ORIENTAL CALLIGRAPHY AND PAINTING: THE 3 B's—BODY, BREATH AND BRUSH Tomoko Kodama Ottawa, Atelier Tomo, 1989. 180pp, paper, $30.00, ISBN 0-9693974-0-2 Distributed by Atelier Tomo, 1251 Southwood Drive, Ottawa, Ont. K2C 3C4 Grades 7 and up / Ages 12 and up Reviewed by Dale Simmons. Volume 18 Number 1 1990 January Tomoko Kodama states in the preface to Oriental Calligraphy and Painting that "this book is written for people with no previous experience in drawing, writing or reading oriental characters." Born in Japan, Kodama is well qualified to write a book on the subject, having taught Canadians the art of brush painting (Sumi-e) over the past twenty years. Kodama has developed a unique method for "teaching westerners the techniques of Sumi-e, in which breath­ing, body movement and brush han­dling combine to produce the seeming spontaneity of an elegant and harmoni­ous line." This sense of spontaneity is an important element in oriental calligraphy, a writing style that uses a flexible brush and ink to create a feeling of living movement in every stroke. The introduction to this book covers a history of Sumi-e and is translated into fifteen languages. The rest of the book is written in English. Everything the reader needs to know - from the selection of materials to mounting your finished work - is discussed in simple language. Black-and-white photographs and drawings illustrate the points the author wishes to convey, often offering examples of initial brush stroke at­tempts and then improved versions. At the end of the work there is a section of black-and-white photographs of the author's works and student exhibitions. An appendix displays black-and-white photographs of the work of various artists who make up Group Yohaku (a Canadian Sumi-e artist group). There is no index but an extensive table of contents lists the topics included in this work. Recommended. Dale Simmons, National Library of Canada, Ottawa, Ont.