The Geiserts have made a book that can be enjoyed at many levels. At a basic level you have a lovely picture book about a small mountain town that has detailed pictures and is not too wordy. At another level a child can try to spot a blue car on each page and what experiences it has. On a more advanced level this book can promote a discussion of life in a small town and how the different seasons affect the lives of the folk who live there.

Mud and Water
A Collection of Talks by the Zen Master Bassui
Translated by Arthur Braverman

Bassui Tokusho lived from 1327 to 1387, and is a prime example of the eccentric Zen Master of ancient times. He had little use for the more formal aspects of Zen and through most of his life did not wear robes, recite sutras and the like; his Zen practice was simply sitting in zazen oblivious to all hardships and conditions.

Little wonder then, that his central message in Mud and Water, a collection of talks made towards the end of his life, is just this: Buddhahood is seeing into one's original nature. In fact the entire book can be reduced to this maxim, and it forms the kernel of meaning in each answer he gives to the variety of questions posed to him.

The form is the book is quite simple: it is a collection of questions asked by students with various backgrounds and concerns, and his (often extended) answers. Whether expounding the meaning of a selection from the sutras or commenting on religious practices of the day (both of Zen and other Buddhist sects), Bassui boils Buddhist practice down to this: Seeing into your own nature is Buddhahood. Bassui in fact demonstrates a broad familiarity with Buddhist literature and is able to use his knowledge to great effect with his more literal-minded questioners, but always he returns to his central message, the question that was for him the burning koan of his own life: Who is it?

Students of Zen in the West are most likely to be familiar with Bassui from the translation of his Dharma Talk on One-Mind and the collection of letters to his disciples published in Philip Kapleau's The Three Pillars of Zen. Mud and Water is a more extended group of variations on Bassui's favorite theme.

Arthur Braverman's scholarly translation is fluent and readable, if somewhat overburdened with footnotes. Of interest to the student of the history of Zen will be the concerns of Bassui's students as evidenced by their questions; these show the diversity of beliefs and practices current within the various Buddhist sects of Bassui's time.

The careful reader will be impressed with the deftness with which Bassui turns every question into an opportunity to expound his own message. But if you really want to understand Bassui's Zen, just ask yourself this: Who is it, right now, that is reading this review?

Francine and Brain wanted to get revenge for Muffy tricking the judges of the science fair,so they wrote love notes to her.

I read this book 12 or more years ago, and its stayed with me since. I finally concluded I must reread it to learn if what I saw in it then still holds. I've never before wanted to write a play as much as I did when I read this. Yes, its a pathological realtionship, but a fascinating one. If it were fiction D'd laugh at its improbability, but since its true, I find myself wondering at human need and resourcefulness in fulfilling that need.

After I read this book , I feel that I have learned something not only about music but life. I like the paragraph about the auther's attitude of happyness of life very much. If you have the original write of this paragraph ,please write to me.

This is the only mystery book written by Canon Doyle that does not have his world famous detective Sherlock Holmes. It is an excellent mystery which starts in British India, and then continues on in England. It is about revenge, torment and suffering which left me kind of sad in the end.

Although it's a useful dictionary for the debutants and young school boys & girls, you surely find so many absences of famous gods and heros in the myths of Greek & Romans.

This collection of essays contains all of Danto's now out-of-print Analytical Philosophy of History, plus a handful of other pieces. If you are interested in the methods and objectives of historical study, or in the kind of knowledge history may produce, you should read this book.

St. Clair uses brillant style in this text that defends his character. After reading this work, it is quite clear that the defeat of St. Clair's army at the hands of Little Turtle was not the old general's fault, but blame should be directed at the government for corruption.

This is a great book for anyone interested in early American history, or US - Native American warfare.

This is one of the oldest book - but its value will remain in my heart forever. Rousseau believes that every man is born with moral values and everyone knows what he's doing. There is no need of government nor any order because man can live on his own. This is a very interesting book that states the strong point of view of Rousseau. I've read this book and I agree with Rousseau - even though not completely. There are many more books like, Lord of the Flies that goes against the natural goodness of man. I find both of them to be interesting - as there are many approaches to life! So - if you want to know the true state of mankind - pick this book up and read! I'm sure you won't be dissappointed!