Average customer rating:
- Childs has done it with this book...
- Excellent Read With Interesting Personal Point of Views
- House of Rain, A Great Read
- House of Rain
- Exception read for the non-archeologist interested in the Anasazi
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House of Rain: Tracking a Vanished Civilization Across the American Southwest
Craig Childs
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0316608173 |
Book Description
A feat of historical detection--the most significant, andcertainly the most enthralling, book on American prehistory to appear indecades.The greatest "unsolved mystery" of the American Southwest relates to theAnasazi, the native peoples who by the 11th century converged on ChacoCanyon (now New Mexico) and built a flourishing cultural center thatattracted pilgrims from far and wide, a vital crossroads of the prehistoricworld. The Anasazis' accomplishments--in agriculture, in art, in commerce,in architecture and engineering--were astounding, rivaling those of theMayans in distant Central America. By the 13th century, however, the Anasazi were gone from Chaco. Vanished.What was it--drought? pestilence? war? forced migration? mass murder orsuicide? Craig Childs draws on scholarly research and a lifetime ofadventure and exploration in the American Southwest to pursue the mysteryof their disappearance. Considering many possibilities, he points the wayto a new understanding of how a vibrant civilization collapsed.
Customer Reviews:
Childs has done it with this book..........2007-09-11
It's been a long time since I was thoroughly captivated by a book but House Of Rain has managed to do just that. Craig Childs is arguably one of the finest non-fiction writers today. For those of us who live and breathe the Great Southwest, Child's descriptions will bring back vivid memories of Sleeping Ute mountain in the distance and standing where the Ancients stood at Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, and Chaco. For those reviewers who felt like they needed maps and an answer, you can get maps at the visitor centers all bound up in glossy little books with equally glossy descriptions of people and places. This is not one of those books - it's so much deeper. This book is not a souvenier, it's a vehicle that takes you to places that a relative few will ever see and even less will understand. Sometimes, there is no final answer - there's just the lingering questions. That's part of what makes it so interesting.
Excellent Read With Interesting Personal Point of Views.......2007-09-06
This is the first book by Craig Childs that I've read. I will say it is an excellent book on the Anasazi. Craig has spent his whole life in the desert Southwest and appears to be quite knowledgeable about his subject. If you are the least bit interested in knowing a bit more about the Anasazi but don't want to read a "dry" scientific book about the subject, this is "the book" for you. Craig has travelled, worked and talked with many southwest Archaeologists who study the Anasazi. His discussions on the Anasazi are not boring and dry and his writing style is superb. I have a passing interest in the subject matter and this is one of the newest books on the subject and based on reviews of his other books, bought this one. I'm glad I did. Craig covers some controversial areas in regards to the Anasazi and where they went. They didn't disappear, their ancestors are still here, spread out over the southwest. He hits on a few quite creditabal possibilities and presents material to support them. I not being an expert on the subject but none the less interested and with some of my own ideas, I think Craig is on to something in regards to some of the reasons for the abandonment of the ancient sites across the entire southwest not just the Four Corners area commonly attributed to the Anasazi. Craig's descriptions of his backcountry travels are excellent and gives the sense that you are there with him which makes it even more enjoyable to read. This one is a keeper which I know I will read over and over again.
House of Rain, A Great Read.......2007-08-16
If you'd like to take a journey into the SW United States looking for the "missing" Anasazi, you should crack open this book, and delve into Craig Child's riveting journey. Child's style of writing puts you there with him, and he's very skilled at creating images that draw you into the adventure.
House of Rain .......2007-07-07
Craig Childs and "House of Rain" took me to places I've been and most importantly, to places I've been unable to experience. As I was reading this descriptive narrative of the Southwest that I love so much, I felt I was walking right beside him...excellent!
Exception read for the non-archeologist interested in the Anasazi.......2007-07-06
I already own several of Craig Childs books which I enjoy reading so that I can vicariously explore the canyons with him. This book is Exceptional. I bought it just last week at the Anasazi Heritage Center near Mesa Verde and Canyons of the Ancients while vacationing there with my wife and granddaughter. Living in Utah, we make yearly trips to the Moab area and southeastern canyons of Utah always hopeing to find a ruin to explore and photograph. This book is great for the non-scientist but those interested in the cultures of the Southwest like me!
Book Description
In Pink Box, photographer Joan Sinclair takes us on a journey inside the secret world of fuzoku (commercial sex) in Japan, a world where kawaii (cute) collides with consumerism and sex.
Unrivaled in their creativity and the sheer number of choices, the clubs featured in this book offer their clientele every fantasy imaginable. Subway groping, visits to the nurse's office, and comic book character encounters are just the beginning of the immense list of possibilities that are played out in colorful playrooms for adults where no detail is overlooked. Sinclair's photographs capture it all, while an introduction by sociologist James Farrer provides a brief history of commercial sex in Japan and places the images in the context of contemporary Japanese culture.
Customer Reviews:
Serious yet fun.......2007-09-16
The Pink Box is about Japan's fantasy and sex clubs. While full of interesting and, sometimes, shocking photos taken while in many of the clubs the book also explains how the clubs work. The rules they follow, the people who work there, the types of people who come to enjoy the clubs and why they survive in Japan in the first place. It is serious but with a touch of humor and great fun.
And some of the girls are just hot.
Insightful Photographs.......2007-08-05
There's something intensely interesting about the dichotomy between Japan's formal, public culture and the wide acceptance of the sex club culture. In some ways, it mirrors the religious face of American culture versus the gratuitous sex we accept in magazines, movies and TV. Still, Japanese culture and American culture are quite different and this book goes a long way towards making sense of the differences.
In fact, "interesting" is probably the best adjective to describe Ms. Sinclair's photographs. Despite their subject matter, they aren't particularly erotic. Instead, they are explanatory. They are posed. They are beautiful, yes, and they cover a wide cross-section of the sex trade but they capture people working. Because of that, they reflect a certain banality of working life that we don't normally associate with sex.
In addition, the brief bits of text that accompany the photos contribute to the air of explanation. And yet, finishing the book leaves a clearer and prettier picture of the sex club culture in Japan than something like Araki's Tokyo Lucky Hole. There's is much to be said for Araki's grittier and more ambiguous work but Sinclair's has its own pleasures. For someone looking to understand more of this part of Japanese culture, Sinclair's book should not be missed.
Welcome to the pink box.......2007-07-27
Joan Sinclair's photographic voyage through the adult clubs of Japan is anything but boring. Far from it, it shows the exotic and erotic side of what's presumably a very conservative culture. The most prominent places are in Shinjuku's Kabuki-chou, the red-light district in Tokyo that's also home to the yakuza, and in Osaka. The sad thing is that if one is a foreigner, chances are zilch that one can experience this fantasy world because they cater only to their own, and given how conservative the yakuza are... need I say more?
I just have to admit how imaginative my countrymen are in those businesses in the red-light district. Naturally, the Japanese high school girl in her uniform is a figure of fantasy regarding sex, so yes, there are high school girl cosplays. They have been targets of perverts on trains, such as groping or pinching, so yes, in image clubs, they have mock trains where one can do those things to the girls there. There are also OL (office lady) cosplays, where one can choose the colour of stockings and uniform worn by the lady they choose. The sign outside reads "OL--Sexual Harassment Office." Then there is the nurse costume, stewardesses, waitresses, I am reminded of one fast food burger chain whose motto was "make it your way." Some clubs, like the Reijo Club C'est Bien, have a menu--polaroids are a 1000 yen (about $10), pantyhose a 1000 yen, strap-ons are 2000 yen, and S&M goods 2000 yen, to give a few examples. And there's a multiple choice questionnaire where the customer circles what one wants the girl to do.
The owners of the establishment also take the time to protect their girls, as they have signs requesting customers not to force their girls, to refrain from rough touches or language. And the real thing is a no-no in those clubs. One might think the girls are being exploited, but as one girl says, "It would take a year to earn the money for my purse if I was working in an office."
Then there are clubs where there aren't any women. The doll club are for customers who are shy to be with real women so there are life-sized silicone dolls where customers can choose the face, hair length, costume, and the V-word. The fee is the same for spending time with a real woman.
The peeping rooms are clubs for anonymously spying on girls who never see the customers, the distance separated by one-way mirrors or lucky holes. For something bizarre, how about 2000 yen to play inside a tub of green gel? And in Club Mammoth, there are two very hefty girls, who are still cute, and are worth being sandwiched inbetween.
There's also a "pink dictionary" of terms in the back. Explicit, elegant, and cute, and in a pink plastic cover. Well worth reading for those interested in that side of Japan.
As much a voyeuristic look inside the pink box as a thorough guide to the menu and customs of the sex industry.......2007-06-27
Just after her 30th birthday, San Francisco attorney Joan Sinclair returned to Japan (she had been an English teacher there in her early twenties) to embark on an ambitious project of photographing the sex clubs in Tokyo's red light district. She remembered the cornucopia of sex options in Tokyo and had always wondered why it wasn't written about or photographed. She soon learned that the main obstacle was access to clubs. Sinclair couldn't pay her way in, so she cajoled and befriended the right players and now provides both American and Japan with a glossy look behind the closed doors of the sex industry.
The book is as much a voyeuristic look inside the pink box as it is a thorough guide to the menu and customs of the sex industry. Clubs offer services in fuzoku (commercial sex) ranging from hostess services in the geisha tradition, to image clubs ("play" rooms to fulfill fantasies with schoolgirls and police officers), to telephone clubs with internet stations and live chat, to a few full-on brothels. Clubs cater to males, females, and swinging couples. Many operate in legal limbo--sex for money is illegal, so customers pay for legal aspects and any intercourse is a private affair between consenting adults. Customers must obey the rules or face ejection and banishment, complete with posted Polaroids of offenders!
Looking thought the several hundred photos in this book (of workers, customers, menus, and settings), I was struck by how small the fantasy rooms and cubicles are. Sinclair writes that she often had to shoot with a unipod due to the space restrictions. I especially enjoyed the club menus and questionnaires translated in the book, indicating acts beyond my imagination which can be requested by the customer.
Why???.......2007-06-27
A rather sophmoric look into Japan's sex clubs. There is really no content in this book, rather photo's that would get a pubescent boy's mind wandering in ways it shouldn't.
Overall I would not recommend this book unless it was for a gag, however the translucent pink synthetic book cover and title are some what playful
Book Description
The Curse of Lono is to Hawaii what Fear and Loathing was to Las Vegas: the crazy tales of a journalist's "coverage" of a news event that ends up being a wild ride to the dark side of Americana.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best and funniest I have read!.......2007-06-07
It is a must read for people wanting to know more about Hawaii. I especially liked the section where he makes merciless fun of the Kona Board of REALTORS. The drug culture of the 60s revisited?!
One of his finest.......2006-11-10
Set behind the scenes of Hawaii during the 80's, the docter's portrayal of hawaii is by far one of his finest books. Growing up in hawaii, I recommend this book whole heartedly for its mixture of truth and surealism to portray hawaii the way I remember it.
He discribes the Hawaii's drug culture and tourism industry perfectly.
Definatly a must read if your a fan of Hunter Thompsons work.
The way to remember HST..........2006-11-06
In this finally reprinted book, HST travels to Hawaii to cover the Ironman Triathalon for Running magazine, and winds up deep in ancient Hawaiian religions and history, along with how Captain Cook first visited the Hawaiian islands. True gonzo adventure, and unavailable except in paperback for too long. If you have only read "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by HST, this book will bring the reader closer to today's reality, or at least as HST sees it.
Good, clean fun.......2006-11-05
Well, not exactly "good, clean fun" but it is fun. I loved this book because it's not as acid-adled as a lot of HT's writing and it's funny as hell. Also, it's a primer on what is actually happening (around you) when you catch a trophy fish in Hawaii (which I did before this book came out). At the time, I was baffled by how fast my fish dissapeared and how I was being treated (like a cheap trick) but this made it all painfully clear (after the fact). Well worth the read.
Praise For Lono!.......2006-08-18
Once again HST delves deep into the dark side of the human mind. Whether it's fishing for drugs in an airplane toilet or running over stray dogs in a drunken stupor, Hunter takes his reader on a wild ride through mysterious Hawaii. If you want to take a trip without the airfare (or the acid) crack open this oversized volume and enjoy.
Book Description
From the acclaimed author of River Town comes a rare portrait, both intimate and epic, of twenty-first-century China as it opens its doors to the outside world.
A century ago, outsiders saw Chinaas a place where nothing ever changes. Today the coun-try has become one of the most dynamic regions on earth. That sense of time—the contrast between past and present, and the rhythms that emerge in a vast, ever-evolving country—is brilliantly illuminated by Peter Hessler in Oracle Bones, a book that explores the human side of China's transformation.
Hessler tells the story of modern-day China and its growing links to the Western world as seen through the lives of a handful of ordinary people. In addition to the author, an American writer living in Beijing, the narrative follows Polat, a member of a forgotten ethnic minority, who moves to the United States in searchof freedom; William Jefferson Foster, who grew up in an illiterate family and becomes a teacher; Emily,a migrant factory worker in a city without a past; and Chen Mengjia, a scholar of oracle-bone inscriptions, the earliest known writing in East Asia, and a man whosetragic story has been lost since the Cultural Revolution. All are migrants, emigrants, or wanderers who find themselves far from home, their lives dramatically changed by historical forces they are struggling to understand.
Peter Hessler excavates the past and puts a remarkable human face on the history he uncovers. In a narrative that gracefully moves between the ancient and the present, the East and the West, Hessler captures the soul of a country that is undergoing a momentous change before our eyes.
Download Description
"
From the acclaimed author of River Town comes a rare portrait, both intimate and epic, of twenty-first-century China as it opens its doors to the outside world.
A century ago, outsiders saw Chinaas a place where nothing ever changes. Today the coun-try has become one of the most dynamic regions on earth. That sense of time -- the contrast between past and present, and the rhythms that emerge in a vast, ever-evolving country -- is brilliantly illuminated by Peter Hessler in Oracle Bones, a book that explores the human side of China's transformation.
Hessler tells the story of modern-day China and its growing links to the Western world as seen through the lives of a handful of ordinary people. In addition to the author, an American writer living in Beijing, the narrative follows Polat, a member of a forgotten ethnic minority, who moves to the United States in searchof freedom; William Jefferson Foster, who grew up in an illiterate family and becomes a teacher; Emily,a migrant factory worker in a city without a past; and Chen Mengjia, a scholar of oracle-bone inscriptions, the earliest known writing in East Asia, and a man whosetragic story has been lost since the Cultural Revolution. All are migrants, emigrants, or wanderers who find themselves far from home, their lives dramatically changed by historical forces they are struggling to understand.
Peter Hessler excavates the past and puts a remarkable human face on the history he uncovers. In a narrative that gracefully moves between the ancient and the present, the East and the West, Hessler captures the soul of a country that is undergoing a momentous change before our eyes.
"
Customer Reviews:
Not Rivertown, but nontheless breathtaking.......2007-10-03
Hessler's follow-up to his enchanting 'River Town' is far more immersed in history and sociology than its younger brother. Through the witty structure that intersperses the ancient with the modern, like China itself, Hessler is able to speak on every issue from the formation of the ancient Chinese writing system to the asian-food deliveries of his comrade, Polat.
Without a doubt, Hessler's writing has improved since 'River Town'. This is a book that constantly glances over its shoulder into the past, consulting with aging scholars and the dead, and Hessler manages this with constant refrains that charm the reader as much as they remind him of the greater context of the story.
For any student who wants a healthy overview of modern China, from the macro to the micro, 'Oracle Bones' is an excellent starting choice.
Not as engaging as River Town.......2007-06-24
Peter Hessler is an excellent writer but for some reason this book didn't engage me the way River Town did. The one thing I will remember very distinctly from this book is that he writes of how happy the people of China were by the 9/11 attacks. This I will not forget.
informative.......2007-06-05
Using stories of individual people the author attempts to explain the complex history of China. The author's research and experiences in China thread through the narrative, but I felt the book could have been edited into a more coherent whole. Still, I think readers will enjoy the book and come away informed as well.
A wonderful read - highly engaging.......2007-04-23
Petter Hessler's "Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present" focused on his work as a journalist living in Beijing. After working teaching English in Fuling for two years, Hessler was well-versed with the Chinese language and culture. He befriended, Polat, a Uighur, living in Beijing as a black market currency trader. Hessler focused a big portion of his book on the Uighurs, one of the ethnic minority groups living in Xinjiang, a large area which bordered countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was interesting to read about the strained relationships between the Uighurs who were Islamics and the Communist government. Hessler also touched briefly on whole China-Taiwan issue as well as the Falun Gong's movement.
In addition to his friendship with Polat, Hessler also did research on oracle bones, which was the earliest known writing in East Asia - tracing the work of the one oracle bones scholar, Chen Mengjia. Chen was considere to be a rightist during the Cultural Revolution and his work even though was extremely important but did not receive the well-deserved recognition. Throughout the book, Hessler interviewed former students of Chen, his family members, and foreign scholars to learn more about Chen's life and work.
Hessler also wrote about his former students in Fuling, a few of which worked as English teachers themselves. Through his students, Hessler was able to tell another story - this new generation in the Chinese society who were not affected by Mao's policies but who seemed to be very much influenced by the Western world and their common goal is to acquire wealth. It was interesting to read about China's new economy is transforming the country and the people.
This was an excellent read for me, as Hessler was able to combine history, Chinese culture and values and contemporary issues to make this a must-read for students studying the Chinese history and culture. I was pleasantly surprised to read about the Uighurs's experiences in China and their views on the Chinese people and the Communist government. It is rare to find books (on the subject of China) that touches upon the ethnic minorities living in Xinjiang. Hessler was able to write from a non-bias, and fair perspective of the country and its people. I read Hessler's previous book, "River Town" and was quite impressed and I think "Oracle Bones" is an even better read. Highly recommended!
Understanding China through its language.......2007-02-25
Peter Hessler, The New Yorker's Beijing correspondent and the first foreign journalist to report from China since before the Communist Revolution, uses the excavation of China's earliest written language as a symbol for understanding modern-day China by unearthing and interpreting the lives of individuals - from Polat, a Uighar immigrant to the United States, to Emily, an idealistic young factory worker in the industrial town of Shenzhen, where products are cheaply manufactured for export to the capitalist West. Hessler's wit and compassion makes this a must-read for understanding the nation slated to replace the United States as the world's next superpower.
Book Description
Is this a great country or what? You can bet on the turn of the card, a roll of the dice—but also the NFL, the NCAA, and which Olson twin marries first. We bet $80 million a year, the amount growing wildly as more and more people gain access to this huge American wheel of fortune. No longer quarantined in Las Vegas, gambling has become as local as our neighborhood cineplex. It's no wonder that we spend more money gambling than we do on movies, music, sports, video games, and theme parks combined! If there's not a casino around the corner, there's one on your laptop computer.
In Jackpot Nation, acclaimed Sports Illustrated writer Richard Hoffer takes us on a headlong tour, alternately horrifying and hilarious, across our landscape of luck, discovering just how ridiculously determined we are to gamble. Whether he's trying to win a side of bacon in a Minnesota bar, hustling a paper sack filled with $100,000 cash across Las Vegas parking lots, poring over expansion plans with a tribal chief in California, or visiting a retired bus salesman with a poor understanding of three-game parlays in his New York prison cell, Hoffer finds a national inclination—a cultural predisposition, even—to take a chance.
Hoffer shows us how Americans—adventurers at heart—have embraced this ability to take recreational risks with a surprising gusto. But as he pokes into this country's far corners, traveling coast to coast with odds as his copilot, he uncovers more than just the playful exercise of that age-old fantasy—something for nothing. He discovers that the very institutions that used to regulate this workout are now its biggest cheerleaders. Whereas government, religion, and business once restricted our ability to gamble, making it taboo even, they have now taken ownership of the pastime. Yesterday's numbers racket is today's state lottery; yesterday's mobbed-up casino is now part of a Fortune 500 company. It's one thing to recognize the house edge, but sometimes it's quite another to figure out who actually owns the house.
Still, Hoffer manages to find the fun in all this, as equally delighted with the delirium of a slot machine trade show as the religious risk of an underground poker game, almost right beneath the spires of the Mormon Tabernacle. He concludes that people are, mostly, having a good time. If he also uncovers a downside—the outlandish vigorish that comes with its growing acceptance—well, that's why they call it gambling.
Average customer rating:
- We might be Fruits too.
- Nice!
- This is a great photo book.
- A Birthday Gift
- Colorful World
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Fruits
Shoichi Aoki
Manufacturer: Phaidon Press
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ASIN: 0714840831 |
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
If you ever wondered where the catwalk got its claws, then the portraits gathered in photographer Shoichi Aoki's book Fruits, from the streets of Harajuku in Tokyo, point the way to an extraordinarily imaginative and invariably stunning glut of mongrel fashion heists. A best-of collection from the fanzine of the same name, and published for the first time outside Japan, Fruits keeps its style clean: front-on, razor-sharp images, ranging from the deadpan to the manic, of the sharpest collages of sartorial influence that, usually, little money can buy. From off the peg to off the wall, kitsch to bitch, each person bears a combination and philosophy as distinctive as DNA. All shades of aesthetic are raided, with exquisite, scrupulous attention to detail. Punk is a favorite, as is, appropriately, Vivienne Westwood, alongside Milk and Jean-Paul Gaultier, and the occasional Comme des Garçons. Many of the outfits, though, are second-hand or self-assembly, such as a skirt drooping petals of men's silk ties, Wa-mono, when tradition Japanese clothes are topped with, say, an authentic bowler hat, EGL (elegant gothic Lolita), and a swathe of tartans, pinks, and turquoises. The most malleable feature, unsurprisingly, is hair, with dreadlocks, mohicans, back-combing, and crops dyed an irradiated spectrum. While the eye is drawn, obediently, to the mannequins, the background is often worth a look, either for the vending machines against which a number are shot, or the ubiquitous Gap store and bags, a constant reminder of the global mass market.
One enterprising man wears a genuine British paperboy's delivery bag, and, to pick but one profile, Princess, 18, is trying to be a doll and is currently preoccupied with body organs. Mmm. All the subjects are asked the source of their clothes, as well as their "point of fashion" and "current obsession." The scope for sociopsychological discussion is vast, particularly with the preponderance of infantilization, through dolls, bonnets, pop socks, and Barbie, but this is a joyous documentation of the innovative, celebrating the inspirational polytheism of street fashion, captured with provocative, political zeal. Best let the street cats prowl. --David Vincent
Book Description
If you ever wondered where the catwalk got its claws, then the portraits gathered in photographer Shoichi Aoki's book Fruits, from the streets of Harajuku in Tokyo, point the way to an extraordinarily imaginative and invariably stunning glut of mongrel fashion heists. A best-of collection from the fanzine of the same name, and published for the first time outside Japan, Fruits keeps its style clean: front-on, razor-sharp images, ranging from the deadpan to the manic, of the sharpest collages of sartorial influence that, usually, little money can buy. From off the peg to off the wall, kitsch to bitch, each person bears a combination and philosophy as distinctive as DNA. All shades of aesthetic are raided, with exquisite, scrupulous attention to detail. Punk is a favorite, as is, appropriately, Vivienne Westwood, alongside Milk and Jean-Paul Gaultier, and the occasional Comme des Gar+ons. Many of the outfits, though, are second-hand or self-assembly, such as a skirt drooping petals of men's silk ties, Wa-mono, when tradition Japanese clothes are topped with, say, an authentic bowler hat, EGL (elegant gothic Lolita), and a swathe of tartans, pinks, and turquoises. The most malleable feature, unsurprisingly, is hair, with dreadlocks, mohicans, back-combing, and crops dyed an irradiated spectrum. While the eye is drawn, obediently, to the mannequins, the background is often worth a look, either for the vending machines against which a number are shot, or the ubiquitous Gap store and bags, a constant reminder of the global mass market.One enterprising man wears a genuine British paperboy's delivery bag, and, to pick but one profile, Princess, 18, is trying to be a doll and is currently preoccupied with body organs. Mmm. All the subjects are asked the source of their clothes, as well as their "point of fashion" and "current obsession." The scope for sociopsychological discussion is vast, particularly with the preponderance of infantilization, through dolls, bonnets, pop socks, and Barbie, but this is a joyous documentation of the innovative, celebrating the inspirational polytheism of street fashion, captured with provocative, political zeal. Best let the street cats prowl. --David Vincent
Customer Reviews:
We might be Fruits too........2007-09-26
My high school art class, Costume Design, LOVE this book. It's fun to see teenagers in another culture taking western fashion and personalizing it. Every time I pick up the book I see something new. We've only had the book a couple of weeks and it is already dog-eared.
Nice!.......2007-03-27
Great book, made my girlfriend quite happy. She is very into Japanese street fashion and this book just captivated her, she looked through it about 20 times the day i gave it to her.
This is a great photo book........2007-02-04
Even if you aren't particularly interested in Japanese youth culture, this book is just a great example of fashion or humanity and the expansion of western culture into the eastern. The photographs are all high quality and just about every page also has a little questionaire filled out by each subject so you get to know a little more about them then their outrageous fashion sense.
A Birthday Gift.......2007-01-10
I got this for my 14 year old son who is into Asian pop culture.
He enjoyed the book but thought it had too much FASION aspect.
Colorful World.......2006-09-30
I had the good fortune to run into this book on vacation. As soon as I got home I ordered both Fruits and it's companion. As a self motivated student of fashion and all of it's off-shoots, I immensely enjoy this book. It is a plethora of individuals, and not a duplicate picture in the book. It features mostly youth (teenagers) but that is to be expected. But it doesn't limit itself to just the very young. There are a few family photos and "older" individuals. It is a monument to anyone who creatively clothed themselves. It gives brief details: name, age, point of fashion, fashion brands and makers. A lot of the "point of fashion" remarks seem like nonsense at first. After reflection, I think they are just 'smart allec come-backs', much like what you'd get from someone in the American Gothic culture if you asked one of them why they wear black all the time. Even with brief details you can start to see patterns in clothing styles seperating themselves out from one another. By age particularly, and by preference to designers within a group of friends. The only problem I had was reading some of the bubble gum colored print that it was done in.
Book Description
Third Culture Kids speaks to the challenges and rewards of a multicultural childhood; the joy of discovery and heartbreaking loss, its effect on maturing and personal identity, and the difficulty in transitioning home.
Customer Reviews:
"Must read" foranyone living outside your home Nation!.......2007-04-08
If you are raising children outside your home Nation, this book will help you understand and assist your children with their unique experiences living in the invisible "third" culture. If you or your spouse grew up in a Country foreign to their parents, this book may help illuminate emotions and behaviors that never quite made sense before (especially from the perspective of those of us who always lived in the same house!). This book is in english, but it is not about Americans only, but anyone from one Nation who spend several years or more of childhood in a second Nation. Should be a staple in every military, ambassadorial, or mission complex library!
it's an autobiography for tcks.......2007-03-23
I am a tck and I have met Mrs. Van Reken. She is brilliant, and her book helped me through many of my adolescent identity struggles. I have passed it along to friends and parents of tcks and everyone seems to agree that it is both interesting, thought-provoking, and helpful.
The missing link........2007-02-11
If you grew up in another country and have always felt a as though something is missing in your life, this book holds answers.
Putting it into words........2007-02-08
I recently found out about this book and the term TCK. As an American who spent the majority of the first ten years of my life growing up in Scotland, it felt so comforting to find out that there is a whole community of people out there like me, and that our common experiences have a name. Also, as someone who never thought I'd read another "textbook" after graduating college, this book has definitely changed my mind. It's a great balance of expert language and personal story, perfect for TCKs or ATCKs just discovering who they are, non TCKs who share their lives with TCKs, parents of TCKs, and any educator or professional in an international setting. I consider this book to be the definitive publication on my life experience, and those like me.
A Must Have.......2007-01-10
Anyone who is a TCK or ATCK or has kids who are TCKS needs to own this book. It does a lot to help us understand what and why we do what we do, and the best ways to deal with our issues. It is a form of support that for the most part is hard to find anywhere else.
Book Description
The bestselling Route 66: The Mother Road sparked an unprecendented revival of the forgotten towns, diners, and motels along Route 66, transforming the road from a distant memory into a vibrant, internationally recognized destination in its own right. In this 75th anniversary edition, filled with colour and b/w photos, Wallis revisits the people and places that make Route 66 what it is.
Customer Reviews:
Take the trip!.......2007-09-22
Everything you would like to know about Route 66. This book and it's author served as the main source of infromation & inspiration for the Disney/Pixar classic animated movie "Cars". A must have for the motoring history buff.
Route 66.......2007-08-09
As we get older we appreciate memories from our youth more and more. I can remember riding in my parents car on trips along Route 66. This book is full of memories and interesting information about this historic road. We plan to take the Lincoln Highway from California to New York and come home on Route 66. We bought this book as our travel guide home and plan to visit many of the places listed in its pages. We also bought The Lincoln Highway: Coast to Coast for our guide book east. Both books are a must for the adventure we are planning; a cross country trip in our 1941 Oldsmobile street rod.
A Class Act!.......2007-07-19
My Ex & I traveled on 66 in the mid to late 80's. Met a lot of the Roadies, took a ton of 66 Pix(mostly ruins at the time). Went
"from Chicago to L.A." 2 full times & actually MET Michael & Suz when we were in OK. In fact, we are on page 41 of the Original book! We began a trend as, when we stopped at a 66 biz, we had the owners autograph the book! We LOVE Ramona/Angel/Bob Waldmire & are sad at the loss of Jerry Richard, Juan D. Bobby T. & other lost legends. It was a fun time in my life & I have many great memories & Road Stories.
Tulsa Author Does Good!!.......2007-05-17
Michael Wallis is an excellent writer, one to be emulated by any aspiring writer.
Excellent front to back historical coverage of Rt. 66........2007-03-12
This is a great book for just kicking back and taking a virtual ride on Rt. 66. I, myself, have never been down the road as I am an East Coaster and never yet made the western trek to California. However, I always dreamed of doing such in a RV and now I know for sure what road to take.
While I have heard of Rt. 66 before, I (never prior to reading this book) knew much about the road. What got me started on Rt. 66. was the fairly recent Disney movie "Cars" (of which I highly recommend seeing). The movie touched upon what Rt. 66 means to America and it's past and also the effects of the Interstate system and I-40 on Rt. 66.
The author of the book, Michael Wallis, has a cameo in "Cars" as the voice of the police car. So it was quite obvious to me that if Mr. Wallis' knowledge is good enough for Disney...Well, this made my decision very clear on what Rt. 66 book to purchase.
Wallis's knowledge of the road is fantastic and expansive. He takes you from the road's beginnings both literally and historically. You go through each state and further to each town along the route, explaining in detail how the roads beginnings were to how they are today. After reaching California, Wallis then has a dedicated chapter on how a recent movement is presently undergoing to restore Rt. 66. highlighting those business's that remain and new and old attractions to visit.
As other reviews pointed out, this book does create a very vivid image in one's mind that does allow you to virtually go down Rt. 66. It is a great 'primer' for those who want to brush up on thier Rt.66 history and also gives you a good idea of places to visit once you plan a trip on the historic road.
Created in sections by state, you can either choose to go through the book front to back as I have or choose to reach each state in more detail. Everything is here.
The only gripe I would have with the book is that while it is an excellent historical document on Rt. 66, I was hoping that key places would be easier to find and laid out more like a reference book. This way I could easily look up attractions in each state and see how they were and how they are now. I am assuming I would get this wish by buying Russ Olsen's "Route 66: Then and Now" book.
As for traveling, I know I would want a quick reference. If you are traveling Route 66, using this book as a reference will have you fumbling through pages. So this book is best read BEFORE one takes on the trip. For the road trip itself I was recommended "Route 66 Adventure Handbook" by Drew Knowles and also the "EZ66 guide for travlers" by Jerry McClanahan. (I have still yet to read these). From what I gathered by other reviewers these two books supplemented with Wallis's book would give anyone everything they would need to know about Rt. 66.
So bottom line, for overall history and just about everything you need to know about Rt 66. while taking a virtual tour of the road, well, this is it. This is where this book shines. A fantastic book best read from cover to cover.
However for a quick reference to take on an actual Rt. 66 road trip, that is where this book falls short. There are probably better sources for that task.
Overall a great buy for the price and it would make a great addition to anyone's American history library and it would also make a great coffee table book (especially if they made a hardcover edition).
Book Description
The Land of the Rising Sun is shining brightly across the American cultural landscape. Recent films such as Lost in Translation and Memoirs of a Geisha seem to have made everyone an expert on Japan, even if they’ve never been there. But the only way for a Westerner to get to know the real Japan is to become a part of it. Kate T. Williamson did just that, spending a year experiencing, studying, and reflecting on her adopted home. She brings her keen observations to us in A Year in Japan, a dramatically different look at a delightfully different way of life.
Avoiding the usual clichés — Japan’s polite society, its unusual fashion trends, its crowded subways — Williamson focuses on some lesserknown aspects of the country and culture. In stunning watercolors and piquant texts, she explains the terms used to order various amounts of tofu, the electric rugs found in many Japanese homes, and how to distinguish a maiko from a geisha.
Customer Reviews:
Lost in Translation for those that "Love" Japan.......2007-09-13
This book is journal of first hand experiences of the author and the year she spent in Japan. The drawings and entries she leaves can only have come from someone that went with "Open Eyes". Her entries are not judgmental but instead give the reader a taste of Japan. It has been almost a year since I was in Kyoto, and this book has me wanting to go back soon.
Lovely Observations about Life in Japan.......2007-08-24
A Year in Japan is full of small, beautiful (and sometimes very amusing), observations about daily life in Japan. It does not aim to be a guide book or a history of Japan. Instead, it is a beautifully illustrated look at some of the things which make Japan so interesting to outsiders--from soy sauce containers shaped like little fish to sumo wrestlers and bento boxes. I've shown this book to people who know Japan well, and people who know nothing about it, and they've all been charmed by Ms. Williamson's drawings and wit.
An adult picture book.......2007-08-07
The positive reviews for this book must have been written by the author's friends. I was tricked into buying it by the hype and it turned up at the top of my Amazon search. There are some occasionally charming water colors but almost no text. The text that is present is adolescent, trivial and always mundane. This is not a book for anyone about to go to Japan or who has any interest in the subject. Absolutely no meat. Lots of watercolors of socks and wash clothes without any commentary other than "I have never seen so may beautiful socks or so many stores devoted entirely to them. This advanced sock culture can be attibuted in part to the custom of removing one's shoes upon entering a home." This is 6 pages of the book and there is no further commentary _ WHY DO WE REMOVE OUR SHOES??! Do not bother with this silly and overpriced book. THis book came up on my search "Japanese History" _ BUYER BEWARE
Seeing A Whole Country In Its Details.......2007-07-09
Not only does Kate Williamson notice all the quirky kinds of details I really want people to notice when they visit a place (the way apples are packaged, what women wear to see a musical, candy wrappers, etc.) she draws these details in such a wonderful, whimsical, simple and beautiful way, I find myself wanting to take the book with me wherever I go. I very much hope that another book of Kate's drawings will appear someday soon!
exquisite treasure and extraordinary gift.......2007-04-14
Ms. Williamson's book is a fine example of an artist taking her observations of the world and presenting them to the reader in a way that makes everyday life into something magical and rich with her uniquely beautiful illustrations and commentary. The reader is taken into this world that many of us only get to glimpse--this is a true gift that the author gives us that anyone would happily appreciate!
Book Description
In Africa, white men don't walk! They come in vehicles, they always drive. Ward was different. Ward Walked. He walked with us across some of the most difficult terrain in West Pokot, Kenya. No white man had ever done that before. So the message went out across the land, "A white man is walking to Mbaro." It was the first time many along the way had seen a white man. It was historic. Ward is, to us, a legend. At the end of the walk, the elders gave Ward the title "Nyakan," meaning "a brave man who faces the unknown with only faith in God." John Lodinyo, Pokot pastor
The pages of this book open the doors to a life-changing experience rich with unexpected fellowship, insight and self-discovery. Ward's adventure walking across the terrains of East Africa, and his encounter with the local people became a faith journey that was to change his life and his heart forever.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing too deep, but a very good book nonetheless.......2007-09-13
I have been to Uganda a two occations and I think that Ward expresses the universal thoughts and feelings of a short term American missionary in this part of the world. I enjoyed the book very much, but I don't know that people who are unfamiliar with this part of the world would find Ward's thoughts very deep or interesting. Ward himself expresses his frustration in his inability to communicate his African experiences to common Americans. It's a common frustration with people who have been to Africa, and this book may only exemplify this frustration with its inability to engage untravelled Americans. But as a world traveller, I enjoyed the book very much.
Walking with a White Man.......2003-09-18
I was drawn to this book by the title being a person of color and once i started it i actually felt as though i was really taking this extraordinary walk with the white man who wrote it!
The segways into other experiences that Brehm has had from among some of the most difficultand dangerous places in Africa to Statehouse meetings with Presidents was amazing! Great style of writing and an important message of hope about a continent in trouble.
A Page Turning...Couldn't Put Down... Will Read Again Book!.......2003-09-16
This is a difficult book to put down. From the very beginning, Brehm captured my attention and held it firmly to the end. It is a captivating story about a "Survivor-like" experience that takes place deep in the Kenya Bush. I enjoyed learning about the primitive people he befriended there several years ago and ultimately came to rely upon for his life in this adventure. Brehm has an easy-to-read writing style. His ability to share his emotions, humor and faith were especially refreshing. This will be a "read once a year" book and "reccomend to all my friends" book for this reader! Very powerful.
Books:
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- I'll Be Watching You: Inside the Police, 1980-83 (Taschen Artists Edition)
- In Cold Blood
- Jumanji
- Laughing in the Dark: A Comedian's Journey through Depression
- Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
- Medical Terminology for Health Professions
- Men's Health: The Book of Muscle--The World's Most Authoritative Guide to Building Your Body
- Modest Witness@Second Millenium. FemaleMan Meets OncoMouse: Feminism and Technoscience
- Money Mama & The Three Little Pigs
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