Stories from the Herriot Collection/Audio Cassettes/7119

Book Description

This is a detailed, user-friendly, and up-to-the-minute guide to Beijing, China's capital and its major gateway city. We'll take you to the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Great Wall, and show you how to plunge into the city's shopping scene and discover the best local restaurants. It can be difficult for Western visitors to communicate and find their way around in such a vast, fast-paced, and bewildering city, but we've made it easy for you to explore on your own, with detailed directions, accurate maps, practical logistical advice, and etiquette tips. We've also included a handy appendix of useful Chinese phrases, and establishment names are listed in both English and Chinese characters, making it easier for you to get around and find the places you're looking for. Our author, an experienced China traveler who has written about the country for years, offers valuable insights and paints a vivid picture of a city that's undergoing one of the most fascinating cultural and economic transformations in history.

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""...A good starting point for those who have felt the lure of the ancient Chinese capital but are unsure how to set about getting there. Should be one of the first books people turn to."" —Pittsburgh Tribune, 5/2000

You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go-they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!

This is a detailed, user-friendly, and up-to-the-minute guide to Beijing, China's capital and its major gateway city. We'll take you to the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Great Wall, and show you how to plunge into the city's shopping scene and discover the best local restaurants. It can be difficult for Western visitors to communicate and find their way around in such a vast, fast-paced, and bewildering city, but we've made it easy for you to explore on your own, with detailed directions, accurate maps, practical logistical advice, and etiquette tips. We've also included a handy appendix of useful Chinese phrases, and establishment names are listed in both English and Chinese characters, making it easier for you to get around and find the places you're looking for. Our authors, experienced China travelers who've written about the country for years, offer valuable insights and paint a vivid picture of a city that's undergoing one of the most fascinating cultural and economic transformations in history.

Customer Reviews:

Essential..........2007-10-05

This book was such a helpful reference for the culture and history of Biejing! Not only did it lead us to some of the most incredible historical sights and restaurants, but it also prepped us for the culture shock that we experienced. I will purchase Frommers guides for every place I travel from this experience forward...don't leave the hotel without it!!

Frommer's Beijing.......2007-08-28

I love to see picture on traveling books. This one does not have too many pictures. I wish they will insert more picture in it. It's nothing like seeing the actual thing in picture before you get to the destination.

Beijing in your pocket!.......2006-12-29

Great guide book with lots of good recommendations, especially for restaurants and long walks - the last one of these takes you out of the way and provides a v. different view of the City than the usual sights. Book handily fits in your pocket or bag with little coffee book type information - a few more photographs would be nice though. Also liked the itinerary suggestions, guiding you in the art of what's possible during a stay of any length. Try the tea shop district mentioned for a memorable experience, and some nice tasting souvenirs!

Very good guide, marred by bad editing and difficult-to-use maps.......2006-11-13

Good guidebook, small enough to carry with us, big enough to be useful. The recommendations are usually right-on, and the walking tours are a great addition. Overall quite accurate given how quickly things change. My only quibble with the content is that sometimes it feels the author tries too hard to be "different" and find unique places at the expense of listing better but well-known places. It could also be improved by more use of Chinese characters and less use of pinyin.

The guidebook is, however, marred -- almost ruined -- by the maps. The maps themselves are fine. The problem is the large number of typos (which could be fixed by a good editing), and even more so by the inexplicable lack of any cross referencing from the maps to the rest of the book. Say you are at a place and want to find a nearby place to eat. You look at the map, and find a nearby numbered diamond (marking restaurants). What is the name? Unfortunately, the restaurant names are listed alphabetically, not by number, making it difficult to find which one among the 20+ listed. Then you find it, but only the name is provided. What food is served? What are the hours? How much does it cost? To find that you need to read the descripiton. How to find the descripiton? You need to look at what *section* the map is showing, then find the same *section* in the dining guide, then search the entire section as the restaurants are listed alphabetically within the price range, so the restaurant you want could be anywhere. THERE IS NO LISTING IN THE MAP PROVIDING THE PAGE NUMBERS OF THE DESCRIPTIONS. Trying to find the description of places is even more difficult, as the descriptions are spread out among several chapters: does it have its own description? Is it in the park section? Somewhere else? What an utterly utterly stupid oversight, whoever decided not to include page numbers should be fired. While the maps can be used, everything takes at least 10x longer than needed.

Hint: you can fix the above problem by spending 30 minutes before you leave making the page numbers of associated descriptions in the maps. But why should you have to?

The Best.......2006-11-04

Frommer's knows what they are doing. I feel like a native in Beijing now.

Frommer's Born To Shop: Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing

Average customer rating:

So Disappointed!
Of little value...
Nice guide for us shopaholics.

Frommer's Born To Shop: Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing
Suzy Gershman
Manufacturer: Hungry Minds
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Hong Kong | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Frommer's | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0028636716

Book Description

These compact, handy guides are packed with insider tips on where to find the most fabulous fashions, the most unique gifts, and the best bargains on everything from antiques to housewares. Includes all the big names, and a "Best of" chapter that pinpoints exactly where to find the finest. Also included is a handful of the author's favorite places to stay and eat.

Customer Reviews:

So Disappointed!.......2002-07-29

Suzy's Hong-Kong only book was wonderful. It recommended specific shops, not just neighborhoods, for every type of good imaginable. It also gave fantastic hints like where not to bother looking if you wear a size on the upper end of the spectrum.

The new book including Shanghai and Beijing is next to worthless. All of the shop recommendations for HK have been ommited. Some of my favorites from "Born to Shop Hong Kong", like Gemsland in the Mandarin Hotel, deserve to be mentioned as providing amazing service, great quality and reasonable prices to every visitor planning on coming to HK.

I purchased the book in preparation for an upcoming trip to Shanghai. With the exception of the overview of the markets, very little else was of use. There are almost no local shop (non-department store) recommendations and suggestions for totally random (and useless?) things like wedding photos. In fact it only gives shopping suggestions for 9 categories- and included in that 9 are things like Drugstores. How are you going to Shop til You Drop in a drugstore?

Additionally, the index is horrible. There is a whole paragraph on the Hoabao Building in the Yu Gardens, but good luck finding any reference to it in the index. This is just one example, there are many more.

I was so disappointed in this book. Entirely way too much time spent on travel logistics. Anyone going to China is not going to purchase this book as their sole resource guide. Leave the logistics to those who do it best, and spend more time on where to shop!

Of little value..........2001-09-18

The author hasn't a clue as to how to negotiate with the Chinese and does not give the correct warnings or prices. She is a "princess". I just returned from my 31st trip to China. There is almost no silk or original merchandise at the Silk Market. However, it is a lot of fun. There is not a shirt or blouse there that cannot be bought for 30 yuan ($3.60). North Face knockoffs can be bought for 130 yuan ($15.60) for their most expensive long jacket. Pearls at the Hong Qiao (Pearl) Market are of very low quality. Most strands cost about 100 yuan ($12). Learn the difference between salt water and fresh water pearls and how to tell the quality difference. Know how to tell if the pearls are fake before you go there. The fourth floor stores are just a different form of marketing pearls so don't be fooled by their nicer western look. Remember that only the store knows their price - and they will only sell to you if they can make a profit. Always walk away after making an what you may consider an absurd offer and after you let them know that you really want to buy the item. Make them make at least two offers before you make your absurd offer. There is not relationship between their initial offfer and what the item is worth. All this takes a lot of time so be prepared. Comparison shop before buying. All stores carry the same items.

Nice guide for us shopaholics........2001-04-20

I purchased Suzy's last edition on Hong Kong, to guide me around this great shopping city. It was very helpful. She tells you the places to forget, and the places not to be missed. When I heard that she was releasing a new edition with Shanghai & Beijing, I purchased it also, for an upcoming trip to Beijing. I was a little disapointed to find that she had trimmed alot off of the Hong Kong section to make room for the mainland cities. But it's still a must have if shopping is on your "to do" list. Suzy seemed to list all the things I wanted to buy on my trip, she does have impecable taste.

Average customer rating:

Excellent and portable!
Best of the Beijing travel books
Pretty good Guide Book, but Lonely Planet's is better...
Great Book to Get around Beijing
A good place to start......

Frommer's Beijing
J. D. Brown
Manufacturer: Frommer's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Frommer's | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0764565230

Book Description

"...A good starting point for those who have felt the lure of the ancient Chinese capital but are unsure how to set about getting there. Should be one of the first books people turn to." —Pittsburgh Tribune, 5/2000

This is a detailed, user-friendly, and up-to-the-minute guide to Beijing, China's capital and its major gateway city. We'll take you to the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Great Wall, and show you how to plunge into the city's shopping scene and discover the best local restaurants. It can be difficult for Western visitors to communicate and find their way around in such a vast, fast-paced, and bewildering city, but we've made it easy for you to explore on your own, with detailed directions, accurate maps, practical logistical advice, and etiquette tips. We've also included a handy appendix of useful Chinese phrases, and establishment names are listed in both English and Chinese characters, making it easier for you to get around and find the places you're looking for. Our author, an experienced China traveler who's written about the country for years, offers valuable insights and paints a vivid picture of a city that's undergoing one of the most fascinating cultural and economic transformations in history.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and portable!.......2003-06-01

I found this book to be extremely helpful during my travel in Beijing. Loved the section on Beijing Strolls! The maps are excellent and the historical/cultural vignettes were entertaining as well as informative. I liked this book better than Lonely Planet.

Best of the Beijing travel books.......2002-09-29

I spent two weeks in Beijing and took Fodors, Lonely Planet and this book. This book was the most helpful and informative by far. In a country where few speak English, Frommer's tells you step by step how to make the most of the sights. For example, Frommer's is the only book that directs you to the audio tape rental at the Forbidden city. You can't find it without the guidebook and without the audio tape you are lost among one of the nations most prized and awe inspiring treasures.

In addidtion to the great maps and guides of the main attractions, I particularly enjoyed the Beiging Strolls section which led me to the best shopping, parks and my favorite find...the antique street called Liulichang.

Get it, go and conquor!

Pretty good Guide Book, but Lonely Planet's is better..........2001-07-13

Right now I am in Beijing with a group from my school. Everybody brought guides, mostly by Frommer's or Lonely Planet. So far I've found that Lonely Planet's guidebook has more accurate locations, prices and recommendations of restaurants and sites than Frommer's, and it is easier to use. Frommer's is an OK guide for extensive descriptions and walking tours, but getting the Lonely planet version will make getting around Beijing and a lot easier and hassle-free.

Great Book to Get around Beijing.......2001-03-02

Because Beijing is rapidly changing, it will be hard for this book to maintain total accuracy with the city. However, I found this book extremely useful in getting around Beijing. My personal favorite section is the "Beijing Strolls". I was only able to complete two of the strolls, and they were both well worth it.

A good place to start.............2001-02-11

I bought this guide along with a few others for an upcoming trip. I found it to be informative and up-to-date. They give you honest opinions, steering you clear of the tourist traps, and telling you what not to miss. They list restaurants for every budget, and give a few suggestions for day trips out of Beijing, as well as good walking tours of the city. If you go, this is a nice guide to take along.

Average customer rating:

Frommer's Beijing (Frommer's Complete)
Jen Lin-Liu , and Sherisse Pham
Manufacturer: Frommers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Frommer's | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0470175931

Frommer's Beijing Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day)

Average customer rating:

Frommer's Beijing Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day)
Jen Lin-Liu
Manufacturer: Frommers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Frommer's | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0470226811

Frommer's Beijing (Frommer's Beijing, 1st ed)

Average customer rating:

Frommer's Beijing (Frommer's Beijing, 1st ed)
J. D. Brown
Manufacturer: Frommer's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8V5YS

Book Description

A fascinating look beneath the bandages for an exploration of Egyptian mummieswho they were, how they were embalmed, where they were buried, and how they were rediscovered. Full-page scenes take the reader back to the time of the pharaohs, while engaging text reveals the secrets of the long dead.

Customer Reviews:

A well written overview of the Egyptian mummy process........1999-01-30

The book highlights the ancient rites and beliefs in the art of mummification. It covers the people, the science and the process involved. For a beginner to an intermediate reader, the knowledge about this ancient art becomes a great learning experience in "The Best Book of Mummies". This book is enjoyed and well read by the children who received it.

Average customer rating:

The Best Book of Mummies

Manufacturer: Kingfisher Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Egypt | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

The Best Book of Mummies

Manufacturer: Scholastic, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Egypt | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0439376033

Product Description

In the Valley of the Kings lie ancient burial tombs-home to mummies for all eternity. From the rituals that prepared the dead for their journey to the robbers who raided their tombs, travel back through time to the darkly fascinating world of the mummy.

Average customer rating:

The Best Book of Mummies
Philip Steele
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MPBUEI

Average customer rating:

Another Great Mummy Book!

The Best Book of Mummies
Philip Steele
Manufacturer: Kingfisher Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Africa | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Egypt | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Egypt | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Another Great Mummy Book! .......2004-10-21

This is another great mummy book. Kids in the elementary grades will love it and it is a good resource for any classroom.

My Best Book of Mummies (My Best Book Of...)

Average customer rating:

My Best Book of Mummies (My Best Book Of...)
Philip Steele
Manufacturer: Kingfisher Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mythology & Folklore | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Best Book of Mummies
Philip Steele
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Prehistoric | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1417755318

Book Description

Wabi sabi, the quintessential Japanese design aesthetic, is quickly gaining popularity around the world, as evidenced by recent articles in Time, The Chicago Tribune and Kyoto Journal. Taken from the Japanese words wabi, which translates to less is more, and sabi, which means attentive melancholy, wabi sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in the things that bear the mark of this impermanence. As a design style, wabi sabi helps us to appreciate the simple beauty in imperfection--of a chipped vase or a rainy day, for example.

Customer Reviews:

wabi sabi for the illiterate and unpoetic.......2006-01-23

Of all the wabi sabi books I've attempted to read, this one is the most poorly written. Same old regurgitated information, but written by someone who must have flunked out of their high school English composition class. Sorry, with so many better books out on the subject-at least three-why subject yourself to this gibberish?

Wabi Sabi - Beyond Hobby.......2006-01-19

Although concepts of Wabi Sabi have been around for centuries, it is wryly amusing that no Japanese has ever attempted an analysis. (All the books on this subject seem to be by Westerners with certain orientations.) This is because Zen disdains intellectualism and dismisses rational approaches to satori out of hand. The Japanese logic has always been to avoid the subject, because the very use of prose is to admit one's spiritual failure.

Andrew Juniper has come to satisfy our rational cravings with a cogent, indeed elegant little book. He even attempts a definition of the term on page 51: "Wabi sabi is an intuitive appreciation of transient beauty in the physical world that reflects the irreversible flow of life in the spiritual world. It is an understated beauty that exists in the modest, rustic, imperfect, or even decayed, an aesthetic sensibility that finds a melancholic beauty in the impermanence of all things."

Is not every syllable meaningful? I am very grateful for bi-cultural people who write so well. He explores the nexus between Zen, Japanese culture and wabi sabi in straight forward language that yet remains respectful. He excels at big picture description. "The Universal Spirit of Wabi Sabi" is a short concluding section with prose as jarring as it is graceful.

I am not about to wabi-sabiize my life. Such change is for young radicals. But I do think Westerners as well as Eastern converts to Consumerism should be aware of alternatives that someday may be thrust upon us. There will come a time when planned obsolescence will be regarded as criminal, so you may want to invest a few shares in a good wabi sabi mutual fund. Juniper's book will get you started.

Just what I was looking for........2004-12-17

I dont know how to put it nicely, but smellpuppies review below couldnt be more off the mark even if he tried.

Wabi Sabi for Artists...etc. is just a teaser compared to this book! W.S. for Artists is a great book to start off with and could be read in a couple of hours.

However Juniper's book delves more into the history of the Tea Ceremony, Zen Buddhism, Modern Art and the philosophy of wabi sabi aesthetics..

Juniper's knowledge is vast and more importantly, insightful. He clearly has a deep understanding of both Western and Eastern worldviews without favoring one or the other.

Inauthenticity?.......2003-12-08

As an enthusiastic student of chado and the Japanese arts in general, I bought this book thinking I would learn something new about wabi and/or sabi. Simultaneously I also purchased the Koren book Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers. In an oddly disturbing way, both books have uncanny similarities in their conceptual and pictorial approaches--except that the Koren book is vastly more insightful, more beautiful, and was written nine years earlier! What's going on?

Exploring the Wabi Sabi Concept.......2003-11-29

This book is a manifesto for a traditional Japanese aesthetic. The author begins with an operational definition of wabi sabi: "If an object or expression can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing, then that object could be said to be wabi sabi" (p. 11). He then proceeds to round out this definition by examining different aspects of the concept of wabi sabi such as its historical origin in Zen, its development in Japanese culture, and its expression in Japanese arts and crafts. Finally, he lists design criteria, identifies suitable materials, and sketches out ethical principles that are required for the creation of objects that are wabi sabi.

The author's tone sometimes becomes anxious and urgent when discussing commercial culture and design, both in the West, where materiality is "ever-encroaching" (p. 3), and in Japan, where "the space afforded to wabi sabi is certainly on the decline, and its future relevance to Japan is under threat" (p. 58). Also, he treads very lightly when discussing the way wabi sabi objects became status symbols in Japan.

The volume itself is a well-designed paperback with a readable font, wide margins, and austere black-and-white photographs that present some very memorable images.

Customer Reviews:

Filosofia basada en el budismo Zen.......2007-06-09

Es una filosofia clara y sencilla de vida basada en el budismo zen, inicialmente centrada en la ceremonia del Té y que luego se exentendió a los ámbitos de la vida cotidiana del Japon, hoy olvidada por las nuevas generaciones de ese pais.
Se ha tratado de revivirla adaptandola a las nuevas circunstancias.
Yo lo definiria como la filosofia de las cosas sencillas e intracendentes, las que diariamente pasan por delante de nuestros sentidos y no nos damos cuenta pero que si lo hicieramos nos sonreiríamos por lo menos una ves al dia

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