This is the most complete and faithful translation of Journey to the West I have yet found. It is the third version of the story I've read, and unlike those other versions ("Adventures of Monkey King"/ISBN 0962076511 and "Monkey : A Journey to the West [ABRIDGED]"/ISBN 1570625816), it contains the complete and unabridged story, preserving very faitflly both the style and content of the original story.

This extreme faithfulness is both a strength and a weakness. It's a strength in that you get a real feeling for the scope of the original work, and you get to hear all the interesting little back-stories and side-stories that make Journey to the West one of the great works of Chinese literaure. It's a weakness because these stories often seem completely irrelevant, and may be quite confusing to someone who is not familiar with Chinese culture and religion.

For example, every time something happens in Heaven, Hell or in the palace of the Tang Emperor, the book includes a complete list of everyone who attended. In Heaven, at least, many of the names are descriptive (names of stars, constellations, etc.) and are therefore translated. In the Tang Emperor's palace, though, you'll get a list of 10 or 20 names in Chinese, and only some of the names ever get stories attached to them in the book (and I challenge any non-Chinese speaker to remember the names when they do show up again).

There's also a lot of poetry, and though the translations are good, translated poetry can never equal the original. In one sequence, a fisherman and a woodsman argue in verse for 10 or more pages of very small type, frequently singing songs set to tunes few non-Chinese would recognize by name. These characters are important only in that the end of their conversation sets up a conflict, so the only purpose of the sequence is to provide a chance to read the poetry. It's good poetry, to be sure, but it really can drag a bit.

You can't just automatically skip over all the poems, as you might do with Tolkien, either. Elements of the story are often told in verse. You can usually skim if you're not interested in a particular bit of verse, but don't skip it entirely.

The structure of the work is also surprisingly complex at times, especially given its age. It will at times veer far from the main thrust of the story to recount the entire life history of a character, and has many side stories that somehow tie back into the main plot several chapters later. You may at times find yourself wondering just why the author chose to include a particular bit of story, but there's almost always a payoff waiting somewhere down the line.

Another problem is that the style of the storytelling is not very concise. If someone in the story needs to recount what has happened to them, you'll get a second, (fortunately much abridged) version of an earlier portion of the story, written as dialog, this time. You could make similar sorts of complaints about many of the early great works of English fiction, or probably just about any other country's older fiction, so this is not really a strong criticism given the work's great age, but I often found myself wishing the author (or the translator) had just written, "he told them what had happened" and left it at that.

There were also many quirks of the translation that bothered me. The word "memorial" was used throughout instead of "memorandum". It took me quite a while to figure out that was what was going on. I read all of the abridged translation that also made the same mistake throughout, but still didn't figure it out until I was several chapters into this one.

Will all these complaints, you're probably wondering why I gave the book 4 stars. The fact is, for all its faults and quirks, "Journey to the West" is still one of the greatest works of fiction ever written. The Monkey King is without a doubt my favorite character in any work I have ever read or watched. The story of his journey is a brilliant parable on the jouney to enlightenment, while at the same time a story of great humor and exciting action. It also provides fascinating insight into the history and traditional culture of China.

If you want to get the whole story and can't read Chinese, this edition is your absolute best bet. (Indeed, it's pretty much your only bet.) Some of the other translations may be a faster read, but none are as satisfying.

Journey to the West is probably the most well-known tale amongst Chinese folk the world over. It is a story that has been adapted in the form of operas, television series, cartoons and movies many times over. To be able to read a complete and unabridged version of this epic is a joy indeed. My only regret is that as a Western-educated Chinese, I am not able to read this masterpiece in it's original language. Although the translator does a very good job at translating the book, I am sure many nuances and subtleties of the Chinese language have been lost in the translation.

The story is a simple one. Set during the early Tang dynasty (the peak of Chinese civilisation), a holy Buddhist monk has to travel from China to India to collect the true Mahayana Buddhist scriptures from the Lord Buddha himself, in order to bring enlightenment to his fellow country men. The journey is a long and ardous one, not least because numerous demons lie waiting in ambush for a chance to capture and eat the monk, as his holy body will confer immortality on whoever eats it. Thus, the Goddess of Compassion assembles a strange group of bodyguards for the monk: the proud and mischievous Monkey, the lustful and greedy Pig, the loyal and steadfast Friar Sand, and a Dragon Prince transformed into a horse. Their various adventures are so full of humor and wacky hijinks that I cannot help myself from laughing out from time to time. Monkey is the ultimate Chinese version of the universal trickster-hero. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book. You will not regret it for a moment.

This is a wonderful translation of the Journey to the West. It is an unabridged translation, therefore it is 3 books long. But it is worth it. Not only is it written clearly, but it keeps the style of the original, meaning that interwoven between pharagraphs of prose are poems. This give the book a wonderful charm that the abridged, prose versions lack. The ancient Chinese thought, such as yin and yang, Daoism, Chinese Buddhism, also give the book an authentic flavor that enriches the experience of reading this classic. It is still the same wonderful story of the michevous Monkey King, his difficulties with the gods in heaven, and his redeeming pilgramage with the Buddhist monk/priest Sanzang to find sutras. For anyone seriously interested in this story and who doesn't read Chinese, this is the edition for them!

Overall, I found Lonely Planet's guide more informative and definitely more accurate than Let's Go's. However, I must thoroughly agree with other readers--the book does a severe injustice to Eastern Germany. While Eastern and Western Germany are once again one country, they continue to be very different in many respects. LP judges Eastern Germany with very Western German eyes, not recognizing the fascinating history and culture that lies within this region. Lonely Planet--improve your Eastern Germany section!

Also, more information could be included about Germany's various Nature Parks. While they don't rival the National Parks of the states, they are beautiful nonetheless and offer tons of opportunities for exploring.

THE LONELY PLANET GERMANY is among the most complete travel guides on the market. Far superior to similar books presented by its better known competitor, THE LONELY PLANET GERMANY presents travel in Germany to the widest range of budgets, from elegant to thrifty. It describes a wider range of sites to visit than any other guidebook I've seen, and offers good advice toward the widest range of entertainment interests. THE LONELY PLANET GERMANY should be the first book you buy when planning any trip to Germany, and it would serve well as your only guidebook.

Great book. Lots of nice information. Compact design so you can actually travel with it. The Frommer's book I just bought is already falling apart! A nice bonus is the history section at the start.

A few months ago I read Howard Zinn's pre-september 11th book "Zinn on War." I found it extremely touching and thought provoking. Zinn once again captures that feeling with the newest book from the Open Media publishing movement.

"Terrorism and War" is a collection of interviews (both Zinn and Chomsky are at their best when speaking, as their writing is too scholarly.) Throughout, Zinn speaks about our need and Constitutionally protected right to dissent, or more specifically, our right to oppose war.

Packed with news accounts and historical facts (10% of the book is notes and index), Zinn systematically proves that the war on terrorism, as currently being waged, is not a just response and will only make things worse in the future. He is not opposed to a response, even a violent one, but he feels that the bombing of Afghanistan and the targeting of Iraq are unjust and incredibly harmful to us.

Read this book, then debate the war with someone you know who either supports it or is unsure. There is a very large group of people who, if given a dose of truth, will start seeing both sides of the story. Save yourself the time and ignore the ones who actively support the war, they will just call you un-American and nothing you say will change their closed hawkish minds.

Highly recommended - Discuss this book!!

In this collection of interviews, Zinn does what he does best: telling it like it is in thirty words or less. Framed by the incisive questions of interviewer and editor Anthony Arnove, Zinn's commentary ranges from the so-called "war on terrorism" to the recession to the assault on civil liberties, providing a compact yet comprehensive overview of the current political moment.

Zinn puts the tragic events of September 11th in perspective by sewing a "Made in U.S.A." label on terrorism: "In its foreign policy, the United States has consigned several million people to their deaths and supported terrorist governments in various parts of the world ...You might say that there is a reservoir of possible terrorists among all those people in the world who have suffered as a result of U.S. foreign policy."

He goes on to expose the hypocrisy of the "war on terrorism," noting that, "There is a precise division between who we bomb and who we do not bomb. The division has nothing to do with which countries are harboring terrorists. The division has only to do with which countries we don't control yet. The countries that we control, like Turkey and Saudi Arabia, can harbor as many terrorists as they want. We will look elsewhere."

While Zinn's treatment of the Bush administration is never less than scathing, he sees no alternative in the Democratic party, "which has played such a pitifully obsequious role in this whole affair."

Instead, Terrorism and War is remarkable for its faith in the power of ordinary people. Zinn and Arnove, who between them seem to have read everything ever written, quote activists and revolutionaries from Frederick Douglass to Eugene Debs to Emma Goldman to illustrate the fact that the US government has always used war and repression to achieve its ends-and that it has always been resisted. By rooting today's anti-war movement in a tradition of struggle, they open a window to hope and practical advice from the past.

Though in one of the earlier essays, Zinn presents some rather unconvincing solutions to the problems of war and terrorism-calling on the US to be "a more modest nation," that no longer "[needs] to be a superpower," by the end of the book, he acknowledges that there will be no end to war without an end to capitalism: "[T]he left is in a position of continually opposing war after war after war, without getting at the root of the problem-which is the economic system under which we live, which needs war and makes war inevitable."

Howard Zinn puts forth two most important points in this book. Firstly, governments lie. Secondly, war is another form of terrorism. In these days of mass hysteria about terrorism and cries for war, these points should be drilled in the minds of people who blindly believe in what the government is telling them to achieve their war objectives for financial gains. He puts to rest the argument that "We are a peaceful nation" as stated by George W. Bush, by bringing forth various example showing that our government has been the aggressor in several conflicts in this century. History should not be forgotten as we are once again repeating the terrible mistakes we have made in the past.
He questions the need for the US to become a military superpower with over $300 billion annual military budget when for a small fraction of this money, millions of people dying of diseases throughout the world could be saved.
Indeed, in these days of misplaced patriotism, people like Zinn are called traitors when in fact, it should be people like Zinn who have defined democracy by questioning the government and questioning the true motives of those in power. Governments lie, and lie a lot for personal gains.

If you want advice on how to be an effective and honest communicator, Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson have written an entire book about it, Age of Propaganda: the everyday use and abuse of persuasion (265 pages. W.H. Freeman and Company). Pratkanis and Aronson give their own accounts of how propaganda impacted their childhood. Aronson recalls how he felt about the "evil Germans" and "sneaky Japanese" while growing up in the 1940s. Pratkanis lost his naïveté when the Watergate scandal broke. He would later come to the realization that all politicians lie and cheat. The two authors attempt to educate the reader regarding propaganda and persuasion. Their goal is have the reader able to identify devices used, what makes them effective, and how to counteract their effectiveness without becoming a pessimist. All the chapters were enlightening; some stood out more than others and were able to give good "heads up" advice. The authors give the reader the inside track on how advertisers promote their products, a "buyer beware" sort of infomercial. Companies use words such as new, quick, easy, improved, now, suddenly, amazing, and introducing to sell their products. The authors further expose merchants by explaining how they make certain brands more accessible than others by placing them at eye level. Additionally, the consumer is informed that ads using animals, babies, or sex sell the product more successfully than advertisers that use cartoons or historical figures. The buyer is also cautioned on how merchants place products at the end of a supermarket aisle or near the checkout aisle; this strategy catches the consumer's eye and lures them into the "I gotta have it, can't live without it" frame of mind. The authors introduce the reader to a sociologist named David Phillips; the sociologist has made predictions which have been startlingly accurate. For one of his predictions, he had gathered information regarding deaths, which occurred after heavyweight championships. His research uncovered this information: homicide rates rose significantly after 3 to 4 days following a fight. He was also able to conclude that the victims were similar to the fighter beaten in the bout. For example, if a white male was beaten, then murders of young white males increased. The same was true if it was a black opponent. Many people believe the media plays a role in the actions of some people, but no thought is given to how a boxing match could have such an impact on the homicide rate. This study is eerie, yet fascinating. Pratkanis and Aronson inform the reader that instilling fear is often the way we are persuaded to act on an idea. Life insurance agents use fear in order that we purchase policies to "protect our loved ones." Doctors use fear to insure that we take out medication. Even dentists show graphic pictures of rotting teeth so that we will floss and brush daily. The book was informative and enlightening. It makes one stop and think about how society is constantly being persuaded to think and act the way we do, in a conformist mode. The authors accomplish their goal by enabling the reader to identify devices used and either "go with the flow" or "not be taken for a ride."

Peoples' data-processing capabilities are limited. In the information-dense world people are unable to critically review all the information they receive. In order to be adequate to the situation, they resort to so-called heuristics, simple cues or rules for solving the problem. Heuristics are based on peoples' previous experience in similar situations. Although relying on heuristics is sometimes a useful way of dealing with the onslaught of the decision-rich environment, basing our decisions primarily on heuristics can present some problems. First, heuristic cues that we possess may be false. Furthermore, a rule may be appropriate in certain situations but be misapplied in others. Another serious problem is that heuristics can be easily faked and manipulated. Knowledge of heuristics enables propagandists to control peoples' course of action.

The authors did a research of propaganda techniques and set four stratagems of persuasion:
1. You create favorable climate for the massage (called pre-persuasion). You subtly outline what picture has to be drawn in the end. Here you decide what way thoughts and perceptions of the audience will be shaped and channeled. Having established right basis for further discourse you secure the results you seek. At this stage you should identify some statements as axioms, i.e. 'what everyone takes for granted' and 'what everyone knows'. You attribute labels (positive or negative) to objects of further discussion, put black-or-white colors in non-disputable way. You use generalities to depict the situation - they are usually so ambiguous that you may change their meanings in the future. You use rumors and gossips.
2. You create a 'source credibility', i.e. establish a favorable image in the eyes of the audience. The message must come from 'experts' or 'unbiased' and, of course, personally attractive communicators. Try to switch on the self-persuasion mechanism of the audience.
3. You create a message that focuses the target's attention and thoughts on exactly what you want them to think about. Research has identified at least five conditions that are likely lead to heuristics. Heuristics are most likely to be used when people do not have time to think carefully about the issue, when they are so overloaded with information that it becomes impossible to process it fully, or when they believe that the issues at stake are not very important. Heuristics are also used when people have little other knowledge or information on which to base a decision and when a given heuristics comes quickly to mind as they are confronted with a problem.
4. You create an emotion of the target that will help you channel thoughts of audience in right direction. Fear appeals are most effective when they raise high levels of fear and suggest a doable and effective responses (the authors also explain why sometimes fear does not work). Guilt: once we are filled with guilt, our thoughts and behavior are directed towards ridding ourselves of this feeling that's where propagandists take advantage of us. Feeling of obligation and indebtedness: large initial request and immediate concession by the requester invokes the norm of reciprocity -we concede. Feeling of commitment based on our desire to be self-consistent. For example, to 'soften up' the target you make him involved in a much smaller aspect of the action. This serves to commit the individual to 'the case'. Once people are thus committed, the likelihood of their complying with the larger request increases. Another way is to show uniqueness of the offer (scarcity sells). Use the 'minimum group paradigm': You are on my side (never mind that I created the terms); now act like it and do what we say. Etc.

The book can be used by target audience to learn persuasion techniques and withstand or organize propaganda tricks. The book is entertaining, rich in vivid examples, and ... has everything to be a success in conveying authors' ideas. Instructive. Great read overall.

This is an excellent book which explains how the media, demagogues, politicains and marketers are able to gain compliance from their various publics. The use of lab studies and real world examples bring both theory and practice together. I have used this book for a class in propaganda since its first edition, and without fail students rave about the book in their course evaluations. It is a well-written book devoid of educationalese. This is an important book that provides the reader with genuine insight into a world of total propaganda and how as "cognitive misers" we allow ourselves to be manipulated.

I'm the type of person that feels I game has to be experenced in it's true form... I beat Final fantasy 7 without a guide, I've gotten through about half of Resident evil,FF8,and I've just about beat Crash 2 without the guides but I do like having them for second go rounds... most give you tips,maps, and well disired secrets, with the Final Fantasy games they list much needed items list, world maps, and weapons. all and all I feel they have their good points, but someone shouldn't rely on them for walkthroughs because that's part of the fun in playing... long time gamer... Rat BOy

Even though some people don't believe in strategy guide help to get the "full experience" out of a game, this book is a must have for any true Resident Evil fan! It takes you through each room, to every horrific monster, and to areas that are easily missed.

This book is the best book for this game, best game and best book, buy it as soon as humanly possible.

This book is a second edition of this title and it fixes many of the problems readers noted from the fitrst edition. I have used tons of the User Interface changes recommended in this book - and also used the TCP/IP changes to speed up my system running DSL dramatically. This book has more Regsitry changes in it that you can use right away than any other book of its kind out there!

WOW!! What else can I say, before I read this book I was scared to even look at the registry, now I am constantly making little changes that should save me thousands!! All I can say is if you are a Network Administrator using Win2K, this book should be tied to your keyboard on a string!! I hope this guy writes more.

Well, if you trust the opinion of one guy that issued a mere one star for the material, then you certainly aren't ready for the information in this book! However, if you're a genuine system administrator that needs to have easy access to detailed registry information without having to crawl the web, then this book is very well worth having. The whole point of the book is to delve deeper than GUI utilities like TweakUI and actually get to the meat of HOW things are done. Whether making registry changes from remote, via scripts, or locally, knowing where the right information is located is much more educational than shined up utilities.

While the book does go to some extremes in repeating some non-essential information, the overall value of the book is not badly diminished. I've been dealing with the Windows registry for years now, and I can't say that I have it all memorized. Grabbing a quick reference like this Little Black Book is a time saver... period.

I found this book hard to believe. He makes the capture of some of the most hardened criminals seem simply too easy. This book will go over well with anyone not willing to question some of the stories that he is pushing.

Joshua does an oversimplistic job of explaining all of societies problem. He never really goes into detail about solving any of them.... just keeps complaining about how noone is willing to evolve to stellar manhood.

He also does a not so subtle job of pushing ancient egyptian philosophy or some would say occultic practices. Whatever helps him to do his job....It's a nice read but don't take it too seriously.

The book will make for a good movie because most of it is pretty far-fetched.

The Seekers is an exhilarating tale of Joshua Armstrong's life. The story is an intriguing mix of ancient philosophies, modern day street smarts and extraordinary compassion.

Armstrong founded the Seekers, which is a group of bounty hunters that work out of New Jersey. Unlike other bounty hunters who have less than a 50% success rate, the Seekers have an 85% success rate and have captured over 2000 bail jumpers.

Armstrong is constantly trying to become a "stellar man" and it is this journey of discovery as well as the thrilling adventure of some of his most famous captures that make this tale so captivating.

Where else can you read about Egyptian philosophy, mad bombers, spiritual enlightenment and drug dealers all in one place?

The best part about this book is the stories. Armstrong grows up in New Jersey, and eventually ends up on the west coast, where he is first really exposed to the criminal element. While working on a fishing boat in Alaska, he gets his first experience bounty hunting while trying to earn some extra money. He is not impressed with the guy he was working with, but was intrigued by the profession.

Armstrong goes on to found the Seekers, a group of bounty hunters who are professional, and respectable. His religion plays a part in the book, and is primarily seen in his attitude torwards the criminals he is trying to capture. He does not accept the fact that all of them are automatically evil, and frequently talks about how he is trying to let his mind grow, and that this is what the people he works with need to do as well. The religion is not an overwhelming part of the book, but if you are the sort of person who cannot read about a religious view that conflicts with yours without getting agitated, this is not the book for you.

The best part of the book is the stories about caputres he's made. As a bounty hunter, it is his job to track down people who were arrested, made bail, then did not return for their trial. A typical bounty hunter gets 5,000-25,000 a capture. Most of the chapters in the book describe memorable captures this bounty hunter has made either individually, or with the help of his organization. He would aquire information on his target, then track that person down and capture them in the most efficient and non-violent way possible. It is very interesting to hear about the situations he's been in, and how he survived them, and made the capture. It's a pretty easy book to read, and very engrossing.

David W. Barber is to music history what Victor Borge is to classical piano; both invigorate their subject with fresh humor and insight. This book is a wonderfully funny look at classical music, and it is all true! Read this book and you will know that classical music is not the stuffed shirt that many believe it to be. Barber's history is especially humorous for musicians and the musically savvy. One gets the impression that Barber has waded through many scholarly works to pull out these gems of information. It is easy to distinguish between the information and the embellishments, making this a perfect companion to any hard working music student. The illustrations by Dave Donald compliment the text perfectly and are also good likenesses of the composers. The text begins with a painless history of Gregorian Chant and proceedes through 20th Century music, discussing all of the big composers and the major movements in music history. I wholeheartedly recommend this! book to the musically educated and those who want to be.

David W. Barber is an excellent writer and writes about music history in a way that makes it highly enjoyable. It consoles the mind to know that even though they wrote incredible music, all of the famous composers were most definitely human. Bach, Beethoven, and the Boys is a fabulous book and I would recommend it to anyone who has any interest in music

This book is something more than just a fun read. True, David Barber has a wonderfully ludicrous, dare I say punny, sense of humor, but the vast majority of his material is ripped off - from music history books! Composers were strange, quirky people who often lived in strange, quirky times. So here we have a strange, quirky writer telling us all about them - what could be more fitting?

I do not believe that Piers Anthony was being exploitive in his publication of Letters To Jenny as one previous reviewer thought. This is a non-fiction work as all prospective purchasers should be aware of. This is a series of letters Mr. Anthony wrote to a very sick young fan over a span of several years. The letters are touching and entertaining and make for an easy read. I for one enjoy knowing a bit about the person who wrote the book I am reading so I am glad to have this opportunity. If the author's true motive was money I doubt this would ever have been published. Non-fiction works by fiction authors rarely sells as well as fiction.

If you are looking to see where Letters To Jenny ties in with the Xanth Series, don't.

The two have only one thing in common and that is Jenny Elfs portrayer...

Letters To Jenny is about a young persons life hanging in the balance after a cruel twist of fate and the hands of a drunk driver tried to end her precious life. I found most of the letters very insperational for her inner soul to heal, and hope to see what becomes of Jenny Elf in the Xanth series.

I gave this book 4 stars for the in depth information on the progress of this young persons daily tasks for life, and the heart of a wonderful writer to reach out and pull her back to the living.

It's folks like Piers Anthony and many others similar to him that help folks of all ages take a moment out of their hectic lives and dream of something more adventures.

As a Deaf Education major, I can appreciate the fact that Mr. Anthony took time to write letters to Jenny. There are many authors who would not have done as much. This book is a delightful experience for anyone. I loved to read about what had gone on in his family and what he was currently thinking about. Rarely have authors made me want to repond to them on a personal level. Mr. Anothony did.

After reading Letters to Jenny, I decided to write to him - and he wrote back!! =)

Before I bought this book, I did not know anything about LotusScript nor Visual Basic. Now I feel confident when creating scripts in forms and databases.

As a beginning developer I was trying to do everything with formulas because I found LotusScript a mystery. The book has unravelled the mystery in a very clear and logical way. The first few chapters explain the structure of LotusScript and are enough to get you comfortable using it. Later chapters give you hints and ideas of how to use more advanced scripting. I'm now using LotusScript without fear. The appendix, which contains a full description of classes, properties and methods is fantastic. I never bother with the on-line help now - I go straight to the book if I want to know what class to use, or which property/method will do the job.

I bought this book over a month ago and it has served me well in the way information is organized and presented. It would help if the Author covered a little more advanced sections on OLE Automation, NotesPump classes as well as ODBC. I find this book very resourceful even though I already have the 60 minute guide, the yellow books, the red books .. mainly because of the elegant presentation style of the Author. All example code has line by line explanations which help to understand the code easily.

Sid Bagali Principal CLP R4 Application Developer CLP R4 System Administrator