Floating World [Paperback]

James A. Michener (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1989

This is the vivid and lively history of the Japanese prints of the Edo period and the masters that produced them, written by a master novelist. Packed with pertinent information and written in a lively style, this book is fascinating reading.

Product Details

• Paperback: 472 pages
• Publisher: University of Hawaii Press (February 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824808738
• ISBN-13: 978-0824808730
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #918,618 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Floating Prose, February 23, 2002

By 

Thomas Fortenberry (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Floating World (Paperback)

As is typical with Michener, not only does he manage to tell a great story, but somehow he squeezes in the whole universe: all the people, their thoughts, actions, backgrounds, lives, and histories of their country, art, styles, artists, etc., involved in this tale of the art world all the way from the dawn til he lifted his pen from the page.

This is the definitive study of the ukiyo-e masters and the Japanese prints of the Edo era. It details things print by print, artist by artist. An amazing work. No wonder, as Howard Link mentions in his forward, that people were so impressed with Michener's command of this subject that he was literally given entire collections of fantastic ancient Japanese artwork. This chronicles why Michener became the world's premiere collector and savior of the ukiyo-e masterpieces. It also makes abundantly clear why Michener is a master of prose much like the artists he loved were masters of this unique block and ink medium.

Thomas

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read for the Japanese prints aficionado, January 1, 2008

By 

Fydly "bookworm" (Easton, CT, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Floating World (Paperback)

I enjoy reading this book. Feels like befriending Mitchener on a topic we both seemed to have been fascinated with.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another hit, November 8, 2005

By 

Highlanderthal "LONE WOLF" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Floating World (Paperback)

This is the definitive study of the ukiyo-e masters and the Japanese prints of the Edo era, it makes you wonder how one man can know so much about so many different things. Michener is a leader in the field of everything!!