Recenzii
‘Brisk, brilliant and compulsively readable... Downer takes us from the ancient archipelago to the vexed present day, via shamans, shoguns, ‘modern girls’ and Super Mario. Highly recommended’
CHRISTOPHER HARDING
‘Lesley Downer has a novelist’s flair for bringing the past to life in all its variety, evoking fashion, art, religions, vivid incidents and astonishing personalities, with a welcome emphasis on the importance of women’
JOHN MAN
'A delightful and illuminating read… Downer’s book covers prehistoric times through the present-day… Essential reading for both general audiences and scholars’
LIBRARY JOURNAL
‘Downer covers a vast amount of territory… shamans and shoguns, geishas and courtesans, samurai warriors and hardheaded businessmen… This concise volume brilliantly fills the gaps in our knowledge’
NICK RENNISON, The Mail on Sunday
'Sharp, pacey, but clear and informative… What could have been a dry recital of names and dates becomes a parade of colourful characters, remarkable achievements and innovations. Weaving a narrative that does it justice, while digressing into matters such as literature, food, religion, high politics, gender roles, aesthetics and war, all in a mere 50,000 words, would seem an impossible task. Yet the author pulls it off with panache'
PETER TASKER, Nikkei Asia
‘A lively and stylish introduction to Japanese history’
AMY STANLEY, author of Stranger in the Shogun’s City
‘An enlightening and pacy primer for anyone interested in Asia… A stunning piece of writing’
HUMPHREY HAWKSLEY, author of Asian Waters
‘Downer has a deft touch and wonderful eye for vivid and revealing human detail’
BILL EMMOTT, chair of The Japan Society
