The central problem I have with these four little volumes, although I must confess to having only seen (and bought) one, rests in the fact they are very short, they do injustice to Lewis's thoughts on the subjects simply because the selection is not wide enough, and, especially on Grief, A GRIEF OBESERVED works so much better as a healing and theraputic book than this little tome ever could. If you're going to get into C. S. Lewis's thought, even if only a sampler, get something like THE BUSINESS OF HEAVEN or THE ESSENTIAL C. S. LEWIS or THE QUOTABLE LEWIS? Items like these characterize the industy that has grown up around C. S. Lewis: all sorts of merchandise is being published cashing in on Lewis and his life -- with Hooper largely at the back of it. If you want a novelty item (which is all this will ever be) or just a little gift I guess you could buy these, but why not spend a little more and buy a real C. S. Lewis book? They're so much richer!

Mike London

In our walk through life we all experience deep suffering. With this small book you get one of the most beautiful prose of a Christian writer to walk with you in the sorrow. Jack as always is sincere, humble and brilliant. Add it to your library you will need it, I did.

This book came right when I needed it. Although not as long as the other book on grief by C. S. Lewis it was easier to refer to and had wonderful illustartions. This book is a gem and a great support in times of emotional need. Don't miss it!!

I am a big fan of the Rough Guide series and of their philosophy of including socio-political commentary, to remind travelers that the world isn't just for show. And what the China guide does well it does VERY well, with great detail. But my wife and I took both this book and a competitor's guidebook for our monthlong China trip, and Rough Guide contained maybe 1/3 as many things to see and do, and left many places to stay off the list altogether. Worse, some maps were just plain wrong. A travel guidebook that you find yourself leaving in the hotel room is not a good one.

The Rough Guides are considered among the "cream of the crop" in the guidebook world, and this book is no exception. I used it extensively in the planning phase of my recent month-long trip to China, and it was very helpful.

The background sections of the book are outstanding, giving the reader a solid overview of Chinese history and culture. The primary sites of interest to travelers are adequately covered as well, and so the book is very helpful in planning one's itinerary.

The main drawback of the volume is it's weight. If you are backpacking in China, as I was, this book is pretty heavy to be lugging around. Therefore, unless you are staying in China more than a couple of weeks, you might consider looking at the smaller city guides.....or ripping the necessary sections out of this book and packing only those in your rucksack.

Highly recommended for pre-trip planning at home. Recommended for packing and taking to China *if* you are going on an extended trip to the country.

I traveled extensively throughout China in 1998, and I found the roughguide a much more practical book for getting around. The charts inside the guide allow you to find the information quickly, whereas the other popular guide forces you to flip through pages with apparent random entires of Chinese Characters, which can be frustrating and stressful when you climb into a chinese taxi in the middle of the road, and you need to show the driver where you want to go. Although lonely planet seems to have more detailed information, the well organized layout of the Roughguide makes it ten times more desireable when your actually on the road. I'm looking forward to the new edition, as I left my roughguide in China with a friend who only had a lonely planet!