Customer Reviews

Japanese Mind

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As an American who has lived in Japan for over seven years, I find Mr. Christopher's account to be an apology for Japan rather than an attempt at presenting a balanced picture of the people and the society. Some of Mr. Christopher's conclusions are correct, but they are very general in nature and apparent to anyone who is even marginally acquainted with the Japanese (e.g. Japanese are group-oriented). Some of his facts are completely wrong, such as the assertion that Japanese television is more intellectually stimulating than American TV, even considering American cable networks. I can say firsthand that the content of Japanese TV is no more intellectually stimulating than a test pattern. The odd documentary on NHK (Japan's leading national broadcaster) is almost always of foreign make. Serious social issues such as Japan's continued discrimination against its Korean community are simply ignored. I am disturbed that Mr. Christopher's "evidence" consists almost solely of what he's been told by his Japanese friends. Not a single footnote appears at the end of his book. A far superior portrait of Japan is painted by Dutch author, Karel Van Wolferen ("The Enigma of Japanese Power") who argues intelligently and supports with evidence every assertion that he presents. My advice on "The Japanese Mind"? Don't waste your money.

This is a typical book by the kind of person who made a career out of a knowledge of the Japanese language that served them well when Japan became fashionable for a time due to its incredible economic success. Thus, there is an element of luck involved, in that he was stationed in Japan after the war, but it can't hide the fact that this is the product of a mediocre mind. Christopher asks none of the hard questions and never probes below the surface of Japan - the superficial facade they present to foreigners, or "tatemae" - and so it fails miserably. Instead, the reader is served up the most traditional exoticisms that have long been de-bunked, ridiculously romanticised notions that anyone who has lived in Japan comes to see as patently untrue. But then, Christopher never seems to have questioned any of it.

I have read a lot of books on Japan, and this one is one of the worst by far. As such, it is a total waste - unless you want a pure "Japanologist" point of view that is out of date by about 2 decades.

As am American, who grew up in Japan, I was fascinated to read this accurate and well written book about the Japanese mind. It explained alot of what I knew, or what people commonly think about the Japanese culture but never could figure out WHY the Japanese did this or that and what their logic was behind their actions. I have read the book 3 times and have learned new things each time. I highly recommend this book! Bravo Mr. Christopher!

Forget the 1980's publication date--the quickest and best way by far to grok the Japanese, individually and collectively, is to read this [from the jacket blurb] "wise, entertaining and highly readable" page-turner of a book.

Having done so, you'll rest assured that the collective psyche of this ancient people hasn't drifted significantly since then, and probably never will, in spite of the numerous but relatively superficial changes of the past two decades which may have rendered obsolete a few of the later chapters' details.

The distinguished and percipient author (ex-Senior Editor of Time, Oriental Studies/Yale, Pulitzer Prize administrator, etc. etc. etc.) spent 3 decades absorbing every aspect of "Japanese culture ... intellect, mores and motives".

A highly principled thinker, Christopher has extracted, and presents concisely in Chapter 2, a "framework ...of seven basic propositions" or principles that summarize the bases of "the imperatives of what amounts to an ancient tribe", and collectively outline the "perfect map of the Japanese psyche" that the rest of the book fleshes out.

"Here at last is *all* of Japan" indeed; as the jacket blurb quite accurately states, Christopher "does for Japan what Luigi Barzini did for 'The Italians'" (and I might add, what the similarly qualified Richard Bernstein did for those two perennially warring nations, France and Paris in "Fragile Glory", another utter must-read).

I'm tempted to list the principles here, but it would practically constitute copyright infringement, since those principles, briefly elaborated upon, constitute the biggest overall "Aha!" experience of the book. Read Chapter 2 alone and you're wise to the game; but read the rest of the book as well, and acquire a richly textured perspective on how the seven insights illuminate a panoply of issues, from the roles of women and children through workplace idiosyncrasies to the instincts and talents for international and cultural survival.

One teaser: the reason the Japanese seem so inscrutable by so many, and strangely the more so by those most intimate with the culture by virtue of speaking Japanese, is that (duh!) the Japanese aren't particularly eager to *be* 'scruted, either collectively by foreigners or (especially) individually--the latter even by each other!

These observations may seem relatively self-evident to many; but Christopher astutely expands on them, in connection with a few related social attitudes, to show how they paradoxically aid both individuals and the culture as a whole in the pursuit of their various aims.

As I said, the guy is percipient--just search the multiple Amazon listings for a bargain copy of the book, read chapters 1 and 2, and then cruise through the remainder of the book as through an absorbing amusement park adventure ride!

P.S. If you're as impressed with people who can extract foundational principles from a morass of data as I am, check out my reviews of "Origins of Southern Radicalism: The South Carolina Upcountry, 1800-1860 " and "Dwellings: Living with Great Style"....

I can't believe I'm the first reviewer of this superb classic "must read" on the subject of Japan and the Japanese. Forget the 1980's publication date--you can rest assured that the collective psyche of this ancient people hasn't drifted significantly since then, and probably never will, in spite of all the many but relatively superficial changes of the past two decades.

The quickest and best way by far to grok the Japanese, individually and collectively, is to read this [from the jacket blurb] "wise, entertaining and highly readable" page-turner of a book.

The distinguished and percipient author (ex-Senior Editor of Time, Oriental Studies/Yale, Pulitzer Prize administrator, etc. etc. etc.) spent 3 decades absorbing every aspect of "Japanese culture ... intellect, mores and motives".

A highly principled thinker, Christopher has extracted, and presents concisely in Chapter 2, a "framework ...of seven basic propositions" or principles that summarize the bases of "the imperatives of what amounts to an ancient tribe", and collectively outline the "perfect map of the Japanese psyche" that the rest of the book fleshes out.

"Here at last is *all* of Japan" indeed; as the jacket blurb quite accurately states, Christopher "does for Japan what Luigi Barzini did for 'The Italians'" (and I might add, what the similarly qualified Richard Bernstein did for those two perennially warring nations, France and Paris in "Fragile Glory", another utter must-read).

I'm tempted to list the principles here, but it would practically constitute copyright infringement, since those principles, briefly elaborated upon, constitute the biggest overall "Aha!" experience of the book. Read Chapter 2 alone and you're wise to the game; but read the rest of the book as well, and acquire a richly textured perspective on how the seven insights illuminate a panoply of issues, from the roles of women and children through workplace idiosyncrasies to the instincts and talents for international and cultural survival.

One teaser: the reason the Japanese seem so inscrutable by so many, and strangely the more so by those most intimate with the culture by virtue of speaking Japanese, is that (duh!) the Japanese aren't particularly eager to *be* 'scruted, either collectively by foreigners or (especially) individually--the latter even by each other!

These observations may seem relatively self-evident to many; but Christopher astutely expands on them, in connection with a few related social attitudes, to show how they paradoxically aid both individuals and the culture as a whole in the pursuit of their various aims.

As I said, the guy is percipient--just search the multiple Amazon listings for a bargain copy of the book, read chapters 1 and 2, and then cruise through the remainder of the book as through an absorbing amusement park adventure ride!

P.S. If you're as impressed with people who can extract foundational principles from a morass of data as I am, check out my reviews of "Origins of Southern Radicalism: The South Carolina Upcountry, 1800-1860 " and "Dwellings: Living with Great Style"....

I read this book shortly before moving to Japan for 7 months. I think it did a great job in explaining lots of intricacies I came about while teaching English conversation. Fun time and a wonderful country.

A fine insight into a very homogeneous society that can be difficult to understand. Christopher provides clear and lucid explanations and illuminates the rationale, for this otherwise, difficult enigma. A work that has most of its elements as timeless, so that this writing will be just as salient many years from now. If you inquire, this is required reading

This should be required reading for anyone planning to work in Japan. I wish that I have read it a year ago. I own few copies, and give them to my "gaijin" friends in Tokyo.

OK, this book is also little dated, but have not found anything newer or more accurate.