Talks on Chinese Culture (TOCC) is a post-basic Chinese language textbook intended for students who possess solid mastery of at least two years of college-level Chinese. It is designed to serve as a bridge along the path from basic command to professional level functionality. TOCC takes the view that the student of Chinese needs to be conversant with both forms of the Chinese character: simplified and traditional/complex. Text materials are thus presented in both forms and in a manner which challenges the student to master both forms. The various topics presented in TOCC serve as vehicles for the mastery of the kind of basic vocabulary that characterizes the conversations and writings of educated Chinese speakers. TOCC is based on the widely-known Yale series of Chinese language texts, which even today retains an unsurpassed degree of correlation with currently used vocabulary and sentence patterns. However, students from different curricular backgrounds may also use this text with success. The goal of TOCC is to advance the student's skill levels in listening and speaking as well as reading and writing.

Finally, by exploring the fascinating modern history of the Yijing, Fathoming the Cosmos and Ordering the World attests to the tenacity, flexibility, and continuing relevance of this most remarkable Chinese classic.

The Way of The Linguist, A language learning odyssey. It is now a cliché that the world is a smaller place. We think nothing of jumping on a plane to travel to another country or continent. The most exotic locations are now destinations for mass tourism. Small business people are dealing across frontiers and language barriers like never before. The Internet brings different languages and cultures to our finger-tips. English, the hybrid language of an island at the western extremity of Europe seems to have an unrivalled position as an international medium of communication. But historically periods of cultural and economic domination have never lasted forever. Do we not lose something by relying on the wide spread use of English rather than discovering other languages and cultures? As citizens of this shrunken world, would we not be better off if we were able to speak a few languages other than our own? The answer is obviously yes. Certainly Steve Kaufmann thinks so, and in his busy life as a diplomat and businessman he managed to learn to speak nine languages fluently and observe first hand some of the dominant cultures of Europe and Asia. Why do not more people do the same? In his book The Way of The Linguist, A language learning odyssey, Steve offers some answers. Steve feels anyone can learn a language if they want to. He points out some of the obstacles that hold people back. Drawing on his adventures in Europe and Asia, as a student and businessman, he describes the rewards that come from knowing languages. He relates his evolution as a language learner, abroad and back in his native Canada and explains the kind of attitude that will enable others to achieve second language fluency. Many people have taken on the challenge of language learning but have been frustrated by their lack of success. This book offers detailed advice on the kind of study practices that will achieve language breakthroughs. Steve has developed a language learning system available online at: www.thelinguist.com.

An introduction to Chinese philosophy and a reference tool for sinologists. Comments by important Chinese thinkers are arranged around 64 key concepts to illustrate their meaning and use through 25 centuries of Chinese philosophy. The book includes comments on each section by the translator.