Japan: A Modern History: College Edition
by James L. McClain
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Book Summary Information
Author: James L. McClainEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-01-04
ISBN: 039397720X
Number of pages: 512
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Book Reviews of Japan: A Modern History: College Edition
Book Review: Outstanding--the Ideal
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is an absolutely stellar treatment for its genre: the generalized universal history of a country over a long period. Such topics are extremely difficult to do well, but McClain's book is pretty much the way such books should be.
The book is excellent for the following reasons:
1. All countries have stereotypes and clichéd account of the past; even if an historian makes an effort to avoid the ones about the subject of the book, other countries or historical periods will intrude with theirs. McClain never seems to do this. He successfully escapes the heavy hand of stereotypes about Japan, and also those of countries that played a prominent role in Japanese history (e.g., the USA, China, Russia, the UK). He also avoids the proverbial versions of famous events.
2. McClain's treatment of the characters shows analytical fairness. When he has the time to discuss the motives of historical actors, he does so with sympathy for each one's peculiar circumstances. In contrast, lesser histories tend to paint the characters with a few adjectives, and make them out to be slaves of an immutable nature.
3. He addresses very important social movements that are nearly always overlooked by historians. During each of the periods, including the Tokugawa epoch, he describes the evolving role and concerns of Japanese women; of "out groups" such as the Burakumin; and ethnic minorities such as resident Koreans and Ainu.
4. He clearly respects his subject and has compassion for the people he writes about.
On many of the events he describes, I've read other works that are quite excellent: Herbert Bix, Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan (2000) and John G. Roberts Mitsui: Three Centuries of Japanese Business (1989); clearly, McClain had done his research assiduously and avoided many common mistakes.
Summary of Japan: A Modern History: College Edition
Japan: A Modern History provides a comprehensive narrative that integrates the political, social, cultural, and economic history of modern Japan from the investiture of Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 to the present.
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