China Books

This is a modern version of Eileen Lo's 1982 dim sum book . . which is my personal favorite recipe book for dim sum. I noticed that in accordance with the new low-fat trends of the 90's, Ms. Lo is using more infused oils and broths than in her 82 book. The recipes are very clear and easy to follow, never any guess work involved. Ms. Lo writes a little about each recipe, explaining tid-bits about the translation of the name, regionality of the recipe, or modifications she has made. I was especially pleased because this is the only book I have found a recipe for "baked" BBQ pork buns, instead of the steamed kind, a treat that until now I could only get at chinese specialty bakeries. I consider this and the '82 Dim Sum book, a necessary part of any chinese cookbook collect.

This is a superb book with mouthwatering dimsum. Some techniques need to be mastered, but most are simple. Seems to be very authentic with the "tea house" taste. I love this book and recommend it to everyone!

THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED VOLUME ABOUT A COMPLEX AND HIGHLY ORIGINAL WORK OF ART.

The Dinner Party: From Creation to Reservation offers up an excellent, illustrated guide to the art of Judy Chicago. All other books documenting her DINNER PARTY are all out of print, but even when they were available, none offered such an extensive, full-color treatment as does THE DINNER PARTY: FROM CREATION TO RESERVATION. Documentary photos follow its creation and an essay by Judy Chicago surveys the history of women, the collaborative effort involved, and the history of the work's exhibition. Perfect for college-level art libraries; especially those with some works on Judy Chicago already in their holdings.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As a fan of mismatched china, whose collection has been profiled in the New York Times, I recommend DINNERWARE OF THE 20TH CENTURY to both expert dealers and novices who love to entertain in style.

Organized alphabetically first by manufacturer and then by pattern name, this guide is illustrated with hundreds of full-color photographs. And it contains all the the information you will need to buy, store, care for, display, replace and value every known piece of the 20th century's top 500 china patterns.

Complete with a glossary of dinnerware terms and a brief history of every manufacturer, DINNERWARE OF THE 20TH CENTURY is a highly recommended reference book for anyone who appreciates a well set table.
- Regina McMenamin

As a novice dealer of new and antique dinnerware, this book has been an invaluable resource for identification and valuation. You will not learn a lot about any one manufacturer in this book because it focuses on the most desirable PATTERNS, featuring clear photos and basic pricing information. I find myself leafing through it often, even when I'm not looking for a particular pattern. If you don't specialize in one manufacturer's wares, but buy and sell a lot of different patterns, you really shouldn't be without this handy reference book. I hope Mr. Rinker will team up with Replacements to produce Volume II - The Top 1000 Patterns, 501-1000.

One of the little considered aspects of science is how it acts as a medium of diplomacy. Studying the wonders of nature, whether of the past or present, brings together people with common interests. In this book Grady relates the events taking place in the 1980s and '90s when Chinese and Canadian paleontologists undertook a major project to dispel some of the mysteries of dinosaur evolution. Well researched and superbly written, Grady here displays the writing skills that would propel him to become one of Canada's foremost science journalists.

The Canada-China Dinosaur Project was considered by most of its participants as a resurrection of work begun many years ago. Roy Chapman Andrews, adventurer, researcher, promoter, went to China in the 1920s seeking evidence of human origins. Instead he stunned the world by finding dinosaur eggs. Interruptions of revolution, wars cold and hot and slim communications links prevented proper follow-up on Andrews finds. Phil Currie and Dale Russell, Canadian paleontologists, sought to identify links that might show relationships between Asian and North American dinosaurs. Grady traces their efforts, following the teams from Mongolian deserts to bleak Arctic islands. There are personality clashes, disputes over resources and inadequate equipment. In the end, the broader needs of good science overcame the petty hindrances and the Project proved an astounding success.

Grady reviews the search for fossils in the Canadian west in opening the tale. In the late 19th Century, the Alberta Badlands were a magnet for fossil hunters. In some places you might trip over fossils recently revealed by soil erosion. Ultimately, the finds led to preserves and the now-famous Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology outside Drumheller. Currie took up the idea of the joint-nation project in the spirit of Carl Sagan's Russian-American Soyuz space project. Currie called it "dinosaurs for peace." A decade of cooperative research, according to Grady, paid enormous dividends for science. The evidence proved another verification that Asia and the Americas were joined in the ancient past.

Grady's fine writing is further graced by numerous photographs and maps. In reminding us that the geography [and geology] of Canada and China are similar, he reinforces that view with excellent photographs. There are maps of the areas with exploratory routes indicated. The scale, necessarily small, cannot fully convey the distances travelled in search of fossils. Added to these illustrations are excellent diagrams of the dinosaurs in skeleton and body plan. In all this book is a trove of information, feeling and discovery. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

The book The Dinosaur Project, by Wayne Grady, describes the joint Canadian and Chinese paleontological project starting in 1985. During the course of this project, Canadian researchers worked alongside Chinese researchers in the paleontological cornucopia of the Gobi Desert, as well as Chinese workers working with Canadians in the also fruitful Southern Alberta Badlands and the Canadian High Arctic. The field areas are so harsh and the characters are so interesting that this book could easily be made into a Spielberg movie. The start of the book immediately draws in the reader by describing the history behind the project. This project is referred to as the largest and most ambitious modern dinosaur hunting expedition ever mounted. It detailed the networking of the Chinese and Canadian colleagues over several years at various conferences until the project eventually became a reality. Narrative style keeps the reader interested as the paleontogists go into extreme conditions in the field, and as their finds are put into perspective relative to contemporary paleontogical dogma. This book was surprisingly gripping for a bone book. It covered many important paleontological theories, but kept the jargon to a minimum. Quotations and anecdotes were often used to relay how science works as well; science both as an abstract methodology and also the reality of working in extreme conditions. One quotation in particularly was well-worded "science is a way of thinking; it's how we move from what we think we don't know to what we think we know" (Dale Russel). The anecdotal style of the book is what really makes it well-written.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and came across it as I was looking for more information on the Dawn Redwood, which is the focus of the book. This book tells the story of a man that was also on a search for information on the tree and where his search eventually leads him-back to the home of the Dawn Redwood-China! I highly recommend this book and the author is held as an authority on the history of the Dawn Redwood-because if you surf the web you will find many accounts that are nowhere near being true! Discover this book!

The redwoods of the world, so few remain today. Gittlen's travel was personal and touched a core inside of me because I am a redwood lover too. Chances had it arranged that the Chinese Redwood to be saved and propagated throughout the world, and Gittlen further did redwoods favor by documenting the people, places and events which led to today's preservation efforts on any redwood species. A great read for amateur botanists. Hope that one day I can repeat or expand Gittlen's journey myself.

Like many other good books, I'm puzzled why this is currently out of print. Kodera's work makes fascinating reading for anyone curious about Dogen's background in Sung China. A sterling translation of Dogen's Hokyo-Ki, supported by careful annotations and historical background material, this work formed the basis for Kodera's Ph.D. thesis at Columbia. Happily,it has the merit of being informative without ever being stuffy - not always the case with academic studies offered to the general market.

Rather more than what the title suggests, Kodera's work actually begins with an analysis of Dogen's background in the Buddhist centres of his native Japan, culminating in his search for the 'authentic teacher'in the temples of Sung China. The background of Ch'an or Zen in Sung China also comes in for assessment, and in fact, the translation of the Hokyo-Ki per se (a relatively short document), comprises a mere twenty-four pages, followed by copious annotations, an extensive glossary, bibliography - with the original kanji text. Minus Kodera's careful annotations, much about this text would remain obscure and the author's work helps to put it in proper context.

In this age of jet travel, we tend to forget the perils facing Buddhist monks who ventured across the sea in flimsy wooden boats - if needs be, vowing to 'bury their bones' in far-off lands - or risk being lost at sea, in order to acquire experience of the Dharma - and transmit it to their fellow men. Such, also, was Dogen's journey. Needless to say, the high point of Dogen's trip and mission, was his encounter with Master Tendo Nyojo (Tien Tung Ju Ching) on Mount T'ien-Tung. Depicted in highly moving terms, it was, of course, the defining moment in Dogen's career. Curiously, it seems that the crucial idiom - 'shinjin datsuraku' 'casting off mind and body' was in fact Dogen's homophonous reconstruction of his Chinese master's words, meaning to 'drop dust from the mind.' Be that as it may, this was the decisive encounter - for Dogen. Still, Dogen's earlier encounter with the Chinese 'Tenzo' or cook-monk, while still aboard the boat, was also crucial in its own way, the discovery that drying mushrooms for the community of monks, was no less Dharma-work, something re-stated by Dogen, when stressing the need for Zen-ki or 'total exertion' with the practice.

My only reservation about this text, concerns Dogen's rather jaundiced view of Rinzai Zen, in the person of Ta-hui Tsung Kao. Kodera acknowledges the infidelities in Dogen's account (i.e. the claim that Ta-hui advocated a 'dissolution of consciousness') but left it at that. Oddly, Hee Jin Kim (cf. Dogen; Mystical Realist) also raised the issue, only to drop it, leaving it unresolved. Prof. Yanagida Seizan - usually reliable, also ducked the issue (virtually in 'denial' over it) - attributing it to 'early senility.' Here, we must understand Dogen as a man of flesh and blood, rather than a flawless 'patriarch.' There is great beauty in Dogen's spiritual writings and poetry.We might also learn to understand him as a person, with his own hopes and fears. Hokyo-ki is part of that.

I was lucky enough to run across this book in a used bookstore, having only read brief synopses of Dogen's life in other Zen books. I had not even realized such a biographical document in Dogen's own hand existed! So many touching details of the master/student spiritual relationship are revealed here; both stories that are timeless in their humanity, as well as stories that reveal the unique character of the Zen culture of 13th century China. Though, the famous story of 'body-mind drop-off' is not recounted by Dogen himself, as I was surprised to learn, other revealing anecdotes are - such as Dogen involuntarily weeping whenever he sees his teacher, and the teacher himself commenting on the auspiciousness of that sign. It is a true love story, in a way.

We enjoyed this retelling of an ancient folk tale by Demi. The illustrations throughout are rich with color and capture the beauty of the Tibetan culture and country. The clever king comes up with an interesting solution to the central problem in the story and this led into a good discussion with my daughter about his decision/reasoning.

This story is rather simple, and yet it conveys a rather universal message that will touch adults as well as children. I not only reccomend it to those who want to expose children to stories from cultures other than their own, but also to anyone that appreciates great stories in general.

It is interesting to know how to massage your head and get rid of certain aches and pains. I have found it useful and look forward to learning more.
Excellent book to add to your library - health section.

This book is amazing. It really illustrates the massage well. It was a really good balance of hands on, and Traditional Chinese Medicine theory. Very informative.

This is a great book. I also have a copy of Plushow's own book, called My Escape from Donington Hall, and this is what Mr Whittaker used to base his book. It tells of Captain Plushow's adventures in China, fighting the Japanese single handed in a Rumpler Pigeon (Taube). I would advise everyone who likes flying stories to read this one. It's a great story, written by an excellent author (Mr Whittaker) based on Pluschow's own account, which is fascinating. So, if you're into flying and adventure then buy it now.

Besides the unusual and little publicised facts facts of this 1914 siege, 10 military firsts, six of which were aviation firsts were discovered never previously documented intoto. This was the military laboratory that tested every known state-of-the-art weapon (except chemical) and awakened Japan's militarism. Given the name Dragon Master because of the dragon tatoo on his left arm Lt. G.Plueschow flew his Rumpler Taube against nine Japanese Army and Navy aircraft. He was credited (Unofficially) with shooting down a Maurice Farman. Plueschow escaped (under orders) before Tsingtau fell under 13-1 odds. He again escaped Chinese internment and later English internment and fled to Germany 1915. Woven within this literary tapestry are the sights, smells, sounds and suffering of China 80 years ago as it was occupied by "Foreign Devils" from three warring nations, Germany, Japan and Great Britian.

Very interesting book but it is not a "light" book for beginners. The reader needs to master first the philosophy of the 5 Elements and their subtleties and then enjoy Dr. Hammer journey through psycho and soma.

"Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies" demystifies the Chinese Five Element Theory and other Eastern energy medicine basics in a readable format. As a practitioner of one of the Oriental modalities, I'm finding my understanding and teaching enhanced, as I enjoy Leon Hammer's expressive style.