Japan Books

Very detailed and informative. I have purchased and read many of Hammel's books. Whether it be WWII, VietNam or the Beirut "police action" Hammel has a unique way of presenting factual history in a fresh, readable fashion. I found his history of the First Marine Division and General Vandegrift to be informative and enjoyable. Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Guadalcanal campaign.

Eric Hammel is a splendid writer, and this book is a splendid account of the Guadalcanal campaign. Part of a trilogy which included volumes about the naval aspects of the Guadalcanal battle, "Starvation Island" focuses on the land and land-based air phases of this far-flung struggle. Well-written and entertaining, this is history at its best. Along with the other fine volumes about the Guadalcanal campaign, such as Richard B. Frank's excellent work ("Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle") this book will be enjoyed by anyone interested in this crucial turning point in the war in the Pacific.

Guadalcanal is the most interesting battle of American history. It was the first American offensive of World War II and victory hung in a seesaw balance for three months as Americans slowly and painfully gained land, sea, and air superiority over their Japanese opponents. The costs were enormous. Japan and America lost 26 ships each. Most of them were sunk in "Iron Bottom Sound" in the "Slot." The 18 pilots of one fighter wing of the "Cactus" air force were reduced to four in less than three months -- but they shot down 83 Japanese planes. Hammel estimates that 35,000 Japanese died in the battle -- about one third of them of disease and starvation. U.S. losses of Army, Navy, and Marines totalled about 3,000 dead.

Eric Hammel has written a competent and readable book on the battle of Guadalcanal from August 7, 1942 when the first Marines stepped on shore until mid-November when the battle was won -- although three months of bloody mop-up operations remained. Hammel covers land, sea, and air operations, and his descriptions range from the strategy sessions of the Brass to the battle experiences of 18-year old Marine privates. My enthusiasm for this book is restrained however as there are many other accounts in books and on the web which are equally good.

Hammel's technical discussions of battles and strategies are very good; his description of the conditions the marines faced in Guadalcanal -- abandonment by the navy, malaria and dengue, shortages of everything, a shrieking, suicidal enemy who hardly seemed human, a dark, menacing jungle -- is less good. The marines called Guadalcanal "Operation Shoestring" and it deserves the name. For the Japanese it was even worse.

The best book I've read on Guadalcanal. Helps one understand the professionalism of the Marines. A dedicated group of men trying to survive a very tough situation. I was really impressed by their ability to keep their weapons operating in that jungle environment for months with almost no resupply help from the Navy. - Robert Merritt Edson

Although 13 years old, much of the info in this book is still relevant. Despite the youthfulness of Los Angeles, there are restaurants and markets that have managed to survive for decades. These places are invariably great and almost institutions in their community. Hence, many of the listings in Burum's book still survive in this megapolis. You'll have fun tracking down that obscure German sausage maker who has had his shop for some 30 years...as well as the occassional let down upon discovering that the old Japanese immigrant, who made fresh tofu daily at the back of his grocery store, decided to call it quits a few years ago.

This book is not only a guide to the ethnic markets in LA, but also serves as an introduction to the cuisine of LA's ethnic groups. Interspersed within the listings, you'll find glimpses into the history of LA's immigrant communities, and what they really eat that you don't get at the mainstream ethnic restaurants. If you're the type that prefers to eat where you're the only one not of the ethnic group the restaurant caters to, get this book. It lets you in on not just the basics of a people's cuisine, but makes you feel comfortable with the unfamiliar (and much more authentic] dishes.

The book is organized into the following chapters, which fairly represents the demographics of Los Angeles:
China; Japan; Korea; Thailand; Vietnam; Southeast Asian [Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines]; India; Mexico; Central/South America and Caribbean; Europe; Greece, the Middle East and Africa.

Overall, an indispensable introduction to LA's greatest asset: It's diversity of people and cuisine.

This is a fantastic compendium of ethnic food in LA. It gives you everything you'd ever want to know: best bakeries, best markets, best restaurants. It divides categories by geography (important in LA) & by ethnic cuisines.

While the 1992 printing will make some info out of date (restaurants for example), this book is one of a kind & the best in its genre.

This is the greatest book on the best ethnic restaurants in LA. Hopefully, the author will put out a new edition. I have it. It's about 10 years old, and I'm not going to sell it. It's better than any new guide out there. Even if you don't go to these places, it's an interesting read.

When this book first came out about 10 yrs. ago or more it was a revelation. In one collection it guided you through EVERY major ethnic community in the greater L.A. region and told you which were the best restaurants, bakeries, markets, etc. I don't know of any other book that comes to close to being this comprehensive & incisive.

If you ever spend any time in L.A. & you are interested in ethnic food, you must have this book.

Ms. Friedman's first literary work is a delight to read and most helpful to anyone interested in learning about Japanese poetry. She painstakenly explains her journey into the Japanese culture necessary to appreciate the feelings and emotions expressed through the Haiku.
It's refreshing to read how this remarkable woman can balance her devotion to her family, her diplomatic career and yet develope an interest in the Haiku.
It's a good relaxing read at anytime and in any place.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/06)

Traditionally, haiku is Japanese poetry that is written on three lines. The first line and the third line are composed of 5 syllables and the second line has seven. "The Haiku Apprentice," written by Abigail Friedman, takes us through her journey of discovering how to write Haiku well. It is really more than just those three lines. The Haiku Society of America defines Haiku as, "A short poem that uses imagistic language to convey the essence of an experience of nature or the season intuitively linked to the human condition." Through Friedman's experiences, she not only learns how to write haiku, but she also learns about the culture and the lives of other haiku writers in her group. As you read her story, you also learn about the richness of the culture. Friedman is able to convey how the Japanese people are able to connect their writings to their lives. As a people they work hard on doing everything well. When you are in their country, you really see this. It doesn't matter what their jobs are, or how menial a task might seem, they do it well. From my personal experience, they are very gracious people. Friedman conveys this in her writings. It adds to the richness of her memoirs. Just reading her story alone is enjoyable, especially when you are learning about her experiences as a diplomat in Japan. I really think that a haiku writer who is not well versed in the Japanese culture will be able to write much better after reading "The Haiku Apprentice". I enjoyed learning about haiku by reading her story, rather than a textbook. This is also a great book to read if you are interested in writing haiku or starting a haiku writer's group. At the end of the book, she offers information and advice on how to start a group. She also has a list of questions to stimulate discussions for a readers group.

The Haiku Apprentice: Memoirs Of Writing Poetry In Japan by Abigail Friedman is not a standard poetry collection, but rather the personal memoir of an American diplomat in Tokyo who discovered that anyone can enjoy the pleasure of writing haikus. Learning to express herself in haiku introduced her to a literary and cultural world in which poetry was more than a vehicle of expression; it was a means by which neighbors and friends could form a connective bond and see the world in a new way. The Haiku Apprentice is a warm and inviting autobiographical story, and also a kind of loose blueprint for forming haiku or other poetry-writing societies in one's own backyard in order to better foster communication, understanding, and a fresh perspective ready to absorb the wonders of life. A unique and thoughtful memoir, The Haiku Apprentice is enthusiastically recommended reading.

The Haiku Apprentice is the joyous story of an American diplomat's journey into the realm of haiku while living in Japan. More than that, it is an account of spiritual and political self-scrutiny. Abigail Friedman is a marvelous narrator, and I find it easy to enter her world. Friedman's descriptions are vibrant, while her down-to-earth wit spices the narrative, which is consistently intelligent and sharp.

This writer is careful not to leave linguistic stumbling blocks. She opens doors for less experienced readers, with lucid explanations of Japanese words, pronunciations, and traditions. As Friedman describes her haiku education under the tutelage of Kuroda Momoko, one of Japan's most esteemed haiku masters, readers will surely find it impossible not to learn along with her. Every haiku student should read her discussions of kigo and Zen. She features contextually relevant haiku throughout, including some written by her fellow poets in Japan and a few by the author. Her translations of well-known haiku by the Old Masters invite readers to rediscover their timeless appeal. When seen again through Friedman's eyes, long-familiar poems are newly inspiring.

After the author joins a haiku group, she shares a new awareness regarding haiku poets: "Perhaps all these people had discovered something I was just now learning; that survival in an increasingly complex world requires each of us to tend to our souls, our individuality, more than ever. I needed to nurture my ability to see the world as I saw it, not as others might see it."

Abigail Friedman ends the story of her haiku quest with perhaps her most important insights: "My new name was a reminder to me that haiku is not just about writing about beauty, but is a path of self-discovery. I could not expect to write good haiku if I was not seeking to be true to myself."

This book is delightfully accessible, regardless of the reader's experience (or lack of it) with poetry or Japanese language and culture. I recommend The Haiku Apprentice, not only to haiku aficionados, but also to anyone who enjoys a good read. - Ferris Gilli, Associate Editor, The Heron's Nest

Ho trovato questo libro molto ben fatto.
Le riproduzioni sono bellissime e ognuna e' dettagliatamente ed analiticamente spiegata.
Lo consiglio vivamente

Loved the selection and quality of the prints. Great as a gift to someone who is interested in the subject

There are too few book editions of the print series of Hiroshige. There are a few books featuring his "100 Views of Edo" such as the excellent one by Uspensky which I own; a smallish paperback version of the first edition of "53 Stations of the Tokaido" by Muneshige Narazaki; and a book featuring his early bird and flower prints. This book by Marije Jansen is a fine and welcome addition to the few books we have.
The book illustrates Hiroshige's "Rokujuyoshu Meisho Zue", "The Famous Views of Sixty-odd Provinces", meaning "more than sixty provinces". The prints featured are from the first edition set owned by Professor Gerhard Pulverer, and were once owned by Frank Lloyd Wright. The introduction features the ubiquitous biography of Hiroshige, followed by an overview of his well known landscape series, an overview of the Provinces series illustrated, a discussion of the format used, later editions of the series, and an explanation regarding the Pulverer prints.
After the introduction, there is a map of Japan showing the locations of every print in the series. The map, and the accompanying key on the opposite page, show that the prints were arranged geographically.
The main body of the book has explanatory text and images on the left hand pages, with a full page print from the series on the right. There are 70 prints. These include the table of contents print, 68 prints of the Provinces, and a print of the capital Edo (#17).
The author gives a brief explanation of each print and what it depicts. A great deal of research has been done on the historical, artistic, and literary background of each scene.
In the upper left of the text page there is factual information on the date, the censors, the block-cutter, and the publisher. The location of the various seals is explained for every print. At the bottom of every text page is a smaller version of the print keyed to a description of how later editions degraded in quality. These include things like poorer colors, missing colors, loss of wood grain, etc. There are usually 10-12 items described per print. This is invaluable for collectors and artists studying wood block printing.
Unlike his prints of the Edo and Fuji environs, and his Tokaido series, Hiroshige did not visit all the locations shown. He was one of the first Japanese landscape artists who actually did make prints from sketches of places he actually visited. It was customary for artists to use the sketches or verbal descriptions of others to make prints, and many of the prints in this series were taken from the guidebook "Sansui Kikan" by Fuchigami Kyokko (26 of the prints), as well as other sources. The prints are wonderful however.
The images are large and beautiful, and this book will give you many hours of enjoyment. You'll want to look through the prints again and again. I know I do.

the book is totally wonderful! completely met my expectations. i couldn"t be happier with it or the service.

I am writing this review on the day Joe Rosenthal died. Joe Rosenthal was the photographer who took one of the most famous photos of all time, the picture of the Marines raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi in the Pacific island of Iwo Jima where one of the war's key and most bloodly battles was fought in 1945. Afterwards there was a controvery and accusations that he had staged this. This present book provides overwhelming evidence of the falsity of the claim. It also provides a detailed recounting of the story of the battle of Iwo Jima.
Rosenthal who was by all accounts a modest man said , once 'What difference does it make who took the photograph? I took it. But what is important is that the Marines took Iwo Jima.' Six thousand Americans lost their lives in that battle.
In this book Tedd Thomey who was a Marine wounded in the battle of Iwo Jima, tells the story of the two ' raisings of the flag' He also tells of the military photographer William Genaust whose photographs and words corroborated Rosenthal's claim that the photo was not staged.
The photo itself is of course a legenday one. I remember seeing it as a child and being struck by it without really knowing why. The effort, the leaning forward of the Marines, the struggle, the aspiration, the flag blowing in the wind, all seemed to express together a picture of American patriotic dedication and greatness, and something too about the human spirit in fighting for what it really believes in.
Rosenthal, again , was a modest man, and according to Thomey, a great patriot. In an instant he gave America a picture of one of its finest moments, and truest meanings.

In the interests of full disclosure I must confess that Tedd Thomey is an old pal. But never mind about that. Tedd would be the first to agree that I must not allow sentiment to compromise my opinions. So let me be brutally honest here: Immortal Images is a brilliant and unique and moving book, the capstone to the author's long and colorful career. Uncovering the--sometimes startling, always intriguing--hidden history behind the iconic photos of the flag-raising at the battle of Iwo Jima, Thomey is part reporter, part private eye, part crusader and part soldier with the insider's viewpoint only a veteran of battle could have brought to the page. How wonderful to find that at this late date, fifty-plus years after the events in question took place, great new books on WWII are still being created by men who actually experienced and survived and won that long-ago conflict. Read it. Know what it was like. This is history you can taste brought to you by a man who was there.

If you have ever wondered who Joe Rosenthal was, read this book. If you wish to know about the photographers who took the images of the Flag Raisings on Iwo Jima, then read this book. If you have ever wondered about what is the true story of the Iwo Jima Flag Raisings by the US Marines on Mount Suribachi, read this book. If you have ever wanted to learn about why there could have been so much controversy surrounding the Iwo Jima Flag Raisings in February, 1945, read this book. Tedd Thomey has put an exhorbitant amount of research and details, some never before known, in the story of two photographers, who by chance, happened to be in the same place at the same time, capturing one of the most famous and widely reproduced images of all time. The book covers a wide range of stories on the people, places, graphic battlefield portrayals surrounding the Joe Rosenthal, Lou Lowery photographs and Bill Genaust 16mm filming of the event. I highly recommend this book for any World War II, Marine Corp, Photojournalism or history lover. Great human drama.

A superbly written book which refutes the minsinformation (both intentional and untentional) surrounding the two flag raisings atop Suribachi Yama on Iwo Jima. The facts are so well proven and documented, the reader will be left with no doubt as to the true course of events.

The author vividly recounts the negative effects these fallacious facts wrought on the men and families of those participating in this historic event.

Although Tedd Thomey was wounded and evacuated on D Day, February 19, 1945, he successfuly recreated much of the 36 day battle. This reader, also, a member of the First Battalion, 28th Marines, found himself completely spellbound as Thomey's narration traveled from the foot of Suribachi north to Hill 362A, over Nishi Ridge into the Badlands, and finally to Bloody Gorge.

Only a true journalist with a passion for the truth could have written this book.

This is a great book. I've had mild acne since my teens and I'm now in my twenties and the information in this book has made a huge difference in how I deal with my skin. My skin would probably be completely clear if I wasn't so lazy about it. (Sorry, I procrastinate a lot)But this doesn't mean that the recipes aren't effective. As it is I'm only getting pimples during PMS. I love the sesame oil. The adzuki bean & barley powder grain wash is amazing. You can feel a difference right from the first use. My skin used to feel very dry when I washed it and get very oily quickly. Now it's balanced most of the time and it doesn't feel tight or slick with oil. It's so soft too. I've seen huge results even with my inherent disinterest in doing this kind of thing for myself. So sad, love to research, hate to actually do it. If you have skin, this book is a necessity. The recipes are also very gentle. I also have sensitive skin which gets red at any excuse and I have had no problems at all. Get this book no matter what kind of skin type you have, it covers everything from hair, face, to body to diet. I love the washing bag idea. It keeps the skin very smooth and wrikle free since you exfoliate gently twice a day (at least it says you should) Very complete. Highly recommended.

I cannot speak for this book is so amazing! AH! How refreshing! Read it if you want to be moved deeply!

Not one word of a lie- I have spent thousands of dollars on commercial products searching for the answer to my skin problems. Overly oily, acne, etc. On a whim I purchased this book, and will forever be grateful that I did! Within a week I had purchased the necessary items and will never look back! Think about it- what kind of skin do Japanese women usually have? Beautiful, smooth, white complexions!
I can't say enough for this book of recipes. Her other book is wonderful also and is worth the purchase. People with oily skin- don't be afraid of the oil!!! These recipes work!!!

Leigh stumbled upon some unique folk beauty care methods in Japan and set out to research the ancient techniques traditionally used by women to care for their skin and hair. The results of her efforts is a lovely book of recipes for scrubs, rinses and tonics utilizing food as a means of cleansing and moisturizing.

Ingredients include beans, vegetables and teas, most of which can ecomonically be found at grocery stores. With a small bit of devoted effort, these items are prepared to make facial scrubs, shampoo, moisturizers and other cleansing basics. As most ingredients can be found in organic forms, this would be a good book for those with sensitivities to commerical products that are laden with perfumes and dyes. Costs for these homemade preparations are a fraction of what you pay in a store for prepared products!

After just a few days of using the Pearl Barley and Pink Bean Powder face wash, it became apparent how lovely these recipes are. A few friends were induced to also try the scrub and immediately everyone noticed how smooth and supple their freshly washed skin was. Dry skin was softer, oily skin less stimulated, and sensitive faces were clear and fresh without irritation.

This book has easy to follow instructions for skin and body care routines for all skin types. For people who want to move away from commerical and animal-based cleansing products, or just switch to a more natural form of beauty care, this is THE book!

Joe O'Donnell captured the aftermath of World War II with his photographic record of the Japanese rubble. As a 23 year-old US Marine, O'Donnell served as a photographer, and a sample of the photographs he took are included in his book, JAPAN 1945: A US MARINE'S PHOTOGRAPHS FROM GROUND ZERO. The collection is a visual snapshot of the Japanese landscape of the cities and towns, Sasebo, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, almost a month after the atomic bombings and air raids.

Indeed, JAPAN 1945 includes poignant and moving exposures of remnants of the worn torn landscape. The book is a composition of photographs of O'Donnell's seventh month long tour of the Japanese cities in which he documented what was left of the cities -- pure destruction without a living thing in sight. There are numerous shots worth mentioning, such as the boy and his young brother on the cover of the book, the boy served as O'Donnell's guide through the streets of Hiroshima, as well a man severely burned, "Victim with Rope" who is covered with an immense amount of clothing in order to protect his skin. However, there are also photographs depicting reconstruction, such as the shot where a teacher leads a class with the classroom still intact despite the outside view of the devastating rubble that lurks in the background.

JAPAN 1945 is an excellent photographic record of the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. O'Donnell's account of what he had seen has been best described not with words, but with the photographs he presents. The book may further provide a better understanding of World War II history as well as how photographs provide a template to how history is interpreted.

Photographer Joe O'Donnell, a 23-year-old Marine assigned to the occupation of Japan, has released many of his photographs that he took while on station. Locked away for some 45 years, these vivid, graphic, and moving photos show what life was like immediately after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

O'Donnell's photo archive begins with images from his arrival in Japan. A prayer service offered aboard a landing ship, and the unloading of equipment are shown in this section. The harbor at Sasebo is photographed with many American ships filling its waters, but it is in this section where the reader gets their first glimpse of the level of destruction wrought by American planes; most of the surrounding city is literally flattened. Many displaced Japanese citizens are shown wandering the streets of what has become a barren wasteland.

O'Donnell has also included images of American soldiers giving candy to Japanese children, and Japanese geishas performing dances. Images of children with babies strapped to their backs cleaning rubble and elderly displaced civilians with few or no possessions really touch the reader.

The most eye-catching part of the book for me was the images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Both cities were literally wiped off the face of the earth; only massive piles of rubble remained. O'Donnell had to travel by horse to navigate through the massive piles of debris. Images of people wandering about aimlessly, smashed factories, and burn victims dominate this part of the book.

The most piognant pictures I saw in the book are the one of the three brothers in Nagasaki; the eldest pushing his brothers in a make-shift cart, and the most heartbreaking one, the photo of the child who has come to the cremation site in Nagasaki with his dead baby brother strapped to his back, all the while struggling to keep from crying. I can't remember seeing a more moving photograph.

This is a tremendous book. Each photograph tells its own story, and O'Donnell has provided excellent narrative above each photo. I highly recommend this fine book. Open it up and take a photographic journey through a defeated Japan. Some photos will inspire awe; others pity, and you'll get a true sense of what it was like in Japan immediately after the war ended.

Could it be that we see a photo of an 8 or 9 year old boy bringing the body of his dead baby brother to a site in Nagasaki for cremation? Could it be that this photo was taken by a 23 year old American Marine? Would it be possible that the Marine was mistaken, perhaps he misunderstood? Perhaps the baby is only sleeping. Alas, the older brother's face belies the truth as the baby's body hangs lifeless. Marine photographer Joe O'Donnell was obviously moved by many of the photos he took during his time in Japan, just after the war ended.

But it's not just bombed out cities that he shares with us. There are happier times when American GI's were talking to children, geisha and hotel maids and other slices of Japanese life that would interest most any foreigner (or perhaps today's Japanese even). We can only wonder how many other photos he has that are have not been published.

I think Japanese history is at its most interesting when it interacts (or collides) with other countries. O'Donnell shares with us images of a Japan that no longer is. Perhaps Japan never has publicly atoned for its war time actions sufficiently; but this book shows clearly that it certainly was punished sufficiently.

We've all seen the pictures of Hiroshima where everything but the shells of a few building is flattened. Here are seventy-four pictures from several cities, fire-bombed with conventional munitions, not atomic bombs, that look just as devastated, just as destroyed.

But more than that are pictures of the people. There's a picture of the crowd at an Athletic Day - women, children, and old men - the young men are gone, probably never to return. There's a picture of a young boy, perhaps eight years old. To his back is strapped his little brother, perhaps one year old. The little brother is dead and the boy is delivering him to the cremation site.

Yes the pictures from other wars, the child at the railway station after the rape of Nanking, those from the camps in Germany are equally tragic. Even the pictures showing Charleston after Sherman's army went through show this kind of destruction.

But there is a special feeling I get from these pictures. Perhaps it comes as a residual of the racial hatred this country felt towards Japan. I hope not, but the fact is that these striking photographs make me feel terrible.

Beautifully illustrated with tons of large pictures of houses and gardens on every page with notes on each one. Very tastefully put together. Great style which epicts beautiful Japanese living in a more contemporary way. An excellent book for anyone wanting ideas on how to decorate their home or garden in the typical Japanese or Asian style. Also makes a wonderful coffee table book. Very pleased that I bought this.

Beautiful photos of great interiors. Mostly traditional Japanese homes as they are currently lived in. Features homes with collections of traditional Japanese crafts. Also, some modern homes designed with Japanese aesthetic. I would also recommend the book "Japanese Style".

Among our collection of a dozen or more illustrated books about Japanese architecture and design, this is by far the best. The exquisite photographs are accompanied by a thorough yet interesting explanation of the various traditional styles found in Japanese architecture.
Although the emphasis is upon traditional homes, the volume also includes examples of the adaptation of these styles to elegant homes in Japan today. Be forewarned, however, many of the homes illustrated, both very old and modern, are far more spacious than middle-class Japanese are able to enjoy, even those living in rural Japan.
When our present home, blending Japanese and Craftsman influences, is finished, we will give this book to our architects and contractor as tokens of our appreciation.
(By the way, this reviewer lived in Japan for ten years.)

Like one of the other reviewers, I own quite a few books on Japanese houses and architecture. This is an outstanding example, with very beautiful high quality photography and printing, as well as a great selection of houses I have not seen before. Most are traditional, but a few are modern. I am glad I bought this book.

As a lecturer of Japanese refugee law and policy, I found this book to be essential reading for myself and my students. Dr. Ryuji Mukae's study provides an insightful analysis of the Government of Japan's refugee reception policies over four main periods. He examines how Japan's self interest and international pressure played often contradictory roles in shaping refugee policies.

During the first period between 1895 and 1945, for example, Mukae argues that the Japanese government provided support for revolutionaries like China's Sun Yat-sen and Korea's Kim Ok-kyun as a means of enhancing Japan's imperialist foreign policy objectives in its neighboring countries. He also examines Japan's restrictive policies towards Russian Jews during World War I, the era after World War II, the Indochinese refugee crisis of 1978, and Japan's accession to the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees in 1982.

The study provides rich empirical evidence to dispel the myth that Japan has no significant history of receiving refugees while it also underscores the ramifications of Japan's foreign policy interests on this issue. The book could benefit from more in-depth discussion of Japan's external refugee policy and a less pedantic writing style. However, the study should be commended as an impressive work of nuanced scholarship on a subject that might not otherwise be available to the English-language world.

Please remove the two reviews of my book, which appear on this site because these two reviewers admit that they haven't read my book. As a general rule, people should not write reviews of the books they haven't read.

Professor Mukae is very informative with International Politics. Therefore, although I have never read this book, I think it should be great based on his knowledge.

I have Mukae as an IR professor. He is very good. I did not read the book, but he's a good man. Buy the book, it's gold.

After reading an article in the local paper about the history of the Bly Oregon incident where a family was killed by one of these bombs, I did a search on the internet for more information. I was referred to this book by several newsgroups. After opening this book, I read it cover to cover in one sitting. If you are not enthralled by the Japanese effort into these balloon bombs, you soon will be. This book is an excellent record of this little known part of our nations history.

When the original book was published in 1973 I saw the author interviewed on a Portland, OR tv talk show. Having grown uo on the east coast I'd never heard of the ballon bombs before. My own interest was piqued and I also knew that my dad who was a WW2 vet would love to receive the book for his birthday. I sent for a copy and must admit I read it before giving it to him! It was truly a book I couldn't put down!

I sent it to my dad and he raved about it. In fact, I recall him mentioning it several times over the following years before his death how much he enjoyed it and appreciated my sending it to him .

It's a fascinating bit of history many of us knew nothing about. It would be a great gift for anyone who enjoys history and a perfect gift for WW2 buffs!

I give it 5 stars without reservation! I'm delighted to know it's been reproduced...I'll buy my own copy now.

The new International Balloon Museum in Albuquerque features the remnants of a Fu-Go balloon bomb, along with one of the hand-made paper envelopes built to carry the device across the Pacific Ocean. Mikesh's detailed report is an excellent supplement to the museum exhibit. It's a fascinating look into one of the most intriguing chapters in military history. Few know that the only victims of World War II on U.S. soil were killed by this ingenious device. Its potential use in germ warfare and its contribution to UFO hysteria are interesting side notes. Well worth a read.

Excellent technical explanations of the balloon weapons and how they were used against the North American continent. From production in Japan to the US defensive response to the threat, everything you'd ever want to know about these early intercontinental ballistic weapons is in this book. Heavily illustrated with maps, diagrams, and photography including aerial photography of the balloons in flight. Excellent.