Among the educated of the half of the planet that lives in China and India, the name of Xuan-Zang is very well known. The records of his journey from China through India and back provide a great deal of insight into the culture along his route at the time, as well as the state of Buddhism. The texts he brought back had a strong influence on the development of Buddhism in China. This is an excellent book. I visited many of the Buddhist sites in India and found Xuan-Zang's descriptions to still be of use to the pilgrim today. If you're interested in the history of the silk road and central asia, this book will be of use to you also.

Since the destruction of the famous Buddhas at Bamiyan, Afghanistan in March 2001, the importance of this book has rocketted from its original publication.

Xuanzang wrote some eyewitness accounts of these gigantic statues around 630AD, and this book is an important starting point to finding out more about these monuments and what they originally looked like.

This is not an academic book but more a detailed compilation of events connected with a personage with whom the author has obviously felt a close connection. The text is well sectioned with good maps and useful information, notes and an extensive bibliography that makes the work substantive (e.g., it highlights the wider territory of ostriches in the past). Xuanzang becomes a portal through which we view the art and history of a predominantly Buddhist India before she entered a chaotic phase to re-emerge as a Mughal and Hindu civilisation later.

There is staggering insight into the mentality of the Chinese and Kings at the time and the art they bestowed on the world. The importance of the Chinese civilisation is highlighted at a time when Europe was in the grip of the dark ages.

The book contains minor errors, could have been more critical and Xuanzang's feet on the cover need alteration. Leaving this aside, there is a stunning picture from Bamiyan and we can see what was lost as well as related paintings and statues which are quite exquisite (at least one of them lost from the Kabul museum since the destructive episode recently).

A book worth treasuring as written by a professional, well travelled and strong minded author (and she found the time).

XuanZang's story has got to be one of humanity's most amazing adventures of discovery. I had heard brief references to him in various books about Buddhism, but when I read this book I was just amazed at what a prodigy he was. The amazing synchronicities that helped him on his travels really bespeak a divine providence.

I just wish there were longer direct quotes from his original book, so you could get a feel for his own writing. Also wish there was more discussion of his own spiritual journey or experience with the abbot of the Nalanda university, and the Yogacara/Vasubandhu philosophy.

Great pictures of Nalanda ruins. The story of Nalanda is really interesting in itself and the book gives you a good feel for what was happening there at its height.

All in all makes you want to read XuanZang's original book.

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Frederick Noad has done an excellent job of reviewing the studies/exercises available for classical guitarists and selecting this set of 100 from the studies published by Fernando Sor, Mauro Giuliani, and Matteo Carcassi. The studies are arranged in a progressively more difficult order, and Noad includes his comments on each as to what skills it seeks to develop, etc.

While I feel that the book deserves five stars, it is not without problems, specifically:

1. It is extraordinarily difficult to keep the book
open to the desired pages when it is on a music
stand; spiral-binding would have solved this. This
may seem like nit-picking, but it's an important
shortcoming given the purpose of the book.

2. Right-hand fingerings are given for only a few of
the pieces; in many cases, choice of the proper
right-hand pattern can make a huge difference in
the ease of performing a piece.

3. While Noad gives full left-hand fingerings, he
does not give diagrams of hand-positions to adopt
for a passage, with fingers in place for the next
few notes.

Even taking these into account, however, it remains, in my opinion, the best book of exercises available to any but the most advanced classical guitarist.

If you are going to have one classical guitar book, this may be it. The studies in this book are the "classics" that countless guitarist trained on (incluiding Segovia). After a few relatively easy studies, the book shifts into intermediate to advanced level work very quickly. Not a viable alternative for the first or even second year guitarist, but for the advancing guitarist, this book alone would provide years of developmental skill building as well as great music for the performance repertoire. It is sequential (graded). Contains all of Carcassi's and Sor's great studies, plus a sampling of Guiliani's-- graded from simple to advanced with 75% at the high intermediate level.

Arthur Ide,one of the most prolific authors in the US,has written one of the most delicate,useful,human books about this subject.If you need a professional and human insight,this IS the book for you.

From herbal abortifacients found in home gardens and public parks to medical/clinical procedures that enable a woman to exercise her freedom of choice by not carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term, Dr.Ide's newest health study offers in simple language information that all women have an inalienable right to know. The author not only details the various steps to a safe abortion, but details the radical right's political action to deny woman freedom of choice over her body, an explicit expose' of the errors in the Silent Scream,and ingenious insights into the dangers both present to human freedom.

Frederick C. Selous was one of the giants of Vitorian Africa and in this work, written at the urging of President Theodore Roosevelt, he compiles many of his most keen observations about life and wildlife in Africa. Fascinating not only as a period piece, Selous's thoughts are remarkably prescient about the state of game in Africa even today. Though it was written before the rise of the commercial poaching that has ravaged so much of the continent, the book gives an excellent insight into the need to carefully observe, record, and interpret the ecological signs found in the wild. Clear and lively in style, the tales told within encompass everything from dietary habits of hyaena to the effects of sleeping sickness on agriculture. Especially interesting are the authors remarkably forward-thinking ideas on race relations, ideas that would not become the rule in southern Africa for over 75 years. An altogether satisfying read.

I have read plenty of elephant hunting volumes in the likes of Bell, Stigand and several others but this Selous book is different. It's not entirely an account of Selous' adventures with his rifle but rather as the first portion of the book's title suggests, an informative wrap-up of the ways and characteristics of various African game. Selous is a unsurpassable raconteur when it comes to telling of big game, as this book proves. There's a chapter on Selous' search for the elusive inyala antelope, and it is of great interest. A book well worth parting with your cash for. Simply a true must-buy !

I read this book when is was in the early grades of elementary school. It created a love afair with aviation that has led me to a career in aviation. I have flown nearly every small aircraft produced by the major airplane manufacturers. And to day I am a captain with one of the worlds largest airlines. Thanks Ann.

This was a siminal book in not only mine but the lives of many of my gradeschool classmates. It had all the elements of a great story: airplanes, great pictures and a kids outlook on the world. This and 'Andrew Henry's Meadow" became staples of imaginative thought and allowed a vicariously shared experience. You (or your kids) will return to it often

If you are looking for a nice intro to weather or even a nice thorough review then this would be the book for you. Clearly defined and many illustrations available to help you grasp the info without reading it over several times.

Lutgens and Tarbuck made this a very readable text by writing in a stratightforward manner and by focusing on fundamental principles. The typical non-science major undergrad or general reader should be able to grasp the important concepts, while the more scientifically literate readers will find plenty of material to wrap their minds around. For example, much of the quantitative stuff is presented in separate boxes, for those who want to go beyond the basics as presented in the text. The illustrations by Dennis Tasa are, of course, excellent, as are most of the photos. I used this text for a weather and climate class I taught and would use it again.

Anyone who wants to feel proud of being human must read this account by a noble and corageous woman, the worthy child of a noble and corageous father.

It was incedible to live through, in impeccable detail, the life of one who survived the camps of Joseph Stalin. Despite the murder of her husband and the seperation from her children because she was a supporter of Trotsky she maintained her dignity and her faith in humanity. Many have suffered less and surrendered more of their soul to their persecutors. Her recollections of the events are told as if they happened last week. If there is to be evidence that there is hope for human progress and a brighter socialist future for mankind out of the ashes of the suffering and intolerance of this past century, this woman is the human embodiment, the evidence, upon which such hope rests.

Dr. Fred C.Schwarz has finally done it. At least, there is a scholarly book that exposes and indicts those who are willingly followers in the ambit of American Communism. Every policy-maker should have a copy of "Beating The Unbeatable Foe," because it is a critical look at how Communism has evolved into a major threat, and it provides facts on how Red China is using their thesis of dialectical materialism to take over the world. Indeed, in Dr. Schwarz's book, we find out how our American universities have transformed into Marrxist re-education camps and how the hard-core Communists are using religion to further their plans for world conquest. Dr. Schwarz and his Christian Anti-Communism Crusade deserves every American's attention. Indeed, with the help of patriotic men like Dr. Schwarz and Ronald Reagan, we have finally beaten "The Unbeatable Foe."

In writing this autobiography, Dr. Fred Schwarz seeks to fulfill his life motto: THAT TRUTH MAY PREVAIL. This book is a must read for anyone interested in either politics or religion. But don't expect a tedious collection of essays on why communism doesn't work. Most of us in the United States basically agree on that point. Instead, Dr. Schwarz's monumental book is a detailed history of the Christian Anti-Communism Crusade, which he founded in 1953. In a compelling manner, the Australian native explains clearly the reasons for starting the Crusade, and why it received such enthusiastic support amoung the American people. As a committed Christian, Dr. Schwarz also defends the Christian name of his group, showing how communism's self-stated goal was to eliminate God from the human mind. Then he covers and carefully refutes the vicious (and invariably false) character attacks aimed at him by the left-wing press and communist dupes around the world. If you're a big Ronald Reagan fanatic, you'll love this book. Even if you're a dedicated communist, you'll still enjoy the book for its great stories and amazing details about how you lost the cold war. The cost of this book is far less than the cost of not knowing this great slice of history

I was amazed at reading this book, I felt as though I was in the moment with these extreme atheletes as they were participating in their sports. The way the authors Gutman and Frederick integrated the stories of these incredible athletes into a montage of life and death escapades, was absolutely wonderful. I mean, I thought these guys were just crazy people, but they're not. They are articulate and thoughtful individuals that know as much as one could know within their craft. Excellent read, I totally recommend this book if you have a passion for reading exciting stories.

Most books about high risk, adventure sports seem to focus on a single individual adventure. For this reason, Being Extreme was not only a pleasant surprise, but a highly informative book that gathers athletes from a number of these often death-defying pursuits under one roof to talk about their lives and their sports. To learn about sports such as BASE jumping, sky diving, big wave surfing, freestyle motocross, freestyle skiing and snowboarding, and mountain climbing into the "death zone" was both interesting and compelling. It was made even more fascinating by having the thrills and dangers of each sport described by the athletes themselves. The authors allow the reader to see these athletes as real people who seemingly have a different perspective on life than most of us. The book gets into the "why" of these sports and athletes many times over and will give readers a total understanding of the men and women who put their lives on the line every time they climb, jump, surf, or take up a new challenge. This is a book about sports that are increasing in popularity and one I would highly recommend for both its style and substance.

I began reading the Dinoverse series this summer as part of a children's literature course at college. I didn't think they would hold my attention, being juvenile literature...boy was I wrong! The course ended two months ago, but when I found this book, the fifth in the series, I had to read it! My hat is off to author Scott Ciencin, whose work reminds me of my own childhood fantasies of dinosaurs brought to life. I work in a bookstore, and often recommend these titles to parents, looking for books that their sons might enjoy. These are great books for boys, jam-packed with adventure and imagination. I highly recommend the entire series! Can't wait to read the next book when it comes out in November!

This is an execellent read! If you've ever thought about what it would be like to be a dinosaur, then this series is for you. If you are already familliar with Dinoverse,then expect another romp through time with Bertram and some new faces. Each chapter ends in a cliffhanger, and the end of the book will leave you wanting to get your "claws" on the next. I recommend this to everyone, adults and children alike!