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In Europe, taking a walk is a cultural phenomenon having an almost mystical import. It connects physical activity with meditation, silence within amid the tumult without. Taking its cue both from Joyce's Ulysses and Hrabal's stream of anecdote, Of Kids & Parents is about a father and son taking a walk through Prague, over the course of which, and in the pubs and bars they stop into, their personal lives are revealed as entwined with the past sixty years of upheaval in their corner of Europe. One's small history is inseparable from the large History that is played out on the world's stage: families are uprooted, relationships fail, and still life goes on as it always does. Hakl's genius is his ability to mesh the two into a seamless flow of dialogue.As the father tells his son: "Nothing's been new in this world for more than two billion years, it's all just variations on the same theme of carbon, hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen." The point being that even though Prague over the course of a century has experienced monarchy, democracy, fascism, communism, and democratic capitalism once again, as wars, putsches, and revolutions have come and gone, what really has changed?The novel was awarded the Magnesia Litera Book of the Year in 2002 and is currently being made into a feature film due for release in 2008. ... Read more

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Challenging the notion that Nikkei individuals before and during World War II were helpless pawns manipulated by forces beyond their control, the diverse essays in this rich collection focus on the theme of resistance within Japanese American and Japanese Canadian communities to twentieth-century political, cultural, and legal discrimination. They illustrate how Nikkei groups were mobilized to fight discrimination through assertive legal challenges, community participation, skillful print publicity, and political and economic organization.

Comprised of all-new and original research, this is the first anthology to highlight the contributions and histories of Nikkei within the entire Pacific Northwest, including British Columbia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Children's literature
This book is for those who wish to begin reading German books, it's not too hard to read and it's a fun fast paced book.

This was one of thebooks that Hitler burned when he came into power, and yet it survived. Atfirst I was puzzled as to why this book was part of the bookburning back inthose days, I thought there was a serious theme that could have gone troughthe censorships of those days, namely the message "work together toaccomplish the goal"

Well after discussing this issue with myGerman teacher he explained that there was also a more shallow messagechildren could have picked up on, "Adults are not always right",he explained that in those days this book was seen as a book that couldhave caused children to disrespect their elders, and even have themquestion authority.

This book might be an easy read, but when you scratchthe surface of this book it will reveal a part of history.

This is an excellent graded reader for students of German.
Part of the German-language Easy Reader series, this graded reader is a fast-moving "detective" story.Emil is a boy who is going to visit his grandmother in the big city.His money is stolen on the train,and the rest of the story is about all the people he meets as the thief ispursued.(This series is divided up into four levels, A through D.Eachcategory supposes that the reader has a certain amount of acquiredvocabulary before beginning, then builds on that to increase the reader'sability in the language.I myself have 14 titles in German, but there aremore.Easy Reader/EMC Paradigm markets readers in several other languages,including French, Spanish and Italian.)

Elementary German boyhood adventure
This is a classic 2d year German text.It tells of the adventures of a boy (Emil) on a trip with enough mysterious goings on to retain the Junior High or High School Sophomore's interestto the the end.Great forpolishing up rusty German for the adult. ... Read more

Product Description
It's late January, 1967 and Ron Petrich of Tacoma, Washington, 22 years old and a mid-year graduate of Seattle University, has accepted an English teaching position at Lebanon Union High School in Lebanon, Oregon. Such a nondescript, Willamette Valley lumber and farming community may appear to be an unlikely spot for adventure, but times are changing.Ron, therefore, must confront the social, political, and religious chaos that characterizes the late 1960s—regardless of the location. The adventure of Love and Obedience that follows recalls that experienced by Huckleberry Finn and even by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. ... Read more

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Set in 1949 in the mining city of Butte, Montana, a world unto itself sitting a mile above sea level in the southwestern corner of the state, Around the Horn takes its readers on a journey into the world that was with the hope that we can discover what could be --both now and in the decades and centuries to come. After World War II baseball was king in America as well as in Butte. As a result, it can serve as a metaphor for life, holding out endless possibilities because of its freedom from the ticking of the clock. To score a run the ballplayer must return to home plate, the place from which he started. Similarly, to complete our own journey "around the horn," we must, as T. S. Eliot reminds us, return to the point from which we started and know the place for the first time. Around the Horn celebrates the adventure and shows us the way. ... Read more

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A zany comedy about God, sex and guilt, as seen through the eyes of our antihero Dr. Gunder Shocker, alias Gunder Oedipus von Schockenkraenken, a dysfunctional psychotic, first generation German-American and his struggle with: bad genes; a need to get even; the not so benign game of golf; the power of his scalpel; and the scars of a traumatic childhood, tenfold more calamitous than Dorothy's encounters on her yellow brick road to Oz. Our antihero - a captive of the genes of his late father, Herr Baron Wilhelm Mueller von Schockenkraenken, a career Nazi colonel and doctor rumored to be one of, if not, the Belsen Butchers, whose hanging fate his son now sees as his own inescapable destiny - as said, our antihero, Dr. Gunder Shocker, is a man struggling with his German heritage and first-generation-American-itis - belonging and yet not belonging - insecure in the American way, clinging to the ways of the old country, but yet, like most American doctors, intensely caught up in the pastime of golf, which he treats more like war than sport.The doctor's one true relationship in which he is secure is with his deformed and mentally disabled bastardized Cousin Egore Schlepstein, the deformity a product of a very stressful pregnancy, the stress brought upon his mother by the baron, her brother, the disability inflicted by one angry swoop of the baron's sword. To the care of his cousin and to the correction of his cousin's affliction, Dr. Shocker has devoted - undaunted by his small successes and major setbacks - a lifetime of novel experimental approaches - Dr. Shocker, an electricity aficionado in the Ben Franklin sense, is a very inventive man, and he will not give up, for there is here - between Egore Schlepstein and Gunder Shocker - more than a blood-bond; there is here, between these to tormented souls, a symbiotic relationship, one depending on, needing, perhaps at times feeding on, the other.To complete the cast of misfits, and the doctor's surgical team, there's - buil ... Read more

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Batu's inspirational story dramatizes how tragic and explosive events transform her from being self-centered to self-empowered. Batu fearlessly speaks out against injustice in a male-dominated society. Unwilling to subject herself to a barbaric ritual, she insults the High Priest and creates a persistent enemy throughout the story. She marries the Story Teller to continue her quest for knowledge, but the marriage turns into a test of wills. An event causes Batu to lose worth as it is defined by law, and the council decrees she is to be expelled and thus face certain death. With the Healer's help, she gains a deeper understanding of life as she faces tragedies, final expulsion, and death, courageously and heroically. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Emotionally rich story
I found Batu to be an emotionally rich story of a woman who refuses to be deterred from her desire to live a complete life. She refuses to be bound by the limitations imposed on her by her culture. She knows what she wants and is not afraid to speak up and claim the rights she feels are hers. She fights for what she believes in and in her efforts to make a better life for herself, and ultimately for all women, she encounters the wrath of many people entrenched in tradition. She meets many personal challenges head on and discovers a depth to her character that is very emotionally and spiritually empowering. If you read the book with an open heart, Batu will lead you on a personal journey of self-discovery and self-empowerment. As Batu reaches deep within her heart and searches for the wholeness and connectedness that we all desire, you will find yourself doing the same thing. This is not a book just for women; it is for all who are looking for the tools that help us find that part of us that has meaning. Taja, the shaman, guides Batu into the center of her being to find the love that resides deep with her as it does in everyone. I enjoyed it from cover to cover.

A captivating book
Not only is this a book with a story that makes one reluctant to put it down and eager to get back to it, but it is full of wisdom and inspiration.

A transformation for the reader as well as the heroine
I just finished reading Batu the other day. It took me some time because I was reading it not only with my eyes, but also with my heart.There are so many levels in the book. There is the story line, of course, but there are spiritual depths and truths that are beautiful beyond description. The suffering that was part of the process of transformation from a self-centered and proud girl to a woman of compassion and wisdom illustrates the truth that out of pain can come salvation. I was so touched by the relationship between Taja and Batu. There was such a deep spiritual connectionbetween them that went far beyond mere physical attraction. I was pleased when Taja found a way to save Batu without sacrificing his life quest and his vow of chastity. It was the both of best worlds.Batu, a Transformationis a treasure! I would highly recommend it to anyone who has a desire to seek a more spiritual path in life.

Touching
The author was adept at telling a story about a women and her struggels in her tribe.The struggle against patriarchy, predjudice and cultural traditions in her tribe were difficult for Bata.Many of these struggles can be seen today in a more metaphysical view. I completly enjoyed the story of Batu and her personal journey towards transfortion and growth.She endured many tradegies in her life, yet was able to see them as a lessons and grew into a truly honorable and wise woman in her tribe.My heart was touched!

Batu:The Transformation
I enjoyed the book immensely.It is about a yong woman's courageous life journey, her Transformation from an intelligent yet unruly child to a sensitive, balanced, articulate, spiritual woman.Her jouney represents all of our life's journeys.The book was evem more impressive given it was written by a male and about a woman.The author was very insightful and accurate with the feelings and thoughts a woman would have.A book of courage and faith. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Miguel is a youth who, moved by a romantic high ideal, run to conquer his destiny. However, one day he finds that must adds himself to the social changes taking place in his country, Cuba. ... Read more