Customer Reviews (12)

Every Aquarium Owner Should See This Book
Besieged by ugliness in the aquariums that you've seen? Grown tired of the neon plants and gravel in every color of the rainbow-type typical petstore displays? This book is the answer.

Breathtaking photos and exacting descriptions (of both the photography techniques and the plants, stones, substrates, etc. used to create the scenes are included. I would've given it the full 5 stars, but..like most amazing 'how-to' books, these scenes are more of a nirvana that aqariums could wish to attain instead of practical set-ups for Joe everyman. However, even the lush (and very expensive) plant materials and displays can serve as inspiration for current or potential aquarium owners to harmonize their little underwater worlds with nature...instead of masking it over with horrid fluorescent colors.

With out a second thought the most amazing aquarium book.
For years I have bought books to try and increase my minimal knowledge of aquarium plants. The book did not have all the information I hoped but the designs are so striking that anyone who reads the book, tank lover or not will be moved by the beauty created within.A keeper.

Inspirational Work - but not a brginner's guide
All of Amano books are extremely beautiful and inspiring. They provide fodder for designing amazing planted aquariums. He uses an approach similar to Japanese gardening and arrangement. He incorporates both traditional modes and natural landscape.

However, I only gave it four stars because Anamo's description of his technical skills and planning is very limited. His explanations require some basic aquarium knowledge like nitrogen cycles, plant and animal compatibility, and basic water chemistry.

This is perfect for an intermediate aquarium hobbyist. It also works as a great coffee table book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals / Pets   2. Fish & Aquariums   3. Pets   

Customer Reviews (1)

The easy way to have your own Japanese garden!
I've always wanted to have my own Japanese garden but whenever I bought a book on the subject it was just too complicated and complex to understand. Takashi Sawano has managed to write a book for those of us who aren't born gardeners! It's easy to understand and now I have a fabulous Japanese garden that all my friends rave about. I really can't recommend this book enough. If you want an authentic Japanese garden that looks like it's straight out of Japan then buy this book and you can do it all on your own! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening   2. Gardening / Horticulture   3. Gardening/Plants   4. Japanese Gardens - General   

Subjects:  1. American Historical Fiction   2. Americans   3. Asian American Novel And Short Story   4. Fiction   5. Fiction - Historical   6. Historical - General   7. History   8. Japan   9. Restoration, 1853-1870   10. Women missionaries   11. Women translators   12. Fiction / Historical   

Customer Reviews (77)

A Great book! Can't wait for the next one, Matsuoka-sama!
After reading Musashi, Shogun and Gai-Jin, I was looking for more books on Samurai. I'm glad I picked up Cloud of Sparrows, it is a really good read, it draws you in from the beginning and never lets up! I didn't intend to write a review, but I was so surprised at the bitterness of some reviewers toward this novel and its author that I had to try and bump up the overall rating.
Other reviewers got into detailing the plot and the characters, so I won't do that. Besides, giving up too much will only ruin the pleasure of reading it. Do not let the few who gave it a bad review discourage you, they are too sensitized by these PC times! Life was harsh in the past! As for those who moan about a gunslinger in late 1800s Japan - hey, it's fiction, not fact!
Enjoy this captivating read for what it is: pure escapism.

A very good debut
This was a thoroughly enjoyable book and an excellent inaugural effort by author Takashi Matsuoka.

Though the frequent flashbacks and scene cuts were a bit distracting, the overall story captivated me and I was eager to keep reading further and further.

Lord Genji, Great Lord of Akaoka, as his ancestors before him, has the gift of prophecy. Among other things, he has seen that an outsider will save his life. Coincidentally (or perhaps not?), three Americans have arrived in Japan to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Japan. But are their true intentions to spread the word of God or do they have ulterior motives? At the same time, the Shogun's secret police chief has been plotting Genji's death because of an ancestral feud started centuries ago. Moreover, civil war seems all but inevitable as clans begin to question the Shogun's power and judgment with the impending outsider invasion.

Samurai, geisha, ninja, revenge, love, honor, deceit abound. What's not to like?

I look forward to future works from Takashi Matsuoka and I highly recommend this book.

Not well-researched at all
The thing I liked about Shogun and Clavell's other works was the detailed research effort that went into each novel. I'm afraid Matsuoka doesn't deliver on the same level. He basically co-opts Clavell's Gai-Jin plot and then tries to overlay a real 17th Century Japanese historical event, the pivotal Battle of Sekigihara, onto the late Tokugawa landscape. I'm afraid it doesn't work for me or anyone else who knows history, since the samurai were almost gone by the time of the late Tokugawa shogunate. The same can be said for Stark, the American gunfighter who comes to Japan to hunt down a ruthless American desperado, hiding out as a buddhist monk no less! Ha! Ha! Excuse me, but I just have to laugh at this improbable nonsense. Add to that, Lord Genji's strange psychic abilities and you've got the makings of a good soap opera, or anime movie, but not an historical action adventure. The other reviewers said it best: James Clavell remains the undisputed master of this genre. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction   2. Fiction - Historical   3. Historical - General   4. Fiction / Historical   5. Reading Group Guide   

Customer Reviews (17)

Ryunosuke is a dark genius
I really can't describe it in great detail, but his cynical themes, though I may not agree with them entirely, are fantastically placed in all his tales. Rashomon, the actual story the book is named after is usually overlooked because the fantastic work "In a Grove" is what took its name. In a Grove is an awesome story which shows how four different people view the exact same thing, but Rashomon itself is also good. The story is an ironic type, showing that no matter how low people can go in society, worst exists. Saddening but true themes are manifested in this book, which makes it a much needed book to have if you like excellent stories.

Masterpiece in Short Story
Roshomon, written in 1952, is truly genius in storytelling. From Japanese author Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Roshomon (the story which I write about is titled "In a Grove") deals with a murder and the trial that takes place. Essentially it demonstrates that no point of views are ever alike. The killer, the witnesses, the girl and the dead himself all testify to what 'really' happened. Of course, in such an incident, no one has any story that seems equal to anothers. Reality, is whats being demonstrated, is subjective due by the fact that no one has an all-seeing point of view. The story is simple, yet well written. It moves along smoothly and swiftly.

The stories that make up the rest of the book I did not read, for this story was suggested by psychologist Paul Watzlawick who was inspired by the multiple point of view story telling. This story was also made into a film by Japanses master film maker Akira Kurosawa, which is also highly reccomended. Great story telling, and reccomeded for anyone who loves short stories with a psychological twist. Remarkable!

Despair, hope and luxurious soups
This is the second Ryunosuke Akutagawa book that I have read, the first one being "Kappa." The change in tone was a bit of a shock for me, for whereas "Kappa" is a wry, witty political commentary, the stories collected in "Rashomon and Other Stories" are bleak and brilliant.

Each of the stories, while very short indeed, packs a powerful punch. Akutagawa managed to condense despair into its basest elements, then packaged it raw and hurting, yet beautiful and human. The title story, "Roshomon," is a scant 9 1/2 pages long yet you would not wish for a single extra word to be included.

Of course, not all the stories in this collection are so dismal. The longest tale, "Yam Gruel," shows something of the wittiness and lightness of "Kappa." Some of the stories, such as the catholic influenced, "The Martyr," might be considered uplifting if you take a spiritual lesson from it. "In the Grove," the story that is the basis for the Kurosawa film "Rashomon," is an engaging story on the truth and ego and interpretation. But bleak nonetheless.

The translation of "Rashomon and Other Stories" is excellent, and captures the style and intent beautifully. It is a very old translation, as can be shown by the translator feeling the need to include a note explaining what "sushi" is.

My single complaint about this book is that, for the price, it is very small indeed. It could have contained at least double the amount of Akutagawa short stories, which certainly exist, and been a better collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asian - General   2. Fiction   3. Fiction - General   4. Historical - General   5. Short Stories (single author)   6. Modern fiction   7. Short stories   

Subjects:  1. Cinema/Film: Book   2. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General   3. Film & Video - Direction & Production   4. Film & Video - History & Criticism   5. Films, cinema   6. Performing Arts   7. Pop Arts / Pop Culture   

Customer Reviews (7)

Colour selection
This is by far the worst book i do own on Amano's wonderful tanks. Pictures are poorly printed and the overall impression is deceptive.

Amano is nothing if not inspiring
I think Amano's critics tend to overlook the fact that he is a photographer, not a botanist or icthyologist. Even though his technical skills and knowledge of his craft are profound and probably rival, if not exceed, some of the "experts" in the field, he is first and foremost an artist.

An exceptional artist.

He has taken his love and respect of nature, reduced it to it's essentials and fleshed it out with a personal, subtle spirituality that is conveyed in all of his books, and this one is no exception.....

....as long as you can overlook the typos and printing errors.

I don't understand why the publisher would spend the money for spot gloss and good stock, yet overlook glaring alignment and spelling errors, but as previously mentioned by other reviewers, this book does seem hastily put together. It's not horrid though, and unfortunately it seems that all Japanese books translated for the American market suffer in much the same way, regardless of their genre.

If you are looking for in-depth technical how-to's and plant information, you will not find it here. However, it's obvious that was not what this book was intended to be in the first place, so it seems unfair to hold it up to that standard.

Despite the poor translation and the brevity of the technical information, I think this book can come in handy for the beginning aquatic plant enthusiast, and is a nice low-cost introduction to Takashi Amano. This book emphasizes smaller tanks with smaller, easy-to-keep fish (mostly), gives a broad overview of each tank and provides the basic groundwork for providing a pleasing tank layout. All this in 64 pages for $...- not bad, especially considering that it's more of an art book than a technical manual in the first place.

If this book was more expensive, I'd be harsher in my review of it. However, I think for the price, it certainly delivers.

Great photos, poor information
I was vary disapoited with this book. It lacked information, jumped around with subjects, and focused more on aesthetic reasons and left out many of the "basics" of aqutic gardining, such as plant profiles, nutriant levels, and CO2 tips. It's more like a picture book than a guide book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals / Pets   2. Aquarium plants   3. Fish & Aquariums   4. Flowers - General   5. Pets   

Customer Reviews (6)

Beautiful pictures but horrible for information
I got this book and I was suprized to find out that it had very little information whatsoever as to how his tanks were set up and the techniques he uses. I would not recommend this book for anything other then something nice to look at and wish that you hand the time to put into making your own tanks look like that.

Obviously part III
Important to note this is part III in the series. If you own part one, this is a nice addition. If you don't own part one, get it first. It's the best of Amano's photo books. Yes, these are well photographed coffee table books, not manuals to "do it yourself," although they do give you a lot of good info to work with.

The plant names don't correspond with Western plant names. You'll have to ID things yourself based on the photographs.

A great book of inspiration once you know the essentials of aquatic plantscaping & fishkeeping.

Amano's tanks are a living work of art. If you're already into freshwater planted fishtanks, get this book! After you've bought book one, Nature Aquarium World, of course

Nature Aquarium World : Book 3
Its important to note that this book is a series of photographs. There is not very much information to read except how the author looks after the tanks. The photographs are awe inspiring and its worth a place on anyone's bookshelf. The author works WITH nature to set up these tanks and the results are stunning. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals / Pets   2. Fish & Aquariums   3. Pets   4. Reference   

Customer Reviews (2)

A very good appetizer of a book but...
A good, well written, well translated overview of the various Japanese breeds, including the popular Shiba and Akita. The photos are gorgeous and I wish there were more. If I had one complaint about this book, it's that it left me wanting to read, and look at, more, so hence the not-quite-top rating. Also, this book presents the profoundly moving story of the legendary Hachiko and a few other tales of amazing dogs.

Great History and stories
This book does what the title says - describe Japanese dogs in good pictures and summaries. I've only owned a Shiba but I agree with EVERYTHING the author wrote about them. I also liked the tid-bits on dogs in the Asian region because I've run into a few Korean Jindo dogs. Her stories at the end were great to emphasize the 'personalities' of each breed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals / Pets   2. Dogs - Breeds   3. General   4. Pets   

Subjects:  1. History - Military / War   2. History: World   3. Military - World War II   4. Personal narratives   5. Sino-Japanese Conflict, 1937-1   6. Sino-Japanese Conflict, 1937-1945   7. World War, 1939-1945   

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. General   4. Photoessays & Documentaries   5. Popular Culture - General   

Customer Reviews (2)

I love this book...
I've seen some of Murakami's works in New York and at the Grand Central Station, and I must say that they're a wonderful twist on your typical 20th century pop art. A great bio on his life and works. I love DOB and Hiropon! God Bless the Hiropon Factory!

Surreal Shiny Pop Tart Explosion
TMNM presents a recent exhibition of the work of Takashi Murakami, a rising star in the Japanese art world. His work uses a wide range of media, including huge latex balloons, hypersexual life size sculptures and even merchandise produced in his Warhol-like Factory. His artistic style combines elements of surrealism, vibrant pop, and the irrepressible energy of manga (comic books and films characterized most recognizably by the large eyed women, giant robots, and high levels of detail provided in exchange for halting, sequential rather than fluid movement.) TMNM provides a good introduction for americans catching their first glimpse at this formidable talent. The book consists of two halves, the first features essays by Amanda Cruz, Midori Matsui, and Dana Friis-Hansen which attempt to interpret if not explain Murakami's works. While all were very thorough, each relied heavily on obuse art-speak, fine for those with some experience in the field but it may prove too much at times for casual appreciators of the arts. The second half features a series of high quality full color prints of the artist's work. The photographer does an amiable job of presenting the three dimensional installations, providing detail shots where neccesary, however at least one plate (DOB in the Strange Forest) is too dingy in some places and while in others the lights bouncing off the sculpture's surface further obscure fine detail. The book overall is quite good, and an excellent addition to the collection of anyone who appreciates pop art or anime. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1962-   2. Art   3. Art & Art Instruction   4. Asian   5. Contemporary Art   6. Exhibitions   7. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)   8. Individual Artist   9. Murakami, Takashi,   10. Art / General   11. Murakami, Takashi   

Customer Reviews (3)

JUST WONDERFUL!!!
This is one of the most beautiful and outstanding japanese cook book.

A Piece of Junk!
The forward of this book by Charlie Trotter should have been a warning to me to avoid purchasing. But I didn't based on the stars. For those of you who haven't been to Trotter's or have been living on Mars, Charlie Trotter is the king of hype in restaurants. This book is also the king of hype. Both authors are not chefs but designers, the recipes are short on technique (if at all)and long on art signifying absolutely nothing! Example: 'Grilled Oysters on the Half Shell': Open the oyster and place shells on the grill until cooked, add a drop of soy and serve with Sudachi(Japanese Citrus). Recipe is on one whole page and poorly shot picture is on the facing page. Need I say more. Avoid this book at all costs. -Dick

Finally!
If you have ever visited one of their excellent restaurants, Shunju in Tokyo, you know what I mean. Not only their simple, yet very creative Japanese food, this book introduces you the essence of what makes their food special. If you want to learn and appreciate the sprit of Japanese food beyound Sushi and Tempura, this is the book for you. The photographs are beautiful, and cooking methods are very easy to follow. I highly recommend this book for any food lover. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery, Japanese   2. Cooking   3. Cooking / Wine   4. Regional & Ethnic - Asian   5. Regional & Ethnic - Japanese   6. Shunju (Restaurant group)   

Subjects:  1. Asian   2. Buddhism - Zen   3. Chinese poetry   4. Haiku   5. Japanese poetry   6. Poetry   7. Translations into English   8. Zen poetry   

Customer Reviews (34)

Whoa...
Koji Suzuki, Ring (Vertical, 1991)

So you've seen The Ring. Or, better yet, the Japanese film Ringu. Or both. (You should watch both. See Ringu first.) Or you haven't. It doesn't matter. You must read Ring.

The story is relatively similar, but both Nakata and Verbinski took very large liberties with the original text (for example, both made Asakawa's character female-- which allowed the world to get weak-kneed at seeing Nanako Matsushima and Naomi Watts gracing screens again, but was otherwise seemingly gratuitous), including some major messing with the backstory. So if you've seen the films, the book will be familiar, but will still end up being a whole new experience.

Asakawa is a reporter. He was disgraced a couple of years ago during a sudden, unexplained outburst of popularity of stories about the occult in Japan (though you don't find out exactly how early on). One night, on the way home, he catches a cab, and he and the driver strike up a conversation about an event that happened a month previously to the cabdriver: a kid on a motorbike died of sudden heart failure. The death is eerily similar to that of Asakawa's niece on the same night. And from that coincidence, Asakawa starts to research the connection between the two deaths, which turns out to be far more than he bargained for.

What made for a creepily effective thriller on screen actually reads more like a hardboiled detective thriller (those familiar with the premise will note the obvious similarity to certain crime films of the past, notably D. O. A.). Suzuki keeps the horrors even farther offscreen than did Nakata (and the difference in the "revelation" at the end will surely startle those who are expecting the same kind of special-effects extravaganza Nakata used as a payoff), focusing on the mystery and the bond between Asakawa and his best friend, Ryuji, who gets involved in the investigation with him.

The book's flaws are minor, and conducive to mystery writing. Asakawa's edtor is a dead ringer for Tony Vincenzo (the editor in "Kolchak: The Night Stalker"), and a few of the other minor characters are about as shallow. Still, there are less obvious "kill me" characters running around, and the minor characters aren't really given enough screen time to make it an issue.

Compelling, well-written, expertly translated, and full of twists, even for those who have seen the movie. Highly recommended, and a shoo-in for this year's ten-best list. **** ½

A great read!
After seeing both Ringu and The Ring, I had to read the novel that inspired it all. It's the same basic story from the movies: people watch a strange video and die exactley seven days later. The beginning of the book should be familiar to those who have seen the movies. However, as the story continues, it proves to be very different from either film. It's intricate, creepy, mysterious, captivating and often quite disturbing. The translation is very smooth despite what you may have heard and it was an easy read. It's such a great modern horror tale that's written so well, you'd think it could actually happen. If you've seen the film, read the book to see where it all started. Can't wait for the next book in the trilogy: SPIRAL

Added Substance to the Well-Known Plot
Being a big fan of both "Ringu" and its American remake "The Ring," I was intrigued to read the book that started it all. As one might suspect, much of the plot will be very similar to those who have seen one or both of the films. However, the book does hold a few of it's own surprises.

Asakawa is a reporter who unintentionally comes across a story while taking a cab home from work. The cabdriver is explaining how a young man died on the street one day right next to his car. The day and time he notes that the event took place is the same day and time that Asakawa's niece died. Both deaths were described as sudden heart failure. Odd coincidence? Further digging reveals that two other young adults died the same night, at approximately the same time, from the same strange unknown cause. Asakawa's investigation leads him to a resort in the woods, where he discovers and watches the infamous mysterious videotape with the odd, surreal images. Asakawa enlists the aid of his friend Ryuji, a philosophy professor, to help him solve the riddle and save his life. Together they are in a race against time to survive an ill fate.

The two gradually peel away layers of a distant past, and a child named Sadako who was known to have psychic powers. What is Sadako's wish? What is the ultimate purpose of her tape? Will Ryuji and Asakawa discover the truth in time to save themselves?

Some of the differences between the book and the movies are small, such as the fact that the main character in both films was female while the reporter and main character in the book is a male. In addition, the age difference between the reporter's child in both films was slightly older than the child in the book. However, there are some major differences as well. I loved the differences in the plot surrounding Sadako and her mother, as well as the video Sadako mentally produced. The process of discovery varies immensely as well in the book, and for the better in my opinion. The book did a wonderful job of keeping the tension level high as Ryuji and Asakawa painstakingly researched every tidbit of information they could ascertain from the videotape. Every aspect every step of the way is described with great detail and in a way that is easily understood by the reader. The author never asks the reader to take any great logical leaps. Yet another big difference is the way that the deaths of Sadako's victims are described. Clearly the directors of both versions of the film took a great deal of artistic liberty in this area, which is what was needed in order to make this book into a scarier film. Don't get me wrong, the story is still quite intense and even scary. However, it is quite different in the form of text. Suzuki focuses on the thrills and the detective-like inquiry rather than the in-your-face horror and vividly gory description that might have detracted from the plot. Furthermore, the bond between Ryuji and Asakawa and their clashing personalities are expertly described and make for an intriguing side-plot.

Overall this is a great book that any fan of the movies, or even horror or suspense in general, should definitely read. Koji Suzuki gives the reader a slightly different and highly unique spin on the well-known films that should not be over-looked. I most definitely look forward to reading "Spiral" and "Loop" next! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comics & Graphic Novels   2. Fiction - Fantasy   3. Fiction - General   4. General   5. Graphic Novels - Horror   6. Graphic Novels - Manga   7. Horror   8. Fiction, Graphic Novels, General   

Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government   2. History & Theory - General   3. International Relations - General   4. Political Ideologies - Democracy   5. Political Science   6. Politics - Current Events   7. Politics/International Relations   8. Essays, journals, letters & other prose works   9. Political science & theory   10. Political structures: democracy   11. Social & cultural anthropology   12. Socialism & left-of-centre democratic ideologies   13. USA   

Customer Reviews (4)

Short and Sweet
Kojima's book is short, but teaches nearly everything you need to add, subtract, multiply, and divide on the Japanese soroban. Missing is how to handle negative numbers when adding and subtracting. (Perhaps this is covered in Kojima's advanced book.) The other review is correct to say that what Kojima teaches can be applied to the Chinese suan pan. The exercises are a valuable part of the book. Mental calculation is presented, but the use of "abacus thinking" for paper calculations is absent. It would be nice to see this book in print again.

The bible
If you want a book on how to use a Japanese abacus this is the bible for it. I see other books written that have not been properly researched and really teach usage technique wrong. If you really want to learn how to use a Soroban or even a Chinese Suan Pan this is the book to get. The challanges listed between the Soroban and calculator were before the days of modern pocket calculators but with practice you can still get real fast. Practice the exercises in this book and you can rely on a Soroban just like a pocket calculator. If you have a 2/5 Chinese Suan Pan don't worry this still applies. Actually the 2/5 was developed for the Chinese weight system that was based on 16. It's actually a hexidecimal calculator! If you do computer hex math a 2/5 might actually be very helpful! The 1/4 and 2/5 refer to the number of beads on the top and bottom. Top beads count as 5 and bottom as 1.

Japanese Abacus: Its Use and Theory.
This is one of the few books about how to use an abacus around. Even though there aren't that many books out there, Kojima does a very good job of explaining how to use the abacus, in a step by step manner. The book starts off with a brief history of the abacus then proceeds to how to use it for addition, subtraction, multiplication and then division. The book also goes into cube roots! The book also has some simple tests after each chapter and at the end of the book to see how much you have improved. All in all the book is very well written and if you have any interest in the abacus, this is a good book to have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arithmetic   2. Mathematics   3. Science/Mathematics   

Customer Reviews (6)

educational even for a Japanese cinemaphile
I wouldn't call myself an expert on Japanese movies, but I do get to every movie festival I can that has Asian features (a great one--the Philapdelphia film festival and their Action Asia selections). I regularly scan the gray market and grab at whatever tickles my fancy even remotely. But this book still provided me with an education. I quibble sometimes with the author's taste, but his breadth of knowledge is undebatable. I now keep this book on my computer desk as I scan for more titles to fuel my little obsession.

Disapointing
I was looking for more insight into some films that I enjoyed. Instead the author spent more time talking abotu the film process than anything.

I did like the presentation though

Fully satisfying!
Feeling like a collection of incredible Japan-centered zines, TokyoScope hosts reviews, interviews, and assorted oddities together for one whiz-bang collection of Japanese film. Omitting overexposed works of anime and chambara, Macias instead focuses on under-appreciated genres like yakuza-eiga and roman porno and stars such as Sonny Chiba and Bunta Sugawara. Additionally, TokyoScope contains interviews with directors Kinji Fukasaku and Takashi Miike.

Boasting scads of reviews for dozens of films I've never had the pleasure of seeing, TokyoScope is a terrific step in the right direction for folks who want to associate themselves with the multifaceted cinema from the Land of the Rising Sun. (ISBN: 1569316813) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Film & Video - Guides & Reviews   2. Film & Video - History & Criticism   3. Performing Arts   4. Performing Arts/Dance   5. Pop Arts / Pop Culture   6. Performing Arts / Film / General   7. Film & Television