I am a network designer/engineer and I own 50+ networking books, anywhere from Netware for Dummies book to super-duper-technical books about ATMs and Frame Relays, and by far this is the most useful book that I've ever read and owned. It is full of good all around information and very well written. I find many of my books to be either to introductory or too technical(too dry) or don't answer a lot of fundamental questions. This book serves as a good introduction book but with excellent technical mix. It explains things that I didn't quite understood how it worked before (eventhough I knew how to use those technology in the real working world). I learned more about data and voice communications through this book than my entire 4 years of computer scinece college education. Ever wondered how networks really worked? After reading this book you will finally understand how everything from the cable and hardware levels, to ISDN, FDDI, T1, SONET OC3, to routing, switching and etc, all work together.
This book covers computer networks as well as the voice and other parts of telecommuncations, which I wasn't particulary too familr with before.
If you are a serious student or professional who want to learn more about fundamental networking, you should pick up this book. I highly recommend it.

I've been in the computer industry for over 16 years in design and verification of processors, multi-media devices and buses (USB, PCI, etc.). I never had the opportunity to work on Data Communication and Networking projects. New to this field, I was looking for a book that gave me thorough overview of the topics with clarity and sufficient detail/analysis. I read quite a few 'latest' books but did not find any with clear explanation of fundamentals or detail covering all essential topics.

I found this book extremely well written. The descriptions have excellent clarity and gradually lead you to the real complexity of the topic at hand. No room for misunderstanding or confusion! Figures and Tables are liberally used and illustrate the topics really well. My knowledge of Datacomm/Networking increased tremendously after reading the book just for a few days. The book includes basics as well as the latest in data comm. protocols and networking devices. I highly recommend this book to a beginner as well as an expert.

This is a comprehensive introduction to data communications. The authors cover some topics I was surprised to find in an introductory text. The explanations are lucid and thorough. This is a first edition, so there are a few typos, but not many. It needs a more complete bibliography, but all in all, I liked the book well enough to buy a second to keep at work.

I can't finish all my compliment for this book in this short review. You are not gonna believe it is such a splendid book until you read it yourself. This book is a saga with so much wisdom and humanity. It is as good as ancient Greek epic (with all repect to Greek) if not better. The wisdom in it is uncommonly plentiful. Trojan horse looks children's game after you finished the book. Romance of three kingdoms is a part of Chinese lives and now becoming popular in the world. Many Japanese companies make this book as a must-read for management staff. Read this book and I garantee that your time will be delightfully spent.

A great book to read. I do not recall another tome like this that has many elements masterfully blended that includes larger-than-life legendary characters, intricate and complicated plot that keeps you reading, and last but not least, descriptions of betrayal and strategy throughout the book. You will find yourself getting more and more engrossed with the storyline and the characters, and you will eventually come to favor one or some of the heroes. I myself favor the legendary line of Sun: Sun Jian, Sun Ce, and Sun Quan. I also have profound admiration for their young, wise, and crafty advisors: Chou Yu and Lu Xun. This is a book you will never forget.

Thre is an old Chinese saying... "Do not read Romance of the Three Kingdoms when you are old". the implication is, you will already be very wise from your years, and to read this book then will make you almost superhuman. This book is one of the greatest novels ever written. It is a lesson in human relations, in war, in startegy, in emotion, in man management... it is so many things. Luo Guanzhong deveoted his entire life to writing just this one book, and his careful effort can be felt through the book's emotion. Today its characters are revered as gods and sages in much of the Chinese speaking world.

Interested in Zen? Put away those long wordy books by various masters and get this instead. This wonderful "comic book" may have fewer words in it compared to others, but it speaks volumes. The author has a great talent for taking a Zen saying and translating it into pictures that show the concept, making the experience immediate and not reliant upon language (which is very Zen in and of itself). This book would make a great gift, too, since it's beautifully illustrated and has the original Chinese text in the margins. If you're only going to buy one book on Zen, make it this one.

At first one might expect that cartoon is too informal a medium to convey the depth of a religion such as Zen. This book is beautiful in it's simplicity, the perfect starter for the religion. I recommend it as a gift to someone you love who is stressed out. Hopefully, Zen Speaks will help them to shine through adversity, as it has me. 6 stars.

"Comics are just words and pictures. You can say anything with words and pictures." ---someone I don't recall.

This comic book contains one hundred Zen Tales (koans), and I have heard some of them before. They seem to gain something when presented in this format. The author brings out something of the shock that is enlightenment that I hadn't really felt in the stroies before. The artwork is simple, yet effective. The writing is the same. The ideas conveyed are both profound and obvious. And, of course, it is a very enjoyable read.

This remarkable collection of essays and reports comes from the pen of Chen Shu-tse, the central leader of the revolutionary Marxists in China from the 1920s through the 1960s. As a young rebel Chen worked together with Mao Tse-tung to develop a revolutionary party of the working people beginning in 1919. This comradely relationship lasted until the Stalinist degeneration that overtook the Russian soviet leadership in the 1925-29 period overwhelmed the Chinese Communist Party. Chen and his followers were expelled from the party in 1929 and subsequently became known as Trotskyists. As such they continued the battle to build a revolutionary workers party in China.

In the 1925-27 revolutionary upheaval, the Communist Party achieved a decisive leadership position among the masses of urban workers in China. But the party, under Mao's leadership, and working along the lines of Comintern policy, attempted to build an alliance with Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang. The Kuomintang was a nationalist party increasingly coming under the control of China's tyrannical landlords. This mistaken policy resulted in a massacre of the Communist-led workers in Shanghai carried out by Chiang's troops. Chen and his followers opposed this disastrous course.

A large portion of this 580-page book deals with the explanation of how the Stalinized Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949. In the post-WWII chaos the peasant masses surged forward repeatedly demanding control of the land and its resources and an end to landlord parasitism. The weakened Kuomintang was like a rotting wooden raft in this stormy revolutionary sea which served as the only hope of salvation for the wealthy and privileged elements in China, and they found themselves desparately clinging to it.

The Communist Party, having retreated to Yenan in 1934 after a series of defeats, found itself bolstered by the massive influx of worker and peasant fighters who saw this party as the starting point of opposition to the decaying Kuomintang regime. In the years leading to the insurrection of 1949, Chen explains, the CCP (a non-revolutionary, Stalinist party) repeatedly sought to dampen the rising struggles of the oppressed masses, to limit their gains, and to come to terms with Chiang in the formation of a coalition government. The Kuomintang was too weak, however, and the outcome of the struggle was determined by its own inner logic, not the aims of the CCP.

Forced to flee to Hong Kong in 1948 Chen continued to guide the Chinese Trotskyist movement as well as to participate in discussion and debates among revolutionary Marxist leaders worldwide. He supported the 1949 victory of the Chinese revolution, which was a giant gain for the masses of workers and peasants in spite of the Stalinist leadership. A workers state was formed. But he stressed that the accession to power of Mao's party did not change its essentially counterrevolutionary character. In order for the masses of Chinese people to achieve their liberation from all forms of exploitation they would need to effect a political revolution to bring to power a genuine Marxist party. This party would then serve as the vehicle for bringing the weight of the Chinese masses to bear in the worldwide struggle for socialism.

The Chinese revolution that triumphed in 1949 was a mighty event, which shook the world. The Chinese workers and farmers, in spite of their misleadership, tore one-fourth of the world's population out of the hands of U.S. British, German, French, and Japanese capitalists (all had investments and huge holdings in China at one time or another), out of the hands of what Malcolm X called the "Western or American system of imperialism." Read this book and "The Third Chinese Revolution And Its Development" and " Maoism Vs. Bolshevism", and learn what Malcolm found so admirable about the Chinese Revolution. Also here you will find the history of betrayals by the wish-they-were-capitalists-themselves Maoist-Stalinist bureaucrats who still rule today.All this in the testimony of two veteran communist fighters, Peng Shu-tse and Chen Pi-lan, who opposed imperialism and its puppets in action, as well as the monstrosities of Maoism. The resistance of the Chinese working class to the pro-capitalist "reforms" and to the attempted selling of the nation, its wealth, and its people by the bureaucracy to the same imperialists kicked out in 1949 has barely begun (3,000 illegal strikes in one year alone in the midnineties). That resistance will shake the whole world again.For the story of China today you need "Capitalism's World Disorder" by Jack Barnes.

I had the honor of knowing and working with ST Peng a little in the 1960s and 1970s. This was a man who had worked with Lenin and Trotsky in the Comintern who had stood up the Chiang Kai Shek, and to Maoism. This was a serious revolutionary Marxist who became a focus for former Red Guards escaping Mao who went all the way to Paris to learn from him. These articles and documents explain the nature of the Chinese revolution, its strength and its betrayal by Stalinism, as well as the capacities of Chinese workers and peasants to change the world. In his writing, Peng had the gift to be both theoretically clear as a revolutionist, and to be concrete as a writer showing how what he was talking about affected the real lives of the Chinese people. Of great interest is his depiction of how the "higher officials" actually lived their lives of privilege and luxury in the supposed days of "Maoist austerity.: As new battles are simmering in China-- strikes, demonstrations, protests--the new generation of fighters must find this wonderful book by one of China's first generation of real communists.

This book is a great primer on Daoism. At the same time, the illustrations are often downright funny. The comic format makes it perfect for the compulsively busy friend you want to give some Daoist inspiration. I've read though this book countless times and always seem to find some new insight every time I pick it up. It is worth every penny.

This was my first book on Daoism, and I was very impressed. It conveys the principles of Daoism amusingly and interestingly. Not only is it full of 100% daoist wisdom, its a lot of fun to read! You can read this 10 times and still find it interesting. Buy it!

Great thanks to the illustrator - we call him Tsai Zhizhong.I remember the countless hours I spent on the original edition of ZHUANG ZI full of ancient charactors and strange grammar,fed up every time I took it up.Who would read it even in China? College students of Chinese department hardly do.But with Tsai's pictures,everything's lovely and easy.I cover it in two hours,and then laugh in a foolish way like a child.And great respect to the translater,for his learning of chinese traditional classics,for everything he's done for it.They opened a door to endless wisdom and freedom for much much more people in this world. When you're enjoying this book like a small child with its picture book,you are already in the mood of Tao!

I've never eaten at the restaurant (but think I saw it when I visited San Fran years ago). The book is written in simple sturdy english. The recipes are authentic. Best of all, I like the fantastic fables and hearsay of not-so-old China (and personal anecdotes)as related by Chung. Enjoyable to read, even if you never intend to try out any of the recipes.

cheers, Henry, Cheers... From Marty's Special BBQ Pork, to the overstuffed steamed dumplings this book has it all including an amazing recepie for Velvet Chicken. A must purchase.

For those who love to eat or cook Chinese food, this book is a must-have. It details about 50 tasty recipes from Hunan province in China, and is totally authentic. The author has avoided "spicing down" recipes for American readers -- garlic, hot chiles and other Hunan staples are used boldly and creatively, and your taste buds will be crying out for more after trying these gems. In fact, my wife, who is herself Chinese, relies on Henry Chung's book more than the Chinese-language cookbooks she brought from Taiwan. It really is that good.

I'm very critical of some Chinese writers like Amy Tan for their distortions of a life they haven't experienced. But this doesn't apply to Ha Jin, who survived the Revolution and was a soldier. I really like this collection of stories because Ha Jin excels in writing vignettes by injecting fresh details. Anyone who is curious about Communist China should read this book. Skip his novels though.

Ha Jin brilliantly evokes emotion in short stories that may take some an epic novel to create the same impact. His words are sunbeams bouncing on desolate land and you want to continue despite the heartbreak that you may only survive simply to survive. Never to fully live in the light. He is the most eloquent writer and he allows us to view a world not known to most Americans: China under Mao. Be swept away with words and emotions.

I picked up An Ocean of Words from a staff recommendations section of the bookstore. I am glad that I did. This book is a wonderful collection of short stories. This book was great.

The stories all take place on the border of China and the USSR during the early 1970s when the two communist countries actually came pretty close to war. The stories are actually a microcosim of Communist China as a whole.

The stories are wonderful and I highly recommend this book not just to sinophiles but to anyone who wants to read a great collection of stories.

This review is in reference to the paperback version of this book. 5 stars to the novel itself!

This is the finest novel i've ever read. I remember reading this novel as a young martial arts student and loving every minute of it. Now as an instructor of Shaolin Kung-Fu, i not only carry the series but a i recommend it to all of my students! The characters in this novel are famed throughout history and Shaolin Monks often named movements after these heroes and their adventures, like Wu Song - "Step Back and Ride the Tiger!" Even entire forms were created to commemorate heroes - "Li Kui's Double Hand Axe" and "Subdue the Tiger w/fists on Jianyang Ridge" forms come to mind.

(if you have never seen the Chinese Goverment soap-opera style production of Outlaws of the Marsh or "Water Margin" on DVD, you don't know what you're missing!!! Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon type quality - the goverment spared no expenses! Amazing fight choreography and drama. No English subtitles though, so need to have read the books to follow along!)

The only problem i have with the book version that Amazon.com is offering is the fact that it is not available in hard cover. The paperback version was the first one i owned (3 volume set, 100 chapters) but i've found hardback more durable.

In fact, i carry only the 3 volume HARDBACK (100 chapters) set at my school for a few dollars more than the paperbacks.

Enjoyed by generation and generation for centuries in China and Many Asian Countries, this classic will make you better understand China and Chinese people, and entertain you in a way which you never find in other books.No wonder it is considered to be one of the four great Chinese classic novels {other three books are "Three Kingdoms","Journey to the West" and "A Dream of Red Mansions". Mr.Sidney Shapiro's translation maintains the original flavor of the Chinese version.
Must read !!!

"Shui Hu Zhuan" (pinyin, this is how it is read in Putonghua/Chinese) is one of the four greatest Chinese novels. It is also known as "Shui Hu Chuan" and has been translated to titles such as "The Water Margin", "Outlaws of the Marsh", "All Men Are Brothers" etc.

It is generally accepted that Shi Nai'an is the author of this novel who is rumoured to live from late Yuan to early Ming Dynasty, around mid 14th century, though no one has ever been able to provide solid proof of his existence. Some believe that Luo Guanzhong, author of "San Guo Yan Yi"/"Three Kingdoms", is either the co-author or editor of "Shui Hu Zhuan".

Although the novel is around 600 to 650 years old, the story is about how 108 men and women became the heroic outlaws of the Marsh of Mount Liang (Liangshanbo) during the reign of Emperor Huizong of Northern Song Dynasty (1101-1125), i.e. more than two centuries before the completion of the novel.

I read the Chinese version of this book for several years, I am quite sure it's the best chinese book i have ever read.

Limited Views could be seen as an anachronistic (but no less brilliant) work of Classical Chinese philology, but as another reviewer has already remarked, it is startlingly modern, deconstructionist, and even tips its hat to the melee of cultural studies. For those who lament the death of philology in the modern American university, Qian proves that, at least in its Chinese form, philological studies is still firmly at the centre of the humanities and liberal arts. Qian's extraordinary command of the languages and literatures of six or seven literary traditions should leave modern cross-cultural studies in tears of shame. But beyond that, it is Qian's familiarity with the scholarship and the intellectual history of those traditions that is most breathtaking. For a scholar emerging from the chaos of the Cultural Revolution to pen such a work is a fete none can match. This isn't to say that Limited Views is necessarily a model for reconstructing a philology, but what Qian has achieved is something that the modern division of disciplines in the humanities can never achieve while still divided. And the value of Qian's work is hard to deny.

Like the previous reviewer, I'm only familiar with the original version of this work, which is something like 2000 pps, written in a classical Chinese utterly incomprehensible to your ordinary Chinese college graduate. Qian carried out what Benjamin, dying young, failed to complete, a book not written, but quoted. That is, at least 90% of this immense book is made up of quotes, in Latin, Italian, German, French, English, and of course Chinese. This sort of undertaking requres imagination as well as learning, not to say a real appetite for reading practically anything. By the way, Qian wrote one of the few good Chinese novels of this century, and pretty good traditional verse.

I am currently teaching a class using this text. I think that it is OK- but I personally would prefer Stallings or Tanenbaum. Stallings and Tanenbaum are much more engineering or technically oriented.

I have come across a number of small annoying errors in Forouzan's text, as well as a number of opinions that he puts out as facts. Of course I wouldn't be annoyed if his opinions and mine agreed - but he could at least properly identify them. This mostly is a problem with what technologies are "winners" or "losers" in the marketplace, or what dificulties are presented with trying to implement some of the protocols mentioned.

If you want to know how stuff really works go with Stallings or Tanenbaum. If you want to know how to communications is used by a business - there are a number of other texts that are far better. I feel like this text is half-way in between. Unfortunately I am unable to change what text we are using here...

I teach a second year under-graduate (degree) course in Data Communications and Networking. This is the first networking paper that students will take. I have used Shay, Stallings and Tanenbaum in the past but have changed to Forouzan because I believe that it does an excellent job of introducing concepts at a level that is readily understood by a novice. Student feedback confirms that it is about the right level and that they feel they actually understand the text - quite a bonus ;-)

Another review recommends the above authors - and I agree they give an excellent treatment of the topic - but they require an advanced student. I would select Stallings or Tanenbaum for a paper that follows the introductory paper (we actually use Comer for the advanced paper which is specifically TCP/IP)

Forouzan's "Data Comms and Networking" is clear, plainly written - yet gives a good depth to the topics being considered. The diagrams and practice questions are excellent.

I highly recommend this book for an introductory under-graduate text.

This book is one of the great texts on the subjects covered. It has been a required text for two undergraduate and one (so far) graduate class that I have taken.

Mr. Forouzan's prose is clear and his examples understandable. The only thing that might make portions of this book a difficult read for some people is the complexity of some of the material covered. The book starts at the electrical (Manchester encoding, NRZ, etc.), and gradually builds until the networking process is clear, top to bottom. In terms of completeness, I have not seen another book that covers everything from the LAN to the WAN like this book. Also included are related topics like cellular networks, PSTN, encryption, and even the application layer of the OSI model. The complete OSI model is covered with great depth.