Just a matter of taste, but I prefer Pelevin's short stories to his more cumbersome novels (which are still very good, and at times, magical). BUT. THIS. Is my hands down fave. The stories are more playful and sweeter than much of his other work. The key to Hermit and Six-Toes, for example, revolves around a meditation on love and its subjectivity. The Life and Adventures of Shed XII- only Pelevin could write a story about a shed than wants to be a bicycle and not have it come off as an exercise in literary grandiloquence. All of the stories work. If you are looking to dip your toe into this fascinating writer: The Blue Lantern is the best place to start.

In this collection, Pelevin hooks the reader into believing in the most improbable worlds in a manner that reminds me of S. Millhauser. That these stories intrigue the reader, engage in the reader in serious thought, etc. is a tribute to the mastery of the author.

News from Nepal provides a satirical view of the work place combined with one view of what constitutes death.

Hermit and Six-Toes provides insight into mystical philosophers - philosophers who happen to be chickens on a chicken ranch.

Crystal World combines military guard duty with chemical highs during the political instability of 1917.

Nika, with a surprise ending that ensures that the story be read at at least three levels, deals with direct acceptance of the world (in contrast to the intellectual approach) and death.

Mid-Game revolves around conformity in the former Communist power structure and actual identity - in the context of street-walkers, sailors and chess.

The Life and Adventures of Shed Number XII is the life of a shed who finds true self-expression in life as a bicycle. Pelevin is so good that even this artistic conceit works.

The Blue Lantern considers the nature of life and death in the context of boys in a dorm telling scary stories, stories with truly disturbing philosophical implications.

The Tambourine of the Upper World mixes the traditional wisdom of an old woman with a successful scheme to make money in the new Russian economy.

If you've not yet read Pelevin, it is time to start - and this is a good place to do so.

This is the best of a good group from Pelevin ... his surreal world is at its most accessible and enjoyable in this book. All the stories are well worth reading -- as is, for that matter, his entire output.

This book should be an inspiration to us all.

It makes me wonder where Shakespeare went wrong. Who after all could argue, that "Macbeth" wouldn't have been dramatically improved with the addition of a few mexican guitarists? Where does "The Boy Attias" get his inspiration from? Well, "Bogg" lies somewhere between Pratchett and Adams, with the occasional detour via a world that most of us have never visited.

It is an enormous great pile of steaming fun! It is a small warm cuddle of a book in a harsh world.

READ IT and BUY IT in that order

Excellent characters, fantastic stories and hilarious. What more could you ask for. This authors imagination has run wild ! Best book I have read in years.

A hilarious mix of fantasy and sci-fi. Three Dwarfs in separate scenarios bungle their way through a series of mishaps without knowing they could be affecting an alien invasion of Earth. A weird sense of humour not unlike Pratchett and Douglas Adams that had me laughing out loud. Take some bananas, throw in a very Mysterious Stranger, an ogre, a military dictator, a detective, a space cadet, aliens and a whole load more. Oh, forgot to mention the Mexican Guitarists...

Eros is a rose is a rose. This writing is as sexy as a flower's genitalia. Funny, too. Highly recommended for poetry collections as well as for women's studies.

If you like this book, you won't want another orgasm book. This is not a sex therapy book or anything remotely like it. It is rather a book of humorous short fiction or prose poems. If you like this book, you might like books such as "Griffin and Sabine" by Nick Bantock, "Invisible Cities" by Calvino or "The Vagina Monologues" by Eve Ensler or "View with a Grain of Sand" by Wislawa Szymborska. "The Books of Orgasms" is a book of fantasy, not particularly erotic, but rather more whimsical, with such entries as an interview with an orgasm and an introduction which defines the orgasms as various kinds of poems. "For example," Andrews writes, "there are the lyric orgasms, which express deep feelings for an imagined person. You never know when your passionate, moaning lover is actually having a lyric orgasm. There is the ballad orgasm, which is kept alive orally, the dramatic orgasm, which speaks for itself, and the epic orgasm, a long-winded orgasm in which one lover plays the hero or conqueror and then relishes his victory. Men are often content with the small and discrete haiku orgasms which are said to arouse spiritual insight in a mere matter of syllables." Witty, entertaining, I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in meeting orgasms they would never have imagined.

Perverts will be disappointed. In spite of it's title, this is a book about everything EXCEPT the noisy part of orgasm.It's incredibly funny and wild, but there are also poems that are sweet and sad. It's prose-style and there is no mention of DEATH or the SOUL so even die-hard poetry-haters will love this book.

For some odd reason, this has to be one of my favorite editions of Andrew Lang's collection. I'm not sure why. But as always, we get a good, varying dose of excellent fairy tales from different countries, bettered by the fact that these tales are little known. So, yep, I recommend this for all collectors and those who just plain love a good fairy tale.

A Beautifully illustrated collection of fairy tales from different cultures, its refreshing to read tales that aren't just european. When I first bought it I was very disappointed that they weren't the traditional French, German, and English fairy tales but after reading them I found them to be compelling and beautiful. These tales are imaginative, strange, beautiful, wistful, and gorgous. The illustrations are wonderful, they stand in a class of their own. Modern illustrators should use them as inspiration.

It is hard to write reviews for Lang's fairy tale books which are as unique as each collection. The Brown Fairy Book once again has tales from many cultures. Included tales are: How Some Wild Animals Became Tame Ones, Story of the King Who Would Be Stronger Than Fate, The Mermaid and the Boy, The Sister of the Sun, Which Was The Foolishest?, and many others. I always enjoy the illustrations, too, although some children are disappointed they are black and white drawings.

I received this book on Saturday and finished it Sunday . An excellent, detailed account on life in a Puerto Rican Hacienda. Wonderful illustrations of people of the time and details of sophisticated equipment used in those time. A true picture of how life was then. My grandfather was a farmer and worked on a plantation so this gives light to some of the stories he told me about. An excellent books for anyone that wants to know about their roots and is especially interested in the Ponce area although this was probably typical of all plantations. A must read!!!

If your really into history Colonial days you should really put your hands on this one. It takes you on a drive full of feeling to that era. Im Italian and it made me recall my grandparents village in Palermo... I give Gullermo A. Baralt an A+

(From Planeta journal): This new English-language translation of an established Caribbean classic traces the history of the Buena Vista estate in the foothills of Puerto Rico's central mountain range. Now a living history museum, Buena Vista gained its initial success producing food for the town of Ponce, proving that raising crops for local consumption could be as profitable as sugar or coffee for export. The text spans almost a century -- a time in which slavery ended and technology expanded at a phenomenal rate. This is an exceptional book, one that any visitor to Puerto Rico should read before making an obligatory visit to the island's Living Museum of Art and Science.

Andrew Kaufman has written an engrossing account of the life of Benjamin Cardozo, a judicial hero of the first third of the century. This book should prove especially useful for first-year law students, who read many of Cardozo's most important decisions in their contracts and torts classes. But even non-lawyers with an interest in the legal system will find it highly readable and informative.

Professor Kaufman presents his subject, first, as a man, establishing the personal background that shaped Cardozo's work as a judge. Kaufman then offers an insightful examination of the judicial work of Judge and Justice Cardozo, analyzing the development and maturation of Cardozo's thinking regarding the many legal principles which have become mainstays of American jurisprudence. The biography is well suited to lawyer and non-lawyer, and provides an extraordinary social history of the shaping of the American common law that governs our lives and liability today. This biography is a must-read primer for all soon-to-be law students, who will find in it an invaluable guide to the principles they are preparing to study. Professor Kaufman's honest analysis of the talents and faults of his subject is much to be commended.

This is a book for laypeople and lawyers, rare in judicial biography. It is written in a clear and lucid prose, eschewing much of the current academic jargon. The author's years of work include many interviews with people now dead (and thus unavailable!), providing invaluable insights and perspectives into Cardozo's life and judicial influence. This work will be interesting to social historians, as well, for its treatment of the Nathan and Cardozo families' experiences in an evolving America.

The collaborative effort of writers Kirk Deeter, Andrew Steketee, and photographer Liz Steketee, Castwork: Reflections Of Fly Fishing Guides And The American West is a unique and remarkable book about thirteen people who intimately know the best fly-fishing for thirteen different American rivers. Wonderfully illustrated with black/white photographs throughout, and featuring candid portraits of the people who know and love fishing as a true joy in life, Castwork is a fine coffee-table book for devoted anglers that is as much fun to browse through as it is to learn from. Castwork is especially recommended for anyone setting forth to fish the waters of the Bighorn River, Colorado River, Snake River, San Juan River, Missouri River, Silver Creek, Yellowstone River, South Platte River, Green River, Beaverhead River, Roaring Fork River, or Henry's Fork of the Snake River.

This is a classy book. If you aren't learning, you aren't reading. If you don't enjoy the view, you aren't looking. In Castwork, we have a great fly fishing document -- one that looks beyond the tourist veneer and puts you on the water with the people who literally live to fly fish, and fish to live. This book is honest and enlightening, and at the same time, it cuts to the core of authentic American character. Like Ruark or Capstick put you on the African hunt, these guys float you down the best rivers in the American West with clean prose. If you can't wait for your next fly fishing adventure, Castwork will hold you over ...

Unlike any book I have seen, "Castwork" puts you as close to being on the river as possible without getting your feet wet. The authors clearly know their stuff. It is a great read and informative without the attitude. And the b/w photos are awesome.

I'm actually very impressed with the way this book is written. It's probably the first book I've read that includes a lot of configuration examples. There aren't many books out there that you can use to study for CCIE Security. I've used the MCNS book for my lab, but it's pretty outdated. This book is way better! Whether you are studying for CCIE Security written, preparing for CCIE Security lab, or just want to master your skills with Cisco Network security, I'd recommend this book. I happened to pass CCIE Security Lab (#7927) year and a half ago. I bought this book to review my security knowledge. My favorite part is the Lab at the end of the book. It's not the same as the real lab, the lab in the book is actually a lot harder.

Two Thumbs Up!!
Finally, a practical guide for CCIE Security! I haven't finished the whole book yet, but what I've seen so far is right on. I've been looking for lab scenarios to practice for the lab and I got them. The CD that ships with the book is worth getting on its own, but the book text is an excellent reference as well.

I have passed my written exam. Having this book will definitely increase my chance to pass the lab.

The book covers basically all key areas involved on the Security network environment that is important to be prepared to the CCIE Lab Exam as well for the professionals on Security area. Excellent in content and it brings a real world exercises that links the theory to a practical hands-on scenarios. Execellent buy.

I have several dog books, but this is my favorite. It has lots of wonderful color pictures of the dogs, and detailed information on each breed. An excellent book for dog lovers, as well as an exceptional refrence for anyone researching dog breeds for themselves.

This book has alot of information about each breed but not alot of general dog information. Thats what I liked about it. It has alot of breeds listed, with 4 of 5 photos of each one. It describes the AKC standard, health problems, and characteristics of each breed. A great coffee table book for dog lovers.

A MUST read for prospective owners & current ones. Best features: breed specific behaviors; potential health problems of each breed; owner suitability: hard to find all this in one book! Covers all AKC as well as other breeds. Easy to read, good color photos. Emphasizes the importance of knowing the basics of each breed so you can find a good match for both you and the dog! Or learn more about the dog you now have!

I learned about this book while reading translator Andrew Welburn's excellent book The Beginnings of Christianity: Essene Mystery, Gnostic Revelation and the Christian Vision. These two books should be treated as a set. I was apprehensive about reading Steiner, not wanting anything to do with occult, psychic, or reincarnation ideas -- fortunately, none of these appear in this particular book.

Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in the original, esoteric forms of Christianity as a Jewish-styled version of the Hellenistic mystery-religion, as described in the book The Jesus Mysteries, by Freke and Gandy.

"Christianity As a Mystical Fact and the Mysteries of Antiquity" is based on a series of lectures by Rudolph Steiner, a metaphysician Linda Goodman has described as unequaled before or since his time regarding all metaphysical writings. The purpose of this book, in calling Christianity a "mystical fact," is not to belittle this great religion but to reveal a new layer of meaning closer to its core than the layers most people know of today.

(I) The book opens with a piece entitled "Points of View". Here Steiner introduces the reader to "spiritual science," which investigates spiritual pheonomena the way natural scientists observe the physical world. In this book, the phenomenon to be investigated is the spiritual evolution of humankind.

(II) In "Mysteries and Mystery Wisdom", Steiner discusses the initiates and truth seekers of ancient civilizations. In each community, there were always two religions, the religion of the people and the "secret" religion. He describes rules, teachings and practices common to all these secret religions, with emphasis on the Ancient Greek Mysteries. Then he illustrates what mystics who achieved enlightenment experienced, quoting the likes of Heraclitus, Plutarch and Xenophanes.

(III) In "Greek Sages before Plato in the Light of Mystery Wisdom", Steiner delves deeper into Ancient Greek philosophy. By shedding the light of the mysteries on the writings of those who modern thinkers call the "Natural Philosophers", he reveals that these ancients studied not the physical world, but the spiritual world.

(IV) "Plato As a Mystic" is a part devoted entirely to Plato's teachings. First, Steiner describes Socrates as an initiate, drawing on the accounts in the "Phaedo", the "Timaeus", and the "Symposium". Then he takes apart a few Greek myths to show how their symbols correspond to mystery images. Finally, he introduces Philo, a Neoplatonist considered a reincarnation of Plato, to show how similar are Plato's path to cognition and Christians' path to Christ.

(V) "Mystery Wisdom and Myth" is a continuation of the previous part, with more analyses of Greek myths and philosophy. Here, Steiner also shows similarities between a parable attributed to Buddha and the Egyptian myth of Osiris.

(VI) In "Egyptian Mystery Wisdom", Steiner digs more deeply into the story of Osiris and the text of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Then he reveals the parallels in the lives of Buddha and Jesus of Nazareth, proving that Buddhism is also a mystical fact. Unlike the Osiris myth and the story of Buddha, however, the life of Jesus takes the initiations further.

(VII) "The Gospels" examines the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John not as biographies of Jesus as a man, but as myths that speak of the "Mystery of Golgotha" the way the myths of Ancient Greece speak of the Ancient Mysteries. The Mysteries of Judaism are also touched here, because it was to a Jewish initiate that the Logos descended.

(VIII) In "The Miracle of the Raising of Lazarus", Steiner shows what is so special and significant about Lazarus' rising from the dead. (There is more on this in Steiner's "The Gospel of St. John".)

(IX) In "The Apocalypse of John", Steiner uncovers the meanings of the strange symbols in Revelations: the seven churches, the seven seals, the four horsemen, the four animals, etc.

(X) "Jesus and His Historical Background" gives some information on the Essenes and the Therapeutae, who initiated Jesus of Nazareth into the Mysteries. Describing their lifestyle and beliefs, Steiner explains their role in the spiritual evolution of humankind.

(XI) "The Essence of Christianity" is where Steiner finally explains how Christianity differs from the ancient secret religions and why Christian philosophy has rightly changed the world. He also shows how the earliest Christians, and many Gnostics were able to reconcile the Mystery of Golgotha with the Ancient Mysteries.

(XII) In "Christianity and Pagan Wisdom", Steiner compares Neoplatonism, the representative vessel of pagan wisdom, and Christianity, to show why Christianity is so important in relation to the ancient Mysteries.

(XIII) The book ends with "Augustine and the Church". As St. Augustine of Hippo was a pagan who was converted to Christianity, his convictions, quoted by Steiner, are a magnificent illustration of the transition from pagan spirituality to Christian spirituality. St. Augustine set a precedent for the approach to the Christ Mystery that most Catholics follow to this day. Steiner does not judge this path as right or wrong, but does explain why the Christ event has redeemed faith in mysticism.

As most of Steiner's illustrations involve Ancient Greek initiates and early Christian mystics, a background in history and philosophy will definitely make it easier to plod through this book. Fortunately, the reader can get away with information gleaned from the outlines in "Sophie's World" by Jostein Gaarder.

In this book, Steiner describes how Christianity evolved from earlier esoteric traditions such as the mystery schools, Egyptian and Eastern wisdom, and Greek philosophy.

Steiner interprets the life of Chrsit as a model for the path of an initiate. As examples, he offers elegant insights into parts of the gospels which have previously left me "in the dark." Some say that Steiner's approach to the Christianity has been continued by Joseph Campbell. If you like Campbell, you'll like this book.

This book has reinvigorated Christianity for me-- by showing me how it can be interpreted like a myth. Now I can look at the gospels in a new manner, and gain new insights from them.

I think that it helps to have a little background in Greek philosophy to read this book, but I don't think that its absolutely necessary.