First of all, let me note that I read the book in Korean (the original version), so I cannot speak for the translation.

There seem to be numerous works by Western authors regarding Asian culture including that of Japan in the market today. Yet, I have never heard of any other book about Japan whicn is as discussed and read by Japanese people as this book. I am an Asian myself, so I might be a bit biased in saying the following; I find the efforts and dedication of the aforementioned Western authors very noble, yet they often do not have a clue. In many instances, they would find a Japanese trait and/or characteristic, and assume that it is an pan-asian element, or vice versa, thus failing to pinpoint the distinguishing characteristic of the culture. As German culture is very different from English, French and American, so is Japanese culture from any other asian countries. Mr. Lee, the author of this book, is a Korean professor and scholar. He brilliantly distinguishes what is Japanese from What is Asian, and distills Japanese culture into a very simple thesis. More amazingly, he does this without sacrifising depth.

He uses all aspects of his knowledge (and his knowledge is enormously expansive); he draws from Japanese language, Japanese theater, music, religion, myths, sports, history, etc. All the while, he does not sidetrack, but stays on the thesis of the book, guiding the readers with him. Whenever you think that he is done making his brilliant point, he give you another, another and another. This is a must read for anyone interested in Japan.

There are directions and other info for finding and visiting lighthouses. They do not always show all lights for a given area. The photos are all color. I own 3 of these books. There are not many other guide books out there so if you are looking for guide books these are good to have. Since there are so many books in this series I thought I'd help people find them easier. This is the series.
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American Lighthouses
California Lighthouses
Eastern Great Lakes Lighthouses - I own this one
Western Great Lakes Lighthouses - I own this one
Southeastern Lighthouses - I own this one
Southern Lighthouses
New England Lighthouses
Mid Atlantic Lighthouses
Gulf Coast Lighthouses

I have used this text in most all of my beginning Spanish Grammar classes and have been amazed with the results. The text is easy to understand, gives excellent examples and reinforces the verbs in an easy to understand manner. The usage of this book along with any text is critical for students who intends to master Spanish Grammar.

I've read all of Bobby Marks adventures and this is his hour of humanity. Bobby's 18 now and finds work at the local laundry service where he thinks his summer will be full of girl's and bar fights. He's hired by Sinclair, the new owner who he believes to be a great guy. Joanie returns from Europe as her family has gotten richer from invetments. Bobby goes to a party at her house and sees Sinclair with a woman who's not his wife. Bobby's summer gets harder when his father begins to grow sicker after an operation. As he's dealing with this, Joanie has him lie for her as to where she is to her parents. As Bobby goes on route with one of the other workers, he sees Sinclair with a girl and kiss her. As the girl turns, Bobby sees that it's Joanie. A week later, Joanie tells him she's pregnant. A day before, Bobby learned that his father is getting worse and the workers of the laundry keep getting hurt by faulty equiptment. Now Bobby has to decide what to do to save his friend and how to lead the local workers.
This book delt with darker elements then the previous two such as adultry and abortion in the 50's but Bobby rises to all the challenges thrown his way showing he has matured from "The Crisco Kid" to "The Summerboy."

This book has opend up my eyes. Robert Frost is in my mind one of the best potes in the world.

Tenderfoot in Space was originally written for Boys Life magazine, and not surprisingly, focuses on a young Boy Scout (Charlie Vaughn) and his dog (Nixie) that moves with his family to Venus to build a better life than they could expect on an overcrowded Earth (not an uncommon theme in Heinlein's books). It is a delightful read, typical of Heinlein's juvenile series. Most of the story is written from either Charlie's or Nixie's point of view; I especially enjoyed reading scenes from Nixie's viewpoint. Charlie has to first make a difficult decision on whether or not to take Nixie with him; the only way he can go is to be frozen, with a low probability of survival. On the way, Charlie learns lessons on life and society, which continues when the family begins life on Venus. The Vaughn's do not arrive on Venus as wealthy immigrants, and Charlie quickly learns the difference between living in a govenment-controlled society and a pioneer one, especially school! Charlie and Nixie have several adventures, make friends, and there is a surprise ending with Nixie saving Charlie and a new friend's life in the Venus jungle, ending with Nixie receiving a Boy Scout lifesaving award. This was a fun story, with Heinlein doing his usual excellent job of inserting his firm views on self-reliance, loyalty, independance, and non-political correctness (a strong point is made about school being a social vs. a learning opprotunity) while delivering an interesting and enjoyable story. Anyone familiar with Heinlein will enjoy this story. I strongly recommend this as a read for anyone, but especially younger readers.

McKay's best. It follows the lives of a simple girl and a wild, but kind, troublemaker. This novel is a must for the 60's fanatic, using slang and political references of the troubled times.

An absolutely "marvellous" story about two very special cats. I was very impressed to learn about Maria Dickin who was born in 1870 and founded the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals in London in 1917. She solicited volunteer services and devised many ways of raising money in order to help stray animals and animals owned by the poor who could not afford veterinary treatment. During World War II, many animals also served their country and several received a "Dickin" medal, including Faith and Simon, the two very wonderful, brave cats in this book. Animals do have a 'sixth sense'. Enjoy!

This book is great! It's about three boys growing up through a year. Each chapter is about a month. It's entertaining and has some values, and even though it's old-fashioned, readers of all ages can enjoy this book!

"Understanding Misunderstandings" is a practical, yet theoretically grounded book which will assist you with better understanding human interaction, and more generally, human nature. Through use of various insightful examples and theory, Young does a great job explaining how misunderstandings can and do occur. From marital strife to culture clash, readers are provided with accounts of how conflict, or disagreements evolve, when, given a bit of thought, they could have easily been avoided. The information is nicely organized and presented in a manner that: (1) applies to just about everyone in society, and (2) is easy to read. While not necessarily a self-help book, "Understanding Misunderstandings" provides readers with tools for creating/updating their understanding of and appreciation for many forms of human behavior. Young does a wonderful job avoiding over-use, or over-dependence upon theory, yet recognizes its role in explaining human interaction. He also presents the material in a "reader friendly" manner, while avoiding the role of a "know it all" who lectures, or dictates. It is rare that you will read a book that simultaneously entertains and educates. However, "Understanding Misundertandings" does just that. While reading the text, I sometimes found my self thinking "yeah... I've had that happen to me...," while having read the book, I often find myself relating recent events to those that Young skillfully presented. As can be inferred, I strongly recommend this book to all who have an interest in better understanding human interaction.