From School Library Journal
YA-- All phases of Japanese culture--people, history, companies, places, events, government, wars, sports, religion, etc.--are arranged alphabetically in this excellent reference book. Numerous cross-references and a detailed index tie the information together. An estimated two-thirds of the items in the extensive bibliography were published in the 1980s; several are from 1990. Treatment of controversial subjects (e.g., World War II) seems balanced. There is only one map, and it is very simplified. The sea is black, making it look like a fourth-generation photocopy and interfering with the reading of the place names. The few illustrations are well chosen and well labelled.
- Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Less comprehensive and more popularly written than the nine-volume Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan ( LJ 1/84), this single-volume work is nevertheless a valuable reference source. It is extremely current, including entries on such recent topics as the Recruit political scandal and current prime minister Kaifu Toshiki. While the articles in the Kodansha Encyclopedia are written by experts in the field and provide bibliographic references with nearly all of the entries, the present work is authored entirely by Perkins, whom the publisher identifies as "an educator specializing in Buddhism and Japanese culture," and has only a general bibliography at the end. For its more comprehensive treatment, especially of historical topics and traditional culture, the Kodansha remains a standard source, but for its currency and value as a ready reference tool the Perkins volume will be a useful acquisition for most libraries as well. Its single-volume format and lower cost make it an excellent acquisition for smaller libraries.
- Scott Wright, Univ. of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- Scott Wright, Univ. of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
