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Giants of Japan: The Lives of Japan's Greatest Men and Women
Giants of Japan brings to life fifteen centuries of Japanese history through lively biographical sketches of the great men and women who have shaped this fascinating and complex country. Covering industry, the arts, religion, and politics, the book includes business titans such as Morita Akio,
founder of Sony, and Toyoda Eiji, the man behind Toyota's incredible success; creative giants such as writer Mishima Yukio and film director Kurosawa Akira; and historical icons such as Shotoku, the prince who helped bring Buddhism to Japan, and Izumo no Okuni, the actress and dancer who created
kabuki theater.
The economies and futures of the West and Japan are now more interdependent than ever, yet Japan remains very much a mystery to many Westerners. The more than forty profiles in this entertaining and enlightening book are essential knowledge about a nation that is a key player on the world
stage.
founder of Sony, and Toyoda Eiji, the man behind Toyota's incredible success; creative giants such as writer Mishima Yukio and film director Kurosawa Akira; and historical icons such as Shotoku, the prince who helped bring Buddhism to Japan, and Izumo no Okuni, the actress and dancer who created
kabuki theater.
The economies and futures of the West and Japan are now more interdependent than ever, yet Japan remains very much a mystery to many Westerners. The more than forty profiles in this entertaining and enlightening book are essential knowledge about a nation that is a key player on the world
stage.
396 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1999
About the author
Mark Weston
86 books4 followers MARK WESTON
Mark Weston’s new book, Prophets and Princes – Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the Present, was published by John Wiley & Sons in the fall of 2008. Britain’s New Statesman magazine called it “always intelligent,” and Saudi Aramco World magazine said Weston “writes sensitively about the post-9/11 era.”
While researching his book, Weston was a Visiting Scholar at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh. Weston’s interest in the Muslim world began when he lived in Lahore while writing his first book, The Land and People of Pakistan (HarperCollins 1992.)
The Los Angeles Times called Weston’s second work, Giants of Japan: The Lives of Japan’s Greatest Men and Women (Kodansha 1999) “a superb new book.” Foreign Affairs called it “vivid, an excellent introduction to Japanese history.” Walter Mondale wrote the foreword, and the book went into paperback in 2002 and again in 2008.
Weston grew up in Armonk, NY and graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in history. He spent a year at the London School of Economics, then earned a law degree from the University of Texas. He has been a lawyer for ABC Television and a journalist for ABC News, and has written articles for The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. His one-character play, “Meet George Orwell,” has been performed Off-Broadway and at the Kennedy and Johnson presidential libraries.
In 1991 Weston won enough money on TV's Jeopardy! to start a company that makes geographical jigsaw puzzles for children. He sold his firm to a larger puzzle company three years later, then lived with a Japanese family in Tokyo to research his second book. He has also written a children’s book, Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars, that Lee & Low Books published in 2008. Early in 2013 he will release a TV news game, Scoop!, as an app for the iPhone, the iPad and Android.
Weston gives lively talks on the Middle East, Japan and the U.S. presidential election system. Venues have included the White House Fellows, the Middle East Institute, the Toyota Motor Corporation, and Columbia and Rice Universities.
P.O. Box 892,
Armonk, NY 10504
Mark Weston’s new book, Prophets and Princes – Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the Present, was published by John Wiley & Sons in the fall of 2008. Britain’s New Statesman magazine called it “always intelligent,” and Saudi Aramco World magazine said Weston “writes sensitively about the post-9/11 era.”
While researching his book, Weston was a Visiting Scholar at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh. Weston’s interest in the Muslim world began when he lived in Lahore while writing his first book, The Land and People of Pakistan (HarperCollins 1992.)
The Los Angeles Times called Weston’s second work, Giants of Japan: The Lives of Japan’s Greatest Men and Women (Kodansha 1999) “a superb new book.” Foreign Affairs called it “vivid, an excellent introduction to Japanese history.” Walter Mondale wrote the foreword, and the book went into paperback in 2002 and again in 2008.
Weston grew up in Armonk, NY and graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in history. He spent a year at the London School of Economics, then earned a law degree from the University of Texas. He has been a lawyer for ABC Television and a journalist for ABC News, and has written articles for The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. His one-character play, “Meet George Orwell,” has been performed Off-Broadway and at the Kennedy and Johnson presidential libraries.
In 1991 Weston won enough money on TV's Jeopardy! to start a company that makes geographical jigsaw puzzles for children. He sold his firm to a larger puzzle company three years later, then lived with a Japanese family in Tokyo to research his second book. He has also written a children’s book, Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars, that Lee & Low Books published in 2008. Early in 2013 he will release a TV news game, Scoop!, as an app for the iPhone, the iPad and Android.
Weston gives lively talks on the Middle East, Japan and the U.S. presidential election system. Venues have included the White House Fellows, the Middle East Institute, the Toyota Motor Corporation, and Columbia and Rice Universities.
P.O. Box 892,
Armonk, NY 10504
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Want to Read
December 28, 2020Looking for a bio of Setsuko Hara.
November 1, 2018
This book is exactly what the cover states. Nice mini-biographies that focus on some of the many infamous people who made Japan what is is today. Mark Weston stayed in Japan during the time he wrote this book and it really shows. Each person that Weston focuses on is fully fleshed out. It's not just a Wikipedia page on the person but the entirety of who they were, what made them, and why they are known/famous. As a reader, you can tell this is a project that Weston really took the time to develop.
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May 28, 2015
Perhaps another title would be more befitting for this book.
"A complete and summarised history of Japan through the lives of Japan's greatest men and women".
The chapters are separated on a biographical manner where it touches on the respective individuals' contribution to its nation and timezone.
Part 1 captures the attention of the readers by giving us a summarised biography of corporate giant founders like Mitsui, Honda, Toyoda etc. Part 2 then brings us back to ancient history to the days of the first emperor and shoguns, to world war 2 and modernisation of Japan. There are also topics on famous artists, writers, athletes etc, people whom I have never heard before but must have been a significant figurehead in Japan.
Its a good book for those that would like to spend a short time to understand the general surface of Japan.
"A complete and summarised history of Japan through the lives of Japan's greatest men and women".
The chapters are separated on a biographical manner where it touches on the respective individuals' contribution to its nation and timezone.
Part 1 captures the attention of the readers by giving us a summarised biography of corporate giant founders like Mitsui, Honda, Toyoda etc. Part 2 then brings us back to ancient history to the days of the first emperor and shoguns, to world war 2 and modernisation of Japan. There are also topics on famous artists, writers, athletes etc, people whom I have never heard before but must have been a significant figurehead in Japan.
Its a good book for those that would like to spend a short time to understand the general surface of Japan.
December 28, 2015
A mini encyclopedia of yesterday's Japan to better understand modern Japan.
October 12, 2017
A good starting point for readers to learn about everyday names of influential men and women in Japan, in the fields of culture, history, industry, modern writers, movies and sports.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews