"Thomas R. Dunlap's purpose as editor is one of historian rather than judge; every essay - no matter which side they argue from - is precise, intelligent, and revealing of the biases and limits of the decade. Dunlap's introduction to each section adds hints of reflection and even redemption. Books like this remind people to treat today's new miracles with delicate care until they know where every path might lead." - ForeWord

Ecological Nationalisms: Nature, Livelihoods, and Identities in South Asia
Edited by Gunnel Cederlof and K. Sivaramakrishnan

"The editors of this volume have begun a valuable process of understanding which must now be pursued." - Journal of Contemporary Asia

China and Iran: Ancient Parners in a Post-Imperial World
John W. Garver

"With this study, the author has written on a rarely discussed topic: Chinese-Iranian relations. He has done us a great service in doing so, not only by taking on an unusual topic, but also in doing it with gratifying length . . . . Garver has succeeded in capturing both the current context of the Sino-Iranian relationship and the much deeper historical context of their goals and attitudes . . . . The book deserves a wide audience." - The Historian

Law in Japan: A Turning Point
Edited by Daniel H. Foote

"Daniel Foote has performed a major service . . . . Foote's present work succeed[s] in identifying key issues in most major areas of contemporary Japanese law, and it succinctly offers enough detail for novice and experienced readers alike to begin to assess the author's views on continuity versus change." - Journal of Japanese Law

The Adventurous Traveler's Guide to Health
Christopher Sanford, M.D.

"A handy and enlightening guide to various medical concerns faced in global travel, from immunizations to post-trip symptoms." - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"As for getting sick (or staying well-let's be positive), The Adventurous Traveler's Guide to Health is just the ticket . . . . [Sanford] presents clear, concise information for all types of travelers." - Shelf Awareness

Hale Woodruff, Nancy Elizabeth Prophet, and the Academy
Edited by Amalia K. Amaki and Andrea Barnwell Brownlee

"Hale Woodruff / Nancy Prophet is beautifully illustrated with more than 50 paintings and works on paper by Woodruff and all of Prophet's extant sculptures." - International Review of African American Art

Everyday Life and Consumer Culture in Eighteenth-Century Damascus
James Grehan

"One must count Grehan's study among the most exciting books that have appeared in the fields of Ottoman and Middle East history in recent years . . . . Everyday Life and Consumer Culture in 18th-Century Damascus represents an excellent step in the further development of Ottoman consumption studies, and one whose topic merits additional study by the author." -
H-Net

Text and Ritual in Early China
Edited by Martin Kern

"It is certainly highly commendable that Kern brought this group of internationally recognized experts together to study the subject of ritual, a subject that has been unjustifiably overlooked in analyses of pre-modern China, where it held a central place in political, social, and religious life. For this reason alone, I strongly recommend this book . . . this volume is a most welcome addition to the scholarship on early China and shows how much can be learned from the new epigraphic sources." - Journal of Chinese Religions

Reinventing the Wheel: Paintings of Rebirth in Medieval Buddhist Temples
Stephen F. Teiser

"Groundbreaking . . . . The gorgeous visuals, detailed maps, and line drawings materially herald an exciting new phase in Buddhology, pronouncing a long-awaited, mature marriage between art history and Buddhist studies . . . . Teiser has radically changed scholarly discourse and understanding . . . . A highly engaging, in-depth treatment of an important Buddhist symbol, this exquisitely produced book has much to offer to specialist readers and undergraduate students." - Journal of Chinese Religions

The Story of Han Xiangzi: The Alchemical Adventures of a Daoist Immortal
Yang Erzeng

"Philip Clart's accomplished translation of The Story of Han Xiangzi is a welcome development for all scholars and readers concerned with either Chinese fiction or Chinese religion . . . . the book would make excellent reading for courses on Chinese fiction in translation, Daoism, or religion in literature, and would be additionally appealing because of its . . . manageable length." - Journal of Chinese Religions '

For Gods, Ghosts, and Ancestors: The Chinese Tradition of Paper Offerings
Janet Lee Scott

"This is the book on practices of making, offering, and consuming ritual paper in the Chinese cultural tradition . . . the book is a gold mine, providing a wealth of specific information…a treasure which will be profitably transformed into intellectual capital by generations of scholars to come." - Journal of Chinese Religions

Public Art by the Book
Edited by Barbara Goldstein

"This is a handy publication specifically tailored for the American audience, full of useful definitions, explanations and examples, while covering main themes such as planning, funding and exhibiting public arts." - Art History

The Informed Gardener
Linda Chalker-Scott

"This book is not trying to sell you anything, or convince you to change your practices based on the current trends; rather it is translating scientific research into an accessible format that the home gardener can understand, enjoy, and employ." - Perennial Post: Northwest Perennial Alliance

The Anguish of Surrender: Japanese POWs of World War II
Ulrich Straus

"The Anguish of Surrender . . . is a valuable corrective to what we thought we knew about Japanese POWs, written by a man who lived for twenty-one years in Japan, both before and during the war, and who is better able than most historians to understand the mentality of the Japanese POW." - Canadian Military History

Paul Horiuchi: East and West
Barbara Johns

"A man in a hurry throughout his long life (1906-1999), his formally frozen furies remain as testimony to an inexhaustible talent." - Northwest Asian Weekly