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SBP 2023-2024 Catalog Yoga Poems Lines to Unfold By (Out of Print) Author Leza Lowitz THIS TITLE IS OUT OF PRINT The sixty poems in this book are windows into the mind/body/spirit experiences that come about through yoga practice. Each poem is named for a posture or breath exercise and is inspired by the physical properties of the pose or some aspect of breathing that led the poet to deeper understanding. Listening to these poems read aloud, or contemplating them on one's own, will help yoga students understand their own struggles and inspire them on the way to personal transformation. Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 9/1/06 PISBN PRICE 9781933330112 $9.95 GENRE Poetry EISBN PRICE 9780893469726 NA DIMENSIONS 5 x 7" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 128 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise "Any student of yoga will find treasures to cherish within its pages." —The Yoga Journal , September/October 2000 Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) Leza Lowitz Collaborated with her husband Shogo Oketani, on a book about kanji for tattoos, a collection of poetry by a pacifist Japanese soldier, and a Young Adult trilogy about a young female ninja's quest to save her ancestral land. Learn More

SBP 2023-2024 Catalog The Way of Taiko (Out of Print) Author Seiichi Tanaka Forward Heidi Varian THIS TITLE IS OUT OF PRINT Japanese taiko drumming, an ancient sacred harvest-time practice, has evolved into a form of mental, physical, and martial arts training combining rhythm, harmony, and movement. This book is for anyone who plays taiko or is fascinated by the instruments, dances, and compositions of a typically powerful taiko performance. Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 10/1/13 PISBN PRICE 9781611720129 $19.95 GENRE Nonfiction EISBN PRICE NA NA DIMENSIONS 7 x 7" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 136 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise "This beautifully designed paperback . . . is the first book on the subject to appear in English. . . . [and] presents a succinct overview of taiko, and how it has evolved into a form of mental, physical, and martial arts training that generates rhythm, harmony, and movement." —Spirituality and Practice "Varian presents an understanding of Taiko to a beginner by basically presenting everything they need to know to get started, not only in appreciation, but also the use of Taiko for their own purpose and enjoyment." —Reader Views "Packs a punch with gorgeous photographs, a brief history of taiko drumming, drums and accompanying instruments used in taiko, costumes, drumming techniques and glossary. … a great introduction to the art of Japanese drumming." —World Music Central.org "The little volume rests perfectly in your hand. The cover photograph of a man poised to strike a big drum stirs your curiosity. You open the book. Oh, wow. . . . Will captivate anyone with an iota of interest in the music of the 'fat drum.'" —Asian Reporter Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) Seiichi Tanaka Seiichi Tanaka is Founder and Director, San Francisco Taiko Dojo, the most prominent taiko group outside Japan. Learn More Heidi Varian Began a taiko career in the 1980s, performing in feature film soundtracks, recordings and live events worldwide with San Francisco Taiko Dojo. Learn More

SBP 2023-2024 Catalog The Heron Catchers ​ Author David Joiner 2023 American Writing Awards Finalist | 2023 Foreword Indies Awards Finalist Joiner's second novel set in the fabled Kanazawa area is an intimate yet understated look at an American who seeks recovery after his marriage to a Japanese woman has failed. After Nozomi abandons Sedge and their marriage, taking all their money and leaving him with a ceramics shop he can’t manage alone, her brother and his wife offer him a lifeline at their Japanese hot spring inn until he can get back on his feet. As he proceeds forward from this devastation in his life, he becomes involved with the wife of the man Nozomi ran off with as well as her stepson, a troubled 16-year-old whose jealousy and potential for violence contrasts with his interest in birds, origami, and the haiku of Matsuo Basho. What unfolds in the shadow of “the immortal mountain of cranes” will change their lives forever. Set in Kanazawa and Yamanaka Onsen near the Sea of Japan, The Heron Catchers explores the importance of recognizing suffering both in others and in oneself, of being compassionate, and of trusting those who offer love in the shattering wake of loss. The Heron Catchers is the second in a series of novels set in and around the Japanese city of Kanazawa. Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 11/21/2023 PISBN PRICE 9781611720815 $19.95 GENRE Literary Fiction EISBN PRICE 9781611729627 $9.95 DIMENSIONS 8.5 x 5.5" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 280 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise "A couple navigates their doomed marriage while living in Yamanaka Onsen, a beautiful yet claustrophobic town where gossip is rife and private lives are public knowledge." —Iain Maloney, The Japan Times "A multi-sided geometry of love and pain set in rural Ishikawa." —DC Palter, Japonica "[The Heron Catchers ] is an emotional drama about the daily lives of ordinary people, but it also manages to be at times amoral, violent, and sensual, and it keeps the reader engaged…reminiscent of the works of Kawabata Yasunari, Mishima Yukio, and other great writers of the Showa period.” –Daiya Hashimoto, Editor for Booklogia "An enjoyable look at life outside the major Japanese tourist haunts, and an examination of the issues faced by those who attempt to make a life for themselves there." —Tony's Reading List "The Heron Catchers , is at once a novel about a particular place, but is also a novel for us all, as our fates and feelings are intertwined with the natural world. Joiner's deeply felt and sensitive rendering of the inner lives of men and women in midlife, who are more affected by the place they live than they are aware, shifts in subtle waves, like the ocean that borders the town of Kanazawa where much of the novel is set. Closely observed and with care paid to emotional nuances, Joiner has written a book about adult life, and the endless striving we feel for meaningful connection." —Marie Mutsuki Mockett, author of Where the Dead Pause, and the Japanese Say Goodbye and The Tree Doctor "This slow burn of a novel sears itself into your consciousness with equal parts tension and poignancy. The Heron Catchers skillfully captures one blended, broken family's experience of growth and healing amidst the beauty and precariousness of Kanazawa's natural world." —Leza Lowitz, author of In Search of the Sun: One Woman's Quest to Find Family in Japan "Joiner reels the reader in with characteristic fine plotting, carefully crafted writing, vivid imagery and descriptions of life in the Japanese countryside, and a tone of authenticity belonging to a writer who knows and loves Japan. A riveting and worthy follow-up to Kanazawa.” —Amy Chavez, The Widow, the Priest and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island “David Joiner’s The Heron Catchers introduces us to the quiet green abundance of the Japanese mountains, the slow beauty of pottery, and the pain of love ended. We follow wounded characters, Sedge and Mariko, as they learn to heal after each has suffered from devastating betrayals. Like the herons they ultimately rescue from injuries incurred by natural and human calamities, they too strike out at those who seek to help them. Not unlike the wandering poet Matsuo Basho who steps into the frame of the story here and there, Joiner offers flashes of insights as sharp and beautiful as a heron taking flight. Readers will find in this elegiac, imaginative work, space for reflection and discovery.” —Rebecca Copeland, author of The Kimono Tattoo , co-editor of Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch "An intimate, rewarding novel of people linked by misfortune who search for redemption, wholeness, and purpose. Joiner evokes his protagonist’s inner world vividly among descriptions of the life, culture, festivities, and natural environment of a small hot-spring town near Kanazawa. The Heron Catchers is an engrossing sojourn in one of Japan’s most charming off-the-beaten-path destinations." —Jeffrey Angles, translator of Hiromi Ito’s The Thorn Puller and author of My International Date Line (Winner of the Yomiuri Prize for Literature) Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) David Joiner David Joiner's writing has appeared in literary journals and elsewhere, including Echoes: Writers in Kyoto 2017 , The Brooklyn Rail , Phoebe Journal , The Ontario Review , and The Madison Review. His first novel, Lotusland , set in contemporary Vietnam, was published in 2015 by Guernica Editions. Learn More

SBP 2023-2024 Catalog Stray Dogs and Lone Wolves ​ Author Patrick Galloway THIS TITLE IS OUT OF PRINT The fan's guide to samurai film. Includes profiles of top directors and actors, with over 50 original reviews Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 5/1/05 PISBN PRICE 9781880656938 NA GENRE Nonfiction EISBN PRICE NA NA DIMENSIONS 7 x 9" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 235 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) Patrick Galloway Film critic who won over readers with film guides Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook , and Asia Shock: Horror and Dark Cinema from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Thailand . Learn More

Stone Bridge Press Authors Ruben LF Habito Ruben L.F. Habito (born c. 1947) was born in the Philippines and is a former Jesuit priest turned master practicing in the Sanbo Kyodan lineage of Zen. In his early youth he was sent to Japan on missionary work where he began Zen practice under Yamada Koun-roshi. In 1988, Ruben received Dharma transmission from Yamada Koun. Ruben left the Jesuit order in 1989, and in 1991 founded the lay organization Maria Kannon Zen Center in Dallas, Texas. He has taught at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University since 1989 where he continues to be a faculty member Titles by Author A Straight Road with 99 Curves Gregory Shepherd & Ruben LF Habito From fascination to disillusionment and back, a memoir of one man's quest for Zen and spirituality in America and Japan. Read More

Stone Bridge Press Authors Jeffrey Angles Jeffrey Angles is a writer and professor of Japanese at Western Michigan University. He is the first non-native poet writing in Japanese to win the Yomiuri Prize for Literature, a highly coveted prize for poetry. His translation of the modernist classic The Book of the Dead by Shinobu Orikuchi won both the Miyoshi Award and the Scaglione Prize for translation. Photo credit: Dirk Skiba Titles by Author The Thorn Puller Hiromi Ito Introducing Hiromi Ito, an award-winning Japanese author who has been compared to Haruki Murakami and Yoko Tawada. Read More

SBP 2023-2024 Catalog Cherry Blossoms ​ Author Sachio Yoshioka THIS TITLE IS OUT OF PRINT The cherry blossom is a symbol of evanescent beauty in Japan, and its soft pink colorations have been explored countless times by Japanese artists throughout history. Featuring the work of Kyoto kimono design masters, this volume offers splendid examples of the venerable cherry and its variants, with color swatches, line-drawn renderings, image reverses, and other treatments that breathe new life into old conventions. Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 11/12/07 PISBN PRICE 9781933330570 $16.95 GENRE Craft Books EISBN PRICE NA NA DIMENSIONS 8.7 x 8.8" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 120 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) Sachio Yoshioka Was a 5th-generation Kyoto dyer who dedicated his life to reviving and preserving techniques of natural dyeing, giving lectures and workshops in Japan and internationally. Learn More

SBP 2023-2024 Catalog The Way Forward (vol. 5) From Early Republic to People’s Republic (1912 – 1949) Author Jing Liu How China became the China we know today, through war and societal transformation. China entered the 20th century as an agrarian society, weakened under internal and external pressures. Revolutionaries came together to bring down the last imperial dynasty but quickly split over the direction of reconstruction. Civil wars ensued, followed by WWI. The fate of the country appeared to be in the hands of industrial powers like Britain, Germany, Japan, the Soviet Union, and the United States. All seemed lost when Japan seized all Chinese seaports, railways, industries, and fertile farmland. Yet Chinese resistance continued for eight years and the entire society was mobilized. After decades of struggling, China finally regained independence that laid the foundation for its own modernization. Volume 1: Foundations of Chinese Civilization Volume 2: Division to Unification in Imperial China Volume 3: Barbarians and the Birth of Chinese Identity Volume 4: The Making of Modern China Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 03/15/22 PISBN PRICE 9781611720709 $16.95 GENRE Nonfiction EISBN PRICE 9781611729528 $9.95 DIMENSIONS 6 x 8" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 224 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise "A great way to learn about China's vast history!" —Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club "Excels at clarifying the often-confusing transitional periods between dynasties… An excellent introduction to the large trends of early Chinese history." —School Library Journal "Chinese language is being taught in all but one state... A comic format teaching China's history is the perfect companion." —US-China Review "Combines breezy style with historical rigor to strike just the right gong-tone for a middle school audience approaching the vast scope of Chinese history." — Education About Asia 5/5 Stars "An invaluable source... Chinese history is a vast subject, but Jing Liu has a skillful ability to condense it all into an interesting and manageable narrative." —Kids' Book Buzz "The combination of silhouettes—often threatening, martial ones—with open-faced, expressively individualized figures of many social classes adds dramatic tension while neatly balancing the big-picture narrative. There's a lot to absorb even in this abbreviated form, but the visual approach lightens the load considerably." — Kirkus Reviews "The lucid, economical text makes one eager for successive volumes." — Booklist "Simple and effective…This direct, appealing introduction to the foundations of one of the world’s oldest civilizations is recommended for teens and adults." — Library Journal "Given China's superpower ambitions, it goes without saying that our politicians must pick up a copy." —HuffPost "A clear and concise survey of Chinese history and culture that is sure to please." —The Comics Grinder 4.5/5 Stars "A very nice way to establish a foundation to understanding China’s history and a possible gateway to more intense study and comprehension of a very complex subject." — Portland Book Review "The book does what it says it does: a child will come away with a basic understanding of early Chinese history, what makes the Chinese tick as a people and culture." —Asian Review of Books "It is certainly a fascinating look at Chinese history, and doing it in comics has certainly made it more accessible to people, especially for the Western world." —Radio Australia Teacher and Professor Testimonials "This book is “The Magic School Bus” for those starting to explore Chinese culture." —Dan Cao, Instructor at Confucius Institute at UC Davis "An excellent history that clearly explains the great (and ordinary) people who have made China what it is and the conflicts and debates that have shaped Chinese history. There is nothing else like it in English or Chinese." —Alan Baumler, Professor of History at Indiana University of Pennsylvania "No more burying yourself in text-heavy history books to learn about China, this comic-style book manages to be rich in information and bring Chinese history to readers in a more clear, fun, and accessible way than it’s ever been done before. Easily integrated into a social studies or Chinese culture curriculum, I can’t wait to get a copy for my class." —Grace Zeng, Chinese Teacher and Middle School Chinese Curriculum Area Leader at International School of Beijing "Jing Liu has brought to life the long and complex early period of Chinese history in this wonderful graphic novel. Foundations of Chinese Civilization is a delight to read; humorous, informative, and truly captivating." —Alexandra Pearson, Founder of The Bookworm Literary Festival "Since the 1990s, Jing Liu has been entertaining and informing foreigners about China with his cartoons. His new series of comic books is a fun, easy, accessible way to gain a basic understanding of Chinese history and culture." —Jeremy Goldkorn, Founder of Danwei "This comic series is fantastic to use in the classroom. My students are drawn to this book - not only do they enjoy this graphic-novel style, it also helps them understand difficult historical concepts. What a fun supplement to the regular textbook!" —Leslie Burgoine, Middle School History Teacher, Portland, Oregon "I was really impressed with how the author explained, taught, explored and visually told the story of China. Impressive and very informative. It was not only a page turner for me, but my students would run into class to get their hands on a copy to keep reading!" —Sasha Johnson, World History Teacher at Black Pine Circle School, Berkeley, CA Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) Jing Liu An artist and entrepreneur from Beijing, China, currently uses his artistry to tell the story of China. Learn More

SBP 2023-2024 Catalog Foundations of Chinese Civilization (vol. 1) The Yellow Emperor to the Han Dynasty (2697 BCE - 220 CE) Author Jing Liu A fun way to learn about China in a visual, informative comic-style history. Who founded China? Are Chinese people religious? What is Chinese culture and how has it changed over time? This accessible and concise work answers those questions and more. For all ages, this book covers China’s early history in comic form, introducing philosophies like Confucianism and Daoism, the story of the Silk Road, famous emperors like Han Wudi, and the process of China’s unification. Volume 2: Division to Unification in Imperial China Volume 3: Barbarians and the Birth of Chinese Identity Volume 4: The Making of Modern China Volume 5: The Way Forward Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 5/31/16 PISBN PRICE 9781611720273 $14.95 GENRE Nonfiction EISBN PRICE 9781611729184 $9.95 DIMENSIONS 7.5 x 9.25" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 168 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise "A great way to learn about China's vast history!" —Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club "Excels at clarifying the often-confusing transitional periods between dynasties… An excellent introduction to the large trends of early Chinese history." —School Library Journal "Chinese language is being taught in all but one state... A comic format teaching China's history is the perfect companion." —US-China Review "Combines breezy style with historical rigor to strike just the right gong-tone for a middle school audience approaching the vast scope of Chinese history." — Education About Asia 5/5 Stars "An invaluable source... Chinese history is a vast subject, but Jing Liu has a skillful ability to condense it all into an interesting and manageable narrative." —Kids' Book Buzz "The combination of silhouettes—often threatening, martial ones—with open-faced, expressively individualized figures of many social classes adds dramatic tension while neatly balancing the big-picture narrative. There's a lot to absorb even in this abbreviated form, but the visual approach lightens the load considerably." — Kirkus Reviews "The lucid, economical text makes one eager for successive volumes." — Booklist "Simple and effective…This direct, appealing introduction to the foundations of one of the world’s oldest civilizations is recommended for teens and adults." — Library Journal "Given China's superpower ambitions, it goes without saying that our politicians must pick up a copy." —HuffPost "A clear and concise survey of Chinese history and culture that is sure to please." —The Comics Grinder 4.5/5 Stars "A very nice way to establish a foundation to understanding China’s history and a possible gateway to more intense study and comprehension of a very complex subject." — Portland Book Review "The book does what it says it does: a child will come away with a basic understanding of early Chinese history, what makes the Chinese tick as a people and culture." —Asian Review of Books "It is certainly a fascinating look at Chinese history, and doing it in comics has certainly made it more accessible to people, especially for the Western world." —Radio Australia Teacher and Professor Testimonials "This book is “The Magic School Bus” for those starting to explore Chinese culture." —Dan Cao, Instructor at Confucius Institute at UC Davis "An excellent history that clearly explains the great (and ordinary) people who have made China what it is and the conflicts and debates that have shaped Chinese history. There is nothing else like it in English or Chinese." —Alan Baumler, Professor of History at Indiana University of Pennsylvania "No more burying yourself in text-heavy history books to learn about China, this comic-style book manages to be rich in information and bring Chinese history to readers in a more clear, fun, and accessible way than it’s ever been done before. Easily integrated into a social studies or Chinese culture curriculum, I can’t wait to get a copy for my class." —Grace Zeng, Chinese Teacher and Middle School Chinese Curriculum Area Leader at International School of Beijing "Jing Liu has brought to life the long and complex early period of Chinese history in this wonderful graphic novel. Foundations of Chinese Civilization is a delight to read; humorous, informative, and truly captivating." —Alexandra Pearson, Founder of The Bookworm Literary Festival "Since the 1990s, Jing Liu has been entertaining and informing foreigners about China with his cartoons. His new series of comic books is a fun, easy, accessible way to gain a basic understanding of Chinese history and culture." —Jeremy Goldkorn, Founder of Danwei "This comic series is fantastic to use in the classroom. My students are drawn to this book - not only do they enjoy this graphic-novel style, it also helps them understand difficult historical concepts. What a fun supplement to the regular textbook!" —Leslie Burgoine, Middle School History Teacher, Portland, Oregon "I was really impressed with how the author explained, taught, explored and visually told the story of China. Impressive and very informative. It was not only a page turner for me, but my students would run into class to get their hands on a copy to keep reading!" —Sasha Johnson, World History Teacher at Black Pine Circle School, Berkeley, CA Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) Jing Liu An artist and entrepreneur from Beijing, China, currently uses his artistry to tell the story of China. Learn More

SBP 2023-2024 Catalog A Lateral View Essays on Culture and Style in Contemporary Japan Author Donald Richie A revealing look at contemporary Japanese culture. This masterfully written collection of short essays by the acknowledged Western expert on Japanese culture and film spans thirty years and ranges broadly over subjects as diverse as the Noh theater, fashion, television, Tokyo Disneyland, language, the kiss, and, of course, film. Donald Richie's twenty-eight essays present cross-sections of Japan's enormous creative accomplishments during the nation's rise to economic and cultural power. Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 6/1/92 PISBN PRICE 9780962813740 $19.95 GENRE Essays EISBN PRICE 9780893469702 $9.95 DIMENSIONS 5 x 7" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 245 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) Donald Richie Well known for his instrumental role in introducing Japanese film to the West and for his travel memoir The Inland Sea , which was adapted into a popular PBS documentary. Learn More

SBP 2023-2024 Catalog Dreamland Japan Writings on Modern Manga Author/Translator Frederik L. Schodt The classic text by renowned manga expert in a beautiful new casebound edition, with a new foreword and afterword by the author. This landmark book, first published at the height of the manga boom, is offered in a hardcover collector's edition with a new foreword and afterword. Frederik L. Schodt looks at the classic publications and artists who created modern manga, including the magazines Big Comics and Morning, and artists like Suehiro Maruo and Shigeru Mizuki; an entire chapter is devoted to Osamu Tezuka. The new afterword shows how manga have evolved in the past decade to transform global visual culture. Preview Goodreads Details PUBLISH DATE 6/14/11 PISBN PRICE NA NA GENRE Essays EISBN PRICE 9781933330952 $14.95 DIMENSIONS 6 x 9" HARDCOVER ISBN PRICE NA NA # OF PAGES 360 AUDIOBOOK ISBN PRICE NA NA Praise "The informally encyclopedic Dreamland Japan —the result of Schodt's 16-plus years of studying manga&mdas;not only makes it easier to understand the art form but also says a good deal about Japanese culture…this is an authoritative reference of the different categories of manga, popular titles and publishers." —Publishers Weekly "The popularity of manga (and its cousin, anime Japanese animated cartoons) is growing in America, and more are translated every year, which ensures interest in this book." —Booklist "Fred Schodt's Dreamland Japan is the most encompassing and the best introduction to manga I have ever read. For anyone involved in graphic literature this book is necessary background reading." —Will Eisner, graphic novelist, creator of The Spirit Video Book Photos Retail Outlets Books sold at E-Books sold at Audiobooks sold at About the Author(s) Frederik L. Schodt Fluent in spoken and written Japanese, is an author and translator of impressive breadth. He has written extensively on Japanese manga, as well as on pop culture, technology, and history. Learn More

Stone Bridge Press Authors Fred Patten Fred Patten is a world-renowned historian and author in such fields as anime, manga, animation, and science fiction. In 1972, Fred became co-owner of the Graphic Story Bookshop in Long Beach, California, selling imported manga and comics from Japan, France, and elsewhere, and later he worked for Streamline Pictures, one of the country's first anime production companies. Fred has written regularly for such publications as Animation World Magazine and Comics Buyer's Guide , and writes a weekly column for the Cartoon Research website. http://www.kayshapero.net/FredPatten/fred.html Titles by Author Watching Anime, Reading Manga Fred Patten The first book-length collection by the most respected writer on anime and manga today. Read More