjoyable. A great introduction to Robert Burns, and a good companion to other volumes. "Cutty Sark" means skimpy petticoat!!

The other evaluators of this book must have read a different book! This is a beautiful, hardcover book with a vast assortment of Burns' poetry; however, there are no definitions in the margin. There is a glossary in the back, but I bought this book believing that the definitions were listed with each poem (thereby making them easier to read), and they are not.

ROME AND THE BARBARIANS, 100 B.C. - 400 A.D. by Thomas S. Burns is a book designed for general readers about the peoples of the Western Empire in what is largely Europe from Great Britain to the Balkans. Burns is interested in the military, political, and commercial interactions between the Romans and the indigenous peoples of this area, which were termed by the Romans as barbarians. He does this through analyzing literary sources and looking at the archaeological record, as it is currently understood. Burns also discusses the mechanisms by which barbarians became Roman and the role of the military in this process.
The book is divided into seven chapters and a short epilogue.
Chapter 1 - Sometimes Bitter Friends. This is the layout of the book. Investigation of Roman and barbarian relations through literary sources and archaeology. Roman rhetoric and mental landscape. How they thought of barbarians. Terminology is discussed. What were barbarians, Germans, Celts, citizens, peregrini (foreigners)? The rest of the book is three phases laid out in six chapters, with two chapters a piece for each phase. The phases: first expansion, second consolidation with some expansion, third confusion that impacted on the eras that followed.
Chapter 2 - Recognition, Confrontation, and Coexistence. First half the of the chapter is Roman relationship with the Celts in what is now southern France beginning in the second century B.C. Discussion of the long presence of the Celts in this area before the Roman incursion. Archaeological record of oppida (proto-towns/market places) also in place before the coming of the Romans. Greek contact with the Celts and the Roman idea of the Celts deriving from the Greek idea of the Celts. The Roman patron-client relationship is discussed. The second half deals with the Cimbri and Teutones and the barbarians in Bavaria area. Marius and other generals contact with these peoples.
Chapter 3 - Through Caesar's Eyes. THE GALLIC WARS by Julius Caesar is analyzed. This is fascinating.
Chapter 4 - The Early Empire and the Barbarians: An Overview. A time of rapid change. The end of oppida for civitates. The financing and reorganization of the military by Augustus. The barbarians join the military and win Roman citizenship. The impact of the military on the growth of towns through trade and building program. The continuing idea of the barbarians as threat whereas most war was caused by rebellions or civil war. The change from personal patron-client relationships to provinces.
Chapter 5 -- Perspectives from Pannonia. Pannonia used as specific example to demonstrate the generalities of chapter 4. Pannonia is the area that would be western Hungary, parts of Serbia and Croatia, and bits of Slovenia and Austria. The wars in this region from Augustus to Caracalla. Caracalla's edict on citizenship for all who lived within the Roman Empire.
Chapter 6 - The Barbarians and the "Crisis" of the Empire. Change again. The shrinking of towns. Lack of dynastic emperors. Breakdown of central administration. Lack of literary sources contemporary to this time. A look at Cassius Dio and others. Violent society rewards violent behavior that changes society.
Chapter 7 - Barbarians and the Late Roman Empire. Changes to Roman administration, military fortifications along the frontier, and the civilian population from Constantine onwards. The fluid identity of barbarian to Roman. The impact of Christianity on barbarians inside the Roman empire and outside it. Arianism as practiced by some barbarians like the Goths.
Epilogue. Discussion of the breakdown of the Roman Empire into small kingdoms and the need for barbarian kings to identify with the Roman military past. The Huns and later barbarians and their effect on late antiquity. This leads to the medieval time period.
The book also includes an appendix (Most Important Roman Emperors and Usurpers), maps and illustrations, notes, bibliography, and an index. The maps are very helpful. The bibliography is divided between primary sources, classical authors from Agathias to Zosimus, and secondary sources, that is modern authors.
Perhaps it's because I come from an art and archaeological background, but this doesn't seem like revisionism. The Thomas S. Burns writes in flowing but clear prose and explains intricate ideas even to the non-scholar. This is probably due to the fact that he is a professor and must explain these concepts to his students.
This book will interest those readers interested in Rome and its impact on other peoples. For another look at Roman perspectives on non-Romans see ROMANS AND ALIENS by J. P. Balsdon (1980). This is out of print, but look at used books or the library. For a look at the barbarians see BEYOND CELTS, GERMANS, AND SCYTHIANS: ARCHAEOLOGY AND IDENTITY IN IRON-AGE EUROPE by Peter S. Wells. For the Roman impact on another part of the world see ROMAN SYRIA AND THE NEAR EAST by Kevin Butcher. For the Roman military see IN THE NAME OF ROME: THE MEN WHO WON THE ROMAN EMPIRE and THE COMPLETE ROMAN ARMY both by Adrian Goldsworthy. For a specific Roman-barbarian confrontation see THE BATTLE THAT STOPPED ROME by Peter S. Wells.
P.S. If we look at the medieval era as perfume, it would definitely be a blend. Certainly Christianization and Romanization are the dominant top notes. The ones that you notice the most. But the quiet notes, the ones that add mystery, allure, an intriguing element to the blend, these are the peoples of Europe, the ones that the Romans called barbarians. Whether they were in place before the Romans, during the Romans, or after the Romans, they are the supporting scent of the medieval Europe, and that time period couldn't exist without them.
The Romans were intelligent and practical, but conservative. They didn't view technology as we do. Technology only advanced when a practical adjustment was needed to accomplish what was needed for the Republic or Empire. Even though the ancients may be our ancestors, they lived differently and it isn't a good idea put our modern Western values upon them.

This is the revisionist account that grafts modern concepts of `diversity' `tolerance' and `cultural awareness' onto people who lived in 100 B.C. In this book it is assumed that since Rome dared to make value judgments and condemn the barbarians, who in fact were savage and ruthless, that Rome must somehow be some sort of evil hegemon like America and the Barbarians must have been `noble savages' like innocent peace loving native Americans. Unfortunately this is revisionist tripe. The reality is the barbarians actually were savage and it took Roman civilization to pacify and civilize them. Only by serving in the legion and learning roman ways of life and settling in the provinces did the barbarian tribes like the Gauls adopt civilization and become what we know today as the medieval europeans. If it hadn't been for Rome and Rome's extraordinary pursuit of science and technology and administration Europe would be a cultural backwater of feuding tribes to this day, much the way Creaser found it in 30 AD. In fact Rome's influence is so broad that not a major town exists in Europe today that doesn't include the trappings of a Roman wall, aqueduct and amphitheater. The Barbarians on the other hand built few lasting structures.

Seth J. Frantzman

This is a collection of very long essays on the relationships between Rome and the barbarian societies present beyond or within its European frontier boundaries north of the Alps. Each essay focuses on one part of the Roman frontier in Europe and/or some period of time during the span of time in the title. I found that the level of care and detail displayed in the essays tended to fall as the essays moved from the west (Gaul and Batavia) to the east (Dacia) and from the earliest period (the late Republic) to the latest period (late Empire) covered in the book. I could never figure out how Prof. Burns organized any of these essays. They have no roadmaps, summaries, concluding sections, or subtitle markings to light the way. Mainly, I experienced a well-read, subtle scholar working his way through issues he thought were important for each essay, reaching out as he drove on to the treasure trove of references that he has accumulated in his study or office over the course of his long career. The experience is a bit like eating tapas. You get lots of interesting things to eat through the course of a meal that someone else has planned, but can't predict what will arrive next or why one has appeared with another.

The focus throughout is clearly on Rome--on mainly Roman sources and on events within Roman boundaries or that result from Roman actions. I came to the book mainly to learn more about the barbarian communities of Europe. In fairness, the title, the dust cover, and everything about the book makes it clear that Rome will be the focus--just a heads up for anyone who might have come to this book with priorities like mine.

The references are a goldmine for any amateur like me who wants to know what is available and where to look next. The text itself makes an amateur like me work to fit the pieces together and construct a complete picture that holds together. What follows is the picture that I built by looking for themes that run through the essays and circle back on themselves as Prof. Burns moves from one period or location to another. A warning to other readers: This is my take on Prof. Burns; my apologies in advance for misinterpretations!

The book relies most heavily on written sources in Latin and on Roman artifacts to describe barbarian society. In doing so, it repeatedly raises a strong caveat that Roman writers and artists usually did not seek to describe barbarians accurately. The structure of their works and the tropes used in them reveal a rhetoric broadly shared at the time in which writer and reader (artist and viewer) thought of barbarians as an essential "other" (1) that embodied characteristics that could be used to highlight growing softness and decadence in Rome, and (2) that Rome had to defend itself against and, more specifically, that Roman emperors-to-be had to show they could defend Rome against, whether real a threat existed or not. Result: We should read Latin accounts of barbarian life with great skepticism and an appreciation that their authors did not have the same goals that anthropologists have today.

Patron-client relationships dominated social connections within the Republic and Empire and between the Republic and Empire and barbarian groups throughout this period. Even relationships which appeared to have the imprimatur of an institutional entity tended to rely heavily on the personal commitments of the individuals involved.

The Roman frontier was not clearly defined in geographical terms until well into the Empire. Until then, Romans thought of Rome as a culture that could reach out in all directions and spread its values. The empire itself was defined geographically in terms of where Roman patrons lived in direct face-to-face relationships with their clients. Rome grew geographically as the interests of Roman patrons grew enough to spread a day-to-day presence of Roman culture. Always at the margin of this world were client states that Romans managed with great care without offering citizenship to relevant leaders. Leaders in these client states had specific Roman patrons, who may or may not have represented the interests of the Roman Senate or Empire when they established these leaders as their personal clients.

The Roman Republic expanded geographically to increase the status and wealth of Senatorial aristocratic families. The Empire expanded as generals seeking to be Emperor used successes on the frontier as a way to build support at home in Rome and, increasingly, among their own troops. Repeatedly, the principals seeking Roman expansion pointed rhetorically to the need to secure Rome against an ever-present barbarian threat. Although the threat was sometimes real, the dominant, real motivation for expansion lay in the political, social, and economic interests of the Roman principals.

Barbarians lived more densely in proximity to the Roman frontier than elsewhere. With a few isolated but important exceptions, there is only limited evidence that barbarians appeared there as wannabe invaders. Rather, the frontier offered opportunities for trade and employment. Rome drew the barbarians to its frontier; the vast majority of barbarians did not come primarily to attack Rome. Until very late, those who did attack Rome were basically bandits who posed more of a criminal than a military threat; such bandits existed inside and outside the formal boundaries once they were drawn.

Before contact with Rome, barbarian groups had little political coherence beyond familial clan and tribal levels. They shared language, religion, and material culture, but had no permanent hierarchical political connections. Informal alliances arose periodically to fight wars, but quickly dissolved. Rome sought to create more permanent barbarian client states that would be easier to sustain long-term agreements with and would be more effective in contributing to mutual defense. Over time, these efforts created the kingdoms whose names have come down to us in history. The families that developed claims to the crown in such kingdoms typically built those claims around their relationships with Rome and their ability to draw benefits for their own client tribes from Rome if they controlled the crown. Rome manipulated these families, favoring those who towed the Roman line and setting families against one another when Rome perceived a threat to its interests.

As a proving ground for future emperors, the frontier drew Roman armies to the frontier, drew Roman wealth to the frontier to create and sustain an infrastructure to support these armies, and induced the creation of Roman assets in the frontiers that required the continual protection of the frontier armies. That is, myths about the need to control barbarian forces created the need for a standing army. Fear of civil war between competing generals with their armies encouraged permanent placement of these armies far from the political heartland. Over time, these factors turned the Roman Empire inside out, pushing much of its wealth to its margins and repeatedly drawing its imperial leadership from emperors operating at these margins.

Rome accepted barbarians into its military forces in many different roles as far back as the Republic. Barbarians initially entered as individuals, who were diffused through the empire to serve under Roman leaders. Barbarians also entered as auxiliary light forces, ultimately under their own leaders. Some barbarians came to Roman service for a time and returned home, taking with them an understanding of how the Roman army worked. Others remained to retirement and were granted Roman citizenship for themselves and their children. Rome settled such retirees in colonies along the frontiers, building "Roman" communities from ex-barbarians with diverse heritages. Through the long passage of time, communities of military brats with barbarian heritages grew up; the sons replaced the fathers in their army units, building a tradition of local military service in these frontier families. Germano-Roman soldiers increasingly rose through the ranks to become legionnaires and generals and so potential Emperors.

Ultimately, Rome could not sustain army units on its frontiers in Europe and confront the Persian Empire at the same time. The Roman army was overextended; Rome decided to reduce its army presence on the European frontiers. As the army thinned down and disappeared in places, the infrastructure needed to support it went away as well, leaving significant parts of the frontier underpopulated. Barbarian groups moved in, with and without formal permission, to occupy empty lands. It became easier to protect towns from bandits and marauders than to defend whole areas formerly occupied by commercial farms (villas) or long expanses of road. Frontier towns built walls and increasingly looked to their own defense without significant input from the centrally managed Roman army. Arrangements that presaged medieval Europe began to arise well before large German kingdoms displaced central Roman authority in the West.

In the passage of time, Roman culture suffused itself into geographical areas well beyond Rome's formal boundaries. Roman society on the frontier increasingly absorbed influences from the barbarians drawn within the boundaries over time. Roman military personnel came to revere their German heritage as much as their Roman citizenship, especially following an imperial decision in the early third century to expand access to citizenship dramatically, thereby reducing its exclusivity. Roman generals of German descent led armies dominantly of German descent in the name of the Empire in the West. In a series of civil wars, some seized responsibility for the civil oversight of large regions from the central government. When Rome ultimately ended its efforts to sustain central authority in the West, new political entities arose to preserve the benefits of Roman culture for their own people, but this new culture could not preserve the cosmopolitan free-trade zone that had characterized the Roman world at its height. New leaders applied traditional patron-client relationships to sustain order in a more fragmented Germano-Roman world that evolved fairly steadily into a medieval world in the West as broader historical forces, beyond the control or understanding of any of the players, played themselves out in the Empire as a whole.

Troubling parallels between experience 2000 years ago and current events arise repeatedly. Does Prof. Burns perhaps bring too much of a modern perspective to bear? Or should we be busy learning from this rich account of the management of relationships between a dominant world power and the many, "less-advanced" societies that ring its frontiers and send emigrants across them during an era of rising uncertainty, anxiety, and instability?

Thomas Burns has painstakingly compiled a career's worth of educational study to show the relationships created, nurtured and harnessed between the Roman people and the ancient tribes of Western and Eastern Europe. You may find it suprising the actual dependencies held between both groups. The establishment of border "Barbarians" to shield long held Roman interests from the more savage of the norther tribes is a very old view of modern allied states. The Roman Republic and subsequent Empire was, in a very few words, a complex diplomatic, economic and military machine. The numerous working parts required much more than the strong arm presumed by most passing readers. The ability to successfully manage this type of entity placed incredible demands on Rome and its leaders while, at the same time, provided the proving (battle) grounds for all aspiring Roman up and comers. Burns does a fantastic job in showing that not only did Rome use the Barbarian tribes to prove the mettle of Roman officers, but integrated these same tribes into what would eventually become the ancient worlds greatest "modern" economy. The fall of the Roman Empire is shown not to be the cause of irresistible hordes of barbarian invaders, but the inherent impossibility of managing the vastness of Roman interests. Thomas Burns has earned his merits as a Roman scholar and in doing so brings to light a broad expanse of history and speculation that is integral to the study of Rome. Recommend this book to anyone who seeks a wide understanding of Rome and the group who both sustained and eventually became its citizenry - the Barbarians.

SHELTER offers a new refreshing look at homelessness. The author writes about a wide range of issues in simple English. This book will offer many people hope. Society should read SHELTER. I came away with a different perspective about homelessness.

SHELTER offers a new refreshinh look at homelessness. The book will offer many people hope. The author writes about a wide range of issues in simple ENGLISH. Society should read Shelter. I came away with a different perspective about homelessness.

Ever wonder what being homeless and living in a shelter really means? Read this book. It is amazing! It captures everything about a shelter--the smells, the volunteers, the other guests, the managers, the misconceptions, etc. This should be required reading for every person in America, especially those who say they want to help end homelessness.

I wrote SHELTER to show what homelessness feels and looks like from the inside of a homeless shelter in Tucson, Arizona. It was important for me to be honest about what landed me in a homeless shelter a few years ago. In SHELTER, I write about men who shared the same address: 300 E. Benson Hwy. Their stories gave me courage and hope. This experience taught me that I am no better than Joe homeless. I came away educated about the problems and issues of homelessness. My education continues today in a advocacy role. I serve on the Primavera Foundation Board of Directors, a local homeless non profit organization in Tucson.

Five things you can do to help the homeless in your city: 1. Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen. 2. Teach a homeless child how to read. 3. Write letters to the editor on behalf of the homeless in your local newspaper. 4. Hire the homeless. 5. Volunteer at a Homeless Shelter.

Let's fight homelessness together.

Thanks!

Bobby Burns END

If you have the Penguin Books 1992 version of SKIN DEEP, then you have 95% of the content of this edition. The Stories "Dog Days" and "Burn Again" were published as weekly strips between 1988 and 1991. The story "A Marriage Made in Hell" was published as a whole in RAW back in 1984.

If you were paying attention, you'll recognize "Dog Days" as the source material for the brilliant live action serial "Dog Boy" which ran on MTV's LIQUID TELEVISION.

For this souped up version of SKIN DEEP (volume 3 in The Charles Burns Library), there are new covers, new interior front and back pieces, and an epilogue with a little explanatory verse and some collected bits and pieces including: a Burns cover for BLAST magazine (1991, which also serialized Dog Boy), black and white reproductions of the 1992 edition covers and endpieces, a self portrait which also appeared on the cover of Comics Journal in 1992 and some fabulous Burns "wallpaper" which you are encouraged to photocopy to use as such.

Very satisfying for the Burn enthusiast.

This edition was delayed several times, probably due to the time consuming and painstaking efforts that go into his creations.

It's definitely worth the effort. Thanks Charles!

I confess to being a Burns freak, owning everything I can find of his - even if he only has one or two pages in a book, I will buy it. This doesn't disappoint if you are a fan of Burns, or just enjoy comix that are deeply twisted, some sort of hell from the inside of a demented mind. Burns has a distinctive way with the pen and the comix themselves are also enjoyable.

Distinctly creepy with a great deal of reality placed in a blender with some bad speed.Think of the images left in your mind when you wake up from a bad dream right before you get the shades open!!First rate story telling and art.

My wife doesn't like this book. That's all you need to know. Go for it. Well, I'll vouchsafe a bit more. A cartoonist I was talking to once put it very neatly. Speaking of his education by another cartoonist, he said "he taught me the art of knowing where to put the ink." Sounds silly, I know, but think about that next time you look at a B&W comic book. To me, Charles Burns might well be the first book I'd hand to someone, as Exhibit A of knowing where to put the ink. And I haven't even gotten around to discussing his subject matter, yet! You need to know that Burns' work is very emotional, more than a little surreal, peopled by montrous humanoids, a little too familiar for my tastes; most people would say ugly, the rest, beautiful. Themes of doglike love, the rampage of spirituality gone hopelessly awry, the pieces of passion exploded beyond recognition, and stitched together like a calico cat. It's all here. Good luck.

Ms. Esdaile's characters were 3-dimensional and complex. More than just a romance novel, Slow Burn wove a romance, mystery, and a woman's story of self-actualization into one. Her writing style is reminiscent of some of our most accomplished black female authors. Ms. Esdaile should be applauded! Hope to see her again real sooon.

While reading this story I keep saying Lord help her. How can one person have so many adversities to over come. I've never cried so much and so hard about a character in a book before. The story felt so real in the begining that I found myself praying for Claudia constantly. I had to get a grip and say this is only fiction but it felt so real.

Most romance novel characters lead a charmed existence. They generally are beautiful, rich and successful. They have bright futures. Love, given a chance, may stand a chance in such an environment. But what about those for whom life is not so rosy. The walking wounded. Nate and Claudia are two such people. They're not wannabes, they're use-to-bes. Claudia used to be a fastidious, religious, conscientious person before her sister's death. Nate was a successful businessman and attorney before his wife and child were killed in an accident. Nate and Claudia have shunned their former selves for self-pity and alcohol. It is not a pretty sight. The author has created a set of circumstances to make you wonder if the characters can make it from day to day, let alone creating a foundation for a relationship to grow. There are plot twists galore. When the ride is over and the book ends, all you can say is: "Whew."

This book was suggested for my book club to read by the owner of the book store where we meet. I recall her saying that the "Cover Design" does not do the story justice. That was an overstatement. This book was fantastic! The multi-dimensional characters lives were realistic, haunting, and packed with drama. Ms. Esdaile has woven an exciting thriller. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to satisfy my curiosity as to how Claudia and Nate would finally be able to rise above their circumstances and fine inner peace. The dialogue was real and the spiritual issues were tackled with divine intervention. Even the sub-characters had issues. I loved the way she connected all of the characters lives linking them together by the same circumstances. Her resolution was flawless! I can't wait to read other works by this very talented writer.

This book is beautifully illustrated and the author presents a unique idea. What perturbed me was the way in which some of the history was presented. The author gives the impression that Stalin, responsible for the murder, political imprisonment, and forced starvation of millions, was somehow the victim of Allied aggression. She also presents Diego Rivera in a flattering light as well. Rivera was a big fan of Stalin despite the fact that intellectuals and creative types often ended up executed or slaving away at the gulag. On the other hand, she mentions in the section on the Vietnam War Memorial Wall that many thousands of Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians were also killed. This is something that a lot of people who visit the a wall might not think about.

"People all over the world have been using and building walls for thousands of years. These walls tell many fascinating stories." Margy Burns Knight tells 14 of these fascinating stories in Talking Walls. Beginning with The Great Wall of China, Margy Burns Knight takes us all over the world and gives us insight into many different cultures. Each wall is featured in a two-page spread with beautiful illustrations by Anne Sibley O'Brien. The stories of the walls themselves never exceed three paragraphs, so you won't get bored reading a lot of details and facts about the walls and different cultures. Instead, you'll get just enough information to learn about the wall, the history behind it, and the people who built it. We also learn how walls can bring us together or keep us apart. Throw in a little folklore and you've got a fascinating book that is sure to spark a lot of conversation with your kids.

This might be the best introduction to social studies that elementary schools can get. It is a colurful, interesting book with young characters who will introduce your students to all kinds of walls and cultures around the world. An absolute must for the classroom because of its information, an absolute must for home because of its beauty and value in a home-education without too much school-like text.

This is an excellent book for children of all ages. Fantastic if you are looking for a multicultural book for your child or classroom. I have in fact found several sites on the internet ( one of the sites is that of the publisher Tillbury House)which give address and phone numbers for hundreds of lessonplans for teachers. A book that no elementary classroom should be without. There is actually a sequel call "Talking Walls:The Stories Continue" which I have not gotton my hands on yet.

"When the Purple Mountain Burns" provides a rich historical backdrop of Nanjing leading up to the horrific occupation of the city by the Japanese Army during WWII. The author captures the spiritual aspects of the founding and growth of the city and, the dynamic cultural life of the inhabitants. Qi's colorful description of the peoples and environs of Nanjing is almost lyrical.

The book focuses on several diverse characters and tracks their paths (and fates) during the first few days of the atrocity-ridden occupation by the Japanese. The powerful storyline clearly dominates the book, and indeed the reader can truly empathize with the plight of those trapped in the unfolding brutal and inhumane events. Unfortunately this proved to be too ambitious an undertaking for the author. The characterizations of the principals were simply one-dimensional, bordering on shallow. The characters were too simple, had no depth and it became difficult to relate to them and their actions. The book was deeply flawed in this regard.

The author has a good imagination and holds promise. The book started out so strong, but in the end failed to live up to its potential.

I didn't know anything about the Rape of Nanking until I went to one of Iris Chang's reading/book signing events, out of pure curiosity about eight years ago. I was shocked! I had thought I had a more than decent education and had a pretty good grasp of what had been going on in the world, particularly in the 20th century: WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam. I was so shocked because we're talking about hundreds of thousands of innocent people being slaughtered within the walls of a city not much bigger than Manhattan in the matter of a few weeks!

I began to pay more attention. I've since read the diaries of John Rabe, that German Nazi who organized the International Safety Zone, of Minnie Vautrin, a missionary professor who was running a women's college as a refugee center. I was profoundly touched by the day to day record of what was going on by those who witnessed horror firsthand. I've also read Paul West's The Tent of Orange Mist, which is about an art professor's daughter who was forced to become a "comfort woman" for the Japanese conquerors after the fall of Nanking. The first few pages are promising and the prose is exquisite. But there is not much story and development. As I was turning the pages, I started to feel, more and more, this sense of distance, or disconnect, as if the author cared more about his prose, or art, than what would happen to the people. It was a lot of "mist" all right. Just about a month ago I read Mo Hayder's new novel The Devil of Nanking. It's a real page-turner! Grey, the young British woman, grabs my attention from beginning to end as she searches for her own version of "holy grail." But eventually, I was not that satisfied. I guess I was looking for things the novel was not intended to deliver: What it was really like during those horrific days in Nanking.

That's why I was both excited and not sure what to expect when I noticed this new title: When the Purple Mountain Burns, a novel on the subject by a native son of Nanking. It took me two days to finish reading it and I have to say: I wasn't disappointed at all. In fact, I LOVE it! It's what I've been waiting for and it's come finally!

I was taken with Ning-ning, the 12-year-old protagonist from the very first page, and her Buddhist scholar type grandpa, and became worried about how they were going to survive the ordeal. The chapters narrated from their points of view are among the most touching and beautifully rendered. Nakamoto, the brigadier general antagonist, is "charming" in his way despite his sadistic obsessions. Historical figures, John Rabe, Minnie Vautrin, figure in the story, too. I felt I had already known them from reading their diaries, but Qi's rendition of what was going on inside their mind, their pain, and sense of hopelessness, as they went about, desperately, saving lives of innocent women and children and POWs, is intense, gripping, and convincing. Other favorite characters of mine are Eva, a 14-year-old girl, Helen, a student at the women's college, and Colonel Ling. Now the inevitable: the massacre scenes. They were huge and incredibly brutal and yet were never overdone.

The whole time I was reading, I was so breathlessly drawn into the story and felt I was right there when it was happening, and when good and evil were wrestling with each other on an epic scale with hundreds of thousands of lives at stake.

Even though I have never been to Nanking, or China, for that matter, I felt Qi, the author, knows Nanking, intimately,and knows its history, people, and culture. In a way the novel is not just about horror and war atrocities, but it is about love, and humanity when they are tested while horror and war atrocities are being committed; it's about people, and what will happen to them, and what they will do when they are caught in the web of evil. That's a huge bonus from reading Qi's novel. That is what I had hoped for from a novel that'd deal with the subject frontal.

Lastly, the multiple narrative points of view Qi uses to tell the story. Honestly, I was somewhat concerned at first as the chapters shift from one main player in this humongous drama to the next and back again: Would he pull it off? I was so relieved when I came to the last page of the novel. Everything happened for a good reason and everything had been carefully knit together to bring the story to a most powerful yet convincing ending: The snow-capped Purple Mountain overlooks the deeply-scarred ancient city. . . .

I wish the novel were longer and covered more than the first seven days. I want to know what will happen to the people who didn't die by the end of the novel. But then I realize short as it is, the novel is ambitious enough. If Iris Chang's book succeeded in bringing to our consciousness, once again, a horrific page of our modern history, largely forgotten, I must say Qi's novel-a first novel!-has done a fantastic job rendering history into a true, profoundly riveting human story. One of the reviewers has called the book a "must read" for America. I don't know if I would go that far. But I do HIGHLY recommend the novel for anyone who's interested in the subject and in knowing more about history, war, and about ourselves. It's a really good and rewarding read!

A `Must Read' for America


This novel is a "must read" for America. There are many people in America, including "intellectuals," who need to know what it says. And what more palatable way to learn than through a graceful, sensitive work of art that transcends tragedy? What amazed me is that my reading of this book has begun to fill a half-century-old hole in my elite, best-that-money-can-buy Ivy League, Fairfield County WASP education.



Special to the Milford Weekly ..November, 2004., When the Purple Mountain Burns, a novel by Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) professor Shouhua Qi unobtrusively slipped into the U. S. market this week by means of Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.

The book was recently released in China with fanfare and media attention.
Dr. Qi's book is already a hit in China. More importantly, it is a "must read" for Americans and America .Dr. Qi, whose hometown is Nanking, came to America in 1989 He now lives here in Connecticut and is associate professor of English at WCSU. . He is also the author of Bridging the Pacific: Searching for Cross-Cultural Understanding Between the United States and China and more than ten other books.
. With great appreciation and understanding of both Western and Eastern cultures, the book is an intimate account of six days in December 1937, when Japanese killed hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens in Nanking, Dr. Qi's hometown. The Japanese troops obey orders to kill all prisoners. Images, symbols sights, sounds and smells of death, rape and slaughter leap off the pages. They surround the readers' senses, like the inexorably approaching death squads. More than that, the book is a splendid portrayal of Chinese culture, tradition, history and humanity and of the heroism of a group of "saints" from the West. This is a spiritual book that at depth speaks of the transcendent truths of repentance, reconciliation and brotherly and sisterly love.

This novel is a "must read" for America because there are many people in America, including "intellectuals," who need to know what it says. And what more palatable way to learn than through a graceful, sensitive work of art that transcends tragedy? .What amazed me is that my reading of this book has begun to fill a half-century-old hole in my elite, best-that-money-can- buy Ivy League, Fairfield County WASP education. . Even though I am one of the presumably "best and the brightest" in the nation, I had had never heard of the 1937 atrocities in Nanking until I read Dr. Qi's novel. I had been taught Western history-not "world history"--in both high school and at a prestigious Ivy League University. . My image of China was that of a Great Wall ringing a backward population where nothing ever happened. These people, these events, these needless deaths, simply were not important: they were not a part of history as I had been taught by the "best" educators in the nation. . I know there are plenty of other "intellectuals" like me out there, and I have already talked with some of them from my generation as well as --- even more amazingly - from the now-young university generation.

Books can change livesand save lives.. This special book can help the reader awaken both to reality and to humanity, especially if, like me, he or she has not been aware, or just dimly aware, of the Rape of Nanking

The book's most endearing character is Grandpa , modeled on Dr. Qi's grandfather, an exemplar of Buddhist loving kindness. Sick and more than ready for death himself, he endures continued living solely so that his granddaughter Ning-ning,. 12, will not have to face the nightmare alone. Other lights of humanity are several Christian heroes (real historical figures) from the West, who risk their lives to create what they thought was a "safety zone. One of these was Minnie Vautrin, an American missionary and professor. After returning on a furlough to America, Vautrin ended her life at a gas jet of a kitchen stove: she blamed herself for not having saved enough lives. Some things, it is clear, are beyond the capacity of endurance.

At its allegorical depth, the story is about Ning-ning (which is a name synonymous in Chinese with Nanjing). Therefore, the story is about all of our our cities and all of our children. The grandfather-granddaughter love story is played off against the growing awareness of the inevitability of defilement and doom of both the city and the child. Grandpa tries to prepare Ning-ning bit by bit, by telling her about the ill-fated history of both their beloved city and her beloved family. He tries to warn her. He hopes to make things different, but he knows, at this time and in this place, he can not do so. Tragedy is tragedy is tragedy.

Spiritually, however, Grandpa and the book play a role in the ongoing effort to prevent such horrors from recurring. The most touching scene is the hastily arranged funeral service conducted by Grandpa and Ning-ning, just the two of them, after Auntie Huang, who lived downstairs, was grotesquely slaughtered, along with her husband and two children. "Those Japanese who killed Auntie Huang's family, can they find salvation?" Ning-ning asks.

"If they're truly repentant," Grandpa says, during the services in the midst of his grief, "there's still hope." Grandpa then relates a Buddhist parable about how true awakening and repentance can redeem anyone, anywhere, for most anything.

"May there be no war, no violence, no hatred, no greed, no misery in the next world, in this world, and in all the worlds here and beyond," the anguish-laden Grandpa chants over the corpses of Aunty Huang's family..

The words haunt us, hopefully forever. .

So does, hopefully, the image of Ning-Ning , her hands folded in prayer like a little Buddha, participating with Grandpa in one of the smallest yet hopefully most powerful funeral services in recorded history.

---END---

I got a copy of the novel as a birthday gift from a friend of mine. I was like: a war novel for birthday gift? Besides, I'm very selective in my reading, given my work schedule and taking one course at a time toward my master's degree and all; I only read books that are already critically acclaimed. But I decided to trust my friend's taste and gave this novel a try. I was hooked from the first page. Well, I did skip the first few pages, the "prologue," which gives a sketchy outline of China and Japan relations, and a quick picture of the city itself. I wanted to go straight to the story. Well, as I got more into the story, I did return to the prologue to get a better sense of the city and the historical context. Gradually I became so immersed in the story that I forgot what was happening was in a faraway land to people I am not even remotely connected to. I was shaken by the atrocities. I was often choked with raw emotions. I rooted for the people I'd grown fond of, the 12-year-old girl, her grandpa, and so on. In a way, they've become my own people. I read a few pages during lunch breaks and before bedtime and whatever chunk of time I could grab. When I was finally finished, I closed the book and looked outside the window, the darkness outside, for a long time, my mind still filled with the faces of the people, good and bad, that I'd got to know quite well. I doubt if I'll change my reading habit on account of this book alone. I'm already back to the same crazy life driven by deadlines and endless deadlines. I did call up my friend though and told her how I felt about the book. She laughed, "I told you it's good!"


Jasmine Pracella

This "book" does a great job with covering the patho associated with many conditions you will find in the ICU/CCU setting. It would be a good reference to keep at home for in depth reading.
I assumed (incorrectly) that since it was a pocket guide it would cover more aspects of hands on nursing care, pharmacology, lab data. I have been an ICU nurse for 10 years, but took a baby vacation. It's great to have a reference that goes into extreme detail of multiple diseases, but I wanted something a bit less in depth for fast reference to jar my memory before calling a doctor, responding to a situation etc. This book has a few quick, helpful facts in it, but not enough to convince me to lug it around in my bag. I wound up printing off my own data & putting it in a small spiral notebook

This book truly distills the essence of CCU nursing. The companion AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing: Pocket Handbook is also recommended as a quick reference.

The book is well organized and the different content areas are written in sections.It covers the basic to advanced critical care concepts and is easy-to-use. Must have for NEW nurses and a good resource for experienced nurses.

I have read this book as a teacher of English as a foreign language. When you teach EFL in the UK your experience is different to when you teach it abroad. Then you become aware of many Englishes. Your own teaching is assimilated in different ways.

There are also teachers who are not native speakers of English, so their teaching reaches their students already filtered by a different mind and vocal apparatus.

Another interesting section of this book is the guidance on variants of English and what is or not standard English. It sets boundaries that are very handy when you are in a teaching situation. You cannot simply impose your brand of Englsih to everyone.

A well compiled reader, with excellent coverage of the fundamental concepts and current issues in English as an International Language. Most abridged papers are from world's authorities in this field, e.g. David Crystal, David Graddol and Braj Kachru.

This book contains abriged essays by the big names in EIL (English as an International Language)such as Kachru or Graddol. It is thus very suitable as an introduction to the subject. However, I felt that the last section did not really fit into the topic any more and was somewhat superflous. Still, the book can be well used as an awareness raising text.