Notes from Toyota-Land: An American Engineer in Japan

Book Description

In 1996, Darius Mehri traveled to Japan to work as a computer simulation engineer within the Toyota production system. Once there, he found a corporate experience far different from what he had expected. Notes from Toyota-land, based on a diary that Mehri kept during his three years at an upper-level Toyota group company, provides a unique insider's perspective on daily work life in Japan and charts his transformation from a wide-eyed engineer eager to be part of the "Japanese Miracle" to a social critic, troubled by Japanese corporate practices.

Mehri documents the sophisticated "culture of rules" and organizational structure that combine to create a profound control over workers. The work group is cynically used to encourage employees to work harder and harder, he found, and his other discoveries confirmed his doubts about the working conditions under the Japanese Miracle. For example, he learned that male employees treated their female counterparts as short-term employees, cheap labor, and potential wives. Mehri also describes a surprisingly unhealthy work environment, a high rate of injuries due to inadequate training, fast line speeds, crowded factories, racism, and lack of team support. And in conversations with his colleagues, he uncovered a culture of intimidation, subservience, and vexed relationships with many aspects of their work and surroundings. As both an engaging memoir of cross-cultural misunderstanding and a primer on Japanese business and industrial practices, Notes from Toyota-land will be a revelation to everyone who believes that Japanese business practices are an ideal against which to measure success.

Customer Reviews:

Maybe You Can Argue with Sucess.......2007-09-01

An insightful book, the story of an American engineer in Japan. The author took advantage of this unique opportunity to tell of his experiences working for a Toyota subsidiary in Japan. In Japan, the conditions seem harsh on the lower level engineering and office staff. Many American business studies stress the conformity of the Japanese decision making process and the "good-neighbor" policy relationships of corporations to the city councils in the area in which they reside. The author demonstrates from office experiences that the conformity is often enforced by the individual's fear of being ostracized. It is a very top-down hierarchal structure with some values that American corporations would consider politically incorrect, such as the role of career women and how foreign guest workers are treated.
The author explains the concept of tatemae versus honne. In the workplace confrontation is suppressed under the mask of tatemae (the way things are supposed to be). After some social drinking the individual's "honne", how one actually feels may appear.
I appreciate what this author has done. What I read was so different from what other business books have to say about Japanese management that the reader has to wonder is this author at a typical Japanese corporation. Could one judge all of American corporate culture by working at a subsidiary of General Motors? Probably yes, Corporate Cultures must carry most of the cultural trait of the country.
Any reader from the curious to a business studies major will find this book fascinating. A light book, no analyzing, just the author telling of his office experiences in a radically different culture.
We have all heard of American corporations adopting many of the Japanese business practices. Their strong points seem to be to aid the factory floor. Hopefully their office culture will not be adopted here.

Somewhat interesting.......2007-02-13

As others have reviewed, this is obviously the author's first job in an industrial setting and some observations are quite naive. It is also not a Toyota plant as one might assume from the title, but a little further down the supply chain. This, in itself is a unique viewpoint, as little has been written about Toyota's 1st or 2nd Tier suppliers or their captive companies. If you have many years of engineering or manufacturing experience under your belt, you might consider that many of his negative observations are not unique to Japan - just lack of exposure on his part.
An interesting read to see the social side of Japanese industry, but little insight into the inner working of TPS.

An interesting memior of a first job.......2006-07-14

As other reviewers have mentioned, parts of this reflect experiences the author would have at any first job.

Japan is definitely different (from the US anyhow) especially in the way women are treated, and consensus is created (and desired).

Sure parts are a bit naive and parts are unreflective, but that's what makes it interesting.

Any First Job.......2006-04-05

After considerable time in academe, Darius Mehri encountered many difficulties that are common in any first job. Some are more pronounced in Japan, while other difficulties would be more pronounced in other countries. With a few more job experiences under his belt, Darius may learn that - in any setting - things such as protocol, advice from senior members, not immediately tilting at windmills, would help him have a more rewarding work experience.

Excellent insights into life in "Toyota-land".......2006-02-15

The book is filled with terrific insights into what the workplace is really like at a Toyota subsidary in Japan. The insights are provided by Darius Mehri, an American who worked there as an engineer for several years and kept a diary of his experiences and observations. Mehri details the often unfortunate limitations that a rigid hierarchical system can create, as this rigidity is usually blindly obeyed despite the limits on technological advancement. Employees are often forced to abandon their common sense in order to support the understood order of the workplace, which often leads to absurd results. As Mehri's journey progresses, conditions at the factory worsen in a sort of Kafkaesquian absurdity, where legitimate questions are raised (by him) but no legitimate answers are given (by the company). Unfortunately, most of the workers are helpless to change their plight as the events unfold. Mehri artfully describes this state of events, which are somewhat depressing, but he also sprinkles his story with numerous comedic takes on the insanity that he observes around himself! This is defintiely a worthwhile, quick read - and he has put more information at his website, www.notesfromtoyotaland.com.

Notes from Toyota Land: An American Engineer in Japan.(Book review) : An article from: Pacific Affairs

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Notes from Toyota Land: An American Engineer in Japan.(Book review) : An article from: Pacific Affairs
Aviad E. Raz
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000FVS2OK
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Pacific Affairs, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2005. The length of the article is 630 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Notes from Toyota-Land: An American Engineer in Japan.(Book review)
Author: Aviad E. Raz
Publication: Pacific Affairs (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 78 Issue: 4 Page: 654(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

The Dynamics of Change is a groundbreaking work that gives a fascinating insight into the nature of change and transition. It considers which principles govern change, what structural features and processes define it and whether there are any forces which drive and shape change. It examines a variety of change phenomena in the natural and physical world, and how they apply to our understanding of change within organizations.

Customer Reviews:

The Dynamics of Change.......1999-12-27

One of the best books I have read on the management of change. The author's approach of utilising examples from the natural world is refreshing and sheds new light on what can be an area where books seem to often simply recycle the same ideas.A comprehensive index makes this an easy to use volume. If you thought you knew all there was to know about the management of change try reading this book - you will be pleasantly surprised.

Dynamics of Change: Insights from the Natural World into Organisational Transition

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Dynamics of Change: Insights from the Natural World into Organisational Transition
Francis Stickland
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Organizational Change | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0203065603

Triple Ridge Farm
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Triple Ridge Farm
Ruth Fouts Pochman
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NPQ1PK

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Triple Ridge Farm

Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HF3636

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Triple Ridge Farm
Virginia Ruth Fouts Pochmann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00005X0HV

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Triple Ridge Farm
Ruth Fouts Pochmann
Manufacturer: New York: William Morrow & Company, Inc. 1968
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NVLQHC

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Triple Ridge Farm
Ruth Fouts Pochmann
Manufacturer: Wiliam Morrow & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OO1Z8S

Triple Ridge Farm A persuasive adventure in country living, written with beguiling warmth and charm...
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Triple Ridge Farm A persuasive adventure in country living, written with beguiling warmth and charm...
Ruth Fouts Pochmann
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W8TMOA

Triple Ridge Farm 1968
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Triple Ridge Farm 1968
Ruth Fouts Pochmann
Manufacturer: Williams Morrow & Company, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KYLTTC

Triple Ridge Farm,
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Triple Ridge Farm,
Ruth Fouts Pochmann
Manufacturer: New York, Morrow, 1968.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDV4X4

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Triple Ridge Farm
Ruth Fouts Pochmann
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OL9CVI

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Triple Ridge Farm
Ruth Fouts Pochmann
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OCTFZK

Book Description

What exactly is the Big Bang Theory?
How do we know the universe is expanding?
What is a black hole? Does a Planet X exist?
What came before the Big Bang?
How many galaxies are in the universe?

These are just six of the 50 questions answered in this fact-filled guide to the latest findings and theories in astronomy. Concise yet authoritative, it is the perfect reference for the thoughtful reader who doesn't have the luxury of time.

Customer Reviews:

The trivial astronomy question every one asks! answered.......2002-01-13

The author has succeeded in writing a useful, enjoyable, and eminently readable book. The questions range over the whole domain of astronomy and include those concerned with current areas of astronomical research. . . . In addition to giving answers that are accessible to a general audience, the author often uses easily visualized models to describe, for example, the relative size of the solar system or the thickness of Jupiter's rings. The diagrams and photographs (many taken by the author himself) add significantly to the explanations. Obviously, in a book of this length that covers so wide a range of topics, it is not possible to go into great depth on any particular subject. However, the author has wisely included an extensive reading list for further study, organized question by question.

Excellent!.......2000-12-26

I love astronomy, but most of the books I read about it are long and drawn-out, and too difficult and advanced for a high schooler to read. However, this book is easy enough for elementary schoolers to read. It's very informative, explained very well, and even has pretty pictures for those who are too lazy to read the whole book. :) I definitely recommend it!

Coaching Youth Hockey (Baffled Parent's Guides)
Average customer rating:

Aresh Look At Developing New Hockey Players

Great book that touches on every aspect

Unsurpassed Clarity, Detail & Readability!

REFEREE RECOMMENDATION

This book has it all

Coaching Youth Hockey (Baffled Parent's Guides)
Bruce Driver , and Clare Wharton
Manufacturer: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hockey | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Children's Sports | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Coaching Youth Hockey, 2nd edition (Coaching Youth Series)

The Incredible Hockey Drill Book

The Hockey Play Book: Teaching Hockey Systems

Laura Stamm's Power Skating

Hockey Goaltending for Young Players: An Instructional Guide

ASIN: 0071430113

Book Description

"This is a great book that touches on the most important parts of the game: sportsmanship, discipline, and most importantly, fun.—Larry Robinson, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, six-time Stanley Cup Champion

Coach. You thought you were just going to sign up your child for the youth league, but when no one else stepped forward, you volunteered to coach the team. But you can't tell a flip pass from a slap shot or an angle check from a hip check! Don't panic—Coaching Youth Hockey is here to help.

From your first team meeting to the season-ending pizza party, Coaching Youth Hockey will get you started and keep you going. You'll learn how to teach the fundamental skills of passing, stickhandling, shooting, and checking. You'll even learn to develop your own coaching style—one that works best for you and your players. Before you know it, you'll be coaching players who are moving, motivated, and most of all, having fun.

Survive your first practice and first game
Match drills to ability
Make practices safe, fun, and rewarding
Improve your players and your team
Reach all your players
Be the coach you never had

"A must-read book that provides guidelines for both parents and coaches in their relationships with young athletes."—Lou Lamoriello, CEO, president, and general manager, New Jersey Devils

"Just what hockey needs! Everything you may encounter with young players can be answered in the pages of this extremely well-written book."—Tom McVie, forty-nine years in pro hockey as a player, coach, and scout

"I was totally confused about instructing my sons when they played hockey. This book would have prevented me from ever having been baffled."—Stan Fischler, "The Hockey Maven," NHL analyst for MSG SportsDesk, and author of Fischler's Illustrated History of Hockey

"Bruce Driver's success as a player came from being a student of the game. He has applied his knowledge of hockey to this coaching guide in an extremely thorough way. A must-read for all youth coaches."—Grant Standbrook, head recruiter and assistant coach, Maine Black Bears; former head coach, Dartmouth College

Customer Reviews:

Aresh Look At Developing New Hockey Players.......2005-06-02

If you've wondered what's happened to Stanley Cup winner Bruce Driver since he wrapped up his illustrious 15-year career playing hockey with the New Jersey Devils, you'll find the answer in the new book, "The Baffled Parent's Guide to Coaching Youth Hockey". Admirably, Driver has been teaching young, would-be hockey stars the secrets of the game.
Don't be put off by the long title - in this volume, Driver, and co-author Clare Wharton have scored a major goal with this highly readable and entertaining offering. If you've stumbled across it, you've found treasure. Driver has wisely teamed up with Wharton, a skilled writer with an extensive background in Hockey. She has taken the shoulder pads, the knee pads, the helmet and skates of the material and, with humor, molded them into a star of the ice.
With sections on everything needed for first-time and veteran coaches alike, NHL drills appropriate for youth hockey, proven team-management techniques, tips on teaching and understanding hockey fundamentals and so much more, Driver lets us in on all of his secrets.
Hockey moms (and they are legion) who have had to spend endless afternoons - and early mornings, if time on the ice is limited - driving their little Drivers to the ice rink for practice, and dads, stuck at work but footing the bills for all that expensive equipment, will be happy to learn, through this enlightening tome, what happens to junior once he gets there.
"The Baffled Parent's Guide to Coaching Youth Hockey" is a winner! Anyone with even a passing interest in hockey, or sports in general, will find Bruce Driver and Clare Wharton's book a delightful experience.

Art Scott
Mystery writer
And Historian

Great book that touches on every aspect.......2005-01-12

Overall, this is a great book that touches on all aspects of hockey. I am a high school hockey coach and this book has some really nice drills and information in it. We are using a couple already in practice that work great. One thing that I was hoping for (4 stars instead of 5)was a little more intense drills or more detailed info for the higher levels of hockey. Also, it only has 3 goalie drills which was a little disturbing. As a goalie coach as well as an assistant, I find that upsetting since the position is so important, but yet it's the most overlooked. However if you are a parent or coach looking for a book that touches on every aspect of hockey as well as drills this is definitely the one. I do find the parts on dealing with parents and setting up practice plans also helpful. It was well written and has a lot of great info from an NHL player and Stanley Cup winner. It is one of the best books that puts it all together for you to learn the sport of hockey. I would suggest picking up the book: Complete hockey instruction by Dave Chambers with this book and as far as goaltending is concerned, go to www.hockeygoaltender.com. That has some of the best info concerning that position. With these 3 items you would have a pretty good arsenal on coaching and understanding the sport.

Unsurpassed Clarity, Detail & Readability!.......2005-01-10

I was floored by thoroughness of expertise and professionalism in this book, which goes hand-in-hand with the sheer passion for the game and wisdom in teaching children that comes through on every page. No detail of technique, sportsmanship or strategy is left out here, and the book is as useful a guide for would-be coaches inexperienced in the ways of the game as it is for veteran coaches looking broaden their knowledge base.

Bruce Driver's talent both as a former Stanley Cup winner and a long time coach combined with Clare Wharton's flawless and engaging writing style makes this book an absolute must for hockey lovers new and old.

REFEREE RECOMMENDATION.......2004-12-03

As a USA Hockey certified Referee I recommend this book to anyone involved in youth hockey at any level.This is how hockey should be taught.

This book has it all.......2004-11-25

A complete resource for coaches, yes, but also something every hockey fan and parent should read too. Presented in a concise and logical manner, with no detail left out. Extensive photos and drill diagrams for all situations. I found it to be very well written.

Coaching Youth Hockey, 2nd edition (Coaching Youth Series)

Average customer rating:

Useless
Hockey review
A Must for the Hockey Coach's Toolkit

Coaching Youth Hockey, 2nd edition (Coaching Youth Series)
ASEP
Manufacturer: Human Kinetics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Hockey | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Hockey | Sports | Subjects | Books

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Coaching Youth Hockey (Baffled Parent's Guides)
The Incredible Hockey Drill Book
The Hockey Play Book: Teaching Hockey Systems
The Hockey Coach's Manual: A Guide to Drills, Skills and Conditioning
Hockey Drills for Puck Control

ASIN: 0736037950

Book Description

This second edition features the games approach to coaching hockey, which makes practice more fun for the kids and teaching more effective for you, the coach. Also included are chapters on communicating with athletes and parents, planning and conducting practice, and coaching during games.

Developed by the American Sport Education Program (ASEP), the nation's number one coaching education program, Coaching Youth Hockey provides volunteer coaches with both an explanation of their role and concrete instructions on how to fulfill that role.

Customer Reviews:

Useless.......2007-09-01

Clearly not written by hockey people.

I could give numerous examples like pg 40 "Get Your Players' Attention" "Make sure they aren't looking into the sun or at some distracting activity."

Practic plans are a joke. No way someone could run a 50 min practice based on these practice plans.

Hockey review.......2007-03-14

I needed to understand how to teach children under 10 the game of Hockey and start towards gaining a coaching award in this age group. This book gives me a greater understanding of what turns on a childs interest and haw to maintain this interest.

A Must for the Hockey Coach's Toolkit.......1999-05-07

This book offers a comprehensive set of introductory materials needed for the first time or experienced hockey coach. It is useful for either ice or roller hockey. I particularly appreciated the author's including the social, communication, and motivational aspects of coaching youth sports. Full of handy checklists and drills to emphasize the needed skills, this book provides a solid foundation for developing "your own" hockey teaching and coaching program. The drills and progressions are excellent. The book would be better with more technical emphasis on skating skills and techniques. But overall, I would recommend it for any coach or parent who is close to this fast-growing sport!

Associate Coaches Manual; Fundamentals of Coaching Youth Ice Hockey

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Associate Coaches Manual; Fundamentals of Coaching Youth Ice Hockey

Manufacturer: USA Hockey, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hockey | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000EOB31W

Product Description

Thorough manual for adult leadership of youth ice hockey. Contents include such topics as: Role of the Coach, Planning the Season, Skating, Puck Control, Passing & Receiving, Shooting, Checking, Goalkeeping, Team Play, Discipline, Prevention of common injuries, Legal Liability, Drills, Weight Lifting Programs, Equipment Selection and more.

Coaching Youth Ice Hockey (Coaching youth sports series)

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Coaching Youth Ice Hockey (Coaching youth sports series)

Manufacturer: Athletic Inst
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hockey | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0876700849

USA Hockey: Associate Level Manual, Methods of Effective Coaching, Handbook I

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USA Hockey: Associate Level Manual, Methods of Effective Coaching, Handbook I

Manufacturer: Cooper Publishing Group LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hockey | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1884125131

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Youth Hockey (101 Youth Drills)
Stuart Dempster
Manufacturer: A & C Black Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hockey | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0713671963

Youth Hockey: For Parents and Players (Spalding)

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Youth Hockey: For Parents and Players (Spalding)
Gerald A. Walford
Manufacturer: Masters Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hockey | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books

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General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0940279894

Youth sport coaches: factors that predict satisfaction with the coaching experience.(2007 RESEARCH CONSORTIUM GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD WINNER)(Survey): An ... Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport

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Youth sport coaches: factors that predict satisfaction with the coaching experience.(2007 RESEARCH CONSORTIUM GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD WINNER)(Survey): An ... Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
Craig A. Paiement
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Hockey | Coaching | Sports | Subjects | Books

Sports | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2007. The length of the article is 1721 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Youth sport coaches: factors that predict satisfaction with the coaching experience.(2007 RESEARCH CONSORTIUM GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD WINNER)(Survey)
Author: Craig A. Paiement
Publication: Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 78 Issue: 1 Page: A-xxvi(3)

Article Type: Survey

Distributed by Thomson Gale

AHAUS Associate Coaches Manual: Fundamentals of Coaching Youth Ice Hockey

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AHAUS Associate Coaches Manual: Fundamentals of Coaching Youth Ice Hockey
Keith; Vogel, Paul Blase
Manufacturer: Mountain West Printing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P0OC5E

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COACHING YOUTH HOCKEY
AMERICAN SPORT EDUCA
Manufacturer: HUMAN KINETICS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KVBBC0

Book Description

This is a revised third edition of Tuttle's Reading & Writing Chinese.
This new edition focuses on the internationally recognized test of proficiency in Chinese, the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK). All 800 characters prescribed for Level A are covered here, and the 1400+ Levels B and C characters are covered concisely.
All of the prescribed vocabulary for Levels A-C of the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi is included among the example compounds. Knowledge of the 2,200+ characters and 5,253+ vocabulary items covered will equip students to take the test at either the Basic or the Elementary-Intermediate standard. Success in the top band of the Basic standard is sufficient to enter college in China.

Customer Reviews:

Little helper.......2007-10-11

This book is my second little helper, learning Mandarin now for more than two years in Holland, near Maastricht. In thousand characters you can immediately see the stroke order, you get information on etymology and look-alike-characters. I'm in love with this book. Strongly recommended for desperate Mandarin students.
laur crouzen

A systematic approach to learning characters.......2007-10-09

Take a look "inside the book" and you'll see the intention: a systematic approach to learning the characters you'll need for the HSK. I use it with a good dictionary (1982 Hanyu Cidian) to get all the meanings. Some very positive points for the learner:

1. Large, clear characters, with stroke order for the first 1000 or so
2. Introduces radicals as needed; these are the same 214 as the Hanyu Cidian
3. Shows traditional characters in parens, and if there are several traditional chars. combined into one simplified, shows which meaning goes where
4. Often has explanations of the "etymology" of the character
5. Excellent quality: thick paper, sturdy binding, attractive printing, large characters
6. Order of learning is fairly logical

What could be better:
1. Show the radical for each character; of course many are easy to figure out but others not!
2. Include another index by radical and stroke (like a dictionary)
3. Add some more explanations
4. In the case of multiple readings, be clear which are on the A, B, C, D or no list
5. Maybe separate multiple readings, as is done with zhe/zhuo/zhao

The same space is used for each character; I can see why but this gets very cramped later on with all the example words (ci); why not have variable-sized entries?

As others have said, it is not a dictionary, and should not be. Use it with a good dictionary.

A very nice book.......2007-09-15

A very good book to learn how to write the chinese characters with the correct stroke order. You'll also get to have a rich vocabulary when you're done with the book.

Don't expect to memorize all the characters in the book in a short time and start reading a news paper or some book. If you do, you'll end up forgetting everything you've learnt.

This book will merely help you in learning how to write.

To really remember everything that you've learnt, you have start writing/reading simpler sentences alongside.

It's really with the way you plan to use the book... You can't blame the book later, coz it only gives what it says it will give. Possible disappointment will only be because of your over-expecation.

I highly recommend this book!

McNaughton's Experience pays off for the student.......2007-09-07

Prof. McNaughton's Simplified Character edition is marvelous and so practical for the serious English-speaking student of Chinese. Quick-reference radical tables in front and back covers show more radical names than any other reference I've seen yet. McNaughton's pedagogical introduction gives the student a warm fuzzy feeling that every basic and intermediate level character is in here, described with "stories" and introduced in an order which helped me recall more hanzi than with other texts. By spending 15-30 minutes a day with this book, I rapidly beefed up my character recognition for reading.

Large stroke-order diagrams are also included for each hanzi. Just reviewing stroke order for each one in my head gave me a better sense of how to write them than simply trying to remember the confusing, conflicted and exception-ridden "rules of stroke order" we see in so many textbooks.

My background: I have been seriously studying Mandarin and written Chinese for 3.5 years with a tutor. I am 37 years old and travel to China a few times a year with work duties. While this book was written for the kind of structured classwork study available at universities, I also found this book an indispensible reference in my own private studies.

not a useful book.......2007-08-18

No more than a list of characters, with little or no usage guidance, and unusable as a dictionary.

AFTER THE GOLD RUSH: Birds; Cripple Creek Ferry; Don't Let It Bring You Down; I Believe in You; Oh Lonesome Me; Only Love Can Break Your Heart; Southern Man; Tell Me Why; Till the Morning Comes; and When You Dance I Can Really Love
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AFTER THE GOLD RUSH: Birds; Cripple Creek Ferry; Don't Let It Bring You Down; I Believe in You; Oh Lonesome Me; Only Love Can Break Your Heart; Southern Man; Tell Me Why; Till the Morning Comes; and When You Dance I Can Really Love
Neil Young
Manufacturer: Warner Brothers Music Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GW67RC

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Only Love Can Break Your Heart
David Samuels
Manufacturer: New Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1595581871

Book Description

A brilliant journalist takes us on a skewed odyssey through an american populated by idealists and outsiders in his first book, reminiscent of the classic new journalism of Tom Wolfe and Joan Didion.

Writing for Harper's Magazine and The New Yorker over the last decade, David Samuels has penned a disillusioned love song to the often amusing and sometimes fatal American habit of self-delusion, reporting from a landscape peopled by salesmen, dreamers, radical environmentalists, suburban hip-hop stars, demolition experts, aging baseball legends, billionaire crackpots, and dog track bettors whose heartbreaking failures and occasional successes are illuminated by flashes of anger and humor.

Including profiles of disillusioned Pacific Northwest radicals and Nevada nuclear test site workers alongside coverage of Pentagon press conferences and the Super Bowl in Detroit, Only Love Can Break Your Heart proves Samuels to be a wonderful inheritor of the great journalistic tradition established by Gay Talese, Tom Wolfe, and Joan Didion in the 1960s. This first collection of his painstakingly reported and wildly inventive writing reveals the full spectrum of his talents, as well as an unusual sensitivity to both the tragic and comic dissonances bubbling up from the gap between the American promise of endless nirvana and the lives of ordinary citizens who struggle to live out their dreams.

Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Surviving Sixteen)

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Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Surviving Sixteen)
Cherie Bennett
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Twins | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0140363203

Customer Reviews:

Only Love Can Break Your Heart.......2001-05-15

I bought this book & read it when I was about 12 years old, i'm 18 now & for the past six years now i've looked everywhere for it because I lost my copy. IT IS THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ.... I read it time after time. It made me laugh & cry. It makes alot of sense & is an awesome love story. All I can say is read it & find out for yourself & if you don't, your the one missing out. It really is a great book. Cherie Bennett is a mastermind.

Average customer rating:

Only Love Can Break Your Heart (No. 3)
Cherie Bennett
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIVF16

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