This little book is huge in terms of its presentation of a life lived exclusively by faith in God. It presents the life of a man who learned through the challenges and trials of 50 years of missionary outreach to inland China the faithfulness of God to supply every need. This book will touch your heart; it will challenge you with respect to your own commitment to trusting in the faithfulness of God, and it will encourage you to live by faith through the example of an ordinary man who did just that.

This book refreshed my spirit. It reminded me how good God is and how all things work together for good to them that love God. This book included excerpts and stories of Mr. Taylor's exploits in China.

I was amazed at the simplicity and honesty of the writing. It included his coming to faith, his struggles as a Christian, and him abiding in Jesus Christ in different situations. During times of crisis and during times of rejoicing, the constant in Mr. Taylor's life was the faithfulness of a loving God. I was deeply moved and humbled by his life.

Whether you want to be a missionary or just wondering what God's will is for your life, this book provides insight through the example of Hudson Taylor's life. An awesome read!

I was impressed with not only how much Taylor loved the Chinese people. But how much he trusted God for all of the needs in his life. And all of the things he accomplished. The medical center he established. And how he trusted God for the medical supplies. An inspiring little book.

Dean LeBaron has crafted an insightful volume that is part travelogue, part cultural analysis, and part memoir. The resulting book will bring you up-close and personal with the forces that shaped the two great cultures of Russia and China. The text is adorned with vignettes, anecdotes, parables and humor that keep the read as entertaining as it is weighty. We from getAbstract strongly recommend this book to anyone looking to understand two countries that have greatly influenced the last century of human history and will play a central role in the next.

This first-hand account of some of the most momentous events of the twentieth century is an extremely compelling read. The account is lucid and engaging, but it's the analysis that takes it over the top. It was a pleasure to read.

I'm a graduate student, earning my MBA at Stanford, and I just have one point to make: Dean LeBaron deserves all of our attention and respect. Here's a man who risked his (considerable) reputation to help transform the economies of Russia and China. And unlike the most folks these days (dare I mention Enron), he wasn't in it just for the money. LeBaron is a thoughtful, insightful, highly original analyst. Read this book and you will discover, as he writes, that "nothing is as contrary as reality." I can't wait for his next book.

I have had this book for 3 months and still have not put it down. Great source to I.D. all kinds of china and the date codes. I can't wait for Volume 3!

I have been using both of Mrs. Conroy's books extensively for the past 2 months in preparing for the biggest research project I have ever done with restaurant, railroad, steamship, and hotel china. Book 2 on the date codes has been a lifesaver. It was not until about 2 months ago that I really realized just how much time and effort she had put into it making these possible. Having a handy reference (especially for backstamp dating of pieces) is beyond valuable. It is a "masterpiece."

A superb reference book for the serious collector / dealer. The appendix sections devoted to distributors, restaurants and hotel chains are special interest. Often collectors interests are in a narrow field - such a book helps to widen their appreciation of other collecting opportunities.

In considering Ralph Sawyer's translation of "The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China" one must look at the work from two angles. First, one must consider the quality of the translation, and how well the author has set the historical stage for the piece. Second, one must consider the pieces themselves, and their pertinence to modern strategic thinking.

Regarding the first issue, Sawyer has done a superb job in both his translation, and in his historical research. The prose is easy to read and understand, but the essential, almost poetic, essence of the original language has not been sacrificed. Furthermore, each piece is prefaced by a brief, but detailed, overview of the work including a biography of the author, or possible authors, and a synopsis of the historical context in which the work was created. In addition, the book is heavily footnoted, which allows the reader to fully comprehend each piece, without the primary texts being chopped up.

Regarding the second angle, I was genuinely astonished by how pertinent theses works are to modern military thinking. For such primitive (chronologically, not intellectually) works, they do a superb job of capturing the key elements of strategic thinking: maneuver, logistics, terrain, combined arms and command hierarchy. Moreover, they are extremely sophisticated in their consideration of Grand Strategy and the mobilization of the population. While these works are by no means a blue print for a modern army (the codes of conduct are draconian, to say the least), they undoubtedly provide a framework for the analysis/planning of modern operations.

This is truly a superb work that captures both the philosophical and the practical aspects of some of the most ancient books on the planet. Furthermore, it is a fascinating look at ancient Chinese history. It is truly a must read for anyone interested in military theory or international relations, particularly with China once again ascendant on the world stage.

Ralph D. Sawyer's translations is a must have for anyone studying military thought and theory or martial arts. This translation brings to the Western reader the ideas set down by these wise men of the past. My friends who do read Chinese say this translations is one of the best English versions. Many business professionals like to say how "Business is war" and use these warriors' thought, but here the Saywers show that the ideas set down in these classics are for the warrior and especially for peace. A lost business deal pales in comparison to what a warrior faces when he/she looses in combat. These seven classics are a wonderful guide to one who wishes to live a martial and peaceful life.

Sawyer translates seven of ancient china's military classics and does it in a very thourough, informative, and highly readable way. I have read translations of the Art of War from Griffith, Cleary, and Sawyer and I found Sawyers version to be by far the most readable, as well as the most informative. If you want to study the ancient military texts this is simply a must read. To complete your collection I would also recommend Sawyers translation of Military Methods by Sun Pin.

I'm from Brazil, and here we have only few notices about the situation in Tibet. It's not easy to me to read in english, but it's the only way to be aware of the terrible situation on Tibet. Sky Burial is one of these books that bring us some conscience and desire to make something to help those people and that country. Since I read this excellent book , I don't buy chinese goods anymore and I do the possible to talk about the tibetans reality with my family and my friends. We, all the people of the world must help Tibet from the chinese hands, before it's to late.

Add this book to Tears of Blood By Mary Craig and In Exile From the Land of Snows by John Avedon and Whispered Prayers by Steven Harrison. It is important to understand the brutal nature of China and what buying the "Made in China" label supports in both the government and those who control manufacturing and trade. Read, understand and act. This and other books will break your heart that the U.S. wants to become a business partner with the horror that is the government of China.

i recomend this book to everyone and if you are a tibetan you must read it. this is one of the best books i have read on tibet and it gives you a very vivid picture of the october 1,1987 uprising in Lahsa and the events that followed. it inspired me and it reminded me as a tibetan that there are thousands of tibetans right now as we go about our daily lives, that are imprisoned and being tortured mercilessly in a dark, damp cell in some corner of tibet. it reminded me that i have a responsibility as a tibetan towards the freedom of tibet. i constantly sobbed throughout the book as i learned more and more how the chinese relentlessy killed tibetans and tortured them with cattle prods, riffle butts, electric batons and all kinds of horrifying instruments. the book also includes numerous interviews with tibetan refugees who have escaped the tyranny of the red star. Blake Kerr later travels to Dharamsala and meets the Dalai Lama. the book is very well written and i enjoyed reading it and the scant humur used in it. go read it...

Garma C.C. Chang created a fluid and readable translation of this classic work, which is useful to any student of religion and folk tales. Central to the translation is the message of transforming human frailty into buddhahood. As a poet and musician, Milarepa chose to guide through song. Milarepa was both radical and loving to all whom he encountered. Mila, too, amply revealed his human frailty during the process of enlightenment. He not only overcame a series of personal tragedies, but also evolved into the consummate example of mastering the poisons of anger and revenge - transforming enemies into friends and bringing many to the dharma.

Milarepa is highlighted as an example of how anyone can achieve enlightenment through hard work and perserverance despite his or her past. He shows us that we can all transform our hearts.

This book is a treasure. I humbly suggest to readers with any kind of spiritual inclination that reading this book with care, attention, and some willingness to learn will earn one a lifetime companion. The nature of that companion (oneself, God, the Buddha-mind...) I leave to the scholars.

Milarepa is interested in practice and real work in the phenomenal world, even as he abandons the imperatives of that world order. Meher Baba asserted that Milarepa had attained the highest state of consciousness (or being, if you prefer) possible for one in human form to attain. Milarepa is important. His teaching style and emphasis on nondualism bears useful comparison to Sri Ramakrishna (see The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna) and Meher Baba (see God Speaks).

Good stuff. Enjoy!

In May 1992 I discovered Volume Two of this title on a shelf at Border's in Philadelphia. I opened the book and saw these lines: "The woes of life succeed one another Like the sea's incessent waves -- One has barely passed, before The next one takes its place. Until you are liberated, pain And pleasure come and go at random Like passers-by encountered in the street." (page 635) I felt in love with the text. I read the book from cover to cover and spent three months to track down Volume One and read it. If there is ever a marriage between Passion and Devotion, this book is an example. I wish Garma were still alive.

I love the way Ms. Cameron crafted Karma & Happiness--writing as if I am there with her, having a conversation. I'm fascinated with how her husband Mike joins in and adds insight with his different perspectives.
Ms. Cameron, who is a bio-ethicist, questions everything and tries to balance it on an ethical scale, which might vary according to the issues around a given problem. I love it! As she is learning, so am I. She describes Tibet so clearly that I almost feel as if I am traveling with her. Five Stars!

Miriam Cameron shares her journey to inner peace through various paradigms--both religious and secular. And as she comes closer to her center, she prepares for a trip to seek the perspectives of the Tibetan people. Fortunately, Ms.Cameron takes the reader with her and her spouse, Mike, on breath taking (literally) mountain bus rides to the center of Tibet. The reader listens in as they speak to Tibetan monks and nuns who fear the demise of their culture. However,the Tibetan people whose lives are committed to positiveness and compassion transcend the Chinese desecration and provide direct guidance for all who encounter these beautiful people. Reflective of their peace, along with Miriam, I was touched in a very personal and profound way.

Namaste! Beautifully written....I can't describe how wonderful it was to journey to Tibet and a variety of other geographical spots around the world. The Tibetan perspective provided insight, angst, and pleasure....and.... to revisit the Kathmandu temples (Bodnath, Pashupatinath, and Swayambu) evoked vivid memories that included sights, sounds, and smells! Nepal is unique and wondrous, and now I have a much better picture of Tibet. Thank you for such a deeply moving book!"

"Letter from Peking," a novel by Pearl S. Buck, is narrated in the first-person by its main character, Elizabeth MacLeod. Her narration begins from her home in rural Vermont in 1950. Elizabeth has been separated from her husband, Gerald, due to the poltical upheaval in China; he has remained in China to attend to his duties at a university. Gerald is the son of a Scottish-American and a Chinese woman.

As the novel unfolds, Elizabeth reflects on her past life with the absent Gerald. She also tells the story of her ongoing relationships with her and Gerald's son, Rennie; with Gerald's elderly father; and with other people in her life.

"Letter" is a fascinating look at how international political forces can act like a "tidal wave," affecting families profoundly. The book is also an intimate look at a marriage from a woman's perspective, and a compelling study of a biracial young man (Rennie) who is struggling with his dual heritage while making the passage to manhood. There is also an element of political intrigue and danger, although the focus of this book is family relationships and emotions.

Although the dialogue is occasionally a bit stiff, overall I was very impressed by the subtle artistry of Buck's prose. She has an eye for details: an old man's dragon-headed cane, the birth of a calf, "arching maple trees blazing with autumn fire," etc. At its best she attains a delicate, economical poetic prose. This is a fine novel by a writer who, in my opinion, deserves more attention.

'Letter From Peking' is a wonderful story, who I think is one of the best books I've ever read. The main character, Elizabeth MacLeod has to face many heartbreaking memories as she receives this letter. The author has done a very well job by putting some of Elizabeth's memories back and forth, from China to the present. Even though I'm only a twelve year old Korean boy, it wouldn't matter which book I read, neither sad nor happy. It all matters about the story, and how it goes. I know a lot of Chinese history, so it made sense to me, in this book. It is a pity that this wonderful book has gone out-of-print, but if you have a used bookstore, run, don't walk. You should really get this wonderful book. If you actually succeed in getting this book, you have gotten a very special classic treasure.

People should really run to a nearby used books store. This is one of the most inspiring and touching book I have ever read. Even though I'm a Korean and of course, an oriental, 12 year old-boy, I think this is one love story that touches everyone. The author has done a very, very good job of taking one piece and placing somewhere else like rearranging the story. It has the memories of the speaker who was in China, which in this case Elizabeth MacLeod.Its a pity that it is out of print. But you should check every used bookstore. If you are successful of finding Letter From Peking, you have earned a prized treasure.

This is a fascinating journey of a woman trying to combine her past and present. We see a lot of spiritual journey's that men take but not the female side. This really opened my eyes!

This book by China Galland has opened my mind to various questions about my own spirituality and about the sources of iconic and archetypal figures in religions. I've become thirsty for more knowledge due to this book, and I don't know whether to be thankful, or not.

However, it is deeply involving, dragging one into this journey, this search for self or deeper understanding, under the guise of searching for the Black Madonna archetype in different cultures around the world. As always, the answer is within oneself, but sometimes you can't find that answer without dragging yourself all over heck and creation, as does China Galland. I still don't know if she really has "found" anything, or not, but I think she's gaining a great deal of other kinds of knowledge trying.

Chna Galland's account of her spiritual odyssey, Longing For Darkness, is absolutely riveting. Her journey from her disappointment in her male-centered Roman Catholic tradition through Buddhism with its strong female Deity,Tara,only to find that feminine spirit inspiring the Black Madonnas of her own faith.By blending the two traditions, Ms.Galland found a spirituality that satisfied her longing for a feminine aspect of God. Her complete honesty about her inner being makes this book unique. Wherever she wanders, she connects with people of deep faith and learns from every tradition. This book is worth your effort.It may start you on your own spiritual journey, as it did for me.

This is a book which I think of often. Ms. David-Neel had or should I say has quite a strong spirit. I would recommend all of her books to anyone interested in spiritual growth, women's triumphs or walking accross high Himalayan passes in the dead of winter with the Lama Yongden. I cross high Rocky Mountain passes regularly, but always in the comfort of an 18-wheeler.

My Journey to Lhasa is a marvellous, cliff hanging tale of adventure comparable to Lawrence of Arabia's epic account. David-Neel made her trek to forbidden lhasa in the dead of winter succeeding where much younger, better equipped male explorers failed. Her thrilling yarn is the main highlight of a 101 year adventure packed life.This noted Buddhist scholar wrote 25 books on eastern themes after she made her death defying trip in her mid fifties. Although naysayers have claimed that David-Neel never went to Lhasa, our extensive research for our biography the Secret Lives of Alexandra David-Neel authenticates her travels as well as fleshes out the human aspect of this amazing character who Lawrence Durrell called "the mot astohishing Frenchwoman of our Times."

All I really need to say is not in review of Mrs David Neel's book but to remark that I read somewhere in your bewildering pages that she went to Lhasa disguised as a man, which seems to demonstrate that whoever wrote that hadn't bothered to read her book. According to her version she was disguised as an old Tibetan Woman from western Tibet, the mother of the Lama, Yongden, who she claims to have adopted and who remained with her for the rest of his life according to other bits and pieces I have gleaned over the years. Somebody,probably Sydney Smith, said he never read books he had to review because it would influance his preconceptions so, or something like that. The trouble with putting lies into print is that people are inclined to believe the printed word. "Of course its bloody true." he said "Didn't I read it in the bloody paper."