The Book in Japan: A Cultural History from the Beginnings to the Nineteenth Century

by Peter Francis Kornicki

This study deals with all aspects of the history of the book in Japan, from the production of manuscripts and printed books to book-collecting, libraries, censorship and readership. It also sets books in the context of Japan's cultural ties with China, Korea and Parhae.
The focus is on the history of both texts and physical books. This encompasses not only books in Japanese but also books in Chinese by Chinese and Korean authors, and some Western books as well.
It is an essential reference tool and bibliographic guide for all those interested in book studies, and particularly of importance for historians of Japanese culture. It is illustrated with examples taken from various collections of early Japanese books in Europe.

Genres: Japan, Japanese History, Nonfiction, Books About Books, History

520 pages, Leather Bound

First published August 1, 1997

About the author

Peter Francis Kornicki is the son of a Polish WWII Spitfire pilot and grew up in Malta, Aden, and Cyprus. He entered Lincoln College, Oxford, in 1968 to read Classics but transferred to studying Japanese after one year, taking a first class honours in Japanese with Korean in 1972. He received an MSc in Applied Social Studies, a DPhil in Japanese literature, and a DLitt, all from the University of Oxford, after which he taught at the University of Tasmania, Kyoto University, and the University of Cambridge. He was the President of the European Association of Japanese Studies from 1997 to 2000, a Fellow of the British Academy in 2000, and won the Yamagata Banto Prize in 2013.

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

The study of library catalogs from various historical ages is fascinating and a window into what people read. The Heian period, although famous now for Japanese writing by women, the men read largely Kambun or Chinese literature. And through this book I was able to glimpse a catalog from the Heian period.
Much literature was lost and old catalog note the holdings in various eras.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

About as broad and comprehensive as you could imagine. Case study of one country.

[machinaheart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very comprehensive with a lot of interesting examples that help illustrate the complex history of the book in Japan.