I laughed, I cried, I may have accidentally learned something. This fantasy novel set in an "ancient china that never was," is so stunningly beautiful that I wasn't sure the back of my head was still there when I finished it. The author's name is Barry Hughart and the book, though not out of print, is hard to find.

I think that was his best one. He has two others, I think, and they were good but got somewhat formulaic. Still, if you can find them, read them: Seven Gentleman and the Singing Stone. Something like that. Why does it seem like the best books get lost? There are a ton of books from my kiddom that I would love to have back and they're either out of print or hard to find. Anyone read "The Talking Parcel" by Gerald Durrell? Or "Red as Blood" by Tanith Lee?? Has anyone else in this big ol' continent of ours heard of/read "The Whim-Wham Book"?? It was a compendium of (urban) kids' rhymes, songs, games and such gathered from around America. For a rural kid who grew up two miles away from the nearest neighbor, it was an amazing book. Stickball??? What the hell is that?!?!

i am searching for that book! i miss it so much! dose anyone know where i can find it on the net