Field Guide to Trees of the Kruger National Park

Customer Reviews:

Piet van Wyk : Field Guide to Trees of Kruger National Park.......2004-08-19

This is a fabulous book. Very well & clearly illustrated. It includes trees from the surrounding countries of Zimbabwe, Namibia & Botswana. Very easy to use as a reference book in the field, or when you want to identify a tree at home. It gives the Latin name, as well as the English & Afrikaans one & often the African name for each tree. Equally useful for an expert, or a novice in the field of trees. Lovely man - having met the author - & would strongly recommend buying this book if you are interested in trees of the Kruger region.

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Trees of The Kruger National Park
P. Van Wyk
Manufacturer: Purnell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J2M33G

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Trees of the Kruger National Park
Pieter Van Wyk
Manufacturer: Purnell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

INTRODUCTION

First things first: Prague is a very beautiful city. With some six hundred years of architecture virtually untouched by natural disaster or war, few other cities, anywhere in Europe, look as good. Straddling the winding River Vltava, with a steep wooded hill to one side, the city retains much of its medieval layout and the street facades remain smothered in a rich mantle of Baroque, Rococo and Art Nouveau, all of which successfully escaped the vanities and excesses of postwar redevelopment. Of course, while the Iron Curtain was still in place, Prague was seldom visited by westerners - since the 1990s, however, all that has changed. Prague is now one of the most popular city break destinations in Europe, and is enjoying the sort of economic boom not seen since the 1920s.

Prague's emergence as one of Europe's leading cities, capital of a country poised to join the EU, has come as a surprise to many people - but not the Czechs. After all, Prague was at the forefront of the European avant-garde for much of the last century, boasting a Cubist movement second only to Paris, and, between the wars, a modernist architectural flowering to rival Bauhaus. With a playwright and human rights activist as their president, the Czechs easily grabbed the headlines in the 1990s. Even today, the country's athletes and models enjoy a very high profile, and its writers, artists and film directors continue to exert a profound influence on European culture, out of all proportion to their number.

Naturally, not everybody is happy with the changes. Like most central Europeans, Czechs love to moan, especially over a glass or two of beer. Prices have gone up dramatically over the past ten years, with ever-increasing rents pushing locals out of the centre, and ever more expensive restaurants making the old town a no-go area for the average Praguer. Some argue that over-zealous restoration has turned central Prague into a theme park, that the arrival of the multinationals has made Prague like every other European city, and that the smartening-up of the city centre has made the place just like Vienna (a city universally disliked by Czechs).

Certainly, the exhilarating popular unity of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, and the feeling of participating in history itself, have now gone for ever. Few Czechs refer to the events of 1989 as a "revolution". Disorientation at the speed of change, disillusionment with modern politics and the first real taste of Western vices in the capital have taken their toll. The lifestyle gulf between Party and non-Party members has been replaced by the Western malaise of rich and poor. There's nothing new in this, but it does serve as a sobering footnote to the city's glowing image in the West.

Customer Reviews:

The perfect orientation book for getting to know the city of Praha (Prague).......2005-07-28

Like most people, I guess, I'd researched Prague, Czech Republic online, and via some travel articles I'd saved. I had heard of the Rough Guide series (just as I also skimmed through the "Hip Guides" online), and thought to give this a try, in addition to an updated Michelin guide of Europe. A great choice! The section near the beginning, featuring city highlights, offered beautiful photos, and was inspiring just as the captions were enticing.

The book's organization into different "contextual" components can be a bit un-ergonomic at times, and other times was useful. There's more info than will probably be needed for a short stay, but still my walking tour guide was very impressed by my historical knowledge of the city and country, and much of the credit for that belongs to this book.

While the Michelin Guide covered more cities (and countries), this guide is dense-packed with "everything you might want to know about Prague", and probably much more. Focusing specifically on the city of Prague, it covers not only the streets and customs, but larger historical context and suggestions for excursions outside the city. (e.g., to nearby Kutna Hora)

Interestingly, I ran into a friend in Stockholm who expressed disappointment in the book she had with her -- Rough Guide to Sweden, and I suppose it's a bit like the case of Michelin -- covering so much territory it's bound to suffer in the detail it can provide on any one city when its covering an entire country or continent. The same may be true of the Rough Guides in that they excel in zooming in on a particular city, but may not be as completely satisfying in covering a given city when the book covers an entire country. I can't generalize, but I do know that for this city, at least, the Rough Guide was full of useful information, interesting background and context, and enticing photographs of some of the architectural highlights.

I'd definitely recommend Rough Guide to Prague for anyone comtemplating a vacation in this very unique, beautiful, and historically rich city. It's a photographer's dream, as well as a city made for lovers of architecture, history, or Pilsener beer. This book and a quick sampling of photos and travel articles online, offers all you need to know to begin enjoying the treasures of Prague.

Lots of information but hard to navigate.......2004-06-03

This book is packed chock-full of information, but its strength is also its weakness. The dense text is good for those who want detailed information, but is harder to flip through and to use for quick planning or decisions. Most useful for those who may be in Prague for a longer period and want in-depth information. The restaurant and accommodation listings are helpful.

I loved this book........2003-07-24

Spot on and incisive. Great advice on what to see and do in Prague. And very thorough. From restaurant recommendations to finding that out of the way laundry, this book has it all. If you're going to Prague for a weekend or a month, I can't imagine a more valuable item tucked away in your suitcase.

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Dimitra of the Greek Islands (How They Live Now)
Carola Matthews
Manufacturer: Lutterworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Europe | Explore the World | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0718824040

Book Description

Among the finest examples of European craftsmanship are the clocks produced for the luxury trade in the eighteenth century. The J. Paul Getty Museum is fortunate to have in its Decorative Arts collection twenty clocks from the period 1680-1798; eighteen produced in France and two in Germany.
The demonstrate the extraordinary workmanship that went into both the design and execution of the cases and the intricate movements by which the clocks operated. In this handsome volume, each clock is pictured and discussed in detail, and each movement diagrammed and described. In addition,
biographies of the clock makers and enamelers are included, as are indexes of the names of the makers, previous owners, and locations.

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Paul Harris: Drawings
Paul Harris
Manufacturer: University of Washington Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0295977035

Book Description

72 full color plates of drawings by artist Paul Harris with an introduction by Morris Yarowsky

Book Description

If the dog is man's best friend, then the Labrador Retriever must be his soul mate! Consistently rated by the American Kennel Club as the most popular breed, Labrador Retrievers embody the physicality, loyalty, and warmth so prized by dog lovers everywhere. With quotations, anecdotes, and stories from various dog owners and dog lovers, and touching artwork celebrating the beauty of these dogs, In Praise of Labs is the perfect way to honor these most beloved companions.

Customer Reviews:

Nice narration, interesting stories.......2000-12-18

First of all there is a review of this book by someone that, apparently, didn't read it. The book has no pictures, it is like the title imply ILUSTRATED. The ilustrations are good but I wouldn't say awesome. Some of them are available as posters in various stores. The stories are interesting and present the Labrador in other aspects of life and not only in the hunting field which I consider a very good thing. One thing is for sure, this is a Labs lovers book. Believe me, if you don't love the breed you probably won't enjoy the book as much. If you do love Labs, as much as I do, you'll enjoy the reading and ilustrations. But I wouldn't say this is an exceptional book. It is good.

Wonderful.......2000-06-22

When I bought this book I didnt know how good the pictures were. Now I know thier AWSOME! You'll never regret buying this WONDERFUL book!

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The History And Antiquities Of The Diocese Kilmacduagh

Manufacturer: M.H. Gill & Son,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GZKSRY

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The History And Antiquities Of The Diocese Of Kilmacduagh
Jerome Fahey
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0548220395

Book Description

In Seeds and Propagation, Susan McClure helps gardeners discover the thrill of nursing plants to life. Chapters include equipment to use; seeds, with information on seed structure, hand pollination, thinning, and transplanting; cuttings; division; and layering, which occurs when a living branch or stem is rooted.

Book Description

This volume deals with the ways in which religious Faith was communicated and adapted during the late medieval period and after, and with the ways in which spirituality, culture, written texts and gender interacted during the same period. Drawing on texts like the Book of Margery Kempe, popular prayers, romances and devotions, well-known devout practices, mystical and visionary writing, and devout representations like the Arma Christi, the book addresses the ways in which these both informed and were informed by attitudes towards Faith and Belief which continue today. Subjects include: the development of religious attitudes; devotion to Christ's blood; the influence of mysticism on literary texts; Chaucer's feminism; Eastern sources; and the transmission of medieval spirituality into the New World.

The Boundaries of Faith: The Development and Transmission of Medieval Spirituality.: An article from: Renaissance Quarterly

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The Boundaries of Faith: The Development and Transmission of Medieval Spirituality.: An article from: Renaissance Quarterly
Donna Spivey Ellington
Manufacturer: Renaissance Society of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Renaissance Quarterly, published by Renaissance Society of America on September 22, 1998. The length of the article is 929 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Boundaries of Faith: The Development and Transmission of Medieval Spirituality.
Author: Donna Spivey Ellington
Publication: Renaissance Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1998
Publisher: Renaissance Society of America
Volume: v51 Issue: n3 Page: p1002(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

One of America's most respected diplomats on a life spent serving in the Far East.

James Lilley's life and family have been entwined with China's fate since his father moved to the country to work for Standard Oil in 1916. Lilley spent much of his childhood in China and after a Yale professor took him aside and suggested a career in intelligence, it became clear that he would spend his adult life returning to China again and again.

Lilley served for twenty-five years in the CIA in Laos, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Taiwan before moving to the State Department in the early 1980s to begin a distinguished career as the U.S.'s top-ranking diplomat in Taiwan, ambassador to South Korea, and finally, ambassador to China. From helping Laotian insurgent forces assist the American efforts in Vietnam to his posting in Beijing during the Tiananmen Square crackdown, he was in a remarkable number of crucial places during challenging times as he spent his life tending to America's interests in Asia. In China Hands, he includes three generations of stories from an American family in the Far East, all of them absorbing, some of them exciting, and one, the loss of Lilley's much loved and admired brother, Frank, unremittingly tragic.

China Hands is a fascinating memoir of America in Asia, Asia itself, and one especially capable American's personal history.

Customer Reviews:

A Glimpse into the Workings of Intelligence and Diplomacy.......2006-10-06

Through this personal memoir, you get an insider's view on how intelligence and diplomatic communities work with and against each other and how they influence and are influenced by elected officials. It's a delicate dance of meetings, hierarchies, secrets and logistics.

I like that Lilley first introduces himself to us through his childhood in China. Unlike other reviewers, I felt that the discussion of his brother was appropriate and just enough (not too much) for us to understand him and the significance his work had had for him.

We follow Lilley through his covert operations to being, through wide experience (and I presume great competence), exactly the man for various important jobs when decisions are made to re-establish relations with China. Lilley, refreshingly, loves his work, and tells us what he is proud of and unabashedly, about his mistakes.

I was surprised to see some aspects of the CIA work in print. While it is a moot point that Lilley flaunted British law in his CIA work in Hong Kong and Chinese law/protocol in China, I wondered about the propriety of these open admissions. Even more surprising to see in print was the founding of communist groups in the Middle East to create fellow travelers who could travel to China. I presume these things, since they appear publically here, along with the CIA'S 1960's work in Laos are now common knowledge. Lilley writes some of them in sketches, some in facts, some in passing. He gives no analysis or discussion of ramifications or controversies of these activities. His straightforward approach to these assignments was probably essential to doing this kind of work.

Also of interest to those like me who often wonder how things "work", were the two "outings" he had, and how he overcame them to continue a useful career, a career he sees not as something for him, but something important for his country.

Lilley is clearly loyal to family, friends and country. His career flourishes with Republicans and he is loyal to them too. The problems caused by balancing Taiwan and China, and conflicts within and across administrations are presented with criticism of the Carter administration, but the framing of similar problems posed by Reagan/Bush (who do not agree on the China-Taiwan balance) are framed as "challenging". He minimizes Fitzwater's exposure of the dissident Lilley was harboring in the embassy which results in over a year of domestic logistics and unneeded complications in relatonships. (This dissident did not prove to share Lilley's quality of loyalty.)

Lilley and his various teams were skillful in managing Chinese relations in turbulent times, and the world owes him for this. If you are interested in the Asia and the daily grind of the people who make it all happen, this book is for you.

DEFIES EASY DEFINITIONS.......2006-01-05

This book is part autobiography, part family history, part spy thriller, and part diplomatic history. James Lilley's life and family was shaped by the collapse and rebirth of China. Even his tours in the CIA in Laos and the Philippines and his tour as the Ambassador to Korea seemed to be shaped by the giant leviathan that is modern China.

Prior to 1800, China was about 25% of the world's economy. By the time that Ambassador Lilley's father worked in China prior to World War II, China was a broken country - occupied by Japan and exploited by western powers. The United States, perhaps uniquely, had an interest in China both as a venue for evangelical Christians to recruit and as a potential trading partner. As the child of a prominent business man, that was the world where James Lilley grew up.

Today we have a China that is the regional hegemon in East Asia. The United States has a vested - some would say symbiotic - trade relationship with China. In terms of virtually every other issue with China, we find ourselves in a tight adversarial dance in terms of Taiwan, human rights, intellectual property, and China's own war on terrorism against Chinese Uighurs.

In the case of Taiwan, the Republic of China views itself as the rightful descendent of Sun Yat-Sen's successful revolt against the last Emperor. Likewise, by emphasizing Sun Yat-Sen's socialistic leanings, the People's Republic of China considers itself the rightful "one China" and Taiwan as some sort of breakaway province.

How we got from the reality of a weak dysfunctional China in 1939 to the current balance of power in East Asia is discussed in the form of a very personal family history by James Lilley.

Ambassador Lilley missed World War II and the attempt at a unified Chinese government negotiated by Gen. Marshal. However, with those exceptions, he was like the Forest Gump of Chinese American relations throughout the 20th Century, constantly being on the spot as history was being made.

This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

A very interesting trip through China.......2005-12-11

This is the story of an American and his life - which was totally interwoven with China.

Lilley was born and raised in China. And then working for the American government was either stationed in China or working on China from outside. In many ways giving him a unique view of the country.

This book tells that tale. And while the book is clearly China from his viewpoint, his view is such that it gives a very interesting picture of China over the last several decades.

excellent book.......2005-09-30

Lilley's "China Hands" is an excellent work and insightful look into one family's nine-decade history in China. Included is Lilley's career as a CIA agent in Asia as well as his years in diplomacy in Asia and notably China, culminating in his role as American ambassador to China during the first Bush adminstration. The only drawback I cite is his constant reference to his brother (who committed suicide just after World War II) throughout the book. Lilly's constant musing - often long - about what his brother might have thought in certain situations etc. gets tiring quickly and actually takes away from the narrative quality of the book.

However, I recommend this book for an intriguing read and as a primer on Chinese studies.

The book is very interesting for a Taiwanese American. .......2005-07-31

I really appreciate Mr. Lilley's effort and achievement on his CIA and diplomat career. There were always struggles among the State Department, Defense Department, CIA, Security Adviser and White House. In this book we have the opportunity to know the profiles of the persons Mr. Lilley dealt with and Mr. Lilley gave us his generic view of these characters.

On page 170 and 171 Mr. Lilley provides his view about the Middle Kingdom. He is very brave by saying " I did not feel guilty about the historical role of foreigner in China". I fully agree with him. I like the other people in Taiwan was brain washed by KMT by shifting the responsibility of their failure in mainland China to United States. KMT also took the credit of "Defeating" Japan in World War II in the history text books of Taiwan. The credit shall go to United States and the Americans sacrificed in World War II.

When the author was in Taiwan the association with womem's Garden and Art Club is an interest contrast to the mood of these Chinese mainlander in Taiwan now. Becuase president George W. Bush authorizes the selling of submarines and newer version of Patriot missles to defend Taiwan from China's aggression, and he declares US will to protect Taiwan if China attacks Taiwan. These mainlanders in Taiwan and United States consider that United States are not their friend anymore. You can feel it by reading the newspaper China Times, United Daily News in Taiwan and World Journal in United States. The KMT government was anxious to get FX fighters in early 80', and they got two submarines from Holland, six Lafayett destroyers and Mirage 2000 jet fighters from France, finally 150 F-16 from US. Now the Taiwanese mainlanders against the acquirement of the weapons needed to deter China's M-9 missles aimed at Taiwan and the submarines to break China's blockade. President of Taiwan Chen Shuibien promises not to declare formal independence of Taiwan, but will that stop China's invasion? China intends to press Taiwan to accept it is part of China. Will this become the excuse of China's aggression? Will China set a deadline of "Reunification"? Can Mr. Lilley answer these questions? But I believe he is right "Positive results could come from China if the U.S. carefully managed solid backing for Taiwan", page 231.

On page 230 and 231 the strategy views of China, Taiwan and Japan are very intrinsic contemplation. China keeps harassing Japan these days because Japan is a strong ally of United States in East Asia. The Japanese and Taiwanese have the mutual trust that is because 50 years of Japanese management of Taiwan Taiwanese can see the difference between the Chinese mainlanders and Japanese. Japan is going to grant Taiwanese tourist free entry. Japanese songs can be sung freely and publicly without someone condemns on you in Taiwan. The Chinese mainlanders are in the opposite and try to agitate the anti-Japanese movement for the interest of China.

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Mosquito Victory
Jack Currie
Manufacturer: Goodall Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
General | World War II | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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Spirit of the Blue: A Fighter Pilot's Story

ASIN: 0907579035

Book Description

The compelling autobiographical sequel to Lancaster Target graphically and humorously describes all aspects of life as a WWII RAF bomber pilot on 'rest'. Mess life and antics intermingle with Jack's real task of instructing trainees on the fourengined Halifax bomber. Following his return to operational duties as a glider pilot, Jack was later posted to the elite Pathfinder force flying Mosquitoes of 1409 Weather Flight as a 'Weather Spy' where his weather signals provided vital information for the advancing bomber stream. An illuminating portrait of RAF life.

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