California Books

book came in excellent condition, on time, as expected.

The Nan Jing is a fundamental book in the study of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
A lot of books of TSM were translated, but often the translation is not correct or definitively wrong or bizarre.
In this case we have a monumental work with a unique coincidence of positive situations.
The author of the revision is Paul Unshuld, a giant of the study of TCM.
Absolutely no doubt on the knowledge of the language and the understanding of the text.
The original text is present in the book and Paul added the main commentary at the text written by the most famous studious of TCM of all ages.
If you love TCM and you want to understand all subtle questions of this fine art, this is a book you must have.
A concentrate of Chinese TCM, language and culture like no other book.

Unschuld is a scholar, a genuine translator that doesn't leave much to the imagination. His understanding of the cultural contexts (as there are many) in which TCM grew are un-matched in terms of written text. Get his books, if not for the honest look he takes at TCM, but for the fact that his works are the bread and butter of TCM. The gross ignorance of the classics among so called "Doctors of TCM" in the western world is amazing. Don't guess about TCM, either learn to read Chinese or get good translations of the classics. Not pocket translations at a American grade five reading level. If we expect people to view us as Doctors, we should study like one.

If your professors don't quote the classics, they don't understand TCM. If you haven't read them you're really limiting your potential.

This book is the most profound, deep work that has ever been done on this book. As practitioners of Chinese medicine we allways read and give attention to the two books of the Huang Ti Nei Ching,the Su Wen and the Ling Shu. The nan Ching is a must for every Chinese Medicine practitioner. This book gives many aspects that made me think again on theories and practical aspects that I use every day as teacher and practitioner.
It is pointless to mention the vast knowledge and contribution that Pro. Unsculd bring to the field, saying that it is allways has been great to read his books.

Frankly, this book cost more than I usually pay for a bottle of wine. If this book were a bottle of wine, I would buy a case of it and share it with my very best friends. After savoring this classy book the wine you experience will never be the same.

Even though Steven Rothfeld's photographs of the Napa Valley and Chef Michael Chiarello's gorgeous presentation of some outstanding cuisine are very pleasing to the eye, the most impressive thing about this book is the history of Napa Valley that unfolds between the photographs.

This book is a beautiful seminar on how amazing it is that you can actually buy so many good bottles of wine. Although I have been to Napa Valley on several occasions and have taken more than a few tours through the various wineries, I did not fully appreciate all that is involved in making a good vintage.

The history of this famous valley and the many trials and tribulations of the wine makers along with the fickle role of Nature that goes into that bottle of wine you just uncorked will make that first sip a lot more meaningful.

This book is amazing. The stories told by the families are so rich and real that one truly begins to understand why the Napa Valley is so special. Michael Chiarello really does such a nice job with the families in the style and respect he shows (just as I have seen in his Tra Vigne Cookbook, and his PBS shows - Season by Season, and Michael Chiarello's Napa). The photography really brings one right into parts of the Napa Valley that have only been known previously by the people that live there. The recipes are so special too, as they come from the kitchens of these families and from Chiarello. This is simply the best book ever on this very special and beautiful place...America's Tuscany.

This book is an absolute delight. The sheer intimacy of the stories make you feel like an insider, and it provides an insight to the pioneering spirit that has created an industry. I was completely (and very pleasantly) unprepared for how much I enjoyed this book. It is truly a treasure.

The perfect compliment to a great Zin! Passionate and personal accounts of what moved some of the most interesting vintners to create great wines and how they celebrated their accomplishments. Unlike any book I've seen on the Napa Valley, and Michael brings alive the stories and traditions that make this place unique!

I read this book for an introductory cultural anthropology course I took for personal enrichment. Although it does not at all explore the conflict between Israelis & Palestinians, it did give me some astounding insights into why conflicts in that region of the world seem so intractable to Westerners. It reveals how personal and political identities are created in societies and cultures that are tribal and oral. It challenges easy assumptions that writing things down is simple and desirable, and that talking produces political peace.

This book is a scholarly ethnography with the footnotes and discussion of theory and methodology requried in such books, and it is not a leisurely, easy read. But the diligent reader is rewarded with some eye-popping realizations about a culture that is very different from ours, some beautifully evocative tales from the Bedouin tradition, and even some flashes of perhaps unintended humor in Shryock's accounts of his present-day efforts to track down the 'truth' in a setting that makes the American red-state/blue-state rift blur into a pale shade of lilac.

I am an admitted egghead who enjoys academic writing more than the average person, but I intend to read this book again now that I am beyond the requirements of the college course that first brought it to my attention. Perhaps Sec. of State Rice might also enjoy it?

The author does an excellent job of skirting the volatile plausibility of transcribing oral histories to the written word. For anyone wanting to understand both the intricacies and basic histories of the Jordanian Balga Bedouin, it is a fascinating read. Having a Jordanian father and a Palestinian mother, I especially enjoyed Shryock's investigation into their age-old rivalries. Tribalism is alive and well, as Shryock adeptly shows, and he brings it to us in clear and cunning detail.

Andrew Shryock is the oldest of five boys. All the brothers are very close and that is why I, his youngest brother, am very proud of his work. All the brothers will be home for Christmas and will anticipate reading his work of art. Andrew is a great writer as well as a great person. Number Five, Benjamin Shryock.

Andrew Shryock captures the fragmented nature of oral histories among the Bedouin tribes of a Jordanian region known as the Balga. This text, which is actually an ethnography, brings into relief greater concepts of history that are often not obvious. The histories that Andrew collects have never been written, except a few segments in travelogues. This brings to mind questions about the unsubstantiated faith in written historical texts. Andrew illustrates that it is possible to interrogate the oral histories in the same way other historians interrogate archival data. Questions of the source of the document, the identity of the author, the comparison of data with other sources creates a "complete reality" of history. While Andrew flirts with this definition of history in chapter one when he compares the data he retrieves from oral histories to data found in archives, he also opens several other issues entirely. The oral histories of the Balga tribes are by their very nature fragmentary and disjointed. They do not lend themselves to a uniform, linear universal whole history. Instead, they provide only highlights. This brings to mind a question of validity for so-called modern history. How much is filled in like the archeologist filling in the gaps in crumbled structures? Is it possible that the Balga tribes' oral histories, untouched by the pressure of conformity, be closer to historical truth than the modern version whose rough edges have been hewn squarely into a proper line? Andrew also illustrates the uses that are not directly historical. Oral histories contribute a part to building political clout and are propagated because of political clout. Moreover, the oral histories play a part in identity forming for young members of the tribes. They relate to their place in the universe, not only in the tribe, but also in relation to other tribes, Jordanian politics and the world at large, based on how they see themselves in relation to the oral histories. For these two purposes, the non-textual aspect of the oral histories is part of their significance, part of their social power. It brings into question classic historical texts all over the world. Exactly how historically accurate is everything we call history? An excellent piece of work, it's easy to see why it won scholastic awards.

I liked this book from the start-the Introduction asks: "Where is Big Sur?". Big Sur is an area in California but also a state of mind." The book's only fault are the maps.Figures 1 and 2 of the California coastline
are incomplete. They show no local towns for an out of state visitor to reference as you drive the Coast highway #1. Luckily I have driven that area but I still needed my Rand McNally road Atlas to guess where the Towns of Cambria(near San Simeon) and Carmel would be on the maps. This is a fault of the authors since they describe Big Sur as "the stretch of rugged coastline between Carmel and San Simeon" in the text page 1, yet don't correlate their maps with their text.

With both sensitivity and scientific acumen, the authors systematically describe every animal and plant within Big Sur, and the geological and metereological environments in which they live. The book also gives a temporal and human history of Big Sur. It is also notable for a wonderful review of the various hikes within the area; any person choosing or planning a hike in the Ventana Wilderness or any of the state parks along the Big Sur coast will find this guide a tremendous help. The book also includes over 200 exquisite black-and-white illustrations. I always love to read natural history guides before visiting an area; I must say that I found this one singularly comprehensive and informative. Highly recommended!

A completely thorough guide to the the floral and fauna of Big Sur. The author captures much of the majesty and diversity of the Big Sur region. I use it as a constant reference when hiking the region. A minor suggested improvement would be slightly better organization of the topics.

I've been up and down the PCH several times, but as a midwesterner, most of the flora and lots of the fauna were unfamiliar to me. On my next motorcycle ride through Big Sur, I'll see the place with new eyes thanks to this wonderful guide. Now I know those yellow flowers that splash color over the cliffs in mid-July are lizard tail. What were formerly just "rocks" and "birds" and "trees" now have names and personalities. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand the amazing place that is Big Sur.

I received this book as a gift, and read it quickly, almost as a travelogue, wondering what it would be like to live in this vividly described area. Later, I visited Sonoma County and used the book as a guide. I visited a cheese factory, two farmers' markets, a small winery and an artisanal herb garden, led to each location by the informative guide with which I had been gifted. I used several of the clear, easy to follow-and execute-recipes with food bought from the sources suggested in The Cook's Tour. After returning home, I contine to read the book to remind myself of the glorious visit to Sonoma County, and as an inspiration for food purchases and discoveries I would normally have never attempted.

I had my eyes opened when I purchased the original Cook's Tour many years ago. Being a native of Sonoma County, I was fascinated by all the things I didn't know about my home county. Michele gave a face to things I had passed by blindly for years...farms, cheesemakers, gourmet stores, festivals. In the new edition of Cook's Tour she presents us with an ever richer trip through the wonders of Sonoma. She teaches us about the wine appellations and what crops thrive right along with the grapes of that region. She includes political information that supports the farmer and sustainable agriculture. She updates us on new cheesemakers, new purveyors and celebrates the staying power of the old. Once again Michele gives a face to Sonoma County, but this time she introduces us by name and helps us start a conversation. Her recipes are wonderful, making use of all the bounty that is available locally. I feel the circle of belonging to a place close as I drive through the country she writes of with such affection and then buy produce and ingredients, ultimately cooking dishes that are truly local in origin and taste. "The New Cook's Tour of Sonoma" makes me grateful that I live in this magic place. Thanks to Ms Jordan for opening my eyes even wider.

Sonoma County, California is a very special place. From the Pacific ocean on the west to the ridgeline east of the Valley of the Moon, Sonoma County almost has it all.

Michele Anna Jordan helps bring this special place alive with this book. She's an extraordinary writer who infuses her stories and recipes with great commentary.

This particular cookbook is among my favorites -- because it's so much more than just a cookbook. The sidebar commentaries about places in Sonoma County help bring the area to life in my mind's eye.

Highly recommended!

The New Cook's Tour Of Sonoma showcases the rich culinary history and cuisine of Sonoma County, California, a 1,560 square mile agricultural and viticultural country. Featuring 150 recipes illustrated with sixteen pages of superbly presented color photographs, From Mexican Cheese Bread, Potato Gnocchi with Duck Ragout, and Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Garlic, to Oven-Roasted Peppers, Grilled Salmon Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, and Russian River Vineyards Cheesecake with Green Valley Blueberry Sauce, The New Cook's Tour Of Sonoma is a highly recommended combination food history and cookbook that will grace any household cookbook collection.

With a gift for lean, driven prose, during his lifetime Joseph Hansen (1923-2004) was regarded as one the finest authors working within the classic California private eye genre. His best-known works are a series of twelve novels written between 1970 and 1992 that feature insurance claims investigator Dave Brandstetter, a tough, no-nonsense detective--who also happens to be homosexual and is utterly unconcerned about that fact.

Originally published in 1984, NIGHTWORK finds Brandstetter employed to investigate the death of Paul Meyers, an independent trucker whose firey death was first deemed an accidental crash but now looks very much like murder. Assisted by his lover and sometimes-associate Cecil, who is still recovering from bullet wounds received in the previous GRAVEDIGGER, Brandsetter is quickly involved in an unexpected array of witnesses and suspects: a faithless wife, an eccentric who spends his time watching his neighbors from a Victorian mansion, a black minister whose efforts at reaching out to gang members proves a miss-fire--and most particularly a mysterious woman known only as "Duchess" and a questionable detective named Smithers, who may or may not be involved in illegal toxic waste dumping.

At one time The Los Angels Times described Hasen as "the most exciting and effective writer of the classic California private-eye novel working today"--and NIGHTWORK bears the statement out. Hansen's prose is lean but never sparse, his characters flawlessly created, his plots often a bit too plausible for comfort. He is also noted for his talent in evoking Los Angeles and its surrounding communities, and no where is that gift more beautifully on display than in this particular work. A strong-arm page turner indeed.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I'm reading Night Work for the second time and loving it. Hansen's tale reveals a rare and authentic knowledge of Los Angeles and Southern California. He writes well about Dave Brandstetter, a rich, rich gay detective; Cecil Harris, Dave's young African-American lover; and all the aspects of L.A. that I love, including the cars, the rain, the slums, the food, and the people. This story, published in 1984, concerns the coverup of toxic waste dumping in the canyons, which really happened. How could anyone be so vile as to poison our awesome mountains?

In the frame of a murder investigation, Hansen gives life to his characters -- real people, some of which you may recognize in their natural habitat. There are cameo appearances by the suave Jaguar salesman and the sweaty Culver City used-car peddler. Here are some people, too, that I hope you've never met -- the odd ones and the bad guys.

You'll find, too, a few, I don't like this word, but here it is, subplots. A lot's going on and it's all intriguingly tied together. Good people, some almost saintly, live on these pages along with the other kind, who are driven by their fears or their greed. And did I mention the yummy food and the tempting drinks?

Instead of hot babes, this mystery presents us with hot dudes, such as a young Irish ne'er-do-well and a suave, beautiful Latino detective. The only thing I don't like about Brandstetter is that in middle age, he feels old and worn out. What's that about, Joseph? We Californians stay young forever, don't we?

"Nightwork" is the seventh Dave Brandstetter mystery by Joseph Hansen. The series is set in and around Los Angeles. Dave, a death-claims investigator is looking into the death of Paul Meyers, a truck driver. Someone placed a bomb under the truck and it blew up with him one night. Dave learns that Meyers had been doing nightwork to make extra money. Who killed Paul Meyers? Was it Silencio Ruiz, a gang leader who was sent to jail on Paul's testimony, and who vowed to kill him when he got out of prison? Was it Bruce Kilgore, a teacher, with whom Paul's wife Angela was having an affair? Does it have anything to do with Paul's nightwork? The plot and the characters are strong. Hansen is an excellent mystery writer. It's just too bad that there were only 12 of the Dave Brandstetter mysteries written.

Book seven in the Brandstetter series finds David comfortably settled with a still-fragile Cecil, and looking into the death of a trucker; a trucker who was on the wrong road at the wrong time of night--with a bomb taped to his rig. Hansen writes classic hard-boiled PI novels which start out in prosaic fashion, but weave and wind to brutal and surprising conclusions. The writing is always spare and vivid, with shrewd characterization, snappy dialog, and 'atmosphere' you can smell, touch, and taste. One of the few writers who actually merits comparisons to Chandler and MacDonald, Hansen also set the gold standard for the sub-genre of 'gay mystery.' NIGHTWORK is one of my favorites for the interaction between Dave and Cecil, and the chiaroscuro of Dave's private life and the grim world he works in.

Cohen, in a wonderfully written ethnography, makes us question the categories of Alzheimer's, aging, and dementia by systematically destabilizing our notions of what it means to get old in both our own and India's culture. A worth-while read for anyone interesting in any of the above. However, be forewarned - the text is dense and takes some time to wade through - and it could be suggested that by making so many arguments in so short a span, the book's main thrust isn't there at all, much like Alzheimer's itself.

Brilliant ethnographic research fused with engaging narrative that makes for truly enjoyable reading. Cohen dissects the phenomenon of an aging population and their role in culture and society, while explaining the greater implications both for policy and popular opinion, with reflections on US and Western societies.

As a medical student beginning research on Alzheimer's disease, this book provided me a deeper understanding of the full ramifications of such a disease on the lives of the patient and family members. The interactions described in this book are really quite complicated, yet the clear writing and organization makes this subject matter approachable.

professor cohen may be the most brilliant anthropologist of our time as it pertains to south asia. this book is a sparkling example of a prodigious mind at work. it is both scholarly and playful; rigorous and light-hearted. may be read for both pleasure and for what it can teach us about all manner of things. may be the beat scholarly work i have ever read. first-rate.

Great stuff. Good information - BUT, what has been of the most use to me is the maps - I've used it in many presentations...tremendous information, looking forward to the new addition.

This book gives a very good description of pinot in the USA. It cuts through all the stereotypes assoiciated with growing and making pinot noir, and gives warm-climate growers a second look.

Ever since the movie "Sideways," it's been easy to love pinot and to know why. Like the movie's characters, pinot noir (the grape) is unpredictable, occasionally brilliant, often bad and otherwise given to fits and starts of temperment and quirkiness. John Haeger's "North American Pinot Noir" is the backstory. From the grape's historic evolution (probably in Burgundy) to it's spread through North America's most marginal winelands, the pinot story on our continent is one of renegade artisinal winemakers living and dying with fickle vintages and improvised technology and, ultimately, winning the grudging respect of Burgundy's barons. This encyclopedic account starts with the plant, it's natural history (habits, pests, preferences and all) and progresses all the way through it's best products -- the wines themselves. The tasting notes are extensive and regrettably bounded in time, but they offer acclaim to some great vintages and some great vintners. As the book ages, the notes themselves will only serve to remind most of us of what we missed. But as a survey of pinot's great American terroirs and their beautiful fruits, the book confers rich knowlege and a deep sense of why this grape matters. The book is the University of Pinot Noir. For graduate school, find a place that you like -- Dundee HIlls or Santa Maria Bench -- and proceed to the advanced seminars they offer.

As a part-time wine instructor and wine enthusiast, I'm always looking for good resources to share as well as for my own use. This book is simply outstanding: the writing is clear, there is more information than you could ever possibly use, but you don't feel like you're drowning in irrelevant junk. Bravo!

I just started getting really involved with hiking and the North Bay of the Bay Area has some great parks, but I needed an introduction to get me started and prepared before I hike each park. This book details each and every hike from trailhead and distance to what to look out for on each trail. If you live in the North Bay, I highly recommend this as a primer.

This is a very well written and well-researched book. Very easy to follow - as we know trails are often hard to follow with questionable signage - but this book has never failed me. I have been on a dozen or so of it's hikes and have never had a serious problem as it is a most reliable reference.

Well Done Mr. Weintraub!

I found North Bay Trails and the author's previous work, East Bay Trails, to be excellent. It provides great direction and is written from a hiker's perspective without confusing and unclear information that haunts so many guidebooks. The maps are always accurate and as fine as a bound format allows while the excellent photos help us choose where to go. The historical background is fascinating and the information on wildlife and flora keep me and my child going from discovery to discovery along the trail. This book has guided us to wonderful places we would not have thought or known to hike rather than take us to the often hiked Mt. Tam and Pt. Reyes areas (although his picks in these areas are jewels). This is a must-have if you want to hike the glorious North Bay - now, if Weintraub could just pack our lunch...

David Weintraub's North Bay Trails will please California residents who want to locate hiking areas north of San Francisco. This is the first comprehensive guide to cross county lines to include Marin, Napa and Sonoma Countries, exploring scenic routes and trails for both avid hikers and casual walkers. An excellent reference promising lasting value.

Much discourse on Heidegger finds seeming grounds to separate the man from the philosophy, but Rockmore, in reviewing the crucial parts and pieces of the case, makes a strong case for the intrinsic connection of the Heideggerian philosophy to the philosopher's Nazism. The point should be obvious from the context of the times, Heidegger's conservative demeanour and the latent confusions of anti-liberal culture already effecting Nietzsche. The book focus on a detailed analysis of the famour Rector address, then follow the trail through to the attempt by Heidegger to disengage himself from his prior affirmations. One can waste a lot of time on sophistries here, and, while the value of the philosophy might endures in a question, the fixation of the typical discourse here deserves this careful review of the prosecutor.

Tom Rockmore has radically overturned 20th century philosophy models by challenging Martin Heidegger head-on.

Most famous writers of 20th century philosophy imitate Heidegger's terms, 'in-the-world,' and 'them' and other aspects of his existentialism. Heidegger's Nazi affiliations are most often swept under the rug and even today many of his writings are kept secret by his Estate.

Tom Rockmore courageously joins the battle to expose Heidegger as a Nazi thinker -- and not as an unwilling Nazi participant as his followers like to soft-soap these issues. But Dr. Rockmore is not seeking sensationalism or merely political battles, rather, he is an erudite philosopher himself with some penetrating insights into the origins and weaknesses of Heidegger's positions on the issues.

The 20th century is filled with defenses of Heidegger the man and the writer. His nakedness is praised as beautiful attire by some of the key writers of the past century. Tom Rockmore has performed a revolutionary act by exposing this nakedness and hypocrisy, not only politically but in the realm of theory.

This is one of the most interesting books available on 20th century philosophy.

This well written and closely argued book is a stringent criticism of Heidegger's philosophy and its relation to his notorious embrace of Nazism. Rockmore argues that Heidegger's involvement with the Nazis was hardly the result of personal quirks or coercion but rather a product of his philosophical preoccupations. Rockmore bases his conclusions on a careful reading of the relevant texts, analysis of the main features of Heidegger's thought, and relevant historical background. For example, while Heidegger liked to present his thought as a recovery of the insights of pre-Socratic Greek thinkers, Rockmore shows that Heidegger was influenced by the racist and anti-rationalist Volkish ideologies prevalent in Germany. Rockmore's case is well argued and others, notably Heidegger's recent biographer, Rudiger Safranski, reach identical conclusions. It is clear as well that Heidegger abandoned overt Nazism not because of any real ethical concerns but rather because the Nazis would not accomodate Heidegger's ideas for how German society and education should be run. This book also contains damning criticism of the individuals who have defended Heidegger; including members of Heidegger's family who have apparently restricted access to potentially damaging documents; Heidegger's disciples, some of whom have attempted remarkable ways to explain away Heidegger's Nazism; and a number of other philosophers who seem to be unable to stomach the fact that the person they trumpet as the great thinker of the 20th century was a Nazi. Heidegger emerges as a brilliant and remarkably egotistical man inhumanly dedicated to the pursuit of a small set of ideas, some of which may be great insights, but literally careless of human rights, human dignity, and the physical suffering of the great majority of humanity. One criticism of Rockmore's book is that Rockmore, though usually very careful with terminology, is sloppy about use of the term Nazi. Rockmore argues that Heidegger, after his withdrawal from overt Nazism, remained dedicated to an "ideal Nazism". It would be better to restrict the use of term Nazism to the actual acts and (often contradictory) programs of the Nazis. As Rockmore shows clearly, Heidegger was preoccupied throughout his life with ideas that were anti-humanist, anti-democratic, and Volkish in character. This puts Heidegger in the same general category as the Nazis but referring to "ideal Nazism" is a bit confusing.

Excellent exposé of the person and their inseperable philosophical and political beliefs.

This puts Heidegger in the correct context of his position relative to Nazism, that is, an integral part of the greatest act of capitalist criminality in the 20th century and not, as has been said many times elsewhere, an unwilling participant in the whole "accidental" tragedy.

It says something about the charade called the denazification that Heidegger was allowed so much free reign after, what is euphemistically called the second world war, was brought to a close, with the unexpected crushing of western state capitalism by the USSR.

Regards,

Martyn R Jones
http://www.itspolitics.com/feuerbach/index.htm