Austin Reviews

What can a jack-knife, only a jack-knife, accomplish as a kitchen utensil? This book might have helped Robinson Crusoe some had he not been blessed with a ship-load of tools of all sorts, pots and pans, spade and pick-axe to work with. What if he had just squeaked ashore with only that one valuable implement...a jack-knife? Would he have gone hungry? Not for long, I hope, for he seems to have been quite a "handy man" and would have made his jack-knife do what most American boys, cast away on an island far, far from home, would try to do as well - with only a sharp and stout knife.

This is an old book (copyright 1929), which appears to have been written with the newly created Boy Scouts in mind. (He mentions the organization as being 12 years old.) And what is a jack-knife? Fortunately, he has a life sized drawing (the book is "profusely illustrates with Line Drawings by the Author), and my little 4 blade Swiss Army Knife is about a quarter inch longer. Later in the book, after you've had some practice at preparing hearty, wholesome meals using only your jack-knife, he "allows" us other utensils, such as the Boy Scout Cook Kit, although he "allows" we can develop pretty good technique with just a tomato can! And why? In the words of the author "..we can practice the art and science of jack-knifery against the day when we are really 'cast away' a thousand miles from anywhere. Mostly, however, this shipwreck cooking, with camping thrown in to increase the fun, is just for fun. And that's why boys want to learn it, to be helpful in an emergency."

A brilliant and informative book written by my great-great grandfather and great-grandmother - buy it!

Greg Austin and Stuart Harris's _Japan and Greater China: Political Economy and Military Power in the Asian Century_ serves a useful purpose in reminding the book reading public that there are many other threats and problems in international affairs outside of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Austin and Harris have a wealth of experience in international affairs as both scholars and practitioners. Austin was an analyst with the Australian Defence Intelligence Organisation, defense and foreign affairs correspondent for _The Sydney Morning Herald_ and Secretary of the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Committee of the Australian Senate. Harris was Deputy Secretary of the Australian Department of Trade and then Secretary of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (subsequently Foreign Affairs and Trade)--a position roughly equal to being the chief of staff to the Foreign Minister. Austin and Harris currently hold positions at The Australian National University in Canberra. Both have written previous books on China and world affairs.

The authors contend that China and Japan are status quo powers unwilling and/or unable to provide much regional leadership in Asia and the Pacific. "Overall, what has been important is that despite ...substantial differences, both governments have sustained a business-like approach to the other. It is likely that this will become more difficult, given the greater concern of public opinion in both countries about the relationship, but both governments will not abandon this approach except under extreme duress. We have noted that whatever the public feelings towards each other, there is no domestic constituency in either country for a belligerent military posture" (p. 336).

As the title of this study indicates, the two authors focus on areas of traditional interest to people interested in international affairs, but there is a bit more to this study. Austin and Harris examine social and economic factors and this is a strength of the book and it is well made. Military actions, after all, are the efforts of a society to project and protect its political values, and it is worthwhile to get an idea of the forces at work in these two societies.

In their first two chapters, the authors examine some unconventional topics for their field. The two explore the place of cultural diplomacy and exchanges in the bilateral relationship of these Asian powers. An important component in perceptions of the other are the historiographical disputes about World War II. An issue that continues to roil the waters between the two nations is the issue of Japan issuing an apology for starting the conflict. That Japan should express its regrets in some way for initiating this war might seem obvious to most citizens of its former foes. It is a testimony to their fairness as scholars that Austin and Harris provide a good and reasonable explanation of why Japanese officials have been less than eager to express regret to the Chinese. While many Japanese nationalists continue to deny that events like the "Rape of Nanking" ever took place, influential officials and bureaucrats believe that Japan has already expressed its remorse officially. Others worry that the type of statement China desires would open up Japan to financial liability. Some see the issue as part of the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to use history as domestic propaganda and are reluctant to give this authoritarian institution tools to maintain its hold on power.

The next two chapters then move into more conventional territory with looks at security and territorial issues. The leadership in both capitals sees the other nation as a security threat, but, according to Austin and Harris, the major characteristic defining this element of their relationship is non-aggression. Each nation is confident that there is no interest in the other of using military force to resolve their differences. Trust, however, is largely absent from their relationship. The foreign policy objective of China over the past half-century has been the unification of the nation. Japan understands this objective, and has been quite consistent in maintaining a one-China policy.

The book then moves into the economic aspects of the Japanese-Chinese relationship with an examination of foreign aid and direct investment. In both cases, the capital travels west across the Sea of Japan. Aid has had little political or economic impact on China, but many Chinese see it as their due or as reparations. Japanese investment in China, on the other hand, has had more influence, at least in certain sectors and regions. Foreign investment from Japan has contributed to the growth of Chinese exports and most Japanese capital has found its way into the Dalian region in the northeast corner of the country. Japanese investment in China is a sign of a healthy relationship.

The transfer of technology and bilateral trade is the subject of the next chapter. The leadership in Beijing sees Japan as both a role model and as a ready source of advanced technology. The authors point out that in many cases China with few trained managers, technicians, and repair facilities has a limited ability to absorb the most modern technologies. When it comes to exports and imports, Austin and Harris argue that the amount of trade is large enough that both nations have elements in their society with an interest in keeping political relations between their governments from deteriorating.

As with most books, there are some blemishes. Like many works in international relations and political science, the text is littered with acronyms. While the authors are quite good about putting the abbreviations in parentheses immediately after the first use of the term it represents, a glossary would have proven quite useful for someone not wanting to hunt through two chapters of text to try and figure out what ODA, FIE, or SEZ represent.

In balance, the strengths of this study vastly outweigh its shortcomings. Austin and Harris have produced a useful, innovative study that many, including policymakers can profit from reading if they wish to understand the recent past in East Asia.

This is from memory of reading it about 50 years ago. Austin Freeman created a better detective than Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. His "Dr. Thorndyke" is Holmes with TV's Quincy added: a more logical detective who explains things better to the reader. Indeed, some of the stories are "inverted", i.e. you know who did it and how, but you follow the good doctor as he unravels the case. I wanna new copy of his cases!

This book is a series of short, 5-6 page, selections from the writings of Julian of Norwich and the writer's comments upon them, as to what Julian learned about the Christian life through her contemplation and the living out of her life: God revealing Himself, our desiring God, sharing God's grace with others, journeying towards God, living through difficulties and pain, learning to be compassionate, and continuing on. Each of the 29 chapters starts with a portion of her writing, and then proceeds to expound upon it. The author, Dr. Austin Cooper, lectures and teaches primarily on Christian spirituality and Church history. A very helpful book in explaining the very current relevance of this 14th-century mystic's writings to our attempts to grow in the spiritual life today.

My niece is 2 years old, and she absolutely adores this story! She begs to have it read to her at least two or three times each day. The words are simple enough for her to understand (at least for the most part), and she loves to listen as Kate learns that "if she can think them [the monsters and other scary things] up, then she can think them out." I wholeheartedly recommend this book for others who have little ones who love to be read to!

What I like best about this book is that is is really for all world religions. I believe all religions accept Jesus as a great teacher and greatly known religious leader. Most everyone would be interested in what Jesus said. As a student of History and Abraham Lincoln I see, in this devotional, pocket size book, many of Lincoln's well know quotations of Jesus. This book truly does record all His words on record in the New Testament in textual order. Much work must have been put into the book by its editor. It is well ordered and is easy to locate specific topics as captioned in the book. Although it is also a new Bible text, isolated in a separate book this way makes Jesus' words clear and dynamic.

The editor stated in the Preface that, "Jesus is God's message to our world." At this season of the year this is the Christmas story. I have personally profited in my devotional study, from the "Special Helps From Jesus' Words"...section at the end of this book.

Is New Labour a genuine attempt to learn from the failures of old Labour, or another advertising gloss for an old product? That's the question posed by this fascinating study of the successes and the failures of last time - when Labour took office in circumstances similar to today's. It's now a third of a century since the British people last threw out a faltering Tory government to bring an exciting new Labour Party to power. In 1964 a modernizing Labour Party, led by its dynamic new leader, Harold Wilson, won power in a long delayed election victory and set the country on a new course. The parallels between last time and Labour's progress to power are striking. In this book those who played the key roles in Labour's great election victories of 1964 and 1966 describe their techniques for winning, the way in which Labour governed dynamically on a small majority to build up support and win its biggest majority since 1945, and the key role played by Harold Wilson as an energetic, modernizing leader who brought Labour back into tune with the national mood, led it to victory - but then threw it all away. Last Time chronicles Labour's triumphs and failures from the sixties. It shows how the great victory turned sour in the face of economic difficulties and how Wilson failed to seize the moment to ensure the economic growth on which Labour's success depended, then as now. In four years of the nineteen sixties Labour went from triumph to tragedy. This book chronicles that dramatic process, in the words of those who took part, to point out the lessons for New Labour so it can avoid the mistakes old Labour made in the sixties.

wonderfully sensitive, outstanding photos transported me to the essence of being in the wilderness with this spendid animal.