An artistic, historial look at rustic barns throughout the United States with a slightly different hand-painted message on each of them urging all within sight to see Rock City,"a ten-acre tract of massive stone formations overlooking Chattanooga, Tennessee and the North Georgia countryside". Mr. Jenkin's photography is truly inspiring, a delight to the eye. This book can easily transport the viewer to simplier times via a subtle palette of colors and lighting. Highly recommended.

This is the best coffee-table book for anyone who has ever driven through the South and experienced the "See Rock City" phenomenon! I have lived in Tennessee and Georgia and seen many fading Rock City Barns. With this book, I can show my children someday these beautiful, creative advertisements that are familiar to anyone from around here!

A beautiful, thoughtful, and sensitive documentary of a too rapidly disappearing part of Americana. Anyone who has ever seen a "See Rock City" barn will appreciate the photography and written details of this bygone era. This book should be in the reference section of every library in the USA.

great guidebook. Describes in detail the good, the bad and the ugly of Nepal. The language section was extremely useful. A few hours spent learning some useful greetings and phrases will pay off tenfold upon arrival in Nepal. Being able to bargain or ask for directions in the native language is a lot of fun and much appreciated, especially since most travellers do not take the time to learn anything more than "Namaste."

This book has given me comfort and a wealth of information about what I would like to do and see in Nepal. Having a well planned trip in advance is smart and this book will probably tell you everything you need to know about anything, and more. Food, health issues, places to stay, sights, special points, etc. Definitely worth the investment.

I just returned from Nepal using this guide. The book was very well-written with lots of practical advice-- everything from how to book an airline to what kind of diahrrea you may have picked up. Very accurate information re. hotels, modes of transportation, etc. Useful vocabulary list.

Dr. Messay Kebede has written a book that I think is more of a discovery than an explanation of survival of Ethiopia.

The author is able to express a dilemms with a sharp logical reasioning with a beautiful and almost poetic language while tackling this sophisticated philosophical question. He has successfully and dilectically researched the History of Ethiopia from different angles to prove his philosophical discourse. Some of us who are familiar with Ethiopian history are amazed in his ability to uncover those deep seated traits of the Etiopian mind and use his philosophical discourse to analyze them.

It is a powerful book, especially for Ethiopians and other nations, who are experiencing some kind of identity crisis in the national level. If they anlyze their society in detail, they might come up with a solution to their crisis.

Sorry I am 43 years old. I got the wrong format to write my review.
Thank you!!

This is an excellent book. How did we survive as a nation for so long and yet fail to modernize? Dr Mesay answers this question in a new and eye opening way. Few people think of modernization as anything but westernization. This book illustrates how this idea has left our nation crippled. Dr Messay presents his arguments well and I found this book to be very impressssive.
It is not an easy read. It does have sections that go by fast but at places the arguments and comparisions become heavier and require time to swallow. It is over all one of the best books I have read. I hope there is more to come from Dr Mesay.

In this book the author, Prof. Messay Kebede, has left no stone unturned in his thorough examination of Ethiopian myth, language, life, history, culture, system of church and of government, as seen and documented by historians, poets, painters, and novelists; all the good, the bad and the ugly. He has spared no effort in wielding the philosopher's scalpel, in opening up and cutting into new, as well as old wounds, in exposing the healthy, as well as the sick and putrid flesh, the positive as well as the negative aspects of it all. Through all of these examinations, Professor Messay attempts to find an answer as to why it is that Ethiopia has failed to modernize. He compares Ethiopia with two similarly old cultures: Japan and Great Britain. The deep questions he raises in the book, perhaps, will prove far more valuable than any answers that might have been given. These questions are sure to provoke more answers from future historians and researchers. This work will be 'the handbook' for scholars on Ethiopia for many years to come, and I recommend it to any person interested in learning in depth about Ethiopia, any person that is, who would like to have more than just a passing glimpse of the country and its problems. This book goes deep into the crux, and the 'heart of the matter,' and examines the root causes of past and present day difficulties as it attempts to find what it is that must have, seriously and fundamentally, gone wrong and resulted in Ethiopia's failure to modernize. Without a doubt, this book will soon be recognized for the masterpiece and the classic work that it is, a landmark against which many future books on Ethiopia will be compared and judged. Sir, I doff my hat and salute you. You have accomplished a great work. I anxiously look forward to reading your next book. Keep up the good work.

From one of your Admirers,

G. E. Gorfu.

Ethiopian Poet, Novelist, and Philosopher.

There are few travel books that can stand up to the depredations of time - indeed, travel literature by its nature tends to be ephemeral. We may peruse the Victorian travelers, but mainly to get a sense of the exotic, from a time when it still was that way.

Fewer travel books still can claim to have had a conscious impact beyond their own genre. One thinks of Stendahl's travels in the South of France, Radishchev's journey from Petersburg to Moscow, or Stephens and Catherwood in the Yucatan. But Doughty is in a class by himself.

This remarkably eccentric man with the remarkably eccentric writing style set off into one of the last fringes of society, to a world where the art of the word was cultivated and where a man's worth was set by his speech. He is not an easy read. Yet his writing reflects the sense of a major intellect from one culture confronted by a tradition which is very old, very venerable and yet totally alien from that in which he was raised. That he sought to explain it by creating a new way of writing is perhaps not remarkable.

Many writers of the last century have been quite vocal about the debt that they owe him; one sometimes wonders if this is honored more in the breach than we would like to believe. But try him on for size, but be prepared to be patient. You will find that his style will win you over if you are.

Doughty, who had many disciples, including the sphinxlike T.E.Lawrence, wrote in a style which he described as a response to the confines presented by the Victorian language. Lawrence, when composing his great oasis "Seven Pillars of Wisdom," too, offered his own form of revelling, a sort of aversion to the literal strictures of Edwardianism which the former described as "granular." Here, "Travels in Arabia" is instructive, even highly enjoyable; the two-volume set (some of which include maps) is replete with Doughty's self-styled descriptions of the then still-remote middle eastern world as well, what was once considered a great adventure story for the well-read. No, he did not dictate the specifics of the type on the page, but he did manage to produce something to Travel and History as comparable to Fraser's "Golden Bough" was to anthropology; easy to admire but impossible to believe. It is very enjoyable, erudite in its own way and meant to be digested as with Henry James or tea, slowly to fully appreciate. Strongly recommend

Doughty wrote in a relatively laboured, archaic style which demands patience from the reader. Initially on that account it was hard going for me (and I would image, for most people), but the book, wherein he presents an account of his solitary travels and tribulations during a period of nearly two years between 1876 and 1878, has long been widely regarded as a classic. It rewards persistence, and I found it quite spell-binding. Doughty was not without an ironic sense of humour as you can see from what he wrote about an Arab he encountered; "...his strength lay in his stubborn brawns and large breast, and little in his brains which indeed were not very well settled." And something of his style as he wrote about pilgrams he fell in with on the way to Mecca: "... peasants for the most part, as the richer and delicate livers are ever less zealous to seek hallows than poor bodies with small consolation in this world."

This book proves why a person needs to check out local bookstores when traveling - small presses often do not have the distribution network that good writers deserves. I live near Ft. Worth but found this book at the Pike Street Market in Seattle. I started reading it on the airplane going home and found it hard to put down. The paperback version is so attractively packaged that I did not realize when I purchased it that it was written and published locally in Seattle. Everything the other reviewers have said about the book is true. It is a very worthwhile and entertaining read. There is fuel for plenty of great arguments about "what it all means." Buy it!

Scott Davis' wonderful The Road from Damascus is a treat.
I have found it difficult to put a face on this area of the world, to actually get a sense of how citizens of the Middle East live, work and think. Davis gives the reader a ground-floor vantage. Introducing the reader to the Syrians, young and old, male and female, who sat next to him on rickety busses. Met with him at monastaries. And introduced him to their families, their art, their culture. The Syrian secret police are never very far from the author and rarely out of his thoughts. Which adds to tension that drives this journey through Syria and kept me turning pages.

Not a big fan of "travel" books, I found this one to be seasoned with the author's integrity, humor and affection for the Syrian people. Which made it most enjoyable.

Why would a Stanford graduate turned mountain climber/carpenter drop everything and, on a shoestring-budget, wander through the deserts of Syria? An attraction to adventure -- a quest. Davis takes the reader along as he visits the homes of Syrians,converses about spirituality, and visits sacred locations, all under the insidious scrutiny of the local police. Davis's narrative captures the ambiguities, fear, and exhilaration instilled by unfamiliar situations in remote places, while keeping a lighthearted perspective now that the trial is behind him.

This is a great history book on the great Mongol Empire. It clears up a lot misunderstandings and superstitions about the supposedly horrible Mongol barbarians and gives a reliable account of their rule in this time period. It covers Temujin's (aka Genghis Khan) beginnings to the end of his forebears rule. It has pictures from the past and of re-enactments of Mongol cavalry - you will rarely find this elsewhere. The Mongol Empire was a militaristic nation, so this book lacks on the military strategy and warfare of the Mongols. Only the basics are covered.

I love the occasional suprises in life; you know the very unexpected which enriches you forever.
When I bought this book I really wasn't interested in Ghengis Khan but I thought maybe I could find out more about the group. Well, the book ws written beautifully which madefollowing the sory and timeline very easy.
I found the author had a scholastic approach to the subject which is what I sought and had the ability to incorporate mady other aspects tpo the Khans which gave me the unusual perspective that I always desire. You know the knowledge that lets you lord over others who happen to feel they are experts and expect that noone else knows. Thats my kind of fun.
Anyway, the book incorporates the necessary maps and some beautiful artwork that really enhances the book. Unfortunately, I mark up all of my good book with underlines, exclamation points and many many stars for futile future reference
The only criticism I can offer is that beside his references to many of the major cities that he invaded and then re-constructed there was no mention of the modern names of these places which requers me to search them out on the internet.
If you are a history lover and want a dry but fascinating look at this period, BUY THIS BOOK!
I fmr: Marshall reads this- well thank you for writing this book you have given me the power of knowledge.

This is a great overview of the part of Mongolian history that most intrigues westerners, the years of the great Khans. It is a very accessible book that doesn't require any prior knowledge on the part of the reader, and hopefully inspires them to look deeper into the people and the nation of Mongolia.

In the west we've all heard of Ghengis Khan, and we have our preconceptions of "barbarian" cultures or the terrible hordes of Mongol warriors; the reality behind the myths and legends is well worth knowing. I first encountered the "Storm from the East" video series on TLC and it has since re-played {but rarely} on THC. The film or video is only on offer to educational institutions at a very high price, so the most a layman can hope for is a quality tape from TV -or- this book.

The book follows the video script almost verbatum, with many of the same maps, diagrams and stills from the live footage shot in Mongolia. It's a wonderful substitute, and an easy to digest history lesson.

The relationship of the medieval Mongolian nation to China and the western European nations is fascinating, and thanks to "Storm from the East" it is easily understood. The book is written with a gentle sense of humor, but does not belittle nor aggrandize the Mongolian people or the historical Khans.

this is my favorite book. if anyone has similar taste to me then i highly recommend them to read it. i was getting so into reading it that i never wanted it to end. to last forever. so i tried to do so by reading a limit of pages each day. i live in NYC and by reading the book i had grown a stronger love for the city and thats another reason i loved the book. the down fall of the book? well, it was and made me sad. it was kinda a depressing book. you now. like a heart-acher.

it was indeed a pleasure to read and in the future, if you do read it, i hope you injoy.

thats my review! i hope i helped!

Streets: Memoir Of The Lower East Side was written in 1922 and published for the first time in 1955. This remarkable memoir of a young Jewish girl's coming of age in the tenement slums of New York's Lower East Side is gritty, candid, vivid, engaging, sensitive, and streetsmart. Bella Spewack overcame obstacles of gender, background, and religious discriminations to succeed as a celebrated journalist, playwright, and screenwriter. Streets is highly recommended, articulate reading and will prove of special interest to students of American Jewish history, Women's Studies, and biographies reflecting the triumph of the human spirit over social and cultural barriers.

This is a coming of age story depicting the harrowing early life of an extraordinary talent. Told with an amazing eye for detail and a highly developed sense of humor, this is one of the most moving autobiographies I have read. Bella Spewack writes of her thirst for knowledge and determination. In later life Bella invented the Girl Scout cookie, became a noted journalist and wrote successful plays and movies. Streets tells of the difficult circumstances of her childhood.

Genocide. Ecocide. ugly words, but far worse is the actual doing of these atrocities. the book is passionate without being preachy, balanced in trying to stick to the facts without over dramatizing them. its is well written and easily read, convincing and deeply saddening. a must read for anyone desirous of knowing what is going on on The Roof of the World.

realpolitik versus the faith of the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet. chinese communist with the millenium old chinese racism and serious blindness to all things not-chinese versus poor, buddhist, hill people. Tibet is loosing and may already have lost.

One thing missing from the book is an impassioned and reasonable plead of why the West, European and American people should give a damn about what happens in such a remote, poor, unimportant part of the world. her argument stems only from a call to justice and a call to the unity of humanity. and this is relatively unspoken. it is assumed in her passion for the people and Tibet and justice for there case.

Give me a minute to argue the Tibetan case.
1- you buy Chinese goods, these effectively support the government and allow the rape of this poor country and its people
2-there is a unity of humanity. we in the west are detribalized and owe little loyalty between the level of our families and the national governments.
3-the connectedness of all is real. for instance. ship the tibetan forests to china, silt load in the major rivers in India will be enormously increased. the destruction and flooding there will kill millions and destroy the wealth of another poor nation. this will have great effect on the military and political situation in this volitile region.
4-in is an example of the nature of chinese, communist, secular, expansionist, imperialist power at it rawist, most destructive, murderous.
5-the tibetan people through the Dalai Lama partly, but through their faith have much to teach the world, and they are doing so in actions, with their bodies and lives in a way that shames the materialist West. a very important lesson about what is really important in life.

but after all of this.
justice freedom faith
are more than words. they are deeds.

and this book will help you understand why some people are killing other people in Tibet. today. tomorrow.

I knew VERY LITTLE about what happened to Tibet and the Dalai Lama, until this book. It's a very good read....Please consider buying it and learning about the abuse of human rights in other parts of the world.

China is now the newest trading partner for America. This bookand "In Exile from the Land of Snows" by John Avedon offer agreat deal of understanding tho the nature of the Government ofChina. If you are planning to do business or just buy the "Madein China" Label you should want to understand where much of yourinvestment goes and the horrors that your dollars pay for. This is nota read that will leave you unmoved. You will want to know more...Another Video to see is a chinese and Tibetan language film "Windhorse" Very accurate when compared to the other histories listed above and current news reports out of Tibet. For more on Tibet visit the website of the Tibetan Government in Exile at www.tibet.com or for a beginners introduction to Tibet visit www.tibetanphotoproject.com and then come back and get this book. Reading this book is a worthwhile journey in today's global marketplace.

Readers of this book must be going out of their way to avoid its nightmarish implications; even the author sidesteps them. Indeed, the book is mis-titled. It should properly have been called 'The Great Boycott and its Tragic Abandonment.' The transfer agreement was simply the rationale for the staggering historic blunder whereby Jewish organizations in the diaspora allowed themselves to be persuaded by Zionist forces to puncture the spontaneous and swelling worldwide Jewish boycott of German goods taking place in 1933, a movement with enormous and growing non-Jewish support as well, which, had it been supported rather than undercut by major Jewish organizations, could very well have toppled Hitler from power by the spring of 1934. Not only would this have spared 5-6 million Jewish lives, it would have spared another 45 million or so non-Jewish lives lost in the Nazi holocaust. I once believed like many that the Holocaust led to the fulfillment of Zionism; this book shows rather that it was the fulfillment of Zionism which led to the Holocaust. And it was all for nought. Israel would still have come into being and moreover would have had several million extra potential immigrants to draw from. This book is all about a simply horrific wordwide catastrophe that resulted from an incredibly BAD choice based on ethnic nationalism, and it is made instead to appear as merely a somewhat sordid chapter re. a road to nationhood that featured a few nasty bumps along the way. Mind-boggling!

This book is an amazing insight into Israel's tremendous historic drama--one obviously overlooked by others. Anyone who reads this book should be prepared for a whodunit style history, with gripping and tragic moments that stay with you long after the book is put down. No wonder The Transfer Agreement continues to thrill and inform people.

I originally read this book when it came out as a Macmillan hardback some years ago. The new Carrol Graf edition has some fascinating new insights by the author as of 2001. Undoubtedly this re-issue was timed to coincide with Edwin Black's other major book, IBM and the Holocaust. Although I have read both books, I am still gripped by the power and drama of Transfer Agreement--must reading for those who to understand the State of Israel, Zionism and its intersection with the Nazis. Powerful reading, this is history written as no one else can.

This book really opened my eyes to the living HELL these Jewish people went through. We learn about it in school, but the schoolbooks just scratch the surface of the emotional and physical turmoil these people went through. I wanted to learn more about this period. And when I did it explained why there are some people who think that the Holocaust never happened. I think that they don't want to believe that a human being could do that to another person! They go into denial. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who wants to learn more and can handle the very disturbing REAL events that happened to REAL people. Ruth Elias is a heroic person and I would LOVE to have the oppurtunity to meet her.

I found this book not only an unbelievable book to read but also a book which I learnt a lot from. As I am learning about the Holocaust in school now, it was good to hear a personal story from the horses mouth(so to speak) of what actually happened. Often when you hear stories they are changed each time they are retold, like the game broken telephone. But when you read a book which was written by the person who was the actual survivor, you know it isn't going to be all distorted and something you can actually learn from. I am still unable to comprehend exactly how it all happened but it did so now we should make sure that the story of the Holocaust is told to the future Jewish and non-Jewish generations to come, to make sure it is never forgotten. Also to make sure Holocaust deniers don't convince people that the Holocaust never happened as they are very persuasive with their stupid lies. Unfortunatley one day we won't have any survivors left and that is why we need to educate the future which is my generation and the generations that follow. So I recommend if you haven't read this book to read it and if you have or once you finish, recommend it to everyone to read. Ruth Elias is not only a fabulous author but a fabulous and heroic person. She is someone we should all look up to.

Triumph of Hope, takes the reader along with Mrs. Elias as she lives through her every day encounters. The pain and suffering, and also the humiliation that the Huppert family endures leaves one with a heavy heart. But the pressing memory that I have of this book, is the decision that Mrs. Elias was forced to make in order to save the life of her beautiful baby girl.