Inventing Japan Adopted at University of Southern California

August 21, 2009 at 8:08 pm Leave a comment

Notable author Ian Buruma, who has written widely on Japan, here offers an admirably succinct, tightly constructed history of Japan’s transformation from feudal state to host of the 1964 Olympics, with special focus on World War II.

Inventing Japan: 1853-1964 by Ian Buruma has been selected by the  University of Southern California’s East Asian Studies Center for a course on East Asian Societies.

“Buruma makes intriguing comparisons between Japan’s development and that of European states, particularly Germany… [The book] will help students make sense of the world within which [Japan’s political] traditions emerged. Highly recommended.”—Choice (American Library Association)

For more information on the book and the author, click here.

To read an excerpt, click here.

Order an exam copy here.

Entry filed under: Asian Studies, History, Uncategorized. Tags: democracy, East Asian Societies, Japan, politics.