Customer Reviews

Crazy for Kanji: A Student's Guide to the Wonderful World of Japanese Characters

5 star:		(19)
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1 star:		(4)

 

 

Dear readers,
First of all, I would like to start by saying, "I am totally "Crazy for Kanji"."
I went to Japan last year in august, not speaking the language, not being able to read kanji, not knowing the culture... of course I had read some travel guides to make sure that I was not completely out in the blue... although, I think I was still in a shade of turquoise... :)
That was all before my mother sent me a book called: "Krazy for Kanji". A good friend of my mom had recommended it to her, and well, she took her friend's advice and immediately sent the book to me.
At first I was skeptical because my Japanese teacher told me that I should learn hiragana and katakana (two other Japanese alphabets) before I begin to go down the long and difficult road of learning kanji, but, when I opened the book... I knew I had made the right decision. "Crazy for Kanji" not only taught me new kanji, it also taught me how to recognize what a word means even if I have never seen the word before.
Here is an example from the book.
'' (nori: an edible seaweed)=sea+ moss. It's easy to imagine how viewed seaweed as marine moss.

Apart from that, "Krazy for Kanji" taught me how to draw kanji, the history behind a kanji character, and it opened my eyes to see how much fun Kanji really was. I pictured kanji as being a mountain that was impossible to climb... I mean, just the fact that there are THOUSANDS of kanji made it really quite scary...
I'm not trying to say that this book made me a master of kanji... no, I think I could read a thousand books and still not be able to read kanji fluently... however! "Crazy for Kanji" made me feel confident, and I am so thankful for this feeling.
Thank you Eve!
Your number one fan,
Elenor

This book is a must-have in your library, should you feel serious about mastering Japanese. I wish I had it much before to allow me have a broader view of all aspects; etymology, construction, similarities, memorisation techniques... even the complementary chapters where Chinese and Korean is treated makes a lot of sense so as to understand many of the implications in the current written Japanese ideograms. It is a perfect complement to your learning material and it is very nicely written even for the non native English speaking people. 5 starts!

This is a fabulous book. If you're reading this you probably have an interest in Japanese or know someone who does. Buy this book! You won't be sorry. The author, Eve Kushner, clearly loves kanji and she'll make you love it too. She's obviously done a tremendous amount of research and it's all presented in a clear and entertaining manner. The book is organized in sections in easily digestible sizes, usually 1-2 pages each. She covers just about every facet of kanji I ever would have thought of and a lot more. The book is packed with information that will help students at all levels. It's the perfect complement to all the kanji books out there that help you learn and memorize kanji - it helps you understand what it's all about and inspires you to learn more.

The author's thorough analysis of kanji is amazing. Not only does she possess a vast knowledge of kanji, but she also is able to use this knowledge to help other learners. I have been teaching Japanese at the college level for many years, and this is the kind of book I have been looking for, not only for my students, but also for myself. Many students struggle to learn kanji and Crazy For Kanji can greatly facilitate their learning in a fun way. The information and style is up-to-date so that many young learners will relate to it. This book will also appeal to students with a wide variety of learning styles. I strongly recommend Crazy for Kanji for all Japanese students who are starting to learn kanji. It is sure to spark their interest and encourage them to continue studying Japanese at a higher level.

Whether you have just embarked on your kanji-learning adventure, are approaching the "kanji guru" stage, or--like most foreign adult kanji learners--find yourself somewhere between the start and finish lines, this entertaining, informative book is bound to provide you with new information about Japanese
characters.

Drawing on her sharp intellect, sense of humor, and tireless ability to ask all the right questions, self-proclaimed "kanji-holic" Kushner seduces us from Page 1 into joining her on a quest to learn everything there is to know about kanji. Writing in the first person, she tackles the questions most of us have scratched our heads over and details the answers in language we can understand. Drawing on a wide variety of sources, Kushner covers a surprisingly comprehensive amount of background information in just 200 pages.

Kushner's undying passion for kanji, coupled with her writing prowess, make Crazy for Kanji a winner. Anyone who has suffered through humdrum kanji-learning aids will be delighted to discover that page-turners in the genre do in fact exist.

I was impressed with the breadth of this book, covering the historic, cultural, aesthetic and functional aspects of Japanese writing systems. There are amusing anecdotes sprinkled throughout the text which makes it easy to share the author's enthusiasm for the subject. Although I had no intension to attempt to learn Kanji, I was interested in knowing why it survives despite the difficulties of reproduction relative to our 26 character system. I would recommend this book for serious students as well as someone whose interest is primarily the beauty of the traditional Asian characters and their history.

I agree with the above views- this book is really a fun treasure. In addition I found the book made a great gift. I have a friend who has an exquisitely brutal form of cancer, and gave him Kushner's book as a fun book to help him during bleak times. He said it engaged him in a way a lot of other things hadn't during these tough days: it was fresh, fun, and a funky new hobby.

If you are like most people, you must always wonder what all those Japanese characters mean and how people learn them and memorize them. The aurthur of the book,"Crazy for Kanji", Eve Kushner,took it to a whole another level. She learned and came to understand the structure of Kanji. Kanji has become her passion and life. Her enthusiasm about Kanji is so contagious that when you read her book you can't help , but make kanji your new addiction. The way she teaches it through her book is so much fun (like solving a puzzle) and filled with clues on how to read the characters, examples, and games. You can take it to your own level, as serious or as light as you please. It's an amazing book.

Author Kushner's enthusiasm is contagious in this attractive, well designed guide to Japanese characters. I only wish I'd had a book like this when I was studying kanji back in the day. Crazy for Kanji actually makes learning fun with its interesting facts, photos of kanji in action, cultural clues, games, puzzles and more. This book will please both the serious student of Japanese or anyone fascinated with these characters for both their beauty and practicality.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone trying to learn kanji. Not as a study guide or a way to build vocabulary, but rather as a very detailed overview of the history, structure, and conventions of kanji usage. It's a great read for anyone who is "crazy" for kanji and I think could help those who are not so crazy about learning kanji to develop a new love and appreciation or at least make the process a little more enjoyable.

The book is laid out in chapters split into small "exhibits" that can be read on their own or as part of the chapter. Very readable entertaining and engaging with games, charts, and occasional cultural side notes which make this book something fun to just flip through but also possible to study from if your so inclined.