In a single short book as elegant as it is wise, Ian Buruma makes sense of the most fateful span of Japan's history, the period that saw as dramati...
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Jul 21, 2007
Mikey
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Inventing Japan is a great primer for anyone wishing to get a crash course on modern Japanese history. Buruma, as per the title of his book, is very concerned with how Japan "invented" itself, specifically with how tradition comes to be Tradition, and how that's mostly a social construct. Such a construct often comes with disastrous consequences, though Buruma is very sympathetic to the Japanese (his portrayal of Douglas MacArthur is truly hilarious). This is a good book, one to be
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Oct 06, 2011
Converse
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This brief book is an unusual mixture of political & intellectual history of Japan. The main theme is how Japan will relate to the west and western ideas. The century examined starts with the opening of Japan to greater western influences and ends when the present Japanese poltical system, not just in constitutional terms but also in terms of parties and political habitats, is established. From the U. S. Navy's expedition in 1853 to roughly the Meji restoration in 1868, the very idea of weste
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Dec 07, 2010
Fadoua
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This book is an "initiation" to modern Japanese history (1853 - 1964). The historical events are nicely outlined to provide the reader with the whole picture of Japanese long struggle to reach the rank of "civilized" countries. However, 200 pages are not enough to gain in depth. As I said, this is an "initiation" in the sense that it helped me to identify which parts of Japanese history I should devote further reading. Actually, at the end of the book, the author pr
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Jul 13, 2011
Caroline
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I've been looking for a concise, readable overview of modern Japanese history, and this fit the bill. It's a little like reading a semester's worth of lectures for a survey course (I imagine that's how the book got started); it's a general overview, sometimes a little dry, but with interesting stories mixed in and a a pretty strong bibliography/ideas for futher reading. The author's point of view is pro-Western style democracy, but he gets into the Japanese perspective and shakes up the myth of
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Mar 19, 2010
astrangerhere
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This overview of a large swatch of Japanese history was too much an outline without substance. The late Edo and early Taisho periods were written as a gloss of names and single facts without any real cohesion. The narrative was sprinkled with some interesting anecdotes, but overall, the book was unsatisfying. It felt that Baruma was looking down upon Japan and its cultural traditions in the way that many Westerners who think the world should reflect them.
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May 14, 2008
Lucas
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This book is very dense, it's interesting but difficult to listen as an audiobook while driving a car- very many different people of minor importance are mentioned, and it's easy to lose track of the year or decade being covered.
The discussion of the different political factions after the war is interesting- there were the conservative moral relativists- 'mistakes were made but we didn't do anything worse than any of the other combatants', and the others who embraced the pacifist c More...
The discussion of the different political factions after the war is interesting- there were the conservative moral relativists- 'mistakes were made but we didn't do anything worse than any of the other combatants', and the others who embraced the pacifist c More...
Aug 18, 2011
Crystal
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I picked this up at the used book section of the Harvard Bookstore. A quick but comprehensicve summary of modern Japanese history, with the author's editorial comments. I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick introduction to the period.
Mar 03, 2009
Abe
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a great primer on japanese history, but given how short it is, you can imagine how much it leaves out. also, it's a bit of a crime how little there is in the way of bibliography or "further reading" recommendations.
Aug 02, 2011
A solid but dry history of the making of modern Japan. You get the feeling that Buruma is only beginning to enjoy himself when he gets to more current events, but those he treats lightly.
Feb 02, 2010
William
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Good, quick read on the history of Japan btw Commodore Perry and the Tokyo Olympics. Tumultuous 110 years. Lots of substories that would benefit from more detail, but ideal for an airplane ride.
Apr 24, 2011
Jordan
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What a poor attempt at history. Full of condescending attitude and irrelevant sidenotes. Don't waste your time. Read the Wikipedia page for History of Japan instead of this.
Jan 29, 2012
Leslie
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If you know quite a bit of the history of the Meiji Restoration and late-19th- and early 20th-century Japanese history, then this book will not teach you much. It is a good, readable, basic introduction to the period. But if you've ever wondered how Japan changed from an insular feudal nation to an enthusiastic adopter of western technology and customs to a brutal, self-destructive fascist state to a modern economic powerhouse, all within a few decades (and they seem like such gentle, well-manne
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Jul 22, 2011
Tatsuru
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It's a good book that dives into the a key ideological aspects of the transformation of country from the feudal mono-centric era to a modern economic force in the world.
Feb 09, 2010
Nurul
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comprehensive look on Japanese culture that expands for over a decade. good and informative.. just wish the book could be more "hip"
Aug 26, 2008
Bruce
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A clear concise history of modern Japan from the opening forced by Commodore Perry to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics written by a Dutch resident of the county. As a bonus Buruma reflects on events through the end of the twentieth century.
Inventing Japan: 1853-1964 / by Ian Buruma; Performed by Nelson Runger.— Prince Frederick : Recorded Books, p2003.
6 sound discs (7 hrs.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
(Modern Library chronicles (Recorded Books, Inc.))
Edition: Unabridge More...
Inventing Japan: 1853-1964 / by Ian Buruma; Performed by Nelson Runger.— Prince Frederick : Recorded Books, p2003.
6 sound discs (7 hrs.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
(Modern Library chronicles (Recorded Books, Inc.))
Edition: Unabridge More...
Dec 17, 2009
keyvan
rated it:
3.5 stars
From The 'Black Ships' of American gun-boat diplomacy in 1853 to more or less the present, this book covers the key political issues. However this is written as a starter text - though with a very definite point of view with respects to the failures of the Japanese, (and American overloads in the post-war years) to fundamentally tackle the underlying issues of the Japan centered around the constitution. Many books in the bibliography could potentially add the needed nuance t More...
From The 'Black Ships' of American gun-boat diplomacy in 1853 to more or less the present, this book covers the key political issues. However this is written as a starter text - though with a very definite point of view with respects to the failures of the Japanese, (and American overloads in the post-war years) to fundamentally tackle the underlying issues of the Japan centered around the constitution. Many books in the bibliography could potentially add the needed nuance t More...
Nov 27, 2008
Juha
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This is a brilliant book. I've been involved in Japan for close to 20 years and lived most of the 1990s in Tokyo. This book spanning from the late-Edo period to 1964 truly helped me to better understand the country and put the contemporary politics and culture into a perspective. Buruma shows a continuum of interrelated things that explains why and how Japan is what it is today. This critical and innovative book is a veritable tour de force.
Dec 16, 2009
Ryan
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Well written, fast read, that provides an essential introduction for anyone who wants to understand or appreciate modern Japan.
Apr 16, 2008
Jennifer
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Buruma's dry, ironic tone enlivens a history of Japan from the Meiji era to the late 1960s.
Jan 22, 2012
Jan 29, 2012
Dec 23, 2011
