Japan Books

One of the most beautifull books I have. Very clear and encouraging. Lovely to the eye and for the mood... =)

By all means, buy the book and try it. This is the official textbook. But if you really want to learn this art seriously, you need to get a certified teacher. Check japaneseembroidery.com for pictures and a list of teachers.

This book is great if you want to learn Japanese Embroidery, and are already a decent stitcher. I would not recommend it to a complete novice - it is a difficult method of embroidery that can easily overwhelm the new stitcher. The pictures are clear and the text is easy to read.

I highly recommend this book.

The book is full color with BIG diagrams and closeups of the stitches. There are also many gorgeous pictures of completed works to inspire one. There are some very impressive looking techniques in this book, yet because of the clear explanations it was very easy for me to pick up the idea, start and finish my projects (and they came out pretty well for a beginner like me, if I do say so myself. Some of my past embroidery attempts were pretty pathetic). In short, it makes a lot of sense and isn't hard to understand at all.

The explanation of tools and necessary materials is very complete, yet I could still accomplish the various techniques with a cheap embroidery hoop, an embroidery needle, cotton cloth, and floss (rayon seems to work better at filling in large areas than cotton. Rayon looks more like the silk in the book). Still, it's nice to know about the other tools. I am sure they would be helpful for larger projects.

The pages are heavy enough that the book will stay open to the pages while one is embroidering (believe me this helps). I've used it in many projects and it's still in great shape (some of my other paperback "how to" craft books have fallen apart at the binding after similar use).

There is a little bit of history and some explanation of symbols and motifs (from pages 9-25). I found this fascinating. It's nice to know more than just "how to."

I think this is a great book! I especially liked the "weaving stitches" and his examples of layering stitches on top of stitches. They really make my projects look really fancy!

I purchased this book for my wife who is learning this technique and her words were, 'the best book I have ever seen on this subject'. She says that this book gives more advice and is more easily followed than any other books she has seen. It is meant for the beginner who is new to the technique and is therefore invaluable.

This is a well-written narrative that doesn't go far enough. In particular, there's a very untold story about Hispanics in the suburbs that one documentary (Farmingville) brought to light at its worst -- and that was only touched upon in this book...the clash of race and class is being played out in the suburbs and Jose's brief stint in Porchester felt like an aside. That said, this book is moving, well-written, and compassionate, particularly the road trip to Mexico...a terrific story in itself. CBock

Thompson writes a fact filled account of the life of his friend Enrique, a Mexican immigrant living in Brooklyn, and the people around him. The author meets Enrique as a tenant struggling with housing issues. Later in the book Thompson travels to Mexico with Enrique and members of his family. The many experiences are described with conversations and impressions but little editorializing by the author. And that is not needed because the stories speak for themselves. This book fills an incredible gap.

Thompson's book goes where few others have gone before; inside the lives of undocumented workers from New York to Mexico. It's a human story of family, survival, and love. This book should give pause to anyone who tries to argue that undocumented workers do not bring value to our country. Thompson writes clearly and allows those he meets to speak for themselves, something that is too rare in our public debate about immigration.

The truth about Mexican immigration

Gabriel Thompson hits the heart of immigration problem. People tend to oppose to migration blindly without analyzing the factors that propel all these poor people to work outside of their homeland, being humiliated, underpaid, and overworked for a few dollars. Also all these "Minuteman" and other racists would not do the work that a Mexican does; yet they want to throw out the people who give this country their work so that those racists could live in the land of plenty. People that oppose this migration are also the descendants of other immigrants that came to this country for the same reasons as these new migrants. Mexican migrants and all migrants in general are the backbone of our industry and our economy, we should be thankful that there are people like these poor Mexicans and migrants from other countries that do so much work in exchange of very little. I'm grateful that amid this sea of racism and ignorance there are a few people like Gabriel Thompson that expose the truth as it is.

The best work of non-fiction narrative I have read in years. It reminds me of Jimmy Breslin's down-to-earth journalistic style. Sorry Lou Dobbs, there is no political spin here; you can get this book for your racist uncle or for your socialist aunt because this book speaks to the heart and helps you realize that Enrique could have been either an Irish, Norwegian, or German immigrant in a different time and a different place. Still, Enrique's journey is fascinating and knowing that people of his stature still come to our shores makes me feel optimistic about the future of this country.

I'm the author of this book, so I'll refrain from reviewing it! Mainly, I want to invite you to visit my web site: http//www.author4kids.com to find out more about me and my books. You'll also find my photo album, tips for writers, and lesson plans for teachers. Thanks so much for stopping by! Warmly, Kimiko Kajikawa :-)

My boys have no more favorite book than this. The outrageous illustrations are well-matched to the clever story-line, a modern rendition of an age-old Japanese fable. No reader would be disappointed.

Tonight I was washing the dishes and my daughter suddenly started chanting "chin chin jara jara"; it made me want to grab a box of coins and start to dance! This book has a wonderful message of caring about and respecting others. It also is entertaining for children so they'll sit still and actually LISTEN to the wonderful message. Yoshi's Feast is a sumptuously illustrated, high quality picture book that I recommend without reservation.

My 5-year-old daughter loves this book. The story is apparently based on a Japanese classic. It should be especially appealing for anyone who likes unagi (eel).

This book is a must buy! Perfect for reading aloud. I can't wait to share this with my second graders next year! I purchased an autographed copy at my local Borders tonite and couldn't wait to get on here and "plug" this picturebook! Reminding me a bit of Demi's picturebooks (ie., The Empty Pot), this book has more! The onomatopoeia throughout the lively text really lends itself to reading aloud! The illustrations work very well with the text! Another Melanie Kroupa masterpiece! (see Steamboat, The Big Cheese)Outstanding literature! Even the author's bio on the dust jacket flap is interesting!

Since I am a librarian, usually I don't buy books that I can check out from the library. However, this book is definitely an exception. The first copy of this book I bought in the '80's. Since then, I have bought at least 8 copies. The first copy I let a friend borrow. They liked it so much that I let them keep it as a gift. After this happened with my next copy, I ordered 5 copies all of which I have given away. This last copy that I purchased I promised myself that I would keep. Every time that I didn't have one, I missed being able to look up all the information that I wanted to know. He very clearly connects the accu-pressure points with the yoga positions. As you can see, I love this book.

I'd agree that Gach writes a very straight forward and simple book. If you are a beginner to the acupressure/kinesiology world, you will easily understand the basics [with the aid of this book]. The book gives many useful points, but for general problems most of the time. His knowledge in some promblematic areas goes into more depth than others. So, if you are looking for help with a specific problem, little information might be given or non at all. For example, the book gives great explanations and cures for colds, indegestion, depression and headache, however, it explains very little about allergies and sinuses. Gach backs his explanations with a strong facts and basic common sense.

I think that the book could give a better explanation on how to stimulate points. The diagrams of the locations of points are very useful and understandable. Overall, the book is well organized and convienent. If done correctly, the Yoga exercises are very powerful. With just a couple of exercises you can be healed instantly. This book left me curious buy more books on acupressure and is great reference to find quick cures.

This is the one book that I recommend for anyone interested in yoga and overall health. By combining postures with meridians, (flows of energy thruout the body)and specific organs of the body, the information gives the yoga practitioner a more complete sense of the benefits of that posture. This also allows for a better focus, more mindfulness of the posture and intent. The photos and essays are clear and easy to view. Enjoy!

This is by far my favorite Yoga book. I have been practicing Hatha Yoga for years (Hatha Yoga is the physical Yoga that is the most common form in the Western world), but have discovered that many of the techniques and sets of asanas (exercises) described in Yoga books were not very tuned in to Westerners. Acu-Yoga combines Acupressure and Hatha Yoga into a very palatable form for the common Westerner. It is the best book I've seen as of yet for anyone suffering an acute or chronic disease or symptom. There are symptomatic exercises for such discomforts as the common cold, sinus problems, menstrual tension to exercises for more serious problems such as hypertension and spinal disorders. I have often warded off an oncoming flu or cold by following some of the advice in Acu-Yoga. There is additional supplemental advice from Michael Gach, in terms of lifestyle and nutritional imbalances - and very effective solutions to bring our bodies back into a state of harmony.

For instance, on our natural resistance to illness, Gach writes: "An ancient Indian method for maintaining resistance against illness is to swing a thick branch or club back and forth. The Yogis would do this when they felt any illness about to come on, since it was common knowledge that the tensions which accumulate between the shoulder blades contribute to illness. The swinging motion helped break down this tension. Swinging a baseball bat around moves and stretches the shoulder blades to release the tensions that collect there."

He goes on to describe the exact acupressure points around the tips of the shoulder blades, and then delves into a Yoga asana to help alleviate the oncoming flu or cold. Every exercise is complete with both a photo and an illustration, which details precisely his written directions. I have a terrible time learning physical things from books, even when they have illustrations and photos, but I have never had difficulty from Acu-Yoga.

Even if you aren't prone to illness or a symptomatic approach isn't for you, Acu-Yoga is split into 5 parts: a general introduction to the philosophies and practices of yoga and acupressure, a series of exercises based on the meridians (channels) of acupressure, a whole-body self-treatment emphasizing flexibility of the spine, a series of exercises that balance the chakras, and then the Acu-Yoga postures that benefit specific conditions.

This is a perfect book for the Westerner just beginning to practice Yoga, and for anyone who has an interest in expanding their current horizons of Hatha Yoga and Acupressure.

Acu-Yoga is a well-written introduction to the use of basic yoga techniques to stimulate acupuncture points throughout the body, acupressure. 13 years ago, I cracked a vertebra and have had chronic low back pain ever since. The spinal flexibility series (among others) in Mr. Reed's book helped me control the pain caused by muscle spasm and return to normal function within a few weeks. Acu-Yoga also provides information about the chakras, the organ meridians and the eight regulatory channels, and how these energetic systems work to restore and preserve internal balance. For someone who is interested in using gentle, self-paced exercise to relieve pain and improve in overall health and vitality, this is an excellent resource.

In this and in his previous book, War Plan Orange, Ed Miller takes dull and mundane subjects and flows through their process well. In my opinion, before anyone attempts to understand why Pearl Harbor happened these two works are initial reads. The war plans are complex, and changed much along the way, but with several must do or don't do items. Then, to understand why Japan felt backed into a corner, Miller gives us a study of the eonomic history of the relationship between the two countries. I suggest reading the two books first before plodding into the many publications on Pearl Harbor. Read my work on Admiral J.O. Richardson next to see why the U.S. Fleet was asked to stay at Hawaii, and then jump into the Prange, Goldstein and Dillon productions, Farago's view, and the many other attempts to show what happened. Then, head into the mounds of books on who was at fault. Start with Theobald and Kimmel. End with Stinnett's Day of Deceit. Then, go back and read Miller again! Once completed, the reader can more wonder why 9/11 never received the same attention from the American public!

Skipper Steely

Not much to say except that this book is a must read for everyone who is interested in the origins of the Pacific War or World War II.

Author Miller does an excellent job of depicting Japan's vulnerable economy, desperately needing foreign exchange but being dependent on silk as its mainstay in foreign trade. Japan possessed (& possesses) few natural resources and was forced to import its oil, iron ore, metal scrap, and almost all products needed to grow its economy or carry on a war.

The US played the role of spoiler, attempting to hold Japan's economic survival hostage to its international good behavior (as seen by Roosevelt), and the leaders of Japan could not allow that to continue for many reasons, not the least of which was the belief in Japan's destiny to rule the East. The activities of Acheson under Roosevelt's guidance are fascinating, and the reader is carried along as in a suspense novel leading toward a catastrophic conclusion. The author blends facts and figures with activities and policies with amazing ease.

My only criticism stems from the missing links to external events and the fears and attitudes of others. For example, the freeze of July, 1941, closely followed the invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany, and there is substantial evidence that Roosevelt sought open hostilities with Japan while the Russians were still in the field. By November, 1941, many in Roosevelt's administration felt that Moscow was imperiled and that the Russians could soon collapse, leaving Britain and the US to face Germany alone and the very distinct probability that Japan would then choose to honor the Tripartite Pact and enter the fray at the most opportune moment. Without going into a full discussion of Pearl Harbor, there is nonetheless much evidence that Roosevelt was aware that an attack was coming, but felt the US could weather the blows. This book records the tightening of the screws on Japan until Japan launched its attack before the Soviet Union was defeated (although, of course, it never was) because of economic reasons rather than political ones. One wonders if Roosevelt had not taken the tack he did and begun supplying the Soviet Union with critical items in the winter of 1941, would Germany have prevailed? I think not, but there is no arguing that the assistance of the US to Britain and Russia was vastly more helpful sooner than later.
At any rate, Acheson's activities are more understandable in this light, as is the ever-increasing economic and diplomatic pressure on Japan by the US up to Pearl Harbor.

So in the end, it was the economic situation that caused the Japanese to attack when they did, not the political attitudes or timing due to the other events in World War II. In effect, Roosevelt launched a spoiling attack against Japan using economics that was very effective in changing the timing of events more to the US's advantage. That is the reason this book is so important, and it is recommended to all serious students of World War II.

I do not think that book will appeal to a broad audience.

I have an interest in the Pacific War and the conditions that lead to it, so "Bankrupting the Enemy" was very interesting. I am also interested in the context of events and the social and economic background that it provides was very interesting.

This book covers in detail the economic relationship between Japan and the U.S. from the Meiji era to the eve of WW2. It shows how Japan used foreign trade to develop and strengthen its economy. As it moves into the 1930's, it clearly shows the devastating effect of Smoot-Hawley on Japan's efforts to diversify and expand trade with the U.S. Many histories gloss over the economic origins of war. Seeing how U.S. trade barriers imposed duties of up to 600% on Japanese products, you can better understand the reasoning behind military expansion of the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere to secure markets.

Although a complex topic, the book gives a very good explanation of the U.S. attempts to understand the weak points of the Japanese economy and how to leverage that into political pressure. It is particularly interesting to see how high level political objectives of graduated and flexible pressure were transformed by mid-level bureaucrats into a total embargo of crucial materials. This forced Japan to confront the stark choices of total submission or war, leading directly to Pearl Harbor.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to understand the economic factors that drove the political calculations for both Japan and the U.S. The question that one is left with (and it isn't in the scope of this book) is why the U.S. was so concerned about Japanese actions in China, given the trivial strategic interests of the U.S. in that country. Was it the hangover of Wilsonian moral rectitude, or some higher calculation of how best to get the U.S. into the Second World War?

This book is extremely well researched. In fact it presents a prime example of how all books about history deserve to be researched, one of verry few authors todate that presents his case 'beyond reasonable doubt.'
I give this book a five star.

Barefoot Gen Volume Two picks up where volume one leaves Gen just after the explosion of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima. It a gripping and very painful story of survival in the fist terrible time after the bomb devastated Hiroshima. For those that survived the bomb and the deadly radiation, life has now become a desperate fight for survival in a harsh and brutal world. If you have read Volume One, you cannot skip this one, just as you have to read Volume three and four too.

Volume 1 & 2 of Nakazawa's famous comic series about a boy called 'Gen' and his life in Hiroshima during the WWII and soon after the atomic bomb. The first two volumes of this series are probably the most important ones. After I read the first two volumes, I just had to lend them to everyone I knew. If you read this story, you'll realise how silly to hear some popular opiniton 'Dropping two atomic bombs in Japan was necessary to end the war'. Nakazawa says that each and every event is true. You'll see, for example, that two young brothers fight against each other for a little grain of rice. The bombs were dropped onto civilians in the middle of the two cities, and, in Hiroshima alone, 100,000 people, including western prisoners of war, were killed instantly, and the pain they suffered from afterwords was tremendous. The way some of Gen's family members, including a new born baby sister, were slowly dying is simply too sad to look at. But the reality is that it actually took place and was caused by human hands.
I sincerely hope that many people will find an opportunity to read this book at least once in their life-time, and I strongly believe that this book will enlighten the whole world with its message: 'what really happens when a nuclear bomb is dropped onto humanity', which hasn't really been talked about in history books for some reason. But I think it's time to face reality.

Keiji Nakazawa, Barefoot Gen: The Day After (New Society, 1988)

The story of Barefoot Gen, spunky atomic bomb survivor, continues in this second volume of the four-part series. It's not a stretch to predict that how you feel about The Day After will probably reflect how you felt about Barefoot Gen, without much variance.

The Day After (which, in fact, covers the next two days) opens just after the end of Barefoot Gen, and is concerned entirely with the survival of Gen, his mother, and his baby sister Tomoko. Gen's task during this time is to find food for the family, and this quest takes him on a number of small side adventures the present a much larger picture of the greater Hiroshima area after the bomb than the first book provided of Hiroshima before the bomb. Gen meets a number of different people, helps some, and learns that even after the bomb, when everyone around him is shrouded in misery and horror, the banality and prejudice around him doesn't disappear-- in fact, people are worse than they were beforehand. Nakazawa, as is his wont, tells us all this in his stories, and never allows his messages to get in the way of his storytelling. Ironically, Barbara Reynolds' introduction to this edition is a perfect contrast to Nakazawa's story; it's awfully-written, ham-handed, flat-out wrong (Reynolds harps on about American denial of responsibility for Hiroshima, and she's writing ten years or more after the release, and vast popularity, of John Hersey's Hiroshima) polemic whose sole purpose in inclusion, it seems, is to highlight how subtle Nakazawa is. Skip the introduction. Or, if you're a completist, read the book first and come back to the introduction afterwards, so it won't taint you.

This is very good stuff. Well worth your time. *** ½

Barefoot Gen: The Day After is volume two of a four part series. It tells the story of the day after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima as seen through the eyes of seven year old Gen Nakaoka. Based on the real-life experiences of the author, Gen, his mother, and his newborn sister face the horrors of the day after the bomb. They have no food or shelter and are surrounded by the dead and dying. Even the soldiers sent in to gather and burn the dead bodies are succumbing to the radiation sickness and dying. No one understands what is happening and there is no one to turn to. Gen goes in search of food for his mother whose breast milk has dried up from malnutrition. Alone he faces the horror of the devastation and the destitution of the people of Hiroshima. This the hardest of the four books to read because the carnage of the day after the bomb is almost beyond belief. Gen's compassion, humanity, and determination makes this an inspiring book about the strength of the human spirit. Although the graphic scenes may turn some people off, this is still an important book for its message on the dangers of nuclear war.

The work has been wonderfully translated from the Japanese original: Hadashi no Gen. It was originally published in serial form in 1972 and 1973 in Shukan Shonen Jampu, the largest weekly comic magazine in Japan, with a circulation of over two million. The drawings are all in black and white. This US edition was published as part of a movement to translate the book into other languages and spread its message. It is a wonderful testimony to the strength of the human spirit and the horrors of nuclear war. There are a few introductory essays at the front of the book that help to put this book into perspective. It is a powerful and tragic story that I highly recommend for anyone interested in the topic.

I stumbled across this graphic novel in a used bookstore, not having any idea the impression it would make on me. This is an incredibly powerful story, very effectively told through the medium of comic art. It is an affirmation of the power of visual media, and an example of how comics can be used for much more than funnies and fantasies. It is also probably the most effective anti-nuclear material I have ever come across.

This story, Basho and the River Stones, By Tim Myers, takes place at Fuka River. One day at Fuka River there was a poet named Basho. He shared his cherry tree with foxes. It was peaceful and gorgeous at Fuka River. Then one day a young fox played a trick on the poet. All Japanese foxes have great magic and they are great at changing things and themselves. The fox transformed himself a yamabushi, a monk. Then he got three stones in the river and then turned them into gold coins. Fox walked to Basho's hut, a house. The fox knows Basho was poor, so fox used a great monk voice. Fox came and asked "I will give you coins if you sign a paper and leave the cherry tree to me." "Ok", replied Basho. "Can you put my name on the paper?," asked the fox . Then Fox left laughing to himself. The fox visited Basho again. Basho told fox that at first he was angry, then he loves the river stones. Then Basho told fox his new haiku, a poem. The fox told Basho he tricked him. "Sorry, I learned my lesson, how can I ever repay you?" cried Fox. Then Fox decided to give Basho real gold coins. Fox dug them up and returned to the hut. "Can I tear up the paper?" asked the fox. "NO, NO and NO!" yelled Basho. Fox walked to Fuka River in shame. While fox walked he saw gorgeous river stones. Fox came back to Basho. Then Basho accepted the river stones. At night Basho looked at his three new stones. At the morning Basho woke up. Then Basho stopped and looked at the table. He saw REAL gold coins and not his stones. Then Basho knew Fox tricked him. Basho went outside. Basho saw a letter from Fox on his hut. The letter said "Thank you" from Fox. Then Basho and Fox shared the cherry tree and many more things.

The theme of this book is to share and not trick people. In the beginning they shared a cherry tree with other foxes but Fox did not want to share any more. The fox tricked a poet named Basho by transforming into a monk. The fox tricked Basho by getting river stones and transforming them into gold coins. Fox told Basho that he will give him gold coins if he will sign a paper that says that he will give a cherry tree to the fox himself. Then they shared the cherry tree. Then fox learned a BIG lesson. I like the way that in the end Basho and the fox shared the cherry tree.

By Resmi

I read this to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders in our school library and used the book as a jumping off place for a lesson on haiku. They loved Basho's story and it was fun to watch them "get it" as they gradually understood the clever fox's tricks on the poet. I would recommend this story for 3rd and 4th graders. Although younger kids might enjoy it, I doubt they'd readily understand the twists and turns in the story.

I have given this wondrous book to a number of friends and relatives. It is a trickster tale that is delightful, humane, and highly poetic. The artwork is lovely and vibrant. This is a book to treasure, share and read aloud to people you care about.

One of the things I most love about stories is their ability to present us with simple truths in compelling fashion. That's part of what I tried to do with "Basho and the River Stones." Naturally, I wanted this story to entertain readers (adults and children alike). But my years as a writer and a professional storyteller have taught me that even entertainment is more successful when it carries some resonating truth. In this book, the fox is capable of selfishness and deception--he's quite "human" in that way. But when Basho's shining example is set before him, he's also capable of shame and a determination to do better. We're all like that, I suppose, to whatever degree--I can certainly see both sides of human nature in myself! So I'm uplifted and comforted at the thought that, like the fox, I can learn, grow, come to a new vision of things, deepen my values, realize what's most important--even if it takes a little trickery to set things right. After all, we have to use the gifts we were given, eh? I hope you enjoy my story! May the river stones in your life turn to gold, and the gold to river stones. Regards, Tim Myers

This beautifully illustrated book imagines the 17th century inventor of haiku, Matsuo Basho, and his encounters with the magical foxes of Fukagawa. We first see Basho asleep under a cherry tree, surrounded by a fraternity of suspicious looking foxes clad in Hugh Hefner-esque silk kimonos. Initially, Basho and the foxes shared great "wa," or harmony. (Tim Myers deserves kudos for using the interesting and accurate Japanese words in a kids' book!) One fox, "particularly fond of cherries" wants them all, and so he uses his trickster powers to transform himself into the figure of a "'yamabushi,' a wandering monk." The fox turns three stones into gold, and enters into an exclusive rights-to-the-cherry-tree contract with the money-strapped poet.

The next day the gold reverts to the stones, but they inspire a haiku:

How many years have
These stones loved the river, not
Knowing they were poor?

Basho, ever the poet, tells the fox, "A good poem is worth more than money--and it lasts much longer." The fox admits his deception, and then seeks to make it up to him. In the process, the fox learns much about cultural attitudes towards charity, and, especially, honor. The repentant, wiser fox uses his magic again--this time to procure enough money for Basho to buy food for the long winter ahead.

Oki S. Han delivers some of the best illustrations I've seen recently; her watercolors have both power and grace (a grace found also in Myers' flowing language). We see traditional Japanese dwellings and marvelously colorful, variegated foliage. Even the ornamental designs framing the text are beautiful, sometimes staggeringly so. Han is a master of light and dark, and she uses close-ups, scene-setting panoramas, and overhead views in an incredibly beautiful display of illustrative mastery. The story has a very satisfying ending (which includes the fox writing his own haiku), and Myers' "author's note" talks about Basho, the deeper meanings of haiku (he wrote the two in the book), and his own heartfelt gratitude ("ongaesha") for Basho's inspiration. Very enthusiastically recommended!

The Taiwanese is once a part of Japanese,but now we are the Taiwanese,uneaqual to China. China is not eaqual to Japan,so how could China be eaqual to Taiwan? To say Taiwanese = Chinese is just China's excuse to occupy Taiwan,for China feel well-developed Taiwan is a BIG FAT SHEEP for them to eat.

Actually,I can say Chinese know nothing about Taiwanese traits and personailty. China would never be willing to understand it and communicate with us Taiwan,for Chinese is very self-focus arrogant people. So,to be nearset neighbor with China is the sadest fate for Taiwan. The book revealed the differences of Taiwanese and Chinese,focus on what is the life-experiecnce(historical)reasons of forming the "Taiwanese" identity. Readers can sense the logic a little from this book.

I think it's a good book.It gave us(chinese,especially taiwanese) a lot of infromation about the history of taiwan,and the relationship between the japan and taiwan(china).It let us know more,it make us understand more.

A great book drawing on postcolonial and postmodern thought that analyzes Japanese colonial rhetoric about Taiwan as well as different stages of Taiwanese identity-formation under colonization. Includes an analysis of Japanese representations of aborigines, a group that is often glossed over or ignored in books on Taiwan.

This is a detailed account of the Taiwanese response to colonization under the Japanese. Liu adroitly illustrates the monumental changes afoot in Taiwan of the early 20th Century and builds a strong case to support the idea of a Taiwanese identity seperate from China. Liu follows the steps colonialization drive that can later be seen in the Chinese colonization under the KMT. At times the language bogs down in anthropological terms of art, but is no less a valueable addition to the pool of information available on Taiwan.

This study is an excellent examination of Japanese colonialism in Taiwan and its consequences for the contemporary formation of national identity. Through examining not only the particular circumstances of Japan in Taiwan but also the nature of colonialism in general, Ching shows how colonialism is a social transformation which produces people of mixed identities. He draws upon "The Orphan of Asia" by Wu Zhuo-Liu as an example of this understanding. Ching also sets forth an interesting critique of postmodernism's hesitancy to draw judgments across cultural boundaries. The "miracle" of postwar Japan, essentially an almost immediate turn from complete external orientation to complete internal orientation and subjectivity, was made possible by the United States' appropriation of Japan's colonies and Japan's immediate alliance with the U.S. in the Cold War. Because of these factors, Japan never had to go through the harsh but important process of decolonization, and Ching shows how this failure affects the identity crisis of Taiwan today. Ultimately the book is oriented around "the politics of identity formation" in which Taiwan must come to hold a national identity which embraces the diversity of elements (Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Hakka, aboriginal, etc.) that have formed the ontology of Taiwan through history.

Niall Murtagh gives us an understanding of the real(hone) underbelly of Japanese corporate life. The book is well written entertaining and accurate. I have the same roots as the author and like him have endured 14 years in a large Japanese corporation. So I can verify his accuracy. He deals with the frustrating an oppressive aspects of salaryman Japan life in a very Irish way - he uses humour. He tries hard to fit-in but soon learns that foreigners, even Japanese fluent ones with a Phd., never fit in. or become totally accepted. He could have expanded on the psychological impact of salaryman life on foreigners. For those with a work link to Japan, read this book.

From the first opening sentence, this book is a page turner. The writer provides a simple but deep insight on working in a major Japanese company. The events presented are sometime caricatural, looks too bad/good to be true, but I can attest from my own experience they're quite real.
A must reading material for people thinking of working at a major traditional Japanese company.

Niall Murtagh is an Irishman who came to Japan to study the language. He ended up working for the Mitsubishi corporation for 14 years. Murtagh was a world traveler who did not stay in any one place for to long. So how is it he stayed with one company, a japanese company at that, for 14 years? This book attempts to answer that perplexing question. Though Murtagh has led a varied life, he devotes most of his book to his 14 years with the Mitsubishi Company as a Japanese kaishain, or salaryman.

Murtagh rose to a middle-manager position, almost unheard of for any gaijin (foreigner) in a Japanese corporation. He was always the only gaijin in the room. Because his Japanese was flawless he was always looked at askance. The Japanese feel that their language is to difficult for gaijin to learn let alone speak fluently. He tells of his daily commute to work on a bicycle, his unpaid overtime, company uniforms and he even the company song.

He says little of his personal life. His courtship and marriage to Miyuki is a good example of this. He sums up this chapter of his life by saying Miyuki's parents approved of their marriage because of his Mitsubishi credentials.

Murtagh keeps the story moving in a conversational style. He has an eye for the irony of the cultural differences between the west and the east.

I have a friend in Tokyo who is also a salaryman. I got this book for that reason. I wanted to see some of the things that he had to go through. He said that many of the experiences that Murtagh went through are quite common for a gaijin salaryman.

It is an entertaining book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has friends or family working in Japan. And for those of you who don't, it is still an interesting read to compare the cultures.

"The Blue-eyed Salaryman" is a book written by Niall Murtagh, an Irishman, and is based on his real life experience as a salaryman at Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan.

The story starts when he joins the R&D department at Mitsubishi in the early 1990. At the beginning he was a contract worker, but eventually he became a normal lifetime salaryman. He was also the first foreigner to be promoted to management level in Mitsubishi in Japan.

His book is very interesting, because it is based on his experience over a period of more than 10 years. So he really got to understand deeply about Mitsubishi's culture and way of working. He also experienced the end of the bubble area, and the following crisis years.

Later on, Murtagh-san was transferred to Osaka, which allowed him to compare between Osaka and Tokyo working culture. His finding was that people in Tokyo cared about big visionary research projects, whereas in Osaka all research needs to have a practical application to get accepted. He did enjoy living in the Osaka area, and eventually enjoyed working here.

The final conclusion of his book is that for foreigners, as change agents, it is not meaningful to join traditional Japanese companies from the bottom; because the only way to drive fundamental change in large Japanese traditional corporations is top down. According to Niall, Carlos Ghosn would never have been able to impact to Nissan if he had joined them from the bottom...

Working as a foreigner in a large Japanese corporation in Japan, I really identified strongly with Niall's writing. It gave me a sense of comfort, making me believe that I still haven't lost my common sense....

Content is accurate, well-observed, and recounted with sensitivity and balance; happily, it's very well-written and flows beautifully. Certainly worthwhile reading for foreigners working with (or for) the Japanese. Hopefully, this work will appear in a Japanese edition as well, and I'll bet it would be a best-seller in Japan. Like the author, I have worked in a large Japanese company, married a Japanese national, and make my home in Japan.

Roy Bainton is a British journalist. He wrote a short narrative history of the Russian revolution in 1917, an excellent introduction in a very fluid style. He focused on the experience of the people, great and small, who influenced or just lived through those momentous events (mostly in Saint-Petersburg, the capital city). 1917 was a year of great suffering for the Russian people. The " First revolution", in February, that put an end to the Old autocratic Empire, unleashed huge hopes for freedom. The October " coup" of the Bolscheviks, however, crushed these hopes for at least 70 years, and inaugurated unheard of barbarism in the name of ideology "for the good of the people".
Roy Bainton used a variety of "general" sources, but most importantly, because he meant to recreate the ambiance of the times, contemporary eyewitness accounts; he also traveled several times to Saint-Petersburg in 2000 to speak to people who either had been through the events (although at the time they were still very small children)or who told the author about their parents' experiences. That would not have been possible before the 1990's. This is the first book I read about the Russian revolution but I found its approach particularly refreshing.

I found the book informative and paced fairly quickly ... but I knew very little, so each and every tidbit was new to me. Not academic-y, which is a common trap to fall into for books like these. There were a few slow parts, but suprisingly readable overall.

Roy Bainton is an outstanding writer and historian, the best. Excellent.

Superbly researched and written in such a manner that the facts are easily digested and you might find it hard to put down. This is not dry history; Bainton provides the atmosphere to make it an exciting read.

This is the kind of book that might be produced in any free country about almost any incident of interest. It's the memories and personal recollections of a large group of people.

In the Soviet Union such recollections had to match the party line from the time of the revolution (1917) until recently. That makes this a breakthrough book. The number of people old enough to remember what they were doing that year is rapidly shrinking.

Mr. Bainton visited Russia several times seeking people to interview. He was successful in finding a great many people to talk to him. Most were original observers, some were telling stories that had been told to them by parents or earlier relatives.

It's a very enlightening book.