Japanese Books

One of the greatest manga books I've read in a long time. Diverse characters, historic arcs and a real feeling of mytique. And even a naked chick for those who are shallow enough not to care about that.

But where's the rest? This can't be all, can it?

This book was excellent! I loved it through and through. I only wonder if it is a series, or if there is a continuation. If so I gotta be the first to find out!!!

All I can say is GIVE ME MORE! This is one of the best examples of werewolf fiction, but I have to ask, where is the rest of the series? I mean this can't be it...Can it?

The best graphic novel that I could read. High school student Leo learns the hard way that he is not human, but lycanthrope, a being capable of transforming into an animal, with all its heightened senses, physical abilities--and blood lust!... very fascinating story, and the art in this graphics novel is excellent. Leo has big abilities, but he is constantly followed by a called society "the hunters". And watched by other members of their clan, everything in his life make that the Leo's future is completely uncertain.

This is one of the better graphic novels I've ever read, and one of the best werewolf novels (even though the main character is actually a werelion, not a werewolf). Each new plot development is suprising, and yet at the same time makes perfect sense- if people who turn into animals really existed in the modern world, how would they behave? This book gives some realistic, yet unexpected, answers. Nobody is a complete good guy or bad guy- every character is a complex figure, and even the bad guys have some very good reasons for what they do. Leo is an innocent caught in the midst of it all, but nothing like the "helpless killer" stereotype of American werewolf movies- he is a person in control of his own powers, trying to decide what to do with his life now that so much has changed. The only thing that struck me as weird was that werewolf/squirrel thing that was like a cross between a wolf and a flying squirrel- it just didn't seem possible that such a bulky thing should glide around like that. Also, the artist draws Leo's were-form in some odd ways sometimes- in certain scenes, he looks more like a tiger, in certain scenes he looks more wolfish, and in only a few scenes does he fully look like a lion, though the dialogue makes it clear that he is a lion. There is no graphic novel continuation, but there are more comic books continuing from the point where the graphic novel ended.

Rikko was a very imporatant part of the Japanese Imperial navy's offensive tactic and type 1 bomber along with type 96 (presicely speaking , "Land based Attack plane") was one of the most produced Japanese airplanes during the world war II. HOwever, it has been largely neglected and even condescendingly remarked with such an humiliated ephithet "flying Cigar". There are several volumes that covers this interesing speciman and cheery blossom like career of Type 1 Rikkoin Japan ,however Mr. Tagaya's volume is perhaps for the first time in English. Although the volume is a typical Osprey format , which mean less than a 100 page and lots of photos, text of Mr. Tagaya's insightful and often exciting, which show he has incisive knowlege on Japanese aviation in the pacific war. This is one of the best Osprey aviation volumes and I am eagerly waiting for his next volume in this series.

The Betty is a famous japanese ww2 bomber, but on his operative are until today few notices. The book is the n° 22 in the growing Osprey Combat Serie; as usual is very well done, with rare photos, many colour plates, some orders of battle for the various air group and enough details on operative use. The evolution of the Sentai strenght and the appaling losses suffered from the aircrews are also well detailed. The action against the Force Z on december 10, 1941 and the use versus US Navy ships in the Guadalcanal campaign, is enriched with day by day account of the mission. I found the book in some way better than others in the same serie, with a particular attention toward new informations on the "Betty".

Osamu Tagaya is one of the world's foremost researchers on Japanese naval air forces. His superb command of the subject material is evident on every page of this volume. The illustrations are excellent as well. A valued part of my personal library.

-jon parshall-
Imperial Japanese Navy Homepage
http://www.combinedfleet.com

The Betty is a famous japanese ww2 bomber, but on his operative are until today few notices. The book is the n° 22 in the growing Osprey Combat Serie; as usual is very well done, with rare photos, many colour plates, some orders of battle for the various air group and enough details on operative use. The evolution of the Sentai strenght and the appaling losses suffered from the aircrw are also well detailed. The action against the Force Z on december 10, 1941 and the use versus US Navy ships in the Guadalcanal campaign, is enriched with day by day account of the mission. I found the book in some way better than others in the same serie, with a particular attention toward new informations on the "Betty".

Osprey has again come through with the goods with this 22nd volume addition to its series. It is filled with the same highly detailed aircraft and unit data readers have come to expect, and receive, from Osprey publications. It has this and a great deal more. I found it insightful and hard to put down. If this volume has any shortcomings it would be that it is so readable that it will be quickly digested by the reader! Mr. Tagaya held my interest through every chapter. I eagerly await the next volume by this gentleman (D3A Val Units) as a result of my satisfaction with this fine piece of research. A great deal of insight from various and numerous Japanese sources is very much in evidence here. Readers are exposed to the G4M Betty and the hardships of the aircrews/units that flew it to be sure, but as an added benefit Mr. Tagaya's research sheds light on the chasm of differences between Japanese and American air campaign theory and management in WW 2. Anyone with a more than casual interest in the subject will quickly realize its value and want to keep this reference readily available. Worth every cent you'll pay, and more!

Mitzi and Ruthie were best friends. Ruthie doesn't know what to do when Mitzi and her family were forced to leave the town. But Ruthie just wanted to find her friend and know why so many others were made to leave their homes too. Ruthie doesn't know where Mitzi and her family are. Mitzi and Ruthie continues write each other, but their promise that they will meet again in their favorite place. The Moon Bridge.

I think this is a good book, with just a little vit of sadness, because Mitzi and Ruthie had to separate their good relation ship. But they will never forgot each other, and they hope will meet again in The Moon Bridge.

This book is unbelieveable! It really captures how the World War 2 was like to everybody back then! It teaches youngesters about the War. It definetly shows that anybody of any culture can become friends. Just because some cultures seem bad or most of them are bad, it doesn't mean all of them are. It really is a true inspiring friendship story that stirs new emotions and thoughts (including opinions) inside you!

The Moon Bridge
Marcia Savin

The book was about how a girl comes to Ruthie's school and they become best friends. The book takes a sudden turn when the attack on Pearl Harbor happens. They are getting closer and hang out all the time. Ruthie's old friend, Shirl makes fun of Mitzi. Ruthie stands up for Mitzi. That's how they become friends. Just as soon as the are about to go into the sixth grade, Mitzi has to leave.
I liked this book because it's how a friendship lasted three years even though Ruthie didn't know where Mitzi was. The book that is related to this is, Under the Blood Red Sun, because it's also about Pearl Harbor. It is also about a Japanese boy and his American friend

I know, I know. If you hear "Read it, it's an educational experience" one more time, you're gonna hurl, right? Well, hurl away. Read it, it's an educational experience. Not only is it an educational experience though. I found this book to be a wonderfully real story portraying the treatment of the Japanese in America. Two young girls, one American, one Japanese, become extremely close friends. The two girls did almost everything together.....until all the Japanese were "escorted out of the city". The Japanese most certaianly were not escorted out of the city. They were forced to leave the city, taking very few belongings, and go to secluded areas. No one knew exactly where they had gone, and most people didn't care, considering the "Japs" traitors. Yes this story is educational, and you are guaranteed to learn. You are also guaranteed to enjoy the story and feel the emotions of the characters. Read away, and realize that "learning can be fun"

Ruthie and Mitzi become best friends despite the fact that Mitzi is considered an enemy, particularly since the Pearl Harbor bombing. Ruthie wants to be part of the crowd but is determined to be a friend to an outsider. Mitzi, an American of Japanese descent, is close to her family but lonely for other friendships. Mitzi and her family are forced to leave town and are placed in an interment camp. Ruthie writes to Mitzi, promising to meet again at the 'Moon Bridge' in the Tea Garden. Both girls are scared and concerned for each other. This book portrays values and is also educational. Girls in this age group would probably enjoy this book more than boys would but it could lead to conversation about the war, building an interest for them.

Poetry is soppy, Zen is impractical and Orientals don't think or feel like the rest of mankind - three myths demolished in one elegant little book. Every poem breathes humanity and warmth, and the pictures complement them beautifully. A translator should above all respect and preserve the intent of the original author; Clements' fine, perceptive translations allow the underlying emotions and sensations of the works room to breathe, and give the reader space to make his own interpretation. These are poets who, attempting detachment from the world, have stood back far enough to observe it and themselves with loving exactness. Beautiful in every way.

This book is beautiful not only for the wonderful poetry but also forthe wonderful artwork throughout. Here's one of my favorite haikus from the book:

A fallen flower
Flew back to its perch
A butterfly

Then on the opposing page there is a wonderful chinese painting of a butterfly amongst some flowers.

The haiku included here (and there are many!) are so beautiful, they make me slow down and breath when I read them. Here's another wonderful one:

Without a brush
The willow paints the wind.

Simply wonderful. This would make a fantastic gift for the nature lover or the lover of haiku.

The cover itself - so beautifully - lets the reader know the jewels to come. In a sparse, delicate writing style, these haiku take us through dawn to dusk.

The illustrations - wood block prints, scenes from painted folding screens - create a haiga in the mind.

If you can procure a copy, please do so. It will enrich your life immeasurably.

A book to savor. If you're familiar with haiku, you keep feeling a shock of recognition when you encounter a favorite redone in Clements's thoughtful lean style. Fresh organization, by time of day. Illustrations well chosen and well reproduced. This would be a fine gift book for a young person you want to interest in poetry.

A beautiful gift book. Each page of three haiku faces breathtaking paintings in the Japanese style. Most of the paintings are of nature, giving a sense of the season as one reads haiku of that season. The combination of painting and haiku gives a much deeper value.

Santoka was a royal pain in the posterior for his long-suffering wife. No doubt he reeked from days on the road and a daily diet of sake and pickles and not much else. His manners, too, were less than couth. Not much about his personal life comes through the sometimes barely permeable wall between Japanese and English, and perhaps that's good for Santoka's English readers. The Japanese are a bit more tolerant of this kind of behavior, especially when one has a real literary genius to contend with. It's a fact: telling simplicity, and an incredible ear for saying (in the originals) just enough to make the magic happen. I've wrestled with translating this man's work and English doesn't even begin to begin to convey what Santoka does with the layers of meaning in the Chinese characters (Kanji) as well as the very sound of the Japanese itself. Take, for instance, that famous poem that sounds a bit like a commercial for a clothing company (Blue Mountain is a clothing chain in Japan that sells cheap suits to salary men)--that goes something like: "Push apart/ enter/ push apart/ enter/ blue mountain"? Well, it mimics, among other things, the sound of a work gang in the original. No kidding--that repetitive drum-beat in miniature. You can't get that into English, folks. No translation into English--not even these--can help you "get" Santoka's rightness as well as his breath-taking simplicity. The most one gets is an approximation here, a pointing. The original Japanese is where the real Santoka shows his stuff and no translation, however deft, is going to give him to you. I lived in Kyushu for eight years and am familiar with Kumamoto and those blue mountains that you can't look away from. On the train going to work in the morning and coming home in the evening I'd watch them and think "Santoka walked there."

This is a good book of translations, and one sturdy enough for those who want to take it along on their own forays into "walking Zen," though only a fool would elect to follow Santoka's path. Those blue mountains are steep and dangerous and you have to be sturdy and single-minded as a mule to climb them.

Kaneda Santoka, Mountain Tasting (Weatherhill, 1980)

Kaneda Santoka, itinerant Zen monk, storied drunkard, and haiku poet, never achieved the fame in the West as did more traditional haiku poets like Basho and Soseki. Some few admirers of his work have been silently pulling strings offstage to change that, and while it hasn't happened yet, things slowly progress.

Santoka was on the cusp of the nontraditional haiku movement when he began writing, and was drawn to the idea of haiku that didn't use seasonal imagery, nor stick to the exact seventeen-line syllable used for traditional haiku in Japan. In the hands of a good enough poet, nontraditional Japanese haiku remain haiku; short, image-laden pieces that beg reflection from the reader while offering a quick view through the eyes of the poet. And Santoka was assuredly a good enough poet.

This selection of just over three hundred haiku from his works was, to my knowledge, the first collection of his work published in English (a complete works has been published in Japan, along with a few biographies). Santoka's haiku are deceptively simple, but open farther upon meditation (which is why the books' subtitle calls them "Zen haiku," presumably):

Going deeper
and still deeper
the green mountains.

or

The green grass!
I return, barefoot.

A wonderful little book, well worth reading. Especially recommended for aspiring haiku poets who write in English, as Santoka's haiku translate very well and are also excellent examples of nontraditional haiku in English. *** ½

MOUNTAIN TASTING : ZEN HAIKU BY SANTOKA TANEDA. Translated by John Stevens. 126 pp. New York and Tokyo : Weatherhill, 1980 and Reprinted.

Santoka's life may seem tragic. Son of a womanizing father who lost the family property through an unwise business venture; a mother who committed suicide by throwing herself into a well when he was eight; himself a university dropout; failed jobs; alcoholism; a failed marriage; a series of nervous breakdowns; a suicide attempt which failed when the train was just able to stop in time. How could such a man have become one of Japan's best-loved poets? And what, we wonder, could we ourselves possibly have to learn from him? The answer to this last, in a word, is everything.

Santoka was pulled from the tracks and taken to a nearby Zen temple. The head priest, Gian Mochizuki Osho, a shrewd and kindly man, simply took him in without any reprimands or questions, and offered to let him stay as long as he liked. Santoka had always been interested in Buddhism, and after one year of Zen meditation, chanting sutras, and working around the temple, at the age of forty-two he was ordained a Zen priest. The Zen he was ultimately to practice, however, though traditional, was unusual. It was the Zen of solitary walking. The open road was to become his home and his monastery.

John Stevens has provided a truly interesting and moving account of Santoka's life and work which will fill you in on the details. Suffice to say here that Santoka's first walking pilgrimage through Japan, begging as he went from village to village, began in April 1926 and was to last for four years. During this trip to Shikoku, he visited the 88 shrines and temples associated with the Buddhist saint Kukai (774-835) to pray for the troubled spirit of his departed mother.

There is a wonderful photograph of Santoka on page 30, which shows him setting out on a similar pilgrimage in 1933. With his straw sandals, white cotton pants, long robe, monk's staff, and large woven straw hat, he looks an odd, if not laughable, figure. Few would suspect they were looking at a person of incredible courage, someone who had undertaken the most fearsome and difficult task of all, the full acceptance and savoring of the moment, despite what it may bring.

All told, Santoka is said to have walked more than twenty-eight thousand miles, starting out each morning penniless and with no food, and not knowing where he would stay or even if he would find lodging for the night. These were very hard miles, miles which brought sun and rain, generosity and hostility, food and hunger, smiles and scowls, health and illness, thirst and pure water, loneliness and moments of companionship, grief and intense happiness, but moments always lived with the thought that everything should be welcomed, whether good or bad, just as he himself was not judged but welcomed and taken in by the kindly Gian.

The record of his various thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and of the myriad sights and sounds he encountered on his walks of self-discovery, will be found in his poems. The poems are characterized by an absolute simplicity, an absolute honesty, a total absence of artifice. In a world such as ours, brimming over as it is with lies, disinformation, propaganda, and the totally phony, Santoka's spontaneous utterances come to us like a pure, cool, and refreshing breath of air. He is even, as Stevens points out, honest about his failure to solve what for him was the ultimate Koan - sake.

After his very fine 29-page Introduction, Stevens has given us 372 of Santoka's free-style haiku in excellent translations. Since the poems are linguistically very simple, their literal meaning carries over easily into English. What is lost, however, as Stevens points out, is the beautiful rhythm, assonance, and onomatopoeia of many of the poems, and to offset this he has thoughtfully provided, at the bottom of each page, the romanized Japanese of the originals, a few of which are accompanied by his notes. He has also provided a useful Selected Bibliography of both Japanese and English sources at the end of the book.

Here, to give you a taste of Santoka, is Poem 18 as translated and annotated by Stevens (with my indication of pronunciation added). A halftone of Santoka's striking brush calligraphy of this poem has been used as frontispiece to the book:

"Going deeper / And still deeper - / The green mountains.

Wake itte mo wake itte mo aoi yama [wa-ke it-te mo wa-ke it-te mo a-o-i ya-ma]. This was written in early summer in the mountains of Kumamoto Prefecture and is perhaps Santoka's best-known poem. Deeper and deeper into the human heart without being able to fathom its depth. . . ." (page 37).

The human heart, yes, but also self, nature, time, reality, the mystery of existence, and, ultimately, the world of Buddha, or, for others, God.

Santoka's great merit is that he returns us to a reality that is also ours, though most of the time we choose to overlook it. I can't even begin to do justice to him here - he's just too big. But what can be said is that there is a depth and resonance to his poems that will evoke a powerful response in all sensitive readers. His love of the simple things in life, of nature, and of all life-forms and living creatures, is infectious.

'Mountain Tasting' is a golden book that would make a wonderful gift for someone very special to you, but you'd better not start reading it - or you won't want to part with it!

There is a notion of the spiritual life especially prevalent in Christian circles that our shortcomings are something we should seek to eliminate. As in so many other aspects of our life these days, we "wage war" on the many things that make us less than ideal specimens. Obesity, drinking, sexual hangups, shiftlessness, and a hundred other vices are seen as antithetical to the spiritual life. One of the things that Santoka has helped me to understand is how narrow a view of the life of the spirit this kind of thinking is. Santoka was by most people's standards a shiftless drunk. He was poor, unemployed (in fact he lived as a beggar) and content to remain so. His family and marital life were pretty much a disaster. That he was also one of Japan's greatest haiku poets is, according to the narrow, eliminate-the-vice, make-something-of-your-life mentality, an achievement in spite of his failings. I see his poetry as a measure of his success in living with his vices, and at least in part of deriving from them some of the depth and simplicity that makes his work so appealing. As psychologist Thomas Moore tells us, the things we seem to fail in may in fact be our path to greater spiritual depth, not necessarily by overcoming them, but in learning from them about a spiritual reality that is direct and earthy and real. It is a spirituality of not arriving, or, what amounts to the same thing, of arriving with every step. There is no destination, only the journey. Although there were other poor, itinerant haiku poets, none, not even the great Issa, is as earthy as Santoka, "earthy" not in a vulgar sense, though he and Issa too could be delightfully and sometimes not-so-pleasantly vulgar, but in that he lives very close to the physical reality of life largely unmediated by social security, health insurance, family, friends, and a "real" job.

Santoka finds a very sympathetic interpreter in John Stevens, whose translation and brief biographical summary are the best introduction you'll find to this great poet. Burton Watson's For All My Walking: Free-Verse Haiku of Taneda Santoka is also worth reading, especially for the translation of Santoka's diary excerpts, but the haiku selection is (deliberately, because he didn't want to duplicate Stevens) not as rich. Stevens gives us the cream. Of course, there are also many of Santoka's haiku in Reginald Blyth's still unsurpassed anthology of haiku (Haiku, in four volumes), and Blyth's translations are unfailingly insightful. But in Stevens we have more, and we have it all together.

If you're interested in other books on haiku, I've posted a bibliography of my personal recommendations (in PDF format) at http://www.redrockyellowstone.com. Once there, go to The Art of Haiku and click the link entitled "Read more about haiku..."

Beware! The haiku of Santoka is nuanced and subtle - deceptively simple:

The green grass!
I return barefoot.

Upon my first reading I had the overwhelming impulse to race through the book which I gave into. But then, I found myself reaching for it and savouring one or two of these wonderful translations.

For those writers of haiku, trying to imitate Santoka's style is quite an exercise. How to approach:

Even the sound of the raindrops
Has grown older.

or

The moonlight

pierces
my empty stomach

These haiku will resonate long after you put the book down.

A fine, wise book. Direct, simple and useful. It helps one focus on what is truly important. Naikan is beautifully produced and a pleasure to read and hold. Author Gregg Krech has a graceful prose style that provides the reader with a clear, insightful roadmap. A welcome addition for those who value a purposeful, personal library.

This book offers much to anyone interested in cultivating a grateful outlook in life through reflection. Inspiring quotes, poetry and practical exercises complement the text, which describes Naikan's Japanese roots, but is presented in a Westerner-friendly way. There's even a little section on Benjamin Franklin's efforts at self-reflection. The book's format lends itself to dipping in for a quick tidbit as well as a cover-to-cover read. Readers may find themselves thanking their socks for keeping them warm, or enjoying a pizza with mindful attention. Very inspiring!

I hope to buy copies of this book for Christmas this year to give to all of the people I love. I read this book and applied its principles to my life and especially my relationship with my husband. It is transformative! By using the techniques discussed in this book, which are really very simple to use, you gain a truer, fuller picture of what is happening in any relationship in which you are involved. It has helped me to truly appreciate my husband, something that hasn't happened in a very long time. Of course, he feels that appreciation and the result has been a wonderful transformation of our relationship. I recommend this book for everyone as I can't imagine anyone for whom it would not be life changing in some degree.

As an aging pilgrim who has tried to improve her life via the zigzag path of running, meditation, simplicity and organic gardening, I find Greg Krech's Naikan an astoundingly effective small volume. As someone said, the practice of Naikan is about " What is" rather than " What was" or "What might have been." Like most Americans, I find it reassuring that the ancient Naikan techniques fit into my fast forward world easily. Thanks, Gregg Krech, for providing a better map for my life journey.

Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, And The Japanese Art Of Self-Reflection by Gregg Krech (Executive Director, ToDo Institute, Middlebury, Vermont) is an accessible, "reader friendly" guide to the spiritual art of mental composure and cleansing through an ancient tradition of harmony and balance. Individual chapters address the nature of Naikan, and its practice and usefulness in everyday life. Offering simple exercises that the reader can do to train himself or herself in this healing and revealing way of deeper understanding, Naikan is a fascinating and meaningful guide, and highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to improve themselves in general, and their emotional well-being in particular.

There are a lot of high quality photographies of very wonderful netsuke, interesting design, good advice how to do the photographies of small netsuke better! This book is very good for beginning carvers, galleries!

Symmes does a wonderful job of composing this text. He gives a nice history of netsuke, covering the span of time from feudal Japan to the present. He includes a small section on netsuke manufacture, and another on photographic techniques for macro photography and design, and then the text opens into a wonderful collection of full-page photographs of several varied and incredible pieces, some dating back to the seventeenth century. He includes brief descriptions of the netsuke, although he could have elaborated on the Japanese (and Chinese) fables that inspired many of these creations for Western audiences. Many of the pieces in this book are available today in reproduction form, and the netsuke are composed of several different materials, not just the "typical" ivory or wood. This text is a must have for any collector, beginning or advanced, as it will inspire readers to research their private collections as well as create the desire to build them! The reproduction of detail from the photographs is amazing!

Between the introductory text and the stories attached to each picture, this book serves to both educate and whet the appetite. I struggled with the desire to own each of the pieces that Symmes so lovingly photographed.

As author Symmes says, netsukes have the "power to influence people and pocketbooks." This statement is true in several aspects. First, the collector of netsukes will find that they are expensive. Second, the purpose of a netsuke is to fasten an "inro," or case holding valuables, to an obi or belt. "Ne" translates as "root" and "tsuke" translates as "to fasten." An inro's cords are held tightly by an "ojime," or bead, to keep it closed and the netsuke keeps the inro from falling off of the wearer.

The highly-detailed photographs of netsukes are in harmony with the scenery and objects surrounding them, so lusciously artistic that you may consider framing them.

HIH Prince Norihito of Takamado, who wrote this book's foreward, says he looks for "warmth, wit, and a certain twist" in his own netsuke collection. To fully appreciate a netsuke, "hold it, feel it, and examine it closely in one's hand."

Netsuke figures have stories associated with them. Many figures are puns in which the same word may have several meanings. For example, monkey is "saru" which is pronounced the same as "to leave," so it would be unlucky to marry in a monkey year.

If you are not familiar with Asian astrology, this book will teach you much about the associated legends. One tale that fascinated me was about Daruma, the 28th patriarch of Zen Buddhism. Daruma meditated for 9 years, sitting so long that his legs lost their strength. My sister, who lived in Japan for many years, sent me a wooden Daruma doll with two blank eyes. When you knock over the Daruma doll, it pops back upright, reflecting an undaunted spirit. Here's what you are supposed to do with a Daruma doll: you color one eye to make a prayer, then you color the other one when the prayer is answered.

You'll learn much about Japanese life and legend from studying these tiny netsukes -- and Symmes provides us with a fun way to learn.

This book is a lot like the netsuke themselves. At first, it looks like it might be something interesting, so you pick it up, look a little closer, and...you are inside a whole different world. Something deceptively simple shows itself to have hidden depths.

I had been interested in netsuke for awhile, ever since buying a little ivory sumo in an antique shop in Japan one day. There was something about the miniature wrestler that fascinated me, and I found myself going back to the shop over and over again, just to look at it. I finally knew that, even though it was expensive, it had to be mine.

This is much like the feeling that author Edwin Symmes describes, leading me to believe that it must be a universal experience amongst netsuke appreciators. He is someone who loves the stories behind the tiny figures, who tries to find their personality rather than figure out their rarity or value. In "Netsuke: Japanese Life and Legend in Miniature", he combines his fascination with his skills in photography, creating small vignettes incorporating the figures with appropriate settings, such as an ivory tiger emerging from real bamboo, or a wooden Daruma nestled inside a rock cave. Next to each image is a story, detailing the legends behind the figure, or maybe a little something about the carver, something that you wouldn't know just by looking but which deepens the understanding and appreciate of the figure.

What this book is not is a collector's guide to netsuke. Anyone new to the art form, and looking for a "How to.." guide to give them tips as what to look for, isn't going to find that here. Not that it is entirely lacking in practical information. There are sections describing the history of netsuke, their original use and their evolution, but that is not the focus. To those who's interest lies in photography, Symmes includes a fascinating section on photographing netsuke. But the real joy lies in looking at the pictures, reading the stories, and sharing the love of netsuke that radiates from this book.

The Nisei soldier was very well written. I enjoyed reading the personal interviews as they gave insight to what people were really thinking. The book kept my interest because it was told more in the sense of a story than just in factual information put on a page. I was really able to get a better understanding of WWII (results, consequences, causes).

I am a homeschooler using this book to enrich my children's understanding of history. This book presents valuable Japanese prespectives that are not discussed in mainstream education. All of the foreign terms are clearly explained, and the book is very easy to understand. I highly reccomend this book for anyone who is interested in gaining a unique insight into World War II and the Korean War!

In The Nisei Solder: Historical Essays On World War II And The Korean War, Edwin Nakasone draws upon his expertise having taught Asian-American and World War II history from more than 25 years to write a highly informative account of Japanese-American soldiers called "Nisei", who fought to defend American interests, despite discrimination accorded them and their families by the people and government of the United States. The narrative text is rich in descriptive detail, based on Nakasone's own experiences (he served as a Nisei in the U.S. Army's occupation forces in Japan at the end of the war), supplemented with extensive interviews with Nisei soldiers. In addition to offering the reader an informative Japanese-American perspective, Nakasone's essays also explore the Japanese perspectives on World War II not often available to an American reader. The Nisei Solder is a very highly recommended addition to any personal, professional, academic, or community library World War II history collection.

The Nisei Soldier is a fascinating, fast moving account of major historical events. It is chronicled in such a way that one sees the faces of the protagonists and feels the psychological impact on them--ideal reading particularly for those interested in the contributions of the Nisei to our country's wars. I was a replacement with the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regiment. The Vosges Mountain campaign in France was my initiation into combat as an infantry-man. It was awful, with steel and tree splinters raining down on us--it was hell.

The book Nisei Soldier is a very good and interesting book. The subject matter is interesting, and put together correctly so that the book flows. It is really easy to understand and follow. It is very readable because it is so easy to understand, and because any unfamiliar word or japanese phrase is described in good detail.

Well researched and written book. Got to know JR McKinney rather well and understood his character and attitude. A rather common, uncommon man. It is hard to believe he came out without a wound in his one man stand. Yet I do accept it did happen as written. I was also amazed how much training and how long it took his unit to become engaged in combat. I would have liked to read a little more about the early occupation of Japan. He was indeed the "Phantom Warrior."

Forrest Johnson tells the story of an American who rose to the occasion when faced with overwhelming enemy forces. But his book is more than a biography. Besides J.R. McKinney's incredible story, Johnson explains the World War II campaign in the Philipine Islands in a detailed and informative manner. The book gave me a much better understanding of the operational and political realities that affected the War in the Pacific. In this and his other books, Johnson demonstrates an ability of explaining dynamic and complex history from the perspective of individual soldiers thousands of miles from home, in a very unfamiliar and alien locations. I look forward to more from this author. Very nicely done, Mr. Johnson.

"Battle is composed of individual sagas of men, who may have once had high ideals, like love of family and country. Combat reduces all of that to one instinct - destroy and survive."

The above quotation, is from this amazing book, and should be kept in mind as you read it. This is the life story of "CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR" recipient, John R. McKinney. (J.R.). His life story is broken down into basically four segments:

The first segment is his life, from birth to enlistment in the Army for World War II. Some people might have described J.R. as a common man, but I don't think that would be accurate. To me, a common man, is average in education, financial standing, and living environment. I think it would be more precise, to describe J.R. as a poor, rural country boy, with a 3rd grade education. He was the son of a "one-horse" sharecropper. J.R.'s Father's, plan, to have sons, that could help with the farming, hit a bump in the road, when J.R. became sickly, and could not perform the strenuous tasks on the farm. Because of this, J.R. was taught to fish and hunt, for the sole purpose, of feeding his family. A very telling statement made to J.R. by his Father said it all: "Fishing and hunting, is only a sport for rich people " J.R. spent most of his time alone out in the swamps, barefoot, fishing, and hunting with a homemade sling shot. About the only time he wore shoes, is when he went to church. He became so proficient with his sling shot, that he had enough fish, squirrels, and rabbits, so that he could sell some to the local general store. The shop owner, then made a deal with J.R. wherein, he would lend him a rifle for a year, to use, in return for any food, that was over and above, what the family needed. And so, started, J.R.'s remarkable relationship with rifles.

The second segment, is all the time, between J.R.'s enlistment in the Army, and his actual, historical, award -winning battle, at Dingalan Bay in the Philippines. This is the one part of the book that slows down a little, because it includes, literally, a step by step, history lesson, of our battles with Japan in the Pacific, that J.R. was not involved in.

The third segment, is the battle, (I am purposely not revealing a lot of detail here ) in which J.R., in one, thirty- odd minute battle, singlehandedly, utilizing M1 rifles, machine guns, rifle stock, bayonet's, trench knives, fists, and feet, killed over one hundred Japanese soldiers. This is, while being shot at, at point blank range, attacked with sabers, had hand grenades, thrown at him, mortars, launched at him, and bayonets thrust at him.( NOTE: There is no way, on God's green earth, that any Hollywood movie, could be made ,of this scene, that anyone would believe, unless they read this book.)

The fourth segment, is his life after his release from the Army, as a national hero, up through his death. I know of no better way, to end this review, but to quote, what President Truman, said to J.R., at the White House on , January 23, 1946, as the President, placed the blue ribbon and medal over the head of J.R.: "This is a wonderful citation. There is no greater honor in the world " Then, as he held the medal up, from J.R.'s chest for photographers, President Truman stated: "To tell you the truth, I'd rather have earned one of these than be President "

On May 11, 1945, at a remote outpost in the Phillipine Islands, approximately 100 Japanese infantrymen attacked a machine gun position. At the time Pvt. John McKinney was comfortably resting. One of the soldiers in the first wave of attackers struck Pvt. McKinney on the head with a saber. The glancing blow served only to awaken McKinney. As McKinney fought off his assailant, his two comrades manning the machinegun left (one soldier dragging off the other who had been wounded).

Left alone, McKinney took on the company of Japanese soldiers in a battle of wills, courage, and heroics that almost defies description, including jumping into the machinegun emplacement to recapture the position (and gun), shooting over half a dozen Japanese at pointblank range, and killing several more with the butt of his rifle.

What ensued next, a running battle by McKinney with the remainder of the squadron of Japanese attackers -- who tried to root him out or kill him with repeated assaults by rifle, machine gun, grenades, mortars, and hand to hand combat -- until he was relieved is almost too amazing to believe.

Indeed, McKinney is thought to have killed over 100 Japanese in less than an hour but, because his story was just too incredible, the actual kills were reduced and his Medal of Honor citation only credits him with killing 40 Japanese soldiers singlehandedly in repulsing this attack.

This book tells the life story of this amazing man. It is excellent reading for anyone interested in World War II, especially the battles in the Pacific.

Mr. Johnson's book, his writing, is in step with the master, Hampton Sides. Get it, read it, tell your friends. And while you're at it, thank a veteran.

A wonderful compilation of poems, well translated by Sam Hamill and Keiko Matsui, illustrated by Stephen Addiss, written by the "goddess of poetry", Yosano Akiko (1878-1942). In the introduction, there is a brief description of the life of this wonderful woman poet. There we learn that she was the epitome of early twentieth century Japanese feminism, social reform and romanticism. The poet was so noted by her peers, that her era is referred to as the Age of Akiko. Born out of a family of poets and literati, she was initially despised by her father, who sought a male son. Afterwards, her father gave her the best available education and supported her fully. Her life was full of adversities and triumphs, and her love story with a romantic womanizer poet, Yosano Hiroshi (pen name Tekkan) reminds me, in a way, of Frida Kahlo's relationship with Diego Rivera. Proficient in modern occidental literature, she can be seen, in the context of her times, as a modernist poet; the first in Japanese history to criticize openly the emperor. Throughout the poems written in tanka form, compiled in this edition, we can perceive and feel her struggle to look directly into the heart and reveal the complexity of the human being, as well as the hues of erotic, spiritual and familial love. There are also some modern style poems which confirm, again the genius and sensibility of the greatest 20th century woman poet of Japan.
"Raindrops continue
to fall on white lotus leaves.
While my lover paints
I open the umbrella
on his little boat....." Long live Akiko!

I liked the comparison that the introduction made between the thinking of Yosano Akiko and the High Moderns like Eliot and Pound. For all that they were working from different cultures and probably entirely different world views, I think that Akiko shared with them that kind of glittering precision that makes her work very pure to read-- particularly the Tanka.

I was a little bit less impressed with the selection of "Modern Poetry" that came after the Tanka. I'm not sure whether it would have been true of all her non-traditional form poetry, but the poems chosen for this section were not nearly as strong as some of the others, and honestly seemed as though they'd been chosen to illustrate her political thinking rather than the body of her aesthetic work.

Also, compliments to Shambhala Publications for the lucid translation and for the non-irritating introduction. Everything seemed just enough and well done.

This volume of poetry has the same high quality one has come to expect of Sam Hamill. It is enhanced by brush and ink illustrations by Stephen Addiss and a brief biographic introduction to the poem Yosano Akiko.

The most jarring poems are the twelve in modern style - jarring in the sense of being furthest from the reader's expectations. "Women Are Plunder" is a feminist poem opening with the image of a department store sale as a universal call to women. "The Town of Amazement" describes a Utopia - one without student plays - in which the power structure (political, educational, legal, religious. famial) is leveled. "Cold Supper" explores family financial troubles, a plight frequent in the poet's life. "You Shall Not Be Killed, Brother!" is a pacifist poem. Most of these modern poems are relatively time bound - interesting but ephemeral with some exceptions.

The poems written in the traditional tanka form, however, are more universal exploring sensuality, sexuality, religion ... An example: "On her cheek and mine, / although our minds so differ, / like utter strangers, / the pine winds blow equally - / almost as though we were friends." In these poems one sees a genius transforming traditional image and form into something new, expressing experience previously hidden and confronting the changing views of society.

"River of Stars" is one of the more sophisticated books of Japanese poetry that I have read. It is artfully translated and beautifully presented. If you like tanka, you will love the selected poems of Yosano Akiko.

As a poet, I can barely open this book without the muse whispering in my ear. The translations are superb - page after page of delicious tanka with a small section of "modern style poems" at the end. The brush illustrations by Stephen Addiss visually enhance a magnificent experience. Don't miss it!