The KEY TO PARADISE is the story of Diane, a French aristocrat surgeon who of course, has blue blood in her veins, but who above all, possesses the nobleness of the heart.

I love this book because I realize that the tragedy that strikes the heroine could happen to anyone and I became aware of the ravages of irradiation. The sinking of the Poseidon reminds me the Kursk, the Russian atomic submarine that is inexorably going to contaminate the Baren Sea.

I was very touched by the letter Diane wrote to her family during her trip to India, in which she decided to adopt an abandoned child because her irradiated body would never give birth again.

The story of her electoral campaign is a fantastic succession of colorful anecdotes and a humorous satire of macho politicians. I am fascinated by her platform which is an eloquent and moving cry from the heart.

I was also deeply moved by the drama of the young Iranian soldiers and by the extraordinary story of King Omar.

The KEY TO PARADISE is a wonderful tapestry of Occidental and Oriental societies woven in a dazzling style.

This book is a lively and fascinating novel full of suspense, beauty, travel, human values and emotions with an international impact. With refined descriptions, it's pleasant reading shifts us into a sensorial universe.

Indeed, beyond this gripping story, the author Christiane des Sagettes, through her heroine Diane de la Roseraie, addresses with an honest lucidity the major world problems which have threatened and are still theateneing our planet and humanity. The most frightening one is probably the behavior of men who hold the keys to power and the right of life and death on humanity and its environment.

Diane de la Roseraie holds also a key which can open the door to hell or paradise for us and the next generations. It will depend on our choices as men or women. "The key to paradise" is an hymn to tolerance and ethics in every domain : human, religious, politic, economic and scientific. Diane de la Roseraie makes us realize that moral values will determine our future.

This book, which may seem a fiction, is completely realistic. With an incomparable talent, Christiane des Sagettes depicts a paradoxal context in which cohabit "crimes against humanity" and "simple moments of true hapiness", "resignation" and "hope".

The wealth of this book brings back to life in our sclerosed society the universal message of peace. Furthermore, "The key to paradise" is an enriching travel around the world as well as inside each one of us.

This novel is truly fascinating and I could not put the book down until the end. The writing is so beautiful that you would like to meet such a cultured author who arouses your curiosity.

After reading this book, I suddenly realized the root problem of Western Civilization: We have no culture. Where there was once culture, we now have an expanding economic order threatening all life on the planet. Through its mechanism of growth and expansion, the Western global economy is onquering and converting life's diversity into an ecological and social monoculture of cash crops, Levis, soda pop and movie theatres. Perhaps moonscape would be a better word. Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. Our fast-paced, increasingly technological, capital-intensive, fossil fuel-centered, centralized, highly specialized, travel and commercial-oriented, often stressful society is by no means the end-all-be-all of human history. Murder, child abuse, drug abuse, theft, poverty, hunger, and every other problem that plagues the West are not products of human nature. The pathology of civilization is not natural or inevitable, and the Ladahi are proof of this. Read this book and rediscover ancient, profound, life-affirmating alternatives to the modern humdrum. Discover another way of living, thinking and feeling. Important, necessary, engaging and masterfully written - this book was a treasure to read. Indeed, it was an awaking.

This book has changed the way I looked at the issues of development, modernisation & morals. An amazing read, beautifully written and with great insights.

I have just returned from a trip to Ladakh and I could really relate to what Ms.Norberg talks about in the book.

Just a couple of side issues. It'd be good to know what exactly went wrong in Ladakh. Here are a people who for 2000 years had lived successfully by the rules of Buddhism. How & why did Buddhism fail these people in the face of global/western economic & cultural imperialism? Does the blame lie with Buddhism- it being too 'compassionate' and allowing a religion? Does the blame lie with the Ladakhis who probably were not as sincere Buddhists as they are made out to be?

After all if they really were such devout Buddhists, how come they fell to the greed that capitalism breeds?

Anyway, these are issues which could have been addressed in the book. Regardless, the book is excellent! A must read.

Rarely have I felt more dispair about the direction of what we know as civilization as I felt halfway through this book. The Ladakh people are described as happy, healthy, and self-reliant. Suddenly, the "real world" happens to them, and they come to see themselves as poor, when before they had no need of money.

The authors do a nice job of weaving a story of hope at the end but I have concern for the future of these people. It helps me understand the decision the government of Bhutan has made to isolate themselves from western-style civilization.

Here is another gem written by Hart De Fouw, but this time with another great thinker and author Robert Svoboda.
Totally unique approach emphasizing the analysis of SAMA DASHA in some cases.
And of course the language is as exquisite as before.

As a Western astrologer, I found this book to be by far the best introduction to relationship analysis using Eastern astrology. The authors are adept at teaching the fundamentals of this art in a broad but comprehensive survey, while introducing you to the language and culture of the jyotishi. This text therefore gives a Westerner a nice introduction to the jyotishi's perspective in such a way that a Westerner can understand Eastern astrology in context of its culture. The authors' periodic explanations of how the two systems are different are also insightful and valuable information. The authors are humorous, intelligent, well learned and their language is very practical and down to earth. What I am amazed at is how comprehensive this introductory survey is. Eastern astrology is an ancient, accurate and intricate art, and this text is a great starting point if you are pursuing this path of learning, particularly if you already have a Western perspective.

Another insightful book by these two authors. Difficult concepts made understandable. It has helped clarify not only romantic relationships, but also given me insight into quite a number of other relationships in my life.

This book works best if you have an open mind. The book could be used in teaching color, texture, shape, days of the week, and many other things.

Seven blind, multi-hued mice attempt to analyze an elephant, each "seeing" it from its own perspective. But when the white mouse's turn comes, *she* shows the others how to look at the whole problem. Colorful and educational on so many levels, I highly recommend this book to all parents, especially those with daughters!

I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS ALRIGHT. THE LITTLE STORY BEHIND IT WAS GOOD. THE FIRST 6 MICE MADE THERE DECISIONS FAST, BUT THE 7TH MOUSE TOOK HIS SWEET LITTLE TIME. THIS BOOK WOULD BE GREAT FOR CHILDREN. IT WOULD TEACH THEM TO WAIT BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS.

I love Indian food but as I have to "watch what I eat these days" I thought Indian food was gone forever. This book is great at giving that nice Indian taste without the fat. I will say it skips the final tempering process so common in traditional cooking, but let's face it, frying several tablespoons of oil with spices and dumping it all on top of a healthy dhal just isn't good for you, neither is it necessary. I use this book a lot even when I am cooking for friends and everyone seems to enjoy it.

What a delight to find an Indian cookbook filled with wonderful recipes that don't take three+ hours to prepare
and aren't laden with fat! I can whip up these recipes with one hand, bathe my kid with the other, and still be
ready to sit down and eat in less than an hour. Yum. Read Madhur Jaffrey's _Indian Cooking_ for the theory,
then pick up this book and start cooking.

I found this book under its old title "Lite and Luscious Indian Cuisine" at the library. I am hoping that only the title has changed, because it's a great book! Ms. Gadia writes in a very conversational way... I feel as though she comes through as a "real person" rather than just an "author"...the recipes are really down to earth as is her writing style. Not many esoteric ingredients are called for (I have a problem sometimes with pantry overload from Indian/Asian cooking...I probably have more kinds of spices in my cupboard than the average Indian person!). It bothers me at times in certain cookbooks when a recipe calls for half a teaspoon of a particular hard to find spice, then doesn't call for that ingredient again in the rest of the book. One ends up with a real overload of spices if you are not cooking Indian every day (especially if you are not cooking for a large family to begin with). In this book some ingredients might be specialized, (asafetida, cardamom pods, etc.) but most of the recipes seem to utilize what is available on hand in your average town (Ms. Gadia lives and works in Ames, Iowa...not New York or Chicago). Those who are on specialized diets will appreciate her tables for food exchanges and nutritional info, too. All around, this seems truly to be "home cooking" and a labor of love!

Lonely Planet is unbelieveable! They continually pump out the HIGHEST quality guidebooks, and they've done it again with this edition covering Bhutan. I have spent a good portion of my life researching, and hording information on Bhutan, and have found Lonely Planet's guidebook to contain everything and more that the traveller could ever want...with two exceptions. I think that the lack of the U'cen script in the language chapter is a serious mistake. Lonely Planet has the capacity to print in the U'cen script as they did so in their Tibet edition. My other qualm is with the sparse coverage of the smaller and admittedly FAR less visited dzongkhags (districts) (i.e., Daga, Samdrup Jongkhar, Pema Gatshel, Zhemgang, Tsirang, etc.). Lonely Planet, resolve these issues and your book will be the best it could be.

If you're thinking of going to Bhutan, be advised there's not a whole lot out there to read in preparation, and of what there is, this guide is one of the best. Tourist travel in Bhutan is strictly controlled, and your itinerary is usually planned in advance, so lots of info on hotels, etc. isn't all that necessary. This guide focuses on history, culture and the life of the people--food, housing, dress. Along with the Passport/Odyssey guide by Pommerat, it's all you need. Have fun!

I have no bounds whatsoever to the Lonely Planet publishing house, other than a deep emotional affection towards their guidebooks. Yet, as a world traveler, I cannot but admire their comprehensive coverage of virtually every corner of the world. Almost every place you could dream of visiting is covered in one or more of their guidebooks. And as one would expect... they also made it to this tiny Himalayan kingdom, where less than 4'000 tourists visit each year. The guidebook is great and contains all you need - plenty of information, data, tips, advice, as well as very well written (actually fascinating !) sections on the local history, culture, religion, architecture, etc. At first impact, the guidebook may prove a little disappointing to you, as it explains that most travelers can only go to Bhutan on a guided tour. But this is not quite what it sounds: a guided tour will be tailored just for you - with only 4'000 tourists a year you won't mind being 'guided'. Since you are likely to be in Bhutan with your own guide, this book may not be an essential tool for travel survival, but it surely is a wonderful tool that will make your stay more enjoyable and fascinating. It will enable you to tell your guide what you want to see, to make your itinerary, etc. It will enable you to choose your preferred hotels or restaurants (to be agreed with your tour operator in Bhutan), and even decide where to do your shopping (the choice in Thimphu consists in two or three superb local markets !). But the most valuable sections are probably those on the local culture, an unspoiled culture where the people practice their faith through millenary religious traditions. The guidebook will tell you things you will want to know about the people, their monasteries, their life ! If you go and don't have it with you, you may regret it. ...

Wow. My first reaction on reading this book was amazement as to how dysfunctional this team was due to the fractured leadership style. The inability of the strongest climbers to agree on strategy and work loads contributed to the team's overall slowness on the climb. Yet they still managed to put people on top of the mountain. Other climbing expedition books often make allusions to similar types of disagreements on strategy and plan but this one really lays it all out in front of you.

My second reaction was that there are surely two or more sides to any story -- this version of the climb was surely colored by Roskelley's own self-acknowledged aggressive personality and his bias/perceptions of what his team members were thinking at each step of the way. The second afterword from Roskelley describes a bit more of other team members' own reactions.

The story was compelling but I left one star off the review because the writing style was somewhat wooden. Plus, I wanted to hear more about the climb from someone other than Roskelley to get a different perspective.

Between the fragmented leadership, conflicting agenda's of the climbers and general lack of cooperation between various members of the expedition it's a small wonder that more people weren't seriously injured or killed. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. The suspense that John Roskelly creates is fantastic. With so many possible things that could go wrong...

This is an exceptional book detailing a famous and tragic climb up Nanda Devi. What makes this book exceptional is not the detail of the tragedy but rather the lack of teamwork in this expedition and the author's role in the conflict. The closing remarks also frame the danger in being a high altitude climber as eventually 4 of the 13 members of this team die on the mountains in later years.

This expedition had two leaders, uncommon for high altitude expeditions. Initial meetings detail disagreements in selection of climbers and goals for the climb. With no clear leader, these initial disagreements festered on the mountain and contributed to the partial failure of the expedition. But the unique perspective of this book is that the author appears to be the central antagonist in the disagreements. Now clearly, he writes from his perspective and supports his position in a no compromise, "perfection" oriented climbing method. But it's clear these conflicts are partially his fault as he has minimal compromising capabilities which exasperates the team leaders. I've never read a climbing adventure so centered on a conflict that ends in such tragic proportions.

The characters on this climb are expertly described by the author and the expedition is described in detail. I hesitate to provide details of the climb so you might enjoy the excitement in the read but suffice to say, the most compelling human being on the mountain ends up in the most precarious fate. Read this book if you enjoy climbing or tales of adventure. You will not be disappointed.

This book is almost too beautiful for words and as one other reviewer mentioned it is a great introduction to the culture of Indian food. Try hot, freshly made chapatis with a generous helping of lemon pickle, simple and delicious. Of course, there is more to these culinary traditions than can be fit in one book. That is why you should buy Julie Sahni's other books as well! As for the reviewer with the maple syrup complaint. First off, Vindaloo is not a traditional North Indian dish, it's pure Southwestern Indian. A dish from the Portuguese Catholics of Goa. Second, maple syrup makes an excellent substitute for the raw Indian sugar traditionally used. So it creates authentic flavor with a not so authentic ingredient.

Sahni presents a nice (albeit brief) introduction to the complexities of Indian cuisine, clearly one of the most underrated and misunderstood culinary traditions. While you won't be able to find every recipe from your favorite Indian restaurant (my wife was most disappointed to find nothing for Navrattan Korma -- which, not incidentally, is called Navrattan Curry in many Indian restaurants!), the Glossary and sidebar items are worth the price of admission. Consider this only one tool in your arsenal if you intend to cook Indian regularly (and, if you don't, WHY NOT?!?). Indian cooking is very personal, which is why there is such variation from restaurant to restaurant. Don't buck this tradition -- there should be some variation in your dishes, too. Given the number of spices that have been absorbed by the Indian culture, this shouldn't be difficult. As the lovely Indian shopkeeper in my local store told me, "whatever you put in there...is good!"

Not only is this book beautifully photographed, but it has the most luscious recipies! If you are a lover of indian cuisine, this book is a MUST for your collection. Most of the indian cookbooks I have seen I would only consider making 1/2 to 3/4 of the recipies offered. In this book, I would will make most of them.

If you're a vegetarian like me, this books offers mostly all vegetarian recipies. Even the meat recipies, which are few can be altered to accomodate tofu or tempeh, which is what I have done. It's really all about those incredible spice mixtures!

As a bonus, Savoring India gives insight into the origins of indian spices and folklore. This is one of my favorite cookbooks by far!

Judith Cornell has written a beautiful, many layered biography of Ammachi. It is an incredibly difficult task to convey the depth of Amma's mission with the words of a finite language, yet Judith has more than succeeded.

It is a blessing to know Amma, and a gift to know the life she lived before I was even born. For others and myself who were in India during the time that Judith was writing this book her offering also has the added gift of recounting what we all experienced. It is a rare blessing.

I am especially thankful that Judith wrote this book. It was very timely to retell Amma's life story and to place it within the context of our changing times (especially with what women have achieved and still must work to gain).

Amma is "Healing the Heart of the World" in giant acts, and also in reaching within the very core of each individual, healing the personal wounds and sufferings of this world.

In the wake of what we now face in our present world there are few books other than this one that have the power to bring insight and change on a global level.

I was on vacation in India for a month and I visited a niece of mine. While talking to her I heard the chanting of Bhajans from the neighborhood and I inquired as to what was going on. She reported that in the neighborhood was a house where the devotees of Mata Amritanandamayi gathered every week and prayed to her in front of a framed photograph of hers. I was curious and went in to ascertain it. There were about 50 men and women seated in front of her picture, chanting hymns. It was an eye-opening experience for me. Earlier in the week, I had passed through the front of the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Cochin and had heard from many about the facilities over there. Now, I decided to learn more about this person considered a saint in India.

Reading through this book helped me to situate the phenomenon of Mata Amritanandamayi. No doubt the book is trying to depict in an objective light this charismatic woman, Amma (Mother) as she is understood and looked upon by thousands of her devotees. As a miracle healer, prophet and mystic she has established her fame. Her world tours have attracted attention to herself as an incarnation of the Divine Mother. By now she has grown into a big institution worthy of attention by the world. Judith Cornell by this book is presenting her along with her ideas and gifts to the western world. She tries to bring in personages familiar to the American readers, like Padre Pio, Bede Griffiths and C G Jung in relating to the ideas and message of this Hindu saint. She also refers to the black Madonna and the Christian understanding of Virgin Mary the Mother of God. The Catholic and Orthodox Christian belief in the Blessed Mother is very different from the concept of the Divine feminine found in Hinduism, though there are some comparisons possible. What Cornell ends up doing is to bring the East and West closer. The story of the rise of Sudhamani, an ordinary girl from the family of a poor fishermen couple on the coast of Kollam, India to the world renowned Mata Amritanandamayi is fascinating. Her story is told as it is known and spoken of around her birthplace, by her family members and her devotees around the world. Her ideas are presented in simple words, understandable to the ordinary folks, though they are typically Hindu in their perspective. The Hindu pantheon could absorb any number of seers and sages as incarnations of the Divine. So there are repeated mentions of Buddha and Jesus Christ in the book.

I found this a valuable book, useful for anyone who wants to know more about the saints and sages of the land of India. It gives one a somewhat objective look at the phenomenon of Mata Amritanandamayi along with her humble past, her mystic experiences and her compassion for the poor; it provides one the opportunity to hear the various opinions of many of her devotees deeply touched by her. All these contribute to the immense popularity of this saint of today, whose activities in favor of the poor are widely recognized.

This book is an excellent introduction to Ammachi's life - especially for a Westerner. For those who already know Amma, the offical biography by Amma's senior disciple might be better.

This book also touches upon the fact that downfall of Indian civilization occurred at the hands of unfriendly external cultures. Notably Arabs from the present-day Afghanistan and later from European Colonials (please note - I draw a distinction between a European and a racist European colonial).

Even a strong economy like America's will collapse if it comes under sustained terrorist attacks over a period of 100 years or more. In a similar fashion the reason for economic depravation of India was not mismanagement by Indians (as another reviewer has written) but sustained attacks on India by violent and unfriendly cultures. A person who wins a war and kills thousands of people cannot be stamped culturally superior to the person who lost the war (on contrary, the more violent and brutal a culture is, more likely it is to go on a successful rampage).

Lastly, one must note in Vedic culture there was no place for skin color and such nonsense. Most of India's ancient saints were black in color (from the description written by their followers).

Casteism was a social order, not a hardened discriminatory practice. In fact the sage who compiled Vedas and wrote Mahabharata - Veda Vyasa - was born to a fisherwoman and not of high caste. Another example is Valmiki - the sage poet who wrote Ramayana - he was a hunter who lived near a forest, but who undertook great penance and became a sage. Through ages Indians and people who respect Indic culture have revered them.

The hardened casteism came about because of external influences in later periods, even then brahmins have never burnt lower-castes or people of other religion at stakes as has happened elsewhere.

I read this book with great interest. Certainly the story of Rama's tale is exciting and one that is recounted many time in the East. However, in reading the story, one thing kept getting in the way: the book keeps praising the virtues of Brahmins non-stop. After a while, this ceaseless glorification of Brahmins became extremely annoying, at least for a non-Indian like me. I am speculating here but the story of Ramayana probably had a big influence in the way the caste system in India evolve through the centuries.

Krishna Dharma's retelling of the Ramayana excels at conveying the greatness of this ancient story. The battles in the story are larger-than-life, the emotions intense.

I was put off a little by Rama's behavior from time to time, especially when you consider who he really is. The outcome of the story was utterly obvious from the moment we become aware of Rama's true identity; however, the twist in the story that occurs near the end caught me off guard.

There are other versions of the Ramayana that I've recently become aware of. One portrays the villain, Ravana, as the real hero; if this were one of Homer's poems, Ravana could definitely qualify as a great hero.

I highly recommend Krishna Dharma's retelling. He knows the story well enough, and is creative enough a writer, to fully convey all the messages and emotions the Ramayana attempts to send your way. The artwork is also very beautiful.

Rama is the most perfect of King Dasarath's sons. He is wise and kind, devout, respectful, and a fearsome warrior. In the course of his youthful exploits he has fallen in love with Sita, who he now brings back in triumph to his father's city of Ayodhya. But, on the very day he is to be named Dasarath's heir, treachery takes place. Banished from Ajodhya by the machinations of one of Dasarath's jealous wives, Rama and Sita undertake an unconceivable adventure to rid the world of evil and return to Rama what is rightfully his.

And so begins one of the oldest and most spectacular adventures in literary history. Perhaps the oldest Indian epic, 'The Ramayana' is a grand story, a cautionary tale, and a vivid picture of the Vedic culture of one of the world's larger countries. This story, like told in 'The Mahabharata,' is deeply embedded in Indian culture. The tales display many of the key beliefs that have shaped Indian thought for centuries. For a student of the area, searching for common threads, they are required reading. For many this is still a text of religious importance. As Dharma quotes, "This legend is the bestower of longevity, the enhancer of fortune, and the dispeller of sins.

Certainly, in addition to these virtues, 'The Ramayana' is a font of creative ideas. For those of us who get bogged down in Western approaches and answers it is an opportunity to see how other cultures have come to deal with questions that are common to all. As such it is a lesson in the ingeniousness of the human mind and the great commonalties of the human spirit. The difference in context and the epic scale can be a source of inspiration as well as outstanding entertainment.

This edition was created by Krishna Dharma, a Vaishnava priest and well-known translator of Sanskrit writings, is not so much a word for word translation as it is a detailed retelling. As such its style and rhythm is better adapted to Western tastes than stricter, more academic fare. On the other hand, Krishna Dharma leaves little out, and truly captures the feeling of the original. As such this is a massive accomplishment. The inclusion of various illustrations, both black and white and color enhance its value and impressiveness. Previous to buying this copy my exposure to the legend has been via excerpts, descriptions, and reenactments. These were adequate to their purpose, but reading the story in its proper sequence has added much to my experience.