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.

This book serves as an excellent guide to those wanting to dive around the many wonderful sites in the Philippines. I just wish the author included a more in-depth write-up on Apo Reef.

The book is a great reference for people who are planning to or thinking about diving in the Philippines. It provides a good description of what to expect with regard to general dive locales, as well as specific dives.

The book works, and works well because of several reasons.

First, it provides (still valid) contact information on dive operators and lodging providers in the different areas, as well as providing general ideas on price range for these operations.

Second, the book gives a good briefing and summary of the different dive locales in the Philippines, providing pros and cons, as well as tips that are useful to the would-be traveller.

Third, the book provides a near-comprehensive listing of specific dive sites in the different locales. While the underwater environment changes, it does so slowly, and practically all assessments and descriptions still hold. It provides info on what to expect in terms of depths, surface conditions, currents, as well as what to see. It also provides a quick rating in the form of stars, as to how good the sites are. These are highly accurate, although some have been under-rated, in my opinion.

Fourth, the photography is great. The book has been designed well, and is quite engaging. Full-color photographs are peppered throughout the book.

The text is getting old, but that doesn't change the fact that it holds its promise well of talking about the dive sites in the Philippines.

I can understand why no one has come up with anything to replace this book. It would be a tough to top or even match. Mr. Jackson has done a really great job of this one.

After diving the Philippine Archipelago, I can only understand and appreciate the book more and more.

taj d.

a philippine divemaster

On the basis of the information in this book we planned our dive trip to Bohol. It turned out that everything written was accurate and reliable, and we had a great trip. Like the rest of the series, nicely laid out with excellent photos.

This little book is essential for travelers to a country where food is riotously varied, delicious and, to most of us, utterly unfamiliar. It begins with a brief historical survey of the cuisine, citing the contributions of successive immigrant or colonial groups, then slices the other way, with sections on Indonesia's major culinary regions and their specialties and characteristics. Recipes, a listing of US sources for ingredients, then phrases in Indonesian all follow. Two alphabetical listings are the heart of the book: One is of menu items, with brief descriptions and notations; the other is of "foods and flavors" (and utensils, cooking methods and so on), in Indonesian, with English translations or explanations. The whole is thorough, information-packed and mouthwatering.

For a country of 17,000 islands and 670 dialects, and complex traditions, religion and culture, no one-including Indonesians-can claim to know more about Indonesia's traditional food tastes than the authors of Eat Smart in Indonesia. Their guide is the first ever published with in-depth information about the unique and diverse food of Indonesia. -William W. Wongso, culinary educator, president of William F & B Management, Jakarta, Java

The authors have written a series of Eat Smart books that no traveler to foreign countries should be without. Each book covers a separate country--Eat Smart in Turkey, Eat Smart in Brazil, Eat Smart in Indonesia and Eat Smart in Mexico--and is chock full of information that you won't find elsewhere within the covers of one easy-to-carry paperback. Individual chapters cover such topics as the history of the country's cuisine, regional foods, how to shop in the local markets, mail-order sources for suppliers of ingredients, and a collection of recipes for typical dishes found in that country. Especially useful is each book's extensive menu guide, listing menu terms alphabetically in the language of the foreign country, with a description of the dish in English. That section is followed by a chapter titled "Foods & Flavors"--listing the foreign terms for foods, spices, kitchen utensils and cooking techniques, with an English translation/description. These books are well researched, accurate and very informative. Highly recommended. --Sharon Hudgins, editor, Chile Pepper magazine

great guidebook. Describes in detail the good, the bad and the ugly of Nepal. The language section was extremely useful. A few hours spent learning some useful greetings and phrases will pay off tenfold upon arrival in Nepal. Being able to bargain or ask for directions in the native language is a lot of fun and much appreciated, especially since most travellers do not take the time to learn anything more than "Namaste."

This book has given me comfort and a wealth of information about what I would like to do and see in Nepal. Having a well planned trip in advance is smart and this book will probably tell you everything you need to know about anything, and more. Food, health issues, places to stay, sights, special points, etc. Definitely worth the investment.

I just returned from Nepal using this guide. The book was very well-written with lots of practical advice-- everything from how to book an airline to what kind of diahrrea you may have picked up. Very accurate information re. hotels, modes of transportation, etc. Useful vocabulary list.

I use this dictionary for translating into English transcripts of dialogues as well as for reading top-of-the-range contemporary Chinese novels (mainland, Taiwan & HK), in traditional character print, and it works to my satisfaction.
As a complement to this one, I believe you will always need a character dictionary, since at 7000 characters it is a bit on the short side.
It's weak point is on the grammatical usage of characters but again you can use a character dictionary, those are usually good in that respect.
No example sentences are provided (well, it's not that kind of dictionary) so it's probably best value for students with at least intermediate Chinese.
For student of Chinese, it's also best to know that the phonetic is Standard Madarin but only from the point of view of Mandarin speakers in Taiwan, so there are a limited number of discrepencies with Mainland dictionaries (but it's nothing compared with the differences between standard and actual pronunciations both in Taiwan and in Mainland China, not to mention HK).
I believe it is the only dictionary in traditional print with as large a vocabulary (although still not quite enough).

This is the Chinese to English dictionary I have seen the most frequently used by ROC immigrants. Written in Traditional Chinese and primarily using Zhu4 Yin1 Fu3 Hao4 (bo po mo fo) (but having a GR romanization and hanyu pinyin index,) this dictionary is great for the user who wants to have a good reference. Has a total stroke count and radical index as well, creating 5 total indexes. Very comprehensive, including many literary phrases out of modern use. Far East book company also publishes an English-Chinese edition.

This is an excellent Chinese to English dictionaries containing over 7300 characters and 120,000 entries thereunder. The definitions are clear, concise and accurate; the print is sufficiently large, and, more importantly, clearly printed. The dictionary itself is not inordinately large, so as to be inconvenient to carry around. It is well bound, and the paper is of high quality; the book is surprisingly thin for one of some 2000 pages. The arrangement of the characters is by the traditional Kangxi radicals, by far the best method of arranging a dictionary; included is a table of characters whose radicals are difficult to identify, thereby making it easier to find these characters. In short, this is by far the best medium-sized Chinese-English dictionary available that I've seen.

Warning: This travel guide is not designed for the "accidental tourist," the person who travels to foreign lands hoping only to recreate a faraway, expensive version of his homeland. This book is for anyone who wants to travel not only for pleasure, but also for knowledge. With humor and incredible insight, Phil Karber writes of his adventures in the lands he has visited, lands that most of us will only see on National Geo specials. Karber immerses himself in each culture, learning as much as he can about the history, philosophy, people, and customs of each country that he visits. After reading this book, the reader will feel as if he, too, has visited each place Karber describes. This book is a must-have for anyone who plans to travel to these exotic locales, but it is also a delightful way for those of us who lack the courage, time, or funds to travel to experience places that may no longer exist in a few year's time.

Phil Karber is my Dad's first cousin. Trust me, the sarcastic humor runs in the family. I have not read my cousin's book yet, but I have no doubt that it is wonderful. Phil is a great guy to be around, and he could write a dozen books about his life. I would love to read about his childhood also.

I've just finished Yak Pizza--and how much I was transported from Fort Smith, AR to places I've only dreamed or heard of. Each day I looked forward to that time after dinner when I could grab Yak Pizza, get off by myself, and take trip after trip.

Phil Karber did a remarkable job here, finding the right distance from his subject matter--at times letting places and experiences speak for themselves and at just the right times giving such keen insights from observation and analysis.

There were such poignant moments and then humor and then righteous indignation and then such a knowledge of the background history of environment, economics, political/social structure. . .and gadzooks what a vocabulary.

I wrote a haiku over my impressions the night I finished the book and had such bittersweet emotions on finishing it--here tis Brushed bamboo, twisted thickets of morass. Leeches hold time in their craw.

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.

LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF THE MASTERS OF THE FAR EAST caused me to search into the deeper realities and meaning of Life. After reading these books, I realized that I was living in the mundane world of religious doctrine and dogma. I was given what I wanted to hear, not what I should be hearing. In 1966 I left the world of organized religion and I will never return to that again. I was a dedicated person to the church and the bible studies.

I have read the Life and Teachings six times, not just reading, but studying. What made me think that this is a truth? There is no scientific evidence to back this up? There is no mention of these things in the Wall Street Journal or in the New York Times? No matter where I looked none of these things were mentioned. Could it be a something within us that intuitively draws a searching person? The skeptics, critics, "unbeliever," that I knew did not stop my spiritual resolve and I persevered. For the first time was I thinking for myself.

In 1991 a book called "The Kybalion" and "Divine Pymander" came into my life and was a major puzzle in resolving the mystery of Life that revealed the laws and principles that enabled the Masters of the Himalayas to do the things they were able to do. My path in Life was forever changed because of the greater awareness that gave me mental poise and a firm direction in Life. For the first time was I able to live in the now and not be swayed by misinformation, skepticism, or even the malicious conduct of other people. I am not affected by political opinion. I can read and understand between the lines. Yet, I am able to maintain a flexible mind and not have to defend my opinions. My past was left to history and I was looking forward to the new teachings of Spirit. I am experiencing true freedom for the first time.

Why am I writing all this? It is not in the reading of books that a person will benefit, but what a person will do with it. Some people will read and life goes on in the usual manner, while others will take it to their heart and increase their Spiritual Knowledge and acquire true freedom and they experience true Spiritual development. They become changed persons. To the skeptic and "defender of opinions," Life will always be a mystery and they will always be stuck in their mundane world of materialism as a self made person and continue the struggle in their unawareness.

"LIFE AND TEACHING OF THE MASTERS OF THE FAR EAST" will give a person a reason to look into the greater realms of reality and if they will but "look," the answers will be surprising and refreshing. Scientific evidence and verification of these things is not possible at the moment because it has not completely unfolded in their field of awareness. However, science has made tremendous progress in revealing the structure of the Universe, which to the Spiritual aware person indicates that our "material" world as we are able to perceive it, is not as "material" as we think it is. In this view, we can understand why the Masters of the Himalayas travel effortlessly through the "invisible." They used a higher LAW that that for the most part escapes the collective race consciousness....

J. R. Seydel

Baird T. Spalding takes you on a wonderful, remarkable journey to meet the Masters and see the Truth they live in their everyday lives. As a Christian, I find these books to be in complete agreement with Jesus's teachings in the Holy Scriptures. Though the Masters are not Christian, they profess that Christ IS the Way. The Masters take off the "religious" hat, and put on true Spirituality. No New Age mumbo jumbo, just timeless Truth. We are Children of the Living God as the Saviour taught, and the Masters teach and exemplify this in their day-to-day living. Spalding's writing is superb. I felt as if I were there on location with him. After reading the Masters, I read the Bible in a whole new light. Christ's teachings come to life in these short, easy-read volumes. I would like to have some contacts and exchange ideas with other readers of these books and perhaps start a discussion group.

When a friend of mine gave me this series of books as a gift, he made me promise that I would read them. He knew that I do not have much time to read. He also knew that these are rather "deep", and therefore could not be properly read in ten minute segments fit into a busy day. I waited until a recent vacation, and I took the set of books along. Once I started, I could not stop. It took me over a year to fulfill my promise, and I blame myself for losing this year of my life. These books are absolutely incredible. No matter what faith you have, or do not have, you will be inspired. Although the content is amazing and sometimes incredible, it is presented with such honesty and straightforwardness that it is believable. I found that I WANTED to believe it. And I NEEDED it to be true. All limitations have now been removed from my life, and I cannot fail in my renewed mission to serve others. Thank you, Baird T. Spalding. And of course, thank you, My God.

Leila Hadley defies the 1950's female stereotype when she takes off for Asia with her young son in tow. Leaving a prosperous career behind, Hadley is in search of more enlightening and meaningful experiences than her lush New York life affords her. She does very little in the way of planning, throws caution to the wind and hopes for the best. While the first part of her Asian adventure is quite comfortable and even luxurious at times, she dives headfirst into the adventure she covets when she hitches a ride aboard a sailboat with a small, all-male American crew. Her stories of her experiences sailing to remote destinations throughout Southeast and Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean are exhilarating and fascinating. Hadley's writing style is a bit haughty, however her stories are so interesting that this small flaw is hardly noticeable. Not the best travel memoir I have ever read, but an interesting tale by a gutsy traveler who was before her time.

'Give me the world' is one of my favourite books. The way the author takes us with her around the world is just magical. It is not a description of what she sees, but really makes us feel the different parts of the world. She adds all those little anecdotes that make the reading a pleasure ...
Do you know why they break a coconut before any religious ceremony in India ??? or how do you know that a girl is single in Haiti ?? well , read this book and you ll know the answer, and lots of other things .. enjoy the reading

This book is so packed with visual images and sensuality that I could open the book to any page, any paragraph and find poetry and description so graphic it makes my expensive camera obsolete. Her vocabulary is intense and her respect for her readers intelligence challenges me to read nothing but quality. A remarkable book. I wonder how her son, Kippy, now regards that journey. It certainly changes my notions about the fifties woman. Whew! Barbara Levinson

Making my move to Bangkok, this book has well equipped me for the transition, and has made me more excited and prepared. This book gives an endless supply of information on Bangkok, but doesn't stop there. It goes on to talk about culture, history, and other parts of Thailand, but keeping it relevant. This book is a must have if you are planning on learning, visiting or living in Bangkok! I only wished that this book had more pictures, but the author made up for it in his fun to read writing style.

This book will save you time, money, frustration, and give enjoyment and satisfaction. Bangkok is a huge city with many attractions and lots of traffic. This guide will tell you where you can go and what you can do based on *your* personal preferences. You can fit your accomadation, lifestyle, budget, culinary likes, night life play-time, and temples, into this guide, and most importantly, get there quickly and affordabley. All of the river taxi and Sky Train routes and stops are listed. Information on the arriving Metro is included as well. The maps are accurate. Plenty of cultural, visa, legal, medical and food information. Very pleasant areas outside of, but near Bangkok are noted. If you spend time in Bangkok, and only use the LP South East Asia or LP Thailand, you will miss many things that you may want to experience in Bangkok. The Bangkok city guide is worth picking up for those who have the country LP.

4 days in Bangkok and this book was right on the money with locations, reviews of sights and maps.