- Paperback: 144 pages
- Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1 edition (May 15 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0199235694
- ISBN-13: 978-0199235698
- Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 11.3 x 1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 141 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #336,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
Book Description
Japan is arguably today's most successful industrial economy, combining almost unprecedented affluence with social stability and apparent harmony. Japanese goods and cultural products are consumed all over the world, ranging from animated movies and computer games all the way through to cars, semiconductors, and management techniques. In many ways, Japan is an icon of the modern world, and yet it remains something of an enigma to many, who see it as a confusing montage of the alien andthe familiar, the ancient and modern. The aim of this Very Short Introduction is to explode the myths and explore the reality of modern Japan - by taking a concise look at its history, economy, politics, and culture.
About the Author
Christopher Goto-Jones is Professor of Modern Japan Studies at the University of Leiden.
Inside This Book
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great introduction to Modern Japan,
By
This review is from: Modern Japan: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
Modern Japan is one of the most enigmatic and intriguing countries in the world. A highly sophisticated society and an economic and technological superpower, Japan has maintained many aspects of its traditional values and lifestyle well into the twenty-first century. Part of the mystique of Japan lays in the fact that even though it has been officially open to the World for over a century and a half, Japan is still a very insular society. Not many people in the West get to travel to Japan, and Japanese popular culture (with few notable exceptions) is not all that familiar to Western audiences. In light of that, it is very helpful to get a better sense of Japan from a very authoritative short introduction such as this one.The book is arranged chronologically, and starts with a brief history of Japan prior to its opening up and modernization in the nineteenth century. It proceeds with the arrival of commodore Perry and the subsequent Meiji restoration. The book is good in that it doesn't reinforce the conventional wisdom on these events, but it tries to give its own much more nuanced analysis of these events. Likewise, most of the twentieth century Japanese history is presented from a critical angle that tries to take into the account Japan's own perception and understanding of those events. One of the particularly pleasing traits of this book is the attention that it gives to cultural and artistic developments. Many of Japan's most famous writers and artists have been spotlighted. However, I would have also liked if the book mentioned some of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century like Yukawa and Tomonaga, who have helped put Japanese science in the World map. One problem that I have with the book is that in its effort to adopt the scholarly naming conventions it oftentimes makes the names of some Japanese historical figures unnecessarily confusing. Thus, Japanese emperor during WWII, who is known to the generations of westerners as Emperor Hirohito, is consistently referred to as Emperor Sowa. Likewise, the book also uses the convention in which surnames precede given names. This may be the correct way of rendering them and probably in line with Japanese convention, but to those of us who have been acquainted with Japanese cultural icons for many years it sounds quite a bit strange. Overall, this is an interesting and informative book on Modern Japan. It is a very helpful first step in getting oneself acquainted with this fascinating country and its culture.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.6 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews) 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great introduction to Modern Japan,
By Dr. Bojan Tunguz - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Modern Japan: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
Modern Japan is one of the most enigmatic and intriguing countries in the world. A highly sophisticated society and an economic and technological superpower, Japan has maintained many aspects of its traditional values and lifestyle well into the twenty-first century. Part of the mystique of Japan lays in the fact that even though it has been officially open to the World for over a century and a half, Japan is still a very insular society. Not many people in the West get to travel to Japan, and Japanese popular culture (with few notable exceptions) is not all that familiar to Western audiences. In light of that, it is very helpful to get a better sense of Japan from a very authoritative short introduction such as this one.The book is arranged chronologically, and starts with a brief history of Japan prior to its opening up and modernization in the nineteenth century. It proceeds with the arrival of commodore Perry and the subsequent Meiji restoration. The book is good in that it doesn't reinforce the conventional wisdom on these events, but it tries to give its own much more nuanced analysis of these events. Likewise, most of the twentieth century Japanese history is presented from a critical angle that tries to take into the account Japan's own perception and understanding of those events. One of the particularly pleasing traits of this book is the attention that it gives to cultural and artistic developments. Many of Japan's most famous writers and artists have been spotlighted. However, I would have also liked if the book mentioned some of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century like Yukawa and Tomonaga, who have helped put Japanese science in the World map. One problem that I have with the book is that in its effort to adopt the scholarly naming conventions it oftentimes makes the names of some Japanese historical figures unnecessarily confusing. Thus, Japanese emperor during WWII, who is known to the generations of westerners as Emperor Hirohito, is consistently referred to as Emperor Sowa. Likewise, the book also uses the convention in which surnames precede given names. This may be the correct way of rendering them and probably in line with Japanese convention, but to those of us who have been acquainted with Japanese cultural icons for many years it sounds quite a bit strange. Overall, this is an interesting and informative book on Modern Japan. It is a very helpful first step in getting oneself acquainted with this fascinating country and its culture. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Way In,
By James Whitney - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Modern Japan: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
As promised, this book is an excellent introduction to modern Japan. I found it succinct and informative when covering territory with which I was unfamiliar and accurate (if very brief) when delving into topics that I had previously explored in much greater depth. Succinct and enjoyable, an excellent resource even for those who already possess more than a passing familiarity modern Japan. I found it particularly elucidating on the subject of the lead-up to Japan's imperialist ambitions in Asia.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Modern Japan,
By Spider Monkey - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Modern Japan: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
I have read numerous `Very Short Introduction...' books and some have been as dry as a mouth full of crackers in a desert, but thankfully `Modern Japan' isn't one of those books and kept me interested and engaged throughout. This looks at the period of history from the early 1800's until the present day and Japans development as a modern nation. It goes to great lengths to distinguish if being modern equates to being westernised and explores whether Japan can be modern (or even postmodern) whilst retaining it's inherent eastern spirit and identity. This looks at the demise of the Samurai and lords, the growth of a central government, Japans imperial exploits, WW2 and it's aftermath and Japans post war economic resurgence. Each chapter is clear and lucid and makes its point eloquently, backed up with various sources. There are also assorted illustrations and maps doted throughout which add to the text. This is a brief and informative look through Japans recent history and I found it thoroughly engaging and fascinating throughout. If you have even a passing interest in Japan then this is worth a look at some point.Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page. |
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