Customer Reviews

Modern East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I don't understand why some reviews were not so good. I thought this book did an excellent job of covering the history of East Asia (mostly Korea, China, and Japan). There are some good photos here too and I liked how there was some analysis on the relations of the countries and not just bland statements or repetitions of other history books (ie-there's some good writing on how Japanese history was influenced by Korean and Chinese culture). The format is easy to read and does not bore you to sleep. I would have bought a hardcover copy if they had one as I liked this very much.

I really think the price is far too high for what is in essence a history book which is more fitting for a senior high school student who wants to be introduced to pre-Modern East Asian history. I found "Genesis of East Asia" a much more interesting and engaging book which goes beyond merely stating the bare facts, and at a much more reasonable price.Genesis of East Asia, 221 B.C.-A.D. 907 (Asian Interactions and Comparisons)

The authors take a grand sweep across half of Asia and thousands of years. They cover 3 countries - China, Japan and Korea. By virtue of geographic size and population, China receives the greatest coverage. Its long sequence of dynasties are covered in impressive detail. Not just in the political and military events of those eras. The book also devotes space to explaining the religious and philosophical changes. Notably the Analects of Confucius, Daoism, the incursion of Buddhism from India into China, which finally adopted it as its own.

There is also extensive coverage of Japanese civilisation. While derived from Chinese, it soon adopted its own unique features, including the Shinto version of Buddhism.

The book also has memorable titbits of historical detail, some of which may be stick in the reader's memory. Maybe like in medieval Japan, where landlords might segregate toilets by sex, because men's excrement was more highly valued by farmers than women's. Most history books just don't talk about this stuff!

This is a fantastic text book that covers vast amounts of history with great care and detail, yet it is very accessible to a beginning student.

This book was purchased for a college course, "Asia in the Modern World." This book is terribly over-written and the author apparently used a Thesaurus of complicated words to inflict pain on college students. Professors need to run from this book and don't look back!

This is the worst history book I have ever read.

The authors cover mostly frivolous and unimportant content at the expense of providing details on far more important events and people. For example, World War II in the Pacific is limited to a mere eight page sub-chapter. The Japanese takeover of Manchuria is reduced to a mere half of a paragraph. Examples of what the authors provide instead include: a one page article about manga, a one page map of the Tokyo subway system, and a one page article on the Great World Pleasure Palace. While these items are interesting, no respectable modern Asian history textbook would cover manga in more extensive detail than the invasion of Manchuria.

this is a book thats mandatory for my asian history class

i found it to be rather boring since it really concentrated on the minute details that noone would be interested in unless they are getting their phd in asian history

i would have really liked to have this book cover is more detail the more important things such as: political advanced, technological advances and such. instead the book concentrated mostly in ancient times and how different classes intermarry and such

the more recent times are not really covered as well. they only list basics of korean war and barely cover the ww2

someone once said this quote:
if you ask this guy: what time is it? he tells you how clock operates

this is the type of book i feel this is, there are no straight answers to questions, instead they go around and round and never end up saying things

i feel that this book is only interesting for someone who already considers themselves very knowledgible in east asian history, for it will only deepen your knowledge instead of actually teaching you the knowledge