Japan Books

I just loved all the information and pictures it has on pruning your evergreen and trees. I found it very informative.

Visually appealing with its hundreds of bright color photographs and encyclopedic in its scope and content, this reference also has the clarity of organization and practicality of a garden handbook. Each of the listings of the hundreds of Japanese plants gives notes on appearance, cultivation, and use (e. g., ground cover, attractive spring flowers, potted plant) of the particular plant along with the Japanese and English names, interesting points, and related plants. As noted in the Foreword by E. Charles Nelson, the Japanese, with their insular culture, had no desire to go abroad seeking foreign plants--nor did they need to with the variety available in their homeland. Yet American gardeners and others readily took to Japanese plants when Japan opened up to the West, and continue to do so increasingly in recent years. This attractive, complete, useful reference fully satisfies an interest in the variety of Japanese plants. Both authors have extensive backgrounds and solid reputations in horticulture.

I found this book to be very well written with a strong plot and exceptional character development. The author creates an autoritative view of Tokyo, U.S- Japanese relations and Japanese culture. I'm waiting for his next book . This title was published in 1992 under a pseudo name and I'm wondering if the author has published other works under a different name.

This was a fun book to read. What made it more so - in addition to the very well-handled plot and characters - was that Meigs obviously knows his setting. After suffering through many books, some by unknowns, others by very well-knowns (can you say "Danielle Steel"...?), it certainly is nice to read something that was written by someone who actually spent more than six months in Japan. If you have an interest in the country, read this book. It will tell you volumes if you let it. If you don't particularly have an interest in Japan, but just like a good mystery/thriller, read it anyway. You won't be disappointed. I have to join the other reviewer in wondering who Meigs really is. It would be nice to read other books by this man.

This is a wonderful book filled with great old photograpics and text. A book that anyone interested in other cultures would really enjoy!!!!

Dr. Stanley Burns is well known as the founder of the Burns Archive of Historic Vintage Photographs and as the author of several previous books about various niches within vintage photography. Here, Dr. Burns focuses on the representation of Geisha in photography during the peak of their popularity. This time period of photography in Japan is of increasing interest and popularity among museums and collectors, and several important books on the subject have been published recently. Burns take is a unique tact, though. He uses the photographs to tell the fascinating story of the geisha, but he does not dwell on details of individual photography studios. His is not a collectors guide, so he avoids the issue of attrubiton which drives so many such texts. And the production quality of "Geisha" comes closer than any previous works in truly representing the beauty of these hand-colored photographs.

This is a partial review as I'm only 1/3rd into the book. So far, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It offers insight into not only what makes the Japanese tick but also what aspects of their experience differ from those of a typical American. It's also a great book if one wishes to 'triangulate' ones knowledge of, for instance, China as it allows one to further sort out and categorize otherwise vague stereotypes and tidbits of information about that side of the world.

This book was written in the 1980s*, while Japan was strong and it's future was bright. Most books in the West fell over themselves extolling the virtures of Japanese style capitalism. Anyone who disagreed was called a "revisionist". Frank Gibney was branded such because, while recognizing many of Japan's strong points, he dared point out that all that rigid, central planning might not work forever. Turns out he was right. Some of his references may be dated (unless the reissue has updated them) but the book is an excellent look at the Japan of the 1980s, and correctly predicts the problems to come. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to see how Japan got into the mess it fell into it's recession of the 1990s

*I know it says 1996 as publishing date, but I read it in the mid 1980s; maybe it's a reissue.

This children's book is the only version of this 12th century Japanese fairy tale I could find in English in the US. The bold, courageous heroine of the story is charming and delightful, and the illustrations are beautiful. The original story was supposed to have informed Miyazaki's lovely animated film "Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind," which I also highly recommend.

This is a marvellous presentation of the traditional Japanese tale ``The lady who loved insects''. It has an admirable protagonist in the title character who is sensible and strong, able to think for herself, who resists the pressures to conform.

Girocho: A Gi's Story of Bataan and Beyond

I had a special interest because John Henry Poncio is/was a relative, but even more because he bore no enmity for the Japanese. That still amazes me. The story of what our troops endured should be required reading in our schools.

Poncio's story from Bataan to Hirohata, written with total context of the war. An outstanding and complete story.

Every so often, one discovers a "POW" book that is not only accurate, but well written. Each line, each paragraph, each page weaves a complete tapestry of a Prisoner's life under the Japanese. Add to this, one sees beautifully crafted typography that makes this a classic. Of the more than 1000 books w have on the subject, this book ranks in the top ten.

Poncio adds depth and meaning to the history of our POWS, especially the guerilla and public support by foreign nationals and Filipinos. His is one of the rare books that even acknowledges the support from the legendary Madame Utinsky, a heroine who deserved the Medal of Honor. No phase of the experience is slighted nor any detail ignored as the writers weave a tapestry of horror endured yet an inspiring and unending battle to survive and sabotage the Japanese war effort. Poncio's description of desperate hunger alone is worth the price of the book. On a scale of one to five stars, Poncio's book deserves seven extra large stars.
Center for Research
Allied POWS Under the Japanese

The Global Studies series is a great way to get a general overview about a region of the world and its quick history. Each country is divided up into a quick overview of demographics, trade, economics, population and other pertinent data similar to a scaled down CIA world fact book. There is then a general overview of each country and how it has played its part in the region with a particular focus on World War II to the present. Finally there are about 24 articles in this one that focus on all sorts of different aspects from the region. They address everything from gambling opportunities in Macau to population control in Japan. Overall this book does an excellent job of capturing the Pacific Rim and the countries that reside there. It is a great start to learning about the region and provides an overview that will give you a focus to direct further investigations. If you are just getting started on this area of the world as I am you will find it an invaluable resource.

Book was new and just as described. Good information regarding Japan's history and economy as well as good information on countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand.

"Gracious Gifts: Japan's Sacred Offerings" is a lush book of beautifully composed color photographs by Gorazd Vilhar and knowledgeable, well written interpretive text by Charlotte Anderson. The authors have lived in Japan for 15 years, and their reverent, yet dramatic presentation of more than 100 sacred offerings left at Buddhist and Shinto sites gives the Western eye a rare glimpse into the Japanese custom of leaving small gifts in daily rituals honoring their gods, ancestors and lost loved ones. Even with little knowledge of Japan or its customs, readers of this book will be thrilled with the simple elegance of Japanese form, as well as the intense color and remarkable variety of the offerings. From daikon radishes carved into genitalia, offered to encourage fertility, to the 1000 handfolded origami cranes in every color, offered up for learning, the offerings shown in this book provide the reader with a feast for the mind and the spirit. Vilhar's photographs respect and preserve the sacred nature of the offerings. In fact, his careful attention to the form, color and precise arrangement of each offering provide one with a sense of awe that was surely felt by the bearer of the gift, but which might not be as immediate if one were to encounter these simple offerings in person. In the interpretive text, Anderson carefully and reverently provides enough background to enhance one's appreciation of the images, without presuming to explain the religion or its role in modern Japan. She accepts and describes what is. This beautiful book teaches one how to pay attention with a higher level of awareness.

"Gracious Gifts: Japan's Sacred Offerings" is a lush book of beautifully composed color photographs by Gorazd Vilhar and knowledgeable, well written interpretive text by Charlotte Anderson. The authors have lived in Japan for 15 years, and their reverent, yet dramatic presentation of more than 100 sacred offerings left at Buddhist and Shinto sites gives the Western eye a rare glimpse into the Japanese custom of leaving small gifts in daily rituals honoring their gods, ancestors and lost loved ones. Even with little knowledge of Japan or its customs, readers of this book will be thrilled with the simple elegance of Japanese form, as well as the intense color and remarkable variety of the offerings. From daikon radishes carved into genitalia, offered to encourage fertility, to the 1000 handfolded origami cranes in every color, offered up for learning, the offerings shown in this book provide the reader with a feast for the mind and the spirit. Vilhar's photographs respect and preserve the sacred nature of the offerings. In fact, his careful attention to the form, color and precise arrangement of each offering provide one with a sense of awe that was surely felt by the bearer of the gift, but which might not be as immediate if one were to encounter these simple offerings in person. In the interpretive text, Anderson carefully and reverently provides enough background to enhance one's appreciation of the images, without presuming to explain the religion or its role in modern Japan. She accepts and describes what is. This beautiful book teaches one how to pay attention with a higher level of awareness.

The book has excellent photos. Intense consentrative enhansement to the reader capability. That is important while trying to use the computer at the college to complete work.

This is the best book you could buy on Sumo. It is informative for the beginner, yet it is not simple facts about the sport because it goes into great detail showing the authors extensive knowledge.

Highly recommended.

It does. Early years are the stories of our main character from GTO in his early years. One of the best Manga's around now and it's far bigger then a normal Manga. It's over 500 pages EACH volume. Must buy now if your a GTO fan!

This mange is just the thing I was looking for. I finished watching the TV series and wanted MORE, prequal or sequel I did not care. I started reading GTO manga (also Rcamended) and I came across GTO Early years. I thought I would cry. It's about Onizuka & Ryuji (the mechanic in GTO) and they're preset to loose their virginity and the formation of the natoreious "ONI KAKU" biker gang of Shonen beach. Also you should know that this was infect made before GTO in the early 90's so it an older style of anime like yu-yu-hakisho. It's got comedy, drama, love and the great mindless violence.