School Library Journal Review
Gr 10 Up-Covering Japanese history, culture, and society between 1185 and 1868 C.E., this resource highlights the complexity of this society by describing the social and economic hierarchies, the power struggles, the cultural innovations and the religious worldviews of that period. It consists of well-written narratives, thematically organized into 12 categories beginning with Historical Context. Warriors and Warfare, Everyday Life, Religion, Travel and Communication, and Performing Arts are some of the other topics covered. The book is most suitable for students with some knowledge of this nation's history and culture. Features include capsule biographies; black-and-white maps, charts, and photos; line drawings from the period; and a 19-page bibliography. Given the thematic organization of the book, students will need to use the extensive index to access specific information. This title will serve both reference and circulating collections.-Jack Forman, Mesa College Library, San Diego (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
This latest entry in the publisher's Handbook to Life series surveys Japanese life during the Kamakura (1185-1333), Muromachi (1333-1573), Azuchi-Momoyama (1573-1615), and Edo (1615-1868) periods. The Edo period, marked by some 250 years of both peace and nearly complete exclusion of foreign influences, constitutes early modern Japan. Arrangement is topical, with 12 chapters covering subjects such as "Land, Environment, and Population"; "Government"; "Warriors and Warfare"; and "Art and Architecture." Each of these is subdivided into from 3 to 12 subchapters, listed in the table of contents. Each subchapter is itself often extensively subdivided. "Religion," for example, is organized into an introduction and sections on Shinto traditions, Japanese Buddhist traditions, Christianity, the role of women, and suggestions for further reading. The section on Shinto is itself composed of 9 sections, for example, "Shinto Rituals and Festivals" and "Shinto Deities." The latter devotes a paragraph to each of 12 major deities. Valuable supporting features include some 85 black-and-white photographs and illustrations, 5 maps, 17 tables and charts, and a thorough bibliography and index. The bibliography of some 600 English-language publications is a single alphabetical listing, most easily approached through the topically arranged reading suggestions at the end of each chapter. The index often pairs English terms with italicized romaji0 (English transliteration of Japanese) equivalents. This admirable practice is repeated throughout the clearly written text. An otherwise useful two-page chart of "Syllabic Sounds in the Japanese Language" ( hiragana 0 and katakana0 ) suffers a common fate: the small lines and circles used to indicate voicing and palatalization are difficult to see without a magnifying glass. This solid reference should find use not just among the anime 0 and manga0 crowd but among all seeking reliable guidance to the basics of a country with an extraordinarily rich history and culture. Highly recommended for public and university libraries. --Craig Bunch Copyright 2006 Booklist
Choice Review
The reputation of Facts on File is well established. This publication, part of the eight-volume "Handbook to Life" series, offers an alternative to the typical political history, and is more concise than the six-volume Cambridge History of Japan (v.1, CH, Oct'94, 32-1091; v.6, CH, Jan'90, 27-2842). It serves instead as a guide to the everyday life and customs of ordinary citizens between 1185 and 1868. Organization is topical rather than chronological. In addition to chapters on history, government, and the economy, Deal (Case Western Reserve) covers transportation, art and architecture, performing arts, language and literature, philosophy, education, and religion. Each section concludes with a list of recommended reading. Quite a few maps and charts add to the usefulness of the volume, which also incorporates many line drawings and photos. The latter show a disconcerting reliance on the author's photos of exhibits at the Edo-Tokyo Museum. A greater variety of photographs would have been welcome. Worth special note are the "Table of Events" and "Biographies of Historical Figures" in the introductory section. The physical volume is solid, with good quality paper and a sturdy library binding. The bibliography is quite extensive, and the indexing is sound, with illustrations noted by italic type. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates, and general readers not needing an in-depth treatment of this subject. M. M. Bohn formerly, University of Nebraska at Omaha
