This book elucidates the greatest and most inspiring teachings of Hinduism, and yet does so in a way which is full of humor and wit and shows the universality of the teachings and their immediate relevance for daily life. Special technical terms and other boring academic BS are virtually nonexistent, and the book's filled with lots of clever little stories and fables to illustrate the teachings. Swami Satchidananda is a true master of the pun; he alerts us to the dangers of egoism, for example, by reminding us how the word 'mine' -- meaning 'belonging to me' -- can also mean something treacherous that's just waiting to explode on us when we step on it!

Fun and light-hearted, yet also enlightening, heartening, uplifting and utterly profound. Can't recommend it too highly.

As dramatic as that claim sounds, this book entered my life when I desperately needed help. It became a "bible" for me that got me though some very troubled waters...the simplicity of the language and the depth of Swami Satchidananda's sincerity has had a profound effect on me. I read it at least once a year...and I give it as a gift to very special friends who are ready for the message, which changes with each new reading! All that, plus Peter Max's artwork! A great library addition.

I bought this little book as a Peter Max fan and was delightfully surprised by the simply written, pointed pearls of the Swami's wisdom. It is the kind of book that you can just randomly read when you want to be uplifted, or a lovely gift appropriate for art lovers as well as anyone at the beginning...or in the middle of...life's journey.

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!

From page one, this book has you yearning to get outside and cast a line. The amazing photography and the author's attention to detail really captures the true beauty of each destination visited during the author's epic fly-fishing expedition across the globe. Any avid fly-fisherman or anyone interested in finding out about great places to fly-fish around the world should buy this book.

I have been fly fishing avidly for 20 years and have read several books on the subject. This work is by far the best piece I have come across. Anyone who is interested in fly fishing will find this book truly enjoyable - I consider it a must have for any enthusiast.

Everybody has a friend (a relative, a mate!) who lives to fish. This book's for her. Well, there are lots of good fishing books. This one interested me because it looked at fishing as a cross-cultural experience, as one of those things that defines us as being part of the same species. The author and some National Georgraphic-class photographers went around the world and brought back stories and images that made me feel better about being alive and liking to fish.

Alexander, The Old Town Mouse is one of my sons' and my favorite books! My 3 & 6 year old boys (and I) adore the detailed illustrations and the fun-filled story of Alexander's "mousequerade ball". Alexander's creativity is second only to that of the author & illustrator of this book.

This is just on of the Barnes' FABULOUS children's books!

I bought my 3 nieces a book and they love it when I read it to them -- very colorful and easy to follow along. It's a fun way to teach history about a very historic city.

this book is pretty cool. it has all the basic recipes, and complicated ones that are fun to make. there's also some good reading about how to set up your bar, how to get a job, and other good info. i didn't know anything before i picked up this book, but now i feel pretty good about bartending. i definitely recommend this.

This books gives the basics of bartending covering many aspects from ustensils to effects of alcohol. It is designed to let you be an efficient bartender as opposed to making up a drink with 3 random ingredients. Hence no list of 10,000 cocktails just the ones you MUST know plus a few fun ones. Despite this no-nonsense approach, the tone is humorous and makes this guide fun reading.

This is the version used in my college Shakespeare courses, way back in 1972! It was lost in a housefire, and I haven't seen it since. The one hundred page introduction is dense and rich in historical detail. This IS the best version I have ever encountered. What a find!

This is the most excelent compliation of the works of William Shakespeare that I have ever seen. The introductions to the works are thorough and the footnotes are easily understandable. I highly recomend this book to any Shakespeare fan

I enjoyed this book very much. A must for anyone interested in Tchaikovsky's life, yet seen through the eyes of people who were close to him. Highly Recommended!

This is a marvelous book about Tchaikovsky compiled of diary entries from his contemporaries with commentaries and analysis by Alexander Poznansky. It is the best kind of biography that makes him seem very real, coming to life off the page. It begins in his school years and continues with a variety of rare diaries and letters of people who came in contact with him and kept journals or notes. It covers the entire social range from princes to valets, so we get quite a variety of observations from the intellectual esoteric to the very "earthy." We see not only Tchaikovsky the great composer, but also the student, the philosopher, the scholar, the workman, the card player, the bon vivant, the unsuitable suitor. It also includes explanations and diaries of his ill-fated marriage and many details of his rich personal life. The conflicts and turning points of Tchaikovsky's career and life are well illustrated. Each chapter is chronologically organized with often the inclusion of several diarists, most of whom are included in the copious illustrations. Poznansky begins each chapter with a biographical essay describing the importance of the contributor and the events of Tchaikovsky's life. The comprehensive scholarship is impeccable and the style superb. Poznansky is one of the only serious scholars, who can put together a well researched biography with style, flair and clarity that will satisfy the most stringent musicologist, while also entertaining and moving any Tchaikovsky admirer.

I have always been Paton's admire. His tool of words in acting against the injustices that took part in South Africa, draw me closer to his books.

Finally, someone decides to honor this unbeleagured figure. Our white captain!

This is an edition of the complete works of Shakespeare that I keep next to my bed. No heavier than a large fashion magazine and absolutely readable, it is my favorite. The glossary is useful, the commentary is brief, and the cover folds back for comfortable beach reading. This edition brings Shakespeare into focus as an intimate whose work and life and suffering are not in any way distant from ours. Given the genius of the work, this particular edition encourages an easier relationship because the book itself is so easy to use.(When no one's around, pull it out and read a speech or two aloud) An excellent any-occasion gift that will be used and appreciated, especially by students, because it is so very convenient!

This line-by-line commentary by a classical scholar is written for non-specialists. It is keyed to the popular translation by R. Lattimore, used in many college courses. Jones points to special features of the poem (such as "ring composition"), explains place names and other obscure phrases, and suggests interpretations of various scenes. There is a wealth of information here. Rather than summarizing the poem (like Monarch notes and other shortcuts around the reading process), this commentary is designed to make your reading deeper and more historical.