Japanese Books

I waited for this book to be published for months and I wasn't disappointed! Barb gives detailed, clear instructions and drawings. Gorgeous pictures that are close-up to see the stitching. The book is of exceptional quality and very inspirational. A must have book for both the novice and the experienced temari stitcher.

I've been stitching temari, as well as other needle crafts for years. This is by far one of the loveliest instructional books I've ever read. The instructions are clear and concise, good for beginners and well as experienced stitchers. It is also lovely as a coffee table book...great photos and water color art.

I saw this book on display at my local library and checked it out on a whim. I wanted to renew it, but someone had a "hold" on it, so here I am at Amazon because I had to have my own copy! I had never seen or heard of Temari and now I am hooked. This book is beautiful and the intructions are clear enough for a complete beginner like me. The pages are durable and the book lays flat for easy access. I just finished my 7th ball and my sister and daughter made their own balls when they saw mine. I enthousiastically recommend this book, but prepare to be addicted.

This is a BEAUTIFUL temari book! For folks new to the art of temari this book is a complete introduction. For temari artists it is great inspiration! The temari shown are beautifully stitched. The photos are excellent. The directions are easy to follow. Give it a try and be prepared to be addicted to Temari.

This is a great book for the novice stitcher as well as the experienced one. Barb's directions are clear and easy to follow. Her sidebar comments about Temari are what set this book apart from the rest. Her passion for this art comes through with every word.

As an artist, I originally purchased Copyright Murakami because I find his artwork technically impressive and socially valuable. His business approach has inspired me to look at art making and promotion differently. The book is essentially two books. The first half is of essays while the remainder is of high quality illustrations (in which many fold out). I found the essays, "Making Murakami" by Paul Schimmel and "Takashi Murakami: Company Man" by Scott Rothkopf to be the most informative and clearly written of the five essays. These two compositions clearly lay out Murakami's rise in the art world and his philosophy. I had to read the other three a couple of times to fully understand what the authors were trying to say. All of the essays are accompanied with additional photographs.

Although the original artwork sizes are listed in the back of the book, I think the viewing experience would be better if the proportions were listed next to the images. I grew tired of constantly referring to the back of the book to get a sense of a piece's size. Incidentally, the list of artwork in the back is not in the same sequence of how the work is laid out in the book. Having gone to the Brooklyn Museum exhibit, I understand how a sense of scale is important when viewing Murakami's work.

I think the book as a whole captured the on-going metamorphosis Murakami and his artwork (especially Mr. DOB) is experiencing. I have been enjoying this book ever since I ordered it on Amazon.

This a beautifully produced book with a great collection of Murakami images -- paintings, sculptures, etc., -- with some very interesting and accessible essays. It's an accompaniment to the @Murakami gallery show that was in Los Angeles and is now in Brooklyn through July. However, it clearly stands alone, and will last a long time on your coffee table or displayed in your home. If you like his stuff, this is the book to get. (and you might now understand "Super Flat" and "DOB"!)

I had to get this book after going to the Brooklyn museum exhibit. The price was incredible there and I was happily surprised to find it on Amazo nfor much cheaper! Thanks... great condition and speedy delivery

This book and the traveling retrospective show of Murakami's artwork shows the full scope and genius of his art. The pieces are entertaining and thought-provoking...here is finally an artist that is exiting to watch and see what he will come up with next. If Andy Warhol had lived into the 21st century this might have been where he'd have ended up. Murakami takes both the low to high concept, and the factory model to the next level. Most importantly: it's fun! The book is about as comprehensive as we're likely to get until an end of career survey comes many years later so this is the one to get.

I did like this book a lot w/ beautifull images & the glossy paper made the images look very vibrant & bright.very informative about the artists work .worth the price.

well ya see I haven't really red the 9th book yet but, here's what I have to say any way>>>>>
I think this will be just as amazing as all of the other books the other books that Rumiko has writen and i most likely believe that this book will be just as good possiblely even better than the rest. (is it even possible?)><><><><><><><(who knows!)
I truly believe that Rumiko has one of the best writing styles and the art work is just absolutly stunning!
From mewme( yes it's my nick name and yes it's umm_different)

Hey, I could look through all my Ranma 1/2 books and based off the summary given above, determine which volume it is, or if I don't have this volume. But I'll trust the reviewer above that this is Volume 9. Which, like all the Ranma manga, is terrific. Anyway, Amazon.com and sellers aren't getting any money on the three Ranma 1/2 books I want cause I can't tell which ones they are, so I'm going elsewhere to make a purchase.

I loved this book. Even if it's not my favorite one in the series, Its still an awesoime read!! i highly reccommend this to anyone who like action/comedy/romance(a little).... And if you like "Inu-Yasha" too... Well, befroe you read this, you should read volumes 1-7, or you'll be completely lost! LOL! Yours truly, *~*Gen*~*

And why does she look so familiar? Yoiko is a perky little girl who introduces herself as Ryoga's little sister. Her story is somewhat plausible, given that he finds her living in his house. As for how he could have not known about her--his whole family has the weird direction disability, and since he's been away so long, he might not have known about her. Or it could be something else.

Everyone knows that Ranma has more fiancees than any five men, but now it is Ukyo's turn to get an admirer--and it is not Ranma. Tsubasa Kurenai likes to play dress-up; a tree, a mailbox, even a one-eyed mushroom!

And how will Ranma react to getting another admirer?

In the last book, Ranma disguised herself as Ryoga's fiancee--now, she's his little sister Yoiko. Both times she did this to come between Ryoga and Akane. Maybe Ranma has feelings for Akane after all...

And we get to meet a very interesting person who has a connection to Ukyo. Who--or what--is this Tsubasa Kurenai? And what is the connection to the okonomiyaki chef?

I liked this book, but I found the story with Tsubasa hard to understand. I can't explain why I was confused without giving away vital secrets..

But don't let my easily confused tendencies keep you from enjoying anotehr fun installment of the Ranmaverse!

This book is a classic on people who were interned in China during WWII. I have used it in connection with the book I wrote, "Called to China: Attie Bostick's Life & Missionary Letters from China: 1900-1943," since Attie was interned in this camp near Weishien. This book provides a vivid description of the conditions there.

-Rebekah (Becky) E. AdamsCalled to China:Attie Bostick's Life & Missionary Letters From China: 1900-1943

"For even saintly folk will act like sinners, Unless they have their customary dinners."

That's the theme of "Shantung Compound." It's the best sociology laboratory one can imagine. Take a diverse group of 1,500 Brits and Americans, shut them up in close quarters for two and one-half years in an internment camp, feed them barely enough to survive, let them rule themselves, and see what happens. That's what happened to the foreigners in the Japanese-controlled parts of China in World War II.

The situation at the internment camp in Shantung starts hopefully as the foreign internees elect a government, set up hospitals and kitchens, allocate space (9 feet by 4 and one-half feet per person), and establish a thriving black market. After that things go downhill. Some people won't work; others steal; and the community can't find any way to impose its will on the offenders. Missionaries comprise a large number of the internees but they are as lazy, morally obtuse, and uncooperative as many of the less savory members of the group. The most interesting and divisive moral issue comes up when the Americans internees receive food packages from the Red Cross. Should they share with the British or not? Another good story concerns the sex lives of the teenagers in the camp which became, to put it mildly, scandalous.

The author is a theologian and looks at both the moral and material issues. The book is not all bleak. The moral lapses and disputes of the internees do not destroy the community -- although one suspects than another year of internment would have seen that happen. One of the positive notes of the book is the character of Eric Liddell, the Olympic champion runner portrayed in "Chariot of the Gods" -- who is one of the few human beings in the book to come through as wholesomely good. (The author changes the names of all the internees mentions in the book but Liddell is easy to identify.) "Shantung Compound" is a classic of its kind and is perhaps the best book I have read on the behavior of human beings under stress.

Smallchief

Gilkey's academic liberalism is tested by the reality of the stress he observes as a mid-20's, very involved leader under prison conditions. His insights in the complex areas of law, food distribution, justice, work (his insight into lazy workers is very good), equality, theology, among other topics makes this book required reading for all managers, supervisors, teachers, religious leaders and lawyers. His associations with gifted intellects as well as self serving persons during his incarceration allowed him to validate his presuppositions. This is one of the most insightful books I've read in a long time. I now know why he is such an highly respected, revered teacher, mentor and theologian. His insight into the original sin of mankind is worth the price of the book! This book is truly a blessing.

This book should be required reading for every college student to better understand human nature and how people function when building a functional micro society from scratch.

This book left me speechless and introspectively questioning the Christian faith I espouse. In Shantung Compound Gilkey, through his experience in the internment camp, stops the "program" of our spiritual doings and forces us to examine the conscience of our spirituality. His book has molded together spirituality, philosophy, psychology, and sociology--all of this together into a powerful delivery that demands a reconstitution of true religion in the hearts of seekers and believers alike. Even now I grapple for words to describe the book because it's just that powerful. Every Christian thinker must have this book as well as those who question Christianity. If anything it should restore faith in faith.

This book contains stunningly beautiful pictures of japanese chogokin (=die cast metal) toys from the 1970's and 80's. Many of the toys are quite rare and hard to find pictures of (like toys made by Takatoku, Nomura, Marushin and Nakajima), even in Internet times. Highly recommended!

In addition to Tim Brisko's incredible photography, Matt Alt and Robert Duban provide a brief history of Japanese toys that explains how these toys fit into the grand scheme of things. Recommended!

I bought this book for my husband because he's obsessed with transforming robots. He squealed when he read it. The photography is wonderful and it is like a history book for the ultimate transforming robot fan.

Hi, this is hubby James writing this review...

I just got SUPER #1 ROBOT and it totally rocks. As much as I thought I knew about J-bots, this really showed how much I didn't know. Even if you are well-versed in "super robots" and anime mecha, expect to be surprised by some really far-out machines you've never seen, from shows you've never heard of (but wish you had)!

The photos are wonderful, shot from a proper low perspective, giving these tiny giants their respect. They look like huge works of art here, which in some ways, they truly are. Great work! I am looking forward to Alt's next book very eagerly.

It's about time an American book in english came out on this subject, authored by people who know what they're talking about and thankfully NOT including tin and wind-up robots from the 60s and earlier. This little paperback is what chogokin collectors would humorously refer to as "robot porn." It's a glossy, high-quality picture book that causes salivation and drooling with the turn of every page. Unfortunately it is by no means a complete encyclopedic manual for all toys diecast during the 70s and 80s, but that can't be expected, considering such an undertaking would produce a book (or morelike a series of books) far heftier than this little paperback. Since that expectation is unreasonable, it is entirely forgivable since this little tome covers quite a chunk of the chogokin, vinyl and plastic market, and a nice variety, as well.

First off the book construction is sweet - small and easily handled, it's like a mini coffeetable book with a glossy softcover. I wasn't expecting such a nicely made little book. There is minimal chitchat and all the talent is poured into the photography of the most mint-looking chogokin robots I have ever seen. I think the thing that I was most tickled about was there was a picture of a mint Tetsujin 28 in the front of the book, and a beat up, played-with, broken and paintchipped version of the same robot in the back of the book. The wear on the used robot shows more as a sign of how much that toy was loved, not abused, and anyone who loves collecting chogokin, I think, would get the same tingly warm feeling looking at that beat Tetsujin 28 as the shiny minty one.

There are a few vinyl robots included in the line-up, and I could think of quite a few chogokin that were left out that could've taken up the pages of the vinyls, as I'm not much of a vinyl collector myself; vinyls are a whole other collector market and I can see why they were included in the book, but then again, I would've preferred that they weren't. Vinyls were usually monsters, but the ones that depict robots were the ones focussed on. All in all they don't take up a lot of space. Also the book is an almost even mix between the comical/humorous chogokin like Robocon and Robodachi and the more serious robot gladiators and team robots like the Godaikins; again these are (more or less) two different collector markets and not everyone collects both. As well, there are some Giant Machinders included, which is not even a scratch on the surface for them since there are quite literally hundreds if not more to collect in that category, but this book is really not meant to be a catalogued record of every robot ever made. Even though one will be able to think of some robots that were left out, all the major ones were included. The only complaint I have is that a lot of them are shown not holding a weapon, when many of them are known for their specific or characteristic weapon(s). Some are shown with a weapon, like Garbin, but too many are just robots standing weaponless. Again, though, this book isn't meant to be an official catalogue, so don't expect accessories to be featured.

If you want lists and cataloging of every robot ever made during the 70s and 80s, there are plenty of online sites that attempt to accomplish such a massive undertaking. But if you want to flip through a nice hefty little book just to get the tingly warm feeling of joy gazing upon the robots of your childhood, this book is totally worth it. It's a little window peephole into the past, but man is it worth peeping.

I love Temari balls. If you want to learn this fascinating craft - you will find this book very helpful.

This is an excellent guide to help you create beautiful, and fun-to-do, Temari balls. Simple and easy to follow intructions are given.

I first became aware of Temari when I saw some balls on display by a lady offering lessons on how to make them. The lessons were $65.00. I decided to check Amazon.com before I gave up learning it on my own. I ordered this book and was thrilled with the results. The instructions are very easy to follow with lots of drawings showing exactly what to do. I was successful on my first try and I am delighted with my new hobby. I have just ordered a second book by Diana Vandervoort and can't wait to get it. By the way, the balls that I had seen on display were all from this book.

As far as I can tell, I own every Japanese and English book on Temari currently being published. This is the book I recommend to beginners who want to learn this wonderful craft. It would also be good for someone who knows a moderate amount already, as it has some advanced skills.

I first was introduced to temari while channel surfing, and stumbling onto the Carol Duval show on HG network when Diana Vandervoort was demonstrating her craft. I could not wait to get my hands on her book and try it for myself-mostly because I could not believe something so elegant and complex could be so easy to do! This turned out to be one of the easiest crafts I have ever tried, and I have tried my hand at A LOT of things. The photos are truly inspiring, and the instructions are some of the easiest to understand and follow. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, and new patterns.

There are two books in English based on translations of Zen Master Bankei teachings, both pusblished in 1984. "Bankei Zen" is the title of the book written by Peter Haskel who behaved both as translator and editor under the supervision of his teacher Yoshito Hakeda. Haskel assisted the reader organizing the text and adding headings here and there to paragraphs, dialogues, anecdotes, poems. Also he added technical notes highlighting biographical and historical circumstances. These headings focus the attention of readers in their efforts to find their way throughout Bankei teachings. "The unborn" is the title of the book written by Norman Waddell, just a translator. His book becomes the forest of words. One Dharma Talk after the other and, here and there, also some highly interesting biographical and historical notes. However, Waddell produced a revised version in 2000 and included only minor changes to translations to very specific paragraphs. However no mention is made to Haskel's book on the same subject and author, similar texts. Under section III, other works in the bibliography section this reference to Hakei's book is conspicuously absent. Within the community of scholars the standard is mentioning books written by other authors on the same subject and basic source. This is not the case of Prof. Waddell at Otani University in Kyoto. His approach is below standards; competitors in the field must be mentioned after what is acceptable and recommended within the scientific and academic community. Haskel's translation has been tailored to readers making their best to find out their way around a genial and easygoing Japanese Zen Master of the 17th century. Bankei is the antidote for those suffering an overdose of Dogen and Hakuin teachings and comments.

I had the good fortune to attend a number of Alan Watts' live talks in the Monterey-Big Sur area during the sixties. Some 35 years later his body of work continues to stimulate my growth and understanding. While Watts never proclaimed any one person as his teacher or guru, the 17th century Zen master Bankei (1622-1693) appears to have been a major influence.

As early as 1950 Watts specifically identifies Bankei as a resource in an article he wrote for the journal of the Buddhist Lodge in England. He quotes Bankei even more profusely in his 1957 opus The Way of Zen. Finally, in his autobiography In My Own Way, published a year before his death in 1973, Watts reveals having spent many hours studying Bankei and elevates him to a representative of "Zen at its best." He said that he referred people to Bankei's observations whenever they accused him of misinterpreting Zen.

I am delighted to find that the teachings of this Zen iconoclast par excellence are available once again in the revised edition of The Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei, translated by Norman Waddell. Highly recommended with one caveat: if your feet are firmly planted in orthodoxy, anticipate the appearance of major cracks in your foundation. A retrofit will not necessarily be an option.

A great gem of a book for any seeker. Master Bankei's teachings revolved around the principal that we are all a part of the Unborn-here and now and that once we abide in that no other knowledge or practice is really necessary. His teachings mainly point this out from many angles based on peoples questions and issues at the time. After many years of his own struggle as a seeker he came to the realization that since everything arises from the Unborn we are all Buddhas once we really abide in the Unborn, which is possible NOW without any other knowledge. He felt that seekers distanced themselves from this very direct teaching by doing too many things like working on koans or spending a lot of time reading religious Buddhist texts, all the while missing the Unborn Buddha Mind right now that is always present. It seems hard to believe but Master Bankei very profoundly and intelligently makes a great case for this teaching in this wonderful book. I strongly recommend it. It is along the lines of the teachings of Papaji,Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj and more recently Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now & Stillness Speaks).

Of all the ancient masters-Bankei seems to speak the loudest to us in modern times. The Unborn makes this clear due mostly to the wonderfully natural translation Norman Waddell has given us. Bankei had an interesting background in Chinese thought, as most youth of his day, he started out early on reading the Confucian texts. But to Bankei Yotaku, Confucianism wasn't adding up, and so he turned to Zen Buddhism. While his style is primarily that of the Rinzai, he also incorporated Soto ideology as well into his teachings.

Sadly, at Bankei's time, being a Zen priest all too often became a "rank one wears" in society, more for the aristocratic society than for the common layperson. He was a bright beacon and a simple master who spoke to the people, not just the "upper class." This book is essentially a compilation of Dharma talks between Buddhist monks and priests, and himself. People from all over China would come to hear him speak of the Unborn Buddha-mind, which he instructs is always there yet while many don't know of it. It to me speaks of cutting your roots, of realizing though you were bore by your mother, there is also a part of you that remains unborn. Every moment, from moment to moment-you are being born as the Buddha. Zen master Thich Man Giac of modern times held a ceremony in which he handed out flowers to participants. He asked them to place a red flower on their lapel if their mother is still alive, and a white one on if she is dead. Jakusho Kwong -roshi recalls Thich wore a red flower. This he found funny, because Man Giac at this time was very old. So he asked him later how is mother is still alive, and Man Giac answered, "My mother is Kannon Bosatsu." That is essence, is the unborn Buddha-mind.

I hope you enjoy this book!:)

The Unborn: The Life And Teachings Of Zen Master Bankei, 1622-1693 is here presented in a significantly revised and expanded edition containing many talks and dialogues with monks and priests not included when it was first published in 1984. Ably translated for an English speaking readership by Norman Waddell, this superbly presented compendium of illuminative Buddhist wisdom is highly recommended for personal, temple, academic, and community library Buddhist studies collections and reading lists.

I recently finished reading the book, Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind and Body Harmony, by H. E. Davey. The book is excellent. I am novice (hardly even that, actually) when it comes to Shodo (having only recently begun studying Shodo), but your book provides a very smooth introduction, and does a great job of getting across the relationship between it and the other Japanese cultural arts (chado [tea ceremony], budo [martial Ways], kado [flower arrangement], etc).

It is written in a very positive way and contains many beautiful pieces of artwork. I very much enjoyed the "four experiments toward a positive mind," these are great examples of introspection. Though I am far from an expert in budo, I have spent many years training and researching this topic, yet several of the explanations, provided for terms such as fudoshin, hara, and ki shed new light on these concepts, beyond just their relationship to Shodo.

Chapters three and four provide a very gentle introduction to the physical techniques while also providing an overview of the relationship between good posture and the proper state of mind. The importance of the coordination of mind, body, and spirit is presented in a way that should be easy for someone that is new to the Japanese cultural arts to grasp and understand.

I am again impressed with Davey sensei's ability to communicate a complex subject in an interesting and informative way that maintains the readers interest, while still capturing the subtleties of the topic.

From a beginner's perspective, this is an excellent reference, and I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (4/07)

Once in a while I find it very helpful to venture outside of the realm of things that normally interest me and that I have some knowledge about. Learning about new things is a very stimulating experience and it seems to me that it keeps my brain in good working order. As far as the Japanese art forms are concerned, I am vaguely familiar with the flower arranging, but that is where my knowledge - and even real awareness - of such art forms end. Picking up H.E. Davey's "Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony" was a real eye-opener.

The author begins this book with explanation and history of shodo, continues with the complex connections of mind, body and brush, and finishes with simple step-by-step exercises for the basics of shodo. The illustrations and the photos would certainly be very helpful for anybody who intends to try their hand at this ancient art form.

Mr. Davey's writing is fluid and engaging. He does not get overly technical and is easy to understand. The book kept my attention and made me wish for more balance in my life. Let me give an example of Mr. Davey's writing here:

"The kanji, or written characters, used in both Japan and China have transcended their utilitarian function and collectively serve as a visually stirring piece of fine art. Shodo allows the dynamic movement of the artist's ki ("life energy" or "spirit") to become observable in the form of rich black ink. In great examples of shodo, you can sense both the rhythm of music as well as the smooth, elegant, and balanced construction of refined architecture. Many practitioners of this art feel that the visible rhythm of Japanese calligraphy ultimately embodies a "picture of the mind" - and accomplished calligraphers recognize that it actually discloses your spiritual state. This recognition is concisely summed up by the traditional Japanese saying: [...] If your mind is correct, the brush will be correct. "

Although Mr. Davey stresses several times that one needs to find an instructor to truly begin the exploration of shodo, I found "Brush Meditation" to be an interesting book for anybody who would like to learn at least the basics of shodo as well as anybody who just wishes to become more familiar with the traditional Japanese arts and way of living.

After reading several books on the technique (really a NO technique) of Zen brush work, this book really dealt wll with the emotions and feeling underlying this incredible art. A very good read.

I recently finished reading the book, Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind and Body Harmony, by H. E. Davey. The book is excellent. I am novice (hardly even that, actually) when it comes to Shodo (having only recently begun studying Shodo), but your book provides a very smooth introduction, and does a great job of getting across the relationship between it and the other Japanese cultural arts (chado [tea ceremony], budo [martial Ways], kado [flower arrangement], etc).

It is written in a very positive way and contains many beautiful pieces of artwork. I very much enjoyed the "four experiments toward a positive mind," these are great examples of introspection. Though I am far from an expert in budo, I have spent many years training and researching this topic, yet several of the explanations, provided for terms such as fudoshin, hara, and ki shed new light on these concepts, beyond just their relationship to Shodo.

Chapters three and four provide a very gentle introduction to the physical techniques while also providing an overview of the relationship between good posture and the proper state of mind. The importance of the coordination of mind, body, and spirit is presented in a way that should be easy for someone that is new to the Japanese cultural arts to grasp and understand.

I am again impressed with Davey sensei's ability to communicate a complex subject in an interesting and informative way that maintains the readers interest, while still capturing the subtleties of the topic.

From a beginner's perspective, this is an excellent reference, and I highly recommend it.

For any person that practices shodo (meaning `way of calligraphy' ), sumi-e or any form of art that requires full concentration, I highly recommend to read this book. I practice sumi-e and shodo and I have books that cover the techniques in detail, but none of them goes beyond and get to the heart and true reason of this art, which is to achieve a state of mind and body harmony that led us to a form of spiritual realization.

The book talks `briefly' about the history of calligraphy, the Japanese aesthetics and principles (wabi and sabi), it's relation to the Zen philosophy, and it includes a chapter on how to make the first moves with the brush by practicing `the enso' (a zen character).

However, the main theme of this book is the meditative aspects of shodo. How to get a perfect posture to practice, how to use the mind with full concentration, how to `educate' our body, all this to become one with the brush and transcend in a spiritual way.

I do not know if this is the best book that deals with this aspect of shodo (I haven't seen more), but is a very good one, I can assure that.

This title is exactly what you expect from the cover, it is absolutely amazing inside. Clean, conceptual work that ranges from product design to printing techniques. Its very Japanese aesthetics, the interiors are well designed and beautiful. This is a book that will inspire even the quiet.

Not only a beautiful book but also a great collection of images and essays, a strong contribution to the field of design literature.

The Book has a different approach when it comes to design, and its not the mere use of the banal connotation that design has become, but the art of designing and undertaking projects with special sensibility which is explained in its pages. The author shows through different examples of his work, when designing how he engage his projects in a more significant way. Simplicity and common sense.
The eastern perspective and its way of life is strongly reflected in a very palpable philosophy which is the guideline throughout the book. Truly special lecture.

DESIGNING DESIGN is quite possibly the most beautiful book on design ever published. Not only is the content illuminating and intelligent, allowing the world to gain an appreciation for one of the truly unique voices in the design field - that voice being the Japanese master Kenya Hara - but also in keeping with the subject, the book itself is a paramount of elegance, simplicity and superb creative force. This is a white book, a volume of information and illustration that embraces the purity of white as the matrix upon which everything blossoms and emerges.

In an introductory essay by John Maeda the author states `Kenya Hara is a complex man. He views the world through his many lenses of seeing, tasting, smelling, erasing, evaporating, and all the forms of construction and deconstruction.' And after those appropriate words this pristine book opens into the genius that is Kenya Hara. `Verbalizing design is another act of design....To understand something is not to be able to define it or describe it. Instead, taking something that we think we already know and making it unknown thrills us afresh with its reality and deepens our understanding of it.' What follows on the pages are images of page design, paper, bowls of white cabbage leaves, signs, images of Swatch watches that come down through projected air onto any surface presented, unique signage for public spaces, soft ice cream shapes, furniture, spaces, lamps, posters - any object that requires rendering is treated and discussed in concept and philosophy by a man of great wisdom as well as endless creativity. The illustrations accompanying the text are clean and as well placed on the page as any creation by Hara. This is a seemingly endless array of fascinating subjects.

For the non-designer reader, the reader fortunate enough to open this book without the prejudice of traditional design information, this text contains powerful philosophical concepts. `The human brain likes anything that entails a great deal of information. Its extensive capacity waits eagerly to perceive the world by completely exhausting its great receptive powers. That potential power, though, remains today in a state of extreme constriction and is a source of the information stress we're all under.' Hara approaches this conundrum by dividing his book into sections that approach answers to these problems: RE-DESIGN, HAPTIC (Awakening the Senses), SENSEWARE, WHITE, MUJI (Nothing, yet Everything), VIEWING THE WORLD FROM THE TIP OF ASIA, EXFORMATION (Rivers, Resorts), and finally WHAT IS DESIGN? This book is meant to be absorbed slowly, portion by portion, and then to be read again once the reader understands Hara's contributions - quiet yet majestic though they be. The text reads very well (thanks to the superb translation efforts by Maggie Kinser Hohle and Yukiko Naito) and while the information is complex, the writing style is comfortably conversational.

This is an important book on many levels and should be required reading for all students of design, practitioners of design, and for everyone whose eyes are influenced by astute observation. Brilliant! Grady Harp, December 07

A plain white cover with some black text in Helvetica. That's the dust jacket cover of a design book? If I'd judged the book solely by the cover I would have missed what is actually a quite unique and wonderful book about design.

The cloth-bound cover itself is also all type, but now white type embossed into a white cover--not the most readable (though you can read it) but in a way the essence of this book--minimal, elegant, playful, clever and thought-provoking.

This understated and often witty approach is a refreshing antidote to the frantic overkill that constitutes much of the commercial design we're bombarded hundreds of times a day.

Like the cover, the text can be mysterious. When I first read the preface I balked. But I was intrigued and read it again and this time, it was surprising and beautiful.

"To understand something is not to be able to define it or describe it. Instead, taking something that we think we know already and making it unknown thrills us afresh with its reality and deepens our understanding." It's almost as if he's talking about a Claes Oldenburg sculpture which takes a common object and shows it to us in a gigantic size that makes us see it in a new light--yet the designs and ideas featured in the book give us this new perspective right on a printed page.

You're not going to see innovative typography in this book (though the book itself is beautifully designed, typeset and produced). But you are going to see stunningly understated photography and a Japanese approach to design that can be an inspiration everywhere in the world.

This is a different look at the war in the Pacific as told by one Japanese soldier who was trying to survive.

This is quite possibly one of the most gripping, devastating novels I've ever read, and certainly one of the most compelling books to come out of World War II from any cultural standpoint. The style of narration (and the psychology of the narrator) will be familiar to those who've read The Stranger (there's even a scene midway through that startlingly evokes Camus' masterpiece), and we not only sense, we LIVE the narrator's increasing despair, degradation, and misery as his situation steadily worsens and he is subjected to increasingly bizarre and grotesque displays of violence. The portrait of a demoralized, defeated army, literally starving and grasping at any potential straws for survival, is possibly startling for American audiences, who may be accustomed to seeing World War II from a different viewpoint altogether. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys fiction, period.

Abandoned by his company, Private Tamura wanders Leyte Island with neither a reason to live nor a reason to die. Ooka's starving Japanese soldier is absolutely captivating in his determination to analyze the horrors of warfare objectively while he witnesses them first hand. Stumbling through countless forests and mountains, the poetry that seeps from his reasoning is all the more powerful given his completely numbed and desensitized state. There's simultaneous beauty and terror in every one of Tamura's insights all the way through to his confrontations with cannibalism and his struggles to discern between God and himself. My only hope is that on second reading I might better understand some more of the abstract themes Ooka tackles. It's so beautiful...do read it!

The part that gave me a shiver was when the protagonist's own left hand stopped him from cutting up a dead soldier's body to eat the flesh and he found it God's hand, not his. Such a beautiful scene. It still makes me cry.

Both a soldier and professor of literature in his lifetime, Shohei Ooka weaves in his own experiences as a POW during WWII to present the story of Private Tamura in the unforgettable war story Fires on the Plain. Abandoned by his company on Leyte Island, in the Philippines, as it is losing in a slow, agonizing battle with American forces, Tamura has nowhere to go, nothing to do. As he becomes further and further removed from the "society" of his regiment, his peers, Tamura begins to fall apart. He has come down with consumption and as such is no longer of any use to his platoon, which is facing annihilation. Food is the primary obsession of Japanese commanders - there simply isn't enough. The dying and wounded are therefore sent to the field hospital to be kept until they expire - or are kicked out when their food supply runs out. When Tamura, however, returns from a brief visit to the hospital, his commander slaps him brutally. "You damned fool! D'you mean to say you let them send you back here?" He is thus sent back again; the hospital, however, will not let in patients who don't have their own food. Without food, patients are pronounced "cured" and sent on their way. And thus begins an existential and brutal journey into a heart of darkness.
The story focuses on the gradual and permanent removal from society of Private Tamura. Slowly but surely, his ties to society are severed. Tamura, an intelligent and decent man, is thus completely alone in a war zone. He doesn't have a reason to die, so he stumbles about the Philippine countryside in search of food. While searching for sustenance, he must avoid both the local people and American soldiers. During his trials, Tamura carries on an internal dialog on his situation, which reads like a treatise on the existence of God. The imagery is poetic and horrifying, a portrait of a man's descent into hell. Haunting and powerful.