As sad as it makes me to say it, I can't agree that this book is good for anyone who is JUST starting to learn about Zen. Call me an ignorant illiterate (I will admit that!) but I read lots of books on various religions and here is how I would rate this book. IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING ALREADY ABOU ZEN OR ARE WELL INTO IT: Four and a half to five stars. Lots of great excerpts from various authors, many of them Westerners. They're diverse in content and vary in length. So it's a great for collection anyone who already has some knowledge of Zen. IF YOU DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT ZEN: You'll have to skip a lot of the sections as you start reading them, and not because that is the subject's inherent nature. Someone who picked up this book to learn about Zen would definitely have to go and buy a few more books to figure out the meaning of a lot of the sections. BOTTOM LINE: If there had been a bit more explanation about each section before the excerpts this book would be the "essential" Zen. But anyone just learning will have to get other books first to truly grasp the essentials in this book.

In this text on Zen, Kazuaki Tanahashi and Tensho David Schneider explore many of the classic writings considered 'essential' to Zen as an East Asian tradition, as well as an incorporation of modern American writings that are representative of the fascination with and growth of Zen in the West. These writings reflect both serious and humourous sides; some are elegantly simple (without being simplistic) and others are enigmatic and complicated.

Tanahashi explains the incorporation of modern Western ideas and writing on Zen:

'If the present moment is when truth is actually experienced, then Western Zen, however young and immature, ought to be treated on a par with traditional Zen in China, Korea, and Japan.'

Zen is a difficult concept to grasp, not least of all because of its very simple underpinnings. Zen comes not from Buddhism alone but rather incorporates many strands -- always striving for completeness and looking for the interconnectedness of all, Zen has as a fundamental symbol or expression of enlightenment a circle: Shunryu Suzuki on his deathbed traced a circle in the air, symbolising transcendence, connexion, momentary enlightenment, everlasting completeness.

Schneider also discusses the very idea of a book on Zen:

'Zen prides itself on being a teaching 'outside words and letters'; thus any book of mere writing -- no matter how elevated or enlightened -- could not rightly be called essential. The essential Zen, in book form, would more likely consist of blank pages; a reader fills them in. Or not.'

The idea of the circle permeates this book. Throughout there are ink drawings of different kinds of circles, and the poetical verses and stories loop back upon themselves in many ways.

Now that things have been made perfectly clear, Tanahashi and Schneider proceed to develop the ideas of Zen in a very personal way, which is, after all, the only way in which Zen can be experienced and understood.

Which way
did you come from,
following dream paths at night,
while snow is still deep
in this mountain recess?
- Ryokan

Zen is a place, but it isn't. Zen is a journey, but not really. Zen is, and it isn't. Through poetry, tales of journeys, tales of myths, tales of being still, tales of understanding and confusion, the reader begins to see just a little piece of Zen, and yet, Zen is not something that comes in pieces, and is not something to be seen. Understand this, and you begin to understand Zen. Or not.

Through faith and doubt, through grand designs and commonplace daily life, Zen is there with enigmatic meanings, always designed toward the greater enlightenment, the greater completeness, the greater oneness. This essential text includes discussion of Zen practises designed toward the attainment of greater enlightenment. Coming full circle back to a discussion of The Circle, the ideas of Zen are still incomplete, and still fully presented.

He was offered the whole world
He declined and turned away.
He did not write poetry,
He lived poetry before it existed.
He did not speak of philosophy,
He cleaned up the dung philosophy left behind.
He had no address:
He lived in a ball of dust playing with the universe.
- Jung Kwung

Tanahashi & Schneider's anthology creates a sense of the thread running through Zen because ancient stories from the T'ang Dynasty (619-906) are juxtaposed with stories about Zen aspirants in modern America. They do a wonderful job of illuminating several traits unique to Zen, not by explaining them discursively, but rather by providing one illuminating story after another. For example, type of guidance a novice receives in Zen is virtually unparalleled in the world's spiritual systems. An explanation of everything unique to it would most likely be arcane and dry, hardly helpful to the outsider. Instead, this book tells stories, profound touchstones from the tradition. My favorite entry from the chapter "Skillful Guidance is a story about the interaction of the Zen Master Nanquan (Japanese: Nansen, 748-835) and a hopeful pupil looking for him.--- Nanquan was working on the mountain. A monk came by and asked him, "What is the way that leads to Nanquan?" The master raised his sickle and said, "I bought this sickle for thirty cents." The monk said, "I'm not asking about the sickle you bought for thirty cents. What is the way that leads to Nanquan?" The master said, "It feels good when I use it." (p. 10) --- One of the many virtues of that story is that, until our intuition opens to it, we are very much like the monk in the story, and Nanquan is teaching us as well. As I read the book, I felt that I was being taught by both ancient and modern Masters, and the miracle is, across thirteen centuries, they speak with one voice. Admittedly, not every selection will make sense to the beginner on a first reading, but that is one of the book's strengths - many passages become deeper with repeated readings. This is not a once-through quick read; this is a text from which new insights might emerge for years and years. It is a book that challenges you to grow, and it will remain relevant as you grow. For this reason, I recommend it not only to beginners, but to seasoned Zen practitioners as well.

Summer Gone is a fine novel, and I don't want to disagree with the comments of the other reviewers. However, while the story has several memorable moments, there was one theme that for me stood out above the others. I saw the book as being largely about the main character's failures; failures in many areas of his life. Thus, if I had to describe the book in one word, I would say "depressing". Does Bay redeem himself by the end? (Maybe, maybe not. I'm not telling.) But whether or not there is redemption, the overall "feel" of the book left me depressed.

I don't want to discourage anyone from reading the book. Just be aware of what you're in for.

This is the second book I have read by Macfarlane. Although I find his first, Danger Tree, a better and more powerful book, Summer Gone is still an excellent read. While it takes awhile to move through the time and generation jumping that he does, one eventually recognizes and relishes the vehicle and how it empowers this story of family and loss. I await whatever MacFarlane writes next!

This is a wonderful story, beautifully written, and so what about perceived cliches! I suspect that some who don't like it are defensive Canadians whereas those who complain about the writing style cannot write too well either. "Three strikes and YOUR out"? For heaven's sakes!

I must say that I was quite dissapointed with the book. The book was stale and at times too disciptive. Perhaps, it was meant for students and not real world practictioners. However, to be fair, I am quite sure that both the authors are experts on the subject and would be great if they had written a more applicable / practical follow-up for us in the (service) game. Like I said, this would be a good text and that's about it.

Ben Schneider has written a book of extraordinary value here. Having read several dozen service books, this one ranks with The Service Profit Chain, Call Center Management on Fast Forward and The Discipline of Market Leaders. As a psychologist, Schneider demonstrates a profound understanding of customer (and employee!) behavior. Some may criticize its mildly academic approach, but anyone who wants to get beyond the fluffy prose and jaded case studies of American-based service needs to read this book. Unlike so many publications today, this one cannot go out of date.

I am in the service business. Training people in service has been my job for many years. I have read dozens of books on service. However, this book presents a total shift in mind when speaking about service. We all have a lot yet to cover if we are committed to generate service excellence. Don't miss the opportunity. Ronen Ben-Naphtali (Israel)

I used this book in a programming class for college. I didn't like it. I did like that it came with a version of the software, so that I could practice at home, but otherwise...there are better out there!

From the outset "An Introduction To Programming Using Visual Basic 4.0" is geared towards being a textbook. This approach is what makes it such a superior text for learning visual basic and more importantly the fundamentals of programming. While other books on programming with visual basic seem to want to push the reader at a very rapid pace, leaving them at times wondering if they have truly comprehended the material before rushing on to the next topic. David Schneider's book, on the other hand, covers both the language and the concepts of programming thoroughly and provides plenty of practice exercises as well as real world problem solving scenarios. Although it may be difficult to find this book on the shelf of a regular bookstore, I highly recommend it to the novice programmer who wants to gain a strong understanding of the concepts of programming and the details of the Visual Basic language. Ramon Rodriguez (ramonr@earthlink.net

Having two teen sons leads my nose of curiosty to all sorts of helpul books. No one source is a panacea. However, I am happy to know I am not alone in this wonderous yet sometimes bothersome Generation X. Baggy pants, booming music, wild hair colors, peculiar body piercings all are cries for individuality. But is there any sort of ambition under those generational masks? Yes--boundless ambition, in need of direction.

This book by David Stevenson and Barbra Schneider comes in hardback and paperback. I suggest the paperback. You are going to want to refer to it time and again. One theme I have noticed in many books including "The Devoicing Of America", is that of isolation. Teens today are wrapped into computers & video games so much, they have gotten away from a guiding hand. They are alone and lost.

Surprisingly, compared with the 1950's generation, today's teens have fewer long-lasting relationships and spend much more time alone. Many stay in college longer in lieu of leaping into marriage. They need more guidance than ever before. Would we expect a lone traveler to be told you must reach point A and not give them any map, or ideas or support? No, everyone needs some direction.

The study these adolescence experts did of over 7,000 teens shows this generation to be the most ambitious of them all. These teens expect to go to college, graduate and find high paying jobs. On the other hand, when asked how, few had answers. They just expect it. And some of the blame rests on we parents and teachers. Teens take the wrong courses, choose the wrong colleges and then enter college with unrealistic expectations.

Through this book, we can find helpful ways of directing teens and even pre-teens of today without adding pressures. I found the following of several students ( Grace, Elizabeth, and Jake) throughout their high school years and then re-visiting them in college interesting case studies of comparison of tools which can be implemented by any care giver.

Again, getting back to basics is a central theme. Of course it does not solve everything. It is a first step. It is a way of beginning a successful trip through adolesence to positive adulthood. A way to make dreams come true. Be there for your teen. Communicate. Listen.

Of course, you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink--leave the book out, you'll see, the ponies of today will also quench themselves and find help in becoming strong stallions of tomorrow.

--CDS--

It is hard to imagine what good exists in the Yugoslavian crisis. This book highlights an important part of the Bosnian story, all too overlooked. The book is both interesting and compelling, drawing us in by its simplicity and the surprise that there really is hope. World citizens have a responsibility to understand the issues in what makes our world fall apart, and how it gets put back together. This book helps us to do both.

The book explains the material in sufficient details and supports it with easy to understand examples. Also, the exercises and assignments are of appropriate level of difficulty. Overall, I think the authors have done a great job.

Visual Basic is an extraordinary combination of power and ease. Vis-Ba is the choice of all up and coming programmers. It is so well written, even microsoft has made it the official program for it's newest software of the future. Dave has done it again

Great Book Entering the early teens and middle school is a confusing time for many kids. This book offers practical insight and humor to ease the way. Good for parent too. It helps to open the door to some great conversations.

This book was written in 1986 and was intended to be a textbook. The book has plenty of well-explained examples for the beginner and also has a summary and exercises at the end of each chapter. In the back of the book are the answers to the odd numbered exercises so that the reader can test his or her knowledge.

The book is divided into ten chapters: "Computers and Algorithms," "An Introduction to the IBM PC and BASIC," "Fundamentals of Programming in BASIC," "Repetition and Decisions," "Subroutines and Functions," "Program Design," "Arrays," "Files," "Random Numbers," and "The Graphical Display of Data."

This is a good book if you wish to teach yourself BASIC.