Asia Books

I first came across this book in my local library. I was so enchanted by the different designs, that after tiring of renewing it, I have decided to order my own copy. I recommend it to any person interested in needlepoint, as well as global designs...

Must add my praise for this book. Gorgeous colors in clear graphic designs plus various colorways so you can see what would happen if you use different colors. I get a feeling of generosity from the authors who obviusly love their craft and want to share it.

In addition to bold and unusual patterns, Mary Norden has an extremely good eye for colors. I use patterns and parts of patterns from this book all the time.

There are many lovely needlepoint books with an emphasis on romantic or Victorian designs. This book consists of designs with Asian, African and Latin and Native American influences. The photographs are beautiful, the instructions and charts are clear, and the colors dazzling! Highly recommended for all needleworkers---knitters, cross stitchers, crocheters, etc.---not just needlepointers.

This book brings the beauty of the various international fabrics to your needlepoint canvas. It's not your grandmother's needlepoint - no cats or flowers, just bold and exciting designs with great color graphs and ideas. I highly recommend this book - I even ordered a copy for my sister although it was out-of-print.

I just bought a copy of this book because I saw the lecture Dr. Maguire gave on CSPAN and was riveted. The book is unbelievably important in these times when the United States claims to be doing things for international justice. But when you read this and see how Pol Pot got away with so much and what's going on in Asia you won't be able to understand why we were so consumed with a man like Saddam Hussein (oil). Everyone should read this book.

Peter Maguire's mix of personal travelogue and historical study works well, with the author lingering on the question of impunity and the ineffectual international community, whilst interviewing victims and perpetrators of Khmer Rouge crimes on many visits following his first trip to Cambodia in 1994. That first exciting yet unnerving visit in 1994 is something the author and myself have in common, as we do the loss of a close Cambodian friend in recent years. His loss was Sok Sin, well known as every journalist's 'fixer' and Maguire's tale of his demise is poignant. His interviews with the suvivors of Tuol Sleng such as Bou Meng, Vann Nath and Im Chan contrast sharply with the soul-less KR photographer Nhem En and guard Him Huy, whilst DC-Cam and Youk Chhang rightly emerge as a beacon of light in the chaos that is Cambodia. He also tracked down Mai Lam, the Vietnamese colonel who'd turned Tuol Sleng into a Genocide Museum though ultimately their discussions were stymied. I found the book stimulating, frustrating, insightful and vexing in equal measures, with Maguire admitting up front that he ultimately failed to come to any clear-cut conclusions. However, the journey to get to nowhere is an interesting one.

This remarkable book takes the reader deep inside the minds of a culture so hard to penetrate that I am returning this year to Cambodia just to attempt to understand the obvious - here is a country in a state of denial. "Facing Death in Cambodia" very effectively analyses Cambodia's culture of compliance, a nation meek to authority, and seemingly paralyzed by a recent past so convulsive that to even think about it is an invitation to "bad karma" - even among survivors and the unindicted killers of their children who sometimes share the same street. Mr Maguire excells at the job of rendering the 75-79 story in human terms. His portraits of the familiar figures like the photographer of those shattering Tuol Slong ID pictures are very important to our understanding of what sort of mental gymnastics many at the heart of the genocide are capable of. The heroic Vann Nath, whose miraculous survival is powerfully and touchingly explained in the book, emerges as a beacon of clear sightedness.Yet even here there is paradox - the survivor is eager to greet the photographer almost as an old friend. The author's tenacious search for the mind set and value system of the killers, and how D.K.'s perverted ideology can be effortlessly justified in Cambodia's "culture of impunity", make for provocative reading. I was particularly impressed by the author's descriptions of lurking violence. The weserner's stereotypes of the smiling Khmer do not long survive exposure to present reality. When Mr. Maguire takes you through the marketplaces and cafes of Phnom Penh, don't expect a comfortable ride. In one shattering passage,we are told how quickly peasant vengeance in the street over seeming trifles turns to horror in a blink. Overall, this book is one of the most important documents of Cambodia's modern history. Mr Maguire has no illusions that this beautiful, tormented country's battle to start over is going to be over soon. Here is a writer of compassion and power, and his book is an excellent one.

This is a clear and concise book about the horrendous regime of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979)and the aftermath. The author asks the question: why haven't leaders of the Khmer Rouge been prosecuted for the mass murder they perpetrated on their own people. He finds a partial answer by looking at international politics and the machinations of Cambodian leaders, the UN, and the US and everyone's lack of priority in seeking justice in Cambodia.

The author, along the way, adds his personal experiences and interesting observations about Phnom Penh and Cambodia in the 1990s and up until 2003. He interviews a large number of Cambodians, including guards and survivors, about the goings on at the notorious S-21 prison. As many as twenty thousand entered the prison; fewer than a dozen survived. There are photos of some of the murdered and the survivors and several historic photos of Khmer Rouge soldiers. The author delves into the mentality of the mass murderers and present day Cambodians who still suffer the trauma of that horrific era.

Chapter two in this book is one of the best brief descriptions of the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia and its consequences that I have read. All in all the book is a readable introduction to the sordid history of the Khmer Rouge and the half-hearted international efforts to cope with mass murder and its perpetrators.

Smallchief

I've often wondered about the genocide in Cambodia. The amount of material available on the Holocaust is emmense. We basically went to war to stop the "Ethnic Clensing" in the Balkans. But in Cambodia, almost noting, even while it was going on it seemed to be largely ignored. The famous pictures of the piles of skulls seemed to have no effect.

When this was happening we had just ended our participation in the Viet Nam war. I asked a Viet Nam protester why they weren't protesting what was happening there, why are we building a Holocaust museum when something of almost horror was happening in Cambodia. There was no answer.

For a time I thought that it might be an issue of race/color. The Jews were white, the Cambodian brown. Then the happenings in Rawanda got a fair amount of press coverage. And I can only conclude that it was just a matter of time. Viet Nam took all the energy the protestors had, perhaps combined with such a contempt/hatred for our own government that they couldn't see the evil in the Khmer Rouge. Maybe it was the left's "love" for communism that made them blind.

Peter Maguire's book puts a personal and human face on this genocide. He has talked to the people all over Cambodia, he has analyzed the international response and concluded that "international law, human rights, and international criminal courts are little more than sonorous fictions without political will."

There is no political will to even think much about Cambodia, not while it was happening, not now.

Ages 4-8 will love Dick Cole's warm and realistic drawings in The Falling Flowers, a celebration of a child and grandmother's urban trip and relationship. The two take a train to the heart of Japan to see something special, but Grandmother won't say what it is until they get there: when they do, Mayumie discovers something special in the very heart of modern-day urban Japan.

Ideal for children 4 to 8, The Falling Flowers is the story of a young Japanese girl and her grandmother. Mayumie and her Grandmother take a train ride into the heart of Tokyo, then walk together down a quiet street in the middle of the city and find a grove of Japanese cherry trees all in blossom. The simple, elegant text by Jennifer Reed is perfectly showcased with Dick Cole's watercolors giving this original story a timeless and universal appeal. The Falling Flowers would make a truly fine and appreciated addition to any picturebook collection.

Ideal for children 4 to 8, The Falling Flowers is the story of a young Japanese girl and her grandmother. Mayumie and her Grandmother take a train ride into the heart of Tokyo, then walk together down a quiet street in the middle of the city and find a grove of Japanese cherry trees all in blossom. The simple, elegant text by Jennifer Reed is perfectly showcased with Dick Cole's watercolors giving this original story a timeless and universal appeal. The Falling Flowers would make a truly fine and appreciated addition to any picturebook collection.

Mayumie's grandmother is taking her someplace very special. Mayumie wonders aloud, "Are we going shopping? To the museum? To the shrine? To the zoo?" Patiently, Mayumie's grandmother explains that this place is much more magical than any of those places, and it can only be viewed once a year. What kind of place could it be? Readers of this book will get their answer in this beautiful story, rich in descriptive details that will have them right there with Mayumie and her grandmother seeing, smelling, and touching The Falling Flowers. Children will enjoy Mayumie's journey and discovery, and teachers and librarians will want to share this story, especially in conjunction with an Asian studies unit.

Jennifer's story and Dick's illustrations come together to form an enchanting story that will appeal to reader's of all ages. I particularly enjoyed reading it to my granddaughter.

This type of book should never be allowed to go out of print. It should be available for all to read and learn from. In it, Helene Tremblay offers a fascinating insight into the ordinary lives of various people from The Americas and The Caribbean by spending a typical day with a typical family. In a beautifully illustrated book, sensitively written, Ms Tremblay gently pushes opens a window into their different worlds, eating, resting and working with the families. There is no feeling of intrusion, just an unspoken respect for their way of life. It is at once humbling, honest, moving and utterly compelling. It is a book I refer to many times and can highly recommend.

This type of book should never be allowed to go out of print! It should be available for all to read and learn from. In it, Helene Tremblay offers a fascinating insight into the ordinary lives of various people from The Americas and Caribbean simply by spending a typical day with a chosen family. In a beautifully illustrated book, sensitively written, Ms Tremblay gently pushes opens a window into their different worlds, eating, resting and working with them. There is no feeling of intrusion, just an unspoken respect for their way of life. It is at once humbling, honest, moving and utterly compelling. It is a book I refer to many times and can highly recommend.

I enjoyed reading this book. I bought it for my husband as a gift, but I read it before he did. The photographs and stories were about at least one family from each North and South American country. Wide range of lifestyles, from tribal Amazonians, peasants in Mexico, poor and rich of Brazil, single mother families in West Indies, farmers in Canada, and urban folks from Chicago. The book covers their diligences and futilities in this world as a family unit.

Greetings to all! I love sociology, world culture, and travel. This book combines the best of these topics and so much more! Helene has displayed tremendous courage in her desire to produce a book about humanity and the one thing that bonds us all together: family. She has traveled to places that many of us would find undesirable and have brought forth families that we would have never known if it were not for her beautiful book! From the poorest of the poor to the elite, she has been the welcome guest of families picked randomly who best represent each country. She surprised these families by just showing up on their doorstep and then, as an unbiased observer, gives honest details of the lifestyle of the family. This is truly one of the most interesting books I've ever read and it now looks like a well-worn Bible, as I have read it time and time again. Through the eyes of Helene, we learn about families as far north as Canada and the USA, as well, as the Caribbean and South America and Mexico. I was so impressed by Helene's report on a family in the Honduras that we decided to sponsor a family from there! Truly, there is no other book like it and it is a great sadness to me that it is no longer in print. Anyone who can purchase this book will be adding a book of noble worth to their library! I can't say enough about this book! It is a tremendous way for children to learn about other families and places around the world! Helene, if you ever read this, know that you are always welcome at my home! ;-) In Friendship, Mrs. Marsha Swaggerty & Family

I've already given a review for the first book which is on this page for some reason... so I wholeheartedly agree that the book on Asia and the Pacific is just as spectacular as the book on the Americas... It was out of print and I was amazed when Amazon.Com came through with a used copy that was in beautiful condition! I was very pleased and impressed and am delighted to have this book in my collection... I was very intrigued by the families in Asia and the exotic Pacific! Very much worth the wait!

Even though I was not in the Vietnam War, I could not put this book down. Talking to others that were in the War, I found that this story was true for those who fought. Thanks to Paul Young I learned what it was like to be a marine fighting in the jungle.

Outstanding Book. I thought that Paul did a very good job of telling it like it was.I lost quite a bit of sleep while reading this book. Could not put it down.

I served with 1st force in vietnam in 67-68. Reading this book brought back alot of memories. Some good and some bad. The facts and stories were real and very much to the point. Great book.

I thought that this book was great in describing what Marine Recon really is which is quietly moving miles through rough terrain and then sitting around, trying to stay undetected, calling in air and artillery strikes on the enemy, and gathering information on the enemy to support the infantry. Also, Young really expressed what it was like to expierence war with the seperation from family, being fired upon with small arms fire and artillery and the loss of good friends.

Paul R Young really tells it like it happen I should know, I was a member of first recon One of Benoit's boys. As a former member of first Recon this book his been a terriffic way for us from Duckbill to tell our story.

Lina and Feroza, two young girls from Afghanistan living in a refugee camp in Pakistan, first meet after a frenzied crowd has jostled for used clothing that relief workers threw off the back of a truck. What could have been a misfortune, with each girl retrieving one sandal from a matching pair, turns out to be a stroke of luck as the girls take turns with the sandals and become friends. This friendship helps them to endure the hardships of their daily routines collecting water, washing clothes in the river, mourning lost family members, and caring for younger siblings while boys in the camp attend school. The sandals later take on a symbolic role when one of the girls leaves camp for a new home.

This moving book provides an effective tool for teaching about what it means to be a refugee, how children in refugee camps spend their time, and how the experiences can differ for girls and boys. Although the topic may be weighty and difficult, the tone is relatively subtle and hopeful so as to appeal to young readers. Intertwined with the touching story are valuable economics lessons about scarcity, human resources, wants, and needs. The dramatic artwork and compelling text work well together to make reading this book a memorable experience.

A realistic, powerful and touching children's story that takes a lesson on sharing what we have on a deeper level than most children experience in the States.

"Four Feet, Two Sandals" is a powerful book,
introducing readers to the experience of
refugee children in Pakistan. This is an
excellent teaching tool for having conversations
about sharing, donating and receiving clothes
and shoes, and developing friendships. Bravo!

This book deals with the concepts of friendship, hardship, sharing, and the reality of life for some children in the world. It is sad but heartwarming. The large number of children around the world being displaced because of war, famine, natural disasters and more make this book an important tool in helping to discuss this uncomfortable subject with your children.

Based on co-author Khadra Mohammed's experiences with refugees in Peshawar, a city on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Four Feet, Two Sandals is a children's picturebook about ten-year-old Lina and her young friend who each discover one of a wonderful pair of sandals. Together they must solve the problem of how to share one pair of sandles between four feet! As they wait and hope for their names to appear on a list for a new home, the sandals become a symbol of their fast friendship - a bond that will endure even when one of them finally has the opportunity to escape the hard conditions and live in a new land. The broad brush strokes of illustrator Doug Chayka draw the reader in to the harsh and barren world of the refugees, where positive human relationships are an particular treasure amid the daily difficulty of survival. A thoughtful yet serious picturebook, highly recommended for children's public library and personal collections.

I have savored so many recipes from this book. I absolutely amaze my dinner guests with the recipes!

I find myself reaching for this book quite a bit. I've made quite a few recipes from here with great success; the flavors are fresh, bright and bold, and many of the recipes are inherently healthy. There's great stuff here for weeknight meals, but some of them are still nice enough for casual company dinners. This is not an entirely authentic cookbook, but it's still all very tasty. If you don't have an Asian market locally (or large Asian section at your local mega-mart) you might find some of the ingredients hard to source, although that's not a problem for me being in the Seattle metropolitan area. Make sure you try their recipe for Saigon cinnamon ice cream - it's foolproof and to die for.

Have you ever purchased a colorful asian cook book from the discount bin at the local bookstore, to find it's all pretty photos, but otherwise filled with aimless, unremarkable yet needlessly complicated or unclear recipes? I have.. to the point that most of my cooking involves going online, to find at least 3 recipes for whatever I have in mind that evening, and to use the best parts of each found recipe to come up with my own.. Well, I need to do so no more so far as Southeast Asia is concerned, thanks to the Laursens wonderful, concise, yet roomy-enough-to-allow-me-to-experiment recipes. As my wife knows, i HATE following recipes, as most 'exotic' recipes usually call for at least ONE vital mystery ingredient I will never stock, so I usually end up chucking the recipe and instead blaze thru my own rebellious trail. Well, the Laursens allow me the breathing room to make substitutions, letting me know which ingredients are key, and why, and how to make do when you don't have them all, and it's all very reassuring, aiming primarily at providing a basic, straightforward foundation for south east Asian cooking. Food the locals eat, yet with just the right amount of westernization, this book was written for me.. No wild look-at-me recipes that you will either make once and never again or not dare to make at all.... I was such a geek I took the book to my local asian supermarket and was found in the sauces/spices aisle thumbing thru pages to make sure I knew which soy sauces/fish sauces/chilli pastes to weed thru... Enough of my quirks.. the recipes? I've had this book but two days, and have made 2 meals, that will make my local thai/vietnamese restaurants sadly miss a good chunk of my business, as they came out flawless; amazingly so, given the simplicity and conciseness of the recipes...Again, best $15 spent.

This book is fantastic. It is practicle and easy to use. It convinced me to make my first attempt at homemade Thai and it was contagious. Our friends loved the recipes (they usually eat Mexican) and now love thai dishes. I need MORE receipes, please do another cookbook, and thanks!

From Bangkok To Bali In 30 Minutes: 175 Fast And Easy Recipes With The Lush, Tropical Flavors Of Southeast Asia is the collaborative effort of Theresa Volpe Laursen and Byron Laursen. This exciting compilation of exotic dishes ranges from Vietnamese-Style Iced Coffee; Balinese Star Fruit, Papaya, and Pink Grapefruit Salad with Avocado Dressing; and Fried Spring Rolls Filipino Style; to Bangkok-to-Bali Burgers with Grilled Onions; Laotian-Style Stir-Fried Shrimp with Crispy Lemon Grass; and Filipino-Style Potatoes Adobo. Exceptionally "kitchen cook friendly", From Bangkok To Bali In 30 Minutes is especially recommended for both its culinary diversity and ethnic meal-time authenticity.

I really enjoyed reading this book by probably the most celebrated Korean General of all time. While it is true that the Korean Army wasn't usually up to the standards of the American Army, Paik's units always seemed to be pretty close in every history of the war. Highly recommended book for anyone that wants to learn more about the Korean War.

This is a fairly important book to anyone interested in the Korean War. General Yup was South Korea's first four star general and was a field commander of various units during the war.

What makes this book important is that it covers the same war as many other books, but that it is written not from an American viewpoint but from the view of a soldier whose country was being attacked. This has made the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) through its Institute for Land Warfare put this title on their list of books that should be kept in print for study by AUSA members and others concerned about important issues.

This book was first published in 1992, the copies being sold by Amazon are reprints of the original book.

This is an excellent autobiography. The General's career and development is amazing to have reached 4-Stars at such a young age. His modesty and emphasis on the South Korean Army's development into a complete military organization while at war is remarkable.
What makes this book sobering is when the General describes how thousands of South Koreans volunteered and were sent straight into combat with little training, only to quickly become casualties themselves, sacrificing their lives for their country. Another key item from the General's writing is how only after having the time to fully train, equip, and organize into Divisions with adequate firepower, were they able to successfully conduct offensive operations.
Bravery and courage helped them hold against the North Korean Communist attack along the desperate Pusan perimeter, but it was the firepower of the attached US artillery units that were supporting his South Korean Division that allowed them to counterattack successfully and reach Panmunjom.
The personal family dangers in war is also brought out where he writes about his family, who had to be left behind in Seoul, unable to flee when the North Koreans captured the city. The additional suffering of the civilian populace is also described in this book, caught trying to flee the Communist Army.
Highly recommended reading for the South Korean view of the war. Excellent insight into how important it is to have trained and properly equipped soldiers when fighting a war rather than relying on conscripted soldiers after war has started as the conscripted soldiers will suffer excessive casualties and deaths when fighting against a motivated, trained, and fully armed enemy.

General Paik's work stands out among the many works on the Korean War because of his focus on the operations of the Republic of Korea (ROK) forces. Highly recommended to readers looking for information that goes beyond the American contributions to the struggle. The operational details and accounts of the interaction of American and ROK commanders are fascinating. The book suffers slightly from a lack of detailed maps that assist readers in following the movements of the oppossing forces.

I'm glad I found this gem of a book. I've read more then a few Korean War books and they take a decidedly American point of view. It's not to say that this is wrong, but it's certainly unbalanced. Many of these other books go on to describe the ROK army as cowardly, unreliable and prone to breaking. Finally there is a Korean commander that puts the record straight.

Yes, it was true that the ROK army at the time were not up to American Army standards, but it's not fair to put the same expectations on them. It doesn't take a genius to know what happens when militia goes against a heavily equipped professional army head-to-head in the open field. Militia loses every time, just look at how the British man handled continental armies in the first few years of the Revolutionary War. In 1950 the ROK army was the equivalent of a militia as it was very much under equipped, with no armor, air force and very little artillery (some 60mm and 80mm mortars and a few light 105mm pieces).

The U.S. had purposely left the ROK army under equipped and it was designed from the ground up as a lightly armed anti-guerilla force. The ROK army had a very poor junior officer corps, there was not school to train junior officers. The U.S. was too preoccupied in rebuilding Japan and sent very limited funds to South Korea. Proper equipment was not sent, no school for junior officers was established. Anyone who knows something about military matters knows that the backbone of an effective army are the junior officers, the lieutenants, captains and majors that lead the troops into the teeth of enemy fire. The North Korean Army (NKA), on the other hand, had an effective junior officer corps because many of the veterans were anti-Japanese guerilla fighters. Furthermore, the Russians supplied NKA with T-34 tanks, YAK fighter bombers, 155mm artillery, etc. Heavy artillery, tanks and close air support gave the NKA heavy offensive power.

It is not mentioned very often, but American trooped faired NO BETTER against the NKA during the first few months of the war. 24th ID troops ran from their positions when their antiquated WWII era bazookas just scratched the paint off NKA T-34s. It was carrier based air power that saved the Americans from being overrun.

General Paik tells stories of desperate battles, where ROK soldiers wrapped satchel charges around their bodies and threw themselves in suicide missions onto NKA tanks. ROK soldiers did the best they could with the weapons and training they had on hand. General Paik provides a fair and often underappreciated reason for why ROK units faired badly in the early part of the Korean War. As far as I'm concerned, any student of the Korean War cannot consider himself a expert unless he's read Paik's book. It is wrong to not put into consideration the viewpoint of the nation that contributed the most manpower and had the most casualties of all the UN forces. No Korean War library can be considered complete without this book (how many Korea War books have a glowing foreword by Mathew B. Ridgeway himself, huh?).

General Paik Sun Yup was the 29 year old commander of the ROK 1st division. The 1st ROK division had the distinction of the only ROK unit that never retreated from their positions without orders. It was also the only ROK unit that was attached to a U.S. Army Corp for the duration of the war and given tasks expected of a regular U.S. infantry division. General Paik was adamant about the fact that given the proper artillery, armor and air support, the 1st ROK division always performed as well, if not better then any regular U.S. infantry division. The 1st ROK also had the distinction of being the first UN unit to enter Pyongyang, beating several better equipped U.S. units in the race to the NK capital.

Please note that the introduction is by "The Dalai Lama," NOT The "Dali Lami", as it currently is written above. This should be changed. There are an additional reviews of this book in Library Journal of May 15, also Publisher's Weekly May 10, 1999.

Many Americans have probably never heard of East Timor, and most of us--including those who are active followers of world affairs--would probably have some difficulty pinpointing it on a map. Arnold Kohen does a remarkable job of introducing this unfamiliar land. It's very hard not to feel sympathy and a healthy dose of admiration for the inhabitants of this long embattled nation. The book simultaneously serves as a hagiography of East Timor's heroic favorite son, and Bishop Belo's extraordinary life greatly enhances the work's inspirational level.

Among East Timor's striking characteristics is the fact that it may be the strongest seat of Catholicism on Earth today. Over 85% Catholic (less than half was in the 1960's) its rate of practicing members puts most other countries to shame. The cathedral's 6 a.m. weekday Mass regularly has an overflow crowd of 1000+. John Cardinal O'Connor once told Bishop Belo how envious he was at East Timor's teeming seminarians. Even its Indonesian occupiers concede the Church's massive influence. Although they disdain Bishop Belo for his tireless devotion to human rights, they often unhappily allow him to mediate disputes with Timorese resistance fighters.

The East Timorese greatly need this faith because the world has turned a blind eye toward the genocide inflicted upon them. Those of us in America who seethed under the reign of Bill Clinton probably never realized how culpable he was for tacitly approving these crimes against humanity. The author on numerous occasions sites examples where the United States after decades of inexplicable silence at Indonesia predation became a veritable proponent when Clinton--abandoning his campaign rhetoric about the suffering East Timorese--wanted expanded trade with the highly populated interloper. Bishop Belo is probably the only person in history to be awarded a Nobel peace Prize without a word of praise or congratulations from the Unites States Government because it was bestowed at a very inconvenient time for pending trade deals.

The island nation faces an uncertain future, and all Catholics and others concerned with human rights should monitor the situation closely. Despite the unending brutal assaults bravely endured by the East Timorese citizens, their bold faith is a good omen that eventually their struggle will be victorious.

Now that Archbishop Belo has been driven into exile, and his beloved Timor transformed into an abbatoir, this superb book is more important than ever. I will not praise Belo, save to say that I hope that he is eventually canonized. I will just say one thing. This book reveals such a consistent record of perfidy, stupidity, and cupidity on the part of the United States government as to make even the most patriotic man or woman ashamed of being an American. As readers of some of my other reviews will know, I am fairly Conservative Republican. Reading of Fords, Reagans , and Bushes short-sightedness and incompetence in the matter of Timor saddened and enraged me.The only ( slight)point in their favor is that the Democratic Presidents, Carter, and Clinton, were just as bad; Carter through simple incompetence, and Clinton through cowardice and greed. Let it be asaid and said plainly: The Clinton campaign became so dependent on the Riady families money that they turned blind eye to the atroicities occuring in Timor. With the laudable exception of a few republican members of congress such as Malcolm Wallop and Frank Wolf, practically no American public figure-Republican, democrat, or independent- has spoke out on the horrors occuring in Timor. Now, when it may well be too late, the world has begun to wake up.It is time for all men and women of good will, of all political and religous faiths, to cry out "Enough". We cannot be so dependent on the raw materials and sweat shop produced sneakers and toys emanating from Indonesia that we would let theese horrors continue. I am going to phone and write every member of congress I know, asking them that they vote to discontinue ALL foriegn aid to Indonesia. I will also openly ask ALL presidential candidates- Republican, Democratic, and independent,if they will continue to support our bankrupt policy toward this outlaw state, Indonesia. I hope EVERY responsible American does the same.I beg my fellow Americans;have the courage to read this book, and the sensitivity to be outraged by what it contains.

From the Place of the Dead: The Epic Struggles of Bishop Belo of East Timor By Arnold S. Kohen

Review by David Hinkley, former Chairman, Amnesty International USA

Arnold Kohen's moving biography of Roman Catholic Bishop Carlos X. Belo of East Timor illuminates one of modern history's most horrific human rights tragedies. Belo, the first Catholic bishop ever to receive the Nobel Prize for Peace (1996) is revealed as a great humanitarian in the tradition of Archbishop Romero and Desmond Tutu. In this age of cynicism and disillusionment, Belo exemplifies the power of faith, dedication and indefatigable effort to reshape the history of a terrorized and nearly forgotten people.

Kohen, formerly an investigative reporter with NBC news, skilfully balances lyrical evocations of a lush land, its tortured people and their unsilenceable champion with incisive analysis of the political and church forces with which Belo has contended in his successful struggle to bring his people's plight to the world's attention. Since Indonesia invaded the island territory, for centuries a Portuguese colony, the Indonesian army's campaign of brutal suppression has left an estimated 200,000 dead, of a population of less than 700,000. Beginning with the acquiescence of President Ford and Secretary Kissinger at the time of the 1975 invasion, through provision of deadly OV10 Bronco counter-guerrilla planes and other military hardware, the United States has played a complicitous role. This has only recently been mitigated - and to a lethally insufficient extent - by Clinton Administration diplomatic overtures to Jakarta.

Such examinations share these pages with indelible images of Belo the man. Among the most emblematic is a glimpse of Belo the boy athlete and mischief maker donning a grapefruit bishop's hat in a foreshadowing of his astonishing future. Belo's great love of East Timor's young people and his sardonic wit emerge as defining traits, along with the courage to confront a combination of forces that would wither almost anyone. Against a backdrop of genocide and international intrigue, Kohen has created a luminous, touching and fascinating portrait of an inspiring and unforgettable man. This one is for the ages.

Many books have already been written about the tragic events of East Timor between 1998 and today, namely since when the regime of president Suharto of Indonesia collapsed, and the territory started on its slow, exciting, yet very painful path towards independence. Some books are more academic, others more journalistic and speculative. This book by Arnold Kohen, a long-time East Timor expert, makes it clear that the author is no academic or journalist in search of quick success. He is someone who has followed East Timor for a while, and has also been active and become known as a prominent East Timor lobbyist. He has now been able to recollect in this book some excellent material, excellently edited, about Monsignor Belo's role in the struggle for independence. The book is written in a vivid style, it is chilling, it is direct, yet (despite the rather eye-catching and shocking title) without leaving the place to any sensationalism... All the book says is, very unfortunately, totally true. Whether Bishop Belo's struggles could be defined as "epic" is another matter. Meanwhile, this book makes a strong and meaningful contribution to knowledge on the recent events, and also makes excellent, educative and even pleasant, if shocking, reading.

Nancy Garrison Jenn has taken upon herself the challenge of boiling down a highly fragmented industry into a meaningful knowledge base that can be used by corporate executives and individuals to network to solve both business and career needs. Her summary chapters on how to select a recruiter and advice to both corporations and individuals provides a quick study on critical issues affecting all parties concerned. While some in the industry may quibble with her selection of individuals, without question she has identified the "Who's Who" of the search industry, reflecting a credible balance between US-based and global search professionals. Without question it is the only work of its kind.

In writing The Global 200, Nancy Garrison Jean has combined her enthusiasm for the international executive search industry with rigorous analysis to create a must read for clients, candidates, and search professionals. Bravo, Nancy!

The Global 200 is quite simply the most authoritative work on the global search business. A 'must' for every CEO

Nancy Garrison Jenn has pulled off another first in the retainer executive search field - a comprehensive list of 200 executive search consultants who work in a global environment. This is an excellent cross section of the experienced people in our profession. "The Global 200 Executive Recruiters" should be in every person's library.

The Global 200 Executive Recruiters is another proof of Nancy Garrison Jenn's in-depth knowledge of the world's executive recruitment market. Though interesting for recruiting companies to learn about their sector and their competitive position, the book is particularly of help to their clients and potential clients in assessing executive search firms and the recruiters with those firms. The Global 200 provides very useful and detailed information regarding recruiters and their expertise, both in terms of business sector specialization, as well as local, regional or global orientation. It is an excellent guide for both smaller companies and larger corporations on their path to find the executive talent they need to build a sustainable competitive edge.