5 comments about Sorcerer's Apprentice.

1. Tahir Shah is an Englishman of Afghani/Scottish descent who writes what may be a new form: The eccentric maybe true, maybe not true, but true on a metaleval travel book. What I mean by that is that, while the details of his day-to-day experiences may be exaggerated and padded to make the book work with a coherent theme, the facts about the country remain true. I genuinely enjoyed this second book of his that I have read. In it, an 11-year-boy meets the guardian of his ancestor's tomb, learns a bit of magic, grows up, travels to India to tour and meet the guardian again, hoping to learn more slight of hand illusion magic. From there he is referred to his teacher's teacher, who is definitely the archytypical teacher as sadist. As Mr. Tahir learns the craft, we learn a great deal about India, about the travelling magicians, godmen, sadhus, charletans, etc. I found the book engaging from beginning to end and highly recommend it.



2. I ordered my book and got it in 3 or 4 days in flawless
   condition. Many thanks.



3. I loved this book !!! It is the second book I read by this author (the first was the Caliph's House which I also loved) and I intend to read ALL his books past and future.
   I simply fell for his style of writing, it goes to the core and makes you feel like you are present and for me that is what books should do, suck us into the narrative. I had a travel guide of India by me to look up all the locations mentioned in the book and i just marvelled at the amount of information I learned about magic tricks. I hope more people read his books and that he keeps writing.



4. When I purchased this book, due to the title of the book, I expected the book to have an esoteric, occult, flavor and to describe some of the esoteric practices of India - perhaps something along the lines of the books on Aghora, given the illustration on the cover where the individual looks as if he were a devotee of Kali. To me the word "sorcery" represents working in some way with consciousness and energy. This book has nothing of the sort. It is all about performing illusions and is in a way a collection of tricks done by street magicians. If you like street magic, you may enjoy this book. Some of the tricks are based on outright deception, as in the slight-of-hand, while others may involve some knowlede of chemistry, physics, anatomy and psychology. You may feel inspired to get one of those Harry Potter science experiments kits or similar that begin by teaching you how to pass a boiled egg through a glass bottle. You may then progress onto other illusions as performed by David Blaine, Derren Brown or Chris Angel.
   
   I did find the writing style of the author rather entertaining and at time rather funny, which helped to swallow some sad facts about the life of the poor people in India (as in beggars renting babies so that they could make money - the book also has pictures of a "baby dealer" in Calcutta), about the way people look at and treat widows, and few other beliefs and customs that made me appreciate all over again all the comforts I have and sometimes take for granted.



5. This book gets an A+. I've been swimming through Tahir's safaris for the last few months and benefiting to an immense degree. The books are baited with hilarity and insight and inspire to take a more thorough look into our own worlds and the world at large, beyond the illusion of our own delusions. The India presented by Tahir is riveting-- a course in smells, spells, and sales. I read this book in two days, one because I'm so smart, and two... well... I don't want to ruin the sirr-prize, you're fired!

No comments about Adventures in Ancient China (Good Times Travel Agency).

2 comments about Inside North Korea.

1. I recently reviewed Philippe Chancel's excellent photographic book North Korea and Mark Harris in his book has filled in more of the jigsaw. The Chancel book essentially covered the capitol Pyongyang and Harris contributes twenty general shots, too. Additional capitol coverage includes the amazing Arirang Mass Games, the Children's Palace, the Korean film studio and five shots of the USS Pueblo.
   
   The strength of this book is the coverage outside of the capitol. No doubt under strict supervision Harris visited Kaesong, Geumgangsen, Sinuiju, Paektusan and the Tumen River along the northeast border region. The photos show the countryside and rather bleak looking cities and towns. Everywhere bikes seem the principal means of transport and everywhere there are the slogans of good cheer to inspire the masses. On page 135 there is photo of a hillside above the town of Sanbong with huge letters spelling out: 'Bravo Mr Kim who is the Greatest Sunshine of the 21st Century!' No doubt it keeps hillside typographers busy.
   
   The last section covers the countryside along the Demilitarised Zone with its two and a half mile wide strip of land 151 miles long. The photos here are a mixture of military presence and agricultural folk existing (on either side) in this volatile flashpoint. One photo shows the world's tallest flagpole, 525 feet high, towering above the village of Kichong-dong (wouldn't such a structure make a super espionage something or other?).
   
   I liked the book with its mixture of travel and politics (SS Pueblo, DMZ and Panmunjeom) presented in slightly raw, gutsy photos whereas Chancel's style is photographically softer and his book is the more elegant of the two. Both books are certainly worth a look if you want see a little bit of a forbidden country and you'll most likely see more of it than many of the people who live there.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



2. North Korea's always in the news and so a book like INSIDE NORTH KOREA is essential not just to college-level holdings with books on North Korea, but to general-interest collections as well. The public library will especially appreciate this book's format: an oversized photo exhibit which pairs well-researched essays and commentary by North Korea experts with images of North Korean peoples and places. Perfect for any collection seeking a solid introduction.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

1 comments about National Geographic Traveler: Hong Kong, 2d Ed. (National Geographic Traveler).

1. This travel book is fantastic....I have several National Geographic Traveler Guides and wish they made them for everywhere. I have always used Lonely Planet exclusively but have been switching over to these guides instead in places that are covered by National Geographic. I work for an airline so I travel a lot, and these really are the best. They sometimes miss a few little details that Lonely Planet has, but the problem with Lonely Planet is there is often too much information and not enough photos/descriptions. The National Geographic books have tons of photos so you know what you want to see, and give great route and detailed itinerary descriptions so you don't miss anything along the way. You must have this book if you are going to Hong Kong! If you are backpacking you might still need the Lonely Planet, but if you are just traveling through or are visiting on business or pleasure buy this book.

1 comments about Getting Wet: Adventures in the Japanese Bath.

1. If you plan on going to Japan or have ever been their, this is the book for you. It explains the culture of the japan bath , which is very important to the japanese and will give you a better understanding of their lifestyle ..It also list many bathhouse including the one in tokyo , that is like disey world. a fun place to go...

No comments about The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget 1 (Rough Guide Travel Guides).

4 comments about National Geographic Traveler: Thailand, 2d Ed. (National Geographic Traveler).

1. just as you would expect of national geographic...beautiful and full of useful info...National Geographic Traveler: Thailand, 2d Ed. (National Geographic Traveler)



2. National Geographic guilde books are unique and provide the BEST information on the local sites and geography. Don't leave home without it!



3. This has been a fabulous book. Better than I expected, which is crazy since Nat'l Geographic always puts out great stuff! I just didn't expect not only info. about the country, but also its history, popular tourist spots, maps, all kinds of stuff. we got alot more than what we expected for the money.



4. Although I always buy Rough guides, I saw this National Geographic traveler Thailand that is full of beautiful pictures on great paper and I liked it, so I thought-ok, this time I will buy this guide, it can't be bad, it's National Geographic's!!
   Oh, how wrong I was!
   Guide is nice, but it is not sufficient if you travel like I do, on my own, backpacking around the country, without any travel agents. I doesn't provide you with the information you need, and although pictures of places look graet, information are poor. Not just where to go and what to do-everything is so shallow! I couldn't believe how superficial it is!
   
   So, I would say-this guide is for people who will travel through a travel agency, in a group with a guide, so they don't need to think much (or at all), but just want to read or see a bit where they will be going.
   If you are going to wander around the country and would like to know a lot about history, people, tradition, places, transport etc. buy a Rough guide, as I did at the end and love every page of it.

3 comments about In Search of Southeast Asia: A Modern History (Revised).

1. Wow! What a volume. As I mentioned in my review of a Cambridge History of the same region, ignorance of this region is simply not wise, and I would dare say not an option. In this day of terrorism and other geopolitical concerns, we remain ignorant of this region at our peril. This book will give the reader a good basic explanation of the ten countries (at the time this book was published) that make up this region.
   
   This work is divided into five parts. The first part is entitled "The Eighteenth-Century World." In it, the authors describe the various forces affecting peasants, tribal peoples, village-life, etc. over the region as a whole before focusing on specific countries (many of which were colonies at the time.)
   
   Part two, entitled "New Challenges to Old Authority" goes country/region by country/region and talks about the major changes coming to the region, much of which is brought by the European powers and the expansion of the role that they have had there for more than 200 years by that point. The section covers from 1750 to 1875.
   
   Part three is entitled "Framework for Nations." This shortest section of the books looks at various forces, such as economic transformation, that are affecting the entire region.
   
   Part four, "Social Change and the Emergence of Nationalism" basically covers the first few decades of the twentieth century prior to World War II. Effects of the newer, more direct, forms of colonial systems are discussed as well as the emergence of nationalism, first in the Philippines, throughout the region.
   
   Part five contains an examination of the post-war history of the region, focusing on the themes of independence and social change.
   
   This is a heavy work and dense at times, but that is to a point unavoidable due to the subject matter at hand. However, this is a must-have volume for anyone wishing to become familiar with the modern history as well as the peoples that make up one of the world's least discussed, but most vital regions.



2. If you are interested in history, or perhaps if you just had to sit through history way back when, you probably heard about "no taxation without representation", Gettysburg, Disraeli, the Magna Carta, Charlemagne, Voltaire, and Cheops' Pyramid, to take a few out of the grab bag. Whether or not you've heard of similarly central and basic events or people in Southeast Asia is another question. Most people in English-speaking countries are a bit vague if asked about Arakan (a long independent kingdom now part of Burma or Myanmar) or Cebuano (one of the most important Philippine languages), Tu Duc (the last major emperor of Vietnam who died in 1883) or Kartini (a Javanese woman whose letters are a monument to modernization and change in Indonesia). I first used the 1973 edition of this book more than 30 years ago when I had to teach an introductory course on Southeast Asia. I found it an invaluable source of information, in an excellently organized format. The authors wisely did not try to cover two thousand years or more of history for the eleven countries-Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, East Timor, Brunei, and the Philippines-making up the region. They begin with an excellent picture of the 18th century world, including fishermen and rice farmers, religion, trade, local rulers and colonial rulers (at that time, only the Spanish in part of the Philippines). This section alone is worth the price of the book as a marvelous integrated history. The next section deals with the way each major society dealt with the impinging outside world, which arrived in the shape of colonial economic and political encroachments and ultimate control. Each colonial power adopted particular measures, producing differing reactions from the inevitable nationalist movements. Meanwhile Chinese and Indian businessmen, then Japanese military occupation added new elements to the historical mix. People who want up-to-date material must look for the later edition. My edition of IN SEARCH OF SOUTHEAST ASIA does not discuss much after 1960, leaving out the Second Indochina War, the economic transformation of Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia since then, the impact of oil in Indonesia, and the Cambodian genocide. But in any case, as an introduction to Southeast Asia, as a background work for the study of any one of the countries mentioned, this book would be hard to beat. It contains some excellent maps and detailed information on a myriad subjects. Its style is serious, but not unreadable. If you read the whole thing, you will know more about Southeast Asia than 99% of Westerners. And that's a shame.



3. This is a wonderful introduction to the history of Southeast Asia, ranging from the early modern period of the region to the influence of colonialism on the society and culture of Southeast Asian countries. There is also good background information on the individual countries which comprise the area.

5 comments about Kabul in Winter: Life Without Peace in Afghanistan.

1. Kabul in Winter is Jones' account of life in Afghanistan following the U.S. invasion and fall of the Taliban, particularly in the sphere of international humanitarian aid work. This is an especially penetrating commentary on Afghani culture, women's rights, and the international not-for-profit sector. Jones never claims an objective analysis, but offers readers a viscerally personal account of her own experience and in so doing succeeds brilliantly.



2. Ms. Jones' naïve and nihilistic view on the international community's attempt to reconstruct Afghanistan ruins what starts out to be a promising and revealing book on the Afghani people. In her view, she is the only person who has ever really succeeded in accomplishing anything worthwhile for Afghanistan. Although her descriptions of daily life in Afghanistan, the deplorable treatment of women, and the unfortunately slow building of a genuine Afghani national identity that never existed before evoke empathy and genuine disbelief, the wonderful narratives are lost in her simplistic politics and inaccurate history. She presents many facts supporting her very biased judgements but leaves out many more that offer balance to current conditions and paint a more realistic view of this war torn country. She also goes well out of her way to continually blame the United States for many of Afghanistan's problems while flippantly passing over the fact that the Afghanis themselves have been and continue to be the real source of the cultural and historical obstacles that must be overcome to secure peace



3. It is difficult to read a book about Kabul, or Afghanistan more generally, without feeling enormous sadness. The strategic location of Afghanistan, the politics and the tribal rivalries all make for a degree of inherent instability even without the successive superpower manipulations by other countries including Britain, the USSR and the USA.
   
   Ms Jones's book is both illuminating and irritating. Her keen and passionate observations provide powerful images of aspects of Afghanistan. Ultimately, though, her views about politicians and the failure of international organisations undermine her effectiveness as they easily enable readers to take issue with her objectivity. I think that is a pity. I don't know what Ms Jones hoped to achieve by doing this but I am reasonably certain that it has not resulted in any sustained consequential improvement for the life of women in Afghanistan generally.
   
   Kabul in winter can be a very bleak place indeed.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



4. An amazing book. Kudo's to Ann Jones for bringing back such an amazing inside look at the Afghan culture and weaving her experiences into a fantastic story. It read almost like a book of fiction.



5. Once again we have all these "The planets revolves around me people" writing very naive opinions about a book concerning a foreign land. It is so sad when people in effect are saying "HEY THIS IS HOW THE WORLD WORKS !!!", while there are most likely people in every other country saying the same thing: "This is how it works, this is how it works, and so on and so on. It is this very human way of thinking that has spawned so many wars, therefore if knowledge is power, then the wrong knowledge must make people powerless. Finally, I don't believe the author was writing in absolutes or with political motives, read and judge for yourself, but try to read other books related to the subject and I think your find the author is spot on, from the westerners point of view.

4 comments about Laminated Beijing Map by Borch.

1. During my ten day trip to Beijing The Berndtson laminated map of Beijing was indispensable. It is easily readable and has many of the best places to visit highlighted which made planning each day easy. The map not only survived the hundreds of openings and refolding, but is still in excellent shape for many future uses. The only shortcoming is that the map does not cover the outlying areas of Beijing. It covers only the central area out to the "third ring road"



2. During my 2 weeks in the Beijing area this map was indispensible! It's laminated, so it holds up great. The streets are labeled in pinyin (roman characters). This is perfect, since these days almost every street sign in Beijing is also labeled in pinyin (as well as Chinese characters). Almost every landmark you want to find is on the map in English as well as Chinese.
   
   Subway lines and their stops are indicated (except the brand new line #5). The map makes it very easy to get around Beijing and even includes overlays with major places such as the forbidden city and summer palace.



3. In looking at maps of Beijing, my criterion was simple: "Does the map show the street where our hotel is located?" This was a challenge: the hotel we chose was a converted mansion on a narrow "hutong," or side street. The Borch map was the only one I could find that did - much, much more detail than any similar map - certainly vastly better than any of the free maps that hotels give out. Note that the current version is updated for the Olympics and does show the new Beijing Metro lines that are about to open.



4. I have been to Beijing 4 times and took this map for my last 12 day visit. It was GREAT! Got me to all my meetings, Olympic events, and even my native friends were loving my Map! If only they could do more maps on every district in BJ, but then you would need a book. Worth every penny I paid! Thank YOU.