Books published by Tuttle Publishing

A handy Vietnamese phrasebook and guide to the Vietnamese language, Survival Vietnamese contains basic vocabulary necessary for getting around. This book contains all the necessary words and phrases for speaking Vietnamese in any kind of setting. Perfect for students, tourists, or business people learning Vietnamese or traveling to Vietnam, it also contains a beginner guide to the Vietnamese language, allowing for a deeper understanding of Vietnamese than a typical Vietnamese phrasebook or Vietnamese dictionary. The phrasebook book is broken into four basic sections: Common Vietnamese Expressions and Key Words, Essential Vietnamese Communication Tools, Vietnamese Travel Vocabulary, and making your own sentences. All Vietnamese words and phrases are written in Romanized form as well phonetically, making pronouncing Vietnamese a breeze. Authentic Vietnamese script is also included so that in the case of difficulties the book can be shown to the person the user is trying to communicate with. This phrasebook includes: Hundreds of useful Vietnamese words and expressions. An A-Z index which allows the book to function as an EnglishVietnamese dictionary. Romanized forms, phonetic spellings, and Vietnamese script for all words and phrases. A concise background and history of the Vietnamese language. A complete guide to Vietnamese pronunciations. A concise guide to using Vietnamese tones. A brief introduction to Vietnamese grammar.Not everyone has time to attend regular Vietnamese classes. A busy schedule, however, does not mean you cannot learn Vietnamese. With this fun and easy phrase book you will soon be speaking Vietnamese without fear or fuss! Titles in this bestselling phrase book series include: Survival Japanese, Survival Arabic, Survival Vietnamese, Survival Tagalog, Survival Hindi, and Survival Korean

Make beautiful and decorative paper flowers with this easy origami kit.World-renowned origami authors and artists Michael G. Lafosse and Richard L. Alexander present this new take on the origami art of flower folding. The flower projects range from simple to challenging. A variety of paper folding techniques are shown, which folders can modify to create flower combinations. These unique and original designs allow you to make greeting cards, gift boxes, bouquets, and stunning jewelry. Use it to craft eye-catching origami for your friends, to beautify your home—or as an excellent gift for paper craft lovers. All of the folds are simple enough to be origami-for-kids projects and are a great way to learn origami. All of these projects use the simplest household tools so just unpack the origami paper and start folding right away! This origami kit contains: 96 page, full-color origami booklet Step-by-step directions Colorful diagrams and photographs Paper folding basics and tips 180 sheets of origami folding paper A variety of brilliant colors 2-1/2 hour instructional DVD Videos are also streamable or downloadable onlineAuthors LaFosse and Alexander together founded Origamido Studio, a learning center and design studio specializing in exquisite handmade origami paper. Their works have appeared in window displays and museum exhibitions around the world, and are made available to a broader audience for the first time in this kit.Origami projects include:A striking Rose for Irene with interlocking Calyx ModuleThe gracefully-curled Plumeria and Star Flowers The modular six-piece Day Lily Blossom And much more…All disc content is alternatively accessible on tuttlepublishing.com/downloadable-content.

First among the ancient classics, the I Ching or Book of Changes is one of the world's most influential books, comparable to the Bible, the Koran, and the Upanishads. The I Ching's purpose is universal: to provide good counsel to its users in making decisions during times of change. Since its origins about 3,000 years ago, it has become a compendium of wisdom used by people of many cultures and eras.This groundbreaking new translation by Dr. Margaret Pearson is based on the text created during the first centuries of the Zhou Dynasty, study of documents showing how it was used in the dynasty, and on current archaeological research findings. Her translation removes centuries of encrusted inaccuracies to better reveal the I Ching's core truths for today's readers.Whether you are interested in trying this millennia-tested method of making wise choices or in understanding the worldview of the early Chinese, this edition is essential reading.

"e;A Japanese writer of genius."e;Japan QuarterlySoseki Natsume is considered to be one of Japan's most beloved and respected authors. And Then is ranked as one of his most insightful and stirring novels.Daisuke, the protagonist, is a man in his twenties who is struggling with his personal purpose and identity as well as the changing social landscape of Meiji-era Japan. As Japan enters the Twentieth Century, ancient customs give way to western ideals, and Daisuke works to resolve his feelings of disconnection and abandonment during this time of change. Thanks to his father's wealth, Daisuke has the luxury of having time to develop his philosophies and ruminate on their meaning while remaining intellectually aloof from traditional Japanese culture and the demands of growing industrialization. Then Daisuke's life takes an unexpected turn when he is reunited with his college friend and his sickly wife. At first, Daisuke's stoicism allows him to act according to his intellect, but his intellectual fortress begins to show its vulnerabilities as his emotions start to hold greater sway over his inner life. Daisuke must now weigh his choices in a culture that has always operated on the razor's edge of societal obligation and personal freedom.

The art of Japanese woodblock printing, known as ukiyo-e ("e;pictures of the floating world"e;), reflects the rich history and way of life in Japan hundreds of years ago. Ukiyo-e: The Art of the Japanese Print takes a thematic approach to this iconic Japanese art form, considering prints by subject matter: geisha and courtesans, kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, erotica, nature, historical subjects and even images of foreigners in Japan.An artist himself, author Frederick Harrisa well-known American collector who lived in Japan for 50 yearspays special attention to the methods and materials employed in Japanese printmaking. The book traces the evolution of ukiyo-e from its origins in metropolitan Edo (Tokyo) art culture as black and white illustrations, to delicate two-color prints and multicolored designs. Advice to admirers on how to collect, care for, view and buy Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints rounds out this book of charming, carefully selected prints.

With easily understood explanations and emphasis on understanding the way the Japanese language works, this book is the definite guide for serious student and a key to speaking like a native.

"Japanese Throwing Weapons" is a detailed instruction manual for learning authentic shuriken throwing techniques as practiced in Japan. Daniel Fletcher studied under Japan's most notable shuriken sensei, Yasuyuki Otsuka, of the Meifu Shinkage Ryu and in this book he reveals the secrets learned in his years of study and training. Fletcher explains the origins and purpose of the shuriken as a weapon and provides information on the various types of shuriken used by the historic samurai and ninjas. Fletcher's expert instructions and the enclosed DVD can help anyone become proficient in throwing these weapons.

Hormones are the "magic bullets" of anti-ageing products. But are they safe? And how necessary and beneficial are they? This investigation into a controversial topic explains the basics of hormones, their risks and benefits, and their appropriate and inappropriate uses.

A graphic memoir and sketchbook, with hand-drawn maps

Featuring beautiful photographs and insightful commentary this Japanese gardening book is a must-have for any gardening or zen enthusiast. At the heart of a Japanese garden is harmony with nature. More than simply a landscape of trees and flowering shrubs, a Japanese garden provides a place of serenity and rest, filled with peaceful spots that lend themselves to meditation and contemplation. Japanese Gardens celebrates and illustrates this ideal, showcasing the exquisite natural beauty of more than 20 quintessentially Japanese gardensbig and small, urban and rural, traditional and contemporary.The expert author-and-photographer team behind this book excels at capturing and explaining the essential elements and techniques that distinguish Japanese garden design from that of other countries. The featured sites reflect a cross-section of Japanese culture and history including large feudal period gardens, temple and Zen gardens and private countryside gardens. The mountain flower garden, tea garden, rock garden and bonsai garden alike are all celebrated and appreciated in this beautiful book.

In this text, Saito discusses brushes, inks and other tools unique to Japanese ink painting, as well as the correct way to create different brush strokes. Lessons are also included on the "Four Gentlemen" - orchid, bamboo, cherry blossom and chrysanthemum flower.

This epic saga of brotherhood and rivalry, of loyalty and treachery, of victory and death, forms part of the indelible core of classical Chinese culture and continues to fascinate modern-day readers. In 220 EC, the 400-year-old rule of the mighty Han dynasty came to an end and three kingdoms contested for control of China. Liu Pei, the legitimate heir to the Han throne, elects to fight for his birthright and enlists the aid of his sworn brothers, the impulsive giant Chang Fei and the invincible knight Kuan Yu. The brave band faces a formidable array of enemies, foremost among them the treacherous and bloodthirsty Ts'ao Ts'ao. The bold struggle of the three heroes seems doomed until the reclusive wizard Chuko Liang offers his counsel, and the tide begins to turn.Romance of the Three Kingdoms is China's oldest novel and the first of a great tradition of historical fiction. Believed to have been compiled by the play-wright Lo Kuan-chung in the late fourteenth century, it is indebted to the great San-kuo chi (Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) completed by the historian Ch'en Shou just before his death in 297 CE. The novel first appeared in print in 1522. This edition, translated in the mid-1920s by C. H. Brewitt-Taylor, is based on a shortened and simplified version which appeared in the 1670s. An Introduction to this reprint by Robert E. Hegel, Professor of Chinese and Comparative Literature at Washington University, provides an insightful commentary on the historical background to the novel, its literary origins and its main characters.

This invaluable martial arts philosophy handbook presents ancient wisdom for contemporary readers. Secrete Tactics contains brilliant new interpretations of fundamental works of strategy and martial arts tactics by Miyamoto Musashi, Gichin Funakoshi, Yamamoto Tsunetomo, and various martial arts tomes. It distills the important teachings on leadership, character and values found in those books. Readers will unlock the secrets of their art and of themselves. These and a dozen other essays on strategy, combat tactics, psychology, leadership, good character, and the exercise of power, make Secret Tactics an indispensable resource for students of Asian culture, martial artists, and corporate executives.

This epic saga of brotherhood and rivalry, of loyalty and treachery, of victory and death forms part of the indelible core of classical Chinese culture and continues to fascinate modern-day readers. In 220 EC, the 400-year-old rule of the mighty Han dynasty came to an end and three kingdoms contested for control of China. Liu Pei, the legitimate heir to the Han throne, elects to fight for his birthright and enlists the aid of his sworn brothers, the impulsive giant Chang Fei and the invincible knight Kuan Yu. The brave band faces a formidable array of enemies, foremost among them the treacherous and bloodthirsty Ts'ao Ts'ao. The bold struggle of the three heroes seems doomed until the reclusive wizard Chuko Liang offers his counsel, and the tide begins to turn.Romance of the Three Kingdoms is China's oldest novel and the first of a great tradition of historical fiction. Believed to have been compiled by the play-wright Lo Kuan-chung in the late fourteenth century, it is indebted to the great San-kuo chi (Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) completed by the historian Ch'en Shou just before his death in 297 CE. The novel first appeared in print in 1522. This edition, translated in the mid-1920s by C. H. Brewitt-Taylor, is based on a shortened and simplified version which appeared in the 1670s. An Introduction to this reprint by Robert E. Hegel, Professor of Chinese and Comparative Literature at Washington University, provides an insightful commentary on the historical background to the novel, its literary origins and its main characters.

"e;A nonchalant string of anecdotes and wisecracks, told by a fellow who doesn't have a name, and has never caught a mouse, and isn't much good for anything except watching human beings in action"e; The New Yorker Written over the course of 1904-1906, Soseki Natsume's comic masterpiece, I Am a Cat, satirizes the foolishness of upper-middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji era. With acerbic wit and sardonic perspective, it follows the whimsical adventures of a world-weary stray kitten who comments on the follies and foibles of the people around him. A classic of Japanese literature, I Am a Cat is one of Soseki's best-known novels. Considered by many as the greatest writer in modern Japanese history, Soseki's I Am a Cat is a classic novel sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

This origami kit, with simple instructions, coloured, foil and patterned origami paper, and a display/storage box to show of creations, provides easy-to-follow instructions for 45 different traditional origami designs.

Developed out of the aesthetic philosophy of cha-no-yu (the tea ceremony) in fifteenth-century Japan, wabi sabi is an aesthetic that finds beauty in things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. Taken from the Japanese words wabi, which translates to less is more, and sabi, which means attentive melancholy, wabi sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in the things that bear the mark of this impermanence. As much a state of mindan awareness of the things around us and an acceptance of our surroundingsas it is a design style, wabi sabi begs us to appreciate the simple beauty in lifea chipped vase, a quiet rainy day, the impermanence of all things. Presenting itself as an alternative to today's fast-paced, mass-produced, neon-lighted world, wabi sabi reminds us to slow down and take comfort in the simple, natural beauty around us.In addition to presenting the philosophy of wabi-sabi, this book includes how-to design adviceso that a transformation of body, mind, and home can emerge.Chapters include:History: The Development of Wabi SabiCulture: Wabi Sabi and the Japanese CharacterArt: Defining AestheticsDesign: Creating Expressions with Wabi Sabi MaterialsSpirit: The Universal Spirit of Wabi Sabi