I would agree with all previous reviews that this book is a must-have for all trekkers heading to the Everest region. I used it myself quite extensively on my trek there in May 2001, and it was most useful. The only thing I can add is that not only does it have very detailed maps and practical advice for the trekker, but it is also very compact and leightweight, which is very important if you are going to heights of more than 5,000m! The books' binding is sturdy and paper quite thick, which is good for backpacking (it will not fall apart after a week of trekking). I think this book is the best buy.

Before my trip to Nepal I ended up purchasing almost every english book on Nepal I could find. The Bezruchka book is definitely the bible on Nepal but is very large and doesn't have specifics about the Everest region. This book by Jamie Mc Guinness is very up-to-date and has great trail and village maps which are very accurate. There are suggested itineraries which are very nice but the format is easy to follow on the trail in case you decide to go on your own route. The suggested day hikes for acclimitisation days were very good too.

This book is far better than any of the general trekking in Nepal books if you are heading to the Everest region. The itineraries are great. The maps are very helpful and the directions completely eliminate the need for a guide. If you are planning on heading to the Everest area, this is a must have.

I so looked forward to reading White Mughals after the first reviews appeared in the UK papers. When it came out in paperback, I opened it with great anticipation. I was never let down - Dalrymple, known mainly for his highly evocative and well received travel books, has turned historian and historiographer to produce this wonderful, exquisite book.

Although on one level it tells the story of James Achilles Kirkpatrick, British Resident in Hyderabad at the close of the 18th century, this book is a beautifully written examination of a number of white men from all over Europe (and America) who went adventuring in India from the time of Elizabeth I. Many of them became "white mughals", immersing themselves in the lifestyle and religions (both Hindu and Muslim) of the various princely states. Eventually, though, and most sadly, racist attitudes and unreasonable demands on local rulers made it more and more difficult for these men to carry on and eventually too many of the British in India became narrow minded, intolerant and xenophobic. The British presence in India eventually became intolerable and so ended the British Empire in due course. The author is particularly scathing of Lord Wellesley's governor-generalship.

The author has created a wonderful tapestry of various men, their Indian wives and Anglo-Indian children, the art, literature, architecture, politics, military adventures, food, domestic arrangements, etc of a short but poignant era in Indian and British/western history. His scholarship is evident (the footnotes often fascinating) and he was very lucky to happen upon some original, never seen, sources which help make this book so vibrant.

The sad story of James and his Khair was both a tragedy and a triumph - I shall never forget them and, should I ever travel to India, Hyderabad and the old Residency are a must-see for me.

"White Mughals" is a fascinating picture of the British in India at the turn of the 19th century, before the British notions of Empire were fully formed. The author focuses on the life of James Kirkpatrick, a representative of the "Company," to explore the evolution of the British presence in India. Using the story of Kirkpatrick's marriage to a Mughal aristocrat as a touchstone, Dalrymple explores a different model for colonization. Kirkpatrick was the company's chief representative in Hyderabad, a Mughal kingdom. He admired and appreciated India's culture, customs and ancient learning, and quickly adapted to the Indian way of life. He was a gifted linguist and skilled diplomat, who successfully negotiated many thorny issues on behalf of the British with the rulers of Hyderabad. Kirkpatrick exemplified a European who believed that East and West could work together for the benefit of both, that the rulers at the time and the British could co-exist, that customs and culture could blend together.

Dalrymple has assembled a huge amount of information, much of which is primary source material never before examined, to support the fact that this blending of cultures was common at the time. As might be expected, many British had Indian mistresses, but more surprisingly, intermarriage was not uncommon, and for a Muslim woman, marriage to a Non-Muslim could only occur if the man converted to Islam, which some did, including Kirkpatrick. At the time the Indian rulers were Muslim, but they did not attempt the impossible task of converting the Hindu population, and as a result, the same blending of culture that was occuring between east and west occurred to some extent between Hindu and Muslim. The two religions co-existed for the most part peacefully, a situation that changed radically at the time of Indian independence.

Inevitably, the Company became ever more profitable and the British presence stronger, while at the same time the Mughal Empire began to crumble. Successive Governor-Generals reversed the trend, mixed race children became the targets of discrimination, and the remaining Mughal princes were forced into unfavorable agreements with the British. By the time of the Indian Mutiny in 1857, the notion of Empire, and a separation between the English and Indians, was largely complete, to last for almost 100 years.

Finishing the book, one wonders whether the model exemplified by a Kirkpatrick would have worked. Or is conflict between cultures inevitable?--certainly in our fractured world it seems to be. Dalrymple's work is well-written, well-researched, and very thought-provoking.

"White Mughals" is truly a masterpiece. I was enthralled and was really intrigued by this extensively researched work on white mughals i.e., British company men who adopted the indian/mughal way of life once they were in India, quite contary to the single caricature most of us were raised to conjure up in our minds when thinking of them. The truth as always more complex, interesting and yes MUCH more redeeming than the cliche!

Many THANKS to Mr. Dalrymple for the hours of pleasure this book has already given - and I plan to read it several times over. It is also the perfecly balanced book - a very intellectually satisfying work of history based in fact (ah those vast primary sources referenced!), around a very romantic incident (reality, always more romantic than fiction) in a location, time and setting incomparable in terms of the multiple political/ cultural forces at work and with a meaningful message "East and West can and always will meet no matter what" and an even more important one albeit more personal than political "love conquers all" cliched as it may be;

And all told in his fabulous style that i label the "renaissance style of history-narration" charaterised by objective observation(based in reason and fact) yet madly romantic.... I loved this book and hope - very selfishly - that Mr. Dalrymple will continue to produce such enlightening and enthralling work for decades to come.

Larry Snider's book is filled with beautiful, sensitive photographs. I have seen Snider's works before, and it is a great pleasure to be able to "visit" them as often as I like by simply owning this volume.

For anyone who loves the art of photography and portraiture, adventure travel, or remote and ancient cultures, this book is a treasure. It contains haunting, sublime portraits of people of China, Tibet, Bhutan, and Ladakh: laughing children, wise elders, rakish young men, monks, families, laborers, and women, old and young, at work or dressed in ceremonial finery. The portraits were not taken in a studio, and the architecture of their settings -- monasteries, villages, shops, and streets -- are as intriguing as the subjects themselves.

The poignancy and beauty of these portraits lies not only in their technical and artistic excellence, but also in their deft blending of contrasts: the exotic and the familiar, the ancient and the modern, the distinctly Asian, and the rare Western or perhaps global artifacts of our modern culture.

A World Away merits one's attention again and again, as the portraits yield evocative details and depth of meaning with each viewing. This collection is a compassionate and eloquent account of the people encountered during the artist's Asian travels. It would make an elegant gift, and, since the book's impact is visual rather than verbal, the recipient need not speak English to enjoy it.

A thoughtfully engaging and beautifully produced monograph which details the artist's travels thoughout Asia. It is no wonder the artist's work is in so many musuems and has been the subject of numerous exhibits.

If you are planning a trip to India, you should consider visiting the caves at Ajanta. If you are planning to visit the caves, you should read this book before the trip. You will get a lot more out of the experience of the caves if you know the Jataka stories and understand the Buddhist iconography described in this book.

Even if you have no plans to travel to Ajanta, the boook contains beautiful photograpghs which will make a nice addition to any collection of art books or, for that matter, to any coffee table.

The Ajanta caves can be considered among the wonders of the ancient world, both in terms of their artistic and their spiritual value, and this book captures the beauty and detail of the remarkable murals. If I were to make one criticism, it would be that it emphasizes the murals at the expense of largely neglecting the sculptures, which are magnificent in their own right. The book might better be titled, "Murals of the Ajanta Caves." I ordered it without seeing it first, and I was a little disappointed to see how few photographs were included of the sculptures. Nevertheless, the beautiful and clear photographs of the murals alone are worth the price of the book, and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone interested in the Ajanta caves, or in ancient Indian or Buddhist art.

This book offers the best color photographs of the Ajanta caves that I have seen. The text offers an excellent explication of the history and iconography of the images. Having been to the caves, I can honestly say that you see the paintings more clearly in this book than at the caves themselves. (This is due to crowded conditions and poor lighting at the caves.) This book is an important adjunct to any study of Buddhist art and inconography. If you're planning to travel to Ajanta, buy this book first.

This book gives a concise biography of Amy's life, yet is written in a way to draw the reader into the circumstances and time in which Amy lived. I gained a great admiration for Amy. She truly lived out her love for the Lord and the Indian people.

This book opened my eyes to see the truth of the children in India. It broke my heart for these children, but I loved hearing the story of Amy's dedication to these children and how she changed thier lives. It encouraged me to see how God worked in the situations that she was in.

A very good approach to the suffering of children in India. It Was well written. Is a very good example of the power of prayer and how people need Jesus

This is a must-read book for US servicemen given the coming conflict in Afghanistan that provides important information about our likely Afghan opponents and the lessons learnt over the decades by the Brits. The lessons learnt then have relevance still today and the book should appear on officer and NCO required reading lists.

This book has provided me with a good solid overview and a list of further resource material.

This is an informative, well-written and impressively researched account of how British and Indian units fought on the North-West Frontier of India for nearly a 100 years. Fighting against the Pathan tribes became almost a way of life for imperial troops during repeated skirmishes and major campaigns in the period covered by the book. It effectively combines detailed and lively accounts of important battles with analysis of how the military prepared itself for this very specialised form of unconventional warfare.

Moreman provides a wealth of new information about frontier fighting and a detailed bibliography that makes it a must for all interested in British imperial military history. I thoroughly recommend it other readers.

The author explains Ayurveda together with Vedic astrology to illuminate a deeper perspective on Ayurvedic therapy. The emphasis is on the fundamental importance of the Seven Disease Tendencies over Constitution, an approach that achieves simpler and more effective healing.

As an Ayurveda practitioner for the last nine years I highly recommend this book which offers a new slant on this ancient system of healing. This book changed my thinking about Ayurveda, and truly "revolutionized" the way I work with clients. In it, the author claims to have rediscovered a more ancient system of Ayurveda that goes back to a time when Ayurveda and a True Science Of The Stars were one system. This system focuses less on Constitution, and instead places emphasis on the way the body goes out of balance, which he calls the Seven Disease Tendencies. This is a controversial book because it challenges our assumptions about Ayurveda, but if approached with an open mind it could yield great riches for you.

This book not only gives one of the best summaries of modern day Ayurveda I have ever read, but also shows how modern Ayurveda must be complimented by a more ancient Ayurvedic model to be truly effective. It's thesis is a radical one so, if you are attached to traditional Ayurveda, be forewarned.

Thomas Mann takes the Cartesian split--that endless war between mind and body, galvanized on one side by Descartes' battle cry "I think, therefore I am"--and illustrates the conflict using two characters, two young friends, in this Indian legend turned fantastical tale of the absurd. Nanda is a farmer and blacksmith, a strong, earthy youth rooted in his physical body, and the contemplative Shridaman is a merchant's son with priestly, Brahman blood in his lineage. Though the young men are polar opposites, they have a strong friendship built on mutual admiration and a hint of health envy.

Their differences manifest during a journey together when the two men come upon the sight of a beautiful young woman at a remote, ritual bathing-place. They observe the woman secretly as she bathes, and Nanda enjoys the sight without shame. Shridaman, though, is by turns embarrassed, then inspired. Mann launches the friends into a hushed philosophical discussion--a frequent attribute of the novel. Shirdaman says, "Yet we are ... guilty if we simply feast on the sight of beauty without inquiring into its being," and he promptly falls in love with the young woman, Sita, languishing over her with the exaggerated fatalism of the smitten lover in a Shakespearean comedy. Eventually, Sita and Shridaman are married.

From this scenario springs one of the most bizarre love triangles in literature, leading to a confrontation with Kali, earth mother and patron of the body, and later to another meeting, at the other end of the spectrum, with an ascetic holy man. These powerful archetypes impel the pendulum of fate back and forth above the three characters. Again and again the question is asked: Is it the head or the body which is most closely linked with the Beloved? Tragedy is inevitable--visiting the trio more than once--and in the end all hope for the future lies with Andhaka, Shridaman and Sita's young son. The boy is a nearsighted introvert whose quiet innocence hints at some vague potential for change, for bridging this gap between mind and body.

One element detracting from the book is the translation (copyrighted in 1941). While the translation is not entirely without merit--in chapter 5, for example, the passage describing Shridaman's descent into Kali's dark, heady, womb-like temple begs to be read aloud--the novel's prose is sometimes choppy with convoluted, problematic sentence structure. The novel's potential among English readers is certainly hampered by its being long overdue for a new translation.

Thomas Mann's works are always full of dichotomies of various kinds: feeling vs intellect, freedom vs authority, immorality(decadence) vs morality(respectability), artistic or religious pursuits vs participation in everyday life. So it is not surprising that he wrote a book about two people who represent opposite ways of living. One character lives by the dictates of the reasoning head, the other by the dictates of the sensual body. In Mann's mystical India a wonderful accident allows for an interesting experiment. Don't want to give too much away for the fun is in not knowing exactly what happens. Suffice it to say that this is a unique kind of book of novella length, a form Mann was especially competent with. In a way this is Mann's Siddhartha though one informed with many dualites, including the east/ west one. This book attempts to unify all those oppositions once and for all but that is no easy task. This book has humor and humanity and that magic that only the simplest fables have, once you read it you will never forget it.

This book is more than a love story, or a story about marriage or friendship. It is a story that addresses the ever present dilema of whether we ought to make decisions based on our feelings or our intelect. This book tells you exactly to whom you should listen to, and why. This alone is absolutely REFRESHING! I have used this book in creative writing workshops, where I challange my students to think how their body would react if it carried someone else's head. Or what song a piano would play if it had their head attached to it. This book has a strong under current of morality, making the reader reflect on the "stuff that principles and values are made of", and what makes us authentic human beings.

This is a truly touching book about two women overcoming their pasts and loving each other. As a child, Macy has a crazy mother who runs away for a few days with the butcher whenever things get tough around the house. Macy and her first love, Maybelline discover their love for each other. Macy lives through the loss of her first love by living in her house and taking care of her while attending nursing school.
Dotty grows up in a house with her abusive father and horrid older twin brother and sister, Bell and Ray. Macy runs away after a fiery car crash involving her brother and sister on the day after her sixteenth birthday. She starts to work at the motel she stays at and meets Lila, a woman who sleeps off her peppermint schnapps and painkiller everyday, on the bus there. The two become friends of a sort, with Dotty looking after the ever-drugged Lila. At the amusement park nearby Lila is on a roller coaster car that is flung off the tracks into the sea, and drowns.
The two women meet while Dotty is painting the house Macy lives in, and falls off the ladder, shattering her hip. Macy the nurse helps her through her hospital stay, and moves into her house afterwards to help. They are forced to learn that their lives intertwine when Dotty's twin brother and sister come looking for her...
A very compelling read. I could'nt put it down, and I'm definitely looking forward to another from Amy Schutzer.

This lyrical, beautifully wrought love story between two women, Dotty and Macy, kept me involved long after I'd read the last page. They are trying to make a true, meaningful connection for the first time in their lives, after escaping homes tainted by abuse, mental illness, and catastrophe. Macy (who has taken on the role of home nurse and lover, a role fraught with peril) feeds Dotty just a few too many pain pills. As the issues between Dotty and Macy come to a head, they confront their pasts. This was my favorite part of the novel, a lovely suspense fed not by "What comes next" but by "What happened? Who are these people?" To me, it's the difference between eating a homemade chocolate cake, where you savor every bit, and rushing through a Hostess cupcake because you're late for work. Their pasts unfold as unique mosaics combined with the perfect amount of the surreal. As they confront their pasts, they confront their issues in the present through a deep, almost Jungian exploration of their inner selves. The novel asks hard-to-answer questions. Can they possibly break the patterns they've established to form an equal partnership, make a true connection? But that question is the universal question--can we break free from our pasts?--and so I keep coming back to it, months after having finished the book. I strongly recommend this novel.

When Dotty falls from a ladder, she is brought into the hospital where Macy works. Macy lives at the house Dotty was painting. Macy becomes Dotty's nurse after she leaves the hospital, and the two embark on a love affair. The past histories of both women creep back into their lives and threaten to destroy what's being born. Schutzer's circular and nonlinear story is full of potent writing and moving descriptions of the past pain and vivid silences both women have endured. And the surprise connection between Dotty and Macy is beautifully crafted. Schutzer's style reminded me a bit of Scott Heim, but not as dark. Any reader who's a fan of such emotionally charged works as Emma Donoghue's "Hood" and Alison Green's "Half-moon Scar" will adore this novel. This is one of my favorite novels of 2000!

In this excellent and very readable book, Dr. Corless (a professor of religion at Duke University) uses the life of the Buddha as a framework for introducing the major concepts of Buddhism to a general readership. He accurately and concisely covers the major ideas of South, Central ane East Asian Buddhism and shows a fine respect for all of them. Zen, Theravadin Buddhism, Chinese Pure Land and Tibetan Vajrayana are all well represented and put into perspective. Despite its broad scope, this is an easy to read and inspiring, as well as informative, book. The author has mastered the art of speaking to those of us who are neither scholars nor specialists. "The Vision of Buddhism" does not go over our heads, and Dr. Corless never talks down to us. I highly recommend it.

This book is indeed one of the best introductions to Buddhism one can possibly read. Corless applies his own experience with the religion, to all of the teachings he presents in the book. Keep in mind that a lot of what is included here is explanations of the Buddhist idealogy, not anything that you can really practice.

Use this book as more of a factor in deciding if Buddhism is the right religion for you. Corless even takes the time to write some excellent footnotes, so you could even consider this book for research.

I think the reason this book worked so well for me was the fact that it was presented in such a non-threatening way that it makes the book easy to absorb. Keep in mind that careful reading is important, as a lot of chapters reference previous chapters. This is not a determent to the quality of the book, rather it is important to the building block style of teaching Buddhism that the book represents.

Buy this book as a great introduction if you have even the slightest interest in the Buddhist vision. You won't be disappointed.

I bought this book after I met Prof. Corless in an United Religion Initiative conference. He's a very witty guy with a sharp observation. This book demonstrates these qualities.

This book is amazingly comprehensive yet easy to read. I was glued to the book right after I received it. Prof. Corless structures and explaines complex Buddhist ideas in an easy and fascinating way. Definitely one of the best introduction to Buddhism because, very early in the book, he points out common mistakes Westerners make when approaching Buddhism. Since most people are influenced by mainstream Christianity, they analyze Buddhism with the wrong methodology.

Along reading the book, you will pickup small funny stories from him. His personality shines through this book.