Debbie tells her story with great energy....just like she has in all aspects of her life.......you want to laugh and cry with her....she is honest about her life and those around her....you walk away feeling good........just like you do after you've seen her on stage......Bravo Debbie

I was not able to put this book down! It is so wonderfully entertaining, just like Debbie Reynolds herself! "My Life" is full of great Hollywood stories and focuses on one of the most interesting stories I've ever heard--Debbie's life story. It's funny and it brings you right in, as though Debbie is telling you the story, not just writing it. I HIGHLY recommend this stellar book, "Debbie:My Life."

Like many other good books, I'm puzzled why this is currently out of print. Kodera's work makes fascinating reading for anyone curious about Dogen's background in Sung China. A sterling translation of Dogen's Hokyo-Ki, supported by careful annotations and historical background material, this work formed the basis for Kodera's Ph.D. thesis at Columbia. Happily,it has the merit of being informative without ever being stuffy - not always the case with academic studies offered to the general market.

Rather more than what the title suggests, Kodera's work actually begins with an analysis of Dogen's background in the Buddhist centres of his native Japan, culminating in his search for the 'authentic teacher'in the temples of Sung China. The background of Ch'an or Zen in Sung China also comes in for assessment, and in fact, the translation of the Hokyo-Ki per se (a relatively short document), comprises a mere twenty-four pages, followed by copious annotations, an extensive glossary, bibliography - with the original kanji text. Minus Kodera's careful annotations, much about this text would remain obscure and the author's work helps to put it in proper context.

In this age of jet travel, we tend to forget the perils facing Buddhist monks who ventured across the sea in flimsy wooden boats - if needs be, vowing to 'bury their bones' in far-off lands - or risk being lost at sea, in order to acquire experience of the Dharma - and transmit it to their fellow men. Such, also, was Dogen's journey. Needless to say, the high point of Dogen's trip and mission, was his encounter with Master Tendo Nyojo (Tien Tung Ju Ching) on Mount T'ien-Tung. Depicted in highly moving terms, it was, of course, the defining moment in Dogen's career. Curiously, it seems that the crucial idiom - 'shinjin datsuraku' 'casting off mind and body' was in fact Dogen's homophonous reconstruction of his Chinese master's words, meaning to 'drop dust from the mind.' Be that as it may, this was the decisive encounter - for Dogen. Still, Dogen's earlier encounter with the Chinese 'Tenzo' or cook-monk, while still aboard the boat, was also crucial in its own way, the discovery that drying mushrooms for the community of monks, was no less Dharma-work, something re-stated by Dogen, when stressing the need for Zen-ki or 'total exertion' with the practice.

My only reservation about this text, concerns Dogen's rather jaundiced view of Rinzai Zen, in the person of Ta-hui Tsung Kao. Kodera acknowledges the infidelities in Dogen's account (i.e. the claim that Ta-hui advocated a 'dissolution of consciousness') but left it at that. Oddly, Hee Jin Kim (cf. Dogen; Mystical Realist) also raised the issue, only to drop it, leaving it unresolved. Prof. Yanagida Seizan - usually reliable, also ducked the issue (virtually in 'denial' over it) - attributing it to 'early senility.' Here, we must understand Dogen as a man of flesh and blood, rather than a flawless 'patriarch.' There is great beauty in Dogen's spiritual writings and poetry.We might also learn to understand him as a person, with his own hopes and fears. Hokyo-ki is part of that.

I was lucky enough to run across this book in a used bookstore, having only read brief synopses of Dogen's life in other Zen books. I had not even realized such a biographical document in Dogen's own hand existed! So many touching details of the master/student spiritual relationship are revealed here; both stories that are timeless in their humanity, as well as stories that reveal the unique character of the Zen culture of 13th century China. Though, the famous story of 'body-mind drop-off' is not recounted by Dogen himself, as I was surprised to learn, other revealing anecdotes are - such as Dogen involuntarily weeping whenever he sees his teacher, and the teacher himself commenting on the auspiciousness of that sign. It is a true love story, in a way.

This is a fascinating book. Tara Singh is an interesting individual with a strong belief system. The book describes this man's life journey. He has included his life in the Punjab, being brought up by a very harsh father, his travails serving in the Indian Army and the challenges that he faced. In so doing he presents a history of the Punjab over a number of decades, all presented through one man's personal experiences. These included suffering from illnesses with no money for getting treatment; and having to transport his pregnant wife from West Punjab to East Punjab during the partition of India. He proceeds to tell about his times in Canada which are equally fascinating. My parents emigrated to England in the 1960s so I empathized with Tara Singh immensely. However, the true character of the man comes out in the book. It is well worth reading.

The Four Quarters of the Night is a creatively scripted bibliography of an immigrant Sikh facing many hardships. Tara Singh Bains takes the reader into a timecapsule to the racial era of the 50's and 60's. In this unbias book we see how Mr.Bains dealt with having to leave behind his wife and little children in India while trying to make a living in Canada. Living with his sister and brother-in-law, Mr.Bains takes the reader through a journey of juggling several manual labour jobs to survive and how he kept his religious faith alive when faced against the pressures of trying to "fit in." Mr. Bains kept his religious spirit alive by praying and turning spritual. I was so engulfed in Mr. Bains' journey of life, I could barely put the book down. It is definately something all immigrants should read. And all those who don't know the dept of the hardships of immigrants. A book well done!

This 500 page book by historian Paul Pitzer provides an in depth look at the Grand Coulee Dam in north-central Washington state and the politics and decsions which made the dam what it is today. The book is very thoroughly researched with an extensive bibliography and over 100 pages of endnotes. Anyone who is interested in Grand Coulee Dam or the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project needs to read this book!

The back cover reads:

"The Eighth Wonder of the World"

"The Largest Reclamation Project Ever Undertaken"

Those were among the accolades frequently lavished on Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. They hightlight a monumental construction effort that spanned the 1930s through the 1980s. Now, for the first time, the story of this gigantic undertaking is told in this definitive, spirited history.

When completed, the huge monolith at Grand Coulee on the Columbia River in north-central Washington became the biggest single block of concrete ever laid. One of the largest energy-producing stations in the world, it also supports one of the world's largest irrigation projects.

In the capable hands of Paul Pitzer, the fight for Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Project is a vital, animated saga of people strving for dazzling goals and then working to build something spectacular.

This 500 page book provides an in depth look at the Grand Coulee Dam in north-central Washington state and the politics and decsions which made the dam what it is today. The book is very thoroughly researched with an extensive bibliography and over 100 pages of endnotes. Anyone who is interested in Grand Coulee Dam or the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project needs to read this book!

The back cover reads:

"The Eighth Wonder of the World"

"The Largest Reclamation Project Ever Undertaken"

Those were among the accolades frequently lavished on Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. They hightlight a monumental construction effort that spanned the 1930s through the 1980s. Now, for the first time, the story of this gigantic undertaking is told in this definitive, spirited history.

When completed, the huge monolith at Grand Coulee on the Columbia River in north-central Washington became the biggest single block of concrete ever laid. One of the largest energy-producing stations in the world, it also supports one of the world's largest irrigation projects.

In the capable hands of Paul Pitzer, the fight for Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Project is a vital, animated saga of people strving for dazzling goals and then working to build something spectacular.

I actually bough my first one from a gas station when I was hopelessly lost in Vancouver. It quickly got me "un-lost". Since that day this book has become an indispensable part of any road trip to Vancouver. (If you plan on venturing further out of the city I'd recommend you get the Frazier Valley City Maps Book, too.)

It became so indispensable that I am now buying a second one so that both my husband and I can each have one in the car. The nice part is that at this price, you can easily afford to do that.

colorful, easy to read, accurate and very affordable...I use this for business and to give clients....they love it too!

The "Historical Atlas of the Pacific Northwest . . ." is an excellent read for anyone living in the Pacific Northwest from Coos Bay/North Bend to Nome, even if you aren't into maps. As someone who relocated here from the Midwest five years ago, this book has helped put the webbing between my toes.

The map research is impressive. Derek Hayes has reproduced maps in this book that I never would have known existed. The narative history is good reading as well (I detect the influence of Ken Burns here). The book has greatly increase my knowlege of the place I have chosen to live, both in terms of its history and the physical landscape.

I also recommend it to any history or geography buff, even if you mispronounce Oregon "Or E Gone!"

Ok, so I love maps and I live in the area, but this is still a rightly highly-acclaimed wonderful piece of work! Map fans will love it; locals will love it; others will learn (many) things from it. As well as the maps themselves, you also get a sweeping series of historical vignettes associated with each map. The least you'll get from it is the sheer joy of looking at a fantastic collection of wonderful old maps!

I had low expectations for this when I ordered it. I figured it would be one of those overly general "how to" books that leave out much of the important information. I was surprised to find that it has very specific plans for a variety of garden situations, plans which already show specific groupings of specific plants.

I found this very helpful because I'm not particularly experienced in designing a landscape, nor am I wealthy enough to afford a landscape designer. There is a design for every corner of my new house, tailored to sunlight, etc. I can follow the plans verbatim and end up with a landscape that looks like it was professionally designed, or I can make small changes to personalize it. This is, as the previous reviewer commented, much easier than starting from scratch.

Definately worth the money.

THE BACKGROUND: I know next to nothing about plants, and what little I do know is mainly for plants that grow well in the Deep South, where I grew up. I now have a cute house with a remarkably boring yard 2500 miles away from the "Deep South" - in Seattle, to be exact.

THE GOAL: create some nice-looking, *low maintenance* landscaping for the yard, but without having to become an avid amateur gardener, carpenter or landscape designer.

THE TECHNIQUE: as is my style, I go in for complete overkill and immediately buy a dozen books on the subject of landscaping and gardening - must be thorough in my research, you understand. I pour through them, make lists, check with local nurseries, draw detailed plans, etc., and after many hours of work and decision-making, finally decide what to buy and where to plant them.

THE RESULT: 90% of the plants I finally choose as appropriate to the area, low maintenance, and nifty looking, are in this ONE BOOK already, and there were plenty of others in this one book that could have substituted for the remaining 10%. My planting layouts also fairly strongly resemble several of the suggested layouts detailed in this book.

THE LESSON: Should have started and stopped with this one. I coulda fit in tuba lessons or something!

Buy this book, Cascadia gardeners and landscapers! It's what you need! Oh, and it also has tons of useful information on creating walls, fences, gates, paths, garden layouts, pruning, planting, etc.

VERY highly recommended.

This is a sure fire way for MD., VA., & DC residents to learn how to file their own divorce cases. If you don't have a phone, you may not have a lawyer, but if you can read and follow instructions and you have the cost of this book, you can, if certain requirements are met, be your own lawyer and lean to obtain your own uncontested divorce.

I had decided that enough was enough, but was concerned as to whether I could be on my own and still take care of the children. After reading the information provided in this book, I realized that there were legal ways to make my husband help. I was not interested in destroying his life----just taking our children and starting over. Having information that was specific to my state of Virginia gave me the cnfidence I needed to move forward and talk with an attorney.

This is one of the few books I've found that really explores the issues of sovereignty and native women together. Maracle really explains the connection between women's integrity and wholeness and tribal self-determination. She also looks at issues of domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault from a uniquely native perspective. I would recommend this book to all women of native descent.

I read and re-read this book while in university studying native cultures throughtout Canada. I can honestly say, as a native male, that this is one of the most powerful books that I have ever read. Lee Maracle's story portrays that which everyone should know about - the struggles that native people, especially native women, have endured over the past centuries.

If I had only read one book while in university, it would have been this one.

Kendall H. Brown begins his history of Japanese-style gardens with a quote from James Rose to the effect that Japanese gardens outside of Japan are fakes. Brown's attitude is, however, more ambiguous than ambivalent. He seldom says he doesn't like something. His liking may be found between the lines. At the end of his history, Brown concludes that Japanese-style gardens are meant for play. It is pleasant to think of people having a smiling time in Japanese-style gardens . . . the wistaria, azalea, carp and waterfalls call for that. Nevertheless, Japanese in Japan are as out of touch with their past traditions as are Americans with their's. There is pleasure in knowing the symbolic uses of gardens in Japan and in their transplanted versions in the United States. Gardens in both countries should be more creative as is the case with "California Scenario" by Isamu Noguchi, the last garden Brown describes. (It is popular with skateboarders!) "Japanese-Style Gardens of the Pacific Coast" is a splendid book and the only book extant that gives the historical background of West-Coast Japanese-style gardens. Melva Levick's photographs whet the desire to see the gardens, if for no other reason than to see which is better . . . the photographs or the gardens. A small objection: If Brown had included acreages, one might be better able to compare the problems and successes of the individual gardens.

This book is one of the few books on US Japanese-style gardens which compares and contrasts the real gardens of Japan with efforts to recreate the essence of their beauty in the western US. Beautiful Photos