Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Japan and Her People will amuse you as it informs you of what it was like to be a foreigner in Japan more than a century ago. Anyone interested in traveling or living in Japan would enjoy this book, as well as, anyone interested in Japanese history. The book contains wonderful photo illustrations dipicting scenes of long ago. If you love travel and culture, this is a must read. It is a rare historical account by Anna C. Hartshorne, a woman living in Japan in the early 20th century. She vividly portrays life in a foreign 'settlement' and her travels throughout Japan. Japan and Her People is a newly republished book available in paperback and brought to you exclusively by Brent Massey (www.typeandculture.com) and Christopher E. West (www.samurai-archives.com.)
Synopsis
"Japan and Her People" is both a detailed description of late 19th century Japan and an overview of the country's history. Written in 1902 by Anna Hartshorne, a Western educator and long time resident of Japan, the work provides a unique insider's glimpse at Japanese society as it moved from the traditional Edo period lifestyle towards industrialization. Lively and engaging prose gives life to the urban areas and countryside of Japan from Kyushu to the then wild lands of Hokkaido, exploring lifestyles, customs, culture, and everyday behavior. Regional legends, landmarks (including the tombs of the Tokugawa Shoguns and the Great Buddha of Kamakura), and figures of note (such as "Western Samurai" William Adams and the Christian Hosokawa Gracia) further embellish Hartshorne's first person observations. Period photos also help to illustrate this era of transition in Japan. Hartshorne covers Japanese history from the earliest creation legends in the Kojiki and Nihongi through the Genpei Wars, the Sengoku Jidai, Japan's Three Unifiers, and the chaos of the Bakumatsu and Meiji Restoration. Also featured in this edition is a foreword by Lian Hearn, bestselling author of the "Tales of the Otori" series. Hearn gives information on Anna Hartshorne's place in history and her impact on early Western images of Japan (including the influential book, "Bushido: The Soul of Japan"). A welcome addition to any Japanophile or historian's bookshelf, "Japan and Her People" will allow the reader to experience the Japan that was. The classic 1902 book written by Anna Hartshorne, "Japan and Her People", has been republished in association with Samurai-archives.com and Culturetype.com (Jetlag press). This new edition includes an introduction by Lian Hearn, author of the Tales of the Otori series.