Lovely stories that take place in the intersection of dream and waking life, stories you'll want to read again and again from one of the most original and lyrical writers working today.

Stuart Dybek is truly a gifted writer. But moving beyond my humble opinion, this unique collection of short stories shines. Dybek's prose is haunting, his language at times startling and spare, at others languid and nearly musical. His characters are alive and absolutely believable in their mistakes and victories. Each story stands as a reflection on everyday beauty; Dybek that takes time to notice the details other authors overlook or dismiss as mundane. In 'The Coast of Chicago' Stuart Dybek has managed to do something quite rare in the all-too self-conscious realm of short story writing-- create stories that are rich yet still real without trying too hard to be so. Allow yourself to get sucked up into the twisting paths of his Chicago-- it's a journey you won't regret.

Dybek is one of those few writers whose work finds rare common ground between comic naturalism and tragic myth. The language of his stories honors the special poetry of the working class -- a poetry elastic enough to range from street slang to high diction, and from cynicism to a stubborn innocence that approaches the heroic (a touch of Damon Runyan at the one end, a mythic reach at the other). His characters struggle with their hearts and minds in ways that are fresh and original, without giving the sense that Dybek is contriving to keep them so. He is the genuine article, a natural myth-maker with an empathy large enough to let his characters behave badly without trying either to condemn or justify them. Dybek seems awed and enthralled by his world, deeply attentive to its particulars, on the lookout for magic but not desperate for it, with a richness of vision that makes his mythic Chicago echo loudly with the voices of the world at large. A wonderful writer.

As an arab-american familiar with the brutal insanity of Saddam Hussein's regime, I've always been puzzled by the Arab talking heads who routinely criticize the U.S. for it's targetting of Iraq. Makiya's writing was instrumental in helping me understand this in somewhat deeper terms than simple anti-americanism, though his insightful and revealing writing has only heightened my frustration.

Regarding the current political climate: You can certainly question the U.S.'s motives, but if you find yourself struggling to find "smoking guns" vis-a-vis terrorism and WMDs to ethically support replacing Saddam's regime, look no further than this book.

Beautifully written; there are points at which you will literally be moved to tears.

Kanan Makiya--an Iraqi-French dissident and intellectual--uses the personal experiences of those suffering under Saddam Hussein's brutality to explore what he calls the "cruelty and silence" that contemporary Arab intellectual and political culture has come to exhibit toward its own citizens in the Mideast. He criticizes the widespread misuse of Edward Said's "Orientalism" to justify a sense of unreflecting victimhood and automatic accusations of racism by the "West." Fully supportive of Palestinian rights, Makiya nonetheless questions whether the role of the PLO, so important in the formation of post-1967 Arab political consciousness, has served actually to enhance these self-defeating mechanisms--leading too many young Arabs to accept oppression and gross human rights violations by Saddam and other Mideast autocrats with silence, by constantly deflecting attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict instead.

Of course, Makiya's book is a self-avowed polemic--using individual biographies to paint broad brush strokes about a range of very complex societies. But if the purpose of a polemic is to make one think, then Makiya's does so, eloquently. If there is a need for more self-cricism in the Arab "world" today--as well as the capacity to feel for the "other," whether Sunni, Shiite, Kurdish, Israeli or Palestinian, as well as women--then Makiya's polemic is an impassioned exercise in the very self-criticism he calls for. Makiya's motivation ultimately is not to accuse, but to call for freedom, human rights and democracy for all citizens of the Middle East.

The book describe in gruesome detail what life is like in Iraq and much of the Arab world, for instance a woman whose husband was suspected of being anti-goverment who was tortured until it was determined she could no longer feel pain, and the killed. Or the day to day life in an Iraq prison, where beatings, starvation and living in squaler are not "torture." When they want to torture someone, it is far worse that that.

The biggest crime is to disagree with the government. In Iraq Shiites, Kurds, Marsh Arabs and others are killed routinely. Yet intelligent people like Noam Chomsky and others feel that such behavior is justified because of "Arab pride" or cultural relativism.

Makiya uses his sources as an Iraqi to describe the cruelty and then asks the question: why the silence? Since I have read the book I have seen many article berating the US for the embargo on Iraq. Yet the fact is that Iraq is exporting more oil now than before the embargo. The money is being used to continue the nightmare. At least it slows Saddam's ability to create weapons, for he would be sure to use them.

This book is a welcome antidote from the steady stream of driviel from the academics.

Far and away the most balanced, well-researched, accurate and thoughtful book on US-Iran relations. Excellent psychographical backgrounds of the key players.

When I first had Professor Bill at the College of William and Mary, I rolled my eyes at the fact that one of the books for my Middle Eastern Politics class was written by him. I always question the motives of a professor that teaches his own book. As the class progressed and he divulged more stories of his amazing life (which unfortunatly could not be reproduced in a book like this one) I started to wonder if his book could possibly be half as interesting as the class

I opened The Eagle and the Lion with high hopes and they were exceeded. The writing style flowed nicely and while some scholarly books get weighed down in the jargon of the field and an uptight writing style that permiates academia, Bill's book can be read by the scholar and the layman alike. It was a view I had never heard before, the view that we had to take a lot of the blame for the Iranian Revolution and the taking of hostages in Iran. Not popular views for even today. Yet each assertion made is meticulously documented, each bias or jump in conclusion prefaced by a warning. In these times particularly, when we are faced with more troubles in the middle east, it is worth reading.

James Bill's impressive background and knowledge has resulted in a history and analysis of the relationship between Iran and the US that is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand the hostility of the last two decades. It is insightful, thorough and well written. The documentation is extensive and makes the book an excellent resource.

Suzanne Clauser knows her stuff. Here is Southeast Asia close-up -- the land, the people, the sensory details. Here is the Vietnam war as experienced by Michael Cameron, a young man with no love at all for battle who has discovered nonetheless that he's "good at it." Here is the thrill of mastery over a Loach helicopter: with Michael and his friend Hanny as navigator at the controls. Here is the strong heart and canny mind of a young woman on the run for life, her own and the life of her infant son. This is a story of desperate searching with terrible consequences for the least slip. At the center: here is love and hope.

East of Mandalay is a rare book. It combines an exciting, fast moving adventure with well drawn characters. It combines both masculine and feminine adventure, heroism, and toughness with sensitive insight into the male and female psyches of the characters. Our hero, Michael Cameron, a burnt out helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War sets out to rescue his love, Kathleen Howard from slavery in Burma. However, Kathleen (with her baby) has already embarked on her own escape attempt. Clauser does much better than Ludlum or Cussler would do with similar material. Yes, the adventure is gripping and full of suspense, but the people are real people; they come to life. Clauser has clearly researched every aspect of her material. Her descriptions are so wonderful that you can smell the villages and marketplaces in Burma, Laos, and Vietnam. I couldn't put the book down, and when I was done I felt that my best friend had suddenly departed.

EAST OF MANDALAY is an absolutely terrific book. Its narrative is tremendously exciting, and the genre almost defies description: it is a hard-hitting adventure story with a military man at its center, and yet at the same time it's a beautiful and complex romance with a historical background. The Southeast Asia locale during the Vietnam War era is exotic and enticing, and the characters are all three-dimensional and fascinating. If you have any interest in American political/military history or any interest in strong women protagonists, you will love EAST OF MANDALAY.

I will not add too much to what the other reviewers have opined on this magnificent book. It is gorgeously illustrated with superior photographs and interesting drawings and geographical overviews.

It is the perfect book to get anyone interested in the never-ending treasures to be found in Egypt. The large-format size and the several fold-outs only add to the many and varied pleasures to be found in this book.

Also, it is somewhat scholarly and has some very useful timelines and genealogies.

Highly recommended to all Egyptophiles and lovers of antiquity alike.

Tim Wingate, CANADA

i don't have this book yet. i have already told hubby that he's getting it for me for valentines. everytime i go into the bookstore, i take it off the shelf and spend about a half hour just leafing through it and looking at the pictures. if you are not sure whether you want to put out the money to buy this book, do yourself a favor and see if they have a copy at the bookstore and look through it. i know you'll be convinced that it's worth the price. i plan on ordering my book rather than buying it off the shelf. there are several fold out sections in the book and i want to make sure they are in good shape. the pictures of the temples and tombs in the book are great. also lots of maps. i admit, i'm an egyptology geek, but i think anyone who is interested in egypt will enjoy this book. if egypt is a hobby/passion, this book is a must have. i know it's a bit pricey, but you're payig for a book full of fantastic color photographs and you defintiely get what you are playing for. you get your money's worth with this book. my only regret is that i have to wait 6 weeks til i can have my copy in my hot lil' hands. :)

I first saw this book after a four-week trip to Egypt, where our travels included as much as we could see between the relocated monument Ramses II built in honor of himself at Abu Simbel to the vicinity of El-Qahira (Cairo) and its monuments and museums. This book is the one I have chosen to "keep my memories fresh" and share them with others- it is that good, and more. The illustrations are brilliant; the informative text is thorough and illuminating without being pedantic or burying the photos and drawings. I only wish the Cairo Museum had books as good as this one! If you love Egypt, this book will live an active life on your coffee table.

I just came back from a livaboard dive trip to southern Thailand. The boat I was on had a copy of this book and almost every place I went was well described. I'm ording a copy for myself to better document my past dives, and plan my future ones. I really appreciated having the book with me. The only thing missing was a map of each dive site.

As a novice diver, I found this guide amazingly easy to read. Sites are rated on a 5 star system for both diving and snorkeling separately. Information on approach and typical conditions are given. Typical things that will be seen are also given. Icons for quick reference on each site such as approach by boat or shore, skill level, and other information make finding suitable dive sites a cinch.

For the diver or tourist who is contemplating a visit to Thailands reefs this book is an absolute gem. Ideal for divers and snorkellers of all standards, it is well presented and extremely informative. The number and quality of the sites reviewed is very good and it must be noted that the information concerning other divers needs ie. accomodation, equipment hire, dive companies, photography and medical arrangements is equally commendable. A reference book that I can guarantee will be well thumbed for a good few years.

Pearl S. Buck's "East Wind: West Wind" tells the life story of a traditional Chinese woman through her inner thoughts and feelings in an interesting manner. The woman, who was betrothed to a Chinese man before birth, later finds herself married the man, who has studied in America to become a doctor. Throughout the book, the woman represents stiff Chinese traditions while the man represents more modern and western beliefs. Relying on her traditional upbringing, the women attempts to please her husband by being his servant. However, he tries to change her view of what marriage should be: an equal partnership and not a servant and master relationship. Throughout the book, the couple strives to overcome various trials and ordeals that deal with changing traditions. In my opinion, "East Wind: West Wind" attempts to tackle the implicit battle between old, established traditions and more modern ideas; it also shows the conflicts between Eastern ideology and Western ideology. Overall, the book is a wonderful insight into the ancient cultural practices of China and how well they do or do not mingle with modern culture. "East Wind: West Wind" is a delightful and easy book to read, and it can be considered on of Pearl S. Buck's best works.

This was a quick and easy read told in the first person through the eyes of a Chinese woman. Also it's clear that the writer's own loyalty to the Western thought of romantic love is all over this story. It is this notion that ultimately drives the narrator to give up her old ways and accept the new.

Buck describes how difficult it is for one to accept change in age-old rituals. Although many of the traditions are seen as unnecessary, foolish or just plain sadistic, it's difficult to question them after growing up in a culture where these traditions have been practiced for thousands of years. The narrator is a good vehicle to show how upsetting, confusing and frustrating it can be to incorporate these changes into one's life. Time and time again the theme of the generation gap is revealed, showing how many people simply cannot be changed.

Although many of the following issues came into strong play in this novel, it wasn't so much a search for better opportunity, nor political freedom, independence, nor education, that was the big catalyst for change, as was the simple concept of romantic love.

This was a lovely, bittersweet story with a seemingly very realistic portrayal of how a family rooted in tradition would react to their children, who want to break from tradition. A classic issue, regardless of what era or culture in which one lives.

East Wind: West Wind Why is there a colon in between? The story is presented like a monologue. The wife in the story, who is a traditional Chinese woman, speaks out her innermost feelings. She is betrothed before her birth to a Chinese man who has gone abroad to study. The woman, representing old Chinese ideas and the man representing Western ideas thus have come together to solve their conflicts. The woman's brother also goes abroad and he intends to marry a western woman, which is strictly forbiden in ancient Chinese culture... After much this ado, it is a battle of East Idea and West Idea. The book ends with the well-mingled culture -- a combination of good East and West culture. The book is printed in very big fonts and are easy to read. It does not take a long time to read, but it tells a wonderful story. In some way, I value this higher than Pearl's most famous work The Good Earth. A book suitable for people who are curious about ancient Chinese culture. (Note, nowadays we Chinese no longer do such things as binding feet or kneeling down before elders and so on) Enjoy your reading!

I wouldn't say that social history enters much into the book. The authors have written a straightforward translation and interpretation of the Ottoman archives laying out patterns in revenue from land taxes and customs fees. Reading like a series of focused essays without quite as much synthesis as I would like, still it was a worthwhile read. Most valuable were the new insights I got into the relative importance of trades routes and the organization of land ownership and taxation over time. Also interesting to see was the primacy of slaves and silk in the customs revenue stream, and the impact of commercial motives on Ottoman military expansion. All in all, this is a fine book for those wanting deep knowledge of the early Ottoman economy, civil and state.

People often avoid books like this because they are not as easy readers as "popular" history books, which often do rely on other people's research. Inalcik's work is amazingly detailed and accurate in details. This book is one of his many valuable contributions to this field. Understanding the economic and social forces at play in this time period has an importance beyond the Ottoman history, as most readers of this book would agree.

According to my knowledge this is the best book ever written about Ottoman History. Instead of reading nonscholar books like Lord Kinross's Ottoman Century's I recommend it to everbody. This book studies economic history of Ottoman empire which is essential to understant political history and so on. A must read for all interested about Ottomna history.

I was a research consultant on this book project under contract with TN Dupuy's think tank, Historical Evaluation and Research Organization. I worked up some data and battle studies for the 1947-49 hostilities and naval actions for all the wars. Knowing first-hand the amount of research that the late Col. Dupuy put into this book, I can vouch for his efforts to get the Arab side of the story. The research team corresponded with many spokespersons from all antagonists... except the Syrians, who simply recycled their canned wartime propaganda. The battle analysis is based on Dupuy's Quantified Judgement Method, a formula to gauge relative combat effectiveness. This formula has been challenged with respect to German versus American forces in Europe, 1944-45, but I believe that it is essentially sound for the various Mideast combatants.

I would say that the book should remain in print-- as of late 1999 it is still available in some bookstores (Borders and B&N)but is not currently in print. Any reissue, however, should at least have a new preface commenting on research and reviews since the book's 1978 publication date. (the new edition would get five stars, in my not so humble opinion).

For my own part, I know that some of the conclusions on the 1948 fighting need to be modified in light of recent work on Arab preparations and strengths.

This book is remarkable for what it is not: it is not a diatribe, it is not political, and it is not biased. It is a steadfastly-neutral account of the Arab-Israeli wars of the past sixty years and reflects the integrity and professionalism of the author. He is absolutely dedicated to presenting the perspectives of both sides of the conflict. It is meticulously researched and contains extraordinary detail about all military aspects of the conflicts. The book does not stray far into the political or diplomatic realms, and anyone interested in the personalities of the conflicts should look elsewhere. This is a professional military history that, while intended for a professional military audience, is accessible by most any reader with at least some basic knowledge of the conflict. Finally, at the risk of being repetetive, it is fair and unbiased, which is truly extraordinary, given the nature of the conflict. If you can find a copy, get it, and if you are the publisher, re-print it. Please.

I've been reading military books for 14 years and this book is very good. Highly recommended

You should all go out and buy this book, or sit in your office and buy it online if you want. But where is the cover art? I really liked the picture on the cover, it's black and white and it's like a mass movement. Well, do not judge a book only by its cover (or lack thereof). You should buy this book; despite the amazon oversight of cover art, the text is way better than the image on the front.

I learned a lot about the current situation in the mid-east when I read this for class. It is so interesting to see a devout country that doesn't do the whole Jihad thing against America. I would recommend this book RIGHT NOW. you should get it and learn about the REAL situation there. great stuff.

I personally found this book very useful in understanding the status of women in Egypt, but also the entire Mid-East. I was able to see that female discrimination did not end in Afghanistan with the Taliban. This book shed a light on an under-represented area of social studies (in my opinion). I would recommend it fully.