Really is a brilliant gem this book; Bahu's style speaks for itself, completely lucid and absolutely no beating around the bush! This man defies our geneartions description of greatness, he transcends it, which is probable given his closeness to God; and God, transcends description, God is "the perfect balance, ever at peace, ever the same, man cals it God, even thogh it is too wondrous to be named, yet holy is its name and holy the tongue that keeps it holy" -Mirdad this is what Bahu seeks to convey, throught he medium of Love, and wonderfully powerful is his love for the lord, has to be read to be beleived. Elias does an excellent job of bringing the urdu meaning of Bahu brillinace across to english readers. A very very satisfying read, a book to be cherished and pased on for generations.

We took Tim's advice to heart, and spent a great month in Bali. We toured the island anti-clockwise and dove and photographed all the sites Tim highlighted. We dove with the operators he suggested, as well as some others, and found that his suggestions were always always best.

This dictionary is definatly the one to go with if you are learning Farsi. Each word features a phonetic transcription, making it much easier. There is however, not much about grammar in it, but that's okay. I can easily say that this is the best book for your money, and an absolutely mandatory purchase if you're learning Farsi.

Don Millus knows how to catch fish. But more importantly, at least for the reader, he knows how to catch your interest. His sunny style cuts though the fog that, many times, seems to hover over the usual run of fishing yarns, some plagued with too much technical detail, some with self-serving bravado and bravura, others simply cut and dried. You'll enjoy, as I did, the "take" this college professor-outdoorsman manages always to find, his perennial optimism, and the mysterious way he transports the reader to his "backyard"--a coast, physical and metaphysical, that is always fair and seasonable, even on the coldest winter night.

As an Anthropology student at the Australian National University, Taylor spent two years in South Vietnam (92-94), then returned to this country in 95, 98, and 99. Faced with a unique southern identity, he decided to define the "idea of the South".

North and South Vietnam despite decades of postwar communist control are two completely different countries from the political, social, economical, and even musical aspects. In the first decade after the 1975 fall of Saigon, the communists controlled everything down to the toothpaste the Vietnamese used. Faced with poverty and income loss, southerners began to peddle their cherished belongings to the black market in order to survive. While goods in state stores were scarce, everything was available on the black market. Goods and money sent home from overseas Vietnamese swelled this illicit economy. As a result, the southern economy rebounded. A southern reformist, Nguyen Van Linh spearheaded the doi moi (renovation) policy officially moving the country to free market economy. The "modern" South thus replaced the "backward" North.

This unique southern free enterprise spirit did not sit well with Hanoi, which did everything to undermine it and ironically to profit from it at the same time. "Corruption, abuses of power, and administrative incompetence" became the hallmarks of communist Vietnam. However, the free southern spirit traced back to the pionering spirit of the South Vietnamese who settled in the Mekong delta some four centuries ago, lives on. If Saigon lost the war in 1975, it won the peace a decade later. Despite acknowledging past "errors", the communists still refused to release their grip on power.

The author is to be congratulated for his most interesting study and his keen observations of the South Vietnamese mind.

Tanner has yet again a stunning selection of Georgia's beautiful places. Each year's calendar is a delight.

I bought 4 books on the French polynesian islands and this was the best by far. I love his detail, his points of interest and his enthusiasm. After reading this book I couldn't wait to go there! This will be the one book I bring with me, it has everything. Where to stay, where to eat (like what native fruit to try), customs, phrases in polynesian and french, and much more.

The first thing that hits you about this book is its price. I got mine in 1996 , and am glad I did. As time goes on, this book will become more and more scarce, so buy it now before the price doubles again in another six years.

Yes, it's expensive, but worth it. This is an invaluable reference, a must-have addition to the library of any scholar of Southeast Asia. The book is a gem, a wonderful combination of cartography, fine book binding, printing and production, and unique scholarly content. For a person like myself who enjoys maps, fine books, and Southeast Asia, this book is a treasure. This is a book that will be a family heirloom 100 years from now, and worth more than it's current purchase price.

The book is large-format, measuring 12 ½ inches high by 9 ¾ inches wide. But, it is not a massive or heavy book. It's actually rather thin, coming in at only about 150 pages.

The introduction is interesting in that it goes on for 51 pages. Pluvier simply uses the introduction to individually introduce each map. He states that his book "by no means (should) be considered a survey of South-East (sic) Asian history." The introduction is very nicely cross-referenced, in terms of time periods and countries/regions.

Following the introduction is a brief alphabetical list of all of the rulers and governors listed in the introduction text. Then follows a "selection of literature on South-East Asian History." Pluvier refers specifically to D. G. E. Hall's 1961 Historians of South-East Asia for pre-European information. The simple bibliography is very well done, providing information on historiographies, and is further sub-divided by modern country names, making it easy to find specific listings.

There are then two separate indices, one of personal names, and the other of geographical names. Both indices are highly detailed and reference both the introduction as well as the maps.

Strangely enough, the list of rulers and select bibliography are not listed in the table of contents, so readers do not know they are there unless they happen upon them inside the book. This is a minor editorial oversight.

The final portion of the book is its heart, a collection of 98 maps, diagrams, and charts in 64 pages. All are full-color, beautifully rendered and easy to follow. Note that the legend for each map is unique to that map alone; there is no overarching legend for all of the maps. Therefore, the reader must be careful to be familiar with the legend of the individual map in question.

In conclusion, this is a must-have reference for the Southeast Asian scholar, as well as a wonderfully well produced book to add to the collection of any lover of fine books. But its price is close to prohibitive, and I recommend its purchase only for those scholars who definitely will have reason to use it and appreciate it on a regular basis.

Compiled and edited by Claude Markovits (Director of Research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France), A History Of Modern India 1480-1950 is an impressively scholarly and immensely detailed chronological text of the rich and diverse history of India from the Moghuls to the Raj. Discussing such diverse issues of economics, social dynamics, politics, war, societal fragmentation periods, strife between religious communities, and a great deal more, A History of Modern India 1480-1950 is a welcome and strongly recommended contribution to World History collections in general, and India History reference shelves in particular.

This book eloquently describes the events of Burma immediately after independence. The account here is vivid and captivating! The book is essential to understanding political events in Burma and reflects similar conditions in other newly independent countries. A must read for those interested in the history of Burma after independence!! And to any interested in learning more about a resilient society and post-colonial struggles. Everyone from authors researching this period to those who have never read anything about Burma will be SHOCKED by the story of this small district which reflects the situation of the entire country.

It is surprising to know that the government vanished in a single day!! The rebellion by various creeds brought Burma almost to dismemberment. The book shows the suffering of the Burmese people from both the insurgents and the government officials who attempted to establish normalcy.