Japan Books

He has gathered a wonderful collection of quiet often powerful poems. I used to always keep a copy at my desk at work when I needed a break from programming. I think everyone who loves poetry should have a copy.

This is one of the greatest "small" books I have ever read. Rexroth conveys a good bird's eye view of classical japanese poetry, with poems selected and translated by him, mostly from the Manyoshu (A.D. 759) and Kokinshu (A.D. 905)compilations.
You will be surprised by the intensity and sensibility that these short poems reflect. Also you will be delighted to read the different depictions of states of mind and heart in this poetry which will eerely convey the atemporal dimension of sorrow, pain, joy and appeasement to the contemporary human being.
An example of what to expect:
The flowers whirl away
In the wind like snow.
The thing that falls away
Is myself.....(Prime Minister Kintsune)

Rexroth neither adds or takes anything away. The book is brilliantly styled, and his notes are truly informative. A definite must have.

In freshman year of high school, I went through an "Asian" phase, I guess, and this was one of the books I bought. The poetry carried me to a world (or rather, Japan) of times past. It's amazing how such short pieces could impact so much. I especially liked that Rexroth included the Japanese words with the poems (even though I know about 20 words of Japanese). However, then (and now), many of the references to various objects and places in the poems went over my head since I have little background in Japanese history or literature (everything I know about Japan, I learned from anime and the three week unit on Asia in World History class). For instance, I never heard of the River Izumi and plains of Mika nor did I know the importance of the Isle of Awaji (let alone where it was). So some of the poems, though they sounded beautiful, were little more than entertaining to me. I lost the significance and meaning. Fortuneately, Rexroth provides a guide in the back to the poets and some of the works in this collection.
If you've never read Japanese poetry before (or read very little), this book is a good introduction. However, having familiarity with Japanese places, literature and symbols helps, since you won't have to flip to the back every other poem.

Origami Treasure Chest is a real treasure. It contains easy to follow instructions and diagrams with illustrations of the finished origami models. It contains a variety of models with some variations for some of the models. The models are simple to intermediate. I recommend this book to origamists who want some easy models to create.

This is a wonderful book. I first saw it at the library and knew that I wanted to purchase it. What caught my attention was that the origami pictures inside were actual colored photographs--not drawn pictures. It definitely helps alot more when you see the actual photographs. It makes folding origami much easier!

I am not exactly very good at folding origami and the things I tried came out wonderful. This origami book is different from others I've seen because it teaches you how to fold useful things besides the typical animals. You can learn how to fold special envelopes, boxes with handles, wreaths, and decorations.

I definitely recommend you to get this book. It is excellent!

I do origami as a hobby, using the results for presents for friends and family. This has been my favorite origami books since I first discovered it. The instructions are very good; I have usually been able to understand them during my first attempt at a design. If you're just beginning origami, with no previous experience, there is an explanation of the folding symbols on the back of the front cover. However, there are no detailed beginners explanations, so, unless you feel up to it, you may not want to get this book if you have never done origami before. If you do have a little experience, this is a very good book. Some of the designs are more simple than others, and even the simple designs look good. I am always annoyed at "easy origami" books that are easy, but have horrible looking designs. This is not the case with this book, and, in fact, I have created some beautiful origami mobiles using only designs found in this book. There may not be as much variety in this book as you might find in other origami books, but you can be reasonably certain that you'll be able to fold all the designs found in this book. I have yet to encounter an origami book that I have gotten as much use out of as this one.

This is a wonderful book. I first saw it at the library and knew that I wanted to purchase it. What caught my attention was that the origami pictures inside were actual colored photographs--not drawn pictures. It definitely helps alot more when you see the actual photographs. It makes folding origami much easier!

I am not exactly very good at folding origami and the things I tried came out wonderful. This origami book is different from others I've seen because it teaches you how to fold useful things besides the typical animals. You can learn how to fold special envelopes, boxes with handles, wreaths, and decorations.

I definitely recommend you to get this book. It is excellent!

Dr. Stone has provided an invaluable window into the current state of Japanese scholarship around the issues of orignal enlightenment teachings (hongaku shiso) and its role in the formation of Kamakuran Buddhism and Nichiren Buddhism in particular. I believe that she quite successfully brings out the complexities of this teaching and shows that it does not necessarily lead to antinomian conclusions and that it was not summarily rejected by the founders of Kamakuran Buddhism including Nichiren. The chapter on Nichiren in this book could also stand alone as an excellent guide to Nichiren's teachings and practice. She shows that there is much more to Nichiren Buddhism than vainly repeating the Sino-Japanese title of the Lotus Sutra in order to gain worldly benefits. She really brings out the depth and profundity of Nichiren Buddhism. This book, however, is not an apologetic for Nichiren Buddhism or even for original enlightenment teachings. Dr. Stone maintains a very objective and impartial stance throughout the book (which could be disturbing to those for whom this religion and these issues are literally a matter of life and death). She provides both the pros and the cons of the issues that she addresses. She is not so much providing a new theory about Nichiren Buddhism or original enlightenment so much as she is attempting to show that original enlightenment and its impact on Japanese Buddhism needs to be reevaluated and that the issues are far from black-and-white. I would highly recommend this book to serious scholars of Japanese Buddhism and to those who want to delve more deeply into the current state of scholarship in Japan surounding Nichiren Buddhism. This is not, however, a book for those who want simple answers to simple questions, or who want a primer on Nichiren Buddhism. For those hard core Nichiren Buddhists and scholars who want to find out the real truth about Nichiren Buddhism and the development of the Nichiren tradition, this book is worth every penny of its rather steep price tag.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, Ryuei Michael McCormick

Is Enlightenment something that we acquire? Or are we really Enlightened already and just have to realize that? Is Enlightenment something that will take us uncounted ages to achieve? Or can we achieve Enlightenment in this life and in this body? Such were some of the key issues of Medieval Japanese Buddhism. Some of the most popular conclusions, that we are Enlightened already, i.e. are Originally Enlightened, and that we can achieve Enlightenment in this life and in this body, remain both popular and controversial even today. Jacqueline Stone takes us into the little known world of the Tendai temples and hermitages on Mt. Hiei, the stately mountain above Kyoto, where much of the doctrine of Original Enlightenment thought was developed -- and whence it spread to the famous founders of Kamakura Buddhism, including Honen and Nichiren. Stone gives us a panorama of what was going on, what we known about it (not enough), and the long history of what happened and the debates that continue down to the present, debates that involve scholars, sectarian apologists, and the religious practice of many people, not just in Japan, but around the world. A fundamental book for one of the great, and still growing, religious traditions in the world.

This book was pretty weighty - real live scholarly work, rather than simple sectarian gloss. I particularly enjoyed the way Professor Stone placed the religious leaders of the time into their proper historical context and showed the way the traditions cross-pollenated with each other. The part on Nichiren was most informative, and gave an objective perspective on the events which occurred after Nichiren's death. Cool pictures of lots of mandalas, too.

Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism by Jacqueline Ilyse Stone (Studies in East Asian Buddhism, No. 12: University of Hawaii Press) Being recognized as a major study in Buddhist studies and recognized as one of the best religious studies books of 2000, Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism represents some important historical and conceptual clarifications of perennial themes in Mahayana Buddhism.
From flyleaf: Original enlightenment thought (hongaku shiso) dominated Buddhist intellectual circles throughout Japan's medieval period. Enlightenment, this discourse claims, is neither a goal to be achieved nor a potential to be realized but the true status of all things. Every animate and inanimate object manifests the primordially enlightened Buddha just as it is. Seen in its true aspect, every activity of daily life?eating, sleeping, even one's deluded thinking?is the Buddha's conduct. Emerging from within the powerful Tendai school, ideas of original enlightenment were appropriated by a number of Buddhist traditions and influenced nascent theories about the kami (local deities) as well as medieval aesthetics and the literary and performing arts.
Scholars and commentators have long recognized the historical importance of original enlightenment thought but differ heatedly over how it is to be understood. Some tout it as the pinnacle of the Buddhist philosophy of absolute nondualism. Others claim to find in it the paradigmatic expression of a timeless Japanese spirituality. According to other readings, it represents a dangerous antinomianism that undermined observance of moral precepts, precipitated a decline in Buddhist scholarship, and denied the need for religious discipline. Still others denounce it as an authoritarian ideology that, by sacralizing the given order, has in effect legitimized hierarchy and discriminative social practices. Often the acceptance or rejection of original enlightenment thought is seen as the fault line along which traditional Buddhist institutions are to be differentiated from the new Buddhist movements (Zen, Pure Land, and Nichiren) that arose during Japan's medieval period.
Jacqueline Stone's groundbreaking study moves beyond the treatment of the original enlightenment doctrine as abstract philosophy to explore its historical dimension. Drawing on a wealth of medieval primary sources and modern Japanese scholarship, it places this discourse in its ritual, institutional, and social contexts, illuminating its importance to the maintenance of traditions of lineage and the secret transmission of knowledge that characterized medieval Japanese elite culture. It sheds new light on interpretive strategies employed in premodern Japanese Buddhist texts, an area that hitherto has received little attention. Through these and other lines of investigation, Stone problematizes entrenched notions of "corruption" in the medieval Buddhist establishment. Using the examples of Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism and their interactions throughout the medieval period, she calls into question both overly facile distinctions between "old" and "new" Buddhism and the long?standing scholarly assumptions that have perpetuated them. This study marks a significant contribution to ongoing debates over definitions of Buddhism in the Kamakura era (1185-1333) , long regarded as a formative period in Japanese religion and culture. Stone argues that "original enlightenment thought" represents a substantial rethinking of Buddhist enlightenment that cuts across the distinction between "old" and "new" institutions and was particularly characteristic of the medieval period.

Ray is the roadie for the rock band Laika Satellite. On the last performance of their latest tour, Ray once again fills in for the lead guitarist (who just... fails to show up, now and then). Ray gets a little too creative with one guitar solo, earning the wrath of the lead singer and leading to a full-out brawl on stage, as the bouncers and audience look on in dismay.

This appears to be business as usual, though, at least no one seem any more upset than is typical afterwards, backstage. The lead singer hits on girls, who ignore him, while the missing guitarist reappears just in time to pick up chicks, and the bizarre tambourine player drifts around making enigmatic yet probably friendly comments. Ray picks up the pieces, packs the van, and finally gets a chance to go home.

Tired of sitting in vehicles, he walks homeward with the band's bassist and sometime-girlfriend of the lead singer. Ray obviously has a crush on her, but she's oblivious. He leaves her at her apartment, then heads home alone.

The excerpt is fun and full of energy, with lots of vivid details, especially the on-stage riot. The antics of the band are hilarious, absurd, realistic, and pathetic all at once. The writing is a bit... wild, but I don't know that polished literary prose would suit this piece. It felt spontaneous and was plenty clear.

The synopsis seems almost to be about a different book than the excerpt I read, but if the style continues to be the same, I can only imagine it will be highly entertaining.

Nice title--eye-catching and has a nice ring to it.

Because there is so much description, the excerpt so far seems almost awkward told in the first person. When the narrator's character talks, he does not talk like the narrating voice, which is very descriptive and literary, so that can be a little distracting.

Look forward to seeing the Japan part of the story. So far it promises to be a good Saturday night movie, once turned into a screenplay!

I love the clear, sharp writing. The opening felt like a rollercoaster as it took me from the glorious musical moment that sustains forever, to the accelerated action of the frenzied onstage brawl. The characters are interesting. The descriptions are evocative. I would like to read this novel.

It is a great beginning and makes me want to keep reading...what happens, where do they go, what benefits does he gain from being with this group, lots of questions keep popping up - always a good sign for personal happiness with a book. Something tells me I'll love it.

This book was hard to find since it is now out of print, but I can understand why. It is really grerat. It is the story of real courage and triumph over mental illness. Most people with schizophrenia are told that they will live with it for the rest of their lives. They are told that there is "no kown cause and no known cure." The authors of this book show us that there IS a cuase and that it CAN be cured. Thank you, David and Charlotte, thank you!

I can't say enough about this beautifully written book. I't is perhaps the most honest and generous book I have ever read. David's story is compelling and extremely inspirational. His story has made a very large impact on my life. It's been a number of years since I read the book yet I still refer to it on occasion. Don't be misled by the title and think that only those with severe mental health problems can benefeit from the book. I feel that people from many backgrounds and differing levels of emotional and physical well being can create great benefiets for themselves with the help of this book. This is a book for those who want to take full responsibility for their health, who are not afraid to look honestly at there lives and who beleive that what they do in the present helps create their future.

If you do decide to read this book remember to be patient and take your time in the reclaiming of your health. Also please allow your self to make some (many?) mistakes. I wish to thank David for creating this gift to anyone who wishes to feel heathier, happier and to feel gratefull to be alive.

I can't say enough about this beautifully written book. I't is perhaps the most honest and generous book I have ever read. David's story is compelling and extremely inspirational. His story has made a very large impact on my life. It's been a number of years since I read the book yet I still refer to it on occasion. Don't be misled by the title and think that only those with severe mental health problems can benefeit from the book. I feel that people from many backgrounds and differing levels of emotional and physical well being can create great benefiets for themselves with the help of this book. This is a book for those who want to take full responsibility for their health, who are not afraid to look honestly at there lives and who beleive that what they do in the present helps create their future.

If you do decide to read this book remember to be patient and take your time in the reclaiming of your health. Also please allow your self to make some (many?) mistakes. I wish to thank David for creating this gift to anyone who wishes to feel heathier, happier and to feel gratefull to be alive.

This book was hard to find since it is now out of print, but I can understand why. It is really grerat. It is the story of real courage and triumph over mental illness. Most people with schizophrenia are told that they will live with it for the rest of their lives. They are told that there is "no kown cause and no known cure." The authors of this book show us that there IS a cause and that it CAN be cured. Thank you, David and Charlotte, thank you!

In the foreword, John Wallace describes how he encountered a quiet former prisoner of W.W.II in his upstate New York town. Wallace befriends the man, John Mackowski, and soon takes an interest in bringing the amazing story Mackowski had to tell out into the world.

POW 83 is a powerful account of the Japanese atrocities committed against captured American forces whom had occupied the Philippines prior to Japanese conquest. Mackowski's story is compelling and moving, as the reader can only wonder how many times the survivors of these concentration camps had to evade death. Wallace tells the story just as it happened; with all the near experiences Mackowski encountered. However, what is best about this novel isn't in the text. Had the Allied forces not been successful in defeating Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan in the last World War, certainly so many stories like Mackowski's would never have been told. The Democratic freedom of speech would no longer exist had the Allied Forces failed in their efforts. So alas, what is so truly compelling about POW 83 is just that Mackowski's story is finally being told (like so many others). Mackowski's horrible ordeal represents the enormous sacrifice of an entire generation of young men and women, for the sake of Democracy.

In our modern age, it is almost impossible to read POW 83 and accept that such a travesty could occur. The sadness is that everything Wallace writes in POW 83 is fact.

This is an important book told in authentic and entertaining fashion. This razor-sharp tale of American Prisoners of War in the Japanese Death Camps, their struggle, their pain, holding onto their honor while being savaged by guards should be mandatory reading for every American. John Wallace has remarkable talent and has produced an excellent book.! "

Donald B. Hutton Author: Barron's Guide to Military Careers

In the foreword, John Wallace describes how he encountered a quiet former prisoner of W.W.II in his upstate New York town. Wallace befriends the man, John Mackowski, and soon takes an interest in bringing the amazing story Mackowski had to tell out into the world.

POW 83 is a powerful account of the Japanese atrocities committed against captured American forces whom had occupied the Philippines prior to Japanese conquest. Mackowski's story is compelling and moving, as the reader can only wonder how many times the survivors of these concentration camps had to evade death. Wallace tells the story just as it happened; with all the near experiences Mackowski encountered. However, what is best about this novel isn't in the text. Had the Allied forces not been successful in defeating Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan in the last World War, certainly so many stories like Mackowski's would never have been told. The Democratic freedom of speech would no longer exist had the Allied Forces failed in their efforts. So alas, what is so truly compelling about POW 83 is just that Mackowski's story is finally being told (like so many others). Mackowski's horrible ordeal represents the enormous sacrifice of an entire generation of young men and women, for the sake of Democracy.

In our modern age, it is almost impossible to read POW 83 and accept that such a travesty could occur. The sadness is that everything Wallace writes in POW 83 is fact.

"POW-83" is a very moving and informative non-fiction book. The author details the life story of a young man who grew up on the streets of Brooklyn and is drafted into the army nine months before Pearl Harbor. He fought on Bataan and Corregidor until he was captured in 1942. What happened to those brave American soldiers in the Japanese Death Camps will horrify you. The author also manages to put together the final moments of most of the 750 American POW's aboard the Japanese "hell Ship" the Shinyo Maru, on September 7, 1944. When only 83 men escaped. The events recorded in this book are part of history and should not be forgotten.The author's style was simple and to the point. There's no fluff or filler here. I recommend it highly.

This is a well written, fast reading story that makes you sit up and think. While this may be a "fictional" story, it is based upon a situation that could really happen...or did it already happen? It's of great concern to think that this really could develop. With what's going on with the North Korean nuclear development now, we need to stop and think where they got the information to move ahead and develop their plans? Let's hope that Project Yellow Sky really is just fiction. A really big 5 stars from me.

I enjoyed reading this book! Being an average nobody like myself, I was drawn into the characters and story line immediately by the honesty of the dialog and the current nuclear threat that's going on in North Korea and how that might affect the U.S., Japan and the rest of the world.

There's a lot of spies, secrets, and twists and turns that keep you thinking that this could happen and who's going to do something about it? Fred/Cy/Lila? Or will the planet be run by POOP? Although the book is fiction, it deals with an ongoing nuclear threat to us all and has a point!

Overall, I give Project Yellow Sky: A Korean Conspiracy 2 thumbs up and recommend it as a good read for all!!

Although the book is a purely fictional account of events leading to the involvement of a small group of engineers in a North Korean plot to steal nuclear secrets the U.S. and Japan, it is based on historical and contemporary facts regarding the current perilous situation in the Far East.

It was written primarily as an entertaining spy thriller with common, ordinary engineers as the main characters. However, it also presents a possible scenario of covert operations that seek to upset the world order by means of nuclear blackmail.

It will be especially interesting to San Francisco bay area residents as well as anyone interested in design and development of nuclear weapons and fuel cycle and weapons-grade plutonium and uranium processing facilities.

This book was easy to read and it kept me interested at all times. I think anybody who likes short books and is inerested in who did it type books would really enjoy this!

I have never had any interest in military history, war stories, or the like, and I only half-heartedly started this book upon the recommendation of a friend who assured me that I would love it. Two days later, after reading during every spare moment, I could hardly contain my enthusiasm and have now recommended it to many other reluctant war story readers. The understated, straightforward and conversational tone of this book contrasts dramatically with the extreme circumstances and events described. The result is an even-handed yet sensitively interpreted first-person account of the events leading up to Ernest Pickett's first bombing mission over Japan, his 13-month captivity, and the aftermath. It is tremendously moving, and the details of the planes and military procedures are explained so well that even a non-technical, non-military person like me found them fascinating.

Proof Through The Night: A B-29 Pilot Captive In Japan is the true life saga of Ernest Pickett, as told to able scribe K. P. Burke, of his World War II odyssey and nightmare. Shot down behind enemy lines, Ernest survived the horrendous conditions which the Japanese military authority inflicted upon prisoners of war in general, and hated American bomber pilots in particular. A gripping, first-person saga of endurance, humanity, and the horrors of war, Proof Through The Night is a highly recommended contribution to the growing library of World War II military memoirs.

Burke's book about her father's survival takes you straight into 1945 Japan. The story details Ernie Pickett's daily experiences after being shot down during the first daylight raid over the Japanese mainland. He parachuted into the middle of a group of civilians armed with sticks ready to beat him. He was brutally beaten by the Japanese military police. His burns and other injuries were left untreated. He wore the same tattered uniform for months. He learned to kill lice by the thousands. And he walked onto a Navy hospital ship after the Japanese surrender. This is a wonderful book, told in Ernie Pickett's humble, common sense voice. I highly recommend it.

Proof Through the Night puts you on the front lines of the horrors of war and the unbelievable mistreatment that Japanese POW's endured. I wish I could meet these men and shake their hands in thanks for the sacrifices they have made. You're hooked from the beginning: I stayed up all night reading this book.

What a wonderful guide for PY collectors. I am a Rooster and Roses collector and have searched for information on different pieces and their values, but to no avail until the PY/Miyao Fun Kitchen Collectibles Reference & Value Guide was published. I always wondered about the history of the pattern. The book even peeked my interest in the anthropomorphic line of PY. Belinda Euans not only captured my interest with the beautiful photos and the pricing guide, but answered all my questions regarding the origin of the pattern and history of the company. Kudos for a job well done. I recommend this book to anyone with any interest in the PY, UCAGCO, Early Provincial line.

Belinda has done a fabulous job cataloging and pricing my favorite collectible, Roosters and Roses. The color photographs of the various items are beautiful and really show off the pieces wonderfully. I don't collect any other PY items but I found the rest of the book delightful with the whimsical photos and wealth of information. Hats off to Belinda! My husband and I now have new Roosters and Roses "horizons" to conquer thanks to her.
Grateful readers,
Alexis and Bob Stone,
Florida

This is an excellent book. It is a great book for collectors of Rooster & Roses, Fruit Faces, Veggie People, & Flower Girls. It is very interesting & quite knowledgeable for both old & new collectors. High fives to Mrs Euans for a terrific book. We will be looking for more of the same in the near future.

The author of this latest collectible guide, Belinda Euans, did an outstanding job putting this book together. Collectibles are a work of art and knowing as much history as possible makes them even more special. I was delighted to find that this book not only contains beautiful, colorful pictures of these special, whimsical, and unique collectibles, it also includes a comprehensive section including the history of the Miyawo Company and distributors. I especially enjoyed the photographs of the Miyajima family, WWII, and the factory then and now. Ever wonder why so many ceramic items were produced after the war and how Japanese manufacturers and United States buyers conducted business? Answers to these questions and others can be found in this reference book.

This new, professional guide is very easy to follow. Pictured page after page are a wide variety of treasures from salt and pepper shakers, planters, teapots, wall pockets, vases, plates and more. It will likely keep a reader interested from start to finish and could even leave some collectors desiring more because it's so much fun to look at. I was amazed and surprised to see many items I never knew existed before. I believe many of them cannot be found in any other books on the market and are pictured here for the first time.

I feel collectors and admirers of ceramic kitchen collectibles will wish to add this reference and value guide to their library. I plan on purchasing multiple copies for Christmas presents. Thank you, Belinda, for your efforts and dedication in obtaining this information for interested fellow collectors.

I hate business books that drone on and on and don't leave you with any practical advice. That's not this book. The engaging anecdotes -- each with a "moral" at the end of the story -- make for easy reading. And the variety of situations covered by the authors should ensure that everyone has at least a few ideas they can take away and try. I am sure I'll turn back to this book for the inspirational quotations that begin each chapter. I find having the right quote can really make a communication about organizational change. David Baum's first book, Lightning in a Bottle, was equally useful in this regard.

This book is a wonderful integration of thoughtful stories and suggestions, which create an opportunity to reflect on how we lead at work, and how we live our lives. Any book which suggests that I refine my leadership gifts, rather than try out the latest cliche technique is worth its weight in gold. This one is a gem. Time to go breathe.

At first, I thought this was going to be a "New Age" type fluff book. It was recommended by a collegue so I picked it up. I was immediately able to see how the basic century old technqiues of Aikido can be applied to business. For the first time, I saw a way to use the "right level" of force and how to use the energy of conflict. I also work with a not-for-profit organization on a pro bono basis and I know I can use it in that environment. If anything, the balance of force and power are even more tenuous in that work setting.
An added bonus- I can see how to use it within the family dynamic. Remember that saying about teenagers "Pick your battle". It makes a lot more sense after reading this book.

I know I have read something special when excerpts from Randori Principles: The Path to Effortless Leadership come back to me weeks later as I am driving my car! Hassinger and Baum have managed what few authors of leadership and management do: to reveal themselves as both humble learners and enlightened teachers in leadership and in life. Their brilliant use of stories de-mystifies the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit for today's harried leaders. The simple yet compelling, "Try This" at the close of each chapter makes the book easy to consume in small bites. As a nurse and health care consultant, my clients are challenged to optimize their use of self, whether with patients, employees or colleagues. Randori Principles speak to the health care community. The lessons contained in Irimi are especially pertinent for those dedicated nurse leaders, primarily female, whose effectiveness can be enhanced by balancing their hard-wired compassion with greater boldness and decisiveness. This book will be dog-eared in my brief case and frequently recommended to my clients.