"The Making of Toro" is one of those books (like, say, "A Confederacy of Dunces") that may not make much of a splash when it first appears, but that is destined to be passed from hand to hand and reader to reader until a small cult builds around it and its author.

For starters, this book is flat-out hilarious. But it also marks the arrival of a writer who is bound to make a huge impact. Comparisons with Eggers and Sedaris aren't out of line: Sundeen blurs the line between memoir and fiction with the requisite postmodern relish. "Toro" is a tale told by a narrator so charmingly unreliable and self-deluded that we actually can't help rooting for him.

But the writer Sundeen most resembles is probably Mark Twain (seriously!). In "Toro" (and in his earlier book "Car Camping"), Sundeen shows the same dry wit, the same trust that the reader will actually get the joke, and the same faith that sometimes the naive, deluded bumbler might see truths that more worldly types do not. And, like Twain, Sundeen conceals genuine depth beneath light humor. "Toro" begins as a comedy, but by the end it deepens into a surpringly poignant coming of age story.

So buy this book--it's funny and original and thoroughly enjoyable--then pass it on.

This is a GREAT value. Very in depth and very thorough. This book covers it all, it even has the fingerspell alphabet and numbers in the back of the book. As far as a sign language dictionary this is the very best one I found, and I looked at several. Not small enough to carry around in your pocket but I don't think anything with this much information could be that small.

This dictionary was recommended to me by my sign instructor. The signs are clearly illustrated and the definitions are in great details in this dictionary. I think this dictionary is right for all levels of sign students.

This book has wonderful pictures for most of the words in the book. It also has nice instructions on how to form the words and letters. In the back it includes the alphabet and cardinal & ordinal numbers. It is also at a very good value!

Contemporary Japan by Duncan McCargo is an exceptionally well written and succinct overview of Japan today perfectly suited for use in a course on Asian politics. The book is particularly helpful in that it begins with an overview of the various perspectives and approaches which characterize the debate among Japanese experts today. In the following chapters McCargo refers often to the differing viewpoints of particular writers and scholars. McCargo also provides a concise historical overview--something often omitted by other texts. The book does not provide any detailed analysis of the current economic crisis. Nevertheless, Contemporary Japan is recommended for its clarity and good writing.

This book is just a marvellous description and explanation about how Japan is nowadays, and why it is like that. It addresses all the key points and gives all the hints for understanding Japan. I am living in Japan and needed some gide for understanding Japanese politics, society, working environment, culture, and others... I found that in this book. It contains many useful and updated information, but not in excess. Just marvellous! It is a pleasure to read it. Handy and easy.

I want to thank the other readers for warning me about the dangers laid out in this book. It sounded like a nice book and I almost bought it, then, I read the reviews. I appreciate people taking the time to warn others. I am new to aromatherapy and would not have known better. So thank you for warning me!!

I have been using essential oils and aromatherapy a great deal on myself. Milli Austin's book does suggest using essential oils in much higher dosages than most aromatherapists recommend, but if anyone tries her baths, they are life changing. I don't believe she is negligent at all. She is simply attuned to using the oils in a different way than they are generally used. If you are a sensitive person you may want to use a bit less oil than she recommends but her baths do what they are meant to. Taking the baths weekly on a regular basis helped me to get in touch with my issues with anger and emotional inhibition. I had startling past life flashbacks emerge that were very relevant to my life today. I feel like I underwent an absolute transformation using the bath recipes suggested in her book.

As the category says it, this book is for "Health, Mind & Body" therefore you will be a bit confused by the reviews planted on the Web, which seem to come from people who hate Ms Austin personally, somehow....I found all this very upsetting, because this book is indeed special, and it is not just for anyone, true. For those who love to read about what the soul is all about, whether you believe or not in reincarnation, you will love Milli Austin's surprising approach and angelic style. Those few who trashed her book did NOT even read her introduction, where the author is stating very clearly that her therapeutical approach should not be defined as simple AROMATHERAPY, because it is not ! Indeed, you will be surprised and pleased and you will want to actually meet this woman in person, as I want to. Even if you do not want to spend money buying this book, go to a library and borrow it, or go to a book-store and read patiently the first 20 pages. Afterwards, you will decide to buy it, provided you have a soul inside you.....God bless Milli Austin.