Asia Books

During the Pacific Conflict of WWII, the Japanese where characterized as brutal imperialistic conquerors, hungry for more territory and more resources as well as greater control over their asian neighbors in China, Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Phillipines. The United States is viewed as the pure of heart liberators who had come to rescue and aid such people. It is a sad and shameful fact that America had roughly committed the same act of vicious colonialism on the Phillipines years before Japanese troops set foot on the islands.

After the fall of Spanish-American War, rather than attempting to help the Fillipinos to rebuild their occupied homeland, the United States government, in a deeply disturbing turn to greed and arrogance, opted to occupy them just as their Spanish adversaries had done. Huge divisions of soldiers where sent to the Phillipines. The Fillipino guerillas and resistance fighters found themselves battling an enemy that they had considered a friend and ally only a few years before. Though a "successful" counterinsurgency, the Phillipine Insurrection is often thought of as a precursor to the American experience in Vietnam.

This is a conflict that the history books should stop trying to ignore. I love this country but if we want to avoid brutal and senseless campaigns like those in Iraq and Vietnam we need to take into account the wrongdoings of our country such as the occupation of the Phillipines. In fact, during WWII many Fillipino guerilla groups where reluctant to join forces with the US troops and even considered attacking BOTH sides to ensure that either Japanese or American occupation would not happen.

Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.

(click the author's name for several other editions of this book)

From: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 26, 2003 SECTION: 8

"LITTLE BROWN BROTHER" is the title of the book Leon Wolff wrote in 1961. It was an eye-opener not just for Filipinos but for Americans as well, most of whom had grown up believing the American seizure of the Philippines, along with Cuba and Puerto Rico, before the turn of the last century was done with the noblest of intentions and wrought through the most benign of intrusions. The original title of the book was "Little Brown Brother: The Forgotten American Bid For Empire Which Cost 250,000 Lives," which was eventually shortened. The subtitle pretty much sums up what the book is about. The 250,000 lives were of course the Filipinos', the American occupation force, as in Iraq more than a century later, suffering few casualties.

Wolff's book told not just of the way a good portion of the new colony's population was wiped out but of the way the entire population's memory was wiped out. The first claimed only 250,000 lives, the latter the souls of nearly every inhabitant of the island. Superimposed on the horrific reality was the general patronage movie version of the occupation, not unlike Fernando Poe's, which told of the making of the "little brown brother," the sidekick, with the face of Dencio Padilla, who would forever be at the hero's side. It was to become the cornerstone of "special relations," relations which have proven especially comfortable for the United States and especially excruciating to the Philippines. "


From The Washington Post, February 24, 1985:
The story of how, and why America liberated the Philippines from Spain and then took the islands back from their inhabitants two weeks later is a complicated one, already well told in one of the classics of American historiography, Leon Wolff's Little Brown Brother, published in 1960.



From BusinessWorld October 21, 1998:

"Little Brown Brother." The author is Leon Wolff, who also wrote the celebrated "In Flanders Field." The subhead on the front cover title and the introduction by the publishers provide an idea of the contents:

"America's Forgotten Bid for Empire Which Cost 250,000 Lives - At the end of the last century, when British imperialism was at its peak, the United States embarked on an acquisitive venture unique in that freedom-loving nation's story. The extra-ordinary circumstances of the annexation of the Philippine Islands and the bloody three-year war that followed the insurrection of its eight million inhabitants (a war in which a quarter of a million U.S. troops and Filipinos died) are today all but forgotten, even in America...

"It was after America's easy Caribbean victory in the war with Spain (1898) that the imperialist faction in American politics, whose leaders included President McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, provoked a political controversy of almost unparalleled bitterness. Meanwhile, ten thousand miles away in the western Pacific, Filipino patriots under Emilio Aguinaldo, who had helped the invading Americans drive out the hated Spaniards, found themselves betrayed by their liberators and saddled with a fresh domination - against which they promptly revolted."

Wolff presents a balanced narrative, depicting an America split between the anti-imperialists, typified by William Jennings Bryant and Mark Twain, and politicians like McKinley, with his delusions of his country's "manifest destiny," and Roosevelt (Theodore), the former Rough Rider, who lumped Filipinos along with the native Americans whom he had fought in the bloody Indian wars.

According to Wolff, in accepting his vice-presidential nomination, Roosevelt declared: "... the presence of (U.S.) troops in the Philippines during the Tagal (Tagalog) insurrection has no more to do with militarism or imperialism than had their presence in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wyoming during the many years which elapsed before the final outbreaks of the Sioux were definitely put down... (Self-government) under Aguinaldo would be like granting self-government to an Apache reservation under some local chief..."

This attitude was reflected in the way the Americans conducted the war. Two officers of a U.S. regiment leaked a particularly gory episode to the New York World, which wrote:

"... our soldiers here and there resort to horrible measures with the natives. Captains and lieutenants are sometimes judges, sheriffs and executioners... 'I don't want any more prisoners sent to Manila,' was the verbal order from the Governor-General three months ago... It is now the custom to avenge the death of an American soldier by burning to the ground all the houses, and killing right and left the natives who are only 'suspects.'"...

Liberation meant conquest
New York Times Review March 5, 1961
...Wolff also author of "In Flanders Field," condemns a few cruel men, but writes understandingly of the pressures and counter-pressures that led to inhuman conduct. The struggle became, for all the participants, a nightmare war fought in torrential tropical rains and ankle deep mud, involving incessant fatigue and hunger and a sudden horrible death along jungle trails...Wolff, drawing upon a mass of contemporary writing, published documents and the memoirs of Anguinaldo, has succeeded admirably in re-creating both sides of this nearly forgotten conflict. It is a shame that the American troops, fighting with courage and fortitude, were not enlisted in a better cause. At the time it appeared far more noble than it does today, but even then a British magazine commented, "There have never been more wicked wars than this...but never a more shabby war."

In Little Brown Brother, Leon Wolff contends that while Jose Rizal was a catalyst for the movement, Emilio Aguinaldo was "Revolution incarnate." Wolf describes Aguinaldo as a stubborn man of limited education who cleverly unified eight million people in the revolution against Spain. He reportedly had a great hatred for the Spanish and sought to prove that the Filipino was mentally and morally above the Europeans. As a result of imperialism, the US took control of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico via the Spanish American War. Although there was still an abundant amount of land throughout the world that applied to the Manifest Destiny ideology, acquiring land on opposite sides of the globe required new methods. It would not be as easy as building roads and displacing a few thousand American Indians. Controlling colonial possession thousands of miles away required a new military commitment. This commitment came by way of a modern Navy. The US steamed into oversees expansion when the Federal Government commissioned the building of several cruisers and battleships between 1883 to 1890. It was clear to the US that those countries who controlled the seas, controlled their own destiny.

Wolff has done some extensive research and has come up with a balanced account of the situation in the Philippines during the Spanish American war. Little is really known of the extent of the atrocities that were the result of the Manifest Destiny and Benevolent Assimilation ideology but Wolf is balanced in his treatment of, on the Militray side: Aguinaldo, Dewey, Otis, and McArthur. On the political side, he is clear to point out that there was opposition to this proclomation for many reasons. His extensive treatment of the debate between William Jennings Bryan and William McKinley are also very extensive. An easy book to read and a very extensive and well researched piece. I give it 5 stars.

Miguel Llora

"Little Brown Brother" gives the reader an excellent introduction to the American conquest of the Philippines. With a copyright granted in 1960, the title may be dated, but the narrative is thorough.

This book is concentrated on the Philippine theatre of the Spanish American War. Leon Wolf begins with backgrounds of the Imperialist sentiment in the U. S. and the Philippine struggle for independence. The nature of the Spanish domination of the islands, largely through control of government and church offices, is laid out.

Action in the Far East began with Adm. Dewey's destruction of the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay on May 1, 1898. This left a multi-polar balance of power, with American dominance of the Bay, challenged by German and British fleets and the city under the control of the Spanish, but surrounded to landward by the Filipino insurgents. This state led to a series of discussions during which the Spanish negotiated with the Americans for an arrangement which would satisfy their pride while protecting them from massacre by the Filipinos. The Filipinos, meanwhile, were negotiating with the Americans for support for their revolution. These negotiations would lead to conflicting claims as to what was promised which would be adjusted by the American Army. With the build-up of the American Army the balance of power shifted and the American conquest began. Extending over several years, the Americans occupied first the Bay, next Manila and, after a drive across Luzon, the entire archipelago.

Much attention is devoted to the political struggles over whether the U. S. should take the islands and, if so, how much they should take. Other nations stirred in the troubled pot. Japan's offer to help govern the islands was spurned. German bellicose behavior was opposed by the Royal Navy.

American debate over taking the islands was reminiscent of more recent debates over foreign interventions. Many of the issues are similar to ones which have arisen at other times in history and which continue to arise. As the war with the Filipino insurgents dragged on, the Americans were accused of conduct which was similar to Spanish actions which led to American intervention in Cuba. Imperialists and Anti-imperialists argued over whether or not American treasure should be expended and blood spilled in tropical jungles and whether we were liberating or murdering their inhabitants. The concentration of natives in villages was not only reminiscent of Spanish measures but prescient of American actions decades later in another Asian battleground. American actions in the islands became a political football, while Filipino patriots attacked American troops while awaiting the election of William Jennings Bryan in anticipation of receiving a grant of independence from his hands. With the reelection of William McKinley, Filipino independence was deferred for over 40 years.

Throughout this book I enjoyed reading the history and comparing its issues with those of later eras. The conquest of the Philippines really set the pattern for American victories and defeats throughout the rest of the 20th Century. These comparisons provide fuel for hours of contemplation.

Throughout this work the author maintains a good balance between detail and broad themes, without ever becoming bogged down or detached from reality. It is informative and readable. As you can see from my other reviews, a really good book earns four stars from me. Only the exceptional ones, such as "Little Brown Brother", earn five.

Mr Wolff has compiled a classic account of this savage and mostly forgotten conflict that brough America into a war that would be very similar in the sixties. A brilliant telling of both sides of the war, from the political figures, Filipino field commanders, volunteer soldiers from Oregon and Kansas, the "Buffalo Soldiers", Marines, Moros wielding their razor-edged barongs to generals like Lawton, Merritt, Pershing, Funston and Arthur MacArthur. If you are interested in this story, I recommend this book and Muddy Glory by Russel Roth to name but a few. History as it should be taught in school.

When I decided to move to Lebanon three years ago, I bought the first edition of this book, and it was like a bible for my husband and me as we got our bearings, traveled around the country, and branched out on our own. We still use it as a reference when we go back to visit our favorite places. The information is clear and easy to follow, the historical sections, information about the culture, and practical information are all up to date and accurate. All in all, this is an excellent resource for anyone coming to Lebanon. Enjoy your stay!

For thousands of years Lebanon has occupied a position in history that is entirely out of proportion to its size. Nearly every Westerner has read or heard about this tiny country, yet its past and present, its inhabitants, and the land itself hold countless secrets. Ann Jousiffe's "Lebanon" will help you explore this legendary corner of the eastern Mediterranean, discover many of its unique treasures, and savor its seemingly infinite variety. Her book provides historical, cultural, and political commentary, advice on food and accommodations, extensive background on archaeological sites, a useful language section, and a glossary. It also includes maps and color photographs.

A perfect companion to Jousiffe's book is "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen: A Culinary Journey through Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan," by Lebanese-born Sonia Uvezian. An astounding achievement of culinary, historical, and cultural research, this masterly volume is a godsend for anyone who plans to visit Lebanon.

When I decided to move to Lebanon three years ago, I bought the first edition of this book, and it was like a bible for my husband and me as we got our bearings, traveled around the country, and branched out on our own. We still use it as a reference when we go back to visit our favorite places. The information is clear and easy to follow, the historical sections, information about the culture, and practical information are all up to date and accurate. All in all, this is an excellent resource for anyone coming to Lebanon. Enjoy your stay!

I returned to Lebanon after many years away. This book had everything! My family (who have never left Lebanon) were also amazed by the detail and accuracy of the book (even the cost of a Taxi from Homs to Beirut to within 50 cents US). Insightful and straightforward. Arranged very well. There is very good detail, even on places that the Ministry of Tourism is scant on. Highly recommended!

Having travelled a lot using the LP guides with no problems I can only recommend them... but even if your not planning a trip to Lebanon- this book is amazing as a reference to the region; making order out of the chaos of Lebanon's recent history in an unbiased and moderate historiography- unswayed by religous or cultural persuasion and remaining sensitive to Lebanon's unique history of generally fruitful co-existance and co-operation between some 15 different religous/cultural groups who inhabit and interpret such a dramatic and tiny country, especially in a region characterised by the sometimes not-so-happy collision between east and west. This is an extremely valuable guide for travellers, people with an interest in the Mediteranean and the Near East, or for that matter, any one of the 13 million Lebanese descendants living outside of that tiny piece of heaven. The section on Mount Lebanon was particularly good, though the author could have covered more of the awesome hiking trails and forest overlooking Beirut to be found in the Metn valleys (midway between Jenkins & Jousiffes Mt Lebanon & Chouf)... but no body's perfect!! :) This book is excellent and very well written- the authors deserve great credit.

You will enjoy & learn a lot from this book. One of the most pleasurable experiences I've ever had in Thailand is eating the food. There is such a wide variety food you can eat in Thailand. As you begin to fall in love with this cuisine, you will want to eat new and more varied dishes. Ordering can be challenging as you evolve into more advanced Thai foods. Yes, you can point and gesture, but if you want to more fully enjoy the culinary delights of real Thai food, you need to know what it's called, and say how you want it cooked or mixed to your spice preferences. There is a lot of important etiquette tips, that will help you if you're invited to eat in a home of a family in a village, or with associates in the city. The regional, colloquial, and relevant slang is included. This means, the author has been there and done it, having lived in Thailand for for the most of 25 years, along with superb homework & research. The photographer, Jerry Alexander helps the reader identify visually with some of the foods that are described. The dictionary at the end included many useful phrases in addition to the food vocabulary. One error though, is that the letter "G" in Thai is listed as a "K" which is only the case when it is a stop final, at the end of a word, or syllable cluster. Read, learn, eat, and enjoy.

I went out on a limb and picked this little treasure up with out even looking at any of the recipies. Glad I did. I spent years as a cook and found that most ethnic dishes are a product of the environment and what the people have at their disposal. And that most methods of cooking are the same with just different spices. These cook books have picked up on that and give you the basics. Every Thai Grandma has her own special recipie for curry but the core recipies are all here. Along with, and this is why I'm so impressed with these books, a history of the culture and it's evolution, common customes at the dinner table, how to shop in the markets, what to order when and where, a great map of the country specifying each regions specialties and (these guy's are great) a little dictionary of the Thai language and their pronunciations. These books would not only make a great gift but a perfect addition to a collection of cook books. I only wanted to buy one Thai cook book and I'm glad I found this one first. It's got evey thing you need to learn and creat great Thai food.

I thought I was an expert on Thai food as I have been living in Thailand for 6 years. However, Joe's easy to read book taught me many a new thing. This is not your average cook book. It is really a cross between a travel guide and a recipe book with a sprinkling of cultural information. I would say that it is the definitive book on eating Thai food - whether that be in Thailand or abroad. Highly recommended for anyone who has visited Thailand and has fallen in love with the food or the armchair traveler who is eating Thai food at home.

I bought this book thinking it was just a cookbook, and was surprised to find much more. Eating is an essential part of life in Thailand, and Joe Cummings gives deep insight into Thai culture -- specifically how "being Thai" comes out in the preparation and enjoyment of food.

If you're buying the LP guide to Thailand and are going there for the first time, also buy this book. You'll get a much more in depth description of the Thai way of life, as well manners & etiquette for a foreigner. And you'll want the recipes when you return!!

The Lonely Planet Guides are justly regarded as bibles by backpackers the world over. They are exhaustively researched and very reliable. I backpacked through Thailand last year and relied heavily on Joe Cummings brilliant LP guide for advice, inspiration and tips on what to eat. When I heard that Joe Cummings had written the LP World Food Guide to Thailand I knew it would be as meticulously researched and filled with the same infectious enthusiasm as his guide to the country itself. I was not disappointed. Though this is not the only Thai cookbook you will ever need - there are only twenty or so recipes - the book rightly sets Thai cuisine in its rich context, building the case that Thai food - real Thai food - is one of the world's most exciting cuisines. The story of Thai food - it's distinctive ingredients, the way it is eaten by Thais, the many regional variations, how to shop for Thai ingredients, street food, etc - is studded with relevant recipes made all the more appealing by what you have just learned. Buy it - you won't be disappointed.

When I was preparing to visit China, I sought for more knowledge about China and their culture. Additionally, I wanted to know what things I should look when shopping. Americans buy so many things that say "Made in China", I did not want to bring home one of these items. This book "Look What Came from China!" by Miles Harvey was very helpful. There was just enough information to lead me to further investigate items for which I was interested. I have read this book several times to my grandchildren. They like to play a game with each other trying to see who can name the most things that came from China.

Mr.Harvey's series on the different aspects of life in other parts of the world is an excellent way to introduce grades 2 through 5 many other cultures! This is very well organized information! I highly recommend this book and others in the series.

This nonfiction book gives many interesting facts about things that come from or were invented in China. The book is well organized because there is a table of contents and the book is divided into sections. Along with a glossary, a resource page is also included, which lists other books and websites about China. The book is very educational, and the information presented is clear and direct. The photographs help capture the essence of China's great inventions. The most exciting thing included in the book is the Mandarin language, the official language of China, for some English words. The calligraphy is given first, and then a pronounciation key is provided. The one and only flaw in the book is the illustrations of ancient Chinese people making paper from pulp. The illustrations are vague, which makes it hard to understand the process it took to make paper. This is a great resource to have in any classroom library. Teachers can use this book to introduce a lesson about China. If students are doing research about China, they can use the book to learn valuable information.

If your preschooler likes pictures, and you as the parent like educating, then this is a fun, educational book! I love to use it to teach my chinese daughter about her birth country!
Kay

As a teacher of history, one of the most important lessons I hope to convey to students is why the study of history is of such importance. One reason is, the study of history helps us to comprehend why we are the way we are. In other words, we must look to the past to understand why we eat what we eat, wear what we wear, and view the world as we do. This book admirably supports, with clear, concise prose and colorful illustrations, why the China's history is everyones' history. It is also great fun to read!

In another book called The Commanding Self Idries Shah says that the desired effect of these Teaching stories depends upon someone not knowing the intended effect. And this in a Teaching narrative that next tells us that the person he said this to, an editor for one of his books, then asked for an introduction explaining the intended effect of the stories. If you don't think thats funny, you probably won't like this book. There are no explanations here, no descriptions of spirituality, or theories about personal development. What is here, is very finely crafted Teaching stories and narratives that Shah collected from both oral and written sources, adding some of his own when "Sufic comprehensiveness demanded it". The stories are beautiful, challenging, disturbing, and often banal. And then one reads them again and finds that they are none of these things; that those were simply some of your own personal reactions to them. This book is a remarkable acheivement; a mirror for what can't be written down.

This book not only entertains, it educates as well. The tales and vignettes in it are called Teaching Stories because teaching is precisely what they do. They teach the reader how to escape from the confines and limitations of usual, normal thinking processes. They do so by showing the reader to himself or herself, reflected in the actions and motivations of the characters in the tales. The reader can learn how to operate more free of bias. The effect is similar to suddenly coming across riches, the riches buried within ourselves. Repeated readings reveal more layers and depths, each guiding the reader to greater understanding and freedom. 'The Magic Monastery' is, for these reasons, quite a catch.

About Sufism, it has been said that "in the West it's become very complicated because spiritual authority is understood on the wrong levels."

Shah's delivery is often times directed toward certain constructs of the ego within this reader's psyche. Painfulness is almost always imminent because he is capable in pointing out the fractures of this reader's brittle comprehension of Life. He points out how I can be my own worst enemy that keeps me from taking necessary steps needed to live a healthy and fulfilling life. In this sense, his tone can, in some instances, become characteristic of a stern father, a strict sensei, or a tough coach helping me steer clear of self-imagined obstructions. These moments aren't really ever pleasant, as they tend to turn my insides, and I feel singed. But, with some help, I am able to understand that this is an essential prerequisite for transformation in the Sufi way; therefore, I choose to understand these types of stern approaches in terms of "tough loving" that help bring equilibrium to my egoic ratios (inflation:deflation), and step in the direction of freeing myself of myself.

The Sufi stories within the Magic Monastery are, for me, the best times of diligent reading and mindful inner listening. I definitely become more aware of any inner voices compelling reactions and responses. Self-punishing? or self-rewarding? You make what you want of it.

Do you want to get to know yourself? That's what I did. Each of these stories is an opportunity to discover another aspect of your personality. Like me, you will find stories which you will like or find amusing, perhaps others that will annoy or startle you. Each is a mine of possibility that enriches with subsequent readings. Spend time with Idries Shah... and get to know You.

Here are 157 pieces of literature, most on a single page. Each one is like a room in a monastery; not the one in the title story, which is the product of the illusions of the greedy, but a genuine, inner one. Some rooms have windows through which to see the world around us more clearly. Some rooms have mirrors in which to see ourselves more clearly. Both windows and mirrors are specialized to help us see subtle things that we would otherwise miss. Then we realize that the windows have become mirrors, and the mirrors, windows. A handbook for inner work.

I found this book in the library when I was 14 and LOVED it. I didn't get my own copy until I was 19 (yes, long wait) but I was so happy when I did. The selection is great and the format easily readable. Having never read any tanka before I found this book, I can assure you that the poetry retains the beautiful lyricism of Haiku while expanding on concepts and often adding a more "human" element to the ideas portrayed. Great book for any Tanka lover or to those new to tanka.

Seeing the way this 1000 year old form is being used by modern Japanese writers is inspiring. If you are trying to get the hang of writing any kind of poetry, reading these selections will give your imagination a boost.

a sheer delight in every possible sense. luminous translations, excellent choices, and fascinating biographies. a must for lovers of japanese poetry. or anybody looking for an other-worldly experience.

A wonderful (and beautifully laid-out and translated) anthology crammed with dozens of astonishing poems, plus an excellent introduction. A must for all lovers of poetry, especially tanka

Not only is the book beautiful to have in your hands, its contents are excellent. Ueda's introduction is a comprehensive look at the development of the tanka form, and an orientation of its poets within the broader literary movements of Japanese tanka, and other contemporary poetry. Each poet is introduced with a reletively lengthy biography which provides personal information helpful to the contemplation of their poetry, especially considering that tanka are mostly occasional poems written as an expression of daily living. If you've never read tanka, try it. You'll find yourself seeing your life in immortal poetic fragments. And if you already do document your life in poems, here is an elegant and simple way to express yourself in metric form.

My son keeps checking this out from the library and I thought it would be nice to pick it up for him for Christmas or something. Yikes!

I can see why the cost is so high, though. This is a wonderful book. The illustrations are so rich and beautiful. The story is fascinating.

The little guy is 5 and it's his favorite book right now.

This is a fantastic short version of the Monkey King story with incredible illustrations. I used it to help some of my beginning and intermediate level Chinese ESL students. It makes a good format for them to learn English since they are already familiar with the story. Even though this book is written for children adults can certainly appreciate its beauty.

A nice intro to Monkey King & a beautiful book. I could see reading it to a 1st or 2nd grade class as part of an intro to China. If you've talked about collages & how Eric Carle does his books, this would also be a fun book to see. There are also differences the Adventures of Monkey King told by Cheng-En Wu to spot. (My 6 y.o. & I make a game of that at home as we read Wu's version first.)

"Monkey King," by Ed Young, is a visually striking children's book whose story evokes Chinese folklore. The art is a lot of fun; the collages burst with color and energy. The only unnecessary element is an unwieldy gimmick involving pages that fold out of the book. Fortunately, this fold-out gimmick is only a very small part of the book.

The many colorful characters in the book include Red Beard Bandit, Dragon King, Jade Emperor, and the monk Tang. The wildly multicolored title character is a trickster, magician, and likeable rogue. His character is nicely complemented by Guan Ying, the serene Goddess of Mercy. All in all, a good job by Ed Young.

Title: Monkey King
Author: Ed Young
Reading Level: 5-8

This is a great book. I would recommend this book for ages 5-8. This book is about a monkey that is clever and courageous, with an appetite for mischief and showing off. This book has many other characters. It is adventurous book with magic and fun. This is a good book. J

This is a fun read book! Even an armchair mountain climber like myself, can experience the ups and downs of an incredible journey!

Kevin is just a regular guy who's passion propels him to the top of the world. The best part is that the reader gets to go there too! Good stuff! It was hard to put this book down!

Definitely a masterpeice to add along side my Jon Krakauer's, Into Thin Air; David Breashear's, High Exposure; Kenneth Kamler's, Doctor on Everest; and Ed Viestur's, Himalayan Quest.

Being an Everest-phile who can't read enough about this mountain, I highly recommend this book. It's not just about climbing Everest, it's the battles of overcoming one's weaknesses to do so on....the mountain and in everyday life.

Warning: Whatever you do, do NOT read the Table of Contents or you will find yourself completely seduced by the fascinating chapter titles and you'll be skipping ahead. Titles such as:

Big Head Todd, the Monster
Heading to Base Camp, and the Dead Yak in Room 5
May 16, 2002-The Day I Stayed in the Tent
I'm Through With Big Mountains Forever-I'm Finally Cured
Cheesedick at LAX
The Advantages of Failure
My Dad's Dying
Reindeer Copulation Hat
Potty Talk (literally)

Kevin wrote such a funny book that you'll laugh out loud. He also writes about failing and how it haunts you until you right the wrong of failing.

I, too, had a hike in which it was a day I did not get out of the tent. It was on the mountaineer's route of Mt. Whitney (pretty much exactly 1/2 the height of Everest) and I was so zonked out by the steep hike, I laid in my tent the next day while my hiking party summitted and HATED myself. I could feel exactly what Kevin felt the first time he attempted Everest and did not have the energy to get out and go while everyone else did...even a group of women! On the way home from the trip he tried to avoid talking to anyone about where he'd been because they couldn't understand that while he'd gotten so far up, why didn't he just go for the summit? Very, very funny reading! (See Cheesedick at LAX chapter.)

This failure haunts him for years until he goes out and sets it straight. Being an amateur climber he really paints a stunningly clear picture of what it's like and what it feels like, physically and mentally, to challenge the Big One. What he writes can impact your regular life.

I don't want to give away the ending, but Kevin gives a great first hand description of what it's like to be so tired that finally standing on Everest he feels nothing, he just wants to get DOWN! Which is easier than said. First he had to negotiate down the steep, rocky Hillary Step, then, so exhausted, UP the 60 foot face of the South Summit, Everest not being a just downhill mountain. He just wanted to stop and sleep for a while and we all know what happens when you just "sleep" on Everest. He also credits Sherpa Mingma for saving his life, patiently rousing him awake constantly to get him off the mountain as night falls (chapter "Kevin, please...")

I hope Kevin finds another adventure and writes a book about it. This book is one you can't put down and is extremely well-written. There are superb color photos and some pretty pathetic ones of him after he finally conquers Everest.

Kevin, I'm planning on going to Everest Base Camp next year, being a trekker you climbers hate as "disease carriers", but I can't wait to experience Nepal as you described it!

Congratulations Kevin, great book!!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was so approachable and down to earth, but also gave an exciting and realistic account of his climbs. I'm not a climber, but was looking for an inspirational read. The author really expresses himself as a climber and as a person with some significant depth of character. You don't need to be a mountain climber to read and thoroughly enjoy this book.

Kevin Flynn takes the reader on a personally guided tour of Mt. Everest. The account is extremely interesting, without being bogged down with the technical intricacies of the climb. The story is told in very personal, self-effacing terms. It's well worth the read, whether a climber, a fan, or neither. I found extremely inspirational.

I have always been fascinated with those who climb Mt. Everest. This is such a great down to earth book. You feel as though you are along for the climb and how very difficult it is. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

When you think of an "explorer" you think of a guy like Hedin. From an early age he ventured again and again into large swatches of Asian geography where few or no Europeans had ever trod. Hedin graphically and realistically portrays his travels with such detail that you can feel the cold, the heat, the parched throats, the curious indigenous eyes and the scenery staggering in its beauty. When you come to the end of this book, you will be all "adventured" out, for on almost every page there is a suspenseful, fascinating episode. Hedin was truly an explorer's explorer. His greatness is dimmed, however, by his fervent support of Naziism during WWII. As someone has writen elsewhere, Hedin knew about the death camps and never disavowed them. He was a solid Nazi partisan. In an epilogue to this book, author and admirer Peter Hopkirk urges us to look at Hedin's many and major contributions and to forgive his pro-German activities in both world wars. I'm not quite willing to forgive, but I will segment my views of Hedin into Hedin the explorer and Hedin the Nazi sympathizer. Anyhow,if you're looking for a fascinating book about exploration in the most forbidding sectors of our planet at the turn of the 20th century, this is a book for you.

(This refers to the National Geographic Reprint edition)

This is truly a great book, full of the amazing adventures of an incredible explorer. You have to admire Hedin's determination and stubborness, although sometimes I wonder about his planning. It seems like every trip all his animals die, and the men are on the verge of starvation. And as for his trips in the desert, I would have thought the concept of "take some extra water" would have occured at some point!
Hedin is a fine writer, and his descriptions are not only accessible to the average reader, but often quite poetic as well.
Nevertheless, I only reluctantly give this a full 5 stars, because I feel that National Geographic missed a great opportunity to make this an almost perfect book, and it wouldn't have been that difficult to do. As a previous reviewer mentioned, some good maps could have helped. There's almost no excuse for NG not to have included some decent maps of Central Asia in their edition. Furthermore, one tends to forget (although Hedin mentions in the text), that he also took photographs on many of his travels. These might have been included as well. (To see some, refer to the Photos section of the website of the Sven Hedin Foundation, "http://www.etnografiska.se/hedinweb/htmsidor/organi.htm"). Aside from the simplistic drawings that are included, Hedin also did many detailed sketches and potraits on his travels. Now one can assume that none of these were included in the original, and this is only a reprint, but nevertheless, it is a missed opportunity. The introductory chapter by A.Brandt also adds little insight, and might as well have been left out as well.
However, despite the lost opportunities, this book is highly recommended.

The Swede Sven Hedin was the last great explorer we will see on this well-traveled planet. Hedin was born in 1865 and this autobiography describes his life up until 1908. Hedin's career was hardly finished, however, as he continued to traipse down the old Silk Road in Central Asia until the 1930s when he was 70 years old.

In a happy trait that should be copied by more auto-biographers, Hedin doesn't spend much time on his childhood. By the third page of his narrative he is 20 years old and off to the Caucasus Mountains which only whets his appetite for the little-known peaks and deserts of Tibet and Central Asia. He spent the years between 1893 and 1908 exploring these regions and filling in blank places on the map.

National Geographic's "Traveler" magazine put this book on its list of 100 best adventure books and, truly, the tales of Hedin's adventures make for good, exciting reading. Hedin displays both charm and generosity in his account. He traveled without the company of other Europeans and he enjoyed the companionship of his local helpers and the dogs he adopted along his way. He draws many clever portraits of the people he met in his travels. Hedin, however, was no mere adventurer. He was a serious, sober scholar who produced dozens of scientific studies of his findings.

One of the most hair raising tales in the book concerns Hedin's first expedition into the sands of the Takla Makhan (desert) of China in which he and his companions nearly died of thirst. A second high point of the book is the account of his attempt to visit Lhasa, the forbidden capital of Tibet. He failed after getting nearly to the gates of the city and was denied the honor of becoming the first foreigner to visit Lhasa in half a century. Amidst the plethora of adventures, the stoic Swede brushes over incidents others would consider high -- or low -- points of their lives. "Fever kept me in Kashgar a long while" is his complete description of one serious illness.

The book is illustrated with many of Hedin's drawings, including his hand drawn maps. I suggest that you read the book with a good modern map at hand so as to trace his routes with more precision as his constant tooing-and-froing can be confusing.

Smallchief

This is a tale wonderfully told of an explorer's quest to fill in the blank spots on the map of Asia. Not only does Hedin present a clear and highly entertaining view of his travels, but he also gives us a portrait of his character. He shows us that he is a man with high goals and is undeterred in achieving those goals, even when all odds are against him. He shows us that he is also a very caring man, very much concerned about the welfare of his men and his animals. He also is a man that is awestruck by nature and is very concerned about not unduly intruding upon it or unnecessarily destroying it.

But most of all, this is an adventure story that is just plain fun to read.

A suggestion to readers who are not very familiar with the geography of central Asia would be to have on hand some good maps as the ones Hedin draws are quite limited and often fail to give the perspective that may be desireable.

I concur with NDylanRay@aol.com. This book is exceptional. I could hardly put it down. You feel the excitement and intensity of his adventures, you begin to understand the force that drives him (and you respect him for it), and you meet the people and the places that make Turkestan and Tibet 100 years ago like no place that you could ever imagine.

With the New Territories of Hong Kong fast becoming home to massive housing developments, franchised restaurants, and even a Disneyland, it's great to have this book as a reminder of times past. While the story of British colonialism is not a happy one in many parts of the world, one finds in this book an account of a British reversal of fortune: Coates frequently finds himself lost and confused, and he freely admits that he was probably a failure as a magistrate.

What the post-1997 reader can glean from this book, apart from a description of rural Cantonese life, is a telling account of relations between the British Civil Service and those they ruled and administered. But beyond this, careful insights are made into the nature of the Cantonese/Chinese mind that cannot help but be beneficial, even today. Coates was a man that asked questions of everybody all the time, and he was very observant of his surroundings. More than simply one of the numerous (bad) attempts gwailous make to "explain" the Chinese to the uninitiated, he rather sets an example for other Westerners to follow: not to assume others think the same way, and to ask plenty of questions when one doesn't understand certain cultural points.

Most importantly, it's a very easy read. Pick it up before you fly to HK...you'll finish it before you land.

I agree with the other reviewers. This is an excellent book that will help gweilos understand the Cantonese (and, to a lesser extent, Chinese and Asians in general) a bit better. If you're a Westerner planning to move to Asia, this may help to prepare you for the experience of never quite knowing what the real problem is and never getting a straight answer (at least not the first 20 times you ask the question). I lived in Hong Kong for 6 years and can't say that I totally understand the mindset of the "locals", but this book helped. And it was fun to read! I had bought at least 5 copies by the time I left Hong Kong (most of which went to friends and family), and I wish that I had purchased more. It's a classic.

One reason this book is now unobtainable in Hong Kong is the number of copies I have bought and given (or had 'borrowed' by) friends over the years. Dated but entertaining, excellent account of living in HK, away from Mid-Levels and the expatriate lifestyle. Bob Howlett

This is a completely charming account of Austin Coates' period as a Special Magistrate in Hong Kong's New Territories. I've never read a foreigner who combines so well a frank portrayal of the difficulties in understanding the rural Cantonese mentality, with such sympathy. Coates comes at his subject with a singular highly intuitive vision, and it's impossible not to come away enriched.

This exceptionally well written book of anecdotes and personal experiences should be required reading for any Westerner visiting or conducting business in China or other countries where the Chinese culture subsists. At times humourous, at times tragic it leads the reader through a series of situations experienced by the author, an Englishman, as he plys his trade as a special magistrate in post-war Hong Kong. It has helped me to understand some of the more baffling moments of my life here in Hong Kong in the 1990s. Thoroughly recommended.