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Asian Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Asian
War Stories of the Green Berets: The Viet Nam Experience
Published in Hardcover by Zenith Press (1994-10-14)
Author: Hans Halberstadt
List price: $19.95
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Average review score:

Never Forget
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-25
Have you ever listened to any war stories from a family member, or friend? I have, and I have a few of my own. This book is a collect of war stories from the various members of the Green Berets, in their own words. All of the stories were from the Vietnam war during the 60s and early 70s. Some of these stories were very sad, but at the same time, very heroic. A lot of the stores were scary, especially during some of the patrols these guys had to do. There's also a quite a few funny stories that will make you smile, especially if you were in the service. I really liked the stories that were kind of spooky, there was one story that involved a SF patrol that bed down for the night. During the night, it was so dark an enemy patrol had mistaken the SF patrol for one of their own, and decided to bed down in the same area as the SF patrol! Crazy stuff! This is a book dedicated to the men of the Green Berets.

A human-eye view of the war, from those who endured it.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1998-08-09
I grew up during the Viet Nam war, in a military family. I joined the Army immediately after college and was the first woman commissioned at my University, in 1975. While I never served in combat, I knew many who did. I read this book to try and understand what it must have been like for the men who served, without having to read through the filters of the liberal media, or the continuing lies of our government.

Being from a military family, I understand what duty, honor and country means, and to me, the Green Berets are some of last, true defenders of those ideals. This book did not disappoint me.

It is a wonderful book, with all the elements of life, both precious and horrible, woven through it.

My favorite story was of the POV and how his faith in God was restored by a fir tree and some fire-flies. He does work in mysterious ways!

To my brothers-in-arms--my heartfelt thanks for sharing parts of your souls with the rest of us.

To those who are stil! l unaccounted for--forgive us. I, for one, shall never forget you.

Outstanding!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1998-07-31
As a fellow Green Beret, I found Hans Halbertstadt's book very refreshing. It is free of the bravado and hype found in most books regarding Special Forces. What it shows is the real face of war a told by the unique and courageous men who fought it. You'll laugh out loud after reading one page and cry after reading the next. I highly recommend it!

I was fascinated by the authenticity of the book.
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1998-08-30
As a former Special Forces medic in Viet Nam I could not put this book down until I had finished it. I got out of the Army in 1966 and didn't look back, but I could never get Viet Nam and Special Forces out of my blood. It was truely a calling that I failed to hear.

I was surprised to read about many people that I had long forgotten, but there they were again, as big and true to life as if it was yesterday.

There was even a story about the little sleepy camp, Polie Kleng, that I had helped build in 1966 (A-241), and of course there were lots of stories about Dak To, Kontum, Pleiku, Na Trang, Saigon and other places I had been.

I have always wondered what my life would have been like if I had made a career of Special Forces. Now I know. There is a good chance I would have gotten zapped, but it sure would have been an exciting life while it lasted, and I would have had an endless supply of the greatest friends in the world. I have never had those kinds of truely great friends since getting out of Special Forces.

This book tells it all, just as it was. Get ready for a lot of flash backs. Every word of it is true. Even the lies are true!

Asian
Warrant for Genocide: Key Elements of Turko-Armenian Conflict
Published in Hardcover by Transaction Publishers (1999-01-26)
Author: Vahakn Dadrian
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Astounding research
Helpful Votes: 18 out of 25 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-19
I read this book in preparation for a recent interview with Vahakn Dadrian (available online). It is indeed (as other reviewers note) excellent. In it, Dadrian considers the history of the Armenian genocide insofar as its "root causes, the protracted phases, the escalation, and the violent consummation" in 1915.

This of course requires careful review of the Abdul Hamid era, and the massacres that occurred in 1894 through 1896, as well as the genocide during the First World War. But in the process of reviewing this history, Dadrian also covers the what he calls in the concluding chapter the "three arch determinants of the Turko-Armenian conflict"--namely theocracy, demography and power.

Theocracy, he points out, itself has two components, one relating to a belief system (in this case Islam), and the second to how that system is applied to social dealings and politics of every kind. Islam, he notes, had features which overshadowed its piety and professed recognition of the two other monotheisms (Judaism and Christianity) "which proved liabilities for the multiethnic political system that the Ottoman Empire was." Firstly is its "inexorable divisiveness," which splits the social universe into two "irreconcilable, basically hostile camps, namely believers and unbelievers." Secondly is Islam's militaristic spirit, "bent on conquest, subjugation and expansionist dominion." The plight of non-Muslims, and in this case Armenians, was "created under these conditions," and indeed they extended from the Ottoman era into the Kemalist era that followed.

According to the Sharia, Dadrian writes, equality was essentially anathema to Islam and its sacred law.

In addition to outlining these principals, Dadrian reviews in much detail the actual planning and perpetration of the genocide, and includes many of the most gory details, all of which are exceedingly well documented, largely by Turkish and German sources. Dadrian holds that relying on enemies of the Ottomans, such as the British, would raise questions in the eyes of the Turks, and therefore he has always based his work on the available Turkish and German and Austrian files, which fortunately are quite numerous.

What is most disheartening about this book, and the interview I had after reading it, is that Dadrian is not at all optimistic about the future of the Armenian people. Their fate is intertwined with the power of the Turkish state, which is growing ever stronger, and is once again becoming increasingly Islamic.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

Excellent Work
Helpful Votes: 21 out of 24 total.
Review Date: 2000-06-21
This is an excellent work, probably even more readable than Dadrian's earlier "History of the Armenian Genocide". Meticulously researched, with sources from everywhere in many languages, this book gives undeniable evidence of the Turkish intention to solve the "Armenian Question" by exterminating the Armenians. It is a very scholarly and unbiased work, not failing to mention the existence of good Turks and bad Armenians, while all the while giving the historical and social background for the slaughter that was to come. This is a must read for those new to the subject or those looking for more information on this little known Genocide.

A compelling analysis of the causes of the Armenian genocide
Helpful Votes: 26 out of 28 total.
Review Date: 1999-04-19
Dadrian is the pre-eminent scholar on the Armenian genocide. His command of all the main languages for source documents (Turkish, Armenian, German and English), 30 years of meticulous research, and his intellect all come through. His fundamental premise is that a valid study of the Armenian genocide is contingent upon a proper study of the Turko-Armenian conflict, which he subsumes under three categories: theocracy, demography, and Turkish domination of the Turko-Armenian power relationship.

This book is for people who have read at least one other book about the Armenian genocide and wish to thoroughly understand the root causes, the protracted phases, the escalation and the violent consummation of the Turko-Armenian conflict. It is a compelling work.

Puts it all into perspective
Helpful Votes: 27 out of 31 total.
Review Date: 1999-03-16
Dadrian's no-nonsense approach, coupled with the evidence he presents, is one of the most reliable examinations of the age-old relationship between Armenian and Turk. He does not shy away from discussing Turkish "schindlers" nor, on the other hand, the European players in the tragedy we have come to call the Armenian Genocide. The punch of this book lies in Dadrian's trademark method of demonstrating, through Non-Armenian sources, the mode of thinking and string of circumstance that made the massacres inevitable. His extensive footnotes also create opportunities for further exploration.

This book may be read simply for what it is or better yet highlight any research library regarding this topic. As a documentary filmmaker, I have found this book a tremendous help.

Asian
The Way of a Boy: A Memoir of Java
Published in Paperback by Penguin (Non-Classics) (1995-09-01)
Author: Ernest Hillen
List price: $9.95
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Average review score:

A Must Read!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-02
When I was a very little girl, we lived in Indonesia and were in Japanese concentration camps during WWII.
I was interested in reading this book, because my brother was taken away at 11 and sent to a men's camp all by himself. I wanted to know what he had gone through.
This book will tell you a little of what we all went through in those years. It is written from a young boys view point and that was helpful to keep it less of a heavy read.
I think very few people know how many of us suffered hunger and illness in POW camps under the Japanese. It is history and hopefully we won't have to re-live this.

an excellent read--I recommend it
Helpful Votes: 12 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-01
A decided to read this book after I heard the news that a movie based on it staring Jane Seymour will be filming next year. I read it only to better understand the movie, and was extremely surprised at what an excellent story I found it to be. It is told from the perspective of a little boy, about his struggles and triumphs, and the little things that help him cope with life in a concentration camp run by Japanese. If you think this is your typical "WW II survivor story", guess again. As I was reading I forgot the book was about a concentration camp. It became the story of a ordinary boy and his mother, and their day-to-day life amidst a horrific background. The harsh reality is it is a true story. I hope the movie does it justice. This book is extremely under-rated. It is up to par with Oprah's book club books. Please read it, and I think you will be surprised. If anyone knows how I can contact the author, please let me know.

innocence
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-03-15
The story is beyond an ugliness of human nature.How any one dare to challenge "How about Hiroshima ?" The boy is above all these and almost religius. The Japanese Emperor and the Governmentaologized for the undue cruelities inflickted on the internees, but the most interesting thing is that they did no do so to their own people who were victims themselves under the Japanese Military systems.

a truly great book
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-03-02
i am 16 years old and read this book for the first time last year. i truly enjoyed reading the book. i am not into books which have a difficult plot or a lot of long words but anyone can undersatnd this book. i cant imagine what the boy would have went through and had to keep on reminding myself that this actually happened. i definitely do not think that this book is given the credit in which it is worth. reading the book makes you realise what a good life you have compared to what the boy went through. so go out and read the book now. p.s. have a box of tissues ready!!!

Asian
Wellington in India (Napoleonic Library)
Published in Hardcover by Stackpole Books (1993-05)
Author: Jac Weller
List price: $40.00
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Average review score:

Welsley Takes India!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-29
Jac Weller continues his admiration of Sir Arthur Wesley (later Wellsley and Duke of Wellington). Here we take a step back in time to Wesley's earlier career in India. For many this will have little known territory. Those who have read the Sharpe novels may have some idea of the period in question, and they will certainly get the historical background for those novels here.

Wesley certainly learned his trade in India. Much of what he learned here in terms of supply, organization and diplomacy would stand him in well in the campaigns of Spain and Portugal, and of course Waterloo. In terms of tactics readers might see some differences. In the sub-continent our hero aspired to an aggressive stance. The trick to defeating large cavalry type armies whether Mysore or Mahratta was aggression. Wesley always believed that these unweildy masses should be attacked whenever possible with the smaller, disciplined and more maneaverable Anglo-Indian forces. This is a different form of generalship than what we would see in the Peninsular and Waterloo. Again, Wesley was a supurb tactician, and adaptable. He was always learning and researching better methods of supply, intelligence, etc. This combined with his brilliance and coolness under fire certainly made him one of the best generals of the Napoleanic period.

One tactic which the reader will see employed later was his distribution of artillery among his infantry units. The guns were never massed as the Mahrattas preferred, or indeed the French. One marvels how at Assaye the 78th Highlanders were able to frontally attack all those guns. The key was speed and elan, combined with excellent and flexible generalship. India would see Wesley's ability to be everywhere on the battlefield. Because of Orrick's mistake at Assaye he would never truly trust others to carry out his orders. It was here where he developed that personal mega-detail style of generalship that won all his later battles. He was also fortunate never to receive any wounds, even though at Assaye he had two horses shot out from under him! Also, his steady horsemanship and ability to conduct extensive recces on his own or with a small staff was something many generals of the period never took too seriously.

Jac Weller describes how the Wellsely's, Arthur and his two brothers, vastly improved the British position in India. In fact they did too good a job as the conservative East India Company grew tired of their rapid advances with additional expenses. The Wesley's introduced a notion of good government over the growing empire in India, an idea that had profound influence in that nation's future development under British rule. Jac Weller may come across to some as a colonialist, but many of his arguments make sense within the concept of the time. India's peasants were no doubt better off under the British than their own petty and often murderous rulers. Mysore and the Mahratta kingdoms were certainly not about improving the lot of their own people, and there was no notion of a greater India at that time. The work of the Wellsleys would play no small part in developing a greater nationalist outlook in India.

Be warned, Jac Weller is very pro-British. The Iron Duke is his hero, and there is little that he can do wrong. Judgeing from what was accomplished here one tends to agree with that. Still, this is a fine work with many fascinating details, and wonderful tactical descriptions of battle. No one describes Napoleanic warfare better than Weller. Though an older book, no one has come out with anything better since so I strongly recommend this work, especially if you have read his other two works on Wellington in the Peninsular and of course at Waterloo. All that he later accomplished there was first worked out in India. There are also good maps and an appendix on the army's and weapons. A classic work.

Wellington's apprenticeship in arms in India
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-16
Jac Weller's "Wellington in India" is a highly readable study of Arthur Wellesley's formative military experiences in India, and one of remarkably few books devoted to the topic. The book in battlefield level detail sketches the future Duke's 1797-1805 campaigning against a variety of native opponents. The battlefield narratives are closely informed by Weller's understanding the terrain, based on having walked all the principal battlefields. In addition, Weller lays out the complex political environment in which the young Wellesley operated. What emerges from this portrait is a young, ambitious, and professional officer who operates with increasing confidence and success in a challenging battlefield and political environment. From his experiences in India comes the future Duke's understanding of the importance of logistics, intelligence, planning, and the careful deployment of well-trained troops on the battlefield. Wellesley's long apprenticeship in India and later in the Peninsular War of 1808-1814 made him a master of battlefield tactics and operational-level planning, skills that would serve him well in the decisive battle of Waterloo in 1815 against Napoleon. This book is highly recommended to the serious student of Wellington's military career and of the Napoleonic era.

A truly excellent book.
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-14
Jac Weller's Wellington in India is a truly excellent book. It is very readable and flows extremely well. It is one of the few books of its kind that I've read literally cover-to-cover - forward, preface, body, and appendixes - everything. The detail of the book is also exceptional. He tells the reader why and how Wellington achieved his successes not just when.

Wellington's forgotten wars
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2001-06-07
When Wellington's name is mentioned, people tend to think first of Waterloo, then of the Peninsulars Wars. It is easy to forget that he got his start in India, and that is the period which Jac Weller covers so well in this book. This was a completely different kind of warfare than that fought in Europe, and Wellington (or Wellesley, as he was then) had to contend not only with far superior forces, but also with the climate, which caused Europeans to die like flies. Two things above all should be remembered: first, that when Wellington was asked what his greatest victory was, he said not Waterloo, but Assaye; and second, Weller's three books about Wellington's campaigns were named by Bernard Cornwell as the best source material for his Sharpe series.

Asian
What You Call Winter: Stories (Borzoi Books)
Published in Hardcover by Knopf (2007-08-14)
Author: Nalini Jones
List price: $22.95
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Average review score:

Jones does a Jhumpa Lahiri for Bombay catholics
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-08
Like Lahiri did with displaced Bengali families, Jones does with Catholics in Santa Clara (read Santa Cruz) in bombay. Through many tiny but deep and loosely interconnected stories, Jones draws the lives of a people for many generations. How she has achieved the kind of insight into the tiniest of details i do not know, but i was struck by the nuances that only a person with keen observation would notice. A fascinating read for anyone, particularly Indians abroad.

A must read
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-01
This is a book of very beautifully written stories that happened in an unfamiliar place. The stories are very personally, yet very restraint. I picked up the book without any expectation, but found myself completely absorbed in these short journeys.
I highly recommend the book. I look forward to Nalini's next stories.

What I call Wonderful
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-30
a beautiful, synesthetic series of interlaced tales of 3 generations of an extended Christian Indian family as Bombay is turning into Mumbai and some of them are turning into Americans. Sings like a garden in spring.

Remarkable debut
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-03
Nalina Jones' intertwined stories are, first of all, about something interesting: the lives of an extended family in an Indian town where Catholicism is the dominant religion. Secondly, she "connects" stories in beautifully natural, organic ways, rather than simply trying to make a collection collect. Thirdly, her stories trace the ways that small actions and traits of character affect family members, and shape children. Indeed, her treatment of children is superlative: she respects their seriousness even as they make childish mistakes, and they bear serious consequences. I smiled often as I read these stories, because the portraits are tender and quixotic, but I also often caught my breath when I recognized where a story was going.
Writers could learn a lot just by studying Jones' epert use of scenes. She is so skilled at manipulating point of view, psychic distance, and pace, you don't notice how often she is tweaking the "rules" of contemporary fiction (especially the idea that you can't switch POV, which she does beautifully). Above all, these are stories of character, of flawed, loving, intelligent people navigating changes in their society and even movements to the U.S. Readers who like Indian literature will love this book, but so will people who just plain love good stories about sympathetic characters caught up in their own "small" lives.

Asian
Whispered Prayers: Portraits and Prose of Tibetans in Exile
Published in Hardcover by Talisman Press (Santa Barbara, CA) (2000-03)
Authors: Stephen R. Harrison, Anthony Storr, and Vicki Goldberg
List price: $75.00
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Average review score:

Fine book.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-11
I really enjoy this book. Of course the subject matter is tragic, and the pictures and text reflect the terrible political actions that have created this situation. Mr. Harrison's photographs with the Ultra-Large Format camera are beautiful. Printing is very high quality. Glad I own this book.

A must for understanding the nature of China
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-23
I had the pleasure of seeing a preview copy of this book. It isa must read as we move toward understanding what it might mean for thefuture in making China richer and more powerful through trade.

This book puts a gentle face on a very brave people who have suffered not only the largest land grab of the 20th century through the bloody invasion by China (Tibet is the size of Europe) but have suffered a genocide by the Chinese that is the most widely ignored in history.

This is a beautiful book and worth the price. Add to your reading list "Tears Of Blood" by Mary Craig and "In Exile From the Land Of Snows" by John Avedon.

China will be one of the 3 big stories of the next century if we make it richer and more powerful. This book is as important as it is a beautiful undertaking. Congratulations to Mr. Harrison END

A "must" for all students of Tibetan history and Buddhism.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-03-04
In Whispered Prayers: Portraits And Prose Of Tibetans In Exile, Stephen Harrison showcases the inner experiences of being a Tibetan refugee through a moving narration combined with exquisite photography. This wonderful exhibition is a worthy and valued contribution is further enhanced with a foreword by His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. Whispered Prayers will be read with deep engagement by students of Buddhism, of Tibetan history, and all who seek an enlightenment path through perilous and stressful times.

Compelling Stories with Masterful B&W Photography
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-03-09
This book is a must see and read. Stephen Harrison truly captures the personal side of Tibetans in Exile. As you read the stories behind the Tibetans portrayed in the photographs, it's as if you are in the background while Stephen Harrison interviews these most courageous Tibetan people. The portrait photography is wonderfully presented in a landscape format providing for a personal backdrop behind the emotion and suffering of each Tibetan portrayed. This is a one of a kind presentation providing a first-time moving experience each and everytime you open the book.

Asian
Whose Promised Land?/Israel or Palestine? What Are the Claims and Counter-Claims? Are the Ancient Promises of the Bible Relevant Today? Is There a Wa (Lion Paperback)
Published in Paperback by Chariot Victor Pub (1992-02)
Author: Colin Gilbert Chapman
List price: $10.95
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Average review score:

A WONDERFUL BOOK!!!---BUT...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-01
THIS BOOK IS VERY FAIR AND BALANCED. THOSE EUROPEAN JEWS THERE ARE NOT REAL JEWS ANYWAY, THEY ARE DESCENDED FROM THE KHAZARS. THEY ARE RECENT CONVERTS TO JUDAISM, HAVING CONVERTED TO AVOID THE WARS BETWEEN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY, THEY HAVE NO CLAIM TO ISRAEL. THAT HONOR GOES TO THE REAL JEWS WHO ARE BLACK IN ORIGIN. WITNESS SOLOMON'S STATEMENT "I AM BLACK, BUT COMELY". THESE EUROPEAN SETTLER COLONIES ARE IMPOSTOR JEWS, WORSE THAN THE SETTLER COLONIES IN SOUTH AFRICA. THE NOBEL PRIZE RECIPIENT ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU WAS BANNED FROM SPEAKING AT ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY IN MINNESOTA DUE TO HIS STATEMENT THAT ISRAELI TREATMENT OF THE PALESTINIANS IS WORSE THAN APARTHEID WAS IN SOUTH AFRICA (AZANIA). JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS PUT SEVERE PRESSURE ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IF THEY ALLOWED HIM TO SPEAK. THESE TYPES OF WHITEMAIL TACTICS ARE PAR FOR THE COURSE FOR THE ADL AND OTHER POWERFUL JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS. JUST LOOK AT THEIR TREATMENT OF THE PALESTINIANS, AND EVEN THE NON-WHITE JEWS. THEY TRIED TO MAKE THE BLACK ETHIOPIAN FALASHA JEWS SUBSCRIBE TO THEIR EUROPEANIZED VERSION OF JUDAISM UNDER PENALTY THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE RECOGNIZED AS JEWS. SOLOMON'S BLACK ANCESTORS ARE THE RIGHTFUL HEIRS TO THAT LAND, NOT WHITE PEOPLE, WHO WERE CAVE DWELLERS IN THE CAVES OF THE CAUCUSES MOUNTAINS DURING ISRAEL'S ANCIENT HISTORICAL PERIOD. THAT IS WHY THEY ARE REFERRED TO AS CAUCASIANS. NONE OF THESE ANCIENT HISTORICAL EVENTS TOOK PLACE IN EUROPE, THEY TOOK PLACE IN WHAT IS NOW FICTITIOUSLY LABELED THE MIDDLE EAST (ACTUALLY THE LAND MASS IS PART OF AFRICA). THERE ARE ONLY 6 CONTINENTS & THE MIDDLE EAST IS NOT ONE OF THEM), NOR IS EUROPE AS IT IS ACTUALLY WESTERN ASIA. *REMEMBER ONE OF THE RULES FOR A CONTINENT IS THAT IT MUST BE A SEPARATE LAND MASS UNTO ITSELF, BUT DUE TO RACIST HISTORIANS WHITES MADE A NEW CONTINENT WHERE THERE WAS NONE BEFORE. TRUTH CRUSHED TO EARTH SHALL RISE AGAIN. AS-SALAAM ALAIKUM

A Book For Those Just Want the Facts, Ma'am.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-11
Colin Chapman's book is one of a very few books that contends that, like every other problem, political answers are seldom satisfactory because they seldom recognize the real problem. Many Evangelicals have bought into a purely political view of the Middle East. This involves taking sides in an intense propaganda battle between Palistinians and Israelis.Colin Chapman does not take sides in the conflict but applies an accurate reading of history along with careful biblical scholarship to both protagonists. Some, whose minds are made up, won't want to be confused with the facts. For all others, this book is indispensable.

Unavoidable critique of Christian Zionism
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 1998-09-21
Colin Chapman has taken on the unpleasant task of confronting a modern theological innovation that has captured the imagination of the evangelical church - dispensationalism. The concept, born in England in the mid-1800's as the brainchild of John Nelson Darby, has developed into a complex system of biblical interpretation that has become attractive due to its claim to a simple, straightforward, literal interpretation of the Bible. In Whose Promised Land?, Mr. Chapman brings together a myriad of voices on the topic, beginning with the oldest biblical texts, working his way through the historical maze of details and treaties, to the modern day crisis of the Palestinian people and the Jewish State. He does this successfully by letting the voices speak for themselves by way of extended quotes and detailed references for further research. After laying out the historical details, he makes biblical argument for the rejection of the dispensationalist's unqualified support for the State of Israel. For those interested in hermaneutics (biblical interpretation) and the sensitive issues involve, the trek through all the historical data will be worth your while when you arrive at the section entitled "Is there a word from the Lord?" The worst thing about this book is that it is currently out of print. This is unfortunate. For, any serious student of biblical prophecy and theology will want to have this book in their collection.

A must read for Christians
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-17
This book revolutionaized my perspective of Biblical prophecy. The terrible political position of Christian Zionism has created untold havoc in the Middle East. The violence and hatred is only supported by Christian Zionists who fatally misread Biblical text. Chapman does an excellent analysis of the situation and makes a prophetic call for Christians to change.

Asian
Why Cats Chase Mice: A Story of the Twelve Zodiac Signs (Japanese Fairy Tale Ser.)
Published in Hardcover by Heian International (1993-08)
Author: Mina Harada Eimon
List price: $14.95
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Average review score:

Beautiful artwork enhances this story
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-15
This is a wonderful book that our whole family enjoyed. The story is easy to follow and interesting. The illustration is simply magnificent--the details in all the facial expressions of the animals really added to the book.

Why isn't there a Year of the Cat? You'll find out why.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-16
Vivid colors and carefully rendered illustration make this booka perfect addition to any child's library. Although it is based on aJapanese fairy tale, the story has a broad appeal to children of all nationalities. Everyone knows that cats chase mice. But has anyone ever asked why? Your child will also enjoy the illustrations of the friendly and lively looking animals.

If you have a cat, this story will explain a few things!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-09
My little girl does! It's like the Japanese version of Tom and Jerry; the animals' antics crack her up. This copy is already getting dog-eared (no pun intended). I hope there will be more to this series. Maybe one that explains why dogs chase their tails.

We all wanted to know why cats chase mice. Didn't you?
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-03
It's not just another retelling of an old story. I can tell that the author asked the same question (Why cats chase mice?) to herself and her parents as she grew up, and obviously she liked and accepted the answer from the old tale. So did I. Reading this book, I sensed that the tale was well digested in herself over the years to the point she could tell it comfortably with her own wording and vivid imagination. She now tells and illustrates the story as if she does so to her own child. I love that. I recommend this book to all parents with small children, for it is not only a fun, colorful book but also offers the answer to one of "why?" questions that your children throw at you.

Asian
Why Lazarus Laughed: The Essential Doctrine, Zen--Advaita--Tantra
Published in Paperback by Sentient Publications (2004-01-25)
Author: Wei Wu Wei
List price: $17.95
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Average review score:

Tough read, but valuable
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-17
This book is by no means for the beginner. It's a tough, somewhat dry read which goes into detailed aspects of metaphysics; however and thankfully, it isn't a technical manual which would've overshot the purpose of this book. Personally, I found Unworldly Wise a more efficient book for a beginner as this one seems more useful for the occasional dive into more detailed perspectives.

The End of Reading
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-20
Cut to the quick! Read this and you won't need to read further. Doesn't matter whether or not you think of yourself as a student of Zen. Wei Wu Wei goes to the heart and throws it in your face so clearly that the only way you won't "get it" is if you resist. If that is the case then stop reading all together. Save your money and buy insurance. A brilliant classic!

A Must Read
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-14
"Man is a river...never the same for two consecutive seconds" says Wei Wu Wei in this collection of enlightening essays. Packed with insights and encouragement, every page of this book has something to offer. Why Lazarus Laughed focuses on what Zen, Advaita, and Tantra have in common; what essential doctrines they share. This focus provides a refreshing look at the common questions that we all share as human beings and gives us the inspiration we need to continue on our own personal journey of understanding. Wei Wu Wei helps us come to terms with and accept the inherent uncertainty in our uncertain world. Anyone needing inspiration on their search towards self-discovery should be sure to read this book at least twice!

Powerfully Stilling
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-11
This book is another gem from Wei Wu Wei. It is a fine collection of Zen Advaita and Tantra. It is a must have for anyone interested in the nature of THAT beyond the words or concepts.

Asian
Wishbone (The California Poetry Series) (California Poetry Series)
Published in Paperback by Roundhouse Press (2000-04)
Author: Priscilla Lee
List price: $12.50
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Average review score:

Wishbone is a constant read for me
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-04
I dip into this book almost daily. Priscilla's stories and images are magical and her skill with language is inspiring. I keep this book near.

At last poetry without any stinking daffodils
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-12
This is the first book of poetry that didn't leave me feeling ill after reading it. This is true life without all the cosmetic work made to spice it up into something it isn't. Instead we get the real thing, which is more interesting. Wonderful work from a talented writer. Hope to see something else from this writer in the near future. I recommend this book for anybody interested in real poetry from the heart.

I read Wishbone like a bestseller paperback.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-03
Somehow I'm under the impression that poetry books are meant to be read a poem at a time, thoughtfully relished and slowly. I read Wishbone like a bestseller paperback, page after page consumed in the subliminal drama of the heroine's life. It's the only book of poetry I've read in one sitting. I'm really pleased to have five of her poems in the Modern Wife Library so you can see for yourself why I love Priscilla Lee's poetry....

A wondrous debut
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-21
I was moved by this debut book. I loved how the images of bridges and of eyes connected the range of sections from the early familial content of the first section through the sections having to do with loves, friends, and finally the "new" family. I also liked the whole question of one's life relative to what is fated, even predicted about it: how one chooses one's life as much as one is chosen by it.

I was intrigued by the style of her long-lined poems in the section titled "Peel". I found them consistently successful, and unique to her rich and thoughtful mind. And the humor in "Burnt Offerings" simply underscored the wisdom I sense throughout the book.

I'm glad Priscilla Lee write this book, and I look forward to her other work.


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