"Art" must be taken very broadly, not to misjudge this book by its title. Glassie is such an honest, humble writer, one would forgive him for staying with the high arts, but he brings us into the back yards of potters and other craftspeople who labor in mud and obscurity. What I appreciate the most is his exquisite sense of the moment. Glassie never generalizes or universalizes; he shows us how lives and art change (not constantly, but imperceptibly, and also in sudden surges), and at the end we know more about all people by knowing more about these few.

Henry Glassie has written one of the great books of the 21st Century. His descriptions of the history of Bangladesh provide exactly the context needed to understand the folklife and art that he chooses to present from this nation. Glassie balances his own thought-provoking and insightful interpretations with articulate and intriguing texts, edited together from hundreds of hours of interview material. In this manner, Glassie guides the reader to a great understanding of the incredible artistry of the people of Bangladesh. Reading this book forces one to reflect on a range of important issues -- the central one being a compassionate concern with what it means to be wealthy or poor in Bangladesh, and in America.

The author has captured the essence of East Bengal in this marvelous book about art in Bangladesh. While the primary medium is pottery, the book also touches on rickshaw art, engraving, boat building, straw mat production and others. More than a description of art and the artists, it delves into the philosophy of Bengal and reaches depths of religious understanding (especially among the Hindu community); that many of us who lived in Bangladesh did not encounter. If you love Bangladesh, this book is must reading.

This is a great book. Those who are disturbed by many political crises of our "Modern" world. This book will give you hope.

This man earned trust of the people of a war torn country. At the end they thought he was an angel. Genuine compassion can build bridges. I am very impressed by the author's devotion to help people in need.

At the same time common people of Bangladesh moved me with their love for Allah (SWT) and their friendliness. Every war takes a little bit of humanity from us. I am pleased to see people of Bangladesh have plenty of humanity left in their heart.

May Allah (SWT) bless and guide Bangladesh. May people of all faith live in peace.

A wonderful man's journey through one of the poorest countries. Mr. McCahill shows that true compassion disolves all differences.

Bob McCahill's writing really touched the heart. If you are one of those missionaries who are in the the mood of saving "unsaved" people in third world country, then stop...this book isn't for a bigot like you! But if you really want to understand what goes on underneath those small village huts in Bangladesh, how those poverty stricken people live in pride and harmony..then read this book.
Cudos to Bob McCahill for writing this book. and many thanks to him for his selfless service to the Bangladeshis who are definitely allah's poor. May you be blessed by the allmighty.

Ali and Ripley's masterwork cannot be touched in terms of the completeness of individual descriptions, but this volume is amazing in that it draws together all the subcontinent's spp. into one book. Even so, the tome is too heavy to carry to the field. The taxonomy is updated, as is the species list. The colour illustrations are of a very high quality; my quibble is that the individual species are too small to be very useful. The maps are miniscule and that limits their utility; the use of two colours would have helped under the circumstances. Otherwise, this book is a long-awaited treasure.

Simply the best available guide to the birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Subcontinental birders have long awaited a comphrehensive guide to the birds of this region.

No other guide comes close in quality of drawings, text and range maps. Though too large and heavy to be called a field guide. It is still brought on trips to be reviewed after a day in the field.

We eagerly await the publication of this book as a true 'field guide'- that will be useable in the field.

This is the best one-volume book on the market at this time. It has very good illustrations and good species accounts that include excellent range maps. It is the only book of one volume that covers all the birds of the Indian subcontinent with this quality of illustration. The range maps are very good and there is an adequate amount of information about each bird. It's too heavy to take into the field on your trip to India, but it is an excellent reference.

This man is extraordinary! While we desire wealth, security, good health, and so much more, Vic Olsen's autobiography touches my heart as I see the tremendous passion and commitment of a Christian missionary to help the people of Bangladesh while ignoring the superficial desires of our society. His life trumps the stereotype delusional missionary of the same era portrayed in The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. You may reject his perspective that Jesus Christ is the Messiah (although he provides a logical defense), but think again what this man did because he committed his life to Jesus Christ. Is not this world better off because of this man's decision? Now, what am I going to do?

If you're looking to do some missionary work and your going into the medical field, this is the book for you. Viggo Olsen's story in Bangladesh is extemely inspiring and lets you see how the Father truly works through him.

While working on an on-going university research project I have spent five years driving the back roads of India. This book has saved my sanity as well as my tires and axles. It is by far and away the most helpful road atlas available.

The maps are better than what most Indians have ever seen in their lives, which is exactly why travellers don't need it. If you are taking public transport around the country, you get plenty of information about how to go where from LP India or from information at train stations, bus stations and other travellers. It simply isn't worth the excess weight (in a rucksack). If on the other hand you are cycling or have your own motorized vehicle, this would be irreplacable (so be careful who you show it to).

The murder of between one and a half million and three million Bengali civilians by the militarist regime of Pakistan in 1971constitutes one of the forgotten genocides of the twentieth century. Jahanara Imam is one of the witnesses of that horrific period during March-December, 1971. Her book is of special significance today (2002) when there is a coalition of the Jamaate-Islami party (the main collaborators of the pakistan army which carried out the genocide in 1971) with the BNP which incidently tried to denounce Jahanara Imam as a 'traitor'to Bangladesh. It is indicative of how history has been conveniently forgotten by a cynical generation in Bangladesh today.
Her story is set against a time when decent people around the world conveniently chose to ignore the crimes being committed by a neo-fascist army of murderers against unarmed civilians due to the expediences of Cold War alliances.
It is an eyewitness account of bravery, of survival and bearing witness to man's inhumanity against man. The fascist Pakistanis and their murderous collaborators in Bangladesh today have become rehabilitated, both in the eyes of the world and in Bangladesh. It is a supreme irony that it is the freedom fighters and their families who live in fear today in Bangladesh, and that it is a crime to speak on behalf of Bangladesh or its independence movement.
Jahanara Imam's diary is an essential key to remembering events as they truly happened, and contrasts with how today mass murders in fascist pakistan and their filthy collaborators in genocide in Bangladesh today can walk without fear of persecution.

She was one of those people whose self-sacrifice exceeded beyond that which could be expected of any nationalist. In her gripping account of those fateful days in 1971 Jahanara Imam makes us feel a part of her household, not only that , we come to understand all too well the strain she felt and the trials and tribulations she had to go through. In short, we can readily empathize with her. The Pakistanis carried out one of the most brutal and unhuman acts in the history of mankind by trying to wipe out an unarmed, peace loving civilian population, and Jahanara Imam documents this. Through her daily accounts we live through the terror, tragedy and in the end triumph of 1971. Although for that triumph it cost us 3 million people in 9 months of bloody warfare with the Pakistanis, whose systematic genocide failed in the end. Jahanara Imam herself suffered most grieviously , her son, Rumi, never returned from the battlefield in the fight for the motherland's independence. Jahanara Imam records 16 December, 1971 when after over centuries of foreign occupation Bangladesh(Bengal) reemerged as a free state to take her rightful place amongst the family of nations. Nobody can read this diary without shedding tears, it is the record of a brave patriot's trials during her country's war for independence, and in my opinion it should give all people , Bengalis and the rest of the world, an insight into a nation's bloody struggle for freedom. A book which is a must for all those who admire true courage and bravery.

More than just a casual pass through Bangladesh to investigate Grameen Bank, the micro-credit phenomenon started a quarter century ago by Muhammad Yunus, The Price of a Dream fills in gaps left by other writings. It puts a human face on the poor of this impoverished Asian country, formerly known as East Pakistan. It brings poverty-stricken Bangladeshis into your livingroom as factual, not fictional, folks.

"Aren't all Bangladeshis poor?" you ask. No. There is wealth. But there are also tens of millions of families so impoverished that one cannot begin to understand the depth and breadth of their deprivation without actually visiting this tropical nation or coming to know some of these people through a book such as this.

Bornstein writes in a painterly way. His stories, both sad and glad, weave a mesmerizing pattern of the richness of Bangladeshi life amid trying circumstances. How people cope, how they react to successes and disasters, how they work to pull themselves up economically and socially: every thread is pulled through the loom in due course to render a true and clear representation of lives on the ragged edge. Thanks to loans from Grameen, millions of families have been able to hem that edge, one stitch at a time, to finish off their piece of cloth.

For his part, Yunus, speaking as the economics professor he once was, declares, "Credit is a powerful weapon, and anyone possessing this weapon is certainly better equipped to maneuver the forces around him to his advantage." (p. 228)

Micro-credit empowers the unempowered. No one describes that process better than David Bornstein. The Price of a Dream will open your eyes to the possibility of minimizing the indignity of poverty in our lifetime, if not eliminate it altogether. Every beautiful tapestry starts with a single thread. Even if that first thread is mere hope, it's a worthy place to begin.

I am a junior in highschool. I chose this book from an AP Economics reading list I received this year. When I started reading this book, I expecting a monotonous mass of numbers, terms, and theories. However, I was soon captivated by the story. Bornstein beautifully integrated the story of the Grameen Bank, the lives of its members, and the economic principles behind it.

Any country that is presented under the cultures of the world series is pretty good. Cultures of the world offers the reader an insight into another country's culture, history, and customs. Everything from language and history to economic standing and traditional celebrations are covered under cultures of the world. They are great books and though they are mainly under children's literature, these books are also recommended for adults that are illiterate on the culture and geography of other nations. These books present valuable cultural and geographic information in a brief form with simple writing that highlights the most important aspects of the culture. That is why these books are recommended even for adults because the writing is clear and easy enough for lazy adults to understand another culture without getting confused. Cultures of the World also offers many colorful pictures on the country and its people.
Wether its Bangladesh or Estonia the Cultures of the World Series offers valuable insights to the cultures of the world.
Most of the time the informatrion is pretty accurate and helpful although it varies from country. In the case of this review for Bangladesh, the information is accurate enough.

This is a great book & I recommend it to anyone interested in development in third world countries. Ought to find its way onto a few economics course booklists I hope. It does not offer a step by step guide on how to set up a system in your own country, just a generalised working. Not a big criticism, as that would be a subject for a less accessible, more technical book. For starters, this is it!

More than just a casual pass through Bangladesh to investigate Grameen Bank, the micro-credit phenomenon started a quarter century ago by Muhammad Yunus, The Price of a Dream fills in gaps left by other writings. It puts a human face on the poor of this impoverished Asian country, formerly known as East Pakistan. It brings poverty-stricken Bangladeshis into your livingroom as factual, not fictional, folks.

"Aren't all Bangladeshis poor?" you ask. No. There is wealth. But there are also tens of millions of families so impoverished that one cannot begin to understand the depth and breadth of their deprivation without actually visiting this tropical nation or coming to know some of these people through a book such as this.

Bornstein writes in a painterly way. His stories, both sad and glad, weave a mesmerizing pattern of the richness of Bangladeshi life amid trying circumstances. How people cope, how they react to successes and disasters, how they work to pull themselves up economically and socially: every thread is pulled through the loom in due course to render a true and clear representation of lives on the ragged edge. Thanks to loans from Grameen, millions of families have been able to hem that edge, one stitch at a time, to finish off their piece of cloth.

For his part, Yunus, speaking as the economics professor he once was, declares, "Credit is a powerful weapon, and anyone possessing this weapon is certainly better equipped to maneuver the forces around him to his advantage." (p. 228)

Micro-credit empowers the unempowered. No one describes that process better than David Bornstein. The Price of a Dream will open your eyes to the possibility of minimizing the indignity of poverty in our lifetime, if not eliminate it altogether. Every beautiful tapestry starts with a single thread. Even if that first thread is mere hope, it's a worthy place to begin.

I've been reading a lot of books on microcredit/microfinance and this is very thorough; I would reccommend it for anyone interested in the industry and to those trying to duplicate Grameen's efforts in other areas. It gives you an indepth look at the Grameen Bank(it's successes, failures). It also gives you an opportunity to look at the bank from the perspective of the borrowers and the staff. All the stories aren't rosy and glamorous which makes this book a lot more balanced than what I've read in the past. The author gives you the room to create your own views on Grameen and microcredit(as a sustainable means to fight poverty). This was a great read!!

This is a truly touching book about two women overcoming their pasts and loving each other. As a child, Macy has a crazy mother who runs away for a few days with the butcher whenever things get tough around the house. Macy and her first love, Maybelline discover their love for each other. Macy lives through the loss of her first love by living in her house and taking care of her while attending nursing school.
Dotty grows up in a house with her abusive father and horrid older twin brother and sister, Bell and Ray. Macy runs away after a fiery car crash involving her brother and sister on the day after her sixteenth birthday. She starts to work at the motel she stays at and meets Lila, a woman who sleeps off her peppermint schnapps and painkiller everyday, on the bus there. The two become friends of a sort, with Dotty looking after the ever-drugged Lila. At the amusement park nearby Lila is on a roller coaster car that is flung off the tracks into the sea, and drowns.
The two women meet while Dotty is painting the house Macy lives in, and falls off the ladder, shattering her hip. Macy the nurse helps her through her hospital stay, and moves into her house afterwards to help. They are forced to learn that their lives intertwine when Dotty's twin brother and sister come looking for her...
A very compelling read. I could'nt put it down, and I'm definitely looking forward to another from Amy Schutzer.

This lyrical, beautifully wrought love story between two women, Dotty and Macy, kept me involved long after I'd read the last page. They are trying to make a true, meaningful connection for the first time in their lives, after escaping homes tainted by abuse, mental illness, and catastrophe. Macy (who has taken on the role of home nurse and lover, a role fraught with peril) feeds Dotty just a few too many pain pills. As the issues between Dotty and Macy come to a head, they confront their pasts. This was my favorite part of the novel, a lovely suspense fed not by "What comes next" but by "What happened? Who are these people?" To me, it's the difference between eating a homemade chocolate cake, where you savor every bit, and rushing through a Hostess cupcake because you're late for work. Their pasts unfold as unique mosaics combined with the perfect amount of the surreal. As they confront their pasts, they confront their issues in the present through a deep, almost Jungian exploration of their inner selves. The novel asks hard-to-answer questions. Can they possibly break the patterns they've established to form an equal partnership, make a true connection? But that question is the universal question--can we break free from our pasts?--and so I keep coming back to it, months after having finished the book. I strongly recommend this novel.

When Dotty falls from a ladder, she is brought into the hospital where Macy works. Macy lives at the house Dotty was painting. Macy becomes Dotty's nurse after she leaves the hospital, and the two embark on a love affair. The past histories of both women creep back into their lives and threaten to destroy what's being born. Schutzer's circular and nonlinear story is full of potent writing and moving descriptions of the past pain and vivid silences both women have endured. And the surprise connection between Dotty and Macy is beautifully crafted. Schutzer's style reminded me a bit of Scott Heim, but not as dark. Any reader who's a fan of such emotionally charged works as Emma Donoghue's "Hood" and Alison Green's "Half-moon Scar" will adore this novel. This is one of my favorite novels of 2000!