Cheng Books

This inspiring woman suffers greatly for her refusal to conform to the lies of society's leaders during the upheaval of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Rather than being consumed by bitterness she remains sympathetic to the sufferings of her fellow Chinese and the challenges facing the authorities. Highly recommended.

This is a difficult story to read, especially if one has lived through the Cultural Revolution. The Revolution is a trauma to the collective conscience of the Chinese people. It is a psychological scar that will take much therapy to erase. Ms. Cheng's autobiography works as therapy. It works because it is brutally honest. More than 10 years after its publication, this reader has finally worked up the courage to read it. Ms. Cheng bluntly suggests that a system, that makes the ordinary people living under it liars, cheats, spies, and petty thieves, has no redeeming value. One senses that Ms. Cheng was the lone voice of sanity and reason in a world so insane that it made her seem mad. One marvels at her stubborn sense of dignity and integrity, and gets the hope that the individual could triumph over system. To this reader, Ms. Cheng is an inspiration and a winner in the game of life for like few, who went through the Cultural Revolution, she is able to look herself in the mirror and know that she triumphed as a human being.

Nien Cheng's Life and Death in Shanghai is a very well written and inspiring autobiography. The story is based on her experiences and obstacles that she faced during the Cultural Revolution in Communist China. Cheng is a very courageous and intelligent woman who has survived many terrible situations. The distinction between her life before and after the Cultural Revolution clearly reveals the corruption and curelty of Communist China during that time. Cheng tells every detail, which captures the reader's heart and mind. Although her writing is not very emotional or passionate, her unique and amazing way of writing leaves the reader with emotions and sympathy. The book is not only a source of inspiration,but also a source of very precise historical information. The purpose of the book was for Cheng to reveal the victimization of the upper class of China. Because this kind of memoir is rare, it makes the book even more unique and interesting to read. Throughout the memoir, Cheng faces obstacles that seem impossible to overcome, but she has remarkable willpower and faith that got her through brutal times. Her confidence and willpower truly stirs the reader. Although Cheng faced horrible conditions in Communist China, she does not feel hatred for the country. This illustrates her compassionate and forgiving personality and good nature. This autobiography truly inspires and captivates the reader.

If you need a quick, authoratative review of internal medicine, and approaches to diagnosis and treatment, this is the one book to have. It not only gets you through the night, it also helps you present and discuss the case on rounds. Handy size. Not too much. Not too little. This will definitely give the Washington Manual a run for the money. My advice. Get both.

What a fantastic book! Similar to the Harriet Lane handbook for kids, this book has useful differentials, management plans, and treatments for the comprehensive evaluation of adults. Great coverage with useful algorithms. Also summarizes common errors or pitfalls. Many chapters with a heavy evidence-base when available. Formulary not as useful as Harriet Lane.
Overall, FAR superior to the Washington Manual. Strongly recommended for students and all residents (not just internal med) caring for adults.

For a first edition this book is amazing. As a medicine intern going on to second year, I too find it more useful than the Washington Manual, though the two books clearly have different purposes. As I said in the title, I wish this book were more pocketable (it fits, but is heavy). The first thing I would get rid of would be the formulary. I understand that the formulary is part of what has made the Harriet Lane book so successful, but it is a waste of space to put a formulary in a handbook of Internal Medicine.

*Amin Sabet

Great textbook! Highly recommended, especially if you want Pinyin. Very thorough, good vocabulary, dialogs, narratives, wide range of grammar coverage with exercises. I've tried a number of textbooks with Pinyin, and this is easily the best I've seen.

uses bopomofo, pinyin (spotty at times), english, and traditional characters to teach chinese.

get the workbook for extra practice.

I'm at Taiwan Normal University right now using this textbook to learn Chinese and I think it is an excellent text. It has a few flaws; some laughable/incorrect English translations and a few curious character choices, but overall I'm finding it to be a well paced and well designed text. As the other reviewer said, the workbook is useful, too. I find that I don't really get the lessons until I've worked through the workbook examples. Unfortunately, I'm not sure you can get the workbook through Amazon (though I didn't try very hard to find it).

You could probably use this text successfully with even an inexperienced Chinese teacher, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it as a text to use without an instructor or native speaker to guide you.

This is a wonderful book. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn Chinese Brush painting. Very beautiful work and easy instruction. One of my favorite art books.

This book is probably one of the best for beginners who want to get a full grasp of how to load brushes with multiple colors, do sequential washes (both wet and dry), as well as lists a full set of materials required for the lesson. Some would argue that it doesn't show the full range of Chinese calligraphy styles available, but I'm saying this book was just what I was looking for. It has several very nice projects to choose from, and all of them are beautiful when finished. It focuses mostly on animals and plants, but is thorough none the less. I did have the privlidge of looking at this book in a bookstore first, before buying it online.

I have half a dozen books on Sumi painting and this is my favorite. Mr. Yan is an extremely talented artist and the examples he uses to teach his techniques are just beautiful. He is very thorough in his explaning how to achieve various effects. I found his explanation of the role and significance of the traditional implements and supplies used in Chinese brush painting facinating. In summary, I learned many new things from this book even though I've been taking lessons for a year and read many other books.

I have recently started to learn Japanese and this book has proved to be an excellent guide. Besides gradual and usage-oriented introduction to the basics of Japanese grammar, the book teaches the reader about different useful aspects of Japanese culture. The quality of recordings on attached CDs is excellent and you can use the CDs to learn new vocabulary and practice dialogues when you are on the road. Every lesson has tons of excercises to practice. The only drawback I can think of is that there are no answer keys to most excercises

Breeze Into Japanese is a book with two audio CDs designed to help novices language gain basic conversational ability in the Japanese language. Featuring time-tested instruction methods, numerous examples and self-exercises, language and culture tips, native Japanese speech on the audio CDs, and a flexible, gradual introduction to the language that does not rush the beginner into the Japanese script but rather gradually teaches hiragana and katakana (the two Japanese alphabets), and a few kanji, Breeze Into Japanese is a first-rate self-preparation resource for business travelers, vacationers, or anyone looking to learn the basics.

This book provided this beginning tai-chi student with a rich, methodical philosophical "grounding" on some concepts that that are at the core of Eastern martial arts. Ralston helps the reader develop an awareness, quite literally "from the ground up", of reality. He conveys how complicated, profound and mutable are the interrelationships between the physical universe, the self and others, and how man has the capability to adapt harmoniously and effortlessly to change. Ralston even manages to shed some light on that elusive, yet pervasive, concept of "chi".

I highly recommend this book. It should not be read quickly, though. Like most good things, its insights will come to you gradually, and in their own good time.

Peter Ralston's knowledge on "being" and his profound use of the English language started my mind racing... Professor Cheng Man Ch'ing in his book "Tai-chi the supreme ultimate exercise for health, sport, and self-defense" (by Cheng Man-ch'ing and Robert. W. Smith) states on page 107, that "T'ai-chi hinges entirely upon the player's consciousness (i) rather than upon his external muscular force(li)." What Peter Ralston accomplishes in his book is explaining this consciousness -- and the idea of opening the mind to what "is" rather than what the player may "assume" it is. This book showed me what a lazy mind I had and gave me directions on how to make it active by being in the moment. It is instruction on having a beginner's mind -- always questioning, always alert. If you think you know it, you are ignoring what is really there and therefore you do not know. Most important, he writes, "Correction is not a 'bad'; it is a power. It is ability."

One caution -- unless you are ready to activate your brain by his indepth approach to this consciousness-training, do not waste your time -- it's not for a lazy mind.

When a master knows his art then there is no comparison.

Excellent information to deepen ones practice

I have been practicing the Cheng Man-Ching Form for about two and a half years. I have made a point of buying every book with the great man's name on the cover and this book is the one that I pick up and read more often than any other.

Fantastic if you are trying to learn chinese. Get the workbook with CD too! Great to read along with and listen too!

As a learner who struggles to find time and motivation to keep up my studies of Mandarin Chinese, this book is truly the answer! Of course, nothing replaces willpower and self-discipline, but this book is so cleverly structured that you'll find renewed enthusiasm to learn as you work through each page.

With plenty of clear vocabulary lists, reading comprehensions and fun puzzles to help re-inforce your learning, you'll be surprised to find that your grasp of the language deepens fairly quickly.

Being aimed at young students of the language, the material does begin with typical matter such as age, school grade, family etc. But by focusing on conversation essentials, you can easily start building up your own rudimentary questions and answers. By chapter 3, you'll be able to write short descriptive essays about your family and background.

There is clear and consistent use of English, Pinyin and simplified Chinese. The bad news for some is that there is no emphasis on traditional Chinese in this book (not a problem if you want to focus on learning the language for use in mainland China, as opposed to, say, Hong Kong)

You'll need the textbook version of this workbook if you want audio CDs to help with pronounciation. Personally, I find that using this book helps me strengthen my reading & writing, whilst I rely on audio courses (such as Liz Scurfield's cassette/CD guide) to improve my speech and listening.

All in all, I highly recommend this book as an essential companion to developing your progress in Mandarin Chinese. It works faster than you think, and echoes the classroom methods you used back in your schooldays to learn English as your first language! To me, it seems the most logical and pain-free way to pick up a second language!

I received this item earlier than the posted date (though Amazon usually ships early anyway so I had high expectations - which were met).

This is the best multimedia series I have ever seen! The courseware covers Chinese learning by enhancing your grammar, speaking, writing, and listening skills. It does so with textook, audio CD, multimedia course, and workbook. It also provides answers with clear explanations. The passages in the textbook are fun to read, the vocabulary taught are just the right amount. The information you're taught really helps you learn Chinese and to be able to use it in a practical manner, especially when you study abroad. There are multimedia exercises like Bingo; you can record conversations with the computer and practice before or after classroom time; you get to watch videos of native speakers; read cool traditional Chinese fables; and it has animated stroke orders if you're interested in writing Chinese characters! Everything is really fun, interesting, and informative. And you will learn so much helpful, useful, and practical daily Chinese language! I would highly recommend this multimedia courseware!

Russell Young's Dragonsong requires good reading skills but provides an involving story of a young dragon who must find a gift that will last a thousand years. A search for the prize leads to prosperity for the entire village.

Once every thousand years the four Imperial dragons choose one dragon to be "Keeper of the Mountain". Now, little Chiang-An, being the youngest dragon, must find a gift that will last a thousand years to win the honor of the title. Ching-An searches around the world for the prize, coming into contact with dragons from the West. Each shares his wisdom and gives Chiang-An a meaningful gift. When he finally heads home, he transforms all he has discovered into the gift that will provide prosperity for his beloved village. Dragonsong unfolds a fascinating, original, enthusiastically recommended and memorable picturebook story that is superbly illustrated in full color by Taiwanese artist Civi Cheng.