The Green Mantle: An Investigation Into Our Lost Knowledge of Plants

Book Description

“Witness Cro-Magnon marveling at plant life emerging from a winter’s thaw, medieval use of herbs and roots, and Mayan priests’ mythologizing of sacred rain forest trees. All trace humanity’s devotion to plants.”—Booklist. “Fascinating descriptions and aptly selected photographs inspire.”—NAPRA Review.

Customer Reviews:

Just Lovely!.......2006-07-13

The most beautifully written and illustrated book of it's type that I have ever come across. Don't miss this one!

Our green mantle.......2003-05-17

Ever since I researched my book "Tales of the Trees" I've been fascinated by the uses humans have made of plants throughout history. It's not just the practical uses - wood to build our houses, wheat, cabbages and apples to eat, oak for our ships - plants have had strong spiritual value too. Our religions have given us the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden, the Ceiba tree of the Mayans, the Bodhi tree (fig) or Tree of Enlightenment of the Buddhist religion and "Yggdrasil' (ash) the Norse world tree whose roots reached the Underworld and whose branches reached the heavens. Then there were the sacred oaks of the Druids - don't get me started.
Michael Jordan (no, not the athlete) has put together a masterly piece of research into the uses, practical and spiritual, of trees, plants and herbs of all kinds, in civilizations around the world. The book is well illustrated, using many of Jordan's own photographs.
In his overview of great writings about herbs Jordan quotes Charlemagne's definition of a herb "The friend of physicians and the praise of cooks." The oldest existing record of the use of herbs in medicine comes from Babylonian times, some 1700 years before Christ. The Chinese, however, were probably the first people to write "herbals" or documents about the uses of herbs.
A Greek philosopher, Theophrastus, was the first European to take a stab at classifying plants in 372 BC. His work strongly influenced other botanists for almost 2000 years. As recently as the 18th century the use of herbs in medicine was very hit or miss. Some pain killers, such as salicin, from the willow, were well-known and effective. Other nostrums relied on superstition - haemorrhoids were treated with a plant called Lesser Celandine because its roots were the shape of haemorrhoids.
It wasn't till the early 19th century that pure drugs such as morphine and quinine were extracted from plants. Meanwhile from time immemorial housewives had been growing herbs in their gardens and treating their family's illnesses with lore learned from their mothers and grandmothers. The church and paid physicians were not happy about this so they resorted to burning a few "wise women" as witches.
But Jordan does not restrict himself to actual real plants, he has a whole chapter on "Plants of the Imagination" which looks at plants featured in legend and mythology. In the Middle Ages it was said that a Barnacle Tree existed whose fruits matured into birds. In England it was said to grow at the edge of the sea and its fruits were barnacle shellfish. When these matured and fell off they split open, grew feathers and became Barnacle geese.
In his conclusion Jordan looks at gardening throughout the ages and ponders the possible effects of global warming and climate change on our "Green Mantle". He is hopeful that a new respect for our land and our environment is emerging and that the plunder of the Green Mantle is becoming less acceptable. Yet we are still losing plant species throughout the world. The Sahara desert is encroaching on vast areas that once were green; the forests of South America are being slashed and burned at an insane pace.
Jordan is hopeful, as I am, that our headlong race to destroy our Green Mantle may have been checked slightly. We have more knowledge now and even a little more understanding. We have made some small steps towards preserving our plant heritage. Will it be enough to counter the forces of ignorance and greed?

The green mantle: an investigation into our lost knowledge of plants

Average customer rating:

The green mantle: an investigation into our lost knowledge of plants
Michael Jordan
Manufacturer: Cassell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OS7R90

Amazon.com

It is the age of specialization, which is a good thing if you're traveling to Pacific Mexico. Let's say you're heading off to Mazatlán or Guadalajara, Oaxaca or Acapulco, you no longer need to lug along every detail on every town, city, and hotel in Mexico. Just the pertinent particulars will do, and that's what Bruce Whipperman delivers in his Lowell Thomas Award-winning Pacific Mexico Handbook.

Stretching over 1,000 miles along the Pacific coast from Mazatlán in Sinaloa down to Bahias de Huatulco in Oaxaca, the choices of tropical, palm-lined lagoons and soft sandy beaches seem without end yet easily accessible, thanks to Mexico's Highway 200 on the Pacific coast and a plethora of airplane access. Yet not each beach resort town is the same in character and opportunities. One of the great services rendered by Whipperman's handbook, before you ever set foot on Mexican soil, is the concise yet evocative description of the distinguishing personalities of the many towns and cities along the water. Especially useful if you're venturing south for the first time, Whipperman's introductions help you plan your itinerary to suit your mood and style. Of course he backs his narrative up with all the facts one might need, the hotels and restaurants, means of transportation and nightlife, shopping, sports, sights, and beaches. But he fleshes these guidebook details out with his sensitive and scholarly attention to the people, history and culture, the land and sea, the vegetation and the animals to be seen and experienced. All the options are spelled out, from the hedonistic immersion in resort relaxation to a glossary of helpful Spanish if you choose to explore further afield. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

From exploring Oaxaca's magnificent ruins and sportfishing near Mazatlán to lounging in a beach hideaway on the Nayarit Coast, Moon Handbooks Pacific Mexico is the guide to the best the region has to offer, both on and off the beaten path. Practical information includes suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights, plus essentials on dining, transportation, and accommodations for a range of budgets. Complete with details for surfing at Playa Zicatela and attending fiestas in Puerto Vallarta, Moon Handbooks Pacific Mexico gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Customer Reviews:

No more Moon for me.......2003-01-03

I just returned (Dec 2002) from a trip to Mexico using this publication. This was my third trip with a Moon Handbook. I was not to happy with the one to Baja, I found the one for Costa Rica filled with inaccurate information but this one was the worst.

I found the maps to be mostly useless, directions to places not very helpful, several recommendations absolutely pointless. Even though this book was published OCT 2001, MANY times I was left with the impression that the author NEVER was on-site or has not revisited since the first edition. This guidebook seemed unfocused, information arranged not practical, and descriptions are exaggerated and/or misleading. Case in point - the town of Playa Azul. The town is given almost 4 pages and a rather poetic description is used to make it sound like a pretty cool place. As it turns out the town itself is very run down, many houses are bad repair, most hotels are dirty hole-in-the-walls and the seafood palapa restaurants are in a shape that most travelers that are just a little worried about cleanliness s/would not eat there. Playa Azul is for Mexican budget travelers and offers nothing that could not be had any other place around there.
Barra Vieja would be another example of where the book is off the mark. After reading Mr. Whipperman's description, I was not prepared to drive along a 4 line highway most of the way, past a very nice golf facility and all the construction that was going on there.
.... and this are just two of my grippes about this book.

Despite the book, I had a great time. I saw a very beautiful side of Mexico. I would recommend a trip to Pacific Mexico to anyone. I am going back there in March. I will look for a travel guide I feel more aligned with and whose recommendation I can trust.

Essential for a Mexican road trip.......2002-09-13

I used this book extensively this past summer for an epic driving trip into Mexico that took me almost to Manzanillo. I found the book extremely useful for discovering those off the beaten path sidetrips. I also used Fodor's but found this book a notch above in terms of helpful recomendations.Since the bulk of the 3+ weeks was spent in Puerto Vallarta(actually Mismaloya) the book proved to be a good guide for excursions into the surrounding states of Nayarit and Colima. For the most part the details given were accurate but with any travel book there are problems with current information as things are usually in flux in the tourist trade. I suppose that is why they can come out with new editions every year. Some of the information when missing can be a letdown, for example one day we went out for an adventure in the hopes of seeing the turtle rescue attempts in a not so nearby bay only to find out it was not exactly natures right time. There were other let downs such as the time we wet out to Mexicalitlan ," House of the Mexicans", where the ancient Aztecs/Mexica supposedly set out from Aztlan to establish Tenochitlan where the eagle would be found on top of a nopal devouring a snake. The description calls it a "scenic little island town." If you consider peering into the open doors of the living rooms of the locals I guess it was scenic! For my part I found it to be a waste of a drive. The museum was closed also which brings to a point one should consider whenever driving to a destination in Mexico. Do not arrive during the tradional siesta time or one will have to wait until 4 or 5 in the afternoon to enjoy the local musem etc! By contrast unexpected pleasant surprises can result by the books ommision of information as in the opportunity to see the hatching of baby crocodiles at the end of the jungle cruise on La Tovara near San Blas. All in all the guide is very, very useful to plan out a trip and see things and experience different parts of Mexican culture. The short histories, hotel recomendations, restaurant guides etc are pretty accurate and invaluable in planning a trip within a trip. There is diversity in recomendations for the earthy camper or the posh five star luxury hotel traveler. I would recommend this book for any traveler along the lovely Pacific Mexican trail.

Useless!.......2002-08-08

Want my book? It is useless. This book is full of information, none of it practical. You can't find ANYTHING you are looking for in it. NO hostels are listed. They don't even highlight any of the amazing festivals that are held here in Mexico. Believe me, I am living here in Mexcio, and I am going to go buy the Lonely Planet. I wanted something more specific to my region, but this is NOT it. This book is written like the author took one pathway through the region, and wrote along the way. So unless you are following the exact same route, the information is SO useless.

Fantastic for the Independent Traveller.......2001-01-23

My friend and I used this book, and a wrinkled photocopy of a map, as our only guides on a bicycle trip from Mazatlan to Salina Cruz, Oaxaca. This is the rare travel book with an authorial voice that enhances the information rather than distracts. Mr. Whipperman obviously has a deep love of the region (especially Oaxaca and Indigenous regions of Guerrero)and a love for the kind of travelling that makes travel worthwhile. Laudable detail on the places you end up, rather than seek out, and the tasty bits of history he includes make you glad you did.

As complete as there is!.......2000-02-18

We've been going to PV and points south for years. I've been amused looking in Mexico tourist guides for their laughable coverage (if there is any) of Playa Careyes, Tomatlan, El Tuito. Usually, there's nothing. This book covers it all! Granted, there are many restaurants and shops in PV that aren't included, but PV is easy to figure out. It's once you get on the highway that you need the book.

Enjoy.

Average customer rating:

Very complete

Most travellers will get something from this guide

Moon Handbooks Guadalajara (Moon Handbooks)
Bruce Whipperman
Manufacturer: Avalon Travel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Moon Handbooks | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Mexico | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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Guadalajara Tourist Map by Quimera

Jalisco State & Guadalajara City Map

Mexico's Lake Chapala and Ajijic: The Insiders Guide

Frommer's Portable Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo & Guadalajara (Frommer's Portable)

Guadalajara City Map (Travel Reference Map)

ASIN: 1566916119

Book Description

From shopping on Avenida Independencia in Tlaquepaque and hiking in the temperate mountains of Mazamitla and Tapalpa to catching a show at the famous Teatro Degollado, Moon Handbooks Guadalajara is the guide to the best the city has to offer, both on and off the beaten path. Practical information includes suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights, plus essentials on dining, transportation, and accommodations for a range of budgets. Complete with details for lunching at Lake Chapala, finding the best mariachi bands, or planning a spa getaway to Rio Caliente, Moon Handbooks Guadalajara gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Customer Reviews:

Very complete.......2007-04-30

5 stars because overall an excellent guide (not a bible) book.

We just spent a week in Guadalajara and used this book as our main guide. It was our first trip, so we had no actual knowledge coming in.

The book is very complete, so it seems to me, and very detailed in its description of the various areas of Guadalajara. In fact, sometimes its detail, such as the individual shops in Tlaquepaque, was a bit overwhelming.

Nevertheless, the typical Moon headings at the beginning of what to do if you have one day, two days, a week, etc., provide orientation for the more detailed descriptions later on.

The maps in the book for each area are excellent. They are detailed but with type easy to read.

The book also has relatively extensive sections on history, demographics, culture, etc. It's sidebars on various sites, issues, or whatever were also extensive and informative. This is truly impressive to be found in a guide book dedicated to a single city!

There are some avenues for improvement. For example, the trip time to Tapalpa, a small town, wasn't mentioned. For some reason, I thought it was an hour, but it turned out to be three. Had we known this we would have considered other destinations that were perhaps only an hour or two more. Even though our two night stay in Tapalpa was a highlight of our trip.

Occasionally there's an assumption that you can speak Spanish. For example, that you might make a friend through good natured bargaining. Or, that you should bargain hard with the car rental agencies. But, how can you bargain hard when they don't speak any English, as the first three I called up didn't.

To his rap that 'la tourista' is really nothing more than what one could get when vacationing in San Francisco from New York, I say: "get real."

Lastly, the writing lacks a certain pizzaz. I don't believe this is due to the author, as I've found exactly the same style in the other Moon Handbooks that I've read or looked at. Reading between the lines, I think Mr. Whipperman is an interesting writer. So, Moon Handbooks, please give your better writers some more rope.

Overall we found this an excellent guide. It's hard to see how it could have been much better.

Most travellers will get something from this guide.......2007-04-11

There are two tricks to enjoying an extended stay in Guadalajara: learning how to get around, and knowing what lies beyond the Centro Historico. This book gives you a good introduction to both. Almost all of the maps and descriptions include instructions about the buses you can take to get about. The buses are very efficient and easy to use, and it's a shame that more tourists don't take advantage of that. The book includes city sights outside of the downtown core worth seeing: the plazuela de nueve esquinas with it's famous birririas, the parque de agua azul, the casa y museo Orzco, the barranca vista park north of town, and of course Zappopan's old centro and Tonalá and Tlaquepaque. The book also provides decent descriptions of a few outlying neighborhoods worth lingering in if one has the time.
Restaurant and hotel descriptions are selective. You won't miss any must-do restaurants using this guide, but you won't be able to look up every restaurant you come accross. If you want comprehensive listings you should also pick up simple restaurant/hotel centered guidebook to supplement this one.
Finally, two omissions that I'd highlight as worth visiting: the Guadalajara Zoo (mentioned only briefly in passing) - for it's collection and for it's view of the Barranca, and the area around San Jose de Atalco / Plazuela San Sebastian - which is home to some beautiful colonial mansions as well as two notable churches.

Central Mexico Handbook: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Other Colonial Cities (Moon Handbooks : Central Mexico)

Average customer rating:

Central Mexico Handbook: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Other Colonial Cities (Moon Handbooks : Central Mexico)
Chicki Mallan
Manufacturer: Moon Travel Handbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Moon Handbooks | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1566910234

Moon Handbooks Puerto Vallarta: Including Guadalajara and Lake Chapala (Moon Handbooks)

Average customer rating:

Moon Travel Books the reference standard
Ok but not very modern book
Rehash of Moon Handbooks Pacific Mexico
A great travel book

Moon Handbooks Puerto Vallarta: Including Guadalajara and Lake Chapala (Moon Handbooks)
Bruce Whipperman
Manufacturer: Avalon Travel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Moon Handbooks | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1566917182

Book Description

From new restaurants in De Santos and Xitomate and fiestas in world-famous nightspots to relaxing on the sun-kissed beach, Moon Handbooks Puerto Vallarta is the guide to the best the city has to offer, both on and off the beaten path. Practical information includes suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights, plus essentials on dining, transportation, and accommodations for a range of budgets. Complete with details for snorkeling in the Bay of Matanchén, taking a road trip up the Nayarit coast, and shopping for Huichol crafts, Moon Handbooks Puerto Vallarta gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Customer Reviews:

Moon Travel Books the reference standard.......2005-03-04

Every Moon Travel book I have purchased has been far and away the best travel book for the region. Anyone who has traveled in Mexico knows that restaurants and hotels change a lot in one year. The fifth edition of this book, copyrite Nov 2003 is as good as it gets. I also had the Frommers and AAA guide with me for 8 days of driving in and around Puerto Vallarta and the only book I needed was the Moon book.

Ok but not very modern book.......2001-05-08

Book was not well written nor was it well thought out. It was difficult to access specific information (such as hotels and restaurants). The author also recommended the Hard Rock Cafe--which made me wary of any other recommendation he had! I'd recommend the Frommers Guide to Mexico for a better picture of Puerto Vallarta and Discover Puerto Vallarta for the pictures and additional information.

Rehash of Moon Handbooks Pacific Mexico.......2001-05-01

If you want to know about more than just the Puerto Vallarta area buy the Pacific Mexico Handbook. Better than 80% of the content of the Puerto Vallart Handbook is included as well as information of the other Pacific destinations. If you do not plan to venture more than 25 - 50 miles from Puerto Vallarta this book adds no additional value.

A great travel book.......2001-02-11

We just returned from a two week vacation in Mexico, where we travelled from Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta using the Bruce Whipperman handbook as our guide. The book, which is compact in size, is packed with useful and specific information that made our trip easy and enjoyable. We especially appreciated the back-road tips.

Moon Pacific Mexico: Including Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Acapulco, and Oaxaca (Moon Handbooks)

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Moon Pacific Mexico: Including Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Acapulco, and Oaxaca (Moon Handbooks)
Bruce Whipperman
Manufacturer: Avalon Travel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Moon Handbooks | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1566918480

Book Description

Mexico enthusiast and veteran travel writer Bruce Whipperman knows the best way to experience Pacific Mexico, from exploring the Nayarit and Jalisco coasts to discovering both the city of Oaxaca and its surrounding valley. Whipperman includes unique trip ideas like One Day in Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, and Acapulco (walking tours ideal for cruise travelers) and 28-Day Best of Pacific Mexico. Packed with information on dining, transportation, and accommodations, Moon Pacific Mexico has lots of options for a range of travel budgets. Every Moon guidebook includes recommendations for must-see sights and many regional, area, and city-centered maps. Complete with details on the best beaches and the most interesting day trips, Moon Pacific Mexico gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience. With expert writers, first-rate strategic advice, and an essential dose of humor, Moon guidebooks are the cure for the common trip.

Book Description

Four score and seven years ago...

So begins one of the most important speeches in the history of the United States -- Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Given on a cold November day, it wasn't much of a speech, really -- just a few remarks. Not meant to be remembered.

But these few remarks have been remembered. Why? What was the true meaning behind them? Where did they come from? Why is it so important that we never forget what President Lincoln said on that cold November day?

Customer Reviews:

The Message Behind the Gettysburg Address........2004-02-14

This little book not only talks about Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, but gives some background behind it as well. The first part of the book deals with the Civil War and slavery. Some background is given about the Battle of Gettysburg. Then some information concerning the ceremony for the dedication of the cemetary and battlefield and how President Lincoln was invited. The book tries to debunk some myths concerning Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address (e.g. that Lincoln didn't spend any time thinking and writing about it). It concludes with a look at the impact that three-minute speech had. I enjoyed reading this book and found it both fun and educational. I had heard most of the story before, but it's nice to be reminded of it. This is a good book for students in the 2nd-5th grades. It's fairly easy to read and gives a solid background and history about the Gettysburg Address.

A three-minute speech: Lincoln's remarks at Gettysburg

Average customer rating:

A three-minute speech: Lincoln's remarks at Gettysburg

Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0689864701

Product Description

Four score and seven years ago..so begins one of the most important speeches in the history of the United States--Abraha Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Given on a cold November day, it wasn't much of a speech, really--just a few remarks. Not meant to be remembered. But these few remarks have been remembered. Why? What was the true meaning behind them? Where did they come from? Why is it so important that we never forget what President Lincoln said on that cold November day?

Book Description

From the earliest days of the Americans colonies the apothecary has been a central place in community life. It was there that people went for the herbs and medicines that could heal their illnesses and soothe their aches and pains. In some ways it still is. In the first comprehensive, full-color treatment of the subject, this new book looks at the antiques and collectibles that have grown out of the apothecaries, pharmacies, and drug stores of America. From apothecary jars to patent medicines, mortar and pestle to leech jar, the tools and products of the stores are illustrated in full color. In addition, the soda fountain, an important part of any drugstore, is covered with its dispensers, dishes, and furniture. For anyone who has ever had an ice cream soda at one of these counters, the images in this book should bring back fond memories. Thousands of items are illustrated in Drugstore and Soda Fountain Antiques in full color, with informative captions and text. A price guide is included.

Customer Reviews:

soda fountain.......2000-06-18

Have been collecting soda fountain material for 30 years and this is the poorest yet! Lists fantasy items as real, shows kitchen items as fountain related, save your money!

Somewhat accurate item description(s)-very inaccurate values.......1998-01-15

I buy old drugstores, whether from individuals or at auction. This book is the poorest example of a "pricing guide/valuation" (whether it be at "auction value" or "street value") on drugstore items, collectibles, paraphenalia or whatever. It is very evident the authors have a very limited, unrealistic and deceptive "feel for the market".

Book Description

With this latest in the distinguished Brooklyn Botanic Garden series, you can minimize maintenance and maximize enjoyment of your garden. An A to Z handbook to saving money, time, and resources offers clever shortcuts for all your indoor and outdoor gardening chores. Try these ideas: Set a small pot inside a larger one to propagate dozens of African violets at once. Use birds as your chief insecticide, with birdbaths along paths, seed sprinkled on plant leaves, and shade tree resting-nesting places. Create free composts, mulches, and fertilizers from your fall leaves, summer grass clippings, kitchen wastes, and spent plants, with a simple sheet method that eliminates expensive tumblers.

"A brilliant collection of gardening books"--The New York Times Book Review.

Average customer rating:
Old-Time Floral Placecards
Maggie Kate
Manufacturer: Dover Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0486279731

Book Description

SYNOPSIS Pearl Harbor and the American Spirit is filled with unforgettable interviews that describe the shock, anger, confusion, dislocation, and unwavering American resilience that followed Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The book is perhaps the first to document the broad human experience of December 7, 1941. In this groundbreaking publication, more than 175 people from all across America recall how their lives were suddenly changed forever by Japan's "dastardly attack" in Hawaii.

These fascinating stories take the reader back in time to vintage diners, filling stations, railroad depots, drug stores, family farms, stadiums, churches, barracks, and other places where the alarming news of the ambush was announced to a stunned nation.

Many narrators discuss significant personal, national, and world events from the time of the Depression through WWII, thus making this book a fine introduction to the momentous Roosevelt era. The stories show how the children of the Depression overcame hardship-and acquired the strong character that enabled them to emerge as liberators of the world.

Book Description

This fascinating and powerful collection of first-hand accounts-prepared with the assistance of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association-brings to vivid life one of the most fateful days in American history.

Here, in their own words, survivors of the attack-from all branches of the service-recall what it was like to witness this momentous event as it happened. Dramatic and compelling, these living memories offer a rare look inside the hearts and minds of American heroes-and an invaluable record of American history.

This Isn't a Picture I'm Holding: Kuan Yin (Intersections)

Average customer rating:

This Buddha-muse shows up all over Honolulu...

This Isn't a Picture I'm Holding: Kuan Yin (Intersections)
Kathy J. Phillips
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Buddhism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0824827570

Book Description

The bodhisattva Kuan Yin remains one of the most popular figures in Buddhism, loved and worshiped throughout Asia for over a millennium. She arrived in Hawai'i with the first Chinese plantation workers, each of whom would have kept a ricepaper print of her over a small altar in his room. Since then, her presence has grown in the Islands. In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean temples in downtown Honolulu and Palolo Valley, she towers over worshipers and their gifts of oranges. Her image, reproduced by the dozen, crowds Thai and Vietnamese shops.

In this delightful book, Kathy Phillips and Joseph Singer celebrate Kuan Yin's many incarnations in words and images that exhibit humor, poignancy, and the open-endedness of a kôan. An introduction examines Kuan Yin and her place in religion, legend, art, changing social prescriptions for gender, and the everyday lives of Hawai'i's people for more than a century.

Customer Reviews:

This Buddha-muse shows up all over Honolulu..........2006-06-20

in and out of the recesses and corners from Long Drugs to temples in the valleys, in the hands of a Bamboo Ridge poet tender, surreal, and caustically cautionary by turns and twists of language and modest feats of imagination and compassion. A welcome addition to the Dharma Bum quests as these visionary longings hit the waters and contexts of Bamboo Ridge and Asia/Pacific in the hands of a Kuan Yin devotee and splendid scholar-poet of Hawai'i and the everyday world. A world where, like Benjamin, the poet is "a theologian marooned in the realms of the profane" and a shopping mall reality.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Little Hawaiian Trivia Book

Hawaii This and That
Larue W. Piercy
Manufacturer: Mutual Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 156647633X

Book Description

Hawaii This and That is a book of quick answers to the most frequently asked questions about Hawaii.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Little Hawaiian Trivia Book.......2007-08-01

*****
As a collector of books about Hawaii, I was surprised to find so much information in such a little book (96 pages)!

This small book contains lots of Hawaiian trivia, demographic statistics, definitions, and explanations of things I've found nowhere else. Much creativity was included in putting this volume together For example, one page is devoted to what makes Hawaii unique as a state; it is the only state with:
"Land entirely of islands,
A royal palace,
A single, unified school system,
Increasing land area (from volcanic eruptions),
A commercial coffee crop,
Silversword plants,
And the majority of people non-white."
Who knew all of this?

Other interesting trivia includes who owns the land in Hawaii, what the most popular religions are, what Hawaii has none of (snakes, rabies, cholera, malaria, small pos, yellow fever, billboards), lots of information about natural phenomena, and Hawaiian history.

For the price, it's a bargain, and lots of fun to read for those of us who love Hawaii.
*****

Children of Foreign Lands Library, 8 Colorful Books in this Box - Wilhelmina of Holland, Kala of Hawaii, Ching Ling and Ting Ling, Olga of Norway, Chula of Siam, Abdul of Arabia, Manuel of Mexico, Maria and Carlos of Spain

Average customer rating:

Children of Foreign Lands Library, 8 Colorful Books in this Box - Wilhelmina of Holland, Kala of Hawaii, Ching Ling and Ting Ling, Olga of Norway, Chula of Siam, Abdul of Arabia, Manuel of Mexico, Maria and Carlos of Spain
Various
Manufacturer: The Platt & Munk Co., Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RH98K4

Average customer rating:

Hawai'I (This Land Is Your Land)
Ann Heinrichs
Manufacturer: Compass Point Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Australia & Oceania | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0756503469

Average customer rating:

Hawaii (This Beautiful World)
Gordon Sager
Manufacturer: Kodansha America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Let's Explore the Pacific West (America, This Land Is Your Land)

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Let's Explore the Pacific West (America, This Land Is Your Land)
Jill C. Wheeler
Manufacturer: ABDO & Daughters
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1562392999

Out of This Struggle: The Filipinos in Hawaii

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Out of This Struggle: The Filipinos in Hawaii
Teodoro
Manufacturer: Univ of Hawaii Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Demography | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Australia & Oceania | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0824807472

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This Fragile Eden
Barbara B. Robinson
Manufacturer: Undersea Resources
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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