Liza Dalby author of The Tale of Murasaki is the only non-Japanese woman ever to have become a geisha. This is her unique insight into the extraordinary closed world of the geisha a world of grace beauty & tradition that has long fascinated & enthralled the West. Taking us to the heart of a way of life normally hidden from the public gaze Liza Dalby shows us the detailed reality that lies behind the bestselling Memoirs of a Geisha & opens our eyes to an ancient profession that continues to survive in today's modern Japan. ...

I can identify the exact moment when things began to change. It was a cold winter afternoon. I had just turned three. Emerging shyly from her hiding place Mineko encounters Madam Oima the formidable proprietress of a prolific geisha house in Gion. Madam Oima is mesmerized by the childs black hair & black eyes: she has found her successor. & so Mineko is gently but firmly prised away from her parents to embark on an extraordinary career of which she will become the best. But even if you are exquisitely beautiful & the darling of the okiya the life of a geisha is one of gruelling professional demands. & Mineko must first contend with her bitterly jealous sister who is determined to sabotage her success.. . Captivating & poignant GEISHA OF GION tells of Minekos ascendancy to fame & her ultimate decision to leave the profession she found so constricting. ...

Gelato is not simply the Italian word for ice cream. A good gelato should be rich in flavour but you shouldnt feel full even after youve eaten a pint of it. Trust me! So says Adriano di Petrillo owner of Dri Dri the fashionable London-based gelateria. authentic Italian gelato is made with milk rather than cream so its much lighter & significantly lower in fat. Gelato is made by a process called mantecazione where it is frozen & churned very slowly so it doesnt absorb too much air. This achieves a creamy texture without the fat. Gelato is surprisingly easy to make at home with a domestic ice cream maker. Try Adrianos simple recipes for Vanilla Coffee Bitter Chocolate Cookies & Cream & Tiramis A. Also included are recipes for fresh & fruity sorbets & granitas including Green Apple & Mixed Berries. Suggestions for delicious ways to serve your creations include Bitter Chocolate Gelato with Cherry Compote; Lemon Gelato with Brioche; & Almond Gelato drowned with hot espresso. Ideas for gelato-based drinks include Italian classics such as a Rossini (strawberry sorbet with Prosecco) & Sgroppino (lemon gelato blended with vodka or Prosecco). ...

The long-awaited thorough update of the definitive work on one of the most popular improvement methods Gemba Kaizen Gemba Kaizen: A Commonsense Approach to a Continuous Improvement Strategy Second Edition is an in-depth revision of this renowned bestselling guide. The book is now expanded with 50% new material including specific case studies tracking success stories from a wide variety of industries & practitioners worldwide. Since its publication by Mc Graw-Hill in 1997 the book has introduced the concepts of Kaizen to hundreds of thousands of people & their companies as they search for ways to survive & prosper. This trend will only grow amid increasingly intense global competition. Masaaki Imai is a leading authority in the field--the man who introduced the concepts of Kaizen to the English-speaking world. Fourteen years since the publication of Gemba Kaizen the world sees the wide application of Gemba Kaizen going far beyond its manufacturing origins & now carried into hospitals government offices hotels ports retailers mining operations software development construction & even universities. The Kaizen Institute the consulting firm founded by Masaaki Imai is at the forefront of this movement to adopt & promote Gemba Kaizen around the world. This new edition features global case studies from a wide range of sectors sharing the keys to successful implementation of Gemba Kaizen. Gemba Kaizen: A Commonsense Low-Cost Approach to Management Second Edition Features current case studies a new foreword & 50% new material Explains the original clear & correct meaning of Gemba Kaizen & how to apply it in practice Shows how Gemba Kaizen reduces cost improves quality & increases customer satisfaction Gives relevant global examples in a wide variety of industries & applications Shows how Gemba Kaizen is used in conjunction with aspects of Six Sigma Lean Manufacturing & other methodologies to achieve continuous improvement

Includes:: success stories from various industries both public & private & from industrialized & developing nations

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With his trademark blend of knowledge insight & wit Dadhichi shares his predictions for the new year. This year is one of transformation Gemini. Changes are afoot in all aspects of your life & the key to making the most of this period is rigorous self-assessment. Defining who you are & where you are going will ensure you are on the path to success. In Dadhichis horoscope for Gemini you will discover which star signs can match you intellectually & emotionally how to fulfil your need for variety & intellectual stimulation in the workplace & what 2013 has in store for you. YOUR STARS WILL REVEAL Monthly & daily predictions for 2013 Insights into the Gemini woman man & child Which star signs you are best matched with as well as who to avoid in the areas of love friendship & the workplace ...

December 1939. A train winds its way through Italy towards the Alps with a cargo too precious to destroy too awful to reveal. On board is an iron box. Its sinister contents documents concealed for centuries could rip apart the Christian world & set religion against religion an entire people against another. Now as the Nazi threat marches closer good men & evil are drawn into a violent & deadly hunt. The richest aristocrat in Italy is responsible for the documents safety but hes marked for death by the Nazis. Some people want the secrets told. Some people want to plunge the world into a catastrophic holy war... ...

As the metropolis sizzles in early summer temperatures identical twin sisters Deana & Delia Ferraro are cooking up a heatwave of their own. Surrounded by an atmosphere of relentless humidity Deanna & Delia find themselves rivals for the attentions of Jackson de Guile
- a wealthy entrepreneur & master of power dynamics
- who draws them both into a web of luxurious debauchery. Their erotic encounters become increasingly bizarre as Deanna & her twin vie for the rewards that pleasuring him brings them...

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The Sporty Fairies are in need of Rachel & Kirsty's help. Everyone in Fairyland is preparing for the Fairy Olympics but Jack Frost & his goblins have stolen the magic sporty items so they can win by cheating! What's more with the items missing everyone in the human world is playing sports really badly & so the human Olympics is in danger of being ruined too! Gemma's Magic Ribbon is the last item that Rachel & Kirsty must rescue to ensure the Olympics both in Fairyland & the human world will go ahead smoothly. But how can they get it back from Jack Frost? ...

Since Gemmology" was published readers have used it to gain an in-depth appreciation of the science of gemmology its history & practice. This third edition has been completely revised to cover the latest methods of gem enhancement & identification as well as the latest test instruments & laboratory techniques." Gemmology" serves as an invaluable reference guide for gemmologists professionals & students & is an invaluable text for anyone in the gemmological profession. Also included are details of the Gemmological Associations Foundation Course together with advice on examination techniques." ...

This is a collection of"es & excerpts from generations of great Kabbalists including Rav Yehuda Ashlag author of the Sulam" [ Ladder] commentary of " The Book of Zohar". This compilation reveals the spiritual concepts of Kabbalah in every realm of human life using poignant & thought-provoking passages with accurate references from authentic Kabbalistic sources as well as the greatest Kabbalists of all time. A student or a spiritual searcher can use this book as compass in their quest to find true spirituality. The"es from Gems of Wisdom: words of the great Kabbalists from all generations will become an indispensable source book the reader will constantly revisit & utilize. It is a priceless gift to any person who is a kabbalah student or wishes to explore this age old wisdom." ...