5 comments about The Dream of a Thousand Lives: A Sojourn in Thailand.

1. This is a wonderfully insightful look into Thai culture. The narrative of the author's personal experience is well crafted and straightforward leaving the reader with a true sense of life in Thailand.



2. This book truly uncovered the beautiful, bucolic experience of the heart of Thailand. This book is not about the fascinating big-city life in Bangkok, so ubiquitous in other travel books about Thailand. In contrast, this book takes you to a Thailand not frequently experienced by tourists...shouldn't be experienced by tourists with little respect and no other expectation beyond "fun" ........ should only be ventured by those willing to absorb (or should I dare say love) a culture and a lifestyle so different that at first, austerity and beauty are not immediately distinct to the mind conditioned to the comforts of "modernized" cities or suburban living (whether in Asia or the West). As a Thai who was educated in the West, this book actually imparted to me a "piece of heart" about my birth country that I did not previously believe to be a possible endeavor for written pages. Thanks Karen....... for doing the impossible! "Kob Kun Mak Krub" for the sincerity so salient throughout every description.



3. From what I've heard people who've known me a long time say I'm "well read". That's easy, for reading is my favorite pastime.
   I'm now over 50 and may have read thousands of books in my lifetime, only 2 of which I read from start to finish without stopping. "The Dream of a Thousand Lives" is one of those two books.
   
   Karen Connelly has a style of writing that can only be described as "a gift" (if not genius). Little wonder that she's won so many prestigous awards at such a young age. This is the first book I've read from her as author. It was such a pleasureable experience that I was almost angry went her story came to its end. The first thing I did afterwards (true) was get on Amazon.com and order more of her work. I can hardly wait for it to arrive!



4. Althought the story has merit, it was hard to read for all the poetic descriptive language. If I were looking for poetry, I would have loved it. I was, however, looking for a good story about Thailand, and had to wade through a too much flowery description. By the end of the book, it was almost a joke.



5. A young highschool girl takes a huge risk on going on a one year Rotary exchange to rural Thailand.Initially the change in culture is beyond her understanding. Rather than bailing she decides to stick it out and the reader gets the pleasure of following along on her adventure. Karen Commelly is able to let us smell,taste, hear and even feel the real "Land of Smiles" and begin to understand its enchantment. My wife and I had just returned from a month in Northern Thailand where we also had begun to understand this strange and wonderful land.

5 comments about The Hidden Gardens of Kyoto.

1. This book provides an excellent inside look at kyoto's historical gardens, though without much of the context in which they exist (e.g. surrounding city, houses). The photography is fantastic as it realistically shows the reader both the intricate details & broad strokes that make up these complex settings. Keep in mind, it is a serious piece of work and the descriptions are somewhat short and/or dry (but maybe that's the point).



2. This a beautiful collection of large-sized well composed photographs of the different type of gardens found throughout Kyoto. They are accompanied with brief text on their design principles and historical background. Might proof useful as inspiration and reference for anyone writing and/or illustrating a story set in Feudal Japan like Samurai-Ninja stories. It might also be a nice surprise present to Anime/Manga fans by adding another dimension to their collections.



3. After visiting Kyoto , i think this book gives us many opportunities to appreciate so many details of the wonderful and chaming japanes gardens of the ancient Japan capital.
   And the pictures overall taken in fall period are much better,in my opinion, to the spring pictures



4. Great picture book, but there isn't much in the way of detailed commentary. Would have enjoyed this book a lot more if there had been some focus on exactly what was highlighted in the photo.



5. this is a book about not so common visited places, although tere are also some very "touristic" places. the pictures are nice to good, it gives a good overview about Kyoto. I was a little disapointed that the Nanzenji temple is not commented. but if you are fond of Japanese gardens it is a good picture book that give you ideas.

4 comments about Living Carelessly in Tokyo and Elsewhere: A Memoir.

1. This guy was a jerk in person, but he was at least funny when it was directed towards other people, so maybe he can write a decent book. Still, I doubt his book is all that great for those interested in Japan since he sounded like just one more gaijin burned by Japan. Better that you give it your own shot rather than let this sourpuss spoil all of the amazing experiences you can have by visiting, or even living, in Japan. I will give his other books a shot since they seem more favorable to a student of Japanese language and culture. After that, perhaps I will revise my statements.



2. I would deem John Nathan's autobiography bittersweet. Indeed, he had a great good fortune to be in the crucial period of Japan that I envy, though his self-involvement may have prevented him from really appreciating his circumstances.
   
   Though I have no qualms in his ambivalence about Japan having lived in Tokyo in it's heydey in the early '80s, during that weird bi-polar xenophobic love/hate nature of the Japanese. Gaijins were generally considered a strange mix of celebrity status and circus acts, while being a sansei (third-generation Japanese American) I was thought of as inferior buck tooth cousin from the New World.
   
   I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who has spent time in Japan, especially Tokyo.



3. I will keep this short and sweet. As an American who has lived in Tokyo and working as professional Japanese-English translator, I am particular biased and in tune with Mr. Nathan's message. I cannot make any guarantees for anyone without such experiences to relate to if they will enjoy this book as much as I did. However, it is marvelously well written and such refreshingly honest prose is a rarity these days. I would recommend it for any serious scholar of Japan (and not just in the academic meaning of the word).



4. 
   This is a series of chronological autobiographical vignettes by a distinguished translator of Japanese works and multi-purpose film maker. It's the story of how a 6'4" Jewish boy from New York City/Tuscon went to Harvard, became enthralled with the Japanese language, went to Japan, went native and returned to the US, often relying on his youthful Japanese immersion for employment and career.
   
   There are wonderful descriptions of Japan, such as waiting for the results of the University of Tokyo entrance exam, living with Mayumi's family, the people and production of the documentary trilogy and the night life of Japan in its postwar boom. There are portraits of Mishima and Oe, the home of a Noh actor and stories about the economics of writing and translation. Nathan had a singular experience in post-war Japan. The early vignettes are worthy of their own volume.
   
   Stateside, this interesting life encompasses two academic careers, script writing, production of successful commercials and business videos and a crisis in the business itself. There are glimpses of Nathan's two families, a description of Nobel Prize proceedings and several returns to Japan.
   
   The value of this book for me was that it re-kindled my interest in Japanese fiction and post-war Japan.

No comments about Moleskine City Notebook Hong Kong (Moleskine City Notebook).

3 comments about Basho's Narrow Road: Spring and Autumn Passages (Rock Spring Collection of Japanese Literature).

1. This is a very well translated and annotated edition of this great work.



2. This was the first time that I have read Basho's Narrow Road to Oku, snd I enjoyed it a great deal. Actually I read it twice this week. The first time I read through it I tried to read it without using the notes. I was lazy, so it came out that I really didn't enjoy what I was reading because I really didn't know what was going on throughout most of the book, so I read it again using the notes, and I got much more out of it. The annotations are on the left page while the actual text is on the right page, so there is no flipping to the back of the book every time that you need to look up something. There are endnotes that give more information about the haiku Basho writes. This is a very cool book, that gives the reader a glimpse at the literary world of japan back during the 17th century.



3. Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/06)
   
   Matsuo Basho (1644-94) was a famous Japanese haiku poet. In 1689, he took a 1,233 mile journey across Japan. His travels lasted five months. He was joined by his friend Kawai Sora. Basho wrote about this trip. He titled it, "Oku No Hosomichi," which translates to "Narrow Road to the Interior." This story is considered to be a masterpiece of Japanese literature. He took four years to write it and revise it.
   
   Basho started this trip when his house burned down. He had two goals. One goal was spiritual; it involved "poetic truth." The other goal was a practical one in which he would use his travels to become well known as a poet. Sora developed stomach problems and had to end his travels with Basho. Basho wrote a short piece for him. In the second part of this book, there is a translation of "A Farewell Gift to Sora."
   
   Basho funded his travels with donations from wealthy friends and students. He felt that there were three types of poets. The first type is confused noisemakers. The second type is wealthy people who desire to write instead of gossip. The third type is poets who work hard at writing true poetry. These poets write to "soothe their heart." Basho was the third type of poet.
   
   Hiroaki Sato includes annotations to go along with the writings. This adds richness to the story and helps explain more about the culture and what was happening at the time. I read the story first with the annotations to gain understanding of what I was reading; then I went back and reread the story by itself so that I could feel how it flowed. Without the annotations, I would have enjoyed Basho's story, but I would not have understood much of what was written. Sato also includes pages of notes and commentaries. This is a well researched piece. "Basho's Narrow Road" is a beautiful story about Basho's travels. In it he reflects on the beauty of the countryside and the spirit of the people that he encounters.
   
   I recommend "Basho's Narrow Road" to people that enjoy Japanese poetry, especially Haiku. It would also be a great book to use for a college literature class. I really enjoyed Basho's journey.

1 comments about Fodor's Hong Kong, 20th Edition: With Macau and the South China Cities (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. My husband purchased and took this book with him last month to Hong Kong and Macau and found it most helpful.

2 comments about Guide to the Magic of Walt Disney World Journal.

1. All catered toward a trip to Disney, with spots for what you did, what you ate, what characters you saw, etc. Expected it to be a little more colorful, though.



2. Our family likes to keep journals whenever we go to Disney, but this is the first journal we've found that lives up to the magic. It's filled with all kinds of things to fill out, including where we went, what we saw, what we had to eat, etc. We really liked the sections that asked what our favorite moments of the day were, we found that when we looked back on the day to think of our favorite moments that we were able to relive the magic all over again! The fact that there is so much to fill out is great, that way you won't forget a thing. Highly recommended!!

No comments about Asian Business Customs & Manners: A Country-by-Country Guide.

1 comments about Simon Winchester's Calcutta (Writer & Place).

1. This book is, in my opinion, a close second to Blaise and Mukherjee's "Days and Nights in Calcutta" as the best introduction to Calcutta for westerners. Winchester's own views and experiences are valuable, but it is in his choice of other voices that this book comes into its own.

4 comments about Hundred Thousand Fools of God, The: Musical Travels in Central Asia (and Queens, New York).

1. Mr. Levin has truly accomplished something noteworthy in this book. It is perhaps the best book from the often boring realm of ethnomusicological research that I have read in recent years. The breadth of understanding and acute cultural awareness brought out in the book is fantastic. It should find an audience among music scholars as well as the average reader, especially given the uncomplicated way Levin tells his tale. The addition of the CD to the book is truly complimentary unlike many of the other "multi-media" gimmicks so often offered to entice the buyer. This book is essential for anyone who seeks a clarity in writing about the musics of another culture.



2. Mr. Levin writes about cultural survival and cultural decay in Transoxiana, as seen from the vantage point of traditional musicians. Combining his own traveler's tales with detailed but accessible musicological analysis, he examines the role of the traditional performing arts in the modern world of Uzbekistan, and the way that they have been subverted by the Soviet and successor governments. Engagingly written, without condescension towards the reader or the people of whom he writes, this book will reward readers interested in the cultural life of the region.



3. This book is a many faceted report on the state of music in the Central Asian Republics of the former Soviet Union, especially Uzbekistan. The author did his Ph.D. research in ethnomusicology in Tashkent on traditional court music called Shash maqam in 1977-1978. At the time, Levin was not as interested in this music as he had expected, which he later attributed to the Soviet cultural policies which extinguished the spark of vivacity from the Uzbek music. This book details many of the author's subsequent travels to Central Asia in search of traditional musicians who managed somehow to develop their unique talents within the stifling socialist milieu.

   Levin provides much information about the artists, their music, and their poetry, which can all be heard on the accompanying CD. In the text itself, he rarely describes the instruments played by the musicians, referring to them merely with their local names. However, descriptions of the instruments can be found in the glossary at the end of the book, which I unfortunately didn't notice until I had finished reading. Occasionally, Levin's musicology terms get a little too thick for the general reader, but on the whole, the book is quite accessible.

   The strongest aspect of the book is its description of the culture history of music in the Soviet Union. In my own brief travels to the Soviet Union, I was struck by how many people there were acquainted with classical music--how an appreciation of classical music stretched across the entire society. I never saw the dark side of this, however. In this book, Levin describes how centralized state policies governed even the field of music, changing and obliterating centuries' old traditions.




4. Six years ago, I wrote my first review for Amazon, of Richard N. Frye's "Bukhara: The Medieval Achievement". Frye's work, concentrating mostly on the 10th and 11th centuries, described in detail how Turkic-speaking nomads combined with Iranian city dwellers and Arab bringers of a new religion to create a new synthesis in Islam in Central Asia, particularly in the city of Bukhara. That syncretic Islam later became most instrumental in the development of the Muslim faith in the Indian subcontinent. Levin's THE HUNDRED THOUSAND FOOLS OF GOD mainly describes the condition of music and musicians in the 1990s in the modern republics of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. That same Richard N. Frye provides a strong endorsement on the back cover. I too find that this volume is a worthy successor in the on-going "project" of bringing Central Asian history and culture before Western eyes. The musical world of Central Asia still involves synthesis and syncretism---between the West and tradition, between new conservatism and older tolerance, between Soviet atheism and local spirituality, between Islam and older religions which we might label shamanistic, and between so-called ethnic groups like Uzbeks and Tajiks.

   Levin travelled around the region with a musical companion, Otanazar Matyakubov, who provided endless contacts and insights. Together they interviewed and listened to all the varied performers of Central Asian music, from a female pop singer to humble performers of classical styles, from healers in remote villages who used music in their rituals to performers at schmaltzy Jewish weddings in the transplanted Bukharan Jewish community in Queens, New York. Levin describes the surroundings in which he found each musician, tells of his travels in decrepit cars between ancient cities or by donkey through the dramatic mountain scenery of remotest Tajikistan. While a certain amount of detail may be of interest chiefly to fellow ethnomusicologists, those specialized observations are spaced throughout the text in such a way that the non-professional reader never feels overwhelmed. Levin provides a number of excellent photographs, maps, and most importantly, a brilliant CD which illustrates all the styles and instruments he discusses. The effect of 70 years of Soviet policies is often mentioned, and a reader can deduce the results of this assault on local culture, though I would have liked more direct comment. Moscow's insistence on creating discrete "nationalities" created virulent brands of Uzbek and Tajik (and so many other) nationalism where none had existed. It created separate, ethnic-based countries where none had ever existed. It even created "Uzbek" and "Tajik" music out of a formerly seamless Central Asian tradition. This Soviet policy ultimately resulted in the squeezing out of Bukharan Jews-prominent in the Central Asian musical world for centuries---because they were deemed insufficiently "Uzbek" by newly nationalistic authorities.

   In short, this is one of the best books of ethnomusicology I have ever read. It would be of interest to anyone trying to learn more about Central Asia and must be required reading for anthropologists concerned with the area. THE HUNDRED THOUSAND FOOLS OF GOD also brings the region to life and underlines the difference between the materialistic, narrowly nationalistic present and the past in which musicians played out of devotion and love of God without trying to fit into some culture apparatchik's idea of "national music".