The genera of southern African flowering plants (Flora of southern Africa)

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The genera of southern African flowering plants (Flora of southern Africa)
R. Allen Dyer
Manufacturer: Dept. of Agricultural Technical Services, Botanical Research Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0621028541

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The Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants: Vol 2, Gymnosperms and Monocotyledons

Manufacturer: Botanical Research Institute, Dept Agricultural Technical Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0621028630

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The Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants; Volume 1: Dicotyledons; Volume 2: Gymnosperms and Monocotyledons
R. Allen; with the Collaboration of A. Amelia (Obermeyer) Mauve Dyer
Manufacturer: Department of Agricultural Technical Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JBZMG2

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Key to families and index to the Genera of southern African flowering plants (Flora of southern Africa)
R. Allen Dyer
Manufacturer: Dept. of Agricultural Technical Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0621028665

Book Description

No one has written more, or more artfully, about Japan and Japanese culture than Donald Richie. Richie moved to Tokyo just after World War II. And he is still there, still writing. This book is the first compilation of the best of Richie's writings on Japan, with excerpts from his critical work on film (Richie helped introduce Japanese film to the West in the late 1950s) and his unpublished private journal, plus fiction, Zen musings, and masterful essays on culture, travel, people, and style. With a critical introduction and full bibliography.

Donald Richie's many books include The Films of Akira Kurosawa, The Japanese Tattoo, and the PBS favorite The Inland Sea. Vienna resident Arturo Silva lived in Japan for 18 years.

"To read [ The Donald Richie Reader and The Japan Journals] is like diving for pearls. Dip into any part of them and you will surely find treasures about the cinema, literature, traveling, writing. The passages are evocative, erotic, playful, and often profound." Ã¢Â€Â“ Japanese Language and Literature

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Customer Reviews:

50 years, yet always something new to discover.......2005-05-12

Humanity and insight. That is what separates Donald Richie from the numerous authors of that swollen genre, "books on Japan." Throughout his career, he has concocted a subtle blend, both of his own perspective and that of the people in a land foreign to him but home to them. He has shown Japan as a living place populated by these people, as opposed to of a set of cultural rules to be memorized, food to be eaten and temples to be visited.

If Donald Richie offers insight into Japan, then "The Donald Richie Reader: 50 Years of Writing on Japan" gives a similar insight into Richie. An anthology, or course, it sifts through Richie's lifetime of work and condenses the finest, most representative pieces. A keen observer, Richie acknowledges his own eyes as part of the observation process. He is, first and foremost, a writer, and the fact that Japan is his muse is only a lucky happenstance. The essays and chapters here are as much about Donald Richie as they are about Japan.

From masterpieces like "The Inland Sea" and "Ozu" to unpublished fiction like "The View from the Chuo Line," Richie's unique insight can be gleaned from this volume in a way that no single book could encapsulate. Some of his rarest works, such as "The Erotic Gods," his 1966 anthropological study of Japan's fading phallic religions, can possibly only be found in this volume. Same to this are passages from his first book, "Where are the Victors?," giving a rare view on Occupation Japan, when Richie first arrived.

A further look into Richie is the excellent and long introduction by Arturo Silva. Heavily foot-noted and photo-referenced, the introduction sets the stage for the journey into Richie's psyche that you are about to take. The photos make Richie human, from the young robustness of his early days in Japan, to the wisdom of the Old Guarde that Richie has become. It is amazing how many Japanese people of note that Richie has known. Kawabata Yasunari, Ozu Yasujiro, Mishima Yukio, Kurosawa Akira...

"The Donald Richie Reader" should probably not be your first Donald Richie book. For that I recommend "The Inland Sea" to start, and you should probably have a few of his smaller books, such as "The Honorable Visitors," under your belt before you come to this anthology. After that, I can recommend nothing better than this anthology.

the Dean of American writers in Japan.......2002-12-05

Donald Richie is the Dean of American writers and observers in Japan. He casts a favorable but critical eye on this complex culture. This book captures the twist of his observations over time, first appreciating Japanese culture, but eventually wearying of it. Perhaps its a cycle seen by many longtime Gaijin.

The writing covers a wide gamut of topics: Art, Film (Donald Richie is the pre-eminant Gai-jin critic of Japanese movies), Culture, Society, and even sex. It's truly a broad based reflection of a long time participant and observer in Japanese society. The writing is crisp, refreshing, and unabashedly biased. While many of the critiques are on serious subjects, this is not an academic work.

Overall it's an iteresting book for those interested in Japan, but may not be appropriate for the general reader.

Chrysanthemum's are blooming again!.......2002-07-13

Having lived in Japan for nearly twenty years, I can still
recall those early days when I first set foot upon these shores
and began a love-hate relationship with this island nation that
has persisted to this day. Richie's writings prior to l984 helped
to shape my initial perceptions of this often bewildering and
enigmatic culture where a smile and crafty deceit are almost one
and the same. Like a latter day Hearn, I was enchanted at first
by what was to prove a vanishing glimpse of an older Japan that
fell victim to the Bubble Economy. How swiftly values changed.
The thrift of the past, the frugality of earlier times gave way
to materialistic and ethical abandon in the greed and gilded
Bubble world (l986-93). I rate his book with only two stars
because the Japan that existed in the late 50's or early 60's
has all but disappeared. In its place is a darker, nihilistic
society that continues to dream of global economic power and
nationalistic supremacy as envisioned by such neo-fascist
leaders as Shintaro Ishihara. For those readers who have never
been to Japan, be very skeptical of books that portray Japan as
a peace loving and friendly nation that seeks to be a more
active member of the international community. Japan loves to
remain isolated and aloof, wishing merely to 'trade with the
world' but not wishing to involve itself in the sordid affairs
of inferior or dangerous nations (the USA is considered a
crime ridden society that is semi-barbaric and thrilling at
the same time). Richie and his generation of Chrysanthemum
lovers did little to prepare newcomers to ugly realities that
he turns a blind eye to or else glosses over. Read Alex Kerr's
'Lost Japan' to better understand what I mean. Those of us
who became jaded over the years mockingly refer to Lafcadio as
'Lafcadio Hearnia'! He, too, was culturally myopic and chose
to ignore the more disturbing events taking place in Japan in
the early Meiji era such as the rise of a very aggressive
military regime and the plight of a very large under-class that
remained shackled to feudalistic level serfdom. The foreign
residents in Japan today are still kept outside the society.
Both India and Japan are caste conscious societies with very
clearly defined ranks for all members. Richie may be a celebrated
writer in Japan but outside of the publishing world, he's just
another Gaijin, the foreign intruder.

Amazon.com's peculiarly missing critiques.......2001-10-06

"During the last fifty years, Donald Richie has been our greatest guide to the East. An outsider turned insider-a beautiful and subtle writer with an eye for the wild life as well as an ear for the silences of Japan."
MICHAEL ONDAATJE

"Donald Richie is the Lafcadio Hearn of our time, a subtle, stylish, and deceptively lucid medium between two cultures that confuse one another: the Japanese and the American."
TOM WOLFE

"Richie is the only foreigner I know who can take [Japan] on its own terms, as few newcomers do, yet bring to it a freshness that almost every long-time resident has lost."
PICO IYER, THE TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT

"This wonderful book can be read as a work in progress of almost fifty years. No writer about Japan matches Richie's breadth of knowledge, depth and variety of experience, and his love of the people he writes about. The book of a lifetime, which will last."
......P>http://www.stonebridge.com/RICHIEREADER/richiereader.html

Book Description

The award-winning Talking Walls and its sequel, Talking Walls: The Stories Continue, introduce young readers to different cultures and different issues around the world by telling the stories of walls and how they can hold a community together or separate it. Featured walls include the Great Wall of China, the murals of Diego Rivera, Nelson Mandela's prison walls, a Holocaust memorial in Poland, Ndebele wall designs in South Africa, Hadrian's Wall in England, and the Peace Lines in Belfast, Northern Ireland. These books will spark the curiosity of young readers as they learn about their world and its amazing diversity. Teacher's guide available.

Average customer rating:

Not Great...Actually, less than great

It's alright if you live under a rock

lousy book

Nice intro and useful catalog of techniques

Not what you think

How to Draw Fantasy Females: Create Sexy Cyberpunks, Seductive Supergirls, and Raunchy All-Action Heroines
Chris Patmore
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Specific Objects | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Arts | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Figure Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Themes | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Dragonart: How to Draw Fantastic Dragons and Fantasy Creatures

Anatomy for Fantasy Artists: An Illustrator's Guide to Creating Action Figures and Fantastical Forms

Fantastic Realms: Draw Fantasy Characters, Creatures And Settings

Drawing Cutting Edge Fusion: American Comics with a Manga Influence

50 Robots to Draw and Paint: Create Fantastic Robot Characters for Comic Books, Computer Games, and Graphic Novels

Accessories:

Drawing and Painting Fantasy Figures: From the Imagination to the Page

The Fantasy Figure Artist's Reference File with CD-ROM: Hundreds of Real-life Photographs Depicting Extreme Anatomy and Dynamic Action Poses

Anatomy for Fantasy Artists: An Illustrator's Guide to Creating Action Figures and Fantastical Forms

ASIN: 0764130897

Book Description

Graphic artists who open this scintillating tutorial discover the beauty secrets of cartoon bombshells, then learn how to give them active roles in stories. Step-by-step illustrations show female anatomy and proportion, ways to render poses and body shapes, and methods to exaggerate or simplify female shapes for special effects. Artists learn to create convincing drawings of seductive supergirls, action heroines, sexy cyberpunks, feisty Manga babes, and other types. Instruction includes methods for drawing facial features, head-turning hairstyles, and fantasy wardrobes with eye-popping metal bikinis and skin-tight jumpsuits. A historical overview of females in animation and comics covers styles from Betty Boop to Tank Girl. The author explains the importance of storytelling in art and discusses ways to develop story concepts before starting to draw. Chapters that follow focus on choosing art equipment (pencils, papers, brushes, inks, paints, and pixels), selecting appropriate drawing styles to match characters' personalities, rendering different feminine types, from goddess to the girl next door, and more.The book concludes with a brief survey of the business of commercial art, with advice on how and where to sell finished work, how to draw characters to order, and how artists can protect their rights. More than 200 flamboyant, full-color illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Not Great...Actually, less than great.......2007-09-30

I tend to buy a lot of "How to Draw" books, art books, etc. and, over the years, I've developeda pretty good sense of what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, "How to Draw Fantasy Females" just doesn't work.

This book is basically a look into different kinds of female sci-fi/comic book/fantasy characters. It gives information on archetypes (actually, there is a little character sheet-type list at the beginning of the book that will help you design different character "types") and provides a couple of pseudo-helpful tutorials on Photoshop and other programs, but is mostly a showcase of different kinds of femals genre characters. I was underwhelmed, to tell the truth - there is very little "how to" to this book at all. Unless you are a collector or a completionist, I recommend just staying away from this one and looking elsewhere.

It's alright if you live under a rock.......2007-09-23

this book talks about the type of characters there are in stories and what not. And if you plan on drawing fantasy stuff, chances are you already know about these character types. Theres plenty left out and this doesnt teah you much if you know how to draw and if you dont know how to draw, this doesnt teach you how.

I got this thinking it'd show me how to draw suits and armor and stuff for females, not tell me that i could draw a girl with a gun or a female alien shaped like a uterus (im dead serious), whats up with that?

If i knew what i know now about this book, I wouldnt buy it. I can't really say who this book would be useful for. I guess its for those who want to draw fantasy style, but have no idea what kind of fantasy settings exsist. And with all the movies, cartoons, videogames, and comic books out there, i dont thing such a person walks this earth.

I wouldnt call it a waste, it does have some nice artwork in it, but overall its useless for me. I'm not an expert or draw for a living or anything like that and im not new at it. This would have been useful if it tought you how to draw stuff or at least had more/unheard of archetypes. Another thing is that this book does is assumes you want to make a comic book which gets annoying because it gives story ideas instead telling me what i wanted to learn.

lousy book.......2007-02-06

This book isn't worth the paper it's written on. There's next to nothing useful in it, any other drawing book on the market is far better. I'm amazed a publisher released it.

Nice intro and useful catalog of techniques.......2007-01-15

Overall, besides the 'cheesecake' appeal, the breakdown of styles and techniques justify buying this book. I haven't yet, but I might.

I reccomend anyone using this as a learning tool also get a DVD/Digital cable and once in a while use the 'pause' feature, to sketch what they see on the TV. Have a sketchbook devoted to 'life drawing' from this source, seperate from the 'fantasy' stuff. Also, "Drawing and painting fantasy figures" should be purchased first, as more versatile, along with its companion on "Fantasy Worlds".

Poser, mentioned heavily in this book, is also a very good tool. Ever see a movie called "Fire and Ice"? It was done with a "Rotoscope" where artists drew over still frames from a movie that used actors approximating what the animation would be. Today, with Poser and some decent software, such as flash and painter, such a movie could be made far more easily. One of my projects once I think of a good "Thud and Blunder" plot to tribute to Heroic fantasy;-)

I use TrueSpace for more ambitious 3D, but for general figure position experiments, Poser works good. Got a copy of Poser 5 here, and it works great. Previously, I'd used Poser 3, which I got for free in a magazine, but when I got a computer with more than a Gig of Ram, Poser 3 couldn't recognize it.

Not what you think.......2006-12-31

Drop the How to Draw from the title and you will get what you are paying for. This book covers software and tools used in the profession but lacks any step by steps useful to beginners and contains info already known by anyone with basic knowledge of character design. This book is more of a gallery of created characters.

Gary & Al present how to draw sexy women

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Gary & Al present how to draw sexy women
Rick Bucker
Manufacturer: Solson Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Figure Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1556016662

Average customer rating:

SULTRY AND ENTICING...
This Is What I Waited Over A YEAR For?!
Thorne's book is a true gem.
The worst money I've spent

Drawing Sexy Women
Frank Thorne
Manufacturer: Fantagraphics Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1560973870

Customer Reviews:

SULTRY AND ENTICING..........2006-08-06

It wasn't what I was thinking it would be.

Instead it is a facinating look into Frank Thorne's life and his remembrances of women. A view into the things that shape the artist.

If your an artist, or comic professional, or want to be it will be worth the look.

If your looking for an instructional textbook look elsewhere.

This Is What I Waited Over A YEAR For?!.......2000-12-10

There is no doubt that Thorne is one of the most gifted comic artists around. More is the pity. Given his increasingly meager output in recent years, this long-awaited book was a huge disappointment. His sketches and anecdotes are fine, but not worth the 90% of this thin volume. The how-to section is what every fan of Thorne's would be most interested in. This "instructional" chapter looks like a direct rip-off of "How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way" (a much better investment). Aspiring comic artists should also pick up Joe Kubert's new book. For Shame, Frank!

Thorne's book is a true gem........2000-10-28

I've been a fan of Frank Thorne's artwork for decades. He's probably best known for his work on Red Sonja for Marvel Comics and Moonshine McJugs for Playboy, but he also drew several syndicated comic strips during the 50s and 60s, and even then, he had quite a reputation for drawing beautiful female characters. Drawing Sexy Women has the subtitle of Autobiographical Sketches. Indeed, the book is an illustrated narrative of Thorne's long artistic career. Besides being an incredibly talented illustrator, he's a great storyteller. His recollections of childhood are amusing and touching, and his account of meeting the famed pin-up model Betty Page is a total treat, as are the chapters involving Red Sonja's rapid rise in popularity in the late 70s. At the end of the book, there's an eight-page chapter of Thorne's drawing technique, so if you were expecting an entire book of "How to Draw" sexy women, yes, you might be disappointed. Personally, I think aspiring artists could learn a lot just from studying Thorne's sketches, and Drawing Sexy Women offers plenty of material for study. Except for a few chapter breaks, every page features new sketches by Thorne (there isn't a single previously-published piece in the bunch). For that reason alone, this book is an absolute must for fans of illustration and comic art.

The worst money I've spent.......2000-10-27

I bought this "book" thinking it'd add something to my training in drawing comics, but this is not just an awfully written book, it is also one of the clumsiest and clichéd drawings I've seen in other self-help books, not that this one is one of those. For more than 70 pages the writer rambles about women and what they are to finally give us extremely general rules or advices on how to improve your drawing. ANY other similar book that you can find will be of much more help than this one.

Book Description

Anne Rudloe was attracted to Zen as a college student. But it seemed premature for a 21-year-old to focus on the difficulties of life when she'd hardly begun to live. Twenty-five years later, she was ready to explore the spiritual discipline that originated in Asian monasteries more than a millennium ago.Rudloe's quest is compellingly chronicled in Butterflies on a Sea Wind, which combines the rigor of formal monastic Zen practice with the challenges of integrating Zen concepts into modern daily life. Her narrative describes both the physical and mental demands of Zen retreats and how she applied what she learned there to her work as a marine biologist in Florida, as well as to the rigors of raising children and caring for an elderly grandmother. In words that intimately draw in her readers, she describes how Zen helps us look inward and use the wisdom we find there to reach out to others.Buddhism is one of the fastest growing spiritual traditions in America today. During the 1990s, the number of organized Buddhist centers in this country grew more than 40 percent, from 429 to 1,062. While there are many books about Zen on the market today, few give a clear picture of what it's like to actually sit down and begin a meditation practice and then apply it to a daily life. Likewise, few books discuss the types of issues most people face every day: raising a family and earning a living.Butterflies on a Sea Wind does all this and more.

Customer Reviews:

Sincere and helpful.......2006-11-30

This book chronicles Anne Rudloe's beginning experiences at Zen retreats. Whatever our religious practice, our mind can "chatter like monkeys" and become irritated at our assessment of own progress. The book is particularly superb in its honesty at dealing with life "in the real world" ...with an aging grandma, nearby coastal development, and just her own irritations at life.

I've had the pleasure of taking a coastal class from Dr. Rudloe, and bird watching in the same natural areas she visits (Fiddlers Point, St. Joe Bay, Appalachicola National Forest), and appreciated the peace that comes to her in these areas. The writing may be best in describing her connection to these areas. As a writer about Zen, she has the paradoxical task of writing about illuminating experiences that the masters would probably say, should not be so scrutinized. Some of these paragraphs, seems a little saccharin, but in the context of this book are needed.

You can feel the author's struggles.......2002-10-26

What a wonderful, gentle book! I thought this was a superb example of "living Zen," the kind of Zen book that is half didactic and half personal autobiography. Anne Rudloe invites us into her home to see her struggle with her 90-year-old, cranky grandmother and her sons (named Cypress and Sky). I thought Ms. Rudloe did a superb job of showing us how difficult it is to apply Zen practice when our nearest and dearest drive us insane. But her moments with her sons outdoors watching deer or the stars or the sunset were magical. I thought the pivotal center point of the book was on p. 80 where she describes having just listened to "Stars and Stripes Forever" with her boys while watching a heron. She concludes: "In that moonlight, in that moment, Zen, the finger that points to the moon, was nonexistent." Wow.

I loved the book and appreciated the many words of wisdom and teaching that Ms. Rudloe graced us with. My only teensy complaint is that towards the end of the book, she spent too much time lecturing at us, and not enough time injecting that personal, human, story-telling touch. I think she had so much to say about Zen that she sacrificed our attention span for her goal of getting it all said. I really hate to be critical in any way whatsoever, but might I suggest that if she had taken her own words about Zen disappearing, she might have given us the chance to figure it out for ourselves by yet another story or angle on her life. Too many words muddy the waters.

But overall, a superb book!!!!

Book Description

Irises bring color and elegance to a garden and are surprisingly easy to grow. In this book designed for the home gardener, William Shear, a 40-year veteran of iris growing, shares his expertise in choosing, planting, growing, and propagating exquisite irises. All of the essentials on iris care are carefully and simply explained, along with tips to ensure a stunning display from healthy plants. Starting with the tall bearded iris, the book features iris types that will grow in almost any condition--dry, wet, shady, or sunny. Specific cultural advice for the most desirable and adaptable iris types allows gardeners to choose the plants best suited to their region of the country. Lavish photos by renowned garden photographer Roger Foley will foster a love of timeless irises in every gardener.

Customer Reviews:

Finally, an iris book that talks about borers.......2003-02-17

"The Gardener's Iris Book" describes itself as an introductory book for American gardeners. In my own experience, books about irises tend to fall into two categories: beautiful and fun to read, but not particularly useful or well-organized; and books that I can take out into the garden and actually use. This volume manages to straddle both categories, which is good because I like to look at beautiful pictures of irises, but I've also discovered that they are not particularly easy to grow. I've lost two complete plantings of Bearded Irises to borers, and even managed to kill off a bed of hardy Siberian irises.

Why bother with a touchy plant that has such a short growing season? That's easy: because they're one of the most beautiful flowers in the garden when they do bloom.

The author has a gift for clear, succinct phrasing, very well-suited for a 'how to' manual on growing irises. He also loves his subject--in the chapter on Louisiana Irises, he refers to himself as 'Johnny Iris Seed' because of his habit of planting his extra rhizomes in the mud at the margins of farm ponds, park pools, or even roadside ditches. "Most will establish themselves and give pleasure to passersby in years to come."

After forty years of growing irises, he has learned that a good garden springs from a healthy, living soil. He suggests using pesticides and commercial fertilizers only as a last resort. For instance, in the section on Iris borers, he starts with the least toxic methods for ridding your garden of these pests: carefully clean up your garden debris in late fall and early spring to limit the number of borers that will hatch. Monitor the young foliage fans for notches, then pinch the fan below the notches to squash any burrower (a mano a mano approach not recommended for the squeamish).

Irises can also be treated with beneficial nematodes. I tried this method one year with some success, although the neighbors probably wondered why I was running around with what looked like a horse hypodermic and sticking it into iris stems. According to this author, the nematodes can be sprayed on plants or used as a soil drench, so I can throw away my hypo.

"The Gardener's Iris Book" is fun to read straight through to the appendices on Iris specialist nurseries (listed by state), and iris books and computer resources. However the book is divided into sections that treat irises with similar growing characteristics, e.g. those requiring substantial moisture or those that thrive in dry conditions. These useful subdivisions allow the reader-in-a-hurry to concentrate on the irises that thrive in an environment most closely resembling his or her own garden.

Very Helpful Reference.......2000-05-22

My mother has found this book to be a very informative and helpful reference. When she started losing some of her plants to rot, the book explained what it was and how to treat it.

The Gardener's Iris Book is fabulous!.......2000-05-19

With fabulous photography by Roger Foley et al, this is an indispensable reference on irises for newcomers to these flags or old-times iris lovers. All the essential care needed for a spectacular display of these moving flowers. The Gardener's Iris Book is a wonderful way to learn how to tend your new crop of these amazing & historic plants. This is a book I've often re-read, the information I keep gleaning comes just at the right time. END

This is a good, thorough and readable book on irises........1998-09-11

The Gardener's Iris Book is an excellent resource for iris lovers and growers. The book covers all aspects of iris culture, from types to best growing methods and sourcing information. The book is lavishly supplemented with photographs and illustrations as well.

A must for every gardener's library.

Average customer rating:
Iris (Affordable Series of Books for Gardeners)
Theodore James , and Harry Haralambou
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Gardener's Iris Book

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ASIN: B000IOEZO0

Average customer rating:
The Gardener's Iris Book
William Shear
Manufacturer: Taunton Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OLW7BU

Book Description

The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in twenty-?ve years than the Romans did in four hundred. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization. Vastly more progressive than his European or Asian counterparts, Genghis Khan abolished torture, granted universal religious freedom, and smashed feudal systems of aristocratic privilege. From the story of his rise through the tribal culture to the explosion of civilization that the Mongol Empire unleashed, this brilliant work of revisionist history is nothing less than the epic story of how the modern world was made.

Download Description

“Reads like the Iliad. . . Part travelogue, part epic narrative.” —Washington Post

“It’s hard to think of anyone else who rose from such inauspicious beginnings to something so awesome, except maybe Jesus.” —Harper’s

“Weatherford’s lively analysis restores the Mongol’s reputation, and it takes wonderful learned detours. . . . Well written and full of suprises.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Weatherford is a fantastic storyteller. . . . [His] portrait of Khan is drawn with sufficiently self-complicating depth. . . . Weatherford’s account gives a generous view of the Mongol conqueror at his best and worst.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Genghis Khan.......2007-09-20

I read quite a few books, and few really alter my world view. This book changed my perception of Genghis Khan and the times in which he lived in a fundamental way. I had always thought of Genghis Khan as the ultimate military campaigner gone wild. Yes he was that but so much else in addition. His use of diplomacy, propaganda, his establishment of the concept of diplomatic immunity, his open-minded acceptance of all religions, his utter lack of personal greed and his vision of unifying the world mark him as an historical character worthy of much more attention and respect.

Genghis Khan.......2007-09-05

Excellent book. Very informative and eye opening. It dispels the myths about the mongols and clearly shows how the modern world's existence is in large part a consequence of the Mongol Expansion.

Amazing!.......2007-09-04

What an unlightening experience! Genghis Khan's story has too long been left untold and this work of historical fiction sheds light on this extraordinary man. It should be required reading for all World Civilization students.

Well Told Story: Mongol influences behind European Renaissance.......2007-08-25

Writing with rare lyrical sensitivity, this ambitious book attempts to re-invent our world. While Weatherford may be over-reaching here and there in his zeal, it is the passion behind the writing that makes it one of the best and most informative re-tellings of the Genghis Khan story.

The first part deals with GK consolidating power in Mongolia (Chapters 2-3). The middle part (Chapters 4-8) deals with world conquest and empire. The last and most interesting part (Chapters 9-10) deal with the legacy of his empire ("the making of the modern world").

Genghis Khan started on world conquest when he was nearly 50, and within fifteen years (1212 to his death in 1227), he had conquered four times the territory of the Roman or Macedonian empires at their peak. Part of his military strategy was psychological; cities that resisted were slaughtered to a man.

But the most novel aspect of the book (for me) is the impact of this large trade-friendly empire that spanned Eurasia for over 200 years (Chapter 9).
Perhaps he over-dramatizes a little: "Under influences from paper and printing, gunpowder and firearms, and the spread of the navigational compass... Europeans experienced a Renaissance, literally a rebirth, but it was not the ancient world of Greece or Rome being reborn. It was the Mongol Empire, picked up, transferred, and adapted by the Europeans" The claim seems almost unbelievable, so I went to several online sources simply to verify the specifics; I found most of it well-corroborated.

Furthermore, processes such as codification of laws, lightning mobility in war (the inspiration for Nazi "blitzkrieg"), religious freedom, and participative government, all taken for granted today, were practiced in the Mongol Empire and may have influenced European thinking.

The final chapter (10) deals with the historiographical process - how come Genghis' only image today is that of a brutal barbarian? Weatherford shows how initial European views (Marco Polo / Chaucer) were extremely positive, but there was a complete volte face during the Age of Enlightenment. Later, the scientitists came in, positing human sub-species such as the "mongoloid" and the "caucasian", with the Mongoloid being viewed as a primitive evolutionary stage, with a close relationship to the orangutan (p. 257).

Fired up after reading this, I also got a copy of Paul Ratchnevsky's widely acclaimed Genghis Khan: His Life and Legacy - in addition to Mongol and Persian sources consulted by Weatherford, Ratchnevsky also considers Chinese histories, but the basic story does not appear to change that much.

For a scholarly history text, this is an extremely easy read.

Mongols Rule!.......2007-08-12

This is the tale of Temujin (1162 - 1227 AD), later known as Chinggis or Genghis Khan, a poverty-stricken outcast who became the leader of one of the greatest empires in history. At its height, under Temujin's grandson Khubilai Khan, the Mongol empire ranged from Baghdad to Peking and included all of modern China, most of modern Russia, Turkey and northern India. The conquest and command of such a vast amount of territory by a nomadic, largely illiterate people is a remarkable feat in itself; that the Mongols governed well and introduced numerous innovations across their huge empire is extraordinary.

The first half of the book is a biography of Genghis Khan; after that it's the history of the empire he established and its ultimate dissolution in the plague years of the14th century. It's also the story of the many innovations pioneered by the Mongols: paper currency, a unified monetary system, trade on a grand scale across thousands of miles, a universal language, religious freedom, and a consistent and humane legal code, to name only a few. It's true the empire eventually disintegrated in the aftermath of the plague, which effectively halted commerce across Eurasia, but not before East and West had exchanged numerous goods and knowledge.

The book also clarifies how the Mongols acquired the outrageous reputation they have had as barbarians up to the present day. This portion of the story is an excellent lesson in the misuse of history and the role of prejudice in the absence of facts.

I found the book readable and enlightening; for me, it was an antidote to ignorance, illuminating a shadowy corner of world history often missed in both Western (Europe and the new world) and Eastern (India, China, Japan) civilization courses.

Customer Reviews:

Required Reading.......2006-07-09

Reading this book gives one insight not only on Stalin but also on the political system that he constructed around his personality. Its effects are still being felt in today's Russia--much of Stalin's struggle with his identity and place in the world was and still is mirrored by the Russian state itself. Tucker is a masterful storyteller; one comes away with a great sense of both the historical moment and the political weight of the subject matter. This book should still be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the Russian political system.

A great book on a bad man.......2004-10-14

Over the years, I have read a number of books on Stalin, some good and some awful and I am convinced that this book, along with Professor Tucker's other work, "Stalin as a Revolutionary" is the best work on this subject (Adam Ulam's work would be the best one volume study of Stalin).

What sets this book apart from the others is Tucker's first rate understanding of Stalin and the world in which he operated. Only someone as stubborn as Stalin could have imagined he was creating paradise on earth while at the same establishing one of the most hellish regime's in world history and Tucker captures him in all of his evil. Even though he is a widely respected actademic, Tucker writes in such a way as to make this 20th century monster understandable to expert and beginner alike.

The only complaint that I have is that Tucker has yet to follow through with the next part of Stalin's career. It seems to be truism of late that no one can complete a multi-volume work on one of the leaders of World War II. Kenneth Davis was unsuccessful in his magnificent FDR biography as was William Manchester in his attempt to capture Churchill in his series of books on the great prime minister. I am only hoping that wealth of material that has become available with the fall of communism and the Soviet Union does not hamper Professor Tucker's efforts.

Please write volume 3!.......2000-04-19

This is an excellent biography of Stalin, the middle book in a proposed trilogy. Tucker weaves events in the Soviet Union around the twisted, paranoid personality of Joseph Stalin, former seminary student. What I found to be the most intriguing was how every time Stalin changed his mind about something, everyone had to fall in line or risk being labeled a "wrecker" or "counter-revolutionary." Stalin was not particularly brilliant, and he was not Lenin's choice as a successor, but he had a genius for bureacratic maneuvering that put him in the powerful position that he held for years. For all his paranoia and all the damage he did to Russia, it is amazing that someone didn't actually knock him off. It is a chilling reflection on how obsequious even the best of us can be when motivated by fear.

The finest treatment of its subject.......1998-07-06

Neither Stalin, the collectivization crisis, nor the terror suffer from a dearth of good and serious studies. Yet despite the crowded field, Tucker's "Stalin in Power" is by far the best treatment of all three complex events. No other book sets out as credible, well-researched and well considered a theory of the workings of Stalin's mind. The great challenge presented by the Soviet thirties is the comprehension of the real logic behind what appears from the outside as mass irrationality. Most writers' personal models of depth and social psychology are inadequate to the task. Tucker succeeds, by a significant margin.

Comprehensive, accessible, and supremely coherent.......1997-10-10

Tucker's careful storytelling hews to historical facts and grippingly narrates Stalin's creeping domination of the Soviet idea. This book is complete. A must read for all interested in recent Russian history.

STALIN IN POWER: THE REVOLUTION FROM ABOVE 1928-1941

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STALIN IN POWER: THE REVOLUTION FROM ABOVE 1928-1941
Robert Tucker
Manufacturer: W.W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RARV2S

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