Asia Books

A surprisingly well-written and comprehensive look at religion in Japan, suitable for both specialists and non-specialists. The narrative is extremely well-organized and easy to follow.

Some reviewers have mentioned that the book has far more pages on Buddhism than Shinto. However, that does NOT mean that Shinto is given short-shrift or that readers will not receive here an excellent history of that faith- it is just that the Buddhist sections are truly comprehensive.

Chapters on Japan's much overlooked "third faith"- Shugendo- are also thorough and intriguing.

Possibly the main strength of this book is its compassion and balance. It treats Buddhism, Shinto, Shugendo, and Christianity in a way that could offend none of them. More pages on Buddhism do not entail a pro-Buddhist slant to this book. In fact, some of the comments about the corruption of Buddhism during the Edo period are extremely biting.

By the end of A History of Japanese Religion, one cannot but dwell upon the unstated and obvious fact that after 60 years of prostletizing, tens of thousands of missionary visits, millions of dollars of donations, and official government support after World War II, Chistianity has made little or no impact on the country, with less than one half of one percent of the country, for example, describing themselves as "protestant". Astounding. There are far more members in obscure Shinto cults, such as Tenrikyo. There's a thesis in there somewhere...

If you are seeking to understand the complex history of Eastern religion this book is a godsend. In clear, concise and readable prose, it lays out the development of religion in Japan from its prehistory to the present. It includes detailed descriptions of the major Buddhist and Shinto sects including biographies of their founders and major figures, as well as the history of Christianity in Japan and the development of various other "new religions" in more recent times.

The book begins with a preface and introduction which paint the history of Japanese religion in broad strokes. A chapter devoted to the development of religion to the Nara period (began c. 500 AD) is followed by a discussion of the early development of Mahayana buddhism. The Tendai and Shingon sects receive special attention as does the development of Pure Land Buddhism. The Kannon, Miroku and Jizo buddhist cults are discussed as is early Shinto and its relationship to Buddhism. Buddhist development in the Kamakura period, especially the Pure Land sects of Jodo, Jodo Shin and Ji are covered next, along with the Rinzai and Soto schools of Zen and the Nechiren Lotus Sutra Buddhists. Developments in Shinto and Shugendo (a mountain-based ascetic movement) are discussed as are changes in the major sects under the Shogunate. The early history of Christianity in Japan is well treated and, from a Western perspective, is fascinating. The process whereby Buddhism became the dominant religion under the Shoguns only to be superceded by Nationalistic Shintoism in the Meijan period is likewise interesting. Finally, the development of myriad cults and the splintering of older established religions following the world war and the changes in religious thought up to the present make for interesting comparisons with the changes in religious thought in the West.

The book, by a panel of Japanese scholars, was part of a series written originally in Japanese, on the religions of the world. The translation is very readable and the text hangs together remarkably well for something written by a panel of experts. There is occasional redundancy between sections and even through the translation one can hear different voices speaking at different times. The level of detail will satisfy most in the West, although scholars of particular eras or faiths may find it too general. The book is a history of religion and as such is not really a history of religious ideas. I occasionally wished for more discussion of the philosophical and theological notions underlying the historical actions and developments. The book is supplied with an excellent set of maps but would be improved in my opinion, by the addition of some illustrations. That said this is possibly one of the best books on Eastern Religion I have read in some time.

This is a terrific book. Primarily from a Buddhist prospective, this book provides an excellent overview of Japanese religion. It is up to date and will serve as an excellent basis for more in depth study.

I read an old edition of this years ago. It's nice now to have my own copy.

I wish this book will soon available in your bookshelves coz I really look for this book for ages and none bookstores yet sell the books. I've read some about Thomas Stamford Raffles and really adore the way he rules, and how he could be a Governor General in Java while he was still young, a great leader should not always come from a noble family! I have similarities to his life story.

It is doubtful that any contemporary official could write such an elegant and comprehensive work. Raffles not only left his post as Governor of Java, with the routine reports, but an analysis of the culture and languages. In his dedication to the Prince Regent he stated: "To uphold the weak, to put down lawless force, to lighten the chain of the slave, to sustain the honour of the British arms and British good faith; to promote the arts, sciences and literature, to establish humane institutions, are duties of government... I have had the honour, as a servant of the East India Company, to preside over a mild and simple people ... and by doing everything in my power to make them happy."
This is an artifact of the British Empire at its finest.

I first noticed Christian Brechneff's work in a recent edition of Travel and Leisure magazine. His illustartions of the buildings and landscapes of India's far north were so wonderful that I bought a copy of his book Homage. I have to say that I wish that I had known about the book when it was first published. His watercolors, pin & ink drawings and pastels, which are beautifully reproduced in the book, evoke a sense of space, form and color better than any I've seen in a long time. Each is truly a joy to study. For anyone who has recently returned from a trip to India or the far east this book should bring back many memories of their trip. For anyone contemplating a trip to those regions, this book could serve as a guide to places to see and help to prepare the eye for the colors, shapes and vistas they will encouner on their trip. For everyone else, just enjoying the sense of place these illustrations conjur up should be reward enoungh.

Homage: Encounters with the East
During many years on the faculty of a school of design I have seen numerous books of architectural drawings. HOMAGE: Encounters with The East, is in a class its own. It brings precision and verve to some of the world's most intricate (and difficult to depict) architecture and succeeds in creating an exceptional sense of presence. Mr. Brechneff has a broad talent, equally adept at bringing a delcate filigree to life on one page and the majesty of a surise on the Himalayas on the next. An evocative and altogether charming book, beautifully presented, with an enlightening preface, foreword and introductory notes by the artist. Highly recommended.

This book in unlike any other art book I have ever purchased. Brechneff's intricate drawings are breathtaking and full of life. I traveled through India/Kashmir in 1965, and I must say that Homage transported me back in time! My favorite painting is The Palace of The Winds at Jodphur, it is stunning!The paintings of Burma, Cambodia, and Laos are also incredible; I traveled through those regions in the late 70's. The book is just beautiful. I keep Homage on my coffee table and many of my friends have looked through it and said they loved the book as well. The book also comes with an orange ribbon marker with tiny golden bells, which is a great touch. I highly recommend this book to art-lovers and wanderlusts!

Originally published in 1950, this is Victor Kravchenko's chronicle of a lawsuit he brought against a Communist literary weekly published in Paris, France, for false and slanderous articles surrounding his defection from the Soviet Union and his book on the purges and suppression within that nation, I Chose Freedom.

An official in the Soviet Purchasing Commission when he defected, Kravchenko utilizes personal accounts, interviews with witnesses, documents filed with the court, official Soviet documents, testimony from numerous individuals and media reports to paint what is a chilling and moving account of brutality and the attempt to silence any dissent.

Seemingly lost in the pages of history, this account of one individual bold enough to carry the beacon of freedom remains a powerful statement of truth being lost in the political game, but found on a world stage where those who lied could run, but ultimately could not hide.

This is a book I read 20 years ago. It is a follow up book to his first: I Choose Freedom. The story revolves around Victor's attempt to challenge the French Communist party's attempt to slander his first book. He took them to court and he WON! but it was to entail a long an arduous legal battle where the monetary reward was small but the reward for the human spirit was immeasureable.

Creo que este libro es una obra imprescindible para todo aquel al que le interesa la historia de la rusia sovietica durante el periodo de Stalin porque te da una vision extremadamente clara y precisa de la situacion durante la colectivizacion del campo, durante las purgas y de la paranoia que se extendio entre la sociedad rusa por culpa de Stalin. Pero sin duda lo mas importante es que refleja el "desconocimiento" de la sociedad rusa sobre la situacion real de rusia durante ese periodo a causa de la falsa propaganda stalinista, en verdad se establece una situacion de "doblepensar"(segun G.Orwell). En definitiva creo que sin duda alguna es una obra imprescindible para enteder ese periodo de la historia. es excelente.

The story is about a basket, boy and his grandfather. The basket was used for many things. We liked when the young boy told his father to return the basket. We learned that everytone should be respectful and nice to older people.

Surprise ending. Very good book with common Asian theme of respecting elders.

This is what I like about Ed Young. You never know what the heck he's gonna do next. Some authors, like Demi, have a single style and do not waver from it, come hell or high water. Mr. Young is different. Some days he feels like doing a picture book full of colorful blind mice. Other days he's more interested in retelling of Little Red Riding Hood but in a Chinese vein. He is also, I must add, an inconsistent creator. He's just as likely to produce a stunning, "Lon Po Po" as he is a dreadful "Turkey Girl" or a so-so, "Sons of the Dragon King". To be frank, this is what I like about him. Young's unpredictable. A loose canon. I was, therefore, delighted to pick up "I, Doko". I knew it was an unusual offering, but also just as likely to be stunning as ridiculous. After a quick read, I can state with zero hesitation that this book falls squarely into the "stunning" camp. Young may not know where his next book is going to lead him, but if it's anywhere near the direction you find in "I, Doko", he'll be doing well.

The book is told from the point of view of a basket or "doko". In Nepal, this doko explains its role in a family's life. It is bought by its master, Yeh-yeh and used to carry babies, food, kindling wood, and eventually Yeh-yeh's deceased wife Nei-nei. Yeh-yeh has a son who grows quickly into a man and who starts his own family. The doko reports happy occasions like weddings and births in which it plays a special part. Unfortunately Yeh-yeh is growing old and can no longer help in the fields. He spends his time instead growing close to his grandson Wangal. One day, Wangal and Yeh-yeh overhear Wangal's father (Yeh-yeh's son) telling his wife that the next day he will leave his aging father on the nearest temple steps so that the priests can take care of him from now on. The grandfather and grandson (and basket) are distraught at this news but can think of no way to save Yeh-yeh. The next morning, the doko carries Yeh-yeh on his son's back to the temple when Wangal asks his father to be sure to bring the doko back. When asked why he replies that when it is time for HIS father to be put on the temple steps, the basket will again prove useful. Stunned, the father brings Yeh-yeh home again and, "Wangal's love and respect for his grandfather inspired and transformed the whole village in how to treat elders".

I can see farsighted grandparents already purchasing this book for their wide-eyed grandchildren in the hopes that the modern equivalent of the temple steps (i.e. nursing homes) be avoided as a result. In a little note at the beginning of the book, Young states that this book was, "Adapted from a folktale appearing in various forms in Nepal and in many other Asian countries, most often conveyed in the oral vernacular". You may rest assured that this translation from an oral tale into the written word has not suffered the text one jot. Young writes this story with a steady hand and the fact that we are hearing this story from the mouth (?) of a basket is both original and effective.

Complimenting the text are Young's illustrations, which are stunning. Sometimes a good picture book contains a single striking illustration that the reader keeps returning to again and again and again. In Jane Yolen's, "Owl Moon" it's the first direct shot of an owl. In, "I, Doko", it is the picture of the father being told by his son that he may one day suffer the same fate as the parent on his back. His eyes overflow with shocked/hurt tears and reflected in them is the image of his son, arms stretched imploringly out to him. I've sat for minutes on end contemplating this picture and I am certain that children will do the same. The rest of the pictures aren't anything to scoff over, of course. Young renders these pages in gouache, pastel and collage, not afraid to punctuate the borders and important elements of his tale with a bright gleaming gold. The doko is often splattered with paint, thereby allowing its collage body a chance to look handdrawn. These pictures utilize silhouettes, wide open spaces, dark nighttime canvases illuminated by a single light, and a thin streak of pink that alerts us to the dawn's approach. Until this book was published, Young's, "Lon Po Po" hadn't an illustrative equivalent. Now it has.

If there is one thing about this book that makes it a little confusing, it's Young's refusal to name Yeh-yeh's son/Wangal's father. I had to skip back and forth through the text to figure out who exactly was taking who to the temple steps and why. If Young had named the unnamed father, it would have cleared up a lot of confusion along the way. Otherwise, once kids have the gist of the story they'll never quibble with such details. This is the kind of book that will deeply influence child readers on a thoughtful and almost painfully beautiful level. I gush. I apologize. But if you get a chance, definitely check out, "I, Doko" on your next trip to the library or bookstore. It hasn't gotten itself a lot of attention. Amend this.

The book illustrates and studies many new, as well as older well known theories behind the Lutyens Delhi Plan. Volwahsen demonstrates a tremendous amount of research as well as insight that has gone into the subject, which in turn, make you think for yourself.
A must for anyone remotely interested in the subject.

As someone who lives and works in New Delhi, I've often thought that Raj Path (the Central Vista) reminded me of Washington DC and Paris, and now my suspicions have been confirmed thanks to Volwahsen. I've been to most of the prominent buildings built by the British in New Delhi and the author does them justice. The book is beautifully illustrated and supported by numerous maps and photos. The text is well-written and knowledgable.

My only criticism (a minor one) is that Volwahsen at times assumes that the reader has more than a general knowledge of architecture. For example, he frequently refers to the "stupa" without ever really defining it (a sort of Buddhist roof style). I would have added an appendix with a listing of architectual terms used along with definitions and context.

This should not detract from anyone's decision to read Volwahsen's work, however, as he has done a masterful job. I heartily recommend this book.

Wow, this book is incredible, it is quite frankly a perfect book on this subjuct. This book does not leave one leaf unturned, it has amazing B&W photos and the research is impecable, I just kept thinking, this took a great deal of time and effort to put together, that it had to have been a labor of love or they would have never gotten through it. The effort by the British Raj to build Imperial New Delhi from scratch in two decades is a tribute to British imperial power at its zenith. Whether you think it was wrong or right of the Raj to brand its imperial power on India forever, in the form of Western classical meets Indian mogul, you can't help but be blown away by the scope and beauty of Imperial Delhi. Anyone who has any, I mean any, interest in this subject should buy this book, they will not be disappointed, it is a facinating story of the ultimate colonial power and its effect on this amazing country called India. I will have this book in my collection forever and if you knew me you would know that this is high praise indeed.

Very interesting account of an Eurasian American college student's search for his ancestors in China. This book is a real page turner, even for those who have no interest or knowledge of China. Travelers will get a realistic overview of the Chinese history and culture. Very Funny! Well worth the price!

This book was so amazing I read it twice! It is a funny, witty, educational story which really makes you feel like a part of the author's journey. His story is honest and fullfilling. The reader does not even need know much about China to be greatly entertained. I would suggest this book to anyone. I hope the author writes again...Horray for Beadle Lu!

This book combines the funniest "travel stories" I have ever read with lots of useful information including history, very practical travel tips, and a wonderfully insightful analysis of how recent changes in China have affected her people. The author steadfastly avoids any and all "travelogue cliches"- his account is all the more hilarious (and informative) for its brutal honesty.

In addition to all of this, there is a delightful plot twist (related to the title) that is both touching and hysterically funny. (And good plot twists are sometimes hard to find in travel memoirs.) This is one of the most entertaining books I have ever read!

This is one of the better books written on Taj Mahal, Taj Mahal was built by the Mughals (Muslim emporers) who were the greatest people when it comes to invent & innovate art & architecture, they (Mughals) blessed pre-British India (India & Pakistan region)with their wonderful architecture, I highly recommend it, also I think the following two books will be excellent to add to your collection

1)Taj Mahal by Jean-Louis Nou

2)The Taj Mahal (Great Buildings) by Christine Moorcroft,

This book is very well written..I just got it somedays back..& let me say that this is one of the good books I have read..it takes us back to the mystical era of the Mughals (Mughlas were Muslim emporers who invaded present India & Pakistan region & created beautiful architectures Taj Mahal (Agra, India), Badshahee Mosque(Lahore, Pakistan)) & a lot of other architectures & gardens) this books describes their (Mughals) life style...I definitely reccomend it...but the best thing you can do is go to India & Pakistan yourself & see their architecture for yourselves...during my stay in Lahore (Pakistan) I visited different Mughal architectures & one garden built my Mughals..it was wonderful..I visited a Mughal fort (in Lahore) in the fort their was a thing which really caught me...their was a very big water pool..& right in the middle of that water pool was a small square shape marble made sitting place for Mughal women & it was connected by a marble path to the end of the pool...& I was like wowwww....these Mughals were I think the only emporers in the world with a sense of building beautiful architecture..I think other emporers destroyed the architecture but never bothered to built any architecture..but the Mughals not only did they built the architecture..but they built one of the best that can be seen..I have seen Taj Mahal in Agra, India (built by Mughal emporer Shah Jehan) for his dead wife..thats really a touching piece of architecture...then there is a Mosque in Lahore (Pakistan)..Badshahee mosque..the architecture & the beauty of this mosque is wonderful..their are many other architectures (Forts & Gardens)..though most of their architecure is mosques)...you can only enjoy their architecture if you see it with your own eyes ...ok I think now I will shut up..heheh & let you enjoy this book :)

One of the most astonishing cultures in history, the Mughals created art and architecture that continue to delight and astonish. There society successfully mixed two divergent religions, Islam and Hinduism, in ways that we today can only regard with wonder.

Rothfarb has presented the most delightful and provocative introduction to time in history that I can imagine (I have read probably 45 books on the period and visited India a few times). He ties together not only Mughal culture, but India's ancient past, its religion, its mores, and culture showing the Mughals in a far wider and more accessible context than any other book I have seen. If I were to write a nonfiction book about this culture, this is the book I would want to write.

While targeted (apparently) at juveniles, it is more than suitable for adults as well.

If this is your subject, this is your book.

I'm so glad that I found this book after having been to Egypt and Jordan/Petra because this book has given me insight into the original means of transportation within the Middle East. Stephens' writing style is pure poetry and is a true joy to read. The English language has evolved, but has not improved since his day. To read this book is a true treat for the mind and adventurer.

After having had a private guided tour where we did not have to secure a boat that had been scuttled to save it from indentured service to the Pasha, and we did not have to obtain camels and goods as well as questionable guides that might slit our throats in the desert for our money, I could appreciate our accommodations much more.

To have been an adventurer then was much more of a true adventure. While I may have had a massage on the top deck of the cruise ship on the Nile at dusk, which made me feel like Cleopatra, I by no means was an adventurer of Stephens' stature and could appreciate the true effort it was to make the same trip 150+ years ago.

The Bedouins of today are not much different than the days of yore. We did not have to sneak into Petra from over the mountains, but did sit down to coffee and tea provided by them. They still live in tents, but many are now driving top end Mercedes instead of camels. :)

After reading that he shot a pigeon at Denderah and shot out an eye of Hathor, I had to go back and look at my pictures to see if I could find that statue at the temple!

If you go to Egypt or Petra, I recommend reading this book after the trip because it has much more meaning then.

This book is a true treasure and I can see why a book written by a man who was born over 200 years ago is still in print! I can only hope that it will stay in print for another 200 years so that "modern" people can appreciate the arduous travails of yore.

At the very beginning of Stephens' travelogue, he explains to the careful reader the methodology he used to validate the legitimacy of his writing. I thought it brazen of him, and since he falsified this "rationalization for writing" under such a guise, at times I did not know whether to believe him or not. He did have a quaint deadpan, tongue-in-cheek demeanor.
I thought it funny that just after our returning from Poughkeepsie, (New York) I was reading about his traveling through Poughkeepsie!
Little nuances such as "... with all the extravagance of Eastern hyperbole..." (page 233) dot the pages.
Throughout the book, there are many wonderful learning experiences such as "...I remember I had a long discourse about the difference between the camel and the dromedary. Buffon gives the camel two humps, and the dromedary one; and this, I believe is the received opinion, as it had always been mine; but, since I had been in the East, I had remarked that it was exceedingly rare to meet a camel with two humps. I had seen together at one time, on the starting of the caravan of pilgrims to Mecca, perhaps twenty thousand camels and dromedaries, and had not seen among them more than half a dozen with two humps. Not satisified with any explanation from European residents or travelers, I had inquired among the Bedouins; and Toualeb, my old guide, brought up among camels, had given such a strange account that I never paid any regard to it. Now, however, the sheik told me the same thing, namely, that they were of different races, the dromedary being to the camel as the blood-horse is to the cart-horse; and that the two humps were peculiar neither to the dromedary nor the camel, or natural to either; but that both are always born with only one hump, which, being a mere mass of flesh, and very tender, almost as soon as the young camel is born a piece is sometimes cut out of the middle for the covenience of better arranging the saddle; and, being cut out of the center, a hump is left on either side of the cavity; and this, according to the account given by Toualeb, is the only way in which two humps ever appear on the back of a camel or dromedary. I should not mention this story if I had heard it only once; but, precisely as I had it from Toualeb, it was confirmed with a great deal of circumstantial detail by another Bedouin, who, like himself, had lived among camels and dromedaries all his life; and his statement was assented to by all his companions. I do not vie this out as a discovery made at this late day in regard to an animal so well known as the camel; indeed, I am told that the Arabs are not ignorant of that elegance of civilized life called "quizzing." I give it merely to show how I wiled away my time in the desert, and for what it is worth.2 In spite of Stephens' information, zoologists still classify camels as Dromedary (one hump) and Bactrian (two humps)." (Pages 241-242).
I never quite understood the evacuation and continuous abandonment of Petra until Stephens stated: '...in reference to the interpretation of the prophecy, "None shall pass through it for ever and ever,'I can say that I have passed through the land of Idumea..."(Page 306)."...because the Bedouins would always be lying in wait for travelers..." (Page 266.)
Do absorb the explanation and vivid description of POOLS OF SOLOMON on page 327 and The traditions of prayer at The Wailing Wall on pages 368-369.
I had just gotten half-way through this book the night (5-27-02) my father own died, and how I wished that I could be able to share my findings, my questions I need answered, and discuss this book with him!

Mr. Sthepens was a great traveler and writer too, he made easy to follow his travels and gave his very personal point of view ot those days. In particular I like his graphic description of the conditions that people lived in the past. I recomend it to everybody all ages.

The plain title does not begin to do justice to the richness and diversity of the contents. The numerous lightly sepia-toned photographs, many full-page and one a panoramic fold-out, are especially handsome as well as informative as to Indian buildings, royalty and their traditional wear, ordinary Indians, ruins, and landscapes and nature scenes. But even with these, the book is more than only a distinctive album of vintage photos of India. Essays by art historians and critics go into various aspects of the project engaged in by native Indians and colonial British to record India in all its diversity and foreignness with the new device of the camera, as if to preserve India before it would be touched by the machinery and pace of the modern world.

Different native and colonial photographers were attracted to different aspects of India during the decades covered. Some concentrated on pictures of different ethnic groups; some on portraits of royalty; while others recorded the British administrative and military presence. With essays on several of the leading photographers, the book is also a survey of the field of photographic work done in India in the mid to late 1800s and into the early 1900s. Thus, "India Through the Lens" can be appreciated both for its exceptional, engaging photographs and as a introduction to the subject of photography in India.

A visual reference of museum quality for researchers, or just people interested in this country.

This book accompanies an exhibition of photography collection of India for the period 1840-1911. These images are produced more than hundred years ago, during the early ages after photography was invented. Indian and foreigner found photography as magic, when using their camera to capture the surrounding environment to image. It covers powerful images about landscapes, people, architecture, etc from India.

the collection of these rare pictures of the time of british raj in india is gorgeous. reading this book is like visiting a museum. brilliant job done