Asia Books

I HAVE BEEN READING TURNBULL'S BOOKS FOR YEARS EVER SINCE I STUMBLED ACROSS A OLD TITLE OF HIS FROM THE 80'S.IF WANT THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY IN THE ERA OF THE SAMURAI, READ HIS BOOKS.ANYONE ELSE IS A WASTE OF YOUR TIME.

In Osaka 1615, Osprey Campaign #170, Samurai expert Dr. Stephen Turnbull provides an interesting summary of the final battle that unified Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate. I have been reading Turnbull's work since I was a student in Japan in the early '80s, when I also had chance to visit Osaka Castle. In short, Turnbull has a huge wealth of Samurai-related knowledge that he is able to convey on these pages to fascinate readers who enjoy Eastern tales of derring-do. Unfortunately, Turnbull is somewhat weaker on examining the actual military aspects of the campaign, such as why the Tokugawa won (yes the artillery was important, but simply not decisive at this point in history due to slow rate of fire and limited battlefield mobility) or how many casualties occurred. The author presents the reader with one Samurai account after another, but after awhile they start to appear as ciphers since we really don't know much about most of them. Turnbull's methodology for the most part ignores how units fought or operational decisions in favor of spotlighting individual behavior.

The volume follows the standard Osprey campaign format, with the usual 2-D and 3-D maps. Dr. Turnbull divides the campaign narrative into the winter and summer phases. I must admit that Dr. Turnbull adds good insight into Tokugawa Ieyasu's character, but most of the other leaders remain obscure. After reading the description of the main actions on 3-4 June 1615 I found it difficult to gauge from this volume why exactly one side prevailed (other than the obviously higher level of initiative on the Tokugawa side). Since the author admits that the final battle could have gone either way, this question deserved better analysis. Overall, this volume covers the subject fairly well, although it remains aloof from military issues, such as logistics, intelligence.

I have been reading and enjoying Stephen Turnbull's books since 1978. His latest book about Osaka in 1615 as the last battle of the samurai is outstanding. I pre-ordered it knowing it would be good, but I was blown away by how comprehensive it was.
Turnbull has a seemingly enless number of stories about the samurai. Interesting anecdotes such as the question of Tokugawa Ieyasu being killed and replaced by a kagemusha (shadow warrior)is fascinating. I am looking forward to his next book due out this fall.

Osaka 1615, Stephen Turnbull's latest Osprey effort, is a welcome addition to the sparse English sources on Japanese warfare. Much of the information in this volume is presented in English for the first time, and Turnbull does a good job of detailing the movements and maneuverings of the two armies. I found his coverage of the many small battles occurring at the beginning of the Winter Osaka Campaign to be particularly well done and helpful. The orders of battle are highly detailed and extensive. As always, Turnbull excels in his ability to breath life into what could otherwise be a straightforward military history with many stories of the `glorious' (and not so glorious, as in the case of a commander who was lying drunk in a brothel as his fort was being captured) deeds performed. The volume is loaded with prints, woodcuts, and modern photos of the battlefields from Turnbull's archives (one of the best and most diverse sources to be found outside Japan). Colorful and detailed maps round out the volume. At 96 pages, it's not quite as extensive as could be hoped for, but hey, that's Osprey.
I'd like here to address some points made by another reviewer that I found rather odd, as Turnbull covers them all in his volume.
1)"Unfortunately, Turnbull is somewhat weaker on examining the actual military aspects of the campaign, such as why the Tokugawa won (yes the artillery was important, but simply not decisive at this point in history due to slow rate of fire and limited battlefield mobility)"
Artillery fire WAS the decisive factor in the Winter campaign (and henceforth the campaign as a whole). After several failed assaults on the Osaka castle defenses, Ieyasu decided to take a different approach. He knew his best bet was to prompt Lady Yodo (Toyotomi Hideyori's mother) to coerce her son into entering peace negotiations. Ieyasu knew Lady Yodo well, and his keen insight into her nature led him to believe that opening up on her living quarters with his artillery would have the desired effect...and he was right. The artillery bombardments of the keep (along with the entreaties of Yodo's family members sent as envoys by Ieyasu) drove the Toyotomi to a disastrous agreement with Ieyasu that ended up leaving the castle stripped of much of its defenses. The superior range of the Tokugawa cannon meant that they could bombard the keep at will without fear of retaliation. Rate of fire and mobility were simply not important factors, and for that matter even the physical damage they caused. Without the artillery, it's likely that the siege would have taken many extra months or perhaps years...if the Tokugawa coalition held that long.
2)"...or how many casualties occurred."
Turnbull doesn't discuss this for the simple reason that there exist no contemporary records of casualties for the battles as a whole. Anything on his part would be no more than wild speculation.
3)"Turnbull's methodology for the most part ignores how units fought or operational decisions in favor of spotlighting individual behavior."
Welcome to the world of samurai warfare, where operational decisions many times tended to be on the `There's the enemy-go get them!' and `We're being attacked-go get them' level. Some armies such as the Shimazu or Uesugi would pull off well planned ambushes and assaults, but these were the exception rather than the rule.
4)"After reading the description of the main actions on 3-4 June 1615 I found it difficult to gauge from this volume why exactly one side prevailed (other than the obviously higher level of initiative on the Tokugawa side)."
As Turnbull explained, the Toyotomi forces (outnumbered two to one) found their initial assault blunted as the Tokugawa continually brought fresh troops into the battle (while the Toyotomi forces became more and more tired and depleted). When the assault ground to a halt, the Toyotomi commander (Sanada Yukimura) was killed and their exhausted forces broke.
The book is not without its faults (I'd give it 4.8 stars rather than 5)...there are a few typos (for example, Kyushu is spelled Kyosho on page 9). The map of the battle of Domyoji on pages 70-71 has some mislabeling (there are two number 3's on the map-one of which should be #2-and number 1 & 2 on the map should both be labeled `1'). The same map also shows further troop positions on the Toyotomi side that do not agree with Japanese sources and appear to be incorrect. There's also some statements made to the effect that the walls and outworks of the castle look now just as they did in 1615-not so, as the original Toyotomi walls and structures were covered with dirt and built upon for the `Tokugawa' version of Osaka castle built around 1620. Likewise, the present keep is said to be based upon the Toyotomi version of the keep-however, the dimensions, number of roofs, and even something as basic as the castle's color are completely different.
All in all, however, Turnbull has done an exceptional job with the book given the limited space. There's something to be learned here for both serious scholars and casual readers. Highly recommended for any aficionado of Japanese history!

This proves to be a valued addition to the Osprey Campaign series. The author, Stephen Turnbull wrote a great summary book on one of final major campaigns fought by the Japanese samurai during their heydays.

The campaign in question was Tokugawa Ieyasu's effort to secured his family rule of Japan by destroying the only other family who had the power and prestiage to challenge him. That family was the one of Toyotomi Hideyori, son of the great Taiko, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. While Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 created the Tokugawa Shogunate, Osaka Campaign of 1615 secured it for the next 250 years.

This book proves to be well written, well research and reflects strongly on the author's command of the subject. The author explains clearly the motives, directions and purpose of the campaign. The campaign ironically proves to be some sort of a Sekigahara Part II type of scenario since so many members of the Toyotomi army were made up of survivors who lost the first battle.

The book is organized into Osprey's typical set-up of introduction, background, commanders, troop type and finally the campaign itself. The entire book is exactly 96 pages long including the index. It come well illustrated, the maps are easy to read and followed and there some which proves to be very useful. The author have also provided some very nice order of the battle as well.

Overall, the book come highly recommended for anyone interested in Japanese samurai history. This book will go superbly well with Ospery's earlier book on Sekigahara by Anthony Bryant which proves to be equally well written.

This book covers a lot of ground. It is generally considered to be one of the two (along with Honor Bound) major accounts of the POW experience in Vietnam. Unlike "Honor Bound" this book is not published by the Navy Press.

While writing a long article on a particular POW I was able to use this book as an excellent guide to the various timelines, facilities and actual implementations of the Code of Conduct. The book does not seek to be damning, except in one case where 8 men are named as total turncoats charged by their Sr. Ranking Officer with treason.

The book is smooth reading, but long. It is possible that this could be the only POW book many people will ever need.

As the title states, this is a definitive exploration of the experience of US heroes while in Vietnam captivity. Hubble's research is exemplary. The book is fact based with little bias. If one is interested in this topic, then this is the FIRST book they should read - from there, the reader can find particular people/topics of interest and branch out. The next book to read is "Honor Bound" by Rochester and Kiley - a later text using declasified sources. In reading these two books, a reader will come to understand the POW experience in Vietnam and appreciate America's TRUE heroes. Personnaly, I feel these should be required reading for ALL Americans - particularly our youth.

Researched over a 9 year time span using information gleaned from hundreds of interviews from Vietnam war POW's, this extensive saga of captivity is truly outstanding in its depth.

John G. Hubbell not only relates the stories of high profile POW's from North Vietnam, he explores the many aspects and rigors faced by U.S. servicemen in the brutal Southern Vietnamese prison camps. In helping the reader to truly understand the entire experience, this being a cautionary note to everyone, torture methods suffered by our U.S. servicemen are described very graphically throughout the text and may be difficult to read about at times.

Included in the superbly written and well researched narrative are maps of the various prison compounds, photographs of POW's and their captors, and the entire list of repatriated servicemen at Operation Homecoming in 1973.

"P.O.W. - A definitive history of the American Prisoner of War Experience, 1964-1973" is a very comprehensive and powerful study that makes for a lasting, memorable, and emotional reading experience. Upon recommending this book to everyone with interests in POW captivity, I would also like to suggest the brilliant and epic work "Honor Bound - American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973".

As a POW researcher, I would have been lost without Hubbel having gone before me to pave the way. This book continues to be a resource for me, a one of a kind history that says it all. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand what the 566 POWs who were repatriated to the US in 1973 endured. The books by and about individuals give their person accounts, but Hubbel offers an objective analysis and global persecptive.

I regretted loaning my Readers Digest Press hardcopy of this book and never seeing it return. I had to wait years for the re-publication of this marvelous book.

This book is the quintessential book on the POW experience in North Vietnam, and I have read many of them. The atrocities committed by the North Vietnamese captors were barbaric, horrific, and inhuman. The POWs mostly Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force pilots and crewmen were left with no guidance other than their consciences, their moral compass, their pride of service, their patriotism and an outmoded "Code of Conduct" to fight back against unspeakable tortures designed to win over and break the "American Enemy" and score political propaganda points. For these prisoners, the war was not over when they were shot down. A new and completely unexperienced war commenced upon their capture, a cold, calculating battle to exploit those most vulnerable in the Vietnam War in order to exact concessions from the United States of America.

Against the background of these torturous events, North Vietnam's enablers from the U.S. and international anti-war activists cravenly cooperated with North Vietnamese officials to further undermine the courageous efforts of our POWs who endured barbaric handling to not betray their country's honor.

Not all POWs held up to the rigors of the "Code of Conduct" as well as the greatest majority. However, fortunately not having walked in their shoes, I cannot judge their behavior. The activities of the most stalwart POWs as well as those who were less so are chronicled it this very readable and very moving book. These were the true "heroes" of the Vietnam War. They have never received due honor and recognition. This book attempts to do so in a very meaningful way. If you read ANY book on the Vietnam experience, this must be the one.

I just finished taking an oriental cuisine class less than a year ago and our wonderfully experienced teacher recommended this cookbook for continued enjoyment in oriental cooking and eating at home. I have truly enjoyed using this book. I am quite young so cooking is new and I really like the art of it. Carpenter and Sanderson I think are at there best by exposing us to meals designed complete with the use of the most exciting and eccentric flavors. This is my favorite part about eating, besides company and presentation. At any rate, I am glad to have begun to collect cookbooks with this as one of the first ones. Thanks!

One of Carpenter's best books (and all of them are good). He constructs interesting foods with varied flavors. None of them (at least so far) are difficult to put together. He's consistently the best cook book author that I know of.

This is a great cookbook! It's got a great combination of basic and highly creative recipes. It seems that with many Chinese recipes and cookbooks, everything tastes similar, just with different ingredients. This book's recipes are very broad in concepts, flavors, presentation and preparation styles (some stir frys, barbeques, dumplings,sautes,sauces, etc.). If we could only have one Chinese cookook, this would be it.

Hugh Carpenter is one of my favorite cookbook authors: James Beard, Jacques Pepin and Rose Levy Berenbaum being the others. All write with explanations for the process---why you do something the way it is indicated in the recipe---is it the author's whim, tradition, or vital to a successful result?! Hugh Carpenter tells you what to do as far as preparation, whether it can be done in advance, and all needed information regarding the recipe, including plating the final results. What separates this book from so many other very good cookbooks is the actual recipes. If you want to try your hand at asian cooking, this would be my guide of choice. As Frommers travel guides are to the traveler, so are Carpenter/Sandeson's books to the intrepid cooks. As another reviewer stated, it is not recommended to 'blind' try a recipe for guests---that is, don't plan to serve an untried recipe for the first time to guests. But with this book (or any of his others, for that matter) you can do this fearlessly. The flavors are vibrant, bold and he tells you if you need to raise the level of heat. Do what he says: if he tells you something needs to marinate overnight, or be cooked a day in advance to allow the flavors to mellow or settle, DO IT! He and his wife have traveled all over the Pacific Rim and bring authentic flavors to the American cook who wants veracity and integrity in their cooking.

Out of +150 cookbooks we own, this is one of the top five. Hugh Carpenter isn't afraid to have you use spices to produce wonderful dishes. His method of separating the recipe into advance preparation and cooking is a great help in preparing something new. His serving sizes are very accurate and menu ideas useful. The photography is outstanding and an added plus in first time preparation. At a dinner party, we rarely dare to prepare a dish we haven't tried, but have done this on five occasions using "Pacific Flavors", all with compliments from everyone. This book is not only an excellent cookbook, but a beautiful coffee table piece also.

Simply better than the first... and it's on my bookshelf now.

I got this book from a local bookstore. Only one was available and the cover was not in a very good condition. But I find the content stunning... the combination of photographs and no faults with the manipulations/modifications done could have easily fooled many in earlier days. Today we know such mastery is possible powerful computer software.

This book eye candy to me.

Sometimes we come across advertisements (eg. posters) that catch our attention and make us wonder---"How REAL!!" and amaze us. This book is filled with wonderful pictures, carefully designed, composited, etc. with consideration of details such as shadows to make things realistic. Everything in the pictures blends well with other elements in the pictures. With the power of today's photo editing software, some of these may not be difficult to produce but for the rest, they seem like wonders to me. Imagination and skills are essential.

If you are in advertising and designing, it would be a great challenge to yourself to try to produce similar effects in the book. Or if you are just looking for a book that shows you great pictures in advertising, you will find this book to be an eye-candy. However, this book does not teach you how to produce the effects; which, I think is not the aim of the book.

I am happy to have a copy of this book.

This book is chocked of photographic pictures that are skillfully modififed to blend seamlessly. Some of these may be done by using plug-ins, but others require more effort, skill and thought. For example, you cannot just mask an object and paste it on another photo; need to consider shadow, lighting, etc. and I think the pictures here involved such considerations. Great work. When I look at the pictures, I think, "That's great..." and a great challenge to me to produce similar results.

I am also intending to get "Paintbox No. 2" !!

Paintbox No.1 shows the power of image manipulation. With a simple digital pen these artists blend together images that will amaze your eyes. Pages upon pages of eyecandy!

Kazuo Inamori, the founder of Kyocera, puts forth his philosophy on success in business and life in this book. One thing that you'll notice is that he takes an almost religious approach to work, and believes that one can find true happiness through work. At the same time, he realizes that work can be a real struggle, so he gives good advice for pulling through those difficult times at work. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to look at success in business through other means than money. It will help you see how you can gain self fulfillment through your work.

Kazuo Inamori's book is highly inspirational in its evocation of "passion" as the underpinning driver of success in life. In all fields of social endeavour, it is the most passionate individuals who stand out, and ultimately achieve success. We see this in the sporting arena (Muhammad Ali, Leyton Hewitt), in business (Richard Branson, Jack Welsh), and in politics.

Inamori's book is divided up into two parts. Part one provides a series of insights on "How to Succeed in Life", covering the following key areas: ability, effort, attitude, and success. His central thesis is that success = effort x ability x attitude. Most of us tend to see success as the result of effort and ability, but overlook the power of maintaining a positive attitude. Inamori urges the reader not to overlook the immense power that a positive attitude can have, both in terms of attracting support for our goals, and in terms of building and maintaining our own self esteem.

The second part of this book focuses on "How to Succeed in Business" and covers the following eight areas; passion, profit, ambition, sincerity, strength, innovation, optimism, and 'never give up'.

Above all else, this book contains genuine bursts of insight that will enrich the perspective of most readers. Unlike so many self-help products that promise the earth and deliver disappointment, this book is as close as the thinking person will get to "the real deal".

I would put this book on the same shelf with "The Witch Doctors" by Micklethwait & Wooldridge, and "Dangerous Company" by O'Shea & Madigan - all of these are excellent business books, and stand out as unique and valuable contributions to our understanding of the meaning of success in today's modern world of work.

I bought this book back in 1995, and after much reflection and numerous business/leadership books, I must say Mr. Inamori is still in a class of his own. Though he teaches seemingly oversimplified concepts, it is indeed the correct concepts--if there is such a thing. Correct, for example, in that you can leave the world knowing your grandchildren will be proud that you existed. If you're familiar with Maslow hierarchy of needs: when you're reading this book, you will have no doubt that the author is at or above the self actualization stage, which I must say 90% of all the so called gurus of business don't seem to be in. The concept that you should speak from your heart, not implementing certain "techniques" in public speaking rings true for me personally. I'm grateful for such a gift from Mr. Inamori.

I've never written one of these reviews, but this is one of the treasured books in my library. I've owned it since it came out and continually refer to it for advice and council. I have also given it to many customers. Kyocera's website is also an inspiring to place to see how Mr. Inamori put his philosophy to work to bring a legacy of business success worldwide. His people-practices would change the world if practiced.

This is a great book! Whether you read it straight through for the inspiration or read a section a day (usually only a page in length) as a meditation guide, just read it and absorb it. Give it to your boss, give it to your customers, give it to your peers, give it to your team members, even give it to your family. All will be better for it.

I love this book. It explain how to make pasta from scatch and how to make many differt flavor of pasta. I got a pasta machine for Christmas and these recipes work great for my pasta machine

This is an absolutely essential book for anyone who loves pasta. It is packed with wonderful color photos. The recipes are delicious. Some are quite involved and require exotic ingredients.

Being so much more than a cookbook, it starts out with a brief history of pasta. It then discusses grain in detail. Pictures of each flour type & an illustration of a wheat grain are included here. There are also pictures all the of pasta tools.

Next, dry pasta is covered. There are great photos of over 125 different pastas, including Asian noodles. It also demonstrates step by step how to make, & shape fresh pasta doughs from scratch.

I loved the inclusion of colored, flavored pastas. The sweet pastas including chocolate noodles are divine. Other great recipes focused on pasta sauces, soups, dumplings, gnocchi, baked pastas and stuffed dishes.

History, recipie, and skills all shown and done beautifully. THis is a great book.

Great illustrations, clear instructions, & lots of recipes. What more could anyone ask for?

The beginning to the experienced pasta maker will benefit from this book. Large, clearly printed, well outlined and containing lots of photos of the recipes, this book also has the "cooking school" format that has step by step photos. A entire chapter is devoted to dried pasta with photos of the different shapes. Never wonder what casereccie, banane, or grimigna are again! With this book, you will know! Imaginative use of fresh herbs pressed in sheets of pasta, cuisines from Italian to the Orient (and points in between), baked, stuffed, desserts, this book has enough ideas and recipes to get you started and keep you busy.

Andrew Lam has been writing about the Vietnamese diaspora longer than anyone I know. Since the early 1990s his works have appeared in national publications. "Perfume Dreams" is the amalgamation of his perspectives, ones that many of us former refugees can relate in our own lives. I had the pleasure of taking part in book events in NYC and LA with Andrew. In a way we've come full circle since our last elementary school day in Saigon when a defecting South Vietnamese jet bombed the Presidential Palace a few hundred meters across the street. Pick up this must-have book to better understand the Vietnamese identity in America.

Perfume Dreams is a must read book for all Vietnamese Americans. Andrew is a gifted writer, a gate keeper / history teller for Vietnamese American who are living in America. He has never lost his touch with his root.

The Perfum Dreams touches all sides of experiences the Vietnamese refugees and immigrants. The "haves and not haves, the fortunate and unfortunate" lives of Vietnamese-Americans.

I am looking forward for more of his future books. We should all feel proud to have someone like Andrew to keep us in touch with ourselves and remind us of the challenges in living in America.

As I read this collection of essays, I almost felt as if it were my own memoir. Lam's feelings of growing up in two different cultures struck a cord in me and made me realize that someone else out there felt the same way I did growing up in America.

This is an important piece of literature because it truly captures the sentiment of the Vietnamese-American torn between two cultures, betweeen the contemporary and the traditional, between two separate generations, between war and peace.

For anyone who grew up feeling not really accepted by either your heritage culture or the current one, this is the book for you. Lam truly captures the Vietnamese-American experience and I highly recommend this book.

The telling of this most personal journey avoids any and all hyperbole or belittling. Boldly Andrew Lam presents the opportunities found by the exile who chooses to leave his homeland as well as the demanding adjustments he must undergo if he is to succeed in his adopted country.

Back in Vietnam he is viewed as one who is exceptional, a person who has achieved the highest level of sucess. Those opportunites, he finds, do not exist in fact or spirit in his native land.

Andrew Lam writes with such great passion and sensitivity that one becomes totally absorbed in his essays that are in his award winning book "Perfume Dreams". Truly a gifted effort that delivers a literary image of what it feels like to be a Vietnamese-American immigrant. His essays are like a coming of age story with so much more depth than most you read today. This book is amazing and inspiring--it will leave you in an emotional state long after you put the book down.

The author writes about his culture and his struggles for identity. He has roots in two countries not only physically but also spiritually and emotionally as well. His observations, along with his reactions, thoughts and his musings about life and other people are both insightful and entertaining; his essays are important chronicles. The book can be read in an afternoon but it may take a lifetime to fully appreciate what the author has lived and written about.

The book is worthy of your time to its read. I give this book my fullest personal recommendation. This book is a FIVE STAR BOOK!

I first read this book 2 years ago and keep reading it again. Its a book about the Punjab that the British built ("without any hangovers from the Company") but it is also a book of Indian life of that period, and its the *best* such narration. India does not have a deep tradition of such narrations put to paper --not such superb stuff anyways. Earlier I'd read two "sequels" to this book about post-1947 India, and while they're very good, this one is really fascinating. Mr. Tandon *writes* !!

This book is a rare gem, a mix of Russel Bakers 'Growing Up' and Ahmed Ali's 'Twilight in Delhi'. Prakash Tandon, founder of IIM A, was born in 1911. He traces the history of his family from 1847, about the time the rule of the Sikhs (Sikha Shahi)ended, to 1947. Unlike the rest of India (apart from Hyderabad),Punjab was never ruled by the East India company. When the British took over, many welcomed the change and stability. The Khatris amongst the Punjabis were the first to embrace formal British education. By 1911,as Tandon notes, the engineering services in some districts were managed entirely by Indian staff.

As a child Mr. Tandon grows up in small towns and villages, moving with his father who works as an engineer managing the canal system. He describes a Baisakhi festival on the banks of a river in one such village in photographic detail. Later, he completes his education in a small town called Gujrat, at the foothills of what today would be Pakistani occupied Kashmir. Vividly described, the way of life of this small town, and the ups and downs of Mr. Tandon's family during those years form the core of this book. Pran Nevile attempts a copy of this with his poorly written 'Lahore' but fails to get that emotional touch.

Much of this books success is precisely that- a story of a whole community told through the life of one family with a personal touch. The book ends with the parition and the family's crossing over to India at the wagah border.

Mr. Tandon wrote the book that surprisingly no one ever thought of writing. The book is sort of a biography of a family .. in it he has masterfully woven the whole society around it, though the reader never would realize his till you finish the book. He describes the society, the cultre and traditions from the past with great care love and nostalgia. His command of the subject is complete, I didn't find a single thing he wrote that I had known to be otherwise!!!

It is one of the best books I have read. The author takes us on a wonderful trip of the punjabi century. A delight to read. A must-read for all punjabis.

This is an absolutely superb account of a Punjabi family in transition, during a century of massive change that takes in the fading Mughal Empire in the 19th century and goes through the period of British colonial rule in the 19th and 20th centuries and finally to India's Independence in 1947. This is all seen though the eyes of a family in Punjab, which successfully makes the transition from old traditions to modernity, as seen through the thoughtful eyes of the author, who eventually becomes the first Indian Chairman of a renowned British multinational company in India and finally a leading senior manager in India's public sector. The author was also the first Chairman of the famous Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, set up together with the Harvard Business School and financial support from the Ford Foundation. Written with a verve and a keen and observant eye, it is socio-economic history at its very best. A must read for all Punjabis from India and Pakistan and for all general readers interested in the sub-continent plus all scholars of South Asia..It is a shame that this book it is out of print.The publisher should be encouraged to bring it back into print again!

Modern poetry tends to run in a spectrum ranging from pure, sublime material to cheesy imitations of the real thing. Some very good work may also be tainted by the night soil that nurtured it, infected by the environment it strives to describe. It's very difficult to escape the influence of a culture in which one is immersed, and this is often reflected in the art of an ephemeral, throw-away society. It is an almost inescapable effect, where as a part of the measurable landscape, the observer is also part of the equation. For a poet to step outside one's self, and share with us a true distillation of the spirit, triple filtered by a questioning mind, is the most we can ask for. Ed Bok Lee does it. He convinces us, not only through his complete avoidance of sugarcoating, but through his natural talent as a wordsmith. He is doing what he was meant to do. This is good writing, written by an Asian-American poet from an Asian-American perspective, in a way that resonates with readers universally. If Ed had been of Norwegian, Brazilian or Sudanese birth, we would still receive the same insight on human nature, the same heartbreak, and the same imaginative metaphors. If you're a person who likes poetry, or just good writing, who wants to be moved by artfully conveyed images of real humans, who craves something fresh and completely original, then buy this book and read it.

An Asian Allen Ginsberg? A Minnesotan Walt Whitman? Ed Bok Lee's first book of poetry weaves a plethora of polyphonic voices into a symphony of the city. As brash as a porn king, as silent and suffering as a mail order bride, as beautiful as a lotus, as ugly as vomit in the back seat of a speeding car, this book creates an urgent, honest portrait of America. In these lovely lyric poems, this young poet is urgently speaking the unspoken. Listen.

Real Karaoke People is a collection of poetry and prose that is meant to be read aloud, alone or to your friend and family. It is a book that speaks out for those people -- immigrants, refugees, biracial children, and others -- who feel silenced in a country that is their own but which does not always receive them as such. Hearing him perform, reading his words in print, each time I am left feeling the yearning and heartache of Asian America. Ed Bok Lee has a gift with words which evoke images, tastes, and smells of immigrant families like my own. Finally, someone who can give them a voice.

Real Karaoke People adds deeply to the great body of Asian American poetry in a way that remains socially conscious and artistically relevant.

Epic and humane, Ed Bok Lee's poetry shines through with poems that feel personal and universal, without reducing itself to expected stereotypes or the tired tropes we've received from other poets.

Many of the pieces reveal his experience as a spoken word artist and performing poet, but they make the transition to page easily and resonate with a thoughtful energy crouching, ready to pounce at your throat like a rare wildcat.

Only a few of the poems feel shoe-horned into the text, and when you step away, you can still feel them lingering, and if they feel isolated, perhaps that too, is a more deliberate decision than one might expect.

Real Karaoke People has tremendous soul and it is worth bringing his work to classrooms and other textbooks as a great example of what contemporary Asian American poets are doing today.

Real Karaoke People is nostalgic in the best way; full of longing, homesickness, grief, as well as love, humor, eroticism, and grit. If you are interested in the heart and guts of Asian American masculinity, the mettle of Korean Americans, and poetry with a theatrical/fictional sensibility, read this book!

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It is set at the turn of the 20th century when Westerners were exploring and mapping Tibet without the Tibetan government's permission. Thunder's adventures revolve around his meeting of a foreigner, then his life in a "gompa" or monastery, after he has been banished there for meeting the foreigner. Also involved is an ancient (real life) prophecy implying that when foreigners invade Tibet, Tibetans will be "scattered like ants" around the earth. Sadly, that's happening to Tibetans today, prompting my interest in Tibet.

Lots of complex ideas are subtly introduced, such as the Buddhist concepts of karma and reincarnation. We even meet a yong "Tulku"--a child being raised to become a high lama. All in all, the book offers adventure for the kids, and easy access to a vision of Tibet for them and adults, too!

I think everyone should read this book. It was great. I learned new words. I loved how there is a glossary at the back. It is also very exciting. Everything about Tibet seems different from America.

Tibet has always been very difficult to understand, so different from Western culture. "Rebel" lets a reader see Tibet from the inside, through the eyes of Tibetans at home there, not through the eyes of Western visitors. It gave me a feel for what it might be like to actually be Tibetan, and helped me to see how people from other non-Western cultures might think and feel. Definitely not just for teenagers.

It has your not so typical bad guy in it. It's thrilling. It's fiction, yet you learn about Tibet! It's action filled. It relates to every day life but with a twist of exoticness. The main character is pretty daring and brave.

I got a lot out of Rebel: A Tibetan Odyssey and my kids really enjoyed it too! Not only is it filled with adventure and excitement but we learned so much about Tibetan culture. We couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to Thunder, the main character. This is a great story to read out loud and a wonderful first book by Ms. Whitesel. Hope she writes more!