East Asia: A New History, Third Edition [Paperback]

Rhoads Murphey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0321163362 | ISBN-13: 978-0321163363 | Edition: 3

This accessible text provides a comprehensive history of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam and includes coverage of the common people, the environment, and women--topics often neglected in other texts.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Engaging, integrated, and analytical, East Asia: A New Historyprovides a comprehensive history of the East Asian countries and addresses a diverse range of social, economic, and intellectual topics. This accessible and richly illustrated book examines China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, and includes coverage of the common people, the environment, and the experiences of women--topics that are often neglected in other books. MARKET Appropriate for anyone interested in the History of East Asia.

73-99350-7 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Rhoads Murphey, University of Michigan --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 3 edition (June 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321163362
• ISBN-13: 978-0321163363
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,654,289 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This book needs improvement in some areas, January 29, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: East Asia: A New History (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

There are a few weaknesses and factual errors in this book.

1. Index is very weak. Many important concepts are not listed in the index.

2. Too much emphasis on ancient/imperial China but not enough coverage of modern and contemporary East Asia.

3. Organization is puzzling. For instance, such an important historical period as the Northern Expedition is put under the chapter "China and Japan: the Road to War." This is an important period that deserves to have its own chapter.

4. Opinions(?)as facts. On page 349, the following description is given: "Zhang Xueliang and his troops kidnapped Chiang Kai-shek where he was spending a few days at a hot spring resort (with a lady not his wife!) and demanded...." The author has provided no documentation for Chiang's alleged liaison with another woman. Moreover, no other reference to this affair seems to be available in all relevant literature about the Xian Incident and Chiang Kai-shek . Chiang is a controversial figure but this allegation just cannot be supported.

Also stated in the book is the following statement: "The [Chinese] communists were tying down about a million Japanese troops..." during WWII. Considering the total number of Japanese troops in China during that period, this is tantamount to suggesting that the communist guerrillas pretty much single-handedly handled all the Japanese troops whereas the Nationalist troops did nothing. This is factually wrong and cannot be supported by historical facts.

These are just a few examples of the problems associated with this book. Here is hope that future editions will correct some of the aforementioned problems. The author did make an effort to weave all countries and historical periods together, which was challenging. He succeeded in some areas, but failed in some other.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very strong textbook for Asian surveys, August 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: East Asia: A New History (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

I found this book in 1997 after desperately searching for something to replace Shirokauer's creaky _Modern China and Japan_. I have used it for several Modern East Asia courses and am presently using it for a Traditional East Asia survey, and I find that students of all levels of knowledge appreciate it. It does have a few shortcomings, as I feel would be the case for any textbook on Asia, as the topic is so expansive and many situations are downright confusing. However, it gives a good balance of political to social history, has extremely useful maps and insets, and the writing is consistently good. I would also recommend it for the casual reader who wants to get a decent background on Asian culture.

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent primer on Asia by a humanist scholar and writer, October 27, 2000

By 

James W. Chan - See all my reviews

This review is from: East Asia: A New History (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

Rhoads Murphey's East Asia: A New History covers everything a lay person needs and wants to know about this complex region and culture. This book is a fascinating and easy-to-read summary of Dr. Murphey's 60-year-long living and teaching experience in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other Asian countries. It is an excellent introduction to Asia not just as a textbook but a very useful primer for corporate executives, professionals and even tourists. I've read this book and its various editions ever since 1973 when I first studied with Professor Murphey as a graduate student. Readers will get from this book not just the facts, images, philosophy and poetry of East Asia. You will see the humanity of a great teacher, scholar, writer and romantic who knows how to make Americans understand and appreciate our fellow men and women of this important part of the world. The book never fails to make me smile and re-discover the many simple truths about cultures that we so easily forget.