The Knew York Times

by Iso Mutsu

Kamakura: Fact and Legend, has long been the definitive work on Kamakura. This classic book is the lifetime achievement of Countess Iso Mutsu (née Gertrude Ethel Passingham), a talented, inquisitive Englishwoman who against all odds married a Japanese diplomat at the turn of the century, and so came to live most of her life in this beautiful city. Iso Mutsu was one of the first to discover that much of the magic of Kamakura today lies in fascinating historical events of the past, among them: the brilliant conquests of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the defiant dance of Shizuka Gozen at Hachiman Shrine, and the amazing rescue of Nichiren at Katase. Her brilliantly crafted accounts of these events, interwoven with walking tours of Kamakura, introduce the city's most important historical sites and explain why they are so famous. Kamakura: Fact and Legend, the only book that Iso Mutsu wrote, is a testament to the devotion with which she succeeded in unlocking Kamakura's secrets for the outside world. The inspiration and reference for later works on Kamakura, this classic volume is both the original and the most in-depth guide to an ancient capital that continues to delight and amaze the traveler.

by Philip Nobel

A behind-the-scenes look at the redevelopment plans for the World Trade Center site examines the deceptions and betrayals as factions and institutions converge to create a new culture at Ground Zero.

by Tony Whitten

Java and Bali are the best known of all the islands in Indonesia, and nowhere else in the country are ecological issues so acute. This book provides invaluable ecological data, so that development activities can be viewed in light of their ecological and social impacts.These eagerly-awaited volumes are the result of four years of research into the status of Indonesian coastal and marine ecosystems. They chart the extraordinary treasure trove of the areas marine biodiversity, and discuss the problems that have resulted from current population pressures and economic development.

by Stephen Scott

This book tells a story which until now has not been available in such an interesting and comprehensive form. What holds these people together? Why are they growing in number? Where do they live? The Old Order Mennonites are less well known than the Amish, but are similar in many beliefs and practices. Some Old Order Mennonites drive horses and buggies. Others use cars for transportation. Conservative Mennonite groups vary a great deal, but in general espouse strong faith and family life and believe that how they live should distinguish them from the larger society around them. The author details courtship and wedding practices, methods of worship, dress, transportation, and vocation. Never before has there been such an inside account of these people and their lives. The author spent years conferring and interviewing members of the various groups, trying to portray their history and their story in a fair and accurate manner. An enjoyable, educational, inspiring book.

by Christopher Merrill

Merrill, a poet and journalist, spent much of the past decade traveling through the Balkans; here, in a powerful and enigmatic account, he chronicles those travels. Taking the title for his book from a piece by Slovenia's best-known living poet, Tomaz salamun, he tells a story of the war-torn region through the lives of its literary and cultural communities.

by Madelon Powers

This study recreates the daily life of the bar room from 1870 to 1920, exploring what it was like to be a regular in the old-time saloon of pre-prohibition industrial America.

by Hal Rothman

First Published in 2003. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

by Fa-Hien

The record of personal observations gathered by the Chinese priest Fa-hien during the travels he made at the beginning of the fifth century in Central Asia, the Punjab, India, Ceylon and thence back by sea to China, were repeatedly published, apparently under different titles, in the course of the fifth and following centuries and when the Buddhist canon was authoritatively fixed by the Sung dynasty, this record was included in the Tripitaka with the sanction of the Sung and subsequently the King dynasties. Both the Corean and Japanese editions of the Buddhist Tripitaka also include Fa-hien's Record among the canonical writings of Northern Buddhism. The text suffered, in the course of time, slight corruptions, but the differences existing between the secular editions, as contained in various Confucian cyclopedias, and the canonical editions of the Buddhist churches of China, Corea and Japan, are very small. Dr. Legge was, so far as we know, the first translator of this work who took pains to collate the principal existing recensions of the Chinese text, and he has now produced, on the basis of the Corean edition, a text which may be considered as critically established.

by Gilbert M. Joseph

The Mexico Reader is a vivid and comprehensive guide to muchos Méxicos—the many varied histories and cultures of Mexico. Unparalleled in scope, it covers pre-Columbian times to the present, from the extraordinary power and influence of the Roman Catholic Church to Mexico’s uneven postrevolutionary modernization, from chronic economic and political instability to its rich cultural heritage. Bringing together over eighty selections that include poetry, folklore, photo essays, songs, political cartoons, memoirs, journalism, and scholarly writing, this volume highlights the voices of everyday Mexicans—indigenous peoples, artists, soldiers, priests, peasants, and workers. It also includes pieces by politicians and foreign diplomats; by literary giants Octavio Paz, Gloria Anzaldúa, and Carlos Fuentes; and by and about revolutionary leaders Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. This revised and updated edition features new selections that address twenty-first-century developments, including the rise of narcopolitics, the economic and personal costs of the United States’ mass deportation programs, the political activism of indigenous healers and manufacturing workers, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mexico Reader is an essential resource for travelers, students, and experts alike.

by William Edward Brown

The History of the Central Brooks Range uses rare primary sources in order to provide a chronological examination and history of the Koyukuk region--including anthropological descriptions of the Native groups that make the Central Brooks Range and its surroundings their home. The history of early exploration, mining, and the Klondike all overflow into the story of the Koyukuk region and its rich cultural heritage, and William E. Brown provides a fascinating history of the extraordinary ways of survival employed by pioneers in this rugged northern land. Supplemented with detailed descriptions by Robert Marshall, The History of the Central Brooks Range is further enhanced by over 150 beautiful full-color illustrations--from early exploration to the creation of the Gates of the Arctic National Park--making this an essential volume for anyone interested in Alaska Native studies.

by DK Travel

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Washington, DC, is your in-depth guide to the very best of the District of Columbia. Experience all that the United States' capital has to offer, from the Smithsonian museums to the historic district of Capitol Hill to the quaint streets of Georgetown-and everything in between. Additionally, this revised and updated travel guide for Washington, DC, covers areas outside the city for those looking to explore historic Civil War battlefields or hike the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains. Discover DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Washington, DC. + Detailed itineraries and "don't-miss" destination highlights at a glance. + Illustrated cutaway 3-D drawings of important sights. + Floor plans and guided visitor information for major museums. + Guided walking tours, local drink and dining specialties to try, things to do, and places to eat, drink, and shop by area. + Area maps marked with sights and restaurants. + Detailed city maps include street finder index for easy navigation. + Insights into history and culture to help you understand the stories behind the sights. + Suggested day-trips and itineraries to explore beyond the city. + Hotel and restaurant listings highlight DK Choice special recommendations. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Washington, DC, truly shows you the nation's capital as no one else can.

by James A. Connor

Set against the backdrop of the witchcraft trial of his mother, this fascinating biography of Johannes Kepler, "the Protestant Galileo" and 16th-century mathematician and astronomer, reveals the surprisingly spiritual nature of the quest of early modern science.

by Peter Balakian

Winner of the PEN/Albrand Award A New York Times Notable Book From a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, a memoir of family secrets, survival, and growing up in the shadow of the Armenian genocide “A fascinating and affecting memoir….Written with great sensitivity, Black Dog of Fate is at once a family memoir, a history of the extermination of the Armenians in Turkey, and the story of a young man’s passage into adulthood.”—New York Times Book Review In this prize-winning classic memoir, New York Times-bestselling author Peter Balakian explores his suburban childhood and charts his slow uncovering of the truth of what happened to his family during the Armenian Genocide. In describing his awakening to the facts of history, Balakian introduces us to a remarkable family of matriarchs and merchants, physicians, a bishop, and his aunts, two well-known figures in the world of literature. The unforgettable central figure of the story is Balakian's grandmother, a survivor and widow of the Genocide who speaks in fragments of metaphor and myth as she cooks up Armenian delicacies, plays the stock market, and keeps track of the baseball stats of her beloved Yankees. The book is infused with the intense and often comic collision between this family's ancient Near Eastern traditions and the American pop culture of the '50s and '60s. Balakian moves with ease from childhood memory, to history, to his ancestors' lives, to the story of his own coming of age. Written with power and grace, Black Dog o

by Orhan Pamuk

The Museum of Innocence - set in Istanbul between 1975 and today - tells the story of Kemal, the son of one of Istanbul's richest families, and of his obsessive love for a poor and distant relation, the beautiful Fusun, who is a shop-girl in a small boutique. In his romantic pursuit of Füsun over the next eight years, Kemal compulsively amasses a collection of objects that chronicles his lovelorn progress-a museum that is both a map of a society and of his heart. The novel depicts a panoramic view of life in Istanbul as it chronicles this long, obsessive love affair; and Pamuk beautifully captures the identity crisis experienced by Istanbul's upper classes that find themselves caught between traditional and westernised ways of being. Orhan Pamuk's first novel since winning the Nobel Prize is a stirring love story and exploration of the nature of romance. Pamuk built The Museum of Innocence in the house in which his hero's fictional family lived, to display Kemal's strange collection of objects associated with Fusun and their relationship. The house opened to the public in 2012 in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul. 'Pamuk has created a work concerning romantic love worthy to stand in the company of Lolita, Madame Bovary and Anna Karenina.' --Financial Times