The exquisite Japanese hikaru dorodango, or shiny mud ball, is created by rolling earth by hand into a perfect sphere and polishing it until it gleams. Not only are the results truly impressive, but this calm and meditative practice, once a playground game, has been rediscovered as a peaceful pastime. Known for inducing flow, the ultimate state of happiness, this simple art is being adopted by people of all ages. Alongside beautiful photographs of the process, master dorodango maker Bruce Gardner covers every aspect of making and finishing your dorodango, accompanied by inspiring words on the mindful qualities of this earthy activity.

Russia's Agriculture in Transition: Factor Markets and Constraints on Growth examines the development of factor markets in Russian agriculture during the transition to a market economy and analyzes the impact of existing constraints on agricultural growth. It is the outcome of a 3-year study conducted with the support of BASIS/CRSP by an international team that included researchers from Russia, the United States, and Israel. The study focused specifically on the development of factor markets in Russian agriculture-markets for labor, purchased inputs, land, and credit. In the literature on transition agriculture, this book is the first devoted explicitly to markets for farm inputs, instead of markets for farm products. It is also unique in its integration of official statistical data with the findings of a large questionnaire-based survey designed to cover issues of agricultural land, labor, supply and use of purchased inputs, access to credit, and-ultimately-farm production with a view to efficiency estimations. Russia's Agriculture in Transition will be of great interest to development economists, agricultural economists, transition scholars, and international donor organizations, in addition to scholars and students of many other related disciplines.