Japan Books

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.

Helmut Morsbach is a Genius!! He has a new way of learning from an unconventional book. In the beginning he states that you can learn all of it in just 3 hours. A boastful statement but very true! An easy way to learn Katakana that was fun. Flipping through the book to go from one page to the next is the method he uses.

I found the 3 hour approach very well indeed. I had been struggling for three years with the Japanese syllabry, only to accidentally find this book and finish in three hours. It uses a uniques approach that I have been trying to find for years. You'll find it unique, and wonder why no one knows about it. You may even want to start with the author's "Remembering the Hiragan" [ISBN# 0-87040-765-1] companion for the text. I've got both. Buy the Hiragana first because the Katana relies on the Hiragana text for its explanations. Both texts are done very well, small books that get straight to the point of helping you learn what you need, and not just memorizing tables of alphabets. Actually, you won't need to memorize any table for either of the books. It's simple, short, straight forward, and actually fun to use these two books

Actually, it is Heisig who deserves more of the praise for this book since he was the one who wrote Remembering the Hiragana, which this book is based on. In University, I had used that book, but this book was not available yet. I breezed through learning the hiragana, and stumbled with the katakana until this book was released. I recommend both books as the best way for English-speakers to master the syllabry in the shortest time (and with the best retention)

This book is organized by symbol complexity rather than alphabetically so that the student does not become frustrated or overwhelmed by beginning with too complicated of symbols. Students instead ease into the whole learning process and will, most likely, gain confidence after their very first self-test using REAL Japanese words made from the symbols they have learned.

The author is fun, amusing, unique, imaginative, and above-all, CREATIVE with his mnemonics. He keeps them as simple as they can possibly be and if they can't be simplified, he suggests outrageously silly mnemonics that are almost impossibly to forget! All the learning comes from YOUR imagination rather than memorization.

The author's lessons were so successful with me that even THREE YEARS after I learned Katakana from the book (with a touch-up review once a year and without reading katakana regularly at ALL), I was able to read - without even THINKING about it - the labels from a Japanese stuffed doll that someone brought to work! People were quite impressed with me and, to be honest, so was I with myself!

This book is a DEFINITE keeper! Don't lend it out or you may NEVER get it back! :)

Wow. That sums this up in one word. The recipies are setup for a serving of 1 person. No division required for odd number of people, just multiply the recipie and wham! We've made dozens of the recipies and although I'm white, I've got a phillipeano friend that's telling everyone that I'm asian. The meals come out soo good I've got people asking us to cook for them. It's got helpful information for properly preparing rice, and other aspects of cooking that might be foreign to a lot of people out there. I definately recommend this for everyone.

I am not a Japanese but my wife and I love eating Japanese food. We bought this book and used it multiple times for cooking dinner. The instruction was clear and the result was tasty. Highly recommended.

PS: We usually just look at the photos in the book to pick the rice bowl that we want to prepare.

I picked up this book on a trip to Japan and didn't really expect much out of it. To my surprise, it's become one of my all-time favourite cookbooks. It's a great way to start learning about Japanese home cooking. There are also some great recipes for Korean and Chinese dishes. Every recipe I've tried is quite tasty and easy to prepare. It's also great when cooking for 1-2 people or when you're on the go. For years I've thought rice was a side bowl of dry and bland grains. Well, no more! Get yourself a decent rice cooker and get ready for a new way of preparing wholesome, quick, and delicious meals.

If you like rice dishes, buy this book. I'm no cook, but I've tried 3 different dishes in as many nights, and they all turned out great.

There're MANY simple, delicious dishes that you can cook up within an hour or less. All I've bought so far is sake (I have most other oriental spices, oil, and what nots).

I just had to get used to cooking w/o salt, cos you use soy sauce alot of times.

Buy it and enjoy it!

Bought this book as a gift for my sake obsessed boyfriend and he loves it. Very well written and a comprehensive look at sake and the all things related. Sidenote: the author owns a sake store in San Francisco on Hayes St. It is an awsome store and well worth the visit if you live any where near. Happy reading!

For those people who love the adventure of good food and soirits, this book is a must have. Very informative, it provides the reader with a very good basic understanding of Sake. With history, science, and etiquette all wrapped into one informative guide, I highly recommend this book. If you love Sake, or are interested in learning more, you MUST read this book. I find I return to it time and time again as I delve deeper into the fascinating world of Japan's most famous beverage. One of the bibles of Sake...

I've read many Sake guides over the years. Some leave me with lengthy, lengthy lists of sakes I'd like to try, if I could ever decipher the labels at my local Japanese liquor store. Most leave me even more confused than before I started reading. This book was the first I ever read where I walked away feeling like I could explain why I liked what I liked. But the best part of the book is the list of Sakes to try that are available in the US. Afterall, what's the point of a long list of exotic drinks to try if you're never going to be able to find them?

Whether you enjoy sake already or are just interested in learning more, this is a wonderful place to start. The book includes a short sake history, a lesson on how it is made, and some key terminology necessary for understanding this amazing beverage. The best part of the book is Beau's detailed reviews of 50 different sakes. Plenty of tastes to begin or continue your journey. There are also recipes in the back that help demonstrate that sake isn't just good with Sashimi, it can taste great with risotto or even a pizza.

This book is definitely a must-read for everyone, martial artist or not. It reads fairly quickly, and is one you'll want to read again. Each of the '42...secrets' are life-lessons. They give you insight into the time when Samurai lived, and explains how the lesson applied then and how it applies now. We all have something to learn from their code of Honor, and this book can help everyone.

THE BOOK of FIVE RINGS (Go Rin No Sho) - Summarised!!

I really can not emphasise enough how BRILLIANT this version of The Book of Five Rings is. Most other translations of "Miyamoto Musashi's" book are long and hard to understand, or more precisely, you can read it, understand the words easily enough, but the meaning and the important LIFE saving lessons don't come though very well......

......but this book by Boye De Lafayette Mente is just so well written and laid out. He breaks down all the lessons from "Musashi" into small chapters. Once you've read the book a couple of times all you need to do is just look at the chapter headings for a quick refresher & apply these skills to your life.

THIS IS NOT JUST A BOOK FOR BUDO or MARTIAL ARTISTS!! It's for everyone. Musashi devoted & sacrificed his whole life into discovering how we should live successfully & conduct ourselves. He was the very best swordsman in Japan of his time, never once was he defeated (or even cut). This was all down to his unique approach to his fighting, from the lessons he learnt during duals he was asked at the end of his life to summarise and tell the world how he became so successful.

This really is a cracking book. It takes the "The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi" and summarises it (in plain easy to read & understandable English) into 42 easy to follow and understandable chapters & steps.

It can be easily read in a day or two, but its best if it's RE-READ a couple of times at least 'though. It gets straight to the point. Each chapter is dealt with in just a page or three.

Apply these important principles to your life and work, as well as to your chosen Martial Art. Samurai Secrets may have been a better title perhaps?

Do look out for Boye Lafayette de Mente's other titles. His style of writing is very easy going and precise. He makes the subject matter easy to absorb and understand.

For example try "The Japanese Samurai Code" and Enjoy!! If you buy the actual translation of "The Book of Five Rings" then Thomas Cleary's version I think is the best. I say this as there are many translations of the same book and most are in the old classical direct translation style and not easy (for me anyway) to digest.

I really am so surprised that there are no other reviews raving about this translation of this version of the Book of Five Rings.

You really WON'T be disappointed!!

Musashi Miyamoto was a famous Japanese warrior who lived from 1584 to 1645 who recorded his philosophy, strategies and tactics in a short treatise just before his death. Samurai Strategies: Forty-Two Martial Secrets From Musashi's Book Of Five Rings by Boye Lafayette de Mente adapts Musashi's military precepts and martial arts ideals to the modern world of business. Swiftly carrying readers through the philosophical issues faced in business procedures and identifying the most effective premise from which to work, Samurai Strategies draws from Miyamoto's philosophy and is very highly recommended reading for corporate executives and entrepreneurs for it's conceptual approach to life lessons learned in ancient theaters of war and directly applicable to modern business practices.

I am very glad to have found this book.

My first encounter with the life story of Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's most renowned combat strategist, was in the early 80's when I started to work for a large heavy & construction equipment conglomerate, which dealt primaily with Japanese principals & their products. For the first time in my life, I was introduced to Japanese management culture, & the first 'Japanese' book I read was 'The Book of Five Rings', translated by a Victor Harris, a mechanical engineer like me.

Coming back to today: The author of this particular book is quite right. Miyamoto Musashi's original work was written for samurai warriors who are steeped into Buddhlist & Shinto precepts, in the code of the samurai, in the long traditions of the samurai, & in allusions that were part of the culture of the times. Like Japanese artists who leave it up to readers to complete their work, Miyamoto Musashi left it up to readers of his work to fill in the details of his allusions & advice from their own store of knowledge.

Henceforth, it wasn't easy for me to read 'The Book of Five Rings.' It took me quite a while to figure out the essence, digest the work & eventually managed to distill about ten strategies which I could understand & apply in my own sphere of work.

In this particular book, the author has attempted to identify & explain, in plain English, the philosophy, the strategy, & the ways of winning that Miyamoto Musashi sought to pass on to his disciples. The original work is about how to fight duels to the death & win! The author has made the fighting principles equally applicable to winning in business, & in virtually all other endeavours. In fact, he has elegantly distilled them all down to 42 strategies (compared to my original ten strategies)!!!

The author's writing is almost straight-talk, & in easy-to-understand language. I would even recommend all teens to read it in order to achieve a quick headstart in life, as the 42 strategies are also applicable in studies & in sports.

Interestingly, the Book of Five Rings is, in Miyamoto Musashi's own words, "a guide for men who want to learn strategy."

In life, eveything is possible. It is just a question of strategy.

On the whole, this is excellent work. It therefore deserves a rating of 5 from me.