Amazon.com
It is the dawn of the 21st century, and the United States has appropriated the entire Earth. So journalist Robert Kaplan writes in his paean to the American fighting man and woman, Imperial Grunts. The U.S. has quietly--with little public debate--forged an empire that is "ready to flood the most obscure areas of it with troops at a moment's notice," writes Kaplan, a correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly magazine who has written 10 earlier books on foreign affairs and travel, including the acclaimed Balkan Ghosts. Imperial Grunts is Kaplan's account of his travels to the frontiers of the U.S. imperium. From the dustbowl of northern Yemen to the coca fields of Colombia and the insurgent hotbed of Fallujah, Kaplan takes readers to the war-torn edges of the U.S. empire and visits with front-line grunts who guard it and try to expand its reach.
"Welcome to Injun Country," is the catchphrase Kaplan hears from all the U.S. soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors we meet. In the view of American troops, they are taming an "unruly" frontier in the tradition of General George Custer. We all know what happened to Custer and, later, to the Native Americans whom the 7th Cavalry was sent out to pacify. But far from criticizing that mission or finding in the analogy any cautionary lesson, Kaplan is an enthusiastic cheerleader for what he baldly calls "American imperialism." He sees it as "humanitarian" and "righteous" and seems to never meet a Green Beret or marine he does not idolize. To Kaplan, U.S. imperialism is unquestionably selfless and heroic, trying only to bring a little taste of freedom to the huddled masses of the world. Imperial Grunts works well as a travelogue but fails to provide deeper insights--or opposing views--about the complex and fascinating places he explores. --Alex Roslin
Book Description
A fascinating, unprecedented first-hand look at the soldiers on the front lines on the Global War on Terror.
Plunging deep into midst of some of the hottest conflicts on the globe, Robert D. Kaplan takes us through mud and jungle, desert and dirt to the men and women on the ground who are leading the charge against threats to American security. These soldiers, fighting in thick Colombian jungles or on dusty Afghani plains, are the forefront of the new American foreign policy, a policy being implemented one soldier at a time. As Kaplan brings us inside their thoughts, feelings, and operations, these modern grunts provide insight and understanding into the War on Terror, bringing the war, which sometimes seems so distant, vividly to life.
Customer Reviews:
Boots on the ground firmly grounded in reality.......2007-10-15
Right off the bat let me say that I have no axe to grind about the military bureaucracy and I'm not looking to make any pronouncements about the war in Iraq. Though I served in the Army over 40 years ago and briefly with Treasury department about five years later, it's safe to say that over a generation later I have little or no clue how these institutions operate these days. Nonetheless, those two episodes introduced me to a bunch of folks who were practical, courageous, innovative, honest and humble. Imperial Grunts is proof that these kinds of people are thankfully still serving our country. I'm grateful to Robert Kaplan for allowing me to spend some time with them again.
The War that Few Hear About.......2007-10-13
Imperial Grunts is a well written book that begins to look at the Global War of Terrorism from a much larger perspective than the normal "military interest" books that are now flooding the market.
In it you begin to see the bigger effort that encompasses not only Iraq and Afghanistan but the whole global community.
These are the stories that you should be hearing about. I highly recommended this book for those who want the "bigger picture".
There is no need to like the author's ideas, but he has worked on them.......2007-09-16
Being fair, one must acknowledge that Mr. Kaplan is not promoting a military state or arguing that the creation of an empire as a good thing. He simply recognizes that war is deeply engrained as a mode to solve disputes among humans and since the U.S, has strategic interest in every corner of the world, sooner that later he will be forced to use it as a policy tool, and in those situations, is better to have a capable and dedicated army than none at all.
On the other hand it is obvious that he professes and admiration for the U.S. military which could more effectively categorized as adoration, which as many other reviewers have correctly pointed out, should make the reader highly suspicious of its equanimity or objectivity.
It seems to me that the author places a lot of effort to avoid rendering a moral judgment on Bush's policies or if the existence of an empire is good or not. He departs form the fact that it is a reality and as such which shall be the ideal role of the US army in its management.
He knows that most readers already have a view on that topic, and it would be useless to convince them otherwise. However he feels that most of the officials and privates he encountered are not in the army because they want to "enjoy the spoils of war" but more likely because of a naive and sort of innocent belief that when their government orders them to give their life for the US it is doing so guided by principles such as freedom, honor and patriotism. That they are deeply mistaken, particularly those serving in Iraq right now is another story.
Energetic, entertaining, and speaks to you.......2007-09-12
I don't know if anyone has told Kaplan he's a gifted writer or not, but someone should have. In this book he takes on the task of not one war, but wars. Not only that, he picks Grunts - 11 bravo as his subject. If you think writing about guys marching, sleeping, eating, and answering nature's call in the rain, mud, and snow is easy, give it a try. To make the task even more difficult, these are totally different people from totally different times in history. About the only thing these guys had in common was the fact they were trying not to get killed while killing others.
Since my newest book, "Kill Me If You Can", about the Vietnam War has come out; I'm asked almost daily the difference between the Vietnam and Iraq wars. The difference is religion. Both of these wars, like all wars, are started for control and profit, but add religion into the mix, and brother, you've got yourself a war. George W. Bush might have started the Iraq War, but he'll not live long enough to see it end, and it's possible that his grandchildren might not either.
This book of Kaplan's shows his ability to bring people and events long since past back to life again. He puts you there on the battlefield and into the minds of the men up front and the sociopats that are out of harms way doing their best to perpetuate the war for power and profit. Here, I'll turn it over to Henry Kissinger and Dick Cheney to explain the thinking of the men behind the scenes.
"Military men are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns for foreign policy." -Henry Kissinger
"Principle is OK up to a certain point, but principle doesn't do any good if you lose." -Dick Cheney
Great window into current military operations........2007-09-07
Mr Kaplan's book is very informative and really struck a cord for me. After performing civil affairs in Ramadi, so many of the trials and tribulations of the soldiers and Marines in Imperial Grunts took on deep meaning and kept making me want to say "Yeah! Thats right!" I think that most Americans don't realize the great weight being put on our fighting forces in terms of US foreign policy. As a company grade officer I've sat in many a meeting with local, Provincial, and national Iraqi politicians, engineers, and sheiks and made desisions that have defined our relationship and our interaction with Iraqi leaders. Don't get me wrong, the General Officers and State Dept reps live and work at a level above me and their decision making effects things at a long-term macro level; but the military rank and file walking the streets and meeting locals in their homes in places like Iraq and Afganistan (and many others!) are making the decisions at the "bleeding edge" of US foreign policy, period. I would recommend this book for anyone involved in Civil Military Operations, Information Operations, US foreign policy decision making, anyone working for or contemplating working for a US State Dept Provincial Reconstruction Team, or anyone that just wants a current and relevant look into how US foreign policy matters are made at the ground level around the world.
Book Description
Let the adventure begin! Ride a camel across the sun-scorched Gobi, feast by moonlight at the bottomless lake of Uureg Nuur, and experience traditional archery and wrestling at the Naadam Festival. Escape to the ends of the earth in the footsteps of the first Mongol nomads. All you need is a strong pair of boots and this bestselling guidebook.
• FIND YOUR WAY - detailed maps and GPS coordinates for hundreds of key sites
• CONNECT WITH THE LOCALS and sleep in a ger, Mongolia's famous felt-tent abode - expanded reviews describe the country's best ger camps
• STRIDE ACROSS THE STEPPES with our inspiring itineraries through the Land of Blue Sky - witness magical monasteries and spectacular ice canyons
• TALK THE TALK - our Language chapter makes communication easy
• GET UNDER THE SKIN of Mongolia with dedicated Culture and History chapters packed with fascinating insights and little-known facts
Customer Reviews:
You'll Be Lost Without.......2007-08-03
This is a great book offering really useful info such as phone numbers, maps, addresses, etc. It even featured a picture of my guide for my horse-trip when he was a wrestler. Amazing.
Sure, the info is getting out of date but anyone who has been to Mongolia will know how impossible it is to keep up with the changes. And keeping in mind that Mongolians don't tend to adhere to strict schedules, you can't expect it to be perfect.
My friend and I went, each carrying this book, and my only regret is that he gave one away.
PS: When desperate for good food, you can always count on the Great Mongolian.
Excellent.......2007-07-09
In the past year I have spent six months in rural Mongolia. There is not much choice of guidebooks in English and we are fortunate that Lonely Planet has put out a small book that nevertheless conveys an awful lot of really good information. My copy was in constant use. On my visits to Ulaan Baatar I found the guide to be indispensable. Practically everything worth visiting was listed and described.
For a lot of western travellers, Mongolia will be a fairly daunting experience. The book identifies potential difficulties and suggests how to minimise problems. That being said, Mongolia is a great place to visit - fascinating coutry and wonderful people.
If you are going to Mongolia, "Don't leave home without it!"
The Best Practical Guide out there.......2007-05-31
Mongolia is a difficult country to travel. No infrastructure, roads, cities, familiar modes of transportation, hotels or food.
This guide is practical and detailed to help plan and execute a safe, memorable, fun trip with out having to spend thousands of $'s on tour groups.
The best guide out there!
Janice Jaffe
Pretty much your only choice...........2007-05-24
This guide is pretty much your only choice when it comes to travel guides of Mongolia. Nevertheless, I found it helpful and up to date everytime I came to rely it during my time in Mongolia.
Mongloia is indeed a huge country and this guide is small, but seemed complete and well researched and presented. Mongolia is indeed a remote place with little in the way of modern conveniences. This book is a good place to start when planning your trip or to find what you are looking for when you are on the road.
Mongolia's development hotly debated.......2006-07-05
I think one of the reasons why this guide book comes in for criticisms has to do with Mongolia's mixed development since the collapse of communism. There was initially a great deal of optimism that the economy would take off and that Mongolia would become another asian tiger. At that time the Ghengis Khan hotel was thrown up. But in fact the country has endured a topsy turvy road to economic stability, with widespread poverty and crumbling infrastructure. People look at China, and its breakneck development, and think Mongolia must be improving at the same pace.
Tourists seeking the sanitised and comfortable journey they can experience in China, end up feeling very disappointed. Tourists must be forewarned: Mongolia is still an adventure destination and one that takes an adventurous spirit to tackle successfully. Don't expect things to work well, or food standards to be high, or the infrastructure to be new. It is a ramshackle country with a fantastic culture and great people.
The people's pride comes in to this. Being a democracy, Mongolians hotly debate the state of their country, and many are not happy with the path taken so far. This pride and anger comes out in its attempts to pretend the place is more advanced than it is, or to take offence when people comment frankly on the true state of the capital. But it is better to tell the truth because then people will know what to expect. I can think of equally volatile debates over guidebooks about the UK. But I had to agree with LP,since its writers point out the true state of a place.
Average customer rating:
- Exquisite - the definitive work on Mongol tantric art
|
Mongolia: The Legacy of Chinggis Khan
Patricia Ann Berger ,
Terese Tse Bartholomew ,
James E. Bosson ,
Heather Stoddard , and
National Geographic Society (U. S.)
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Asian
| Regional
| History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Renaissance
| Schools, Periods & Styles
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
China
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Mongolia
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| China
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Culture
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0500237050 |
Customer Reviews:
Exquisite - the definitive work on Mongol tantric art.......1999-05-21
A stunning compilation in words and pictures, focussing on the arts and culture of the Mongols. Filled with sumptuous full-color plates of thankas and artifacts in museums and collections worldwide, this book traces the rise of Tantric Buddhism within Mongolia and the tremendous transformation in Mongol culture as a result. Featuring some of the finest sculptures to be found within the Buddhist artistic tradition, those created by the first Bogdo Gegen Zanabazar, among a multitude of other examples of the heights to which the Mongolians raised tantric art.
Average customer rating:
- Un-Skeptical
- Major contribution to the development debate
- Finally, someone said it! Long overdue!
- Out of his league
- Excellent account of recent events in Mongolia
|
Modern Mongolia: From Khans to Commissars to Capitalists
Morris Rossabi
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
| Agricultural
| Commercial Policy
| Comparative
| Consolidation & Merger
| Cooperatives
| Debt & Deficits
| Development & Growth
| Econometrics
| Economic Conditions
| Economic History
| Economic Policy & Development
| Exports & Imports
| Free Enterprise
| Inflation
| International
| Labor & Industrial Relations
| Macroeconomics
| Microeconomics
| Money & Monetary Policy
| Natural Resources
| Privatization
| Public Finance
| Statistics
| Sustainable Development
| Theory
| Unemployment
| Urban & Regional
General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Mongolia
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| China
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Hearing Birds Fly: A Nomadic Year in Mongolia
-
Lonely Planet Mongolian Phrasebook
-
Lonely Planet Mongolia
-
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
-
Modern Mongolia: Reclaiming Genghis Khan
ASIN: 0520244192 |
Book Description
Land-locked between its giant neighbors, Russia and China, Mongolia was the first Asian country to adopt communism and the first to abandon it. When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, Mongolia turned to international financial agencies--including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank--for help in compensating for the economic changes caused by disruptions in the communist world. Modern Mongolia is the best-informed and most thorough account to date of the political economy of Mongolia during the past decade. In it, Morris Rossabi explores the effects of the withdrawal of Soviet assistance, the role of international financial agencies in supporting a pure market economy, and the ways that new policies have led to greater political freedom but also to unemployment, poverty, increasingly inequitable distribution of income, and deterioration in the education, health, and well-being of Mongolian society.
Rossabi demonstrates that the agencies providing grants and loans insisted on Mongolia's adherence to a set of policies that did not generally take into account the country's unique heritage and society. Though the sale of state assets, minimalist government, liberalization of trade and prices, a balanced budget, and austerity were supposed to yield marked economic growth, Mongolia--the world's fifth-largest per capita recipient of foreign aid--did not recover as expected. As he details this painful transition from a collective to a capitalist economy, Rossabi also analyzes the cultural effects of the sudden opening of Mongolia to democracy. He looks at the broader implications of Mongolia's international situation and considers its future, particularly in relation to China.
Customer Reviews:
Un-Skeptical.......2007-04-27
I find the comments below by Mr. Bikales disingenuous in light of his position as an economist for the Asian Development Bank, one of the donor organizations responsible for the debacle in Mongolia. Not only does he fail to acknowledge his vested interest in Mongolian development, he makes several specious allegations in an attempt to undermine the character and credibility of the author of "Modern Mongolia." Mr. Rossabi does not have a private plane or live in lavish comfort in New York. His interests in the situation in Mongolia stems from his deep knowledge of Mongolian-Chinese relations and Mongolian history and culture having studied and lectured on these subjects for nearly 40 years. Mr. Rossabi is deeply committed to social and economic justice in Mongolia (and the world in general), and the way he lives his life is a reflection of that.
Mr. Bikales is right about one thing though, Mongolian political leaders do live in the real world - unfortunately that world is often controlled by more powerful invested donors and agencies.
"Modern Mongolia" is the most comprehensive and thoughtful assessment of the situation to date. You may want to read "Bounty from the Sheep" a wonderful autobiography of a nomadic herder translated by Mr. Rossabi's wife, Mary Rossabi, for a more personal look at the plight of the newly "liberated" and thereby impoverished people of Mongolia.
Darren Byler, Grad. Student, East Asian Studies, Columbia University
Major contribution to the development debate.......2005-07-13
Morris Rossabi's Modern Mongolia is an excellent book, an essential read for the development assistance community and a fascinating source for any serious student of comparative politics, international relations, and the history of nation-building in Asia. Rossabi writes from a unique vantage point. As a major historian of China and Mongolia with extensive firsthand experience in the region, he is able to draw upon an extraordinary range of materials to present his analysis of Mongolia in the post-Soviet era. At the same time, this role allows him enough distance from his central subject--the impact of the shock therapy, pure market approach to development--that he can provide an assessment based not on policy intentions but on actual results. And, as he so convincingly demonstrates, rapid, across-the-board privatization with minimal state involvement has resulted in serious degradation of social services, growing income disparities, and deepening poverty, particularly within Mongolia's traditional herding community. This is hardly the outcome desired by any of the people involved in shaping Mongolia's development programs. Rossabi's biggest contribution is to encourage government planners and outside aid donors alike to come up with more Mongolia-specific, innovative solutions in the face of obvious setbacks, solutions that take as a starting point ensuring a minimum safety net for the poor and building the institutional capacity within government to monitor and implement enterprise development efforts. As a China-Japan historian who spent a decade working on World Bank China projects (including the preliminary study for the southwest China poverty reduction project), I find Rossabi's arguments for a history and institutional knowledge based approach to development planning most refreshing. If Modern Mongolia serves to excite discussion and debate, so much the better for Mongolia's future.
Paula Harrell
Finally, someone said it! Long overdue!.......2005-06-30
Modern Mongolia is an excellent book: balanced, easy to read and very insightful. I believe Dr. Rossaby deserves applause for being able to formulate in such a structured way all that new rulers (both Democrats and MPRP) and their advisors (USAID and IMF) inflicted on Mongolia and its people.
For years, rumors and accusations of misappropriation, corruption and erroneous policy decisions floated within the Mongolian society. And the evidence of those stared bluntly into one's face in form of new houses and prosperous companies being owned by government officials, and dire poverty into which almost 1/3 of the population descended. This book brilliantly showed that both Democrats and the MPRP essentially pursued same policies, and one was as corrupt as the other.
More importantly, this book criticized the "help" of the donor community. For too long Mongolia remained the darling of the US and IMF for implementing their advice without question. And for too long the donors lip-served the government on their "achievements". At the same time, the government was constantly undermined by the donors' insistence on certain policies, the benefits of which to the country sometimes were, at best, doubtful.
This book sets the precedent for structured criticism of donor activities in Mongolia. It adds a strong voice to growing demands for reassessment of current policies and priorities.
As a Mongol myself, I am sick and tired of foreigners painting a rosy picture of Mongolia's "democratization", it is time for a book like this!
Out of his league.......2005-06-25
I witnessed many of the events that Rossabi describes and knew many of the intelligent and brave Mongolian policy makers who had to make very tough decisions under extremely difficult circumstances in the 1990's. Rossabi brings nothing to this study except a lot of preconceptions about economics and the role of advisors and international financial institutions. He visited Mongolia only occasionally during those years, has never lived there, does not speak the language, and is in way over his head in this book.
In 2000 the former Communist Party, the MPRP, came back into power in Mongolia with a strong Parliamentary majority. They did not even attempt to undo the economic reforms that had been launched under the Democratic Coalition during the previous four years. In fact, a number of those reforms have been extended further. The reason is not because they were forced to by the IMF et al -- Rossabi does not even realize how he insults the leaders of the country by suggesting that they are puppets or dupes of foreign institutions. The reason is that they, unlike Rossabi, live in the real world and have to make decisions knowing what their real options are, and what the consequences are likely to be.
Rossabi lives in great comfort in New York and every now and then gets on his plane to Ulaanbaatar, where he feels qualified to pass judgment on people who are doing the real work of building a strong modern country. Pass on this one, folks.
Bill Bikales
Excellent account of recent events in Mongolia.......2005-06-23
Dr. Rossabi's account of Mongolia's recent history is a compelling read and excellent starting point for anyone interested in this remote country. This book's well-researched and factually accurate narrative of events and people will prove to be invaluable experience for both researchers and casual readers of contemporary history in the region. Dr. Rossabi's criticism of international donor organizations is well-argumented and long-deserved. It is a welcome change from endless rhetoric and self-righteousness of "experts" and "consultants". Highly recommended!!!
P.S. to "Sceptical": 4 out of 5 Mongols would like to see better reforms and more equitable changes in society, and any support for further changes does not indicates endorsement of policies thus far implemented by both Government and international donor community.
Average customer rating:
|
The Art of Silver Jewellery: From the Minorities of China, The Golden Triangle, Mongolia and Tibet
Rene Van Der Star ,
Ien Rappold ,
Hugo Krijger ,
John Beringen , and
Michiel Elsevier Stokmans
Manufacturer: Skira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Modern
| Schools, Periods & Styles
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Asian
| Regional
| History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Museum of Modern Art
| Exhibition Catalogs
| Museums
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Museums
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Mongolia
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Tibet
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| China
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Jewelry
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Jewelry
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Four Centuries of Silver
-
Silver Speaks: Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East
-
A World of Head Adornment: Africa, Asia, Oceania, America
-
A World of Earrings: Africa, Asia, America (Ghysels Collection)
-
A World of Necklaces: Africa, Asia, Oceania, America
ASIN: 8876243836
Release Date: 2006-04-04 |
Book Description
This book and exhibition presents over 250 silver necklaces, and earrings - objects of ceremonial beauty and originality created by tribal peoples of China. Four catalog essays by leading experts illuminate the context creation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and also provide valuable background information for designers, historians, collectors and dealers. In addition to images of the jewelry itself, the volume includes a selection of collect ethnic textiles and other field photographs that puts the jewelry in full ethnological context. Details information an object includes dimensions, weight, material, function, and area of origin. This sumptuous volume is the most comprehensive study of the region’s jewelry available and is essential for anyone with an interest in the complete heritage of China.
Customer Reviews:
Minority Silver of China.......2007-01-05
An excellent overview of the silver jewelry of the minority tribes of China, it also addresses clothing and textiles. The photos are superb, with some elements shown larger than actual size. This book would be of interest to both collectors and artisans. The items depicted are from the Rene van der Star Collection. That is the same collection showcased in the book Ethnic Jewellery from Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands. As with the latter book, a number of experts on ethnic jewelry contributed to the total effort, each writing in his particular area of expertise.
Book Description
Outer Mongolia is one of the few places on earth where travelers can still explore with a true sense of adventure. Vast tracts of this "land of blue sky"can be discovered on the back of horse or camel for an authentic cultural experience in the style of Genghis Khan's mounted army, or in the comfort of four-wheel drive. Comprehensive coverage of the opportunities for riding, climbing, fishing, biking, and rafting are provided for this top global destination for adventure tourism. Details of the best ways to enjoy Mongolia's festivals are also brought to the fore, especially the famed Naadam--the colorful annual celebration of wrestling, archery, and horse riding, and Tsaagan Sar--the Mongolian New Year. Mongolian hospitality is legendary, making responsible travel and Bradt's customary "giving something back" advice especially relevant for travelers.
Customer Reviews:
Not meant for backpackers.......2005-08-30
When I decided on buying this book over the standard travel books, like the Lonely Planet series, I was looking for something different and perhaps more personal it its descriptions. This book is certainly informative and includes personal descriptions (often at the sacrifice of more usable information), but it really didn't do a good job of representing what I saw in Mongolia. The price estimates were extremely over-inflated (a welcome surprise), and the maps didn't help at all. I suspect this book is meant for a different type of traveler, and not the young backpacker set which I was among in Mongolia. Its still a good read, but should not be the lone source of travel info. about this magnificent country.
Amazon.com
It's better to travel to Mongolia in summer than in winter. In summer the temperatures can hit 115 degrees Fahrenheit, but that's easier to survive than the -40 of January. Both are preferable to spring, though, when, John Man writes in this vivid story of wilderness adventure, "brutal cold gives way to sand-blasting gales that can flay exposed skin and strip the paint from a car."
Man has seen these Mongolian weathers up close, wandering around this vast country in search of its peculiar wildlife--a menagerie that includes rare wild camels and horses, mountain sheep, wolves, desert bears, and the elusive snow leopard. With the fall of Communism in the early 1990s, Man writes, Mongolia's economy had collapsed. Mongolians had responded, as always in times of stress, by leaving their cities and returning to the countryside to live off the land. In the late 1990s, with the economy improving, Mongolians were going back to their offices and shops, but with a new determination to protect the backcountry from the excesses of development that had ravaged neighboring China and Russia. As a result, the Mongolian government had taken an unusual step: not only would it encourage preservation by creating huge national parks and wilderness preserves, but it would also declare the entire, vast nation a special biosphere reserve, attracting both ecotourism and funding from international wildlife organizations.
The plan worked. And, Man is happy to report, Mongolia's wildlife seems to be thriving in a time when wild nature is in decline around the world. Armchair travelers and conservationists alike will find his book to be inspiring reading. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
Following in the footsteps of the few who have trod the Gobi desert, the author relives its extraordinary history and portrays the world's last great wildernessin all its variety.This is an extremely rich book which uses firsthand experiences of travelling in Mongolia for two months with nomads, herdsman, and paloentologists to relive the past of this extraordinary wilderness, and to explore the Gobi as it is today.
Customer Reviews:
Window to a surprising corner of the world.......2000-05-23
The author's somewhat standard travelogue visit to Mongolia is escalated to excellence through two key things: the detail he provides about a little-documented country, and the insight that bridges Western concepts of society and natural beauty with those of Mongolia.
It may help a great deal to be interested in Mongolia or Central Asia before you pick up this book, but if you have even the slightest interest in the area Man will draw you in completely. While at first you might consider reading the book to learn about Mongolia without going there, Man paints in this blank corner of most people'e world view so well that you wish for much more contact with the country and its people.
Book Description
Part travelogue and part historical recreation of the legendary journey of the barbaric Mongol warrior Genghis Khan, the author employs his trademark wit and insight to offer a rare glimpse of a region seldom seen by Westerners and attempts to retrace the great Khan's westward sweep of conquest.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Mix of Mongolian Travel and History.......2004-01-17
In this book Tim Severin is not really searching for Genghis Khan himself, as the title states, but for traces of the lifestyle and traditions in the modern world that have been inspired by the great leader. Severin traveled throughout the vast and sparse nation of Mongolia, mostly by horse and in the company of herdsmen who still lived the semi-nomadic lifestyle that had endured for centuries. Severin includes fascinating descriptions of the harsh Mongolian landscapes and good character sketches of his companions. An added bonus is coverage of the semi-autonomous Kazakh people of the western part of the country, along with interesting ruminations on the death throes of Communism that were developing at the time. Interspersed with the travelogue are an engaging history of the Mongolian people and a compendium of knowledge of Genghis Khan and his conquering exploits. On the bad side, Severin is not a very strong writer (or needs a better editor), and he is often unnecessarily judgmental. This is evident in cruel conclusions about a member of the expedition named Ariunbold, a bureaucrat whose poor leadership deserved criticism, but Severin gets personal. The final chapter should probably be ignored as Severin passes judgment on the character and intelligence of the Mongolian people and the effects of their vast history, giving rather condescending pontifications of another people's culture and history. Fortunately, interesting tales of the Mongolian people and their intriguing landscape and history keep this book mostly enjoyable. [~doomsdayer520~]
Amazon.com
In the steady hands of poet George Crane, previously unknown Zen master Tsung Tsai comes off as truly extraordinary. A "poet, philosopher, house builder, scientist, doctor, and when necessary, kung fu ass-kicker," Tsung Tsai would still be wandering about anonymously if it were not, Crane says, for the need of financing provided by an advance on this book. The last of the monks from his Chinese monastery, Tsung Tsai felt he had to return one last time to find and honor his master's bones and rekindle his tradition. Crane recounts their joint adventure, opening with Tsung Tsai's harrowing decades-earlier escape from newly communist China, walking from Inner Mongolia to Hong Kong through a war-torn, famine-struck, psychotic land, nearly starving along the way. Crane, a self-styled hedonist ne'er-do-well, who says that meditation makes him nauseous, sets the stage for an entrancing buddy story back to China with this highly disciplined but carefree Zen master. As their mutual affection grows, Crane absorbs Tsung Tsai's spare but demanding philosophy, which sustains them through the base poverty of northern China, a life-threatening 18-hour climb up and down a treacherous mountain, and a confrontation with a master of black magic. A page-turner and an eye-opener, Bones of the Master is worth every penny of that advance. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
In 1959 a young monk named Tsung Tsai (Ancestor Wisdom) escapes the Red Army troops that destroy his monastery, and flees alone three thousand miles across a China swept by chaos and famine. Knowing his fellow monks are dead, himself starving and hunted, he is sustained by his mission: to carry on the teachings of his Buddhist meditation master, who was too old to leave with his disciple.
Nearly forty years later Tsung Tsai — now an old master himself — persuades his American neighbor, maverick poet George Crane, to travel with him back to his birthplace at the edge of the Gobi Desert.
They are unlikely companions. Crane seeks freedom, adventure, sensation. Tsung Tsai is determined to find his master's grave and plant the seeds of a spiritual renewal in China. As their search culminates in a torturous climb to a remote mountain cave, it becomes clear that this seemingly quixotic quest may cost both men's lives.
Customer Reviews:
Two poets on a multi-level adventure . . ........2007-06-23
Not just a good travel story, but truly a great joint adventure between two poets who meet by "chance" as neighbors outside of Woodstock, NY.
George Crane the Poet falls under the mentoring spell of Tsung Tsai, poet and Ch'an monk, who is intrepidly determined to return to his Master's burial spot in Northern China. The adventure starts heating up as the two poets circumvent the Chinese authorities to finally climb Wolf Mountain and find the cave where the bones of the Master are buried.
Crane's storytelling powers are Big League - this is an extraordinary, multi-level narration. Tsung Tsai is depicted as he really is: with his broken English ("Hurry-worry no good"); the sufferings he endured fleeing from Mao's Red Guard; and the supreme faith that sustains him and his pilgrimage back to his past.
This is a story about friendship and mentorship; these two characters are far above allowing a master/disciple relationship to occur. However, their interactions do have faint echos of the Don Juan/Castaneda apprenticeship. Crane tries hard to get "It", and that furthers the dynamic of this spiritual adventure.
There are 2 seekers here: the monk-poet on a spiritual quest to recapture his past; and the New York Jewish poet in quest of adventure and a muse.
This book is strong and good because it is a synthesis of many aspects of life: adventure, history, poetry, religion, and cross-cultural studies.
This writing works because of the relationship these two men develop, sustained by their love of poetry.
Highly recommended.
Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts
A religious adventure of multilevel reading.......2006-06-05
It's difficult to say something original after 58 reviews! A book that get's so many is probably worth it.
Let's start from the title "Bones of the Master", relics? A Christian would call them that. The corporal spoils of a saint are relics. To our modern christian mind the adoration of relics has something of medieval flavour and the translation of body rests seems really out of our time. To a Buddist monk this practice has perfect sense and so it seems to us when we are immersed in his cultural world. However, while we read we find out that the goal is not the fact in itself but the Way, the actions, the intentions, the experiences and so it dawns on our mind how religions are very similar. This is the principal reflection I made putting down this book, after a passionate and absorbing read.
Since to remember I must cathegorize I firmly settled this book in the cathegory of "disciple and master" and I went back to my adolescent enthusiasm with Castaneda and Don Juan. I also brought back to mind the only book on buddist monks I read years ago: The third eye by Lobsang Rampa. A rapid internet search revealed that maybe Don Juan never existed and Lobsang Rampa was an english plumber. Reading the amazon reviews I found out that readers before me had experienced the same emotions. To believe or not to believe, does Tsung Tsai exist or not?
But really these considerations are outside the pure emotion and pleasure of reading the book. It's a wonderful and absorbing tale, it teaches us something about Zen, about Chinese history, about Inner Mongolia, it makes us want to know more. I personally took down all the books on Buddism from my father's and my brothers libraries and have them stacked on my night table.
The appeal these kind of books have for westeners probably depends on the fact that one has the impression of being able to understand a different civilization. But deep insight escapes because our differences in backround are enormous. George Crane underlines this point with great determination and much humor, showing us how reciprocal acceptance must be the rule in our multiethnical reality. Another point of interest is the emphasis on translation, and especially the translation of poetry which is the first interaction between master and disciple. To understand a different culture we have to be able to translate it into our own language. Translation as an exercise in comprehension.
Another notation on language. The titles of the chapters are a poem of their own and very Zenish indeed. The broken english spoken by Tsung Tsai is beatifully rendered. How to forget: "Hurry-worry no good"?
A truely enchanting book !
Crane is everyman........2005-12-21
It is because of the humaness of the author that I found this book particularly fascinating. He is at once a seeker and a self confessed liar. Who of us isn't? I am so dreary of all of these books by those who have all of the answers. Crane, like the rest of us, doesn't even profess to know the questions. How refreshing. For all of us with the spirit of wanderlust and the desire to know things we can't even express, Crane is our very capable guide. May the god of his choice bless him.
A book a read twice.......2005-04-02
This book is about a man's eternal quest to retrace his past and rekindle the fires which forged his identity. I enjoyed reading this book due to its aesthetic qualities. Crane writes in a very simple way, however the ideas that the book covers are no way near simple. It starts off with human suffering, in the middle it depicts the struggle against life and its worst case scenarios and finally it brings us to a point where Tsung Tsai comes to terms with all that which he has been put through.
The book covers a lot of events during pre-communist china; what people where put through and it really draws a lot of vivid images with respect to that.
Crane is exceptional at setting the context of events, his portrayal of the physical environment through his perspective (as he goes with the Monk) and also from the perspective of Tsai gives two different and yet valid views on the same subject.
This, although very subtle really draws a rich picture in which the story is set. Its a good book.
a beautifully perfect book.......2005-03-22
I have not read a novel that captured me so much for many years.
It is beautifully, simply and perfectly written. all the right things are said and the unsaid is equally present.
a perfect balance between the story and the telling of it.
Congratulations George Crane and Tsung Tsai!
This story would make a captivating movie under the right director.
I too wonder why this is not a best seller!
I predict this book will become a classic and one day soon it WILL be a bestseller.
Customer Reviews:
a must HAVE.......2005-08-09
this is a MUST HAVE book .... great to refer to as you plow through Mongolian Travel and Adventure Books..... I'm thrilled to own it! Glad it was 'finally' published!
Encyclopedia of Mongolian and the Mongol Empire.......2004-09-26
This is a gem of historical history of the all of the Mongols, when I mean all, I mean all - Western, Eastern, Southern, and Northern tribes from early times to the present. The book is organized alphabetically and references are made so the reader can obtain further information after each topic.
Kudos to C. Atwood in putting this together!
I would recommend this for all Mongols and non-Mongols to crasp the impact of The Mongol Empire!
If you're Mongol, you may even pick up some knowlege about your own tribal lineage.
Books:
- Inferno
- Jeep Wagoneer/Comanche/Cherokee 1984-98 (Chilton's Total Car Care Repair Manual)
- Learning Autodesk Maya 8|Foundation +DVD
- Lonely Planet New Zealand
- Lonely Planet Peru
- Management Information Systems for the Information Age with CD and MISource
- Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
- Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire
- Mein Kampf
- Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Administrator's Companion
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- History: Fiction or Science
- The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts
- Lab Manual to accompany Introductory Plant Biology
- Membrane Technology and Applications
- Richard Meier: The Getty Center
- The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
- The Old World Kitchen: The Rich Tradition of European Peasant Cooking
- Houses of bark
- Italian Architecture from Michelangelo to Borromini: From Michelangelo to Borromini
- An illustrated fern flora of the West Himalaya
Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts: The American Military in the Air, at Sea, and on the Ground
America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (Vintage)
No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah
A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War
