China Books

Born in 1895 in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, Madame Beatrice Alexander was the daughter of Russian immigrants who rose to become America's premier doll maker. As a child she was known as Bertha, but soon took what she considered to be a more socially acceptable name - Beatrice. This name change was but a harbinger of her determination to excel, to rise above what she considered to be humble surroundings.

Her story is well documented and lavishly illustrated in this keepsake volume. Included are numerous full-color photos of the famous Alexander dolls.

Early on Madame Alexander adored her step-father, Maurice,emulating his love of doll making and doll repairing. He is responsible for this country's first doll hospital located on the Lower East side of New York City. The family lived above this business.

With the outbreak of World War I and America's ban on German goods, including the dolls which were the family's best sales items, it seemed their business was doomed. But Beatrice and her sisters would not accept this. They put their heads together to try to determine how to make dolls without porcelain or kilns. The answer was, of course, cloth toys. Their first success was a Red Cross Nurse doll. Beatrice was the creative member of this team, coming up with ideas and issuing instructions on making her concepts a reality.

Building upon their success the Alexander Doll company moved to a large space in the late 1920s. It was not long before their efforts were rewarded with an order from FAO Schwarz.

The Alexander Alice In Wonderland doll debuted in 1930. Today, in an updated incarnation, Alice is still one of their most popular items. There were soon Scarlet O'Hara dolls, bride dolls, Queen Elizabeth II dolls, Eloise dolls, and more.

Today, the original issues of many dolls are prized items in collections throughout the world.

"Alex" is among the latest creations - she's a very modern miss in an extravagant gold gown or capris and crop top. Her wardrobe is extensive as is her following. But, to many, a Madame Alexander doll is the Mercedes of toys.

The photos of Lia Sargent's dolls in this book are, indeed, beautiful, but the real draw is the way Ms. Finnegan, the author of the book, relates Alexander's life to what was going on in the world at the same time. Wonderful historical perspective, which is very unusual in a doll book!

Photos of many dolls in outfits never seen before.All in color.So you can identify your Alexander doll or hunt for that particular doll. This should make Madame Alexander dolls go up in value.

This book is excellent! I found the life of Madame Alexander very interesting and read this book from cover to cover. I hated to put it down. If it were not for Madame Alexander we might not know Scarlett O'Hara or Barbie as we know them today. We have a lot to thank her for...you will be amazed! I also enjoyed the photographs of the dolls. Lia Sargent, the leading expert on pre 1965 Madame Alexander dolls did an outstanding job on this book also. The photographs and photo captions show Lia's work is perfection..something Madame Alexander would be proud of. This book will be loved by generations to come. Doll collector or not, this book will leave you saying "WOW"!!!!

BEAUTIFUL BOOK! WONDERFUL PICTURES! IT WAS GREAT HOW MANY SCARLETT O'HARA DOLLS THERE WERE! BUT THIS BOOK COSTS TOO MUCH, IT SHOULD COME IN PAPERBACK!

I've read or recommended Ji-li Jiang's retelling of the classic Monkey stories to dozens of kids, and have never met a kid who wasn't completely captivated. This selfish, boastful, impulsive, hilarious creature causes the worst kinds of trouble, and seems to get away with it all.

The more chaos Monkey stirs up, the more stunned we are that no one can stop him.

Kids seem to zero in on the unfairness of a creature being so powerful, and yet so unworthy of the power he's been given. We hope against all evidence that Monkey will gain some wisdom.

This volume contains only the beginning of the Monkey saga. And we hope the rest will be published soon.

A film based on Monkey King is in production now with Jet Li and Jackie Chan which I'm sure will fan interest in the original stories, once it is released.

Ji-li Jiang's retelling is the best available in English for intermediate students. We look forward to her finishing the story. And seeing more of You-shan Tang's energetic and fresh ink painted illustrations.

I purchased this book, hoping it would stimulate my ten year old grandson to enjoy his introduction to The Monkey King, and want more. It did just that! He has enjoyed the action, and the unique stories, and is now ready to delve further into a more mature rendering of The Monkey King. This book is an excellent first step into this magical world.

Excellent!. These Monkey King episodes have kept the interest of middle school students examining the idea of heroes and superheroes.

Also available in a paperback edition (1885008255, $6.95), The Magical Monkey King is a retelling of classic Chinese folktales by Ji-Li Jiang. Ideal reading for children ages 7 to 10, and enhanced with black/white drawings by Youshan Tang. The Magical Monkey King tells of the Monkey King's rambunctuous adventures, from his studies with a wise sage to learn the secret of immortality, to taking a job as royal gardner in the Kingdom of Heaven, and his encounter with the great Buddha. Simple yet delightful prose of Monkey King's fantastic exploits make The Magical Monkey King an amazing, enjoyable, and whimsical read for all ages.

My kids are a bit familiar with this story already, because we live in Hong Kong and have seen parts of the series on TV and because they've also read parts of it extremely abdridged in Chinese "comic book" form.

They (aged 7 and 5) loved this book. It is written in clear English, that nonetheless gives a feel for the names amd action of the characters. It is abridged enough so the kids don't get bored, but is complete enough to be faithful to the full-length novel. We just finished reading it aloud 5 days ago and the kids REALLY wanted to know what happens next.

Unfortunetely, the second installment of the story is not yet published. So, my family is now waiting impatiently for the next bit.

The only thing that could be better were the illustrations. They were small and in black and white. While I know that making the book larger and with color illustrations would have made it more expensive, I would have been willing to pay for it.

Excellent book.

Read your typical history book covering Chinese history and you'll get a very distinct picture of the Jurchens and Manchus--about their conquest of china, the corruption of the Qing government (as if no other dynasty had corruption), of the power-hungry Aisio-gioro Nurgaci, founder of the Qing dynasty, and their alien, steppe-nomadic ways. Most Chinese history books have little good or substantive to say about this north-east Asian culture whose term for their religious priesthood was adopted by the West, "Shaman" (Chinese, "saman").

This book takes all that mythology and anti-Manchu rehtoric and blasts it to pieces with a compelling story of a people who have rarely been studied objectively and as a culture separate from the Mongols and Chinese. Nurgaci was not the man of the myths we've heard and never called himself Emperor. In fact for most of his life his title was "beile of the Jianzhou Jurchens". He was a great lord and chieftain of his lineage, but not even an autocrat in his authority, ruling jointly with his brother, Surgaci, for many years.

Besides the myths about Nuragi, many cultural myths are also dispelled. One major one is the assumption that the Manchus were nomads with a steppe culture analogous to the Mongol culture. This book explains how and why this assumption is wrong and is essential to anyone who wants to know the real Manchu people.

I'm only 3 chapters into the book and already know I need to reread it. there's a lot of information for the student of Jurchen and Manchu history!

WELL DONE!!

I read this book after Evelyn Rawski's "The Last Emperors" and it did answer & clarified a lot questions I had with regards to the Manchus and how they were like before entering China proper. The chapter on Nurhachi was good as was the section on the inevitable power struggle between Cixi and Guangxu (my only wish that this was elaborated further).
Crossley's book is highly recommended for both casual & serious historians alike. My suggestion is to read this first before Rawski's "The Last Emperors"

I have read a more recent book Evelyn Rawski's "The Last Emperors: A Social History of Qing Imperial Institutions " in which she discusses the context between her book and "The Manchus". The two books are probably quite similar but I think that Rawski's book would contain much more undisclosed material.
I have decided not to change the rating on this book in the interest of fair play.

I visited to pick up the paperback of this book, and saw this perplexing comment below. This book and The Last Emperor are apples and oranges. This is a popular book (I got my original copy from History Book Club) and intended for reader's with a general interest, or maybe beginning historians. The book by Evelyn S. Rawski is an academic title, very thorough and erudite. But also the books are not on the same subject. Rawski is about the Manchu emperors, their courts and palaces. The Manchus is much more general. Please do not get confused into thinking that these two books are on the same subject.

It's funny to note that at many times the Qing dynasty faced many of the same problems that we see today: overpopulation, government corruption, war against drugs. So much of what we think of as Chinese is also Manchu and was introduced rather recently. Well writen and clear all the way through.

Martin Yan's book is a treasure. Many friends think I can do Chinese cooking effortlessly. Maybe not so, but with this cookbook you can make some basic and some not so basic Chinese dishes. Kung Pao and Hot and Sour soups are made over and over, and I've yet to tasted better in any restaurant. Hail to the chef!

Barry Marshall

The book starts off by literally taking the reader through a journey - A journey that totaled more than 65,000 miles throughout China over land, sea, air, and waterways during a three-month period. I learned something new myself reading this book. I have always tried to explain to people how to understand the balance of flavors, taste and textures of food. Martin Yan explains it in one easy thought - yin and yang. "Yin represents the feminine, yielding, darker, more mysterious forces, while yang stands for the masculine, harder, brighter and hotter ones. In the world of food, yin might be cooler, moister, softer foods, like winter melon, asparagus or crabmeat. Yang might take the form of chiles, ginger, fried foods or red meat." The concept of the yin and yang also fit the textures of the food as well. The next part of the book talks about special equipment, tools and techniques. The recipes include Hot and Sour Beijing Dumplings, Duck Soup, Seafood in an Orange Basket (an incredible dish that is so easy to make), Minced Poultry with Walnuts in Lettuce Cups, Mongolian Roast Lamb, Mushrooms in Fragrant Broth, Steamed Garden Vegetables, Fish in a Bamboo Leaf, Steamed Spareribs in Plum Sauce, Tofu Custard with Tropical Fruits, Honey Walnut Prawns, Ginger-Date Wontons, Asparagus with Sweet and Pungent Dressing, and Spicy Fun See Noodle Salad. The recipes are well written with a little history for an item of each recipe. Food styling and photography of this book are outstanding. Some of the ingredients in the book will only be found in specialty shops or Oriental markets, i.e. dried black mushrooms, nori (Japanese seaweed), Sichuan peppercorns and dried bean thread noodles. This book was aiming to be the first book to receive a perfect score from me, until the very end of the cookbook. Martin Yan wrote an incredible book. I felt the last two pages of advertising took a little bit away from the book however

I love this book. Not only is Martin Yan entertaining, he provides a look at his learning experience traveling through Asia and it's culinary history. There is also great information on building an Asian pantry, what supplies and cookware you need, ingredient information and how to use everything. Recipes are very easy to follow and he provides easy directions. Your favorites are a lot easier to cook at home than you'd think!

This is my most used cookbook. Great explanations and easy instructions. Anyone can with this cookbook.

I bought this book when it first came out after watching Martin Yan's cooking show on PBS. He's a great chef and teacher. I was lucky to buy this book as my first intro to chinese cooking. If I had bought another book, I might have been too intimidated. But Martin Yan's book of simple recipes with complex flavors was the perfect start to learn how to cook chinese. The recipes are easy, simple and delicious. You'll want to cook them over and over again, and before you know it, you'll begin to experiment on your own, using the simple techniques you learn in this book. I've made almost every recipe in it, and nearly every one has turned out great. From the pot-stickers to the soups to the salads to the stir-frys, all of them tasty and easy to make. The one thing I disagree with Martin Yan on is his saying "don't stare-fry, stir-fry," meaning that you should always keep stirring the food around in your wok (or fry pan). I've found many recipes benefit from a little charring here and there, so less stirring can often add tremendous flavor in some of the dishes. Anway, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have over the years! It's one of the best in this genre of cookbooks.

We really enjoyed reading this book together. It is a great tale to tell, even without the book and beautiful illustrations. I love that Min-Yo is a little girl and it is difficult to find great stories with a little girl as the hero.

I would recommend this for all children, but if you have a young girl who loves the moon and stars as much as my grand daughter, this is a wonderful story to connect with.

My almost five year old daughter LOVES this book. We discovered it quite by accident at the library. I am looking to purchase it, since we read it every night! I love the illustrations and the story is quite touching. We both love the part where Min-Yo and the Dragon throw the diamonds into the sky to make stars. We LOVE that page!!

In this magical story, a tiny girl takes on a great adventure, climbs a web to the moon, and saves the world by befriending the moon dragon.

Not just our son, the whole family loves it. Everything about it. The pictures, the story ( inviting to eat veggies). What a wonderful mind Elizabeth and John have! I read so many books to my son, mostly uncommon and unusual ones, jet this one still stands out.

Despite Kirkus' lukewarm review, my daughter (age 3, adopted from China) likes this book and asks for it often. I think she likes the dragon pictures. I appreciate the fact that the protagonist is Asian, female, and gutsy.

I am always on the lookout for up-and-coming Asian-American writers and searched high and low for Andrea's first novel after hearing about it from a friend. After reading the book, I thought it was worth every effort in my search for this well written novel. Andrea Louie has the potential to be one of the finest authors in this century if she continues to explore her writing technique and style. I hope to see her blossom in her career and look forward to her future writings.

I first read Moon Cakes several years ago and found it to be a genuine and fascinating novel about a young woman trying to make sence of her own life. This particular young woman was of Chinese decent, I am not, but found that in many ways that the feelings about sense of place and sense of self that permeate this delicate novel are applicable to a wide range of young adults. I agree with the reviewer who wrote that the book helped her through some tough times, because I am finding myself looking for it now when my own life is in transition. It is a wonderfully crafted story whose tone reminds me of Lydia Minatoya's "Talking to High Monks in the Snow". Its one weakenss, I thought, was its "surprise" ending--although perhaps I wasn';t as careful a reader as I should have been. It should still be in print. I look forward to reading more by Andrea Louie.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it refreshing from the stereotypical Asian American novels. The characters were so complex, yet simple in description. A must read for someone looking for a different Asian Anerican experience.

Found a proof copy of this novel at a book fair. Was immediately drawn into the tale by the author's powerful story-telling skills. Andrea Louie, while telling the story (perhaps her own?) of a young woman's struggle to find and define herself in a world vastly different from that she knew growing up in a Chinese-American family, nevertheless reveals a uniquely American sensibility and perspective. Andrea Louie's style differs markedly from that of Amy Tan or Maxine Hong Kingston who relate fantastic stories of ghosts and women warriors from a bygone China. In contrast, Louie's heroine is an average college co-ed who becomes an aimless young adult adrift in New York City and finally a tourist in today's China. It is unfortunate that this now out-of-print novel apparently did not receive the attention and readership it deserved. I would recommend it to anyone interested in an intriguing coming-of-age story about a sensitive young woman's struggle with growing up in America, straddled between two cultures.

I am so sorry this book is already out of print. This was one of the most beautifully written, engaging novels I have ever experienced. It really helped me get through some tough times. I need to buy my own copy!

I ordered this book for my granddaughter to read this summer.
I was pleased with it and she will enjoy the book and pass it on to
her classmates, I'm sure.
Bonnie Cadwell

Mountain light is a really good book. i would give it 5 stars because it is an all together really good book. it is about Cassia and her "friend" squeaky, and how they help their villages, and how squeaky goes the the land of the golden mountain.

this book was a great sequel to The Serpent's Children, which i recommend. it shows a more subtle romeo+juliet deal, except less dramatic and fatal. it shows us that friendship and love can conquer all.

Mountain Light shows how a friendship can survive the adversity of war and ancient grudges. The two characters are hardly alike but they seem to be the same person.

Mountain Light
Mountain Light by Lawrence Yep is the best children's book I have ever read. It is full of Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Mystery, love and at the same time like a cool documentary because it is so educational. It is about a young man that is faced with the decision whether or not to leave his friends and go back to his family or "pack" where he belongs. But he realizes that he has become so close to his new friend Cassia it is a hard decision to make. He decides to go to the land of the Golden mountain in America and work with his friend's brother and his friend to make money so maybe, just maybe he can be married to Cassia. It is full of hardship and a lot of drama. Mountain Light is actually a book in the Serpent Children Series which is one thing that I love about this kind of book, they never seem to end when it's a series. I don't find books very exciting if it's only one topic. This book is about every topic you can think of! Another thing about the book that makes it interesting is the characters in the book can relate to everything and everyone and it's fascinating. What makes this book so much unlike others that I have read before is every time you read a new book in the series it is always a different person in the series telling the story. I believe that anyone who likes to read at all would fall deep into this book. During the time reading this book I refused to go down to dinner! Mountain Light is defiantly the best children's book if not book i have ever read!

World-class mountain climber and guide gets a posthumous tribute from a mournful, devoted friend and fellow mountaineer.

Birkby opens atop the 18,000-foot Himalayan peak Kala Patar. It's 1996, and Scott Fischer (1955 - 96) is showing him the skyline of Mount Everest, where Fischer will shortly lose his life. That climb was a far cry from the pair's initial adventure back in 1982, when Fischer convinced a then-inexperienced Birkby to scale Mount Olympus.

The author details Fischer's childhood, when a love of camping and a penchant for thrill-seeking blossomed into challenging hikes as a teenager with the National Outdoor Leadership School. He would later join NOLS as an instructor, counting among his students Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm, 1997, etc.).

Birkby tenderly recalls Fischer's clumsiness in his early 20s, when he miraculously survived more than 12 deadly plummets and was nicknamed "the Fallingest Man in Climbing." After gaining increased experience and acumen, he left NOLS and formed Mountain Madness, a company offering guided climbs whose motto was "Make it happen."

Deftly detailing Fischer's life in conversational prose, Birkby shares stories about encountering bears and traversing frozen terrain in the Alaskan wilderness, adventures ascending Kilimanjaro and the death-defying challenges of the Annapurna Circuit trail. As his son neared his first birthday, Fischer became more determined than ever to scale Everest. Climbing down from its 29,000-foot peak in May 1996, the group he was guiding got caught in a blizzard. Everyone managed to descend to safety except Fischer, who perished from exposure. The tragedy received widespread media attention and a lasting memorial in Jon Krakauer's eyewitness account, Into Thin Air (1997).

A fitting homage to one of the great outdoor extremists.
(Kirkus Reviews)

I got caught up in Mountain Madness and barreled through it in a week. Because Fischer's life is so crammed with the incredible, in the hands of the wrong writer, it could easily become a boring litany of outrageous feats. However, Robert Birkby gets it right. Each climb is unique in its setting, challenges, and personalities. And make no mistake, the book is crammed full of incredible adventure, both terrifying and triumphant.

It was a lot of fun to read about the camaraderie and good times the climbers have when they are not risking their lives on the mountains. I'm afraid of heights, but I sure would have enjoyed hanging out with this guys on level ground. In fact, one of the things I appreciated was not feeling like an earth-bound outsider, looking in on the gods of climbing. Through Birkby, who was a friend of Fischer's and is also admittedly more of a horizontal hiker, I felt squarely anchored in the book. I also appreciated that Birkby is an outdoorsman, and I always felt like I was in the hands of someone who understood the process of climbing.

Lastly, this is an excellent portrayal of a fascinating person. I got a good understanding of the drive behind Fischer's climbing. He seemed like a man with a relentless hunger, and yet a thoughtful man, who was struggling for balance in his life.

Scott Fischer's name as a mountaineer was as well known within the international mountaineering community as it was little known by the general public until his tragic death on Mount Everest during the deadly climbing season of May 1996. That deadly season at the top of the world captured the public's imagination not only because of the significant loss of life, but also because for the first time, the mostly private business of challenging the world's highest summit was available for the first time to all who were interested on the internet, over satellite phones and through Jon Krakauer's presence as an "imbedded" journalist for Outside magazine.

With Scott's death, Birkby lost a close friend and an influence in his own life going back to 1982 when the two men, who had only recently met, climbed Mt. Olympus together in Olympic National Park. Although Birkby's evolution as a highly skilled and well known outdoorsman had taken him on a self described "horizontal approach to America's wild places" his new friendship with Scott inspired new types of vertical adventures with Scott and his commercial climbing company Mountain Madness that included expeditions to the summits of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Elbrus and even eventually, to the famous Everest base camp.

Birkby's healing from the loss of his good friend began on the SCA high school crew he led in Grand Teton National Park the summer following the tragedy. But even as the pain eased, Bob and other member's of Scott's community grew frustrated with the incomplete portrait of who Scott was as a man, a father and a mountaineer that emerged publicly in major accounts of the accident. And so he eventually began a search for the truth of who Scott was, mostly gained through the eyes and hearts of those who knew Scott best, that Birkby chronicled in a manuscript that he was never sure would be published.

It is to our great good fortune that not only did Mountain Madness eventually find its way to publication last February, but also that one of the book's most influential and articulate story tellers about Scott's life was Bob Birkby himself. This first person narrative tells great stories of adventures but also seeks - quite successfully - to ask and answer questions about why people seek out adventure in the outdoors and how we succeed or fail in balancing this need with other priorities in our lives.

Scott was both a charismatic and controversial character, a fact that Birkby both acknowledges and illuminates. From his tracing of Scott's boyhood in New Jersey, watching a documentary on television about the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) that led to his odyssey to Wyoming's highest places, to his early frustrations of trying to make a living by following his passion with his company Mountain Madness, the reader learns much about what drove Scott Fischer to the heights he sought.

And while Birkby had no intention to add yet another book to the considerable cannon of Everest disaster literature, the quality of his research and the trust his interviewees obviously placed in his integrity and commitment to tell Scott's story does in fact shed some new light on that fateful May expedition. But perhaps more importantly the author has succeeded in telling the story of a man, his community and what came to be a far more fleeting moment in the history of high elevation mountaineering than any of the real people living in that moment could have recognized at the time.

As readers come to different conclusions regarding the who the real Scott Fischer was and how well Scott met the challenges of his own life and goals, Mountain Madness succeeds fully in articulating the call that wild places has on so many of us. And by the end of the book too, we realize that with his crisp descriptive prose, his own vast experience and deep sensitivity to human triumph and fragility, Bob Birkby was our perfect guide to this remarkable story.

Anyone who likes mountain climbing/adventure books will really love this portrait, as the author takes the reader through the experiences of Scott Fischer's most memorable life. A great pleasure to get the "behind the scenes" view of so many aspects of Fischer's multiple adrenaline filled challenges. When asked the question "Whom would you like most to have a beer with", Scott Fisher would be at or near the top of the list of any person who appreciates an action adventurist's life story. One cannot but feel a sense of real loss at not having had the opportunity to have met this person, "in person". This book, is I suspect, as near to being a close second, as one can hope for. I expect it most likely will be a best seller within the genre of mountain climbing/true adventure books.

Everyone who met Scott remembered him. His energy and enthusiasm always left an impression. Robert captures the person, but also captures the communities of people with whom Scott spent his life. This is a remarkable book on a remarkable person.

In Natural Liberation, Padmasambhava (the great Tantric Buddhist master) gives very clear instructions on how one can find englightenment in at any time (and I mean at any time at all), and Gyatrul Rinpoche explains these instructiosn in detail and in a context appropriate for a contemporary English reader. The result: a very potent 300 pages, friends. If you approach this text motivated to learn and put what you learn into practice for the good of all that is... well, that's the attitude Gyatrul Rinpoche asks of you, so you are on the right track.

Natural Liberation is appropriate for those committed to the Buddhist path, and is quite rigorous without being particularly difficult stylistically or intellectually. Here is a representative selection of Gyatrul Rinpoche's commentary: "Here's the critical point: experientially inquire into these issues until you come to complete certainty. Even if youpractice this meditation a little bit, if you do not gain certain knowledge, you will never gain competence in this training" (p 118). If one is interested in an in depth examination of the inquiry process, one might consider a close study of Tarthang Tulku's brainchild: Time, Space, and Knowledge.

Thank you to Padmakara, Karma Lingpa, Gyatrul Rinpoche, and Alan Wallace for giving us this treasure!

This book is a good follow-up to Gyatrul Rinpoche's commentary on portions of Karma Chagme's 17th century text, "The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen." The 2 volumes are entitled: "Naked Awareness" and "A Spacious Path to Freedom." All 3 are translated by B. Alan Wallace and, I believe that, the introductions make the connection between the two original texts. "Natural Liberation" and is attributed to the earlier master Padmasambhava. However, even the 3 together are not a complete exposition of the Union. Chokyi Rinpoche also wrote a small commentary on Karma Chagme's text entitled: "The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen." All 4 of these books are well worth reading. They are among the clearest and pithiest of currently available English translations of Mahamudra and Dzogchen texts and help one to not only understand their relationships, but more importantly to understand the underlying truths within them. They also provide considerable practical guidance for the practitioner. Mahamudra is contended to be the highest teaching within the Kagyu tradition (among the 4 Tibetan Buddhist traditions). Dzogchen is similarly regarded for the Nyingma tradition. Thus, such original works can be said to address the very highest Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhist) teachings. It is obvious (even in translation) that both Karma Chagme and (the much celebrated and revered) Padmasambhava were great, enlightened masters. This volume contains a wealth of valuable material and is highly recommended.

Padmasambhava's teachings on the six bardos is truly brought to life by Gyatrul Rinpoche's commentary, and B. Alan Wallace [as usual] does a superb job of translation.

This book should be read by all those who are interested in practicing Buddhism, whether of the Vajrayana, Mahayana, or Theravaden tradition. Here you will find the words of a master, whose words will engage you and urge you to change your life. Those who find this book and begin its practices are indeed fortunate.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved in making this book availible to the public.

Comprehensive- well translated- and with extensive commentary, both erudite and pratical,by Lama Gyaltrul, on this famous Masterpiece of Tibetan meditation technology,a hertofor untranslated section from a large set of cannonical works known collectivly as Karma Lingpas "Shi- Tro Bardo Rangdrol,{from which the well known Tibetan Book of the dead is also derived}A jewel of a Dharma book-brings one of the best Lamas and most highly qualified translators of 20th century(Gyaltrul and Wallace) togather with one of the finest works previous generations of Tibetan scholars and meditators so as to make this book a completly traditional,while at the same time up to date modern classic a welcome addition to any library,Buddhist or other.

Occasionally - very rarely - the wish-granting gem is placed in one's hands. This text, a skilful interweave of the root verses by Guru Padmasambhava and a commentary given recently on the US West Coast by the Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche, is exactly one such opportunity. As a long-term practitioner of the Düd'jom Lineage of teachings, and translator to His Holiness Shenphen Dawa Norbu Rinpoche, I cannot too strongly recommend this book to all those who feel they would like to undertake the Buddhist path. The Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche skilfully steers the practitioner - be they beginner or mature student - through the various reefs of hope and fear attached to such an undertaking, and brings them clear to at least a vision of the path that leads to the other shore, beyond, and back again. He is to be thanked profoundly for his great compassion, humorous skill and wisdom.

I found this book is the most comprehensive guide to learn Shaolin Sword. The picture and the explanation are clear and detail. I recommend this book for sword practisioner. I hope someday Dr. Yang will also produce "Southern Shaolin Sword" book.

History, Exercises and Forms are all in this book. I believe it has 3 complete forms. The forms are easy to follow and I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good sword book.

To begin, I believe that books are an inadequate didactic medium within the martial arts world; only a live instructor can point out the subtleties and variations in the motions of the arts. However, many books, this included, are a valuable resource to practitioners.

Although the greater part of the book was very thorough, I have some caveats about those parts which are not as acceptable. The beginning covers a brief history of Chinese swords (mainly of the jian variety). I'm not sure if this is a misconception by the author or a mistake in editing, but some of the pictures misrepresent the weapons they are supposed to illustrate; a slight rearrangement would fix this in most instances, but the fact that they are not arranged properly may result in trouble for the less cautious reader, or for the amateur. I further disagree with some of Yang's descriptions of the jian; the paragraph about the "blood groove" in especial. Although he is a respected martial artist, I maintain that those writers who know little about the weapon itself should write less; knowledge of its use does not, in many cases, signify knowledge of construction/history.

Yang does not go into as much detail as I would like in some aspects; the martial merit of some techniques should be explained more deeply. In many cases, he suffices to say that these techniques were efficient and worked, but did not really provide any reason besides vague references to balance or qi.

However, I am impressed with the thoroughness with which Yang tackles the subject. He covers basic stances, guards, and attacks, and depicts three very detailed forms (he dedicates approximately 100 pages to the first!). I was also pleased to note that he included the hanzi for many of the terms he uses, although he uses the English translation of the terms throughout the text rather than the Pinyin; e.g. he would refer to the Horse Stance rather than to Ma Bu. As something of a purist, I would rather see the Chinese than the English, but some may prefer the contrary.

One last point with which I was pleased was his enthusiasm to warn the reader that his book is NOT a comprehensive manual, and that actual instruction is required to reach any real level of skill in jianshu. I agree with this whole-heartedly. Even though this book is excellent for beginners, no beginner should rely solely on it to attain skill.

Overall, a very decent book indeed; certainly worth a look, and a good foundation for building new skills or for refreshing old skills.

Thsi is one of the best books on the subject of northern shaolin sword. The Yan martial arts company is one of the best academies around. This book covers various cencepts, including stances, attacks, and various forms. I strongly suggest you buy this book as it conains a lot to learn.

I've been training with swords of various types since 1985 and this is the best book I've ever read on the Northern Shaolin (jiang) sword. This straight sword is the toughest to master in the Chinese martial arts. Most practitioners start with the broadsword (dao) and progress to this weapon only after years of diligent practice. Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming is a true master of his art, a fact easily discernable in this fine text even if you have not read his bio. The fundamentals, forms, and step-by-step illustrations are masterfully written, thorough, and illuminating. The san cai jian (three-powers sword sequence), the kun wu jian (Kun Wu Mountain sword sequence) and the qi men jian (Qi family sword sequence)are covered in detail. The overlay arrows really make these static pictures come to life, adding real educational value for the reader. I particularly like the tandem sequences. The solo training techniques are very good as well, particularly the internal power drills. This tome is an outstanding and comprehensive work on the jiang.

My only argument with this book is the "blood groove" comment that other reviewers have picked-up on as well. I hate to nit-pick on such a fine work, but that concept is simply wrong. Fullers (grooves) were created to lighten a sword and increase its strength/flexibility. Historically, blades whose primary purpose was to slash (e.g., broadsword) were more likely to be fullered than those whose main use was to thrust (e.g., rapier), simply due to weight. It is not worth downgrading the rest of this excellent text for one bad paragraph though...

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction