Product Description
Orthopedic surgeon Ray Long blends modern science and the ancient art of hatha yoga to create an indispensable resource for every yoga practitioner - from beginners to experts. A scientific approach to understanding the practice of hatha yoga: through full-color, three-dimensional illustrations of major muscles, tendons, and ligaments, Ray Long describes the correct positioning of hatha yoga poses (asanas) and their benefits. Specific anatomical descriptions highlight which muscles to activate in each pose, bringing the experience of the pose to new sensory heights. A novel approach to learning yoga poses: each of the four mat companions focuses on one type of yoga pose: standing poses, forward bends and hip openers, back bends and twists, and arm balances and inversions. The illustrations and descriptions describe the major movements that enable the poses, how to deepen the posture, and sequences of muscle activation. The concealed wire-bound pages make the books perfect mat resources during practice. ... Read more

Product Description
Finally, a complete manual for Pilates Mat exercises by internationally renowned Pilates expert Ellie Herman. This guide is meant for Pilates Instructors and fitness professionals as well as Pilates aficionados who want a deeper understanding of their own practice. This book takes you through the classic Pilates Mat repertoire and introduces original exercises developed by Ellie Herman and her instructors over the last fifteen years. Included in the book are: step by step photo sequences, detailed description of over 80 Pilates Mat exercises, proper breathing and specific alignment cues, thumbnail cheat sheets, benefits and contraindications, rehabilitation applications, special tips and imagery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best Mat Book on the Market
This is hands down the best pilates mat book I have found on the market (and I have searched).It includes about 30 pages of incredibly informative tips and explanations on key pilates points that we think we understand but we don't.Ellie has a way of explaining the complicated in a simple but profound way.The remainder of the book is similar to her other books with detailed explanations of exercises, from beginning to super advanced, both classical and her own inventions (which are most often far more fun to learn and execute).It is the only matbook I have ever used where you can actually learn a new exercise from a book. And at the end she has picture-based mat programs broken down by level.I gave this book as a gift to a new teacher in my studio and she said, "This is exactly what have needed all along."Highly highly recommended.Donna Pourteymour, Studio Owner, Surrey, England.

Great book!
I have ordered many of Ellie's books and this one is to the same high standard.Lots of great teaching points and pointers.Great buy. ... Read more

Product Description
Writer Mat Johnson (HELLBLAZER: PAPA MIDNITE), winner of the prestigious Hurston-Wright Legacy Award for fiction, constructs a fearless graphic novel that is both a page-turning mystery and a disturbing exploration of race and self-image in America, masterfully illustrated with rich period detail by Wareen Pleece (THE INVISIBLES, HELLBLAZER). In the early 20th Century, when lynchings were commonplace throughout the American South, a few courageous reporters from the North risked their lives to expose these atrocities. They were African-American men who, due to their light skin color, could "pass" among the white folks. They called this dangerous assignment going "incognegro."Zane Pinchback, a reporter for the New York-based New Holland Herald barely escapes with his life after his latest "incognegro" story goes bad. But when he returns to the sanctuary of Harlem, he's sent to investigate the arrest of his own brother, charged with the brutal murder of a white woman in Mississippi. With a lynch mob already swarming, Zane must stay "incognegro" long enough to uncover the truth behind the murder in order to save his brother — and himself. He finds that the answers are buried beneath layers of shifting identities, forbidden passions and secrets that run far deeper than skin color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Awesome.
Mat Johnson, Incognegro (Vertigo, 2008)

Johnson, responsible for the Papa Midnite Hellblazer story arc, here offers his latest solo joint, a thriller set during the twenties, in the Deep South, featuring two black protagonists. I'm sure you can see where this is going, but there's a twist: one of said protagonists is light-skinned enough to be able to pass for white among, as one character says, "those who ain't lookin'". As such, our hero, Zane Pinchback (loosely based on NAACP executive secretary Walter White), has made himself into an investigative journalist covering lynchings and other crimes against minorities, writing under the name "Incognegro".

In the opening scene, Pinchback is at a lynching, and through a quickly-improvised stunt, gets a number of names and addresses of the people present. Eventually, though, he draws the ire of the local sheriff and hightails it back to Harlem. He wants to get out of the dangerous business and start covering the society pages, but his boss dangles a carrot in front of his nose impossible to pass up: the next lynching he's supposed to cover is that of his own brother, a southern bootlegger who's being held for a murder of a white woman. Accompanied by his ne'er-do-well friend Carl, who masquerades as an idle-rich British nobleman looking for land, Pinchback heads South to find out what really happened.

This is a graphic novel, and when it comes right down to it, just like Papa Midnite, this is a superhero title masquerading as something that isn't a superhero title. As such, it borrows one of the conventions of superhero titles: a whole lot of unbearably complex, and often silly, plot twists in order to keep the action going nonstop. Granted, that's not too far off from what a lot of noir authors (most notably Spillane) actually did in their novels, but it's a little more transparent here. This is especially true when Johnson goes right off the rails with a crazy mountain family, but that particular bit is so much fun that by that point you probably won't care how far you have to suspend disbelief. (Don't worry, Johnson will pull your feet back down to the ground pretty fast after that.) Warren Pleece's slightly sepia-tinted artwork is perfect for the story, and we already know Johnson is a fine storyteller; check this one out. ****

Powerful book for teaching
The graphic novel format of this very serious story makes an important piece of American history accessible to high school students. I have had students pick it up because they're intrigued by the drawings and read it through for the gripping plot. Highly recommended.

Crueler Than Fiction
The appalling, sordid history of the lynching of blacks in the American South is well documented (see, for example, such books as At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America or Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America). However, like so many atrocities in history, the raw facts alone aren't necessarily enough to touch the hearts and minds of people 70-80 years removed from that horrible history. That's where this compelling graphic novel steps in to provide both a gripping story and outstanding public service.

Set sometime in the early 1930s, the story follows Harlem newspaper reporter Zane Pinchback, who files stories about his exploits as an undercover investigator in the deep South under the alias "Incognegro." He periodically travels down there "passing" as a white man in order to investigate lynchings and report on them for his newspaper, with the aim of raising enough outrage to put a stop to the practice. Just when Zane is burned out and to reveal himself and move into editorship, he's forced to go back down to Tupelo, MS, where his brother is in jail for the murder of a white woman, and is rumored to be the target of a Klan-led lynch mob.

What unfolds is a murder mystery with many twists and turns, as Zane struggles to help his no-account moonshine-brewing brother while keeping his cover. Among the characters in the mix are Zane's playboy pal who tags along, a cunning Klan organizer, a local sheriff who might be a decent sort, a missing deputy, the town whore, and a strange inbred clan. As a portrait of the horror of lynchings in the South, the book succeeds, and it does so in a way that might make it a useful tool for the classroom. There are a few minor quibbles: for one, the white characters in the book are almost uniformly evil or amoral, and that lack of nuance is unfortunate. Secondly, Zane gets himself into deep trouble in a way that's not really plausible, given his experience and the life-and-death stakes. Thirdly, I'm not sure why the story is set in the early '30s, by which time lynching had almost completely died out. The only thing I can think of is that the writer wanted to work the Harlem Renaissance in, but otherwise, it seems like it would have made more historical sense to keep it in the 1910s. But these are minor quibbles that shouldn't detract from the raw power of the story and the stark black and white inkwork that brings it alive.

Readers should note that Zane's character is based on real-life NAACP co-founder Walter White, who did basically the same kind of thing in the 1910s. Johnson acknowledges him as the inspiration in a brief introduction that might easily be missed by those eager to dive into the story. Those interested in White's real-life exploits should check out his biography and a thriller based on his adventures called The Moon in Our Hands.

My First Graphic Novel
I read Incognegro because I was going to a book signing for the author. I was surprised to find myself caught up in the story and emotional regarding the characters' fates. Although I don't see many graphic novels in my future, I'll certainly recommend this one to others.Bad Girls Finish First

Amazing
This is the first time I ever purchased a proper graphic novel. I'd read a few that had been leant to me from time to time but I'd never found anything that had compelled me to purchase.

This books topic certainly seemed like it had the makings of being worth the purchase and I was not disappointed.

The drawings were phenomenal adding real value to the storyline whilst the story itself was excellent. Not a book I'd show to kids, but something I've recommended and leant to many friends since buying. ... Read more

Product Description
Beginning in 1928, the Grenfell Mission sent out a call to socialites: 'When your stockings run, let them run to Labrador!' The creative recycling of tattered stockings, dyed in soft hues, is just one of many innovations that made Grenfell hooked mats highly collectible folk art. In "Silk Stocking Mats," Paula Laverty chronicles the development of a local craft into an art form. For generations, Newfoundland women had augmented their family's unreliable fishing income with a 'matting season' in February and March. Through the Grenfell Mission's Industrial Department, set up in 1909 to help develop cottage industries, the mat industry became an increasingly important source of income reaching peak production in the late 1920s and early 1930s when the women's mats became renowned for their strong design, meticulous craftsmanship, and distinctive northern images chronicling life in the north. Reindeer, sled dog teams, polar bears, schooners, outports, and florals are but a few of the mat designs."Silk Stocking Mats" is the result of over seventeen years of exhaustive research and draws on personal interviews with older women who recall their hooking days, the study of hundreds of archival documents, and careful examination of countless Grenfell hooked mats. Laverty's book is beautifully illustrated with photographs and descriptions including rare and unusual as well as common mat designs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

great
Nice book.Very happy with my purchase

Happy Hookers
Just fabulous! Laverty captures magnificent detail and sparks contagious enthusiasm, complimented with both text and rich photos.Her obvious passion for these significantly historic mats is genuinely intoxicating.The reader cannot help but delve into this fantastic and long awaited book! A "must have" for every hooker!


... Read more

Product Description
Explains the proper technique for 30 different exercises, along with the benefits and risks associated with each. Modifications are provided for various special populations, and sample workouts are included to help fitness professionals create balanced, safe routines. Exercise science is also covered as it applies to this fitness modality. Produced in cooperation with the American Council on Exercise. ... Read more

Product Description
For twenty-one years, Dan Gable's Iowa Hawkeyes dominated wrestling to an extent rarely seen in any sport: twenty-one consecutive Big 10 titles and fifteen national championships. In A Season on the Mat, award-winning reporter Nolan Zavoral explores Iowa's storied wrestling program and Gable's record of excellence in an unprecedented, intimate look at the man and his methods during his final season as a head coach.

A Season on the Mat chronicles the dramatic 1996-97 season, in which Gable led his team -- far from his most talented -- to a record-breaking performance at the national championship, at which it scored the most points in collegiate wrestling history. Zavoral takes the reader behind the scenes into the stifling heat of the wrestling room, where young men from places like Rock Falls, Illinois, or Philip, South Dakota, sacrifice everything they have just to be a part of the Hawkeye program.

From his difficult upbringing, interrupted by the tragedy of his sister's brutal murder, through the single defeat that haunts him to this day, to the ups and downs of his phenomenal coaching career, Gable has come to symbolize to many all that is special about this demanding, elemental sport. Part biography, part chronicle, part portrait of this unique subculture, A Season on the Mat is the best and most thorough look at one of the most important and most overlooked figures in American athletics.

Amazon.com Review
Had Dan Gable played baseball or basketball instead of wrestled, not only wouldad campaigns have been built around him, but also a wing in the hall of fame. Gable, a true athletic icon, dominated his sport--a virtually obscure one byAmerican standards--as no one has before or since. An Olympic champion, Gable was virtuallyunbeatable. As a coach, he's been dauntingly invincible. His Iowa Hawkeyes have won 10 straight nationalchampionships--15 altogether--and every Big 10 title in the sport since Gable took overthe program in the mid-1970s. A Season on the Mat is the engrossing narrative of Iowa's 1996-97 Cinderellaseason, Gable's finale as coach, and the intriguing hold wrestling has on its participants.Still, Gable is the clear star here. With drama and pathos, author Nolan Zavoral profiles him as a fiercelydrivenand competitive man, wracked by physical and emotional pain as he grapples withthe life-altering decisions that he knows it's time to make. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Understanding the making of a wreslting legend
Gable was not the biggest, strongest or most athletic wrestler. But he took advantage of the tools he had and maximized them to their fullest. His drive for success pushed him & his teams to unbelievable heights. A must read for any wrestling fan or sports enthusiast.

Great Book!!!
This is an excellent review of many of the details that only a coach and his wrestlers see and feel everyday.I definately think anyone who is a fan, parent, coach or participant of wrestling, and especially college wrestling should read this great book.

Not a wrestler, barely a fan...
...but you can't help but be taken in by the story of Dan Gable.The lessons that he preaches, and embodies, go way beyond the mat--perserverance, hard work, dedication, and perhaps most importantly, leading by example.

For that reason, I enjoyed the book, and got through it pretty quickly.I would have no reservations about recommending this book based on that alone.

But, I'll admit, it gets bogged down quite a bit as it becomes a point-by-point recap of the season.Starts to feel like the same things over and over again.I'll agree with other posters who say that it may have lacked some of the intensity and emotion that it could have had.For that, I would recommend "Four days to Glory."An awesome book on high-school wrestling that seems to be to do a better job of making you feel the drama of what wrestlers go through and why they do what they do.

I'd say buy both of these books for a pretty complete picture of Iowa wrestling "from cradle to grave."The afterword in the paperback version of "A season on the mat" does a good job of bringing closure to both books (hard to explain, but you'll see what I mean).

"Simply the best"
"A Season on the Mat" is simply the best book about the greatest wrestler and coach ever to grace the the mat.You will lose yourself as you read about Gable's struggles in pursuing yet another NCAA title.Read about how Gable sucked up the pain for one final season and set an example for the 1996 Hawks.Buying this book is the best way a fan can remember DG's final year on the sidelines.

Good, not great
As an ex-wrestler turned journalist (and someone who has interviewed Dan Gable), Zavoral's book is a decent look into Gable and the Iowa program. However, the writer at times tries to be bigger than his subject(s) using silly similies(describing Lincoln McIlravy's wrestling style as a man probing an ear or corn) and far flung analogies. The book also lacks logic in some areas, but does a good job of explaining the nuances of amateur wrestling to the uninitiated -- which is no easy task. Typos are also pretty prevalent, but that's the editor's job to catch it. ... Read more

Product Description
Orthopedic surgeon Ray Long blends modern science and the ancient art of hatha yoga to create an indispensable resource for every yoga practitioner - from beginners to experts. A scientific approach to understanding the practice of hatha yoga: through full-color, three-dimensional illustrations of major muscles, tendons, and ligaments, Ray Long describes the correct positioning of hatha yoga poses (asanas) and their benefits. Specific anatomical descriptions highlight which muscles to activate in each pose, bringing the experience of the pose to new sensory heights. A novel approach to learning yoga poses: each of the four mat companions focuses on one type of yoga pose: standing poses, forward bends and hip openers, back bends and twists, and arm balances and inversions. The illustrations and descriptions describe the major movements that enable the poses, how to deepen the posture, and sequences of muscle activation. The concealed wire-bound pages make the books perfect mat resources during practice. ... Read more

Product Description
A passionate and original new voice of the African-American literary tradition.
Chris Jones has a gift for creating desire-a result of his own passionate desire to be anywhere but where he is, to be anyone but himself. Sick of the constraints of his black working-class town, he uses his knack for creating effective ad campaigns to land a dream job in London. But life soon takes a turn for the worse, and unexpectedly Chris finds himself back where he started, forced to return to Philadelphia where his only job prospect is answering phones at the electrical company and helping the poor pay their heating and lighting bills. Surrounded by his brethren, the down and out, the indigent, the hopeless, Chris hits bottom. Only a stroke of inspiration and faith can get him back on his feet.
The funny and moving tale of a young black man who, in the process of trying to break free from the city he despises, is forced to come to terms with himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

excellent for the travelling spirit
I loved this book. The cover caught my eye in the bookstore. Truly, I had given up on some novels that have the same charachters and drama over and over again. But this book was absolutely different. Finally a protagonist with substance. Charachters that have travelled outside of the United States and can see some things that I saw and breathe some new air into literature. Someone with some real life issues, characters that I couldn't predict. I really got into this book in part 2. At one point it was hilarious and I found myself cracking up. The author is very poetic. I just finished this book last night at 1 am. It was too good to put off finishing it for another day. I am looking forward to buying his next book that is already out. Finally, I am back to reading novels again and it feels good.
Loved it.
Jenine Scott-Sanchez

entirely moves and motivates the reader to savor life!!!
The book was overlooked in the bookshop. I'm very glad that I found it and have met Chris Jones. Through him I realized that we have our own essence although it varies entirely. First, i thought Jones was abominably ambitious but then I found out that he's a big winner for that. Mat Johnson's book helped me to improve myself, examine my goals and evaluate my abilities - to determine my limitations and overcome them, to prove that an average dreamer who dreams lavishly and works for it wholeheartedly will achieve extraordinary things. The book cost me only 30 pesos (Philippine currency) that's why i am so guilty for having a book more expensive than the wealth the world could offer! The novel also taught meto love my country because no matter how distraughting our economical status is, still i am a daughter who seeks to improve myself and move the world. i believe mat johnson is a god... Thanks, mat!

The Essence is in the Drop
It is hard to call DROP a coming-of-age story considering the protagonist, Chris Jones, is a thirty-one year old college graduate, but because of this character's growth and evolution, it still qualifies.Chris has graduated from a third rate Pennsylvania state college and finds himself woefully unemployed and grappling for survival in a West Philly ghetto.He lives in constant fear of the "pop, pop, pop" of gunfire outside his window at all times of the day and night.He feels as if he is merely marking time, waiting for his life to come to a tragic end right where it started.That is, until he meets David.

David owns a tiny advertising agency in London and hires Chris.Chris' new life takes on a very hip and glamorous trend as he maneuvers through the very black and urban, yet bourgeois, neighborhoods of South London.He even manages to find a very elegant and beautiful Nigerian girlfriend.Life is good until a twist of fate threatens it all.

DROP is Johnson's debut novel and showcases his extraordinary talent.His writing is inventive and darkly funny, yet so lyrical and eloquent in quality you will want to read passages aloud.Reminiscent of Wright and Baldwin, Johnson's writing is deeply layered and textured, but by no means old-fashioned.He is a writer for this millennium.

Reviewed by Kim Anderson Ray
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Clever debut!
While "Drop" was a little shaky in some areas, I think that Mat Johnson's debut was clever, fresh, innovative and intriguing. Reviewer, Marcelle Washington, I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding the direction of Black fiction. I am a writer and I am so sick and tired of the same recycled drivel being cranked out by these authors. Terry McMillan started the trend (and she was good), but the authors that followed her took it and ran in a totally zig-zagged direction... veering off course. While these books are in fact appealing to a large group of people, there is nothing fresh or innovative about them.

I think Black authors like Mat Johnson, Andrea Lee, Octavia Butler, Suzan Lori Parks and writers of the like write for the art and the intellect of those of us who appreciate clever ideas, as opposed to those who write for the money. He follows in the literary tradition of Walter Moseley, Toni Morrison, James Baldwin etc.

Drop is a much needed break from the norm and I enjoyed it. I felt a little ripped off towards the end, but all in all, a really great start from Mat Johnson. He more than makes up for it with Hunting in Harlem!

Started Off pretty good
Drop is the story of Chris Jones, who is tired of his life. He has problems finding a job after college. He don't have the drive to do much of anything. He decides to apply for a job in London, thinking all his problems would be over in another country, but all don't work out there, even a tragedy. So, he has to come back to Philly the hometown he hates, and take a temp job which he hates. Chris spend the rest of the book trying to find another job in London. He get's a big surpise when he returns to London. The book started off real good,I could relate what Chris was going through, trying to make it in this world, but toward the end the story sort of dragged on, real boring at times. ... Read more

Product Description

About Learning, Inc. offers About Teaching: 4MAT in the Classroom, the how-to guide for creating instruction that really makes a difference in the lives of students. About Teaching encourages educators to consider not only “what” students learn, but “how” and “why” they learn.
Key topics include:
The different ways students learn
The foundations of learning
The 4MAT Model of Teaching and Learning
Designing instruction to reflect how people learn
Expanding assessment to engage all students
About Teaching offers a proven teaching system for infusing the core elements of quality learning into any instructional setting. Through this framework, teachers will learn to create instruction that promotes meaningful and long-lasting learning while giving every student an equal chance to learn.
... Read more

Product Description
This classic fable recounts the adventures of a brilliant young student who devotes himself to a life of pure eroticism. 2 cassettes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Amusing Asian bawdy
Our hero, the Before Midnight Scholar, starts life as a serious student and novitiate monk. Someone convinces him that he should sample the worldly pleasures if he is to renounce them with full knowledge, ...

BMS starts by claiming a beautiful, cloistered young woman from her overbearing father. Despite initial difficulty, he shows her the pleasure of the marriage bed. At first barely dutiful, she becomes a very avid player. He dumps her unceremoniously at that point, and sets out to plant his flag, so to speak, in as many other lands as he can.

Early on, though, he discovers that his flagpole is more of a toothpick than mighty staff, and any woman with any experience would laugh him out of the boudoir. Only naivete allowed his first wife to enjoy so tiny a morsel of masculinity, when others would surely want more of a meal. That problem is cured by a traveling medicine man, whose descendants today flood the internet with the word 'BIGGER!' After a final fling with his catamite, he undergoes the surgery and begins a three-year debauch. He works his way through various seductions up to foursomes with a family of lovely ladies.

Despite his BIGGER features, one wonders what a modern woman would see in his technique. His idea of foreplay seems to consist of the words "open up." Perhaps fortunately, the women (the prayer mats on whom he devotionally prostrated himself) seemed not to know any better either.

The end of the book takes on a properly moralistic tone, where all his evils come to roost - largely on the people around him. That poor first wife, more wronged than wrong herself, is driven to suicide. His twin daughters mysteriously die. He mutilates himself, turning BIGGER into 'gone.' A final chapter takes pains to explain how necessary the steamy details were in creating the context of heaven's retribution. I suppose they had to do something to get it past the censors.

If you ignore everything after about p.300, it's a fine bit of bawdy. Written in 17th century China, it's a good companion to Japanese works by Saikaku, roughly a contemporary. The Prayer Mat's euphemisms get a bit dense at times - does anyone really call a lady's sex toy "Little Jack Horner?" Perhaps those inelegant renderings were why this translator chose anonymity. Still, it an interesting look at that era of China, and an interesting look under their sheets.

//wiredweird

A "classic" that is sexy and fun to read!
This is a review of The Carnal Prayer Mat by the seventeenth-century Chinese author Li Yu, in the translation by Patrick Hanan.(In Chinese, family names are written first, so the author's surname is "Li.")

This book is a classic that is sexy, witty, fast-paced and fun to read even if you don't like "classics."It also has interesting philosophical aspects that raise it above the level of simply an entertaining read.Some of these philosophical points are raised in the "Critique" sections that come at the end of every chapter (probably written by a friend of Li Yu's).You should be warned that this IS an erotic novel.It is not any more graphic than lots of popular novels today, but if you are offended by explicit sexual discussions, you should not read it.

The novel's main character is Vesperus, an extremely talented scholar who has two ambitions in life: "to be the most brilliant poet in the world" and "to marry the most beautiful girl in the world" (p. 24). Vesperus is warned by the Buddhist monk Lone Peak that this second quest will lead him to numerous wicked acts.Because he wants only the most beautiful woman, he will never be satisfied with any woman he marries, and will even commit adultery with other married women if they seem more beautiful to him.And because of the law of karmic retribution, Vesperus will be punished, either in this life or the next, for his evil deeds.Vesperus scoffs at this admonition, so Lone Peak advises, "gain your enlightenment on the carnal prayer mat; then you'll discover the truth" (p. 30).

What makes this novel so philosophically interesting is that we're never sure quite what perspective the novel takes on all this.At a surface level, the novel is a straightforward moral tale. In an introductory chapter, Li Yu tells us that he wants to teach people that a moderate amount of sex within marriage is good, but that excessive sex or sex outside of marriage is dangerous.He claims that his explicit sexual descriptions "are all designed to lure people into reading on until they reach the denouement, at which point they will understand the meaning of retribution and take heed" (p. 11).And, indeed, the life of Vesperus does follow a path that suggests such a message.

However, there is much in the text that is potentially subversive.For example, Vesperus learns, to his surprise, that he is very poorly endowed compared to most men.Li Yu describes this as an opportunity for him to curb his inappropriate lust, comparing him to two Confucian sages noted for their sexual restraint:"Who knows, perhaps Lu Nanzi, who shut his door against an importunate widow, and Liuxia Hui, who kept his self-control with a girl on his knee, may have shared these very thoughts of his, thoughts that may have made them the leading paragons of all time" (pp. 105-106).Chinese thinkers were sophisticated enough to realize that virtue requires appropriate motivation, and that fear of sexual inadequacy is not a virtuous motivation for sexual restraint.

In addition, Li Yu advises us, "Clearly it is wrong to study the bedroom art, for once learned, it tends to corrupt our thinking" (p. 117).But this novel itself is, in part, a treatise on "the bedroom art." There are learned disquisitions on the proper use of pillows in positioning a woman's body (p. 151 ff.), on the advantages of plumper women over skinnier ones in bed (p. 253 ff.), and on the importance of women taking an active role during intercourse, as by "Lowering the Yin to Join the Yang" (i.e., female superior position; p. 280 ff.).

The novel also makes extensive plays on the Confucian classics in ways that sometimes suggest subversive irreverence. Many of these references are to the ancient Confucian Mengzi (also known as Mencius).In fact, Li Yu explicitly compares himself to Mencius (pp. 9-11), who avoided taking an overly puritanical tone with a ruler fond of sex, in order to more successfully direct him toward benevolent government. (See Philip J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. Van Norden, eds. Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy, reprint [Indianapolis:Hackett Publishing, 2003], p. 120.) The learned translator, Patrick Hanan, catches many such references, but I suspect that he misses a few. For instance, Vesperus's wife reads some erotic novels, and notices that the men in the stories are described as being much better endowed than her husband.She is not sure what to make of this, since she has never been with another man.She concludes, "Better to have no books at all then to believe everything you read" (p. 207).Hanan puts this in quotation marks, so he recognizes that it is a quotation from something.In fact, it is probably from Mencius 7B3, in which he comments on the Book of History.Drawing this parallel hints that the Confucian classic, the Book of History, is on a level ethically and intellectually with popular erotica (such as The Carnal Prayer Mat itself).

But a simple subversive reading seems inadequate too.The eventual downfall of Vesperus and those whom he entangles in his web is artfully complex, but it does not seem contrived or implausible.In a truly great novel, the author does not try to force the characters to illustrate any particular moral.He creates them and lets them do what they must do, given who they are and the situations they are in.Great novels are ethically complex because life is ethically complex.The Carnal Prayer Mat achieves this kind of greatness, but for that reason it defies easy ethical summation.

Beware of wrong Ingram description
Please note that the Ingram description shown above is for a different book.The Carnal Prayer Mat is about a lecherous Chinese scholar, not the memoirs of some Viennese schoolteacher.

classic Chinese erotica
This is a bona fide world classic in literature.It stands as a classic both in erotica and pure (if such a thing exists) literature.This fable follows the sexual exploits of Scholar Vesperus who learns to find wisdomon the Carnal Prayer Mat so to speak.He refuses to learn spiritual wisdomthrough earnest prayer and hence learns his lessons the hard way. (pun notintended)He has his many affairs and shamelessly cheats on his wife.Heeven becomes a bigamist with a second wife in another town.The trickeryinvolved is hysterical.It is reminiscent of The DeCameron of Boccaccio inthe sneakiness of the characters.The humor is also a fabulous trait. Honest Quan gaining revenge is the moralistic turn.The Golden Rule wasnever so funny.Vesperus steals Honest Quans wife so Honest Quan debauchesVesperus wife.Li Yu strikes a moralistic posture in telling this tale butone can not help but feel that he had a smashing good time writing thisbook.Each chapter ends with a moral to the action.It merely adds to thehumor.One can not help but feel that Li Yu is yanking the readers chain. The names for sexual positions and the numerous jokes on penis size areexquisite.He is having too much fun with the story.The reader also ishaving too much fun to be preoccuppied with the morals of each chapter.Ofcourse, Vesperus does ultimately come to wisdom in the end.We should begrateful that he did learn the hard way.It was a lot more entertainingfor us.This book will really dispell a lot of Western prejudices thathold the Chinese to be demure and asexual.(Well, there are over a billionpeople in China so they must know something about sex, but I wont gothere.)I suggest this book to anyone interested in erotica and to anyonesmallminded enough to doubt the wonderful sensuality and sexuality ofclassic Chinese literature.

A classic and a hoot, too!
The best thing about THE CARNAL PRAYER MAT is not just that it's sexually adventurous -- it's that it's one of the FUNNIEST, craziest works of its kind. There are moments that are strikingly sophisticated and"modern", followed up by sexual antics that are as outrageous asanything in a Franz von Bayros print. Hong Kong's movie industry took thehint and has put out a series of (very) loose film adaptations (SEX ANDZEN, I-III), but the book remains forever tongue-in-cheekishly brilliant. Agreat choice for people who are getting fed up with acres of drippinglysolemn Anne Rice-derived nonsense. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a collection of twelve lively stories ideal for the very young with regular, repeated word sounds that are hugely appealing to children learning their first words. Very simple text encourages reading, helping children to sound out individual letters, then blend them together to make whole words. It contains a listen-along CD that brings the stories to life with charming readings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very pleased
I ordered this book after seeing a paperbook of one of the stories.The book arrived in rapid time, which I was very pleased about.My 3-year-old grandson is thrilled with the stories, bright colors, and humor. ... Read more

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AN ANCHOR BOOKS ORIGINAL

As more and more people in the West pursue yoga in its various forms, whether at traditional centers, in the high-powered atmosphere of sports clubs, or on their own, they begin to realize that far from being just another exercise routine, yoga is a discipline of the body and the mind.

The 365 meditations incluided in this book offer a way to integrate the mindfulness that yoga teaches into everyday life. Whether used in the morning to set the tone for the day, during yoga exercise itself, or at the end of the day, during evening reflection, Meditations from the Matwill support and enhance anyone’s yoga journey.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

Disappointed
I was disappointed in this book. It doesn't awaken my spiritual side. The inserts are too long to read to my yoga classes. It is not extremely informative. Lacking substance. I don't believe it stays true to the essence of yoga. Keep searching. Do not settle for this product. Namaste.

Medications from th eMat
Outstanding book.Finds its way into your heart, soul, mind and body.I have now purchased many copies because in conversation with one friend after another I have realized that they too would love the easy to read gudance to life provided

One of my favorite spiritual tools
This beautiful, yet direct collection of essays is one of the best "daily shot of spiritual B12" books I've ever come across. I usually get through a month of this type of book before I forget to read it. Not so with Gates's and Kenison's amazing year of observations. I often read passages twice over to extend the book to a year and a half. Underlining? You bet, and I refer back to pages that are dog-eared, highlighted, tabbed, and otherwise loved. For the yoga teacher or devotee, this book is as necessary as a mat; for anyone else seeking serenity, peace, meaning, or appreciation of the chrysalis that we all are, it's just necessary.
Suzan Colon
Author of Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times (Vintage)

Love this book
I am a yoga instructor and I read a passage for my students at the end of class. This book wasgiven to me by a friend when I was feeling down.It has helped me and I share this with my students.

Meditations from the Mat
After checking Meditations from the Mat out of the library numerous times, I decided the only solution was to own this book.Read from one end to the other, it is a beautiful progression in the life of the author, but each offering is a quiet, profound life lesson as well.This is a great gift for someone else or maybe for yourself. I've bought three so far. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great book for sunday school, AWANA or church library
Wow!this terrific series is wonderful for AWANA storyyp or counsel time sessions. a great read aloud for younger kids.Our church has the entire series and they also make a great filler for when the service runs long and your childrens church lesson runs short.Our kids have read the whole series and can't wait for number five to be printed.The Education Garden

concord cunningham series
We have three of these and they are written like Encyclopedia Brown except that you have to look up scripture to solve the mystery. They are well done and make looking up scriptures enjoyable with a purpose. Plus they really teach some values to kids. ... Read more

Product Description
Reweaving the Relational Mat is an integrative response to the problem of violence against women which grounds theological and sociological analysis in the praxis of Oceanian Christian women's experiences of violence. It focuses on the collusion of the church in the problem of violence against women by critiquing the ways in which its theology and practices have contributed to 'power-over' ways of relating. Employing the Oceanian metaphor of weaving the mat, the analysis 'unravels' the 'patriarchal relational mat,' paving the way for a constructive 'reweaving' of a Christocentric 'egalitarian relational mat.'

The study begins by unravelling the correlation between violence and the ideology of patriarchy. It then highlights the various strands of violence against women, and examines the complex mosaic of socio-cultural sources and manifestations of violence against women in Oceania. This leads to an analysis of the interwoven strands of religion and violence, focusing particularly on the church's captivity to patriarchy. The ensuing explication of problematic theological and biblical interpretations and church practices ends with a critique of male clergy power, particularly as it functions in the Oceanian context. This leads to an examination of the relationship between flawed theological education and violence against women. Case studies of violence against women in the Oceanian theological education setting are analysed. The subsequent 'reweaving of the relational mat' issues forth in specific challenges to church leaders, theological educators and church women. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

A Book of Lies
It's lies and what isn't a lie is just a gross exaggeration of the truth.

Rubberneckin the the White Trash Train Wreck that is the Hart Family, part 1
Apparently this book pissed off Martha Hart enough that she sued to have it removed from store shelves because she didn't like the way that she and Owen (her husband) were portrayed.But really, they are the only ones who come off looking normal, not perfect, but normal.Everyone else is a disgusting mess.

Here are some of the things you'll get to read about:

1) Flesh Eating Disease
2) Rape and Sodomy
3) F.A.S. Babies
4) Incest
5) Wife Abuse
6) Child Abuse
7) Murder
8) Some guy having the bottom of his feet burned with a blowtorch & having his ears cut off
9) Date rape drugs
10) a 37 year old substitute teacher having sex and latter marrying a junior school student
11) gang bangs initiated by the student in #10
12) 55 year old, 250 pound skank servicing 18 wrestlers in a van
13) Yelling, screaming, and more yelling
14) crazy old dude who's great joy in life is making people (including children) scream/vomit/lose bowel control/lose consciousness because they are in so much pain from whatever bizarre submission hold the crazy old dude has them in
15) a father who has his daughters legs smashed with a hammer so he can collect more in a car crash insurance claim
16) Psychopaths and sociopaths and narcissists
17) a pickled mom who constantly tells her children she is going to kill herself
18) Moms who live with roid raging violent sadists despite having children in the house
19) Drugs (cocaine (crack and powdered), steroids, horse tranquilizers, morphine, uppers, downers, GBH, dozens of pain killers, booze, marijuana, hash, ecstasy, antidepresants, etc etc)
20) untreated schizophrenia
21) untreated kidney disease leading to death
22) moms who become hookers and IV drug users
23) animal abuse
24) woman eaten by 'wrastlin' grizzly bear who lived in their yard
25) crazed vicious psycho dog
26) house filled with 18 cats and cat piss
27) house that never gets cleaned
28) child porn

And that list is just off the top of my head.

And I really don't blame Martha for not wanting to have anything to do with these losers.
... Read more

Product Description

The BBC visual effects department closed its doors in 2003, but for almost 50 years it had been responsible for some of television’s most iconic images. Using interviews with the effects designers throughout the department's history together with concept drawings, production photographs, and stills from completed programs, this book tells the story of the VFX department and celebrates the work of a group of craftspeople who lived by the mantra "if it can be imagined, it can be made." Working largely before the age of CGI, the department was responsible for every kind of visual effect, from physical effects such as rain and explosions, to miniatures, models, sculpture, and animatronics, all of which had to be convincing—a challenge in the early days when many programs were shown live. Following a preliminary chapter on effects techniques, the book features in-depth accounts of 50 key shows, representing every genre, from sci-fi and drama to comedies and documentaries. In each we see how the designers worked, from receiving the original script to creating the finished effects. Filled with fascinating insights, wonderful stories, and numerous photographs and artworks that have never been published, this is an essential book for FX fans and anyone who loves television.

Product Description
180 Fun-Filled Reproducible Activity Pages That Help Kids Build All the Essential Math Skills They Need to Meet the NCTM Standards
Geared to the NCTM standards!
This teacher-written resource offers engaging activity mats that invite students to explore addition and subtraction, patterns, time, money, measurement, place value,graphs, and more‹every day of the school year! Easy-to-use reproducibles make preparation for whole class, small group, and learning center lessonsa snap. Great homework for students at every ability level! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderful hands on activity book
The book is layered easy to hard. All of the daily activities have a worksheet mat and include some sort of hands on manipulation.I teach special education and need high interest subjects for low readers as well as space to write with out the dotted lines for younger learners.Very versitle book!I wish the publishers would have included a data collection page to account for skills taught and mastered. ... Read more