Asian Books

This book is amazing. It has really helped me to become clear about what true justice and reciprocity look like in relationships -- and what ingredients must be in place for relationships to really thrive and grow.
It also shows how God (or The Creative/Sage/Higher Power/Tao) works with us to improve our relationships and bring them into harmony with the truth.
The true love relationship functions like a crucible, alchemical vessel, or "Ting", and the heat of conscious suffering endured for the realization of the good -- or creative non-action -- burns up the dross and purifies us and the relationship. There are no guarantees in this process. We have free will. But God is faithful; if we persevere in following the truth to the best of our ability, allowing ourselves to depend on God and be led through the process, we will be shown the way through -- or, if necessary, the way out -- at the proper time.
I think this book is especially great for women because it cuts through our social conditioning to always be "nice" and to value the preservation of harmony often at the expense of the truth and our own self-respect and dignity. It shows the way to clean up difficult or unequal relationships without fighting or arguments. It shows how to do this in an inner way that is completely calm and that strengthens our faith and our spiritual fiber -- by developing the capacity to remain humbly in the truth, relinquishing our defenses, and turning the problem and the solution over to the guidance of God.

This was my introduction into the writings of Carol K. Anothony and the I-Ching. I found it utterly insightful, so much so that I followed it up by her book-A Guide to the I-Ching. This particular book (Love, an Inner Connection) is highly recommended for those in couplings, but also gives perspective to the single seeker on self and relationships. I enjoyed reading it, so much of the information resonated with me, and I hope you too.

I recently made my chiropractor sell me this book right out of her waiting room. It is transorming my life -- not only my love life! It essentially shows one, in a very elegant and straightforward way, how to do the inner work of relationship with one's essential self, using the love relationship with "other" as the cauldron of transformation to relate only to the essential self in self and other, and not to wrestle with the ego of either.

As mentioned in a review below, the work involves seeing the partner as whole and perfect, and not being deceived by outer circumstances or actions caused by THEIR fearful ego. It sees the purpose of the love relationship as being drawn to oneself (and the partner) as the means to free each partner's essential self from ego, and beautifully expounds on the nuances involved in this simple, yet most difficult of paths.

There is nothing to "do" except find the trust in the love between you and that the universe is unfolding as it should. Anything else would be the ego's strategic attempt to control the situation, which is always doomed to failure.

I been applying the principles as I read the book (over and over!) and am finding a love being returned that I thought I had lost. This book reminds me that even if the ultimate outcome is not "being together" that by the time this becomes the self-evident next step, there will be no sadness or anger (to say nothing of NOT reinforcement of old negative self-talk about why this happened)but that the self that will have developed in the process will be ready to receive an even grander relationship than the one that got away.

I am online to purchase several copies, so I can give them to all of my girlfriends!

The book explores realms that are only seldom considered ,for their peculiar nature,and for not beeing easily"catalogued".. The paramount influence,Carol Anthony explains, it is not so much what we whish or desire..but rather what "we do".. " we cannot want the love from one person.." wanting something is still ego based talk..hence unsuccessful. " the way back.. ,straight into someone'heart is to "change the way we see them" as thoroughly as possible and as honestly..

This IS a formidable lesson! and Lesson # 2:.. "nothing can be hidden from, the loving heart of the person we are connected with.."no lies,regardless of their"size"or Color"(white?".).the two hearts are so intimately connected,and at such profound,non measurable level,that alienation soon ensues "The other" may never know the specifics,but the consequences are nevertless as damaging for the relation,that soon or later,breaks apart If the book would contain only these 2 formidable truth,would already be plenty..but thre are imbedded, in the generous and simple prose,hundreds of pure gems.... Such an exquisite voice. Such an exquisite lesson,for the avid heart,on its path to "redemption" Adolfo de' Martino

After working closely with Carol Anthony's "Guide to the I Ching" for a year, I found myself truly transformed in attitude and awareness. That work which continues, was hallmarked by an unexpected relationship and when I felt the powerlessness of loving another, I reached to "Love, an Inner Connection" because it was based in the principles I was familiar with. This book is absolutely necessary to guide you through the challenges of loving another. It requires that we grow up, discard useless attitudes and prejudices, and work from faith and discipline. It seeks to teach those who are willing to learn, that loving requires enormous perseverence and patience, and that relationships that are meant to last, indeed require work.

Mrs.Anthony's understanding of the I Ching and her unique talent of bringing an ancient text to our "current" issues serves as an inexhaustible source of inspiration and strength.

I fully concur with the preceding reviews.I have been a student of China since the US Air Force assigned me to Taiwan in 1957-58 following completion of language training. Of the many books about China I have read over the years this has to be the most compelling. I could not put it down and was disappointed when it ended. I wanted more!

Ambassador Ji Chaozhu's personal journey in the Chinese Foreign Ministry provides vivid and rich details for our understanding of the inner working of Chinese foreign policy-making establishment. From this book, we learn not only real stories of top leaders such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping, but also personal relations between Ambassador Ji and other senior PRC diplomats such as Huang Zhen, Han Xu, Zhang Wenjin, Nancy Tang and Wang Hairong, and etc. This book is a major addition to the growing literature on PRC diplomacy, and will become an essential reading for any one interested in 20th century China, especially its diplomacy.

A good relationship between China and America is crucial for the future of the world. Period. Therefore, learning the history of recent Chinese politics and the historical relationship between China and America should be mandatory for all Americans, young and old. And what better way to start learning than by reading this very entertaining factual book. This book, written by an interpreter for various high-ranking Chinese officials during the Mao era, is a must-read for those who want an insiders view into the momentous events that occurred in China from the 1950's through recent times. The author is humorous, occassionally self-depreciating, and brutally honest in all he recalls about the great historical events he witnessed close-up in China. Riveting and memorable are two words I can use to describe this book. After reading it, I have a better understanding of what was going on in China when China was "closed" from 1949 to 1976. And, I have a desire to read more from the author. I sincerely hope China and America can grow old together, clean up the environment and always be friends. Nothing less than the future of our planet depends upon it.

For the past 20 years, I've read almost anything I can get my hands
on about China. Out of the novels, biographies and numerous
autobiographies, I always considered "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang
to be at the top of my list. Now its time for that amazing memoir to move over. "The Man on Mao's Right" is my new favorite book on the subject of China. It takes a culture so huge in dimension and makes it personal and more importantly, relevant.

Read this book if you want to understand the foreign policy of the Peoples Republic of China, or want guidance from an expert on how to keep your sanity and morality in a bureaucracy, or if you just want a very good story.

In the fall of 1950, at the age of 21, Ji Chaozhu returned to his native China after an absence of 12 years. He left a comfortable middle class life as a Harvard undergraduate scholarship student at a time of increasingly virulent anti-communism in this country. China was on the verge of a shooting war with the USA in Korea, and he literally stepped through the looking glass into an upside down world of opposites. In China it was politically dangerous even to be suspected of intellectual or bourgeois tendencies; membership in the Communist Party was a privilege which it took him years to achieve; to fight against the USA backed forces in Korea was a patriotic duty for which he quickly volunteered. On a more personal level, Chaozhu had to relearn his first language, get used to a new and substantially reduced diet, and - perhaps most difficult of all - adapt to the use of a traditional "squat" toilet.

This is the story of his 50 year odyssey through the hierarchy of the Chinese Foreign Ministry from lowly translator at Panmunjom to Ambassador to the Court of St. James and Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. His original intention when he returned home was to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry and help China to develop an atomic bomb, but his knowledge of English and American culture was a rare commodity in China at that time and proved much more valuable to the Government, so he parlayed that skill along with his good humor and good sense into a career working steadfastly towards the goal of establishing peace and cooperation between China and the USA.

Along the way there were many twists and turns - tragic, exasperating, comical and unhealthy. He spent several long periods living away from his family working on farms in the country standing up to his knees in cold mud leaning over to plant rice seedlings, or carrying human waste to the fields in buckets to fertilize the crops. These stints were supposed to correct his bourgeois tendencies and help him identify with the peasants. He survived cold, heat, fleas, hunger, unsanitary conditions and primitive plumbing, but even more challenging were the internal politics and ideological twists and turns of programs like the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution. He gained the confidence and protection of Premier Zhou Enlai, whom he served as translator on many important missions, on occasion being hurriedly summoned from the farm and appearing with manure still under his fingernails.

Ideologues on both the left and the right will find much to quibble about in this book. I may have on occasions been guilty of the former tendency and feel uncomfortable about Chaozhu's admiration for and continuing friendship with Henry Kissinger, but I cannot argue with his results. It appears that this relationship was critical to establishing normal and peaceful relations between the USA and China.

When Chaozhu dropped out of Harvard to return home, he left behind a small group of politically sympathetic classmates of whom I was one. To indulge in a little self-criticism, when I discovered that he had left I was guilty of two self-centered feelings: jealousy that he was going home to work for a real revolution and a dense of betrayal that he had gone off and left us to face the excesses of McCarthyism without him. Over the years I heard bits of news and rumors about his career, thought about him often, and wondered what his life was like. Now I know. When I finally picked up this book 58 years later, I couldn't put it down; I read it in one sitting.

This book helped a real novice better grasp the many vested interests in this region. While I didn't get much hope for long and stable peace, I believe everyone must keep talking. And, all governments must do their best to resolve the territory issues between Isreal and Palestine.

This book gives one the opportunity to really see what is or has occurred in the Middle East. The truth is sometimes a very uncomfortable fact to live with. Having spent some time in the Middle east and being interested in the area, I find the facts overwhelmingly true. Kudos, Mr. James for being brave enough to state the facts, as they are. The reason I gave the review four stars and not five is that Mr. James did not write enough.

If this book was mandatory reading for all public policy officials in the US government, I believe the Middle East would be a different place today. Not since reading Thomas Friedman have i read a more accurate and balance view of the "realities" of the middle east. When i was younger, I assumed that our elected officials and state dept personnel understood these basic realities but as i have moved through time it has become painfully evident that they do not.

This book should be mandatory reading for all who seek to make peace in the middle east or who seek to do business there. It seperates the realities from the hype and gives the reader perspective on the issues of today and how they evolved from history.

A great quick read and to the point!

I like the way the author exposes the motivation and incentives which lead up to the events in the Middle East, rather than just a description of them. Also, finally someone has come along with actual solutions to the complex issues in the Middle East instead of just a history lesson.

With the recent tragic events in Lebanon, and the continued conflict throughout the Middle East, Mr. James' book provides background and insight to give the reader a better understanding of the current situation.

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.

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.

it is amazing that with all the hardship that these guys went thru, human nature can still make the best of an awful situation.

One of my first introductions to Australian and Far East reading of WW11, thoroughly enjoyable, could not put it down until it was finished. Would recommend this book to all generations. Has given me the taste to find out more about the Far East and familiarise myself with further Australian literature. Thought only John Pilger could write riveting literature, I was wrong!

The author went through some really horrific situations but at the same time can describe the strength of the human spirit. The author also has a great sense of humor. I think books like this are rare these days in our politically correct world. Well worth the read.

The Naked Island

The autobiography of a young australian soldier who spent long years in captivity as prisoner of war of the Japanese.
The first part is the description of the military life in Malaya before the attack of the Japanese with many ironical notes on that tedious life from the point of view of a soldier.
The second part is the description of the useless fight of the Australian and British troops against the overwhelming enemy and then the attempt to escape the capture.
Then the third, and most interesting part, is the description of the life during three long years of captivity in the different prisons where the writer was imprisoned and in the jungle camps where all prisoners were forced to work without food, facing malaria, beri beri and death for starvation.
A book I would really recommend.
Are you looking for another absolutely interesting book about a similar experience?
Read the famous "Behind bamboo" by Rohan Rivett

This is an unforgettable book: informative, educational, poignant and often delightfully humorous. It is a tribute to the British and Australian Forces used as slave labour in the construction of the Burma/Siamese Railway and their ability to live with dignity, compassion and decency under the most deplorable conditions imaginable. This book leaves an indelible impression on the reader and should be required reading for each successive generation.

Well, you have BOTH Ha Jin AND Arthur Golden praising it on the back cover--what can you expect? (I like one and not the other). While the cover made me think that this was going to be a "wacky," irreverent account by a young, half-Chinese woman, the book is instead an extremely well-written, thought-provoking colletion of essays on ethnicity and identity. Rekdal is a poet, and it shows in her evocative descriptions, in her lyrical passages, in an effortlessly beautiful line rendered for the reader's benefit. Grappling with the vexatious issue of personal identity, Rekdal comes up with great insight and meaning into the problem without being narcisstic or excessively introspective; the book succeeds brilliantly wihtout offering any simple, pat conclusions. Though the essay's topics are somewhat disjointed--they go from America to Korea to China to childhood, etc--the disconnected structure seems to be part of the point: as the subtitle suggests, these are "observations of not fitting in." I liked her juxtaposition of the uncanny, the frustrating, the disappointing things along with the beautiful, the personal, the "mini-epiphanic" aspects.

And yes, she is also very witty. The humor is very sharp. I found myself laughing hysterically at an Elvis reference and I normally don't find him amusing. Finally, as someone who also spent a year teaching high school students in a small city in Korea, I was delighted and amazed to read about experiences that I related to. I'm grateful for that alone, but it's a great book in all other aspect as well.

There are always stereotypes to be stripped down, aren't there?

Rekdal's themes (race, how Americans are perceived overseas, how Americans perceive each other) make you think, but her writing won't make you struggle. Her essays, built around episodes of her life, are sad, funny, entertaining and insightful.

An excellent book. Highly recommended. I wish I could teach a course called "Race in America" just so I could get more people to read this book.

Well, you have BOTH Ha Jin AND Arthur Golden praising it on the back cover--what can you expect? (I like one and not the other). While the cover made me think that this was going to be a "wacky," irreverent account by a young, half-Chinese woman, the book is instead an extremely well-written, thought-provoking colletion of essays. Rekdal is a poet, and it shows in her evocative descriptions, in her lyrical passages, in an effortlessly beautiful line. Rekdal pulls it off without being narcisstic or excessively introspective; the book succeeds brilliantly. Though the essay's topics are somewhat disjointed--they go from America to Korea to China to childhood, etc--the disconnected structure seems to be part of the point: as the subtitle suggests, these are "observations on not fitting in." I liked her juxtaposition of the uncanny, the frustrating, the disappointing things along with the beautiful, the personal, the "mini-epiphanic" aspects.

And yes, she is also very witty. The humor is very sharp. I found myself laughing hysterically at an Elvis reference and I normally don't find him amusing. Finally, as someone who also spent a year in a small city in Korea, I was delighted that she related experiences that I shared myself when I taught high school students in South Korea.

Ms. Rekdal's numerous observations are personal and touching. Many Americans have struggled with an identity crisis. I understand fully the crushing power of long and brutal silences mentioned in the text. I am so glad that Ms. Rekdal is not silent at all.

i am so happy to have stumbled upon this book. This author is so intelligent, observant, witty and creative. This book was charming and relatable. i laughed aloud as some of my own personal experiences were so similar, it was amazing. Rekdal is able to put into words feelings that i hadn't been able to describe. Even if one hasn't had cultural identity questions about him/herself this book is enjoyable and some sentences read almost like poetry. Her stories are very insightful and she captures the essence of how people think and react.

"A jolly, laughing lady," those are the opening words of the biography.
The closing words are:
"To be able to share what I have learned with others is a privilege and a joy. Has not this journey been an enviable inheritance in itself?"

In between those personal words, I got the chance to intimately share the life of Winnifred Eaton. Birchall opens the family vaults, secrets and intimacies; shares her deductions and her thoughts about Winnifred with me as reader; and writes in a zesty, tangy language that kept seducing me to read on and on.
The things I learned about the early filmindustry in Hollywood and the look behind the screens, are as fascinating as all the facts about the working conditions for women in the first half of the century in the USA

This biography by Birchall leads me to wonder and think about Winnifred as a human being and also about the culture and times that Winnifred went through in her life and tackled straight on, in her own inimitable style.
What more can a biography do?

Normally I am none too fond of biographies as genre. This one had me enthralled, qua content and style of writing.

Birchall's fascinating and beautifully written account of her grandmother's life is an important work for scholars in women's studies, Asian-American or American studies, Canlit, and the movie industry, and for the general reader seeking a compelling biography.

Other reviewers have mentioned Eaton/Watanna's background. I will stress instead the absorbing interest of Winnifred's successive reinventions of herself in societies that had no ready place for her. Like a brilliant slackrope walker with an increasingly awkward load, Winnifred managed to shift her balance not only to survive, but pulled off one tour de force after another. Her performances as a Japanese-American novelist, as a screenwriter and as a rancher doyenne would win applause from Daniel Defoe.

Eaton/Watanna has become a focal interest of American scholars in recent years. As her granddaughter, Birchall had informaitonal advantages in writing on her. Her graceful, well-considered book shows how glad we should be for Birchall's advantages.

I didn't mean to like Winnifred Eaton. After all, she was a bit of a fanfaronade and very much of a poseur, not at all the sort I wanted in my circle of intimates.

But Diana Birchall's sparkling biography changed my mind. Writing with unblinking honesty, Birchall describes the many lives that her chameleon grandmother lived, from journalist and novelist to story editor and screenwriter. Of most interest to me were the stories of her career as wife in two unconventional marriages and mother to four children. Birchall's graceful use of language is enhanced by her wit and intelligently ironic style. She concludes this delightful biography with the acknowledgment that sharing what she has learned about her grandmother has been a privilege and a joy. Surely it is no less a privilege and a joy for the reader.

In my library I have dozens of books inherited from my parents and my grandparents. We have been readers for several generations, and I grew up with many of these books. One of these books was a novel called "The Heart of Hyacinth" by an author mysteriously named Onoto Watanna. The author was unknown to me, but I thought the book was one of the most beautiful of all the books I'd inherited, with lovely Japanese-style illustrations and drawings.

But now I've had a chance to learn about the woman who lurked behind that exotic nom de plume. I learn she was not Japanese at all, but half Chinese and half English. Yet her true story seems to be as fully exotic as any of the character's lives from her books.

Diana Birchall has done a wonderful job of bringing her fascinating grandmother to life. The book give a wonderful look at a most unusual woman, and what life was like for young women at the turn of the last century. At least what life was like when the young women were as self-confident and gutsy as the young Winnifred Eaton.

"A jolly, laughing lady" are the first words of the bigraphy; the last ones are: "To be able to share what I have learned with others has been a privilege and a joy. Has not this journey been an enviable inheritance in itself?"

Inbetween these words Birchall indeed shares with the reader the life of Winnifred, in personal and intimate detail. Birchall also seduces the reader into not just reading, but thinking about the culture and times Winnifred faced in her own inimitable style, from her life in Canada as young girl down to the years of Hollywood.

Normally I am none too fond of biographies but this one enchanted me, by the content and by the style of Birchall's writing. Full of zest, lifely images and easy to read on and on. As non native reader I appreciated this very much; it was a joy and a privilege to share. Would that all biographies were such a good read!

Despite the fact that I am a little over 3/4 through the book,"PLAIN TALES FROM THE RAJ" Images of British India in the Twetieth Century; as edited by Charles Allen, I can safely say:..... "Magnificient!"

"Pith helmets, oppressive heat, ball room dances, Calcutta women, and Bombay Gin...Here's to all who were there...cherio and chin chin chin!!"

If, you even have but an inkling of interest in the history of India, and or Great Britain...you need to read this book about real stories and real people. A superb book....an outstanding read!

just plain excellant,with a mason foreward to boot should be on every shelf on lndian history the final chapters were the best....thanks

BBC compiled this book with interviews from 60 Brits who had lived in India while it was still a British colony. India -- the jewel in the crown of the British empire --was deep in the consciousness of British society and generations of young, ambitious Brits sallied off to India to make their careers as civil servants, soldiers, merchants, or missionaries.

The book is organized by themes in each chapter. A chapter on households describes the homes and servants the British had, "The Club" tells of that famous British institution transferred to the sub-continent, "Hazard and Sport" is about polo, hunting, tennis, and pig-sticking. Every aspect of life in India is taken up in 21 chapters. It was not an easy life for the colonials, but it was impossibly exotic, witness the popularity of writers such as Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham. Rigid British notions of race and class fit well with Indian caste laws; otherwise India was as different from Great Britain as it could possibly be. That the colonial enterprise was rotten at the core was concealed by stiff upper lips and a government that was "probably the most incorruptible ever known."

"Plain Tales" includes a brief biography of each of the interviewees who represent a cross section of British society in India and a glossary of Anglo Indian words (pukka = proper). This book presents a bird's eye view of the life of British subjects in India and their interaction with their unwilling Indian hosts, the environment, and their fellows. It's all a really fascinating tale. And, finally, in 1947 when the British had to go, they threw their topees -- those ridiculous cork hats -- into the sea and returned to England and Home.

Smallchief

A gem of a book! Too often, stories of the experience of imperialism are scrubbed to fit in with more modern sensibilities instead of staying true to the authentic tale. This book is glorious for the truth of the voices and the attitudes, morals and viewpoints that were the norm for the time. Invaluable to understanding what life was really like, and what motivated those who were the Raj. This was a wonderful read, completely free from political correctness and censorship. Finally a book that seemed to tell the tale as it was. The book flows well, the stories are engaging, the language is crisp and clear, and valuable information is present on every page. There is no attempt to portray the people as anything other than who they were, they are allowed to tell their own stories. I'm very thankful that someone realised how valuable this material would be to future generations and took the steps to capture it while it was still available.

Pithy though this book is it will keep you glued and captivated. British individuals who were masters or participants in Colonial India talk frankly about what it was really like. Many of the people featured in this book like Deborah Dring, Reginald Savory and Philip Mason (who also introduces the volume) would now be dead. The voices were recorded for radio in the mid 1970s. Now the memoirs resurface like something out of a faraway fairytale.

Charles Allen, now getting on himself was originally put in charge of the recordings for a BBC radio series documenting the period of Colonial India between 1900 and 1948 from then living witnesses to a bygone age by Philip Mason. Thank goodness that Mason had the courage to launch this project which was regarded as somewhat politically incorrect even then. Allen is much suited to the task as the heir to a British family that lived and worked in Colonial India over several generations.

The stories reveal a peculiar breed - the very caricature of the English as they once were putting up an even more formal front than they would have at home as the rulers of India - few in number but ruling by prestige. Every part of the book reveals character, humour or history with priceless aphorisms spoken in true English style:

"You get these burning plains right across India, fifteen hundred miles of them, absolutely flat with revisers wandering through them fed by the snows, and behind them the greatest range of mountains in the world. You gradually go up from tropical ... climbs, through European and Alpine flora until you get right up into the snows. I don't think there is anything in life which is such a relief and such a physical delight as going from the heat of the plains in the hot weather up into the mountains"

This is just the tip of an iceberg of a series of sensational real life recordings, but there is more leaving aside some nice photographs, cartoons and sketches reproduced from period material. There are quotations from books such as by Maud Diver from her "The Englishwoman in India" 1909 and bits from period material:

"It is clearly to be understood that no one except on duty is allowed to accompany him and in no circumstances whatever are any ladies allowed to proceed to the border" (from a travel permit).

Practically every aspect of Indian Colonial life is examined up and down the hierarchy from the Viceroy down to corporals and Anglo Indians of mixed blood - though the book leaves you yearning for more - it is not an exhaustive treatment thankfully. We get a great sense for the climate, the "subjects", the pace of life, flirtation, gardening, travel and the rituals associated with that once prominent institution the Club. We look into the army barracks and the Mess -with some men deprived of women for five to seven years and how they bore it, and into the endless parties at Simla in Summer . There are also accounts of the profligacy of the times such as sport, hunts and shoots and the snobbery and segregation that accompanied Colonial life altering through the decades. However, with their power, the British seemed to have dispensed their responsibilities with aplomb - it was a miracle that they did so for so long.

This past best-seller is a must for those who wish to understand the English and Colonial India - it will deserve repeat readings and sharing with friends. A vital reference - precursor to famous TV dramatisations like "Jewel in the Crown".

I found the notes to the poems particularly valuable - thanks to them, the collection becomes a window into Chinese history and society.
I really miss an index by author, and, as usual, I am ill-at-ease with Red Pine's system of transliteration. It may seem superior to pinyin to the author, but it makes really hard to connect the places and people mentioned in this book to what one already knows to about Chinese history. It may be another case of the inferior system becoming the standard, but pinyin is the standard at this point, and fighting it is a bit quixotic at this point.
These are the things one notices when a book is good enough to read and spend time with, so do not let this put this off. In fact, I can't wait for more Red Pine translations.

Those who have never read Red Pine's translations are in for a treat. Those who have read them will continue to enjoy the feast.

Beautiful graphically, the book and the poetry SING! Red Pine has a wonderful gift in transmitting wisdom and spirit with words that transport one to a higher plane of existence, even if only temporarily. Even when the reader returns, the impact still remains and the awareness of the depth of quality one's life can have, is not soon forgotten.

Previous reviewers have already summarized the more obvious qualities of this book; I agree with their comments. I found that for the student of Chinese culture, Chinese education, or Chinese thought, the book is a stunning introduction to a way of expressing observations and meaning in compact forms. In particular, the poetry seems both denser and more graceful than similar forms in English poetry, and more complex than the haiku forms descended from it. Chinese speakers I know vouched for the sensitive transliteration.

Basho advised a haiku student to "read Chinese poetry" to write better haiku. I came to this work after struggling with haiku for a long time. I found Basho's advice to be good and this book to be a remarkable way to begin. The historical text snippets offered with the poems make further reflection easy without attempting to "define" all that the poem means.

Red Pine (Bill Porter) has beautifully translated this important collection of Chinese verse. His commentaries, too, are well worth reading.

This book would be an excellent text for those who wish to learn to read T'ang and Sung poetry, and classical literary Chinese in general. The Chinese and English poems are presented on facing pages. Each poem is sufficiently brief to allow students the opportunity to (begin to) learn a complete work of literature without the intimidation that can accompany larger texts -- and there are 224 such poems in this translation, which gives ample scope for learning in nice, easy steps. (Of course this will have to be done using a dictionary like Mathews', and the student will need some familiarity with looking characters up by radical -- this is not a teaching text with a glossary and explanatory notes about language usage.)

Even if one does not desire to use this collection to learn Chinese, the English translations are certainly beautiful poems in their own right, and are worth spending time with. And meanwhile, the Chinese texts are always there, extending a gentle invitation to the curious.

Surely every lover of Chinese (and English!) poetry will treasure this book.

Another gift from Red Pine (Bill Porter) whose love for Chinese verse and the Dharma have shaped him into one of the foremost translators of the old poets. This Chinese classic has been around for eight centuries, but is here finally available in English! The volume offers 123 poets, 224 poems. Adjacent Chinese text and critical notes are provided for each poem. Included at the end are a timeline of the Dynasties from c. 2200 BCE to 1368, a complete index of the poets, and a complete index of the titles. This is a monumental work and an extraordinary gift from the translator. A typical verse from this collection, called In Reply, by a poet called The Ancient Recluse:

Somehow I ended up beneath pines
sleeping in comfort on boulders
there aren't any calendars in the mountains
winter ends but who counts the years

A sincere thank you to Red Pine and Copper Canyon Press for providing these treasures.