Japan Before Perry: A Short History

by Conrad D. Totman

Book Overview

The task for the historian of Japan is to capture the essence of successive ages while preserving human drama and illuminating the themes and patterns of society's development. In Japan Before Perry,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520041348
• ISBN13: 9780520041349
• Release Date: January 1982
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 275 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

A summary of pre-modern japan

This book covers the history of Japan in an enthusiastic way from its early histories with the Joman dolls up to the blackships of commodore Perry. I first read this in my Japanese history course, we were required to read parts of the book as a backbone for the lectures, but soon i found that I was reading the entire book. It's actually quite a easy read and Japan's history is quite refreshing for someone who's been embraced in european histories all his life. Chapters about the Heian and warring states period (in the 16th century) are the most interesting and helpful.