Noble Ross Reat's 'Buddhism: A History' sheds new light on old theories of connections between Mahayana and Hinduism, the emergence of Mahayana philosophy as a reaction to Nikaya Buddhist philosophies, the importance of Nikaya Buddhism as the fundament of later (Mahayana) development, and the large cultural framework wherein Buddhism evolved to its present from. The emphasis and relativation of Mahayana in historical and philosophical context makes its importance brittle. He has a clear style, good argumentation, terrific insight and a no-nonsense approach. The rich text, unfortunately, is so inviting that one would wish for a larger elaboration and more Pali or Sanksrit terminology. Essential reading for advanced afficionados.

The development of the various schools and sects is treated in great detail. The philosophical bases of the different versions of Buddhism are compared and contrasted. It's also a good introduction to Asian history in general. Each country or region has its own chapter. I thought the emphasis given to the politicization of Buddhism and its importance in the emergence of the national identity of the various Asian peoples was especially good. I also learned how Buddhism greatly enriched Taoism, Confucianism, and Hinduism.

My kind of book--Scholarly, humane, beautifully written, all-encompassing, precise, concise. Starting from the life of the Buddha, and describing the development of Buddhist thought as it spread from country to country, and describing Buddhism's part in Asian history, I was amazed by its completeness and intelligence.

This adorable little book appeals to all children who love stickers, paper dolls, dress up and the story of Cinderella. I have given this inexpensive book as a party favor for my daughter's "Cinderella's Ball" birthday party! Enjoy it!

My daughter loves stickers, and loves paper dolls so this book is great.

I bought a dozen of these for the goody bags for my daughter's fourth birthday party where Cinderella was the guest of honor. I also keep a couple in my bag (Cinderella, Cara the Cowgirl, others from the same series) for an instant fix for bored kids! They love them.

A good guide from a good company. Not too much has changed from the previous edition though - there are some more detailed maps of Colombo.

This well-organized, chatty yet meaty guide book is all you need to assist you on a trip to Sri Lanka.

We went to Sri Lanka in the high season (February, when the place is full of Germans and other Europeans) and the only reservation we made in advance was two nights at the Galle Face Hotel (see Columbo chapter, where to stay, top end), a fabulous old relic of colonial architecture. With the help of the Lonely Planet, we "winged" everything else: train tickets to Kandy, car rental, dive trips & bungalows on the southwestern beaches. Sri Lanka is a diverse, fabulous place to explore, and the Lonely Planet made it super easy.

Great historical chapter "Facts About the Country" makes for good reading while you're waiting for your cold lassi to come to the table.

This book goes into deep detail about Sri Lanka. Being a Sri Lankan myself resideing in Australia. I found this book defintely worth taking on your trip. The best thing about the book is, that as new devolpements come, the Lonley Planet website allows you to upgrade (free of charge) the information in it, by you downloading the new revised pages. As long you keep the book updated the book will always have the latest information. This is not-only this guide book, but for all of Lonley Planets guide books. Normally I would give this book 4 stars, but for this feature alone 5 stars is worth the effort.

I checked the book out at the library and found it very informative. I've been toying with the idea of embellishing my quilts and wall hangings with decorative thread. I did not know where to start. So many questions! This book answered all my questions about materials and technique. I now feel confident to purchase the threads and experiment with them through her easy to follow exercises. My best friend wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas, I told her to give me this book! I can't wait to get started!

This book is set up with lessons on using various threads on little quilt "sandwiches" with galleries of work spaced between them for further example and inspiration. It is the perfect way for one unable or unwilling to attend classes to gain an introductory knowledge of this technique. The lessons are very straight-forward and to the point, making this book a pleasure to just plow through. It concentrates primarily on the thread, not the various feet or attachments, applique or other embellishment techniques. It is, as it states, all about quilting with decorative threads and is excellent. The authors briefly introduce the setting up of the machine, the equipment required (surprisingly little) and off the reader goes. With each lesson one gains more and more confidence in the technique and medium. They teach the use of various threads, films and braids, how to transfer designs, plying, couching and more. In the back there are charts of the various threads and how they should be used in the machine and a short listing of resources. Very practical, informative, fun book to have.

This book is a complete guide for quilters who want to try all kinds of special threads for embellishing their quilts. It is so simple that it can be used for beginners following the exercices. It is also good for teachers who encourage traditional quilters to try to make real Artquilts.

I actually bought this book several months before I bought the Motherpeace cards--I liked the card interpretations better than the art. The book was useful for reading any deck--the meanings correspond most closely, of course, with the Motherpeace deck, but they can also add a different flavor to a reading with any deck. Motherpeace, as you probably already know, is a deck that focuses on ancient matriarchal culture and its contact with patriarchy. History doesn't tell us much, but a woman angry at the world can find some comfort in the theory anyway. The Motherpeace book will add a slant to your reading that will give you a sense of power--whether you possess worldly power or not. And it may give you a sense of hope about the kind of society we could build if we'd stop fighting. And, politics aside, it's a pretty solid tarot book in general.

I have been using this book for at least 8 years and have found it to be extremely helpful in my process of spiritual growth. This is a wonderful book for anyone who wants to remember their connection to Mother Earth, the Divine Feminine or for that matter their Inner Being. Extensive research had to have been done to make this book. It is so rich with meaning. I highly recommend it to anyone who is working to discover themselves.

This book, along with its complement, the Tarot Cards, is a tool that helps you design your life (your relationships, career, family, money, etc.) in the moment and for the future. It clearly states the meaning in the cards that are drawn making it easy for a beginner. Buy it now and get into action.

I love the original ed. by Crown Pub. / G.K. Hall in the U.S ($75). It is informative and beautifully illustrated. I especially liked the transparent anatomy overlays and the folding double page spread photos which open to a four page length. The Crescent ed. Is advertized as originally published at $75 and selling for $40, is missing the anatomy overlays and the folding page photos. It is also about 100 pages shorter. The information and photos it does contain are nice, but after seeing the original and knowing what is missing, I would not buy the Crescent ed.

As a 14 yr old rider of 5 yrs, I found this book unreplaceable. It has information on anything you wish to know about. Throughout the book, the authors display their love and knowledge of horses though their passionate reviews and writings. This book comes equipped with many many colour photos, to keep the reader's interest and confirm the writings. Beware though, this book is not about learing to ride and looking after horses. It is about the magnificent history, anatomy, behaviour and evolution of the mighty horse. Part 1 is about the natural history of the horse, Part 2 about the historical relationship of horse and man, Part 3 tells of horse and man today, the various disciplines and sports, and Part 4 has a much-needed glossary. A must for the tack room and every riding school. Worth every cent.

This book traces the history of different breeds of horses and discusses virtually every aspect of horses' use, characteristics, and personality.

this book, while absolutely articulate and compelling, is essentially Noble's memoir of goddess-conciousness. The commentary on the medical industry's stances on issues such as childbirth and gynecology were one of the highlights of the text. However, the constant referencing and hyping of the author's tarot system, The Motherpeace Tarot deck, while expectable, gets tedious, especially to those who, like I, aren't really "spoken to" by the system. Highly reccomended to those who are interested in politico-spiritual issues, especially those regarding women.

read this book it is amazin

This book is a true guide to womens power and passion. It presents a little known view of life on Mother Earth as it was (pre patriarchal control), and as it could be if we were all prepared to listen to our hearts song. In the process of distributing it among women friends (and my husband who it would appear is one of the rare men who want to know what a real woman is) they have all felt it to be essential reading for women. They have requested that I get copies for their individual use and as a library source.

Isha Lerner is a therapist who has integrated astrology, tarot, fairy tales, and flower-essence therapy into her practice. She has two other decks called 'Inner Child Cards - A Fairy-Tale Tarot' and 'Power of Flowers; An Archetypal Journey Through Nature'.

Those of you who are familiar with her 'Inner Child Cards' know her healing technique, of opening the doors of childhood to the adult we have become, is unique and special.

'The Triple Goddess Tarot' presents us with 33 cards illustrated by Mara Friedman and includes a Major Arcana of 22 cards, 4 Alchemy Cards, and 7 Chakra Cards. The deck focuses on the feminine and Goddess spirituality. It approaches from a "What Would the Goddess Do Now" aspect.

The Major Arcana cards may be familiar to tarot users, but this version is Goddess focused and feminine in it's aspects. Correspondences are included in the accompanying book for easy reference and transition. The Fool becomes the Fairy Queen, The Chariot is now the Bird Woman. Ms. Lerner explains each card in its traditional meaning and associates it with its transformation and finally her vision of 'Awakening to the Archetype'. She then applies the card to everyday life and how it can be interpreted when drawn in conjunction to her "What Would the Goddess Do Now" readings.

The graphics are lovely. Mara Freidman's comment in A Note from the Artist: "Color is Healing! May we awaken to the dream of Love, Harmony, and Beauty!" is expressed throughout the deck.

Both of these women have a good grasp of what they wanted to express in these cards and it comes across in both the deck and the book. Ms. Lerner explains very well in her book what she wanted to achieve with this deck and also gives some very good background about where she is coming from in respect to her ideas and designs of this deck.

The actual use of this deck is what really matters. Ms. Lerner has several layouts she suggests for use with these cards, and each of them is easy to understand and work with. The Chakra layout is unique in its idea of associating the cards to the individual's Chakra. I did try several of them myself and found they work well and are easy to read. The cards themselves are easy to interpret and can be mastered by both beginners and experienced readers.

These cards focus on positive affirmations for your journey through life. It is a very feminine approach to spirituality. They are tools that can confirm life experiences on a personal level and provide possible paths in instances where advice is sought. These are the benchmarks of any good tarot deck.

Deck Review: The Triple Goddess Tarot

author: Isha Lerner (with) Tara McKinney, PhD
illustrator: Mara Firedman
Bear & Company (Inner Traditions)
2002
ISBN #1-879181-94-0

Major Arcana Only
Additional Major Arcana cards: Infinite Bliss, Infinite
Truth, Infinite Potential, Trinity

Additional Chakra Cards: color coded to the seven
major chakras: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Aqua,
Blue, Purple

The Triple Goddess Tarot is best defined by the three
ladies that collaborated on this project: they have
named it the Triple Goddess Tarot: The Power Of The
Major Arcana, Chakra Healing and the Divine Feminine.

In her forward, Tarot author/teacher Vicki Noble terms
the Triple Goddess Tarot a "synergistic oracle". She
acknowledges Isha Lerner as more storyteller than
academic in her presentation of history, mythology
and Goddess spirituality. I find it a combination of both
- one that works for me.

The gist of this book/deck may be well represented by
this line from Isha Lerner: "What would life be like if I
lived each day as if I were the Goddess?" From there
she has gone on to do some serious self work that
resulted in a wonderful sharing of information through
this deck.

The following are the titles (energies) that this deck
assignes to the 22 Alchemical cards:

0 Fool - Flying Into Spring
1 Magician - The Song Of Creation
2 High Priestess - Sanctuary
3 Empress - Fullness Of Life
4 Emperor - Path of Balance
5 Hierophant - Blosomming Spirit
6 The Lovers - Open Heart
7 The Chariot - The Journey Home
8 Strength - Strength
9 Hermit - Ancestors
10 Wheel Of Fortune - Womb of Potential
11 Justice - Tree Of Life
12 The Hanged Man - Flame Of Surrender
13 Death - Passage
14 Temperance - Seated Angel Flying
15 The Devil - Karmic Imprints
16 The Tower - Kundalini Rising
17 The Star - Initiation
18 The Moon - Birth Of The Moon
19 The Sun - Dancing With The Sun
20 Judgment - Alchemy
21 The World - Awakened Aphrodite

The aim of the Triple Goddess Tarot is integration of
body and soul through the use of archetypal
consciousness of the 26 major arcana cards
(representing spirit) and the 7 chakra cards
(representing the physical self). One of the things that
was most impressive about this book was the manner
in which the archetypal cards and the chakra cards are
used - which is in combination. They are acknowledged
as separate systems that work well together.

One of the suggestions given was to draw the chakra
cards at random, and place them on the body of the
Seeker. In this manner, a wonderful color chart is
created showing the chakra system, any blocks and
where the blocks may be. As an addendem, it is
suggested that random cards be drawn from the 26
archteypal cards and placed along side the chakra
cards. A very nice way to allow the Seeker to see this
is to take a picture that they may take away with
them.

There are several spreads presented that facilitate
specific work with these cards:

1. Trinity Rainbow Layout (Alchemical and Chakra
cards)
2. The Moon Goddess Layout (Alchemcial cards only)
3. Body, Soul and Spirit Layout (Alchemical and Chakra
cards)
4. Seven Chakra Body Mapping (Chakra and Alchemical
cards)
5. Soul Message (One card layout)
6. Body Message (One card layout)
7. Earth Attunement (Alchemical cards and Chakra
cards)

There is something very special related to a couple of
these spreads: the use of the alchemical triangle. Most
of us have some understanding of the metaphyscial
properties of the triangle. The first inkling that I had
that there was a very exciting depth to this was when
I got the Wheel of Change Tarot (book and deck by
Alexandra Genetti).

It is probably time to actually talk about the cards, eh!
OK The cards are 3 1/2" by 5 1/4" - a fairly easy size to handle. The
backs are lavender in color, depicting a lotus opening,
with the triple Goddess in the center. The illustration is
wonderfull well done - but will show the card in
reversed position before it is turned over. The 26
alchemical cards show a lavender border, with an inner
border of gold leaf, and the Goddess depicted in the
center. The title and the card number are in small print
at the bottom of the deck.

The seven Chakra cards are color coded to each chakra,
and show wonderful depictions of the Goddess in
relation to the energy depicted. These last seven cards
were an addition to the original 26 cards, and work well
with them.

One of my favorite cards is The Chariot, in this deck
titled "The Journey Home". The colors used are a muted
blue and white. We see a white full moon in the upper
left hand side of the card. In the center of the card we
see the Goddess depocted flying towards the moon,
with hands outstretched. She is accompanied by a dove
to her left and to her right, as well as a dove overlaid
on her body. The very first thing that I wanted to do
was to meditate with this card!

I recommend this deck to anyone that wants to work
with Goddess energy, anyone who wants to work with
Tarot and the chakra system, any woman who wants
to explore her own spiritual path or any reader that
wants to have something very special to offer to their
clients.

Blend a package of a 248-page color book with over thirty color divination cards focusing on the Sacred Feminine through the Holy Trinity and you have The Triple Goddess Tarota, a powerful set which includes twenty-two Major Arcana cards plus four original Alchemy Cards in beautiful designs. An excellent, unusual gift selection.

If you bought this book to use it on J2ME be warned
you can forget 50% of the content, because of assumptions like secondary storage, introspection and no standard garbage collection.

but for me it seems a good starting point to think about my own strategies...

Certainly a wonderful book coming at a very appropriate time, when people write more complex code for various devices. There is a certain gap in the industry in the embedded software field, where object oriented techniques and patterns are not always part of the arsenal of the developers. This book successfully bridges this gap and provides many useful examples as well as proofs for the ideas presented there. The requirements for the reader seem to require some C++ (and/or) Java , but all object oriented programmers and even traditional C users can benefit from it. There is some inclination from the authors to provide more examples from EPOC, rather than more diverse examples but that is not always the case. I recommend the book for the patterns enthusiast as well as the curious software engineer who wants to have a broader vision in his/her software development practices.

This book is an excellent working companion for any software developer. A very readable addition to the growing volume of literature on Software Patterns.

While it focuses tightly on situations where memory is a major constraint, the authors' vision extends much further. A read through the discussion of the wide range of Forces addressed by the Patterns the book describes is very illuminating. Speed, reliability, usability, programmer effort and discipline - even security are all there.

I've never worked on software for mobile phones, embedded devices, PDAs . . . but, with hindsight, I can readily recognise all the Patterns described - and have even used quite a few! More important, I now have a better understanding of the consequences of using Pooled rather than Variable Allocation, the benefits (and drawbacks) of using Embedded Pointers, the ways in which Secondary Storage can assist . . .

The range of practical examples of Known Uses testifies to the authors' breadth of experience - and the relevance of the Patterns described to almost every software environment. From the Sinclair ZX-81 (and earlier) to the latest mobile technologies - with DOS, UNIX, VMS, Windows and many others in-between - and all the applications they support.

Read it like a novel, browse it or use it as a reference book as you please (or, as the authors suggest, leave it open on a radiator for 3 days so that it looks well read and put it on your desk to impress your boss).

I'm just waiting for the launch of the Strap-It-On wrist mounted PC with morse code keypad, coindisc, voice output (with vocal emotions), RainSight weather prediction system and all the other memory-challenged applications invented for it!

I normally do not like most books written on the subject of futures trading. All the way from their bombastic titles to the poorly thought out ideas which lose money consistently.This book is different. It contains a lot of new ideas and some pretty interesting information. The chapter on "split openings" is well worth the price of the book alone. It is a very good manual for short term traders, particularly day traders.

I couldn't put this book down for the first 1/3rd...and liked the 2nd third...but the last 1/3rd dragged. Lots of good rules and explanations and ideas from a practical point of view. Well worth the price, and I learned a lot.

the ideas generated from this book, helped me make money right away.Grant drilled into me the importance of what the winners do and what they do is they concentrate most of their time and energy on the opening, which most of us amateurs, the majority, tend to ignore.If you want to succeed in the world of trading, Grant points out, you must start doing what the winners do.I strongly recommend this book for the day trader and position trader.Put away all your books on indicators and buy this book.