i couldn't put this book down. palden gyatso's story of human suffering and strength affected me like so few stories have. someday i hope to be in the audience when this courageous men speaks. i feel as if i know him after reading this book. i recently visited a beastie boys site (perhaps a milarepa fund site) and found a statement by palden gyatso there. it gave me great happiness to know that he is educating the public on the plight of the tibetans.also, i recently read in the new york times of the communist movement to enforce the practice of athiesm amongst the tibetan people (a privelage once reserved for the members of the communist party alone) in hopes that the tibetans will completely abandon their beliefs in the "old ways". it is such a relief to know that by telling their stories, people like palden gyatso are fighting to keep the level of awareness of the suffering of the tibetans high and that their people will never forget their "old ways" and will someday enjoy the freedom they once had.

I read this book shortly before travelling to Tibet and was profoundly moved by Palden Gyatso's incredible story of suffering and faith. Once in Tibet, I found his story to be of immeasurable help in my understanding of the Tibetans' ongoing struggle to retain their heritage and to not be swallowed up by a cruel and destructive regime.

I've read a few books about the sufferings of Tibetans by now, but still, this book managed to affect me and make me stop and think. Again and again. First of all, how has nothing changed since this book confirmed that China is continuing to do all it can to wipe out the culture, religion and spirit of Tibet? I know I have responsibility to speak up about this (and I will) but I still can't believe that higher powers up there did not stop China by now.

Anyway, back to the book- Palden Gyatso is the image of courage, compassion and inner strength. I read passages of how he was tortured and bullied and then would flip to the inner photo of this tiny, frail man-astonishing! I see now that the determined and strong look on his face at the UK Independence rally co-exists with the gentle, loving portrait on the cover and it's a wonderful combination. This book reminded me that it takes deep courage to stand up for who you are and what you believe in but there is no greater purpose for each of us than to aim for that goal with all that we have.

Read this book to better understand why Tibet needs our support but also to re-instill your own will to be a decent,kind and courageous human being.

Having travelled a lot using the LP guides with no problems I can only recommend them... but even if your not planning a trip to Lebanon- this book is amazing as a reference to the region; making order out of the chaos of Lebanon's recent history in an unbiased and moderate historiography- unswayed by religous or cultural persuasion and remaining sensitive to Lebanon's unique history of generally fruitful co-existance and co-operation between some 15 different religous/cultural groups who inhabit and interpret such a dramatic and tiny country, especially in a region characterised by the sometimes not-so-happy collision between east and west. This is an extremely valuable guide for travellers, people with an interest in the Mediteranean and the Near East, or for that matter, any one of the 13 million Lebanese descendants living outside of that tiny piece of heaven. The section on Mount Lebanon was particularly good, though the author could have covered more of the awesome hiking trails and forest overlooking Beirut to be found in the Metn valleys (midway between Jenkins & Jousiffes Mt Lebanon & Chouf)... but no body's perfect!! :) This book is excellent and very well written- the authors deserve great credit.

I'm not going to tell you how good of a touristic guide this is, because you don't need a book to tell you that Lebanon is beautiful. If all you people who know nothing about the middle east, and how the conflicts came about, and how the wars that happened there within the last half century occured get this book. This book I believe, has the most realistic, unbiased, and totally true account of the crisis thats plagued the middle east since WWII. It goes into much detail, and outlines many sides of the story. It is extremely beautifully well told, and I'm incredibly indebted to this author, and I hope she publishes a book entirely dedicated on the war. The book also contains many beautiful pictures concerning then and now pictures that will literally blow you away. There are so many misconceptions about Lebanon its drives lebanease crazy. But gradually Lebanon is making a come back to what it originally was. The paris of the middle east.

I returned to Lebanon after many years away. This book had everything! My family (who have never left Lebanon) were also amazed by the detail and accuracy of the book (even the cost of a Taxi from Homs to Beirut to within 50 cents US). Insightful and straightforward. Arranged very well. There is very good detail, even on places that the Ministry of Tourism is scant on. Highly recommended!

Phil Borges presents, through the medium of photography, a project that brings attention to the situation in Tibet. Both stylish and yet sensitive, Borges uses an extensive cross section of subjects to accomplish this. He brings to the project, like I mentioned above, an extensive cross section not just of subjects but locations as well that exemplify the phenomenal complexity and diversity in that country. An example is the portrait of Yama, which caught my eye, who could be any child in any place in the world. I might be waxing "noble savage" here but does she not deserve a childhood just like any child in the globe? With text from such notables as Nobel Peace Laureates like Elie Wiesel and His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso - the book is a sure hit and a must for every home. Not to be outdone are other contributors who themselves are "heavy hitters" in the discourse of Tibet and Tibetan issues - Robert F. Thurman and the late Galen Rowell. Phil Borges presents us with nothing less than a tour de force of visual stimulation coupled with profound text and a stylish presentation. A keeper that will stand the test of time.

Miguel Llora

Each of these faces is pure incarnation of a human feeling...from joy to worriness, from amazement to pride.Some of these people will haunt you for long after you turn the last page (See little 4 year old Pemba's eyes...) Sent the book to friends overseas...just the kind of work you want to share with your closest ones.

Phil Borges amazing photography, accompanied by words from the Dalai Lama make this book not only beautiful to look at, but inspiring as well.

not just about Budapest but about any city. Passionate, opinionated, deeply in love with his subject, Torok introduces the reader both to the soul of one of the world's most soulful cities and to its haunts, dives, corners, and backwaters. Read it a week before you go, brush up on the way there, immerse yourself in Torok's Budapest, and yopu will experience the city in a way that none of the other available guides can begin to convey. This is , in fact, more than a guidebook, it is a work of travel literature, a genre that has perhaps been subordinated to eensy weensy full color photos and plastic covered pull-out maps. It is almost as much of a pleasure to savor the book's flavor as it is to travel the paths it recommends.

If you are going to Budapest for more than a day, you have to buy this book. I am a bit of a connoisseur of guide books, so I brought a few with me to Budapest. All of them included walks, but only this book had walks that made you feel like you were understanding what makes Budapest tick. All of the guide books talked about what to do, but only Mr. Torok carefully tells you what people in Budapest do, and what tourists in Budapest do. We carried this book around with us everywhere. I also carried the Eyewitness Budapest guide with me for its pretty pictures. If you buy one book, I suggest Torok's guide; and if you buy two, one has to be Torok's guide. Buy a couple books on Budapest, you can always sell it here on Amazon when you get back.

This is one of the best guidebooks I've ever encountered. Not only was it informative and enlightening, but it was extremely amusing and entertaining.

"Merdeka Square" ("Freedom Square")

For the Western spies on the prowl in Jakarta, 1965 was the best of times and the worst of times. The political climate was as sordid as a Turkish steam bath and just as tricky to find your way about in. But there was real intelligence work to be done. The agents saw their task as saving Indonesia from the creeping Red menace. The country's Communist Party was Asia's largest outside China and was gaining influence over President Soekarno. His wavering threatened to destabilize an already shaky Southeast Asia as the Soviet Union's influence and investments in Indonesia soured, whilst China increased its hold on political life.

The West, alarmed by the growing communist influence in Asia, funded six assassination attempts against President Soekarno and, when these failed, coerced and bribed a group of generals to overthrow their charismatic leader. Secretly, Australia deployed its SAS along the Malay/Indonesian border and for three years these special forces troops penetrated deep into Indonesia, killing the Soviet backed enemy, the skies above protected by nuclear-armed British Vulcan bombers which flew regular, covert missions over Indonesia's densely populated cities.

Among the secret service agents watching these developments was Harry Bradshaw, whose sexual adventures land him in a Soviet entrapment. His protégé is Murray Stephenson, a trained ASIS agent whose position in the embassy provides a colorful background for the sinister, dangerous machinations and turmoil which brought President Soeharto to power, resulting in the slaughter of half a million Indonesians.

Based on fact, the story commences with Murray being recruited by the Secret Service and sent to Indonesia where he assimilates easily, reporting on student unrest as university campuses are infiltrated by communist elements. Handsome, young and fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, Murray's sexual exploits lead him into dangerous liaisons with influential Javanese women, one a member of the spiritualist sect, Subud, the other an active officer of the communist women's militia.

When Bradshaw is murdered by the Soviets, his replacement, the Melbourne based ASIS chief, obviously unfriendly to his predecessor's protégé, tragically creates an air of distrust amongst the Jakarta based agents. Murray becomes reluctant to pass all his intelligence findings back to Melbourne, confiding in the Military Attaché who accompanies the agent on his mission to save the life of the man who would become the Indonesian president for the next three decades.

This is the inside story to The Years of Living Dangerously. In 1965 as three different factions move to effect their coup d'etat against the ailing president, we find the Americans backing a group of generals whilst Murray is deeply involved in the intrigue surrounding the communists own plans to effect a takeover. Secretly, the West also supports a junior general by the name of Soeharto.

-2-
During the last days of September a list is given to the communists who sweep silently into Jakarta and commence their bloody coup. Six generals are captured and murdered, unwittingly clearing the way for Soeharto to assume power the following day. Tanks fill the capital as two hundred thousand troops swarm over the city, split loyalties spawning firefights throughout Jakarta which falls to the communists for less than one day. Soeharto's headquarters face the US embassy on Merdeka Square and it is here, alongside the national monument, that the young general makes his bold move. Within hours he recaptures the capital.

The Soviets move to shore up their own position, fearing that the West had effected the coup which would result in Indonesia turning from its Russian allies. The KGB First Secretary contacts anti-Soeharto army officers, who set about plotting to kill the pro-West, General Soeharto whose forces commence their campaign of slaughter across the nation, throwing the archipelago into civil war.

Murray's communist lover Yanti temporarily escapes the purge only to be captured, interrogated and executed. His other companion, the seductive Ade, has been reporting on Murray activities to the interim military regime that attempts to execute the Australian spy.

Traitorous military elements initiate a plot to kill Soeharto, foiled by Murray who manages to prevent the new leader's aircraft from taking off with the deadly bomb on board.

Murray returns to Melbourne and, disillusioned with the Secret Service, resigns.
As he leaves the building there is a curt exchange between him and the new ASIS chief, and the reader is introduced to Stephen Coleman, Murray's replacement who takes the story into the post coup period of corruption, murder and the amassing of incredible wealth as Indonesia leaps forward. The sequel is titled "The Timor Man".

Having lived and worked in Asia,with a number of years in Indonesia, Kerry Collison's books have not only given me substantial pleasure in his presentation of life in this giant archipelago, but has also provided me with a much deeper understanding of what makes these people tick. Move over Tom Clancy! We have a new author in town!

If you like Tom Clancy you will love this book. Also if you have any interest in looking into the minds of the Indonesian government or military then this book is for you. Kerry Collison writes about a subject he lived not just something he read about in history books. The writing style is not the traditional American style, which gives the story more power. Kerry carries his readers along with his characters as if you were there. Great read I look forward to reading the second in the Trilogy.

Japan at War: An Oral History, is a unque look at the fifteen year conflict through the eyes of the Japanese themselves. I would have given it all five stars had it contained more interviews from people that weren't so apologetic and tried to stay away from the question of blame a bit more. Unfortunately, the book does as many texts and covers up the fact that many, if not the majority of Japanese favored the war and were not following like blind sheep. While the social conditions and ideology of wartime Japan are a difficult topic to incorporate into a work such as this, it would have given the Cooks' work the necessary depth to take the book to a higher level.

I came across this book by accident in a bookshop in Tokyo. It immediately seemed a good read, and better than all other books I'd read as it took in a broad range of people, not just concentrating on military men. While there is a little too much inclusion of people who were, or later became, prominent in some way, this book is an important addition to studies of the Second World War. It deserves to be placed alongside other works based on oral history, such as Angus Calder's The People's War, and Stud Terkel's The Good War. I found this book a valuable resource for part of my MA: indeed, the introduction to each chapter, and the broad range of experiences make it an excellent college level text, as well as a good read.

As an American Nisei (2nd generation) Japanese american, my parents experienced the terror of the civilian firebombing at the end of World War II. Since they, as many, are reluctant to talk about it, this book helped me to capture some of their experiences and come to a greater understanding of an extremely difficult time. The irrefutability of oral history as the direct retelling of recollection and experience creates a context for telling these heretofore untold stories. It provides a sense of the greater story in a way that documentary and narrative historiographic contexts told from the perspective of the "winner" are unable to capture.

First, a bit of bad news: Rohwer died in a boating accident in France in Sept, 2001. So there won't be a second edition to this or any of his other books.

Rohwer (Berkeley MA in Economics, Harvard JD), who was an investment banker with CSFB in Hong Kong, brought a unique set of qualifications to his research. Some people criticized Rohwer for failing to predict the Asian economic crisis in 1998. (One book has the title: "Asia Falling".) But he did, on page 18: "My guess in that, around 2000, Asia's economic growth will suddenly slow down." This book was first published in 1995, so he saw it coming - even though his timing wasn't perfect. The fact that he made such a prediction, contrary to the tone and theme of his own book, is suggestive. Rohwer was prophetic.

Rohwer's sequel: "Remade in America" is just as good. Writing at the height of America's boom, he saw America's slowdown coming, and went on to suggest continuing strength in China's growth. Nothing has happened so far to contradict anything Rohwer wrote.

Other books I also recommend include "Thunder from the East" by Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn. This couple won the Pulitzer Prize for the NY Times for their China reporting, and their CVs are sterling. "The Rise of China" by William Overholt (Harvard BA, Yale PhD), a former banker at Bankers Trust in Hong Kong, is slightly dated, but shows the brilliant judgment of the author. "China's Economic Transformation" by Professor Gregory Chow, Princeton University's former chief of econometrics, brings Chow's specialist quantitative skills to bear on an authoritative analysis of China's economy. All these authors would no doubt support Rohwer's findings and applaud his outstanding research. I myself can't praise Rohwer enough.

First, a bit of bad news: Rohwer died in a boating accident in France in Sept, 2001. So there won't be a second edition to this or any of his other books.

Rohwer (Berkeley MA in Economics, Harvard JD), who was an investment banker with CSFB in Hong Kong, brought a unique set of qualifications to his research. Some people criticized Rohwer for failing to predict the Asian economic crisis in 1998. (One book has the title: "Asia Falling".) But he did, on page 18: "My guess in that, around 2000, Asia's economic growth will suddenly slow down." This book was first published in 1995, so he saw it coming - even though his timing wasn't perfect. The fact that he made such a prediction, contrary to the tone and theme of his own book, is suggestive. Rohwer was prophetic.

Rohwer's sequel: "Remade in America" is just as good. Writing at the height of America's boom, he saw America's slowdown coming, and went on to suggest continuing strength in China's growth. Nothing has happened so far to contradict anything Rohwer wrote. At $6 trillion China is, according to the CIA World Factbook, the world's second largest economy and 13% of the world's total (Gross World Product: $47 in PPP), an economic giant which is expanding much faster than any major economy in the world - including India's. China is anything but "a modest country at best." (Bill Emmott)

Other books I also recommend include "Thunder from the East" by Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn. This couple won the Pulitzer Prize for the NY Times for their China reporting, and their CVs are sterling. "The Rise of China" by William Overholt (Harvard BA, Yale PhD), a former banker at Bankers Trust in Hong Kong, is slightly dated, but shows the brillant judgment of the author. "China's Economic Transformation" by Professor Gregory Chow, Princeton University's former chief of econometrics, brings Chow's specialist quantitative skills to bear on an authoritative analysis of China's economy. All these authors would no doubt support Rohwer's findings and applaud his outstanding research. I myself can't praise Rohwer enough.

"Anybody arrogant enough to write a book generalizing about the fate of three fifths of mankind living in the world's most ancient and complex and now fastest changing civilizations deserves all the criticism that I will no probably get" (from the Acknowledgments, pg. 351)

The author's humility is endearing, but I am compelled to share my enthusiasm for this book in glowing terms.

Asia Rising is far and away the best economics book I have ever read. The author is a journalist, and he quite happily combines anecdotes and quantitative analysis to present a compelling story of wealth creation.

Although the book covers a lot of ground, the theme of the virtue of free markets and the mischief of big government recurs frequently. The author points out the paradox (to Westerners) of how authoritarian regimes in Asia have in a single generation lifted hundreds of millions of Asians out of poverty, while more democratic and socialist governments have created a legacy of depravation. The comparisons between China and India are the most poignant. A few quotes:

"How can it possibly have happened that...China's authoritarian government has delivered far greater benefits to the average Chinese than India's fairly stable and democratically elected governments have delivered to the average Indian? The short answer is ...China's government has followed policies which, because they rely on...markets to set prices and allocate resources, spread the benefits of economic growth pretty widely through society. In India, by contrast, ...rulers have acted almost entirely at the behest of...the better off." (pg. 173)

"After 1978, China grew by letting competition flourish; before 1991, India tried to grow by eliminating as much of it as possible because it was "wasteful"." (pg. 177)

"For almost thirty years Taiwan and Sourth Korea were run by rather nasty military dicatatorships. Yet there, and in Hong Kong and Singapore too, the authoritarian approach was not only more efficient economically than democratic decision making; it proved to be more egalitarian as well-for the simple reason that it is the rare lobby in a democracy that wins government benfits for the poor rather than the previileged." (pg. 326).

The book is such a page turner, I was dreading finishing it. It is a tour-de-force, with thought provoking content dealing with politics, culture, policy, family life, and many other topics. I found myself pausing frequently to reflect on my own life, my values, and the society I live in. In this sense "Asia Rising" is a great book, not just a great economics book.

This is an engrossing story of a young fighter pilot's experiences flying P-40s and P-51s in mid to late World War Two with the 75th Fighter Squadron in China. Donald Lopez writes excellent flying sequences and conveys the essence of the people he flew and fought with. A good read if you have any interest in military history or aviation.

Haven't read a pilot's memoirs for quite a while, although doing much more of it now. Into the Teeth of the Tiger was the first of a long line of new purchases that I need to read and it was well worth the purchase. Mr Lopez, while an excellent flier and leader, is also a wonderful writer. He writes with modesty and is not afraid to describe his errors in addition to his successes. The action sequences are superb and the humour used by the pilots and crews to lighten things up a bit is guaranteed to generate a smile and even a chuckle. Of course, this is war and the deaths of friends and the treatment of the civilian population was no doubt shattering for all involved. I get the impression that this book has become somewhat of a classic and justly so. It is a well-written account of a less publicised theatre of the war by a (then) very young pilot. What these guys did at 20-25 really puts things into perspective. A bloody good read!

Don Lopez was a 23-year-old fighter pilot in the 14th Air Force Flying Tigers, flying a war-weary P-40 against the Japanese army air force in such close combat that he once took a wing off a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa ("Oscar"). Good pilots are easy to find, and so are good writers, but Don is that exceptional individual: a pilot who can write well and to the heart. This book is a keeper.

I read this book nearly at one sitting, literally sitting, up in bed one night when I should have been sleeping. Four or five times I awakened my husband, shaking the bed with my laughter, especially when Mohammed moved a sheep into the back seat of his taxi for the next five days, saying, "The sheep won't mind."
Eric Hansen has scored with this book, and I've recommended it to probably 40 people and given it as a gift to 5-6.
Read it and enjoy in - on many levels.

This book not only makes me wish I could afford to travel, but it makes me wish I was a man(Well, kinda). Since most of the interesting stuff can only be experienced by men. Eric Hansen has an easy to read style that easily draws the reader into his story. It's a delightful read, especially since he is not an arrogant traveler and tries a lot of things that other tourists might snub. He also gives a lesson on the Yemen culture, without the reader ever suspecting that they're learning something. This is a great book for travelers at heart.

Within three hours of finishing this book, my copy was flogged by a friend who's off for a year in India on an antique motorbike. These adventurers must have some kind of tribal recognition.

"Motoring with Mohammed" is a book in three parts. The first bit is true adventure, storms at sea, a shipwreck, a desert island, the revelation of character among the survivors, brigands, and an unlikely rescue. It's great writing, deft and light, touching beauty and terror.

The second, and major, part of the book recounts Hansen's return to Yemen ten years later to look for a personal treasure he left on the island. In truth, not much happens, but in Eric Hansen's hands it always manages to not happen in an interesting way. His introduction to the local narcotic "qat", his subtle dance with intransigent bureaucracy, his unwise wanderings in high, misty mountains and along the edge of great deserts of The Empty Quarter make this a great read.

Hansen never meets an uninteresting person. Even the hostile and the dull are intriguing or comical in his hands. He gets to travel with sheep and mystic woodsmen, to meet an ageing Frenchwoman under a tragic spell, a toilet inspector, and the ghost of his grandmother. Along the way, he gets to play with his favorite theme: the essence of "destination". He doesn't labour it, but you know what he means.

The third, and briefest, part of his story is an unexpected twist, which neatly closes the circle even if by that stage we hardly require it.

A friend of mind informed me that Yemen ranks bottom of the world for gender equality. Certainly no woman could have written this book. The more reason for us to be grateful for this window on a little-known world. Eric Hansen has written a beguiling and joyous story. When you've finished enjoying it, seek out his even more extraordinary account of his Borneo travels, "Stranger In the Forest". But with all these books, don't expect to hang on to your copy for long.

How a young girl of 7 years can survive on her own on the battlefields of war-torn Okinawa, 1945, is absolutely astonishing. As a history teacher in Okinawa, Japan, I have run accross a wide array of materials concerning the Battle of Okinawa, but no other book so vividly details the human side of the struggle from the viewpoint of civilian Okinawans. This is a heart-warming story of triumph in the midst of great tragedy. I often encourage my students to place themselves in the "shoes" of those whom we are studying, to go beyond just facts and figures and identify with the real people who experienced history. Tomiko Higa takes the reader directly to the Battle of Okinawa through the eyes of a child.

I read this book when I was about 11 years old, and the thought of a young child surviving on her own was baffling. If I were her, I'd have probably given up already. I lived in Okinawa for half of my life, and it's a beautiful island. The book, describes it and her life in very good detail, as a child. But, yes, it should be rated a PG-13 because if you are reading it, you could imagine graphic details on the dead soldiers, falling off the cliff.. and so on. It's a very touching story in the eyes of a child. If you just love reading books, or love true stories that will touch you deeply then this is a must for you. Buy this book, you won't regret it! It's a keepsake.

This is an incredible memoir of Mrs. Tomiko Higa's experience as a 7 year-old during the Battle of Okinawa in the spring of 1944. At the end of the battle, after emerging from a cave with a piece of white loincloth attached to a stick, she was photographed by an American soldier. Roughly 40 years later, she accidentally spotted the photo in a bookstore. Reluctant to come forward and identify herself at first, she finally did so after reading several false accounts about the identity of the little girl. The book is short, only 127 pages, and a fast read. It is also poignant--the prose is clean, the descriptions frank and insightful, the story inspiring. Mrs. Higa begins by telling of her life in Shuri, the ancient capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom known today as Okinawa. She progresses to the landing of the American forces at Kadena, her consequent hiding in air-raid shelters, and then her moving from cave to cave with her siblings to escape the fighting. She eventually becomes separated from them and has to survive the battle on her own. Where a child of 7 gains such strength and smarts is really beyond one's imagination and the manner in which Mrs. Higa describes her experience is what makes this book so worth reading.