This volume makes important contributions to our understanding of the Chinese revolution. . . . The entrenchment of networks of loyalty among local leaders and higher level officials of the emerging party-state is a central element of the authors' analysis. As the state extended its control over both the urban and rural economies, it increasingly monopolized the allocation of scarce resources. . . . Given the authors' trenchant critique of the Communist party's economically irrational commitment to rapid, large-scale collectivization, it is unfortunate that they have not addressed the implications of their work for the decollectivizing rural reforms of the post-Mao era, when many aspects of the peasant household economy have been restored. Perhaps there is a sequel in the making

It has been two years since I read this book, but I see it hasn't had a review yet, and I think it deserves one, so I add my two bits.

A very detailed analysis of the developments in rural Chinese society over a period of massive upheaval. Provides tremendous insight into the social mechanisms at play, and the interplay of contemporary political movements with the traditional power structures in rural China. For anyone interested in or involved in rural development in China, a drama which is still going on in the 21st century, a must read. Also recommended for anyone interested in the interactions between policy-directed, centrally planned development and the way society responds to it.

Would like to see a similar follow up on the years between the cultural revolution and the present.

This book, if you can find it, is really a must have for the true JD fan. There is quite alot more than just lists of Joy Division concerts and photo. There are some excellent anecdotes and insights from the band members and from thier friends and family, as well as some very well-written and captivating essays by the author. The book is best when the difficult transitions of Joy Division into New Order are shown. When someone asked Peter and Barney before an early New Order show "Where's your singer?" to which they replied "Oh, he's hanging around in the kitchen"

It describes incredibly detailed the birth and the growing up of this great band, a few years almost day-by-day (not to mention the very nice pitures).

PAIN AND OTHER PETTY PLOTS TO KEP YOU IN STITCHES is an amazing, visually delicious book. The authors and artist have created a wildly eccentric universe where bizarre is normal. Only with creativity freewheeling at its fastest could these images and stories emerge.

In Pain and Other Petty Plots, Alan Clark has created a masterpiece of biological and psychological dysfunction that will leave the reader's relationships with hospitals forever scarred. Through a stunning array of paintings and stories, some written by collaborators, Clark guides the reader on an unforgettable journey through his sly and cruel mythos about a medical facility staff in the service of pain. Surrealistic torment and human folly serve as the foundation for a unique vision that disturbs while it amuses, and ultimately serves as a warning on the limitless possibilities for self-destruction in all of us.

Perfect company for those long waits in doctor's offices or hospital clinics. A must for ER visits.

-Gerard Houarner, author of THE BEAST THAT WAS MAX; ROAD TO HELL; VISIONS THROUGH A SHATTERED LENS

I first found this book at my local library and found it to be one of the best books on investments that I'd read. Since then I've tried to find it for sale here and elsewhere, but have not been able to locate a copy. I hope the publisher will reprint this book someday (even better if they'd update and print a 2nd edition) before I steal the one from the library (I'm joking; but I would like to have a copy of the book).

The SEC should make this required reading for anyone who wants to invest in the stock market. Johnson clarifies what is important and what is not in investing. Even after he shows you how you CAN beat the market, he makes you think about whether you really NEED to beat the market. Much more meaningful than Lynch's pablum.

Having read a lot about flies, and having tied even more, I always believed that fishing with flies entailed nothing more than the use of a rod, reel & line, and some dry or wet flies. And on a more imaginative day, the use of a nymph or a streamer. Of course, technique was tantamount important, but never did I imagine that my vision on fly fishing would change as much as when I laid eyes on "Tube Flies" by Mark Mandell and Les Johnson.

As far as I know, their book is the first comprehensive book on tube flies. Tying tube flies, and how to fish them make up the body of this book, but much of the flavor of this great read derives from the historical aspects and personal notes by the writers. From salt to fresh water is but a jump, but from a streamer to a tube fly is like entering an alternate universe. Tube flies are different, unlike any other fly, and they require a different approach.

The book consists of 6 chapters. Chapter one (1) deals with why one should fish with tube flies, or 'go tubular', as the writers put it. Tube flies can simplify one's tackle, they last longer, and seem to mimic baitfish in a way that hook-tied flies cannot. The next two chapters (2-3) deal with the different types of tube flies, and tell about 'how?' and 'with what?' to tie a tube fly. Next come three chapters (4-6) covering a large number of tube flies currently know to man. Each tube fly is introduced with a color photograph, a brief description, and a step by step tying recipe. Where possible, information about the inventor(s) of a particular tube fly is added, and sometimes one even gets to see its maker. Almost all the tube fly patterns come with expert comments on the fish they have been used on, and how well they caught.

This is without a doubt a magnificent book for anyone who wants to venture into the world of tube fly fishing and tying. It is a bright, well written book, with lots of very good illustrations. Descriptions of all the presented tube flies bring them within reach of any fly fisher who makes his/her own flies, but even those among us who don't (yet) may be inspired by this book to start tying their own. A very inspiring read, that cannot be resisted .... one simply has to go tubular. And for those who still hesitate after this, let it be said that tube flies can be used as well in fresh water as they can in the salt water, make no mistake about that!

I picked up Tube Flies in hopes that I might be able to better tie larger flies for blue water fishing. Not only did the advice in this book allow me to tie in the sizes I needed but the instructions corrected the problem of line twist that made me give up on tube flies a decade ago. My blue water box is now 3/4's tube flies and the money I have saved on hooks is, at least, three times the money this book costs. One pattern from the book took 20 tuna on a recent trip, and is still in good enough shape to take with me on the next trip. Since the fly slips up out of the mouth of the fish, it doesn't get chewed up during the fight and you have to take fewer patterns, that weigh less. There is a lot of history, and rigging advise as well. For a smart salmon, steelhead, or blue water fisherman this book is highly recommended.

When I received this book I spent every spare minute reading and absorbing it! Other than the precious Scriptures themselves, this is the most challenging and practical book that I have read in a long time. I know that it WILL impact everyone who reads it!

The practical challenge to watch, worship, witness, walk and work in view of our Lord's soon return has challenged my spiritual life to new heights. I'm recommending this book to everyone in my church!

The Franconia, New Hampshire, farm of the American poet Robert Frost was turned into a museum and center for poetry and the arts in 1976. From that time, "The Frost Place" has been annual event wherein an emerging poet has been invited to spend the summer living in the house where Frost once lived and wrote some of his greatest poetry. The Breath Of Parted Lips: Voices From The Robert Frost Place, Volume One is a remarkable anthology of twenty-four poets, each of whom won that honor of a summer's residency and document the success of the original concept as a means of generating outstanding poetry while nurturing the poet's muse in the rooms and views that were once the inspiration of the great Robert Frost. Poem At 40: Windwashed--as if standing next to the highway,/a truck long as the century sweeping by,/all things at last bent in the same direction./An opening, as if all/the clothes my ancestors ever wore/dry on lines in my body:/wind-whipped, parallel with the ground,/some sleeves sharing a single clothespin/so that they seem to clasp hands,/seem to hold on.//And now that I can see/up the old women's dresses,/there's nothing but a filtered light./And now that their men's smoky breath/has traversed the earth,/it has nothing to do with them./And now that awkward, fat tears of rain/slap the window screen,/now that I'm naked too,/cupping my genitals, tracing with a pencil/the blue vein between my collar bone and breast,/I'll go to sleep when I'm told.

If you are a novice in the study of colonial Latin America, this book is a good place to start. Burkholder and Johnson have covered just about every aspect of society and politics in colonial Latin America from pre-Columbian cultures to the struggles for independence in the 1800's. The book covers religion, slavery, the environmental impact of Europeans, government structures, gender roles, racial issues, economics, and family history as well as developments back in Europe that had reverberations in Latin America. One very helpful aspect of the book is that unfamiliar Spanish terms are in italics and a glossary of all such italicized words can be found in the back of the book. Most people have heard of Cortes, Montezuma, and Pizarro, but Burkholder and Johnson are especially strong on the less familiar story of what happened once the Spanish and Portuguese had taken control in the New World. This book covers only Spanish and Portuguese America, so if you are interested in the French, Dutch, or English enclaves in the Caribbean, you will need to look elsewhere. Specialists will be familiar with all the themes in this book, but for beginners it is an excellent introduction to the subject. Burkholder and Johnson periodically update the book so as to keep it on the cutting edge of current scholarship. Anyone interested in doing more research will also benefit from up-to-date bibliographies at the end of each chapter.

It's past time that someone put some thought and effort into a book of this nature. We've had "Science Fiction TV" guides before, and they've uniformly been written by authors whose axes could be heard grinding away throughout as they slagged shows they disliked and drooled over shows they (often unaccountably) were fans of. Mark Phillips and Frank Garcia have done a good job of research and writing here, with few and minor mistakes. The chapter on "Battlestar Galactica," which is accurate and contains a good deal of information, much of it from new interviews done especially for this book, is worth the price of admission alone. If you're a fan of science fiction on TV, this book, in spite of its price, should be on your bookshelf. Very highly recommended.

This book represents the pinnacle in terms of a blend of behind-the-scenes insights and anecdotes combined with basic reference data. The multitude of interviews that went into the text give the material a depth that the more common coverage of sci-fi shows rarely attains. Like other books by McFarland, it's pricey, but I can think of none that give the reader better value for their dollar.

What makes this guide especially fascinating are the numerous candid in-depth interviews with the producers and writers of these shows, giving much insight into the creative process and the trials and tribulations of creating innovative television shows. There are countless behind-the-scenes anecdotes that have, I am sure, never seen print before. I thought I knew a lot about certain shows, but this book contained info that was new to me; and even reading the articles about shows I never watched (and the entries on each show are long and detailed) I could scarcely put the book down. This book serves as a reference, but it is more than that; it has a wealth of fascinating insights into the television industry itself.

This book is not for everyone. If you believe what is happiness,
and you're happy w/ your life w/ no dought, skip this book.
If you doubt everything including your feelings (especially
happiness and satisfaction), then this book provides some idea
to fill up the hole (at least partially).

There is a book by the same author called "the Misterious Stranger" which is much easier to read. It's enjoyable. So I
recommend you guys to try out the misterious stranger first.
Then, if you like the story, and you'd like to know more
about the philosophy behind it, read this one

After having read the first few pages of What Is Man? I knew that I would not be able to let it go just like that. In the form of a dialogue Mark Twain raises a bunch of questions about Mankind and the way the mind works. And without revealing too much I can safely say that these are not regular everyday questions!

Whether or not one finds the questions and ideas raised in the book outrageous or greatly revolutionary, one will still be able to get many hours of reading satisfaction out of it. With his usual wit, Twain has created a beautiful dialogue that in many ways can be compared to that in Plato's The Republic. And I would be amazed if this book doesn't put your brain to work. In my case I spend hours, days and even weeks discussing the book with friends and family. I simply wanted to get other people's conceptions and opinions of the ideas raised.

What Is Man? is not just a great piece of art. It is a somewhat behaviouristic philosophy and a way of looking at Mankind. In my opinion a must in every personal library. In my own case I'll need it as an e-book on my laptop for when I'm on the road and as hard back on the book shelve when I'm sitting in my easy chair relaxing after a long day.

Do you wonder where your thoughts originate? Do you wonder what motivates your, or why you act or react to different situations, or just everyday life? Mark Twain, in the characters of the old man and the young man, present arguments that can change you way of looking at living. It is a must read book, that will cause you to pause...everytime a thought comes to mind and everytime you react to any situation. You will wonder who it really belongs to......take a new look into your own mind. See people from a new perspective..it is amazing.