Chang Books

I breezed through this book in a couple of days. These "My Shot" interviews are classic, and the stories these golfers tell are downright amazing. Anyone into golf nostalgia won't be disappointed by this book.

Awesome book by an Awesome golf author!!!!!
A must have for the golf nut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received this book as a Christmas gift and use it regulary. Not only are the recipes wonderful, but so are the photos. You get a lot of history about the dishes, where they originated, etc. I have made a lot of the recipes in the book and have not had one disappointment. It's Irish cooking at it's best. I would recommend this cook book to anyone who loves to cook and enjoy's a good Irish meal. Two of my favorites are the Dingle Pie (spiced lamb pie) and Beef and Stout. Hearty meals, easy, delicious. Enjoy!

`Myrtle Allen's Cooking at Ballymaloe House' by Myrtle Allen is a really great collection of typically Irish recipes from a very personal point of view. In a sense, this book has as much or more in common with the great Savannah family restaurant book ` Mrs. Wilkes' Boardinghouse Cookbook' than it does with the average collection of Irish recipes. Not only are both books about local restaurant / hotels with a national reputation, they are also both books of incredibly simple recipes.

On the matter of the personal material, Myrtle Allen's book is far superior than the volume done in Mrs. Wilkes' name, since we are certain that all the anecdotes are first person memories, written by Ms. Allen herself.

The appearance of this book may give one the impression that it is not much more than a book length advertisment for the restaurant and Inn created by Ms. Allen and her husband and enhanced with the cooking school started by her daughter-in-law, Darina Allen and son, Tim Allen. Having seen a few such books, I can assure you it is not such a book. The extent to which it invites you to want to visit Ballymaloe House in County Cork is based entirely on a genuine feeling of dedication to hospitality, culinary arts, and natural attraction of the Irish landscape.

Not that Ballymaloe House needs much promotion. It is easily the best known rural hospitality hot spot in Ireland. I have seen Darina Allen on at least two different Food Network shows plus prominent mentions in `Martha Stewart Living'. So, it is the book which benefits from the preexisting reputation of the Inn, restaurant, and cooking school rather than the other way around.

Reading this book gives me the same kind of epithanies I experienced when I visited Germany and discovered that in the land which bred the dachshund dog, it was the long haired variety which was much more common on the streets in the Rhineland than the far more practical short haired variety which would have been more suitable for its original use as a badger hunter. My epithany with this book is the fact that contrary to conventional wisdom in the United States, it is not white flour soda bread which is the traditional Irish bread, but a brown (whole wheat) soda bread which is actually commonly served in Ireland, at least in Cork and at Ballymaloe restaurant(s).

For a book retailing for $27.50 with an advertised 100 recipes, this is an exceptionally well designed and photographed book. Of course, photogenetic Ireland has a lot to do with this, but the book takes full advantage of the Emerald Isle's photo opps.

Returning to the comparison with Mrs. Wilkes' book on her Savannah establishment, the recipes in this book and that are all remarkably simple, but touch some very interesting territory in their simplicity. The first little delight is the recipe for a `tomato ring', moulded from a variation on a tomato juice recipe, by adding gelatin and leaving out water and olive oil. There may be some recipes which do involve some unfamiliar procedures such as that very French technique of making a garnish of hard boiled egg yolks by pushing them through a strainer. This may strike one as tedious, until you so it once or twice and appreciate the great effect it has on the dish and your diners' appreciation of the dish. So, while everything here is simple, there may be a few things which do not strike you as easy or familiar.

Sometimes, the titles for some recipes may be misleading to our American eyes, as with the recipe for `billy's french dressing' which is much more like a true French vinaigrette than it is like that mysteriously salmon colored preparation we knew so well in the supermarket. And yet, it has its own distinctly Irish touches, including watercress, which is actually the original shamrock, displaced later by clover.

I am impressed with page after page of really simple recipes, most with relatively few ingredients and simple preparation steps. The average American amateur cook may find a few ingredients which are hard to find at the local megamart, such as lovage or nettles. There are also a few vaguely inexact expressions of ingredient types, such as `mild wine vinegar'. This is ambiguous on two counts. First, does it mean a mild taste? Second, does it mean low acidity? If the latter, then the very best may be rice wine vinegar. White wine vinegar would be a clear mistake, as its acidity is higher than red wine vinegar, although it may be misconstrued, by being light in color, as being milder than red wine vinegar.

But, I am happy to say all measurements have been made in U.S. friendly terms. Everything is just as exact as it has to be, but no more.

In my search for the very best Irish cookbook, this one ranks high among those I have seen already. You will not be disappointed if you pick this book to represent Ireland in a working collection of international cookbooks.

Mr. Bertram Ulrich demonstrates rare talent in picking out selections from NASA's art collection that are emblematic of different period's of the Agency's history.

Mary Kalamaras was the in-house STC editor not the author. Please correct. I wanted, when planning the publication of this book, to publish an exciting and riveting history of the space program. I wanted to illustrate it with the extraordinary art collection that NASA has been building from its inception, inviting artists from Robert Rauschenberg to Norman Rockwell to attend its launches and observe and document its work. This published work is my dream come true. Brilliantly written and finally designed by Nai Chang, and superbly printed, it is everything a gift book is supposed to be: a great story informed by extraordinary images... in this case one of the most absorbing stories of the twentieth century. Lena Tabori, until August 1,1998, Publisher/President of Stewart, Tabori & Chang.

the material in this book is absolutely great. the concepts that are presented are something one wont get in college. the graphical user interface chapter, i think should have covered additional aspects like cohesion and coupling and good GUI practices in the software industry. the book is definitely a good buy even now ( though it is 2 years old)

This book covers a wide area of subjects related to Client/Server architecture, networks, architecture design, implementation guidelines, strategy, security... There is a good balance between theoretical and practical knowledge. Due to the extend of the subjects, it can not go in depth in all points, but it is definitely a very practical and usefull reference book, probably aimed at managers and consultors who want to update their knowledge or learn on specific network development. Price a bit step, but again there is a lot of information, and with Amazon discount, it makes it a good buy.

This is treat for anyone interested in photography, especially in the period leading up to Winogrand, Friedlander, etc. Most of the photographs in this book, I've never seen before. Included are interesting 35mm work by Diane Arbus, some untypical Avedon, great Robert Frank's that I haven't seen published anywhere else, early Winogrand. However the really nice thing about this book is in being able to see the work of those lesser known, but nonetheless great, photographers such as Leon Levinstein, Louis Fauer, Alexi Brodovitch, and many more. Also includes a thorough and informative essay as well as individual profiles on the artists involved.

I agree that this is a great collection of photographs, many either never or seldom published before, and supported by interesting and original text. It is amazing how little biographical information exists on so many photographers. I bought the book because it encompassed so many of my photographic heroes and introduced me to some photographers I was not familiar with. But the reason I decided to actually write a review here was to correct the previous reviewer who mentions that Gary Winogrand's work is included in the book. It's not. But it sure is nice to see more on the Photo League. What a great group. And it's nice to see their influence so fully recognized. Thank you Ms. Livingston!

I am something of a collector of Hoffmann's Nutcracker stories. Especially the illustrated children's picture books. I have two criteria. One: The full Hoffmann text must be used in the text--no abridgements! Two: The illustrations must be fantastic--in every sense of the word.

The three very best, in no particular order:
1. Maurice Sendak's version. Sendak designed the costumes and sets for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker Suite. The designs were also used for Nutcracker:The Movie (which, sadly, is not available on DVD. hint!). It is filled with endless color sketches that communicate the strange atmosphere of Hoffmann's text--and Tchaikovsky's music.

2. Carter Goodrich's version. Most notably known for his whimsical New Yorker cartoons, Goodrich's soft, yet dream-like images give his imagination free-reign. The world of the Nutcracker has never been so accessible to young and old alike.

3. Of course, Gennady Spirin's version. Jewel-like, yet with an old-world patina, each painting glitters with the magic of Christmas. Every image can (and should) be poured over to examine the breathless detail of Spirin's baroque dollhouse universe.

There are too many uninspired or bowdlerized versions of this tale littering the market. If I may, I'd like to make some suggestions of others who would be worthy to take a "crack" at this Christmastime masterpiece:

Edward Sorel, of "The Saturday Kid" fame.
David Wiesner of "Sector 7".
Peter Malone, who did an excellent job with "The Magic Flute".
Brian Selznick of "The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins".
Peter Sis, who created the haunting "The Three Golden Keys".
and Marc Sutherland, who made the deliriously animistic "MacMurtrey's Wall".

This book belongs in any serious Christmas book collection. The story may be well known, but the illustrations are of extraordinary beauty! Russian born artist Gennady Spirin won several awards for his work on this book. It is like leafing through a book from times gone by. It also makes a great gift for a Christmas enthusiast.

This informative book, with chapters by several different psychologists, is a wonderful balancing of the one-sided "positive psychology" movement. One size does not fit all of us !! And this book respects and understands our individual differences. I particularly appreciate the chapter by Julie Norem, Ph.D., which previews her insightful new book, The Positive Power of Negative Thinking, about the psychology of Defensive Pessimism.

If you are like me and feel that optimism and pessmism can be both good and bad, you must check out this book! The chapters are interesting, thorough, and cover alot of ground. One or two of the dozen or so chapters can be a bit dense however. Nonetheless, this is by far the most balanced book I've seen written on optimism by some top people like Martin Seligman (who wrote Learned Optimism). It was refreshing to see that the cup can be both half empty and half full at the same time! (The Ying and Yang art cover is absolutely fab if you're into such things.)

I'm a freelance writer based in New York and I write columns for several national publications on diverse topics ranging from education to health.

Five years ago I was shopping with my fiance' and happened upon this book in a local bookstore. I started to thumb through the pages and became entranced with the contents of the book. My fiance' found me a while later, reading with tears streaming down my face. I was embarassed and he was quite humored. My paternal grandmother had passed away a year earlier and I was so touched, so mesmorized by this book. I told him that I MUST purchase it. He then told me that I couldn't...because he had already purchased it for me as a surprise. He had found the book in the same store only the day before and knew that I would fall in love with it...and I did. My maternal grandmother passed away a few months ago...and I am now purchasing a 2nd copy for a cousin as a Christmas present. Kudos to Linda Sunshine...what a ray of sunshine this book has been for me. On a side note...I was pleasantly surprised to see an entry by Keri Picket on her grandmother, Josie. One of my all time favorite books is the one she wrote/documented, "Love In the 90s" regarding the love story of her grandparents...including photos and pesonal letters.

I'm a 46 year old man that doesn't get emotional but this book constantly brought back memories of my grandmother. Over and over again I saw her reflected in the stories I read. Memories I had long forgotten came back to bring me smiles and tears. The photographs were exceptional in their reflection of the authors feelings. Thank you Linda for finding so many outstanding authors to share with us.

A beautiful & informative book if you love the great North. A must-have for outdoor lovers.

Some of the most beautiful photos I have ever seen. With rivers, mountains, tundra, animals, these scenes are gorgeous. Informative text with specific info. on outdoor activities for each region.

I couldn't agree more with Ikeda-san. I'd give it "six stars"! This book was my "Bible" when I first became interested in Zen. Thank heavens it's now back in print after years of unavailability.

Particularly inspiring are the 40-odd pages devoted to discourses of great masters like Hsu Yun and Han-Shan (Nansen), followed by the most inspirational extracts from autobiographies of classic masters from the "golden age of Zen" in China.

Here's Zen straight from the horse's mouth, straight from the living experience of enlightened masters. If I were to have but one book on Zen it would be this one. I'd recommend anyone who takes Zen seriously to get it while you can.

Scattered throughout the book are gathas composed after awakenings, such as:

Waves and ripples flow
In the cool sky;
Fish and birds swim
In one mirror
On and on, day after day.
Last night the moon fell from the heavens.
Now is the time to illumine
The black dragon's pearl. .


... ( autobiography of Han Shan )
.

Garma Chang's engaging book conveys a clear idea of what Ch'an/Zen practice actually involves - illustrated by succinct readings from classic Ch'an/Zen texts, spanning centuries. These are not just more 'Zen stories' - presented without rhyme of reason. You get a good spread of teachings, backed up by fascinating observations about certain key terms/idioms,and there isn't a wasted word, from cover-to-cover. While respectful of the Ch'an/Zen axiom - "not to speak too plainly" (pu shuo pu), Chang's remarks place the practice in its proper context of Mahayana Buddhism. So far possible, Chang takes you 'inside' the minds of the teachers and practicers quoted in this book. This book offers some refreshing 'angles' on Zen practice, which reflect Chang's own experience in mainland Chinese temples and a familiarity with key Ch'an/Zen sources. Chang had an excellent command of English (not always the case with Asian Buddhist teachers/translators), and was thus well placed to present the material in this text. Following the Communist takeover of China, Chang took up American citizenship and eventually became a Professor at Penn State Uni, drawing on his valuable experience with traditional Buddhist teachings.

Alas, this excellent book has had a relatively low profile since its publication in 1959, and well deserves reprinting. It was perhaps, ahead of its time, hitting the market before Westerners wanted to practice Ch'an/Zen with any seriousness, or in sufficient numbers, to give it the profile it deserved. The subsequent boom in interest - fostered by the fruits of post-war contact with Japan, brought focus upon the Japanese Zen schools. Still, it is worth noting that - D.T. Suzuki, one of the most seminal figures behind this expansion of interest - based his most successful writings upon the records of Chinese masters of the Tang. I'm not suggesting, for a minute, that we should ignore the good things brought our way by dint of contact with the Japanese Zen schools - but,in some respects, we have become mired in institutional postures which matter far less than we might suppose. Indeed, Philip Kalpeau's Japanese Zen teachers had 'mixed' backgrounds - and, not everyone toes this 'institutional' line.

Chang touches on this issue, which had its roots in Chinese Buddhism, but in the final estimate, it isn't such a big deal. Refreshingly, Garma Chang presents Ch'an/Zen Buddhism on a large canvas, reflecting his wide experience (he had Tibetan Buddhist teachers, besides Chinese ones). Besides this book dealing with Ch'an/Zen, he gave us a beautiful translation of Milarepa's Buddhist verses (The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa), a translation of the Maharatnakuta, and a truly groundbreaking translation of key Hua-yen texts, with lively commentary suitable for contemporary readers. These latter works have kept a stronger profile - but, if you value Ch'an/Zen Buddhism, don't miss this precious little pearl of a book - 'The Practice of Zen.'