George Books

To put it simply the corporate world is a place where "truthiness" reigns. In the corporation, the motto may be Honesty and Hardwork but what they don't tell you is that this doesn't apply to everyone. For African Americans we're taught that if you work hard, go to school, and get a nice job that everything will be all right and you'll live a good life. Well, yes and no. This is only part of the equation. Unfortunately, if you don't have someone to mentor you in the fallacy of the corporate meritocracy , the petty pecking order, and the small daily humiliations you may endure, then you'll be in store for a serious culture shock.

So the book says, yes, work hard but there is a significant amount of cultural nonsense that you may experience or witness. It gives examples of people who have chosen to stay in the corporate arena and their perspective and motivations for continuing in this career field - largely attributed to their compensation.

By no means is it a negative, "whoa is me" pity party on paper. This is an intelligently written book that all minorities should read to get a primer before or during their corporate careers. If open minded, majority readers should take a look at it to view what is going on from another perspective.

This book is not a manual to surviving the corporate world as an African American. It is a collection of observations that explores the, "Why is this happening?". In effect, it will let you know that you are not alone in your own observations within the corporate world. While reading it, I laughed out loud at some of the examples. Largely, because I have experienced what was being written or witnessed it first hand as it happened to someone else. Though the book was written in the early 1980s, it proves that theres "Some things have changed and some things have not."

I highly recommend this easy to read and understand book on a very complex and politically incorrect topic.

After reading this book it should serve as the catylst for further reading on the up and downside to the pursuant of the ambigious corporate atmosphere. This book deals ardently with the pyscho-social dynamics that affect people of color although written in 1981 it remains still relevant today. This is a must read for any young or seasoned corporate professional. More importantly "People of Conscience" whether of color or without should READ!!!!!!!!!!

This book is timeless. I first read it in the late eighties and the subject matter still applies today. A must read for all African Americans who want to succeed in business.

This book is a must for all blacks entering corporate America. Being in corporate america in this day and age(2000). I feel the same mores and stigmas white america has portrayed blacks as in the 1800's still in this new millineum. This book is truly enlightening and is a source of light to let me know that the struggle is far from over. ALL BLACKS PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! FIND A COPY YOU MUST BE ENLIGHTENED.

This is awesome book related to current events, far left media, and even back to events of Viet Nam War. Like most of Johnstone's books, it is also a "pager turner". I look forward to another with the main characters in the near future. I hope millions read this book.

The author has done a great job taking one of his western characters and bringing it into today's world of conflict. It was one of his best. I could not put it down once I started reading. I hope this is the beginning of a new character.

Fred Austin does a fine job in carrying on the William W. Johnstone legacy. Lt. Col. Arthur Jensen is a hero for today, an American cut from the cloth of the men who built this country.

I am a new fan of Johnstone, having only read Preacher's Fortune, a five star novel in its genre.

Lt. Col. Arthur Jensen, the great great great grandson of Smoke Jensen, is the politically incorrect protagonist we have been waiting for--James Bond's and Mat Helm's successor.

Austin's characters captures some of the idiots masquerading as Congressmen, Senators and talking heads. This is a book for real Americans, one that will induce nervous breakdowns in the far left apologists.

I am eagerly waiting for the next Black Ops novel.

I am eagerly waiting for the next Black Ops novel.

It is refreshing that an author has been brave enough to tackle this subject in an honest way. So many of today's books dealing with terrorism are distorted by what some call "political correctness" and others call "multiculturalism." Jihadists don't believe in multiculturalism. They believe in monoculturalism--theirs.

If you want the facts behind the fiction, read While America Sleeps: How Islam, Immigration and Indoctrination are Destroying America from Within.

Just finished this one. Took just two days. If you've read BLOOD AND HONOR and MOBFATHER, then this one is right up your ally. What sets it apart is the fact that it's from the point of view of the New Jersey faction of the Philly mob. Freselone's account of the events that took place gives a more straight forward account of what happened under Scarfo. The other books tended to hold back a little.

Told through the eyes of mobster George Fresolone "Blood Oath" is a blow by blow account of life with wiseguys and gangsters. Fresolone grows up in New Jersey and gravitates toward gamblers and wiseguys. An astute gambler, George is quick to scam a buck and start a sports gambling book. He is noticed by wiseguy Patty Specs, a mobster connected to the Scarfo crime family, and becomes his driver. Soon he is part of the New Jersey crew of the Philadelphia Mob and in time beomes a made member himself. These scenes in the book are especially vivid as Fresolone gives a birds-eye view of what it was like to grow up in New Jersey and how one becomes connected to the Mob. In those days they came looking for you because they saw you could earn and had talent.

Once George becomes connected his life starts to change. He gets pinched and does a couple of years in prison. While there his old crew ignores his wife won't pay her money George is owed. When George gets out he is facing heavy jail time with one more arrest so he contacts the Feds and agrees to wear a wire against his crew. Not only does he pick up his crew but he deals with many other representatives of other families in New Jersey including the Gambinos, the Genevese, the Colombos, and the DeCavalcantes. On top of that recently imprisoned Nicky Scarfo sends his son up to New Jersey for protection after he is gunned down in a Philly restaurant. George is responsible for "The Kid" and is privy to the desperate attempt of Scarfo to keep a hold on his crime family from prison.

Told with a wonderful first person narration by Fresolone the book succeeds in conveying the harrowing and tense life of a wiseguy in the 80's and 90's. It also succeeds in illustrating how and why men go into the life in the first place and the problems they have with their wives and siblings and friends and neighbors who are not part of "that" world. On top of that it is an excellent breakdown of mafia politics in New Jersey and is a first rate continuation of the trials and tribulations of the Philadelphia Mob. It bridges the gap between "Blood and Honor" and "Goodfella Tapes" with a perspective from a different end of that family. Wholeheartedly recommended.

What if you are a boy growing up with your dad doing illegal gambling, and working with the mob. well in the book Blood Oath by George Fresolone. George goes through the book and explains to you how his life in the mob started out and how he became one of the mob families gambling buddy. He explains to you who he worked for and what he did for his boss. George gives us great detail in how the mob was formed and how it was ran. My opinion I believe you should definately buy Blood Oath, because it's a book you could read moer than once. You can certainly expect alot of info about what they did, and why they did it. Also he explains to you how he actually came around in helping the law. The author likes to give his info in large paragraphs to give more detail to everything.

This is the best mob strory i ever read, it took a great deal of courage for George Fresolone to do what he did, i hope some day to see this story on the big screen..............

Mary Ellen Miller and the late Linda Schele put this book together in 1986. The field of Mayan studies is a fast-moving arena, and Mayanists already know a lot more now than they did when this book came out, but in my opinion this book is still the place to start if you want to begin learning about the Maya.

For one thing, the photography of the artwork is fantastic - the book is worth acquiring for that alone. Secondly, the commentary is by the greatest names in the field, including an introduction by Michael Coe. Thirdly, the book never strays from academic discipline, unlike a great deal of New Agey-type material written about the Maya. In fact, the book studiously avoids making any observations that cannot be substantiated - perhaps a reaction in the field of Mayan studies against the sometimes too pat assumptions that Eric Thompson made when he dominated the subject. Fourthly, it covers all the major cultural features of the Maya, providing abundant commentary on each piece of art portrayed. Last but not least, it tackles the thorny subject of Maya iconography. This is a field about which we already know a great deal more about now than we knew in 1986, but in fact if the book were written today there is probably very little that would actually be changed.

The book was printed in Japan, for some reason. No harm in that - the Japanese have a tradition, and a reputation, of producing quality bindings and excellent photographic reproductions, both of which are evident in this edition and which add to the quality of the book. I can't recommend it too highly to anyone interested in the Maya.

It is nearly twenty years since this book was published in 1986 as part of an exhibition at the Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas during the Texas Sesquicentennial. This book was and remains a triumph. We still mourn the loss of Linda Schele and are grateful the Mary Ellen Miller continues her work and teaching at Yale.

The book makes clear the Mayan Kings were not Emperors. They were rulers of city-states that competed with one another. They also had a spiritual role in the life of those they ruled. This book discusses how one became a Mayan King, life in the court, the role of bloodletting and visions (hallucinations?), warfare and human sacrifice, the all-important ballgame, the Mayan concept of afterlife and Xibalba, and the Mayan view of the cosmos. All fascinating topics and the articles are written quite well. I find them to be a captivating read.

The selection of images for the book is fabulous. This book can make a wonderful coffee table book, they are that beautiful. However, the articles are far superior to most books you find on coffee tables. I remember seeing Maya Blue (the shade that the Mayans painted on a great many of the monuments and sculptures) for the first time in this book. Having seen it in person since then I can tell you the shade is captured very faithfully in the photographs in this book.

Much has been written since 1986 and new discoveries and new examinations of existing discoveries deepen our understanding of the Maya. But this book still stands strong and valuable. It is not too technical for the general reader and still has value for the student. I am glad to have my copy on a shelf of favorite books.

The Blood of Kings by Linda Schele and MAry Ellen Miller was written on the occasion of the Kimbell Art Mesuem's exhibition of Maya Art in 1986. The hope was to draw attention to the rich legacy of Maya art along with a book that would give texture to these artistic recordings of the singificant ritual events in the lives of the Maya. What better way, since art has been our keyhole to understanding the magnificance of there thought, language, science and culture? Schele and Miller do an incredble job of focusing on these artifacts to bring us inside the current understanding of what th experts perceive the maya ritual and life to be about-- including the deciperment of the syllables of the maya language.

The book begins with a history of the road to understanding the Maya culture, complete with its meadering and diversions. This "age" delights in knowing that the Maya are filled with blood, both their own in bloodletting and those of captives that they sacrifice, unlike previous interpretations of a more peaceful existence. Blood, the ooze of life, was offered to eh gods in hopres that they would continue to give their ooze of sap, rain and other life-sustaining things. The book is based on 8 sections of art and interpretation: person, accession rites, courtly life, bloodletting, captives, the ballgame, and death, and the kingship of the Maya Cosmos. Of note as weel is the colors on p.158 where one can get an interpration of what the colors might have been in the Classic period.

In this book Coe prefaces the book commenting on the profound understandng that the world of the Maya is filled with notions of death. But the myth of the Mayas is that the hero twins went to the underworld and by trickery defeated death and those rose to take their place in the Mayan night sky. Perhaps these indiscernible Maya have continued to trick us as well in our attempts to traverse the road of their culture-- and their greatest preoccupation, enscribed on their ceramics and reliefs ---is not death, but life, in all its oozing forms.

When I went through school the Maya were peace loving agriculturists that invented a lot of neat stuff, especially in astronomy and calendars. We even looked at some of the writing. To bad we did not look a little closer.

Look at the cover of the book ad you will see a Mayan pulling a rope with knots in it through his tongue. The also had plenty of blood thirsty rituals and rivalries with neighboring Mayans. Their underworld is a place full of farts.

I bought this book as part of an exhibit at Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth. I am still a member.

The book its self is oversized and has lots of glossy pictures. There are a lot of good references to other books and articles on the Myna.

After reading this book and getting a good overview of what Maya really is, you may want to find some of their writing "Popol Vuh : The Definitive Edition Of The Mayan Book Of The Dawn Of Life And The Glories Of" by Dennis Tedlock.

There's no martial arts but I found some of it reminiscent of the scenes in the Karate Kid where the young kid was given philosophical lessons from incidents in real life by a wise master.
This is both a well written memoir of an unusual boyhood and an invaluable first-hand account of life at the Prieure. Like Ouspensky's In Search of the Miraculous this book combines transcriptions of Gurdjieff's philosophising (though given much more informally) with descriptions of Gurdjieff himself and his circle of followers. The reader gains an insight into what life was like at the Prieure through Peters' accounts of the episodes, incidents and personality clashes that arose. There are fascinating descriptions of Xmas at the Prieure, going on a road trip with Mr Gurdjieff and dining and bathing at the Prieure.
Some of the teachings include Gurdjieff's thoughts on dogs and horses, differences between men and women and reincarnation. Peters differs from writers like Ouspensky and Bennett in that he came to Gurdjieff by accident, because his guardians were his students, and so his perspective is very different.
A lot of Gurdjieff's behavior comes across as bizarre to say the least and you can understand how this proved too much for some people. However it's very interesting to consider this in the light of the teaching itself.

Written by the nephew and ward of two of spiritual leader Gurdjieff's earliest American students, Fritz Peters (1913-1979), Boyhood With Gurdjieff is a long out-of-print classic revived in a new hardcover edition with an introduction, notes, black-and-white photographs, and index. Deftly relaying the experiences of the author's childhood as he lived and interacted with Gurdjieff for five years, Boyhood With Gurdjieff applies descriptive, flowery prose to make sensory images and unforgettable personalities come to life. A sound evocation of the author's remembered sense of community, told with candor, goodwill, and a sharp twist of wit.

Fritz Peter's remarkable account of his experience with Gurdjieff is a genuine classic. Straightforward, perceptive, and filledwith numerous "scenes" that illuminate his unique experience with one of the great figures ofour time, I highly recommend thisbook not only to anyone interested in Gurdjieffs teachings,but anyone interested in a fascinating tale

A wonderful account of Peter's stay in Gurdjieff's commune when he was 11 years old. He brings Gurdjieff to life and makes Gurdjieff's work available and understandable. His child's eye view of the experiment makes it all the more compelling... I loved this book and recommend it highly.

I really enjoyed the James Dean-Henry Fontaine connection. The plot is fast-paced, with lots of twists and an unexpected finale. Who can Lucy trust? A great book for the mystery lover in all of us!

Up until the very end, this thriller keeps the reader guessing as to "whodunit". You will be shocked!

This book keeps the reader guessing, it's hard to put down.
Most books have a main male character and I appreciated the use of a female as the lead. Very well written book!

This is a mystery that is hard to put down once started. It has a surprise ending!

Granted, I have read few comics. But so far, this is far and away my favorite episode of a comic ever. It may have something to do with the fact that Faith rocks as a tragic heroine - there's a damage, depth, passion, and intensity to her character that's so compelling that she stole the show from both Angel and Buffy when her "issues" were on camera - and it probably didn't hurt that Eliza Dushku blazed in this role, either. At any rate, Brian K. Vaughn gets the tone of the show just right, and he seems willing to really live with the characters. Unlike previous installments in this series, I found myself engrossed without having to stop and say, "huh?" The flow and pacing and art of the story were compelling, absorbing, and seamless. Plus, it's nice to see Faith accepting Giles as a father figure - she definitely has some healing to do with regard to male authority figures in her life. (And who can get enough of the dark side of Giles popping up every now and then?) Aside from a few wardrobe issues, the art and the story made for a stunning episode of Season 8. (If you're like me, you'll be relieved to hear that no fairies or weird slugs appeared anywhere in the issue. Phew!)

Fans of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" who were overjoyed that Dark Horse Comics was producing "Joss Whedon's Season Eight" as a comic book must have had a brief shadow of doubt pass through their mind when they found out that Whedon would not be writing the book's second story arc, "No Future For You." But Joss did not write all of the episodes of the television series and not even all of the really good ones (just most of them), so fans do not have to be worried that Brian K. Vaughan is scripting the next set of issues. Besides, since Vaughan has been letting Whedon do a story arc on his Runaways series it makes sense that Joss would return the favor, aided and abetted by penciler Georges Jeanty, inker Andy Owens, and colorist Dave Stewart (Whedon stills gets an "Executive Producer" credit).

As our story begins in Part 1 we discover that Faith is in Cleveland, home of another major North American Hellmouth, hanging by herself. She gets a call from Robin Woods who is with a group of Slayers who are taking out a nest of Vampires in the city. It turns out that one of the vamps was a single mom before she turned, which means there are children. Robin does not want to bother Faith, but he knows that none of these girls could take care of the nasty business of staking little kids who have been turned into vamps. That opening sets the tone for the main event, which we learn about when Giles, wearing a Yellow Submarine sweater no less, shows up at Faith's apartment. Giles basically is the Watchers Council now, and he has a deal for her. Accept the assignment and Giles will give her safe passage to the nation of her choosing, as well as a generous annual stipend so she can live out the rest of her days however she wants. All Faith has to do to earn this "early retirement" is to kill a Slayer.

This is a new generation, where there is not a single girl selected to be the Slayer, or even two. There are nearly two thousand Slayers and the numbers dictate that some of them will go bad. Apparently there is a Slayer out there who has gone beyond rogue status and once again we are talking apocalypse. Of course, what Giles is doing is asking Faith to end the life of a human being, and we all know how well that went the first time ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 3"). But then that is what makes Faith interesting as the Slayer who went to the Dark Side and has come back most, but not all, of the way. Plus we have the fact that Faith was only in 20 episodes of "BtVS" and another six of "Angel," so the character is nowhere as developed as any of the Scoobies. This means that Vaughan has room to explore the character and still have fun with Giles and Faith doing the whole "My Fair Lady" routine (or the whole "Pygmalion" routine if you are truly old school in Shavian terms).

All things considered, this is a most promising start to the new story arc and getting into "No Future For You" is already a lot easier than getting into "The Long Way Home," even though that was written by the man himself. If the initial confrontation between Buffy and Faith was that of light and dark, this developing Slayer death match looks like it will shape up to be high class versus low, so there will be plenty of opportunities for Vaughan to let Faith lay on the caustic comments. However, I must say that the "early retirement" idea concerns me a bit, simply because I would be loathe to think that "No Future For You," as promising as the premise presented in this first part might be, would turn out to be the final Faith story. There is a variant cover version of this comic book with cover art by Jeanty, Dexter Vines and Dave Stewart, but it is hard not to go with this one by Jo Chen showing Faith with the top of her pants down on her hips, wearing a skimpy top and a confrontational smile after spray painting her name across the "BtVS" logo. The sales on this issue should go up just for that reason alone. But come on in, because what is inside is even better than what is on the cover.

This is the variant cover issue of issue No. 6 in JOSS WHEDON'S SEASON EIGHT of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. I vastly prefer the regular cover, which shows Faith at her attitudinal best, holding the can with which she spray-painted "Faith" over "Buffy" in the title. Although contrary to popular mythology there was never a Faith series that Elisa Dushku opted against in order to star in TRU CALLING, there had been some initial discussion of doing such a series before the other project made her unavailable. One still wonders what direction that show would have taken, but this initial issue shows just a little of the potential that series would have held. As fascinating a character as Faith was, we never learned too terribly much about her backstory. We know that she was from a broken home in the Boston area, but not much more than that.

One episode of ANGEL explored the new world in which there are many slayers. In that episode Angel had to go up against a slayer who was insane. In this new episode Giles recruits Faith to go up against a slayer who is apparently evil. Frankly, I expect a twist of some sort, but at this point the slayer, an aristocratic young lady in Great Britain, clearly is serving the interests of a warlock. Why we don't know but Faith has been commissioned with the job of killing her.

I really liked this episode a lot. I loved the first five issues, but if I had a complaint with them it was that they tried to work too many familiar characters into them. The stories had, I felt, a bit too much content for the number of pages allotted. But here there was a near perfect balance between story and content.

This issue was written by Brian K. Vaughan, which is interesting for a host of reasons. One of the most gifted comic writers around, one of Vaughan's greatest creations was The Runaways, which he did for Marvel. Anyone familiar with BUFFY could have guessed that the TV series was the major influence on The Runaways, something that Vaughan has confirmed in interviews. So it seemed appropriate that when Vaughan ended his work on the comic that Joss Whedon would take over. And now Vaughan has come over to write this new Faith arc for Whedon. They have formed a wonderful mutual admiration society and should -- please dear God bring this about -- Whedon tire of comics and finally get back to television as he ought, I'm certain that Vaughan might get an opportunity to write for a new medium. The great news is that so far both Vaughan and Whedon are doing a wonderful job of honoring and carrying on each other's creations.

In short, this continues to be a remarkably good series. And as a huge fan of BUFFY I continue to find this new season of my all time favorite show (along with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) to be enormously satisfying.

This was by far and away the best issue of Season Eight so far. But let's back track a little before we get too ahead of ourselves.

There has never been a Faith-centric episode before in either "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" or "Angel." I hear the gasps now. "What about Revelations, Bad Girls, Sanctuary, Orpheus, Who Are You, or Dirty Girls?" I see your point, guys. Faith was a major character in those. But those episodes aren't Faith-centric the way that 'The Zeppo' is Xander-centric, and 'Real Me' is Dawn-centric. See, in those Faithy episodes, we mostly just see Faith through other people's eyes. 'Who Are You?' is the exception to that, but even in that episode, we just see Faith simultaneously trying mess up/live Buffy's life. But here, we get a full on Faith-centric story, with the Bad Girl herself as the main character. That went on a little longer than I thought it would, for the record.

About the comic. It's, as they say, gold. The story was told perfectly, without the sometimes confusing transitions that made up "The Chain" and were sometimes present in "The Long Way Home." Each scene is given ample time to play out, and--instead of huge, swooping revelations and the return of old characters aplenty--what Vaughan concentrates on here is the subtle way each character's personalities reveal themselves when said characters talk to each other. The best examples of this are the Faith/Giles scenes in this issue: In a few short pages, so much seems to happen between these two characters. He gives her a mission (introducing the main plot of this arc), he trains her (and he SPOILER: gets stabbed by her with a SPOILER: fork), and the two of these characters connect and relate to each other in a way that they never have on the actual show.

The Buffy/Xander scene is interesting, but doesn't reveal much. It's funny, because I--and many other Season Eight readers--were under the impression that black borders on a page mean that it's a dream sequence. However, the Buffy and Xander conversation, black borders and all, seems utterly real. There was no indication whatsoever that the conversation was part of a dream; my only guess is that it was black-bordered because, perhaps, Buffy talks to Xander about dreams that she HAS been having, but other than than, I'm coming up with nothing.

Reading this felt like watching an episode of Buffy. The art was atmospheric and spot-on. The panelling of the issue was interesting, and really different than that of Issues 1-5. And different is always intriguing. There was more use of the empty white space in some pages, and I liked that. The scene with Lady Genevieve is particularly beautiful, and it makes me realize how much I missed Georges' art. About what I mentioned before though. Giles' shirt. It's just.... no. Really, really no. Please, never again Georges.

Now, this is usually where I start to get into the downside of the comic, but turns out that there really isn't any. All I have as of complaints is something about Giles' attire that I'll bring up in the ART section, but everything else here seems perfectly fine. Vaughan's writing is perfect in capturing the characters, and he clearly is a great comic-script writer. If I were to say anything I didn't like about this issue, it wouldn't be part of the story. It's actually something that I read in the "Slay the Critics" section. Someone wrote in to ask the question many of have been debating on since the release of Issue #3. "If Warren didn't die, how could The First Evil take on his form in Season Seven." Joss himself actually stopped in to answer that question. His answer is, and I quote, "He was legally dead for like a second. Amy didn't tell him 'cause she didn't want to upset him. I forgot, okay?!" One thing I've always admired about Joss Whedon is the attention that he gives to continuity, and I admit that it's very big of him to admit his error. However, I think he could've explained it away much better and made the fans much happier than the way he answered it. Warren very plainly tells Willow in Issue #4 that her "Bored now" were the last words he heard of his human life. Well then. Joss simply could've said that the fact that Amy's magic--not at all a human, or living, function--was sustaining Warren, and that he--like a vampire--was to be considered UNDEAD. That would allow for him to be the walking, talking thinger that he is AND for The First to appear as him. But oh well. There's our answer.

Oh, by the way, that in no way is meant to be an insult to Joss. I love the guy. Hell, I'm known for putting the smack down on anyone who disses him. I just kinda felt we deserved a better explanation than that, is all.

But, about the actual comic itself, it's great. Really great. Up until today, "The Long Way Home part 3" was my favorite issue of the series. Well, it's just moved to second place, because "No Future For You part I" rocks out with its youknowwhat out.

9/10

Great Maori story on courage, standing up against authority and leadership.

This is a magnificent story; it's very well written and is both funny and touching. Tho it's based on a Maori family, its themes of family, culture and patriarchy are universal, and this gives the book a broad appeal. Witi Ihimaera is clearly a very gifted author, and I look forward to reading more. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

I loved this book. As an American living in Auckland, New Zealand, I wanted to read some fiction by New Zealand authors. Now that I have read Bulibasha, I am working my way through Ihimaera's other books.

"Bulibasha" is a fascinating novel about two feuding Maori clans, told by the grandson of the patriarch of the Mahana clan. It is a brilliant portrayl of Maori family life in the 1950's. I won't give away any more. A must read for anyone interested in New Zealand, and a great read for anyone! It is required reading in our household.

A truly powerful story the first time I read it was this year for U.E English. As a child of Maori lineage it fits right into being part of my culture. But mostly I found this novel both enjoyable and interesting, with a backdrop set in the early 1950's in the small rural community of Waituhi just a half hour outside of Gisbourne. Of a family who lived toegether with a christian basis and yet ruled over by a satirical rouge of a dictator type character. Tamihana Mahana better known through the novel as 'Bulibasha' just as his title suggests, Tamihana is a controversial character you found God or was rather found by God while in a field. The Lord's messenger in the form of a 'european angel' uses the typical contrast of the early Maori attitude of 'mistrust' as a basis for Tamihana's first encounter with the almighty. Suggesting that he was never truly a religious man until well, he 'wrestled' with an angel who was sent forth to bring him a message. Quite similar to Joseph and Mary being given a heavinly message from above. Tamihana use the biblical in a negative terminology, using the teachings of the bible to subjugate his 'own' seeds of the sown. His family, except Tamihana is no saint. Raping his wife 'Ramona' and kidnapping her from her engagement and impending marriage to her truelove Rupeni Poata at the tender age of seventeen. Tamihana is a literal 'monster' with little feelings and a typical selfishness and arrogance of his own strengths. Fantastic in the sporting arena, he had trophys from various sporting exploits, from rugby to track and field events. He is the borne athlete.

But even physical strength only takes one so far as Tamihana like many young Maori prior to the 1950's did not complete his schooling in 'school' raised on a farm, he may have exceeded in the sports lifestyle but he falls second intellectually as he grows older with a ripening Ramona giving birth to three sons in less than four years. Tamihana develops a nasty adversity to education, refusing to approve of any such form. In a changing world when european ideals transformed much if early Maori lifestyles and values through a changing period of early New Zealand History, Witi Ihimaera had superbly captured and set his story of Bulibasha.

With a Maori man of Tamihana's stature expressing many of the common views and attitudes of the traditional Maori values, yet Tamihana as a character though physically strong and content in a world he can mould and shape with his hands as a shearer, he is doomed for the future. Where Maori would have to change and adapt to survive.

Tamihana meets his match in the youngest grandson Simoen Mahana, a rebellious youth. Who is the exact opposite of Bulibasha, the 'new-age' against the 'old-age'. He is a representation of the 'next-generation' striving for an identity in one topsy-turvy world of mixed traditions and culture.

He is proud, honourable and educated. Simeon goes to school educates himself and is a threat and seen as little more than a kennel-dog by his grandfather the oppressor in the novel.

He works his tail off at the family homestead, cleaning, baby-sitting, butchering meat and the usual farm duties. From a rural family with a sheraing history, Simeon wants something more for himself and his own family's futures. Seeking education above the domestic-labour of his grandfather's lifestyles.

Bulibasha, is a complex novel that touches many heartstrings from being comical to serious and tear-streaking it is a masterpiece of Maori literature that I am proud to have read and digested.

My compliments to Witi Ihimaera on yet anither award winning best seller that touches the mind, the heart and the soul with each and every word.

This book was very interesting. I really liked the funny things that Lisa did to her students. The dog was really a good dog and he was a real help to Matt. I liked this book very much and have told my friends to read it. I want to visit Alaska and see the Northern Lights.

Bush Flyer is a great adventure story about a boy named Matt and his mom, Lisa. They move from Seattle to Alaska through a set of strange situations. Matt must deal with the divorce of his parents, his mom not having a job, a move to a strange place, and surviving in Alaska...(think BRRRRR!). His mom gets a job as a teacher, and I laughed at the pranks the students played on her. What's also funny is how she got revenge. Matt becomes friends with a bush pilot who teaches him to fly, and they have several adventures together. This book has a little magical stuff, with wind chimes and the Northern Lights. Matt and his dog are involved in several exciting adventures. My favorite is the last one. I learned a lot about life in Alaska. Easy to read, funny, and a great book!

Bush Flyer is a great adventure story about a boy named Matt and his mom, Lisa. They move from Seattle to Alaska through a set of strange situations. Matt must deal with the divorce of his parents, his mom not having a job, a move to a strange place, and surviving in Alaska...(think BRRRRR!). His mom gets a job as a teacher, and I laughed at the pranks the students played on her. What's also funny is how she got revenge. Matt becomes friends with a bush pilot who teaches him to fly, and they have several adventures together. This book has a little magical stuff, with wind chimes and the Northern Lights. Matt and his dog are involved in several exciting adventures. My favorite is the last one. I learned a lot about life in Alaska. Easy to read, funny, and a great book!

Bush Flyer is a great adventure story about a boy named Matt and his mom. They move from Seattle to Alaska through some weird circumstances. Matt must deal with the divorce of his parents, his mom not having a job, a move to a strange place, and living in a place like Alaska... think BRRRRR!. His mom finds a job as a school teacher, and I laughed at the pranks the students played on her, and her revenge. Matt becomes friends with a bush pilot, who teaches him to fly, and they have several adventures together. This book combines a little bit of magical stuff, like wind chimes and the Northern Lights, but it seems very natural. Matt and his dog are involved in lots of exciting adventures. I learned a lot about life in Alaska. Easy to read, funny, and a great book!

The Sugar cane handbook is compilation of the procedures for manufacturing sugar from cugar cane; the practical and easy to follow procedures and the experiences detail in the book are just very good.

Every person in charge of sugar cane milling and processing sugar cane must have it as handbook to consult.

Aicardo Roa-Espinosa PhD
President of Soil Net LLC

Not exactly light reading, but great reference book, just look at the contents:

Part One Raw Sugar Manufacture

1. Sugarcane, James E. Irvine

2. Sugars and Non-sugars in Sugarcane, Margaret A. Clarke

3. Methods of Cane Purchase, James C. P. Chen

4. Outline of Raw Sugar Process and Extraction of Juice, James C. P. Chen

5. Purification of the Juice, James C. P. Chen

6. Heating and Evaporation, James C. P. Chen

7. The Crystallization of Sugar, James C. P. Chen

8. Purging, packing and Warehousing of Raw Sugar, Len K. Kirby

9. Raw Sugar Quality Criteria, James C. P. Chen

10. By-Products of Cane Sugar Processing, James C. P. Chen

Part Two Cane Sugar Refining

11. Raw Sugar Purchase, Marketing and Receiving, Fred R. Hill

12. Affination and Clarification, Richard Riffer

13. Decolorization, Richard Riffer

14. Evaporation and Pan Boiling, Thomas N. Pearson

15. Centrifugation, C. Frank Stowe

16. Sugar Drying and Conditioning, Chung Chi Chou

17. Packaging, Warehousing and Shipping of Refined Products, Jeffery C. Robinson

18. Refined Sugar Products, Chung Chi Chou

19. Specialty Sugars, Andy C. Chen and Amhed Awad

20. Plant Maintenance Program, George Fawcett

Part Three Production and Process Controls 21. Definitions and Terms in Sugar Factory and Refinery Controls, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

22. Chemicals Used as Sugar Processing Aids, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

23. Sugar House and Refinery Calculations, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

24. Chemical and Process Control (Raw House), James C. P. Chen

25. Technical and Sucrose Loss Control (Refinery), Joseph F. Dowling

26. Microbiological Control in Sugar Manufacturing and Refining, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

27. Energy Conservation, Keith Sinclair

28. Total Quality Management System, Leon A. Anhasier

29. Computerized Sugar Manufacturing,

Part (A) Conceptualized Computer Control, Michael R. T. Low

Part (B) Process Control and Integration, Shyam Ambardar

30. Automation of a Sugar Refinery, Naotsugu Mera

31. Environmental Quality Assurance, James C. P. Chen and John Green

Part Four Analytical Procedures

32. Sampling and Averaging, James C. P. Chen

33. Special Laboratory Reagents, James C. P. Chen

34. Polarimetry in Sugar Analysis, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

35. Instrumental Analysis for the Sugar Industry, Chung Chi Chou

36. Determination of Density and Total Solids, James C. P. Chen

37. Determination of Ash, James C. P. Chen

38. Determination of pH, James C. P. Chen

39. Determination of Color and Turbidity in Sugar Products, Chung Chi Chou

40. Determination of Dextran and Starch, Walter Altenburg

41. Analysis of Sugarcane, James C. P. Chen

42. Analysis of Juice, James C. P. Chen

43. Analysis of the Syrup, Massecuites and Molasses, James C. P. Chen

44. Analysis of Raw Sugars, James C. P. Chen

45. Analysis of Refined Sugar Products, Thomas Wilson and Stanley Bichsel

46. Analysis of Bagasses and Filtercake, James C. P. Chen

Not exactly light reading, but great reference book, just look at the contents:

Part One Raw Sugar Manufacture

1. Sugarcane, James E. Irvine

2. Sugars and Non-sugars in Sugarcane, Margaret A. Clarke

3. Methods of Cane Purchase, James C. P. Chen

4. Outline of Raw Sugar Process and Extraction of Juice, James C. P. Chen

5. Purification of the Juice, James C. P. Chen

6. Heating and Evaporation, James C. P. Chen

7. The Crystallization of Sugar, James C. P. Chen

8. Purging, packing and Warehousing of Raw Sugar, Len K. Kirby

9. Raw Sugar Quality Criteria, James C. P. Chen

10. By-Products of Cane Sugar Processing, James C. P. Chen

Part Two Cane Sugar Refining

11. Raw Sugar Purchase, Marketing and Receiving, Fred R. Hill

12. Affination and Clarification, Richard Riffer

13. Decolorization, Richard Riffer

14. Evaporation and Pan Boiling, Thomas N. Pearson

15. Centrifugation, C. Frank Stowe

16. Sugar Drying and Conditioning, Chung Chi Chou

17. Packaging, Warehousing and Shipping of Refined Products, Jeffery C. Robinson

18. Refined Sugar Products, Chung Chi Chou

19. Specialty Sugars, Andy C. Chen and Amhed Awad

20. Plant Maintenance Program, George Fawcett

Part Three Production and Process Controls 21. Definitions and Terms in Sugar Factory and Refinery Controls, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

22. Chemicals Used as Sugar Processing Aids, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

23. Sugar House and Refinery Calculations, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

24. Chemical and Process Control (Raw House), James C. P. Chen

25. Technical and Sucrose Loss Control (Refinery), Joseph F. Dowling

26. Microbiological Control in Sugar Manufacturing and Refining, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

27. Energy Conservation, Keith Sinclair

28. Total Quality Management System, Leon A. Anhasier

29. Computerized Sugar Manufacturing,

Part (A) Conceptualized Computer Control, Michael R. T. Low

Part (B) Process Control and Integration, Shyam Ambardar

30. Automation of a Sugar Refinery, Naotsugu Mera

31. Environmental Quality Assurance, James C. P. Chen and John Green

Part Four Analytical Procedures

32. Sampling and Averaging, James C. P. Chen

33. Special Laboratory Reagents, James C. P. Chen

34. Polarimetry in Sugar Analysis, James C. P. Chen and Chung Chi Chou

35. Instrumental Analysis for the Sugar Industry, Chung Chi Chou

36. Determination of Density and Total Solids, James C. P. Chen

37. Determination of Ash, James C. P. Chen

38. Determination of pH, James C. P. Chen

39. Determination of Color and Turbidity in Sugar Products, Chung Chi Chou

40. Determination of Dextran and Starch, Walter Altenburg

41. Analysis of Sugarcane, James C. P. Chen

42. Analysis of Juice, James C. P. Chen

43. Analysis of the Syrup, Massecuites and Molasses, James C. P. Chen

44. Analysis of Raw Sugars, James C. P. Chen

45. Analysis of Refined Sugar Products, Thomas Wilson and Stanley Bichsel

46. Analysis of Bagasses and Filtercake, James C. P. Chen

This book is, in many ways, a good companion volume to the other standard text in sugar cane engineering (Hugot, Handbook of Cane Sugar Engineering). Chen and Chou's book is oriented to the sugar processing aspect of sugar manufacture. The book is more about how to make sugar than how to make machines that make sugar.

The Cane Sugar Handbook covers raw sugar manufacture, refining, process controls, and analytical procedures.

The text is illustrated well with many line drawings, charts and graphs, and a few black and white photographs.

There are many useful data tables in the appendix. The text is fully referenced to papers and articles .

All in all a useful reference work to keep in your desk's top drawer (right next to Hugot).