Fairbanks Books

It is unfortunate that facts/ knowledge of The Thousand Mile War had to be learned outside the class room. What is even more sad, is the fact that this book was never checked out since 2003 (at least), from the University of Alaska (Juneau), of all places.

Perhaps more than any other theater of war, the Alaska/Aleutians campaign may be the least known and most misunderstood series of battles in WWII among both the general public and many history aficionados. Japanese troops on American territorial soil in and of itself is a shocker for many readers. Brian Garfield created a classic with this book first published in 1969 and periodically republished. Well written and researched, Garfield manages to keep the reader avidly engaged through all 400 plus pages. He is particularly effective at conveying the horrible weather conditions across a continent sized battlefield faced by ill-prepared troops with inadequate supplies and protective gear, grinding away on a daily basis. Brutal weather was accompanied by brutal combat both at sea and on land. Fierce fighting was the norm and both sides took heavy casualties. Still the best book of this part of WWII.
Steven Bustin, Author: How The USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII.
Humble Heroes: How the USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII

For many military history buffs, it is the pieces of history that remain laregely untold (or at least unheard) that hold the most appeal. Brian Garfield's dramatic--yet detailed--account of the American/Japanese chess match in the Aleutians is one of the best-written accounts of an overshadowed campaign I have yet to come across. Garfield's attention to detail, honesty, and even-handedness results in the type of read rarely found in modern military history volumes. From the mundane life of a soldier on the uninhabitable Alaskan islands to the overwhelmingly costly combat that occured on, around, and above U.S. soil, the story of the Aleutian campaign is anything but forgettable. A must-read!

Very good book! Having spent three years living in the Alutians (Adak)in the early 90's, I can't imagine the living conditions there 40 years earlier. One summer day in 1991 stands out in my memory. We were blessed with both a clear day, which are very few, and far, far between, and a Reeves Aleutian Airline's pilot that took us on a sight-seeing tour on our way out to Shemya, before heading towards Anchorage. He flew low over several islands allowing us to see the reamins of an old airstrip, a ship that had been sunk near another island, whales in the Bering sea, and gave me some memories of things not a lot of people will never see. Having read the book before this flight, it gave me an odd feeling knowing of some of the events that had taken place there years before. I think you'll enjoy reading this book,

Having served in the Aleutians durning the Cold War and part of the Vietnam War, my interest was heightened. Also, having a dear friend who was actually there from 1940 through 1945 and hearing him tell of the characters in the book was enlightening. The book was well written, well researched and gripping in its "real life" portrayal. I recommend this book to all who like to read about actual events and see their realationship to the bigger picture.

Relics of Eden retraces man's history by unrefutable DNA evidence showing through the mastermoves of a very resourceful genome, unveiling our inner chimpansee, like Neil Shubin used fossil evidence for 'Your Inner Fish'. Naturally recommended!

Helps put the DNA evidence for human evolution in clear perspective for both a tech and general audience--well done.

The only improvement that could be made upon this book would be for Fairbanks to have been a bit more aggressive in explaining exactly HOW each piece of evidence supports evolutionary theory, and how it does NOT support the hypothesis of an intelligent designer. He does this to some extent, but Sean Carroll beats home the point better in his "The Making of the Fittest". Overall, though, this is a very good book with concise examples of molecular evidence for evolution. A brief introduction to genetics, molecular biology, and evolutionary biology, however, may have supplemented the evidence nicely so that someone who isn't well versed in these topics can see EXACTLY why the evidence is so convincing.

Creationists, including ID-creationists, sometimes claim that recent discoveries in molecular biology pose enormous problems for Darwinism; but Fairbanks shows that the latest DNA evidence actually provides overwhelming confirmation for two of the most important aspects of Darwinian evolution: common descent and natural selection.

What's more, as if to goad the creationists, Fairbanks focuses primarily on the one species that creationists care about the most: homo sapiens.

Regarding common descent, Fairbanks uses the simple analogy of copying a document on a series of photocopiers, each of which has a slightly different defect, i.e., "mutation," on the copier surface. An orderly process of photocopying will produce an orderly, branching pattern of "mutations" in the copies, making it possible to deduce the "genealogy" of individual copies. Likewise, if orangutans, gorillas, chimps, and humans branched off in that order from a common ancestor, then their DNA should reflect an orderly, branching pattern of mutations too. Fairbanks analyzes a number of examples showing that DNA evidence reveals the branching pattern predicted by Darwin's common descent hypothesis over and over again.

Regarding natural selection, some of Fairbanks' evidence involves coding and non-coding segments of DNA. Coding segments have important functions, which presumably would be difficult to change. Non-coding sequences, on the other hand, generally don't seem to have important functions, and presumably can mutate freely. Obviously therefore, if natural selection is true, then descendant species should have more mutations in non-coding segments than in coding segments. And that's exactly what this particular type of evidence shows. Fairbanks describes other types of DNA evidence that also confirm predictions derived from Darwin's natural selection hypothesis.

This was a fascinating, informative book. There is some technical language, of course, but it's not overwhelming at all. Fairbanks' explanations and examples are simple enough for even a layman to grasp.

If I had one complaint, it would be that Fairbanks didn't really highlight the stark contrast between evolution's making thousands upon thousands of successful predictions and ID's failure to make even a single meaningful prediction. Not even one! Scientific theories are judged by the significance and the success of their predictions. Since ID doesn't generate any significant predictions at all, it's not even in the game.

Despite that minor quibble, Fairbanks' marshalling of DNA evidence really was impressive. DNA evidence is generally considered to be conclusive in criminal and civil court cases, and juries literally make life-and-death decisions based on that evidence. For creationists to ignore the overwhelming DNA evidence in this case reveals the blindness of their faith.

The focus of resistance to Charles Darwin's "dangerous idea" was, and remains, the place of the human species. Even in Darwin's time, most educated people could perceive how natural selection solved many of the issues of life Nature posed. Humans, however, were excluded from the process in the minds of some. The thought of humanity emerging from the African continent millions of years ago stuck in the craw of those who wanted our species to be something special. That reluctance to accept the human heritage is shown to be false by this fine volume. Daniel Fairbanks offers us an excellent overview of how humans came to be. In doing so, he utilises the firmest and most secure tool in science's kit. If similar physiology and the fossil record wasn't sufficient, genetic research has proven beyond doubt that our heritage rests on the primate lineages beginning in Africa thirty million years ago.

Early genetic studies demonstrated that the genome of chimpanzees and humans were strikingly similar. More recent work has examined those similarities in greater detail. The evidence shows how specific areas in the human and chimp genomes are often duplicated exactly. Fairbanks, after noting how DNA's structure has some deceptive tricks up its molecular sleeve, explains how these have been used to trace the links between apes and humans. There are "transposons", segments of DNA that "Cut and Paste" themselves to new locations. We have many of these, but they seem to have settled down to become analytical tools. There are pseudogenes, retroelements, introns and other characteristics which add to the researcher's analytical tool kit in making studies across species. Just one example, locating pseudogenes, has permitted mapping of the divergence of orang utans, gorillas, chimpanzees and humans. Many more such examples abound in this book.

He explains how our cells contain DNA segments "independent" from the main DNA molecule in the cell's nucleus. The little energy-providing mitochondria are the result of bacteria invading ancient cells and taking up residence. These supplied the larger cell with energy while the host provided shelter to these miniscule entities. Further, he shows how the Y chromosome, which determines if the human embryo will be male, has its own "markers" to trace changes. From this, he begins to match up the human and ape genomes in building his explanation of our roots. One of the more unexpected finds was the merging of two ancient ape chromosomes into one in humans. Apes have 24 chromosomes to humans 23. Fairbanks explains how we know the fusion took place by pinpointing the loci indicating it.

Perhaps the most gripping chapter of this book is "A Spectacular Confirmation". This segment resulted from the mapping of the full Chimpanzee Genome in a manner similar to the Human Genome Project. An excellent diagram portrays the two genomes together, with the similar and differing areas clearly mapped out. One of the first things the reader will note are the little arrows showing how some human and Chimp chromosomes are reversed relative to each other. He goes on to explain how natural selection can bring such inversions about and what, if any, impact they have.

Lest all this appear to be an overwhelming academic treatise, have no fear. Fairbanks' intention is to bring this information to the widest possible audience. He does so with an almost conversational style. That clarity is enhanced by the fine illustrations accompanying the text. Only rarely is he forced to recapitulate the eye-warping string of As, Ts, Cs and Gs making up your DNA. In so doing, however, he points to the significant segment and explains its importance. That wide audience, of course, includes the element of the population still resisting the idea of natural selection and how it works. In "When Faith and Reason Clash", Fairbanks demonstrates how the US "creationist" element is misguided in claiming that evolution by natural selection and their god cannot co-exist. He shows how misconception and sometimes outright chicanery have combined to mislead the US population into continuing to buy into the Biblical "creation" account at one level or another. It's interesting in this regard that while he addresses mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome, he fails to point out the "first couple" of the creationist Bible would have lived eighty thousand years apart according to that research. Given the title of this book and the audience he addresses, this might be considered a major oversight. In all, this is a highly informative book, free of polemical thrusts or deep philosophical concept. It's straight science, well presented and should end one part of the struggle over our roots. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I found the book a terrific read. I think it is huge task for an developing country to grow out of the habits of being follower. It is not impossible, but the probablity is low, especially since most of these countries are not technologically savvy.

The book gives anyone from an emerging country some hope that they too can compete in this quickly advancing world.

Cheers

Victor

This book is a surprise. Very fun to read, very insightful and plenty of new ideas for doing business from emerging economies.

I found the book a terrific read. I think it is huge task for an developing country to grow out of the habits of being follower. It is not impossible, but the probablity is low, especially since most of these countries are not technologically savvy.

The book gives anyone from an emerging country some hope that they too can compete in this quickly advancing world.

Cheers

Victor

This is a complex and multidimensional book on many levels. This book is not really about what governments can do to help their countries develop. In fact, the word "development" hardly appears. It is about the unproductive relationship between government and the private sector that wastes time and other valuable resources in emerging economies. The authors hold both parties responsible for moving on.

As stated on the first page, Simon Bolivar's epitaph reads, "Whomsoever has worked for a revolution has plowed the sea." Meant by Bolivar to convey despair and the heartbreak of failure, these words are transformed by the authors who have maintained a sense of optimism and good humor throughout their own experiences in the rugged world of transformation consulting. The Introduction, the book's first substantive chapter, is a cautionary tale of the Colombian flower industry, that prospered globally for decades, but later declined and has not yet recovered. Through this "case", seven patterns of firm behavior that inhibits economic agility are identified. The first seven chapters of the book elaborate on these patterns, wonderfully illustrated with other cases (Peru's fishmeal and Bolivia's soy industry, for example). The authors describe a sort of bratty adolescence that traps companies and industries in emerging economies. Chapters 8 and 9 are a fine application of micro principles around the theme of strategy, again focused on the firm. The authors advocate the old-fashion but culture shattering step of focusing on customers, costs and competitors in order to guide and inform decisions about strategy, positioning and productivity. They offer information and learning as a way for firms to experience a "coming of age" in the competitive sense. The role of government in promoting economic transformation is not touched until Chapter 10, two-thirds of the way through the book. Chapter 10-12 are probably where readers will find the book a bit frustrating and repetitive. Not enough time is spent defining what the authors mean by "steering mechanisms". This is undoubtedly because the book assumes the reader already knows alot. Chapter 10 mostly illustrates shifts in steering mechanisms using the case of a wall-bouncing Bolivian government. Chapter 11 is almost singular for business books - there is an actual discussion of research and the presentation of data. It is a practitioners discussion, however, not an academic one, so potential readers can relax.

B-school vets and other warriors will recognize alot here as an application of Michael Porter's "diamond model" from his Competitive Advantage of Nations (1990) and indeed, Porter writes the Foreword. The authors have extended the "diamond's" scope and reach, but their own model is not apparent until the end, Chapter 13. Their model for bringing about industry level change appears in the book's final four pages.

This book's protagonists are leaders in firms, industries and government, as well as their mindsets and actions. The word "leader" might be interpreted by some readers as "government" but this is not accurate. This book does do something extraordinary, however. On one hand, it is a blood and guts how-to on diagnosing and fixing the self-defeating decision making of firms in the emerging world. On the other hand, the conceptual framework within which political economics is practiced, debated, planned and evaluated is updated to reflect the fact that competitive advantage, not absolute or comparative advantage will increasingly referee the win/loss columns in the global economy. The context of political economics is addressed entirely without reference to ideology. This might strike some as soulless or arrogant. It might strike others as about time.

The writing in this book reflects a highly integrated understanding of business and economics, as well as intimate and affectionate knowledge of Latin American business and classical culture. Also apparent are the authors very fine liberal arts backgrounds, years on the road and a sense of mirth. Finally, these authors clearly know their work and thinking is culture altering and socially revolutionary. Their obvious goal is to realize the dream of Bolivar by capturing the minds of today's business, industry and government trend setters. While I would say their hearts are definitely not bleeding nor on their sleeves, their drive and focus are more uplifting than anything I have read or seen in a long time.

A very insightful book about how countries as a whole compete in the world economy. It presents several interesting ideas about relative competitive strengths & weaknesses of nations and the source of these competitive positions.

The book falls short on readability. The authors could have conveyed the same message in half the pages. Often, I found myself skipping entire paragraphs and sections to find the ideas burried in all the verbiage.

I still rate it a 4 because of the importance of the topic covered and the insights contained in the book.

I've been woodworking for a a little over a year and had read about Sam Maloof in articles here and there. A few months ago I got to visit the Sam Maloof foundation and I fell in love with the way he shapes his pieces of furniture. As part of the tour we got to sit on one of his rockers and not only do they look beautiful but they are amazingly comfortable. That's when I decided to buy this book to learn more about him and his art.
This book includes Sam Maloof's story from when he first began and his experience as he grew into his woodworking career. It is inspiring to read and to see how he persevered even though it was not easy at the beginning. The book is full of pictures of his work, more than was available at the Maloof foundation. It includes a high-level description of how he makes his famous rockers too.

As you most likely know, Sam Maloof is an icon in the world of woodworking. This book does a great job of both highlighting his many creations as well as to tell the story of the man who would define an entire style and change the face of fine furniture. Written by Sam himself, the book gives you an insight into his genius and humility that you can't get anywhere else other than from the man. And it's clear he had creative input into the design of the book itself, as it's beautifully illustrated and elegantly laid out. I'm relatively new to woodworking and the brilliance of Sam Maloof, but I'm so glad I'm able to have discovered him while we're still blessed with his presence on the earth. Get this book.

IF YOU ARE INTO WOOD OR WOODWORKING AS MUCH AS I AM, OR EVEN IF IF YOU ARE ONLY INTO READING ABOUT GREAT ARTISTS/CRAFTSMEN, THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR YOU !! IT DETAILS WITH GREAT CLARITY SAM'S LIFE & WORK THROUGH BOTH PHOTOS & REMARKABLE WRITING. I FOUND IT INFORMATIVE & INSIGHTFUL!! DO NOT PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN THIS BOOK !!!

BILL

Sam Maloof is a world treasure. His book reflects his passion and skill as a master. Sam's book is not written in a pompous manor but in a matter of fact point of view. Sam shares his life with us and puts it on paper. I have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Maloof and his lovely and gracious wife, Alfreda before her passing. Sam's love and passion for his craft is second only to his devotion to God and his love for his beautiful wife. His book reflects that in a way that is educational, thought provoking and simple. His warm and friendly demeanor in person is very evident in this book! Sam beleives there are no secrets in woodworking. He shares his finish and techniques in this book, although this is NOT a "how to" book. Reading this book, you will learn something about philosophy, Spirituality and some woodworking along the way.

Keith Kidd Vice-President Cerritos Student's Woodworking Association (CSWA)

I bought this book when I was a student of woodworking/cabinetmaking in college, after hearing and seeing and studing some of Mr.Maloof's work in class. I found his command and respect for his craft, and the material that he works with to be second to none. His work is a insperation in it's self but once you find out the story behind this unbeliveable man it is all the more fasanating. his simple thoughts and down to earth style are a insperation to all. after reading this book I was amazed and inspired by this man and will remember and re-read this book may times.he will always be a insperation to myself and all woodworkers for years to come

If there's one book that I could recommend to the general reader on the history of modern China (i.e. from circa 1800-1985), it would be this book.

To be honest, my first impression of this book is not a very good one in the sense that I did not feel like dancing in joy. This is because the book appears to me to be too simple, lacks good facts and not very scholarly. How could Fairbank write such a book? My expectations were very high or to be precise, I have expected the wrong things. This book is not intended to be scholarly, not intended to bog you down with boring details but is intended to be entertaining and at the same time have enough facts to highlight certain important events.

I bought this book only on a second visit to the bookshop and perhaps due to a change of mood, I find the book entertaining and at the same time enlightening in that it proposes different views on events that have not been considered before. For example, the discussion on the port of Hankow was quite enlightening. This is refreshing and after understanding the intentions of the book, my perception and expectations changed and I was able to see it in a new way. Since then, this has been one of my favourite books on modern Chinese history and will become a benchmark for me to measure good historical storytelling.

Compared to Jonathan Spence's "In Search of Modern China" this book appears to me be more entertaining and in a way, more intelligent. Highly recommended.

No decent individual who wants to talk about China, or wants to understand Chinese history in the last 150 years, can skip anything written by Fairbank. If there's anybody who can claim to be 'the' authority on China, Fairbank would be the one. And this work is his crowning glory, culmunating in a tour de force after research in this field for more than half a century. This work sees China's history from the late Qing period till the Post-Mao era as one huge struggle -- for modernity, for survival, for progress. If you are not convinced that China is agreat nation, read this and you'll change your mind, thanks to the late Fairbank.

Professor Fairbank is one of the most insightful individuals who have written on China. His attention to detail -- particularly the historical process of cause and effect -- helps the reader gain a good overall picture of China as a vibrant, living organism -- an active player in the global scene. Seeing that China is becoming more and more important, it is becoming not only fashionable but important for an intellectual in the West to know something about China. This book is a good starting point.

I wouldn't read this book as an introduction to Chinese history of this period. Fairbank's China: A New History, or several other general histories, are better for that. This book is Fairbank's argument that the development of Chinese history was far less heavily influenced by the West than most historians and Westerners believe. He convincingly puts the major interactions between China and the West in Chinese contexts, noting the similarities between Taipei Rebellion and the White Lotus Rebellion, for instance, although the latter event occurred when Western influence was much less. It's unfortunate that this topic is so politicized. Whether China was heavily or lightly influenced by the West should have no bearing on the inherent moral worth of the Chinese people, although many people on both sides of the debate don't see it that way. Nevertheless, Fairbank's topic is interesting in itself. Ultimately, I didn't find him fully convincing (not that I'm an expert), but I'm glad I read his book.

I got this book for the specific purpose of studying China's secular civil wars -- the White Lotus Rebellion (1796-1805), the Taiping Rebellion (1851-64), and the civil war that began with Mao's Long March (1934), culminating in the Great Leap Forward (1959).

Each of these civil wars resulted in massive bloodshed, including executions and famine, and was settled with compromises that lasted only a few decades, leading to the next civil war. This is important today, because the compromises forced on Mao after his disastrous and bloody Great Leap Forward are unraveling today, as peasants are losing their farms and their livelihoods and flooding into the cities. When a future economic downturn occurs, these peasants will be unemployed, with no infrastructure to support them, providing fertile ground for a new rebellion, possibly led by followers of the Falun Gong. This could happen any time in the next 10-15 years.

Fairbank's informal style presents the details of these and other historical events in an enjoyable manner and from a Chinese and China-centric point of view, rather than from the typical America-centric point of view used by other writers. The result is both enjoyable and authentic, and gives us the historical background to understand the revolutionary changes going on in China today.

This is a heartfelt account of one man's struggle to overcome the archetpe of the "tough guy" and to soften into a realization of the power of love. R. Glendon Brunk, who could be one of the men in Pam Houston's "Cowboys are my Weakness" , shares his life with us in an engaging way -- sometimes sad, often funny, always keeping my attention. I wish that every man I know, from my brother and my father, to my cousins, to all my male friends would read it, too. Our world needs to find a new way, a way that isn't hung up onto the patriarchal ways of domination, the raw male energy that , undirected, may turn so quickly to violence and destruction. And here's a guy who was one of the toughest (he admits that that was the way he thought he should be) who openly shares his journey to become open and loving - therefore ultimately stronger. This is a great book about gender issues. Men and women alike should read it, discuss it, let it inspire new paths, and greater connected-ness with eachother and the world around us.

This is a heartfelt account of one man's struggle to overcome the archetpe of the "tough guy" and to soften into a realization of the power of love. R. Glendon Brunk, who could be one of the men in Pam Houston's "Cowboys are my Weakness" , shares his life with us in an engaging way -- sometimes sad, often funny, always keeping my attention. I wish that every man I know, from my brother and my father, to my cousins, to all my male friends would read it, too. Our world needs to find a new way, a way that isn't hung up onto the patriarchal ways of domination, the raw male energy that , undirected, may turn so quickly to violence and destruction. And here's a guy who was one of the toughest (he admits that that was the way he thought he should be) who openly shares his journey to become open and loving - therefore ultimately stronger. This is a great book about gender issues. Men and women alike should read it, discuss it, let it inspire new paths, and greater connected-ness with eachother and the world around us.

Glendon's down-to-earth writing style and his epic adventure story make this book an addictive page turner. Included is everything from running world class dog teams across the icy tundra, to sipping Kava in the South Pacific. Read it for yourself and find out what draws a man to Alaska.

What an honest and brave guy to write this book. Glendon Brunk, one of those ultra-manly men, writes so honestly about what it means to be a man in a world dominated by men, and how, through the amalgamating forces of pain and growing self-awareness, came to see a different way. It's a book set in Alaska, with all the raw power of conquering the wilderness and living wild, with facing grizzly bears and extreme cold, but it's really not about Alaska. It's about growth and coming into consciousness. It's about driving sled dogs competively and coming to realize that winning the world championship of sled dog racing - a feat akin to any great athletic endeavor - was empty. It was because of a single-minded obsession to win, to conquer, to be the best, to control, all the manly perceptions that have the world in so much trouble today. Yearning Wild is about one man coming to see his responsibility for wounding, not only himself, but women and children and the land. It's about awakening. This book is a brave beginning, and it needs to be out there. I - a man - would encourage every man, every woman to buy it and to pass it on. Because it's one of those books that's desparately needed for the times we live in. Do it, please.

Here's a book with the romanticism of Davy Crockett, weather the likes of A Perfect Storm, herds of caribou familiar through Never Cry Wolf, and a cast of sled dogs paling Lassie, Old Yeller, Sounder, and Where the Red Fern Grows.
It's a book for children because of the raw adventure: watch our protagonist shoot a bear that's about to knock down his cabin door and eat his baby daughter (and then watch him leave, tossing his wife butchering instructions). Hear him call "Trail" as he and his sixteen world champions pass the favored dog team and head into Fairbanks and the crowd's cheers.
It's a book for women because its central figure is the stuff of endless heartbreak: a doer, a pacifist, a romantic, a man with a guitar and songs and dreams as big as all outdoors, a man whose restlessness is the stuff (in women's eyes) of pathology. This man from Mars retreats not just to his cave; he moves to Fiji, to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Guatemala, Mexico, and Africa.
It's a book for men because this writer lived most men's dreams. Brunk's woods were not Thoreau-sized; his peace required the presence of Alaskan wildlife which had never before seen a human.
He yearned really wild, and, as Mary Renault says, "Longing performs all things." R. Glendon Brunk performed.
It almost killed him. The real gifts in this amazing book are Brunk's courageous candor in addressing the essential emptiness he found once he realized his dreams. He does not flinch in the face of his paradoxes: he admits, for example - acknowledging a tension that must exist among almost all men -- that having a child was not in his dream. But this is a healing book. The adventure stories are only preliminary to Brunk's more central journey here: the one inward and the one backwards: back to the courage it takes to stay.
Read this book. Give it to your husband, your son, your son's teacher, your ex-husband, your boss, your mailperson. This is a great book.

I was fortunate to hear this wonderful collection of dragon fables when Mary Fairbanks read them to our local writing group a number of years ago, and I've always believed they deserved to be published so others could enjoy them.

The author's sense of humor emerges with each unique dragon - always described in brilliant jewel colors, and often hilarious as it interacts with humans (who should really know more about life than dragons!). Filled with wit and sensible moral guidance, this delightful book is a must for older children and adults--my goodness, whoever knew dragons possessed such wisdom?

If I'm disappointed at all, it's because the artwork doesn't do justice to Ms. Fairbanks' colorful dragons. But I hope that doesn't prevent others from reading Dragon Tales.

Bonnie Turner (AKA, Aurorawolf)

This book was a pleasant surprise. From the traditional fable style of "Gesundheit" (the story of Ah Chu and how he helped a hamlet get its water) to the more modern, feminist tale "Wanted: Damsel, Hopefully Distressed", its twenty-four quirky tales treat the reader to some great storytelling about what can happen when humans and dragons meet. I would have loved to have read this book to my children when they were about 7 years old. The dragon topic would have been of interest to them, as would the twist in storylines, great conversations, and amusing characterizations. It certainly could be read to children even younger, but be ready to explain some eloquent vocabulary!

Although the dragons in this book still like their caves and castles, the author takes care to provide a unique setting for every tale so that each interaction with humans seems refreshing and new. Many of the tales have words of wisdom for the reader to ponder or a twist in the story that you can't help chuckling over, and I often found myself reading out-loud even though I was all by myself. I also had a great deal of fun matching each dragon's vivid personality to real-life people. The writing is really very good. However, I don't think the book needs the accompanying computer graphics. Although I think a lot of effort was put into them, they resemble manipulated clip-art and are far too simple for the richness of the writing.

I liked this book. Whether read silently for the sheer pleasure of experiencing good storytelling, or orally to an audience that's interested in having some fun, "The Affairs of Dragons/Dragon Tales" is a very amusing, enjoyable book.

Dragon Tales by Mary C. Fairbanks is truly and entertaining book, chock full of twenty-four dragon stories. Perfect for youth from the age of five to fifteen, even adults would be charmed by its pages.

Caregivers are likely to find the morals to each story helpful to deal with youth problems with social interaction, self-image, overcoming self-absorption, understanding others and more. The author tackles many issues through her lovable, yet egotistical dragons or even through sad and lonely dragons. She shows the importance of freedom and dictates communities working together to solve problems peacefully. The confusion between the way that dragons and humans view each other in this book will aid against racism. Her characters learn to not passively accept what everyone else believes and live by another's prejudices. Instead, Mary has the characters find out for themselves what is the truth. Often, the young characters have to `think' their way out of a situation or learn to ask the right questions - rather than fighting it or running away from problems.

I would recommend this fictional, children's book of short stories to anyone, anytime, anywhere.

(...)

There are many misconceptions about dragons. Most people believe that they are evil monsters whose only thought is finding a nice human for lunch. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Dragons are often quite clever, somewhat sarcastic, and always hilarious.

The Affairs of Dragons explores over twenty different stories about dragons who are a little unusual. A dragon with hay fever named Ah Chu. A nearsighted dragon who accidentally dives into a pile of laundry thinking it is a flock of sheep. A dragon looking for a distressed damsel hoping that having her at his house with draw lots of people who want to visit in order to rescue her. A vegetarian dragon with a migraine. A dragon with a craving for marshmallows.

This book is side-splittingly funny, just what I needed today!

Wilma Fairbank catched my nurves of impression this time,when I found out there is a book described Liang and Lin's acheivement in English,the only one,an expensive one,but it worthes it.I decided to continually followed Lin's way,to do some research of classical Chinese architecture.I'd never said no to those difficulties since the obstancles always mislead my mind.There is one thing I hopefully didn't lost,a resoluted heart,nothing can move it.I don't care make more money or not,at least I mostly convinced myself to be a person have a pursuit of dreams.You could call me a freak,and I am still on the way to success.Lin and liang are the partners worked together to reach a goal.Unfortunatelly,I am an indepandent loner also emerged in the amazement of exploring a lost world.Thanks for Wilma's book,I could come trough the tunnel of history again.

when two people decide to join hands and make something happen,that kind of unity becomes so powerful. i think that's what makes Liang and Lin memorable. and Mrs. Fairbank's close relationship with them made their life story vivid to the readers. a great book and great people in it.

Lin & Liang are forrunners of contemporary Chinese architecture. Like most idealistic intellectuals of the period, they went out to learn from the west and returned back home to contribute what they had learned.

This is an important trend in modern Chinese history. The long list of intellectuals includes Sun Yat Sen, Liang Qi Chao(the father of Liang)Chao Yuan Ren, Zhou En Lai, Tang Xiao Ping,.... It was a traumatic period for modern China. It was a time of possibilities, opportunities and frustrations.

One could not imagine the archievement and contributions of modern China to the world without these intellectuals.

The stories as told by Madame Wilma Fairbank is descriptive, touching and informative at the same time. Mrs. Fairbank(wife of John Fairbank) is a poet and historian at the same time. The book (text and images)is western journalism at its best.

The most difficult period for Lin & Liang is not Sino-Japanese War period. Although physically, Lin suffered from fleeing around and illness, but their spirit were high and friends were always around.

The most difficult period was after the liberation. Lin & Liang were destined to work with Chairman Mao, the founder of PRC. Based on their fruitful research and intellectual mind, they come up with the conclusion and dedicated their lives to the preservation of Chinese artefacts, and in most cases, Chinese architectural heritage.

As detailed descripted and well put by Madame Fairbank in the book, Lin & Liang travelled all over China and had produced hundreds and thousands of research papers with surveyed plans and photos. Wilma should have known, she joined and lived with them more than once. The Liangs' ideal and proposals to preserve holistically the ancient city of Beijing must had been in conflict with Chairman Mao's ideas. As the founder of PRC, Mao of course, would have his own plans. He believes, to me wrongly, that "Man would defeat Nature". He would like to see factories and other new buildings rising on the horizons of Beijing, Nanjing and everywhere in China.

This should be a matter of opinion. But as we all know, for a long period of time in contemporary China, a different opinion with Mao would be interpreted as a revisionist liner against the Communist Party! That's why Liang suffered so much and Lin died too young to suffer with him.

This is an important historic lesson that we, as a human being should all learn and study. Through the process of modernization, how should we deal with our heritage and nature? Liang proposed to preserve Old Beijing holistically. Beijing, as observed by Liang rightly, is the most complete form of an ancient city in the world! He is not an old man keeping only the 'Olive Tree'. Lin and Liang are genuine Chinese Architects. They proposed to preserve the old city walls and towers so that they could become civi open spaces and landscapes. People can enjoy history and live in history walking through.

Liang's second wife, Madame Lin Zhu said recently,"In the civic society, Liang is respected by many." Well put Madame Lin. (Lin Zhu's piece is included in the book also very moving.)

The problem is, it takes a few thousand years to build a civi society and a civiization, only takes a few second to destroy them. Should we not give deep thoughts to it.

Anyone who want to know more about Liang Si-chen and Lin Hui-yin and their firends should read this book.

To be honest, I feel what make this book so interesting is the life story of Lin and Liang and their friendship with friends, especially the Fairbanks. The Architecture contents are good too, but the life stories of Lin and Liang, two most important pioneers in Ancent Chinese Architecture studies, make the book very charming and worth of reading.

You will know more about the history of 20th century China, before, during and after WWII. You will see how communists grab power in this used-to-be-great country and gradually turn these respectible scholars' life upside down. How they were changed from eager supporter of Chairman Mao's so called 'New China' into losing the minimal hope to live on. This is a great book, written by John F Fairbank's wife, to memorize their true friendship with Liang and Lin.

This is not just another book about architecture. This is a book written with life.

Kept one for myself and gave one as a gift to family that travels with me to marathons.

From Fairbanks to Boston is a great read for someone who has never run a marathon (like me). I loved the different personal story of each marathon, and it was motivating to read the experiences of so many first time
marathoners. If you are a runner, then the book can also be your preview guide to the layout and the organization of each marathon.

Ordered this off a flyer I got at a race - turned out to be a great resource. Loved the personal accounts of the various races, I haven't seen anything like it before. A fun read! Now I have a (another) great excuse to drag my family to Hawaii!

My childhood memories of Fairbanks (where I was born) of the FE Company (where my father worked), the close-knit community of Alaskan mining families like the Crawfords, the Boswells, the MacDonalds, the Loftuses, and the incredibly beautiful and dangerous arctic were brought back with sharp focus by this amazingly well-researched and -documented account of an extraordinary way of life.

Kathleen Hennessey (nee Doheny--granddaughter of David and Jenny Strandberg)

Even for Alaska Fairbanks is remarkable. The rest of us can see why people live in remote areas of the Interior; they are either in their ancestral home village or solitary sorts who enjoy living off the land. But why do they live in a city where you can frost your lungs in the winter just going to the store for a loaf of bread? This charming memoir of Fairbanks in the 1950s and `60s provides part of the answer.
Isto is careful to state she is not writing a community history, but her father was a mining engineer and later general manager with the FE Company, the firm that restored the gold rush town's fortunes by using dredges to mine gold. Also, various relatives came to Fairbanks, so the extended Crawford family was a good part of local history from the 1920s until the late 1960s.
Life on the mining creeks outside town during the summer for children was delicious freedom to explore, pick berries, admire and beware of wildlife, and generally roll in the grass and play twenty-four hours a day while the grown-ups worked before they could play.
In winter, among other cultural pursuits, her mother, Alta, held a weekly "at home". Guests could take five minutes to divest mukluks, wool stockings, and extra wool headscarves to reveal their socially proper tea-gowns, heels, hose, and white gloves.
The real flavor of the book is in the writing. The author discusses the lessons of honesty, kindness, civic duty, and the work ethic her mother and other women taught their children by examples, then summarizes "...to be reasonably clean once a day, and to work out differences with others while avoiding serious verbal or physical injury. But we were not asked to achieve high-status goals: to be smarter, prettier, or more athletic than our classmates. Our parents did not press vicarious ambitions on us, and we gave little thought to the longings of our parents."
Of her older sister, Jane, when she was a junior in high school. "Jim was engrossed in work, so it was Alta who made sure that Jane knew how to build a wood fire, shoot a rifle, drive a car, behave on a date, and use proper etiquette in formal situations."
At the obligatory teas, women not only had to balance teacups and sit decorously, but chat. "Appropriate conversation included weather, recipes, kindly gossip, upcoming social events, and compliments on clothing. Politics, religion, money, and emotional turmoil were reserved for kitchens, coffee mugs, and a few trusted friends."
On an all-female road trip with her mother and sister. "A hotel that seemed quiet when we rented a room at 7 pm erupted in clamorous joy when the bar opened at 9 pm. A dormitory-style room with a bathroom down the hall seemed worse than eccentric when we discovered that to get to the ladies' toilet it was necessary to first walk through the gentlemen's."
"Local cash registers finally held more paper dollars than silver ones, and the penny drawer was full" nicely sums up the growth of Fairbanks when the military spending hit.
Enough. You're going to have to buy the book yourself to enjoy the gentle wit and humor. You will not regret it. D.L.

The author's father Jim put his expertise in the "technology of gold dredges" to work in forty years employment with the Fairbanks Exploration Company (subsidiary of a larger, global mining company) mining for gold in the northern Alaska wilderness. The city of Fairbanks was the company's headquarters. Although in summer months, the Crawford family would live in rough quarters in the mining fields. The mother, Alta, was capable and spirited in the routines and occasional challenges of the spare or spartan, but not primitive or rough, family life. The successful mining company provided well enough for employees and their families. Roads and railroads connected Fairbanks to the rest of Alaska and beyond. Sarah Isto--now a retired physician--recounts the family life from her perspective as a child with vignettes and also material on the technology and business of mining. A caption of one photo notes the rafts seen in a pond made from the dredging of a giant dredger separating gold out from sludge "support power cables." The author's growth from young child to teen graduating from high school as class valedictorian is paralleled by her father's promotions in the company. The roughly 40 years covered are from the Depression to the Vietnam War with occasional references to these. The memoir is enjoyable for its engaging tone and also its picture of a bygone commercial enterprise in remote areas and the way of life surrounding this.