A Short History of Japan: From Samurai to Sony (A Short History of Asia series) [Paperback]

Curtis Andressen (Author), Milton Osborne (Editor)

Book Description

Series: A Short History of Asia series | Publication Date: May 1, 2003

A comprehensive history of the land of the Rising Sun, from its ancient origins to its fascinating present. Few countries have been the subject of so much scholarly attention yet remain so elusive. An increasingly familiar nation through shared tourism and business relationships, there's still a great deal about Japan and its past that defies categorization or generalization; a great deal that leaves the visitor puzzled. Who exactly are the Japanese? Are they peace-loving or warlike? Creators of stunningly beautiful art forms or destroyers of pristine natural environments? Isolationist or expansionist? Considerate of other cultures or arrogantly dismissive? Willing members of the international community or shy and fearful of engaging with others? Deeply traditional or highly Westernised? Wildly successful or perched on the edge of economic ruin? Japan has long been characterized by such deeply divergent interpretations. Here, Curtis Andressen delves into Japan's vast history to explain the current challenges the country faces. From the dawn of time when the first settlers arrived in the islands of Japan, through feudalism with its heavy imprint of authoritarianism to 20th-century adventurism, American occupation, breakneck economic growth and contemporary uncertainty, Andressen traces the key aspects of Japanese culture and how these have manifested in the country's political system, economy and society to create a distinct identity. It is intended for anyone with a practical reason for knowing more about Japan - students, teachers, travellers, business people - as well as those for whom fresh insights into Japan's rich culture and unique history would make compelling reading.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I cannot welcome this series warmly enough. It is sure to be a winner—and much needed." -- Bill Bryson, author of In a Sunburned Country and A Walk in the Woods

About the Author

Curtis Andressen is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Political and International Studies at Flinders University, South Australia. He has been a willing student of Japan for over two decades and has spent several years living there. Curtis Andressen has published widely on a variety of aspects of contemporary Japanese Society. Milton Osborne has had an association with the Asian region for over 40 years as an academic, public servant and independent writer. He is the author of eight books on Asian topics, including Southeast Asia: An introductory history, first published in 1979 and now in its eighth edition, and, most recently, The Mekong: Turbulent Past, Uncertain Future, published in 2000.

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1865085162
• ISBN-13: 978-1865085166
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,885,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A "Bullet Train" Ride Through Japan's History, December 22, 2004

By 

T. S. Schulze (APO, AE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: A Short History of Japan: From Samurai to Sony (A Short History of Asia series) (Paperback)

This book is well organized and well written, and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a concise political and economic history of Japan. That is particularly true for business persons, political scientists or economists whose main interest is in the past fifty years or so of Japanese history. Slightly under half of this book covers the period from 1952, when Japan began its economic recovery in earnest, up to the current day. For that time period, the book presents a good bit of technical political and economic detail.

Western readers who are looking for a cultural history of Japan are likely to be disappointed by this book. Details of the day-to-day life of the Japanese, the samurai bushido code, Kabuki theater, tea ceremonies and the many other things that make Japanese culture so distinctly different from Western culture are either not described at all or receive only a fleeting mention, while the emphasis of the narrative is on changes in the style of government and the seat of executive power. The Confucian and Shinto religions are mentioned primarily in references to their effects on the Japanese acceptance of varying degrees of authoritarian governance.

I have come away from reading this book with a good understanding of the current Japanese political and economic situation and its basis in Japanese history. But I will continue my search for a good history of Japan's unique culture.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, for those new to Japanese history!, November 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Short History of Japan: From Samurai to Sony (A Short History of Asia series) (Paperback)

Well, I do have some knowledge of Japanese History, but I just wanted a broad overview, so I got this book. The book is very good. It is 252 pages, which is still short for a short history of a country but that's good enough. The book is an Australian printing, and has never been revised and is not revised. One mistake I saw on Amazon is that it says that the book was published in 2003 and that it is 268 pages, but I checked with the publisher and she said that it was indeed published in 2002, and it is only 252 pages, there is no revised edition and the edition is not revised. Okay, let's get started with the review!

The book discusses everything, it gives info on the geography and the early prehistory of ancient times, and goes on to the Yamato Dynasty's start, how the government borrowed from Chinese and Korean cultures, and how the early capitals at Nara and Heian (now Kyoto) were influenced by China and Korea.

It likewise talks about how the Hojo Regency overthrew the Yamato Dynasty and how the different shogunates, including the Minamoto and the Tokugawa Shogunates, seized power from each other, and how feudalism kept Japan in isolation from the 1100's to 1853, when Colonel Perry of the American Navy opened Japan's gates and how the Yamato Dynasty came back into power.

It also talks about how Japan experienced with imperialism, gained an empire with Taiwan, Manchuria, and Korea, and finally how Japan's rampage through Southeast Asia bought it face to face with one of the most powerful countries in the world, America.

It finally talks about the brutal American occupation, and concentrates on Japan's miracle economy, and how Japan is going to walk into the modern era. The book contains a number of black and white/color pictues by the author and also some figures/maps from other Japanese books.

Like I said, if you want to learn about Japanese history, get this book, it's excellent, but if you know everything about it, I would get something in more detail.

RATING: ***** 5 Stars A +

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First rate introduction to Japanese history, December 17, 2003

By 

briw "briw" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Short History of Japan: From Samurai to Sony (A Short History of Asia series) (Paperback)

I read this book on a recent airplane ride across the USA. I had never read a book dedicated to Japanese history, nor do I usually read nonfiction for pleasure. A few words to describe this book: absorbing, descriptive, informative, and well worth reading! While most history texts are dry, this book tells a story that kept me turning the pages long past when I usually fall asleep. It examines the key issues and events with a fair, balanced hand. Movement between topics takes place logically. The depth of the inquiry is right on for an introduction, and at the same time is so transparent that the complexities of Japan's history are made that much more understandable.