Japan: Its History and Culture [Paperback]

W. Scott Morton (Author), J. Kenneth Olenik (Author), Charlton Lewis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0071412808 | ISBN-13: 978-0071412803 | Publication Date: June 1, 2004 | Edition: 4

Once a star of postwar industrial production and methods, Japan has encountered serious trouble with market forces in recent years. Social changes and departures from tradition are becoming more common in this conservative country. The revised edition of the popular work, Japan: Its History and Culture, Fourth Edition, documents and explains these changes. Seamlessly blending current events, politics, and cultural elements, the authors provide a riveting account of a nation often misunderstood by the West.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A fascinating look at Japan's complex history

This revised fourth edition of the popular work, Japan: Its History and Culture, stretches from the nation's earliest known civilization (about 30009 BCE) to the present. Delightfully written in a continuous narrative form, it traces the many aspects of Japanese art, religion, the imperial court, militarism, race, geography, and agriculture, and carefully analyzes the rich social, political, and economic life of Asia's wealthiest nation.

This new edition also covers the fascinating new developments in Japan. Once a star of postwar industrial production and methods, Japan has encountered serious trouble with market forces in recent years. Social changes and departures from tradition are becoming more common in this conservative country, and the authors document and explain these changes. Seamlessly blending current events, politics, and cultural elements, the authors provide a riveting account of a nation often misunderstood by the West.

More than a chronicle of names and date, this book also casts fascinating sidelights on significant personalities, works of literature, and historic events. A brief chronology offers a quick and easy means of reference. Richly anecdotal and vividly illustrated with a map and many photographs, this book presents a panoramic view of Japan, old and new.

"Comprehensive, thorough, and sensitive, it covers the whole of Japanese activity to the present day. At last there exists a full and balanced assessment of what Japan means."--The London Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

W. Scott Morton (New York, NY) is a full professor emeritus in Chinese and Japanese history and culture and in ancient history at Seton Hall University, in New Jersey.

J. Kenneth Olenik, Ph.D. (Upper Montclair, NJ) is a professor of history at Montclair State University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 4 edition (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071412808
• ISBN-13: 978-0071412803
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #48 in Books > History > Asia > Japan

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars does pretty much what it sets out to do, January 4, 2000

By 

J. K. Kelley "literary mercenary" (Eastern WA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Japan: Its History and Culture (Paperback)

Morton has made an effort to impart understanding of Japanese heritage and culture. For the most part, he succeeds; the historical survey has about the right amount of depth for this type of book, and cultural issues are discussed.

What would have made it better would have been a section on specifically Japanese concepts that are hard for non-Japanese to grasp accurately. Many are touched on throughout the book, but words such as 'wa' and 'giri' really deserve a page or two each to go into full descriptiveness, and that doesn't happen. It is clear that Morton has the understanding of them to share; I wish he'd done so.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Short Cultural History, January 13, 2006

By 

L. White (Providence, RI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Japan: Its History and Culture (Paperback)

This books seeks to give the reader a broad grasp of the space of Japan's cultural history. Important names and dates are mentioned in connection with their cultural accomplishments. More than simply telling who killed whom in what war and when, this book gives the reader a vague understanding of how Japan's customs, architecture, art, and prose evolved into the form they are today.

This book is best for those who know next to nothing about the history of Japan and would like an outline with which to proceed to learn more.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A short introduction to Japanese History, April 28, 2001

By 

Aaron Brown (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japan: Its History and Culture (Paperback)

This book is perfect for anyone who knows nothing about Japanese history (as I did). It is short and easily readable (less than 250 pages for Japanese history to WWII). As an introduction to Japanese history it does just what it should.....inspire you to learn more....