The war in the Pacific was a bloody confrontation for the resolution of opponents and the straining combat environment. Flying under such pressure was undeniably a great feat and sustaining a proper level of operational capability was a superb example of airmanship. In this book all aspects of air combat come alive with the intriguing personal tales of the pilots who served in this theater. Each account reveals the insight of lifestyle, tactics and training that led to amazing results in aerial battles. From their personal experience, it is possible to catch the feelings the pilots had about their machinery, climate and combat methods before actually flying the missions in their harsh frontline.

Beatifully written, this volume is really easy to read, even if some accounts disclose a predilection to be stylish or glorifying from time to time.

In Aces Against Japan, military historian Eric Hammel provides the reader with riveting first-person accounts from thirty-nine American fighter aces who fought their way across the bloody skies of the Pacific and East Asia from December 7, 1941 through the final air battles over Japan in August 1945. An effective interviewer, Hammel presents fascinating and informative air-combat tales and anecdotes from the men who were their. Vivid, superbly presented, Aces Against Japan is enthusiastically recommended reading for all military buffs and a very welcome addition to any World War II history collection or reading list.

A truly great book. I recommend it for anyone, not just history enthusiasts. The first hand accounts are well written and bring the stories to life. Equally as good is Hammel's other book, ACES AGAINST GERMANY.

In the 1950's and 60's, Japanese memoirs of the Pacific War flooded forth from the publishers. Saburo Sakai's "Samurai", Hara's "Japanese Destroyer Captain," Mochitsura Hashimoto's "Sunk!" are just the tip of the spear. But Yoshida's "Requiem for Battleship Yamato" is simply in a class by itself. The youngest officer on board the mighty battleship, he was present when the giant was ordered on her suicide sortie. Escorted by the anti-aircraft cruiser Yahagi and numerous destroyers in April 1945, Yamato's mission was sublimely ridiculous: sail down toward the Ryuku Islands (where a massive American task force was staging the invasion of Okinawa), attack the landing force, beach itself, expend all weapons and ammunition, then the surviving crew members would join the garrison in Okinawa's defense. It was no surprise that the force didn't even make it halfway before being annihilated by U.S. planes. Yoshida's book is poetic and is beautifully translated by Richard Minnear who also provides a superb introduction as well. Yoshida's account of the American air attacks which inevitably shattered the Yamato, the Yahagi and most of the escorting destroyers come off as not combat, but high slaughter. Veterans who survived idiotic orders and suicide charges will find a spiritual brother in Yoshida. Don't be surprised if you have a tear in your eye for the brave crews of these ships as you close this book for the last time.

Written as a tribute to his shipmates, "Requiem" is also a powerful anti-war book.

I am not a regular war book fan , but when a friend lent me this book to read I was absolutely taken in. One of my all time favorite books. It will set your hair on ends. Not so much a blood and guts,but more of a Japanese insight on being a young naval officer during a major battle of WW2. Superb!

The literatual quality of this book has no equal.
This is definitely the best Japanese literature of WWII.

For those who want to know the detail of the final sortie of Yamato, the book called "Senkan Yamato Musashi Sento Kiroku"(Battle Report of BB Yamato, Musashi) by Atene Shobo[Athen Publishing],Tokyo (JYE8000(!))is very useful.
Though it is written in Japanese (original photocopy of the hand writing document.)

My compliments to the reviewers who have contributed to the further publicity of this harrowing and psychologically complex novel, an exploration of those who have denounced their spirituality in exchange for social acceptance, and the consequences they have to suffer. I would like to just add one side note. There is an excellent film adaptation of SEA AND POISON, directed by Kumai Kei in 1986. Because of the controversial subject matter, no major studio would finance the film and it took Kumai years to finish it. (It would certainly not be made in today's Japan, considering the strength of revisionists and glorifiers of the imperial past) This movie has also been nearly completely neglected in the US, no doubt due to its unflinching realism, thoroughly unexotic visuals and political content, something we do not expect from the country mostly known to us through bubblehead animation, Power Rangers and Godzilla. Please do seek it out, if you have wherewithal to do so, and show it to as many Americans (and Chinese, etc.) as you can. I believe the US distrubtor in 1987 was Gates Films.

Obedience to authority and power leads people to harm others, and not being able to resist authority of someone higher is human weakenss. It seems that the Intern named Toda is the one Endo wanted to emphasize upon. The charactor of Toda remainds me of Albert Camus's "The Stranger," and Dostoevsky's "Devils," and it can also be related to other charactors Endo draws in his other novels. Can people feel guilty without punishment of the society? What is morality? What is "right" and "wrong" in such an absurd world like today?

There is a sequel to The Sea and Poison. I do not believe that it is published in the United States, but it is about Dr. Suguro's later life. People judge him and punish him under the name of "democracy" and its "justice." Dr. Suguro ends up hanging himself. Can people judge and punish others? If judging and blaming are the meaning of justice, how does it differ from what is unjust?

I am Japanese, and I personally think that Endo is the best writer from our country. I strongly recommend all his work to Americans.

Condition of human hearts is so fragile yet too stubbon. This is a fiction losely based on what happened in Unit 731 (Japanese Imperial Army) in Manchuria where live vivisection and human experimentation were performed for development of biological weapon. Doctors were young, innocent and ambitious then and commited henious sins on POWs sometimes willingly but somtimes under pressure. This type of internal human battle does not stop here, it's in every hearts in every countries. Endo is a devoted chatholic and he looks into human hearts from an angle where we don't want God to see.

Plain and simple - Mr. Lowry lays it all on the line. This book captures the TRUE spirit of the martial arts! It's not about being "bad" or even about self-defense (although martial arts properly studied and used can come in handy when your back's against the wall) - it's about self-development. Nuff sed! Get the book - read it and learn!

Swordsman and calligrapher Dave Lowry discusses 42 Japanese concepts. Amongst other things, he covers do (the Way), martial arts teachers, training in the martial arts, timing, ku (emptiness), tan (forging), intent, gei (the cultivation of craft), and austerity. I myself practice eskrima, which has nothing whatsoever to do with Japanese martial arts, yet I found this book directly inspiring and helpful to my own training, so I would recommend it to any martial artist regardless of art.

Dave Lowery uses shodo in basic Kanji vocabulary to gives us insight into budo and zen. Shodo is the Way of calligraphy. The art of writting with brush and ink is a common metaphor for Zen thought.And this art was studied by the samuari, Shodo has many similarities with the way of the sword as can be seen in the essays that Lowery has for each kanji character. This book is a great evening read.

Flags of Our Fathers is a grand book by James Bradley. It is about the small island of Iwo Jima is in the pacific region. It is a Japanese controlled airstrip close to the country of Japan. The Americans wanted to take control of this very small island because it is a prime place to re-fuel and land aircraft on, the island before they go to attack Japan. This book is about six men and the rest of the Marines and Navy that all go to the island to take control of it.

Those six men fought on that island and they raised the flag on top of Mount Suribachi. They started the famous image taken by Mr. Rosenthal.

This in my view is the greatest book in world. It is a very touching and emotional book. It was sad and really spoke to me. It is hard to believe that these men were just doing their duty.
I recommend this splendid book to anybody that wants to read a very touching book about the heros of Iwo Jima.

This book was the complete package! It gave a backround of each man on Iowa Gima that raised the flag. Then went into each mans way of getting to Mount Sirabachi. Then in the end of the book went into what each one did when they came back from the war. Couldn't put it down and have read it three times since I recieved it. You will not regret buying this book.

This is an awesome book. It had me glued from page one. If you don't read any other book this year, make sure that this is the one. I can only hope that a movie will follow for these amazing men and all of the other people that fought and died for our country. We owe them and this book is a fitting tribute to them. I only wish that this would have been written earlier. KUDO's to you.

This is an extraordinary book. The author begins telling the reader that even in today's Japanese studies circle there is still bias against those who research such things as this book. With that in mind, I delved into this fascinating book. Before going into the book's contents I want to say that Dr. Leupp writes in a style that is very easy to read while conveying a great deal of information. Before I started reading this book I was worried that he was going to write in such an academic way that it would leave the subject matter quite sterile. That definately is not the case. The author begins the book at first with an explanation of the long hitorical trends of homosexuality that can be found in the histories of China and Korea and he places these histories of homosexul cultures beside those of Greece and other European countries. He then delves into the homosexual tradition of early Japan mainly focusing on the Imperial Court, Buddhist and Shinto monks and priests, and finally Samurai. After setting this precedent, he goes into detail of Tokugawa homosexuality, mainly focusing on Kabuki actors and Prostitutes. He uses examples from both historical records and literature. This is a great book that should be read by those who are interested in not only homosexual history, but those who are looking for a fuller understanding of Japanese hitory.

Not many scholarly works read well, but this one does. Even if you are not a student of Japanese history and culture, "Male Colors" is a pleasure. Yes, there are sections with a lot of Japanese names (particularly when the author cites a string of sources), but by and large, this work is very accessable to us mere mortals who are interested in the history of same-sex love.

Initially, as the author describes, same-sex love in Japan was something practiced by elite groups: first the Zen Buddhist monks who are believed to have imported the practice from China (a curious notion because this also carries the connotation that homosexuality came from "some place else") and then the samuri elite. While factors such as the lack of eligible women may have contributed to the general acceptance of bisexuality, many, if not most, of the practicers of nanshoku had deep emotional ties to their partners. But as urban life began to grow, nanshoku was popularized through a combination of the kabuki theater and the commercial sex enterprises that cropped up.

Also interesting were all the examples of art depicting nanshoku, some of it quite ribald and most of it graphic. But that just lends more weight to the notion that there was no stigma attached to boy love during this period in Japan, at least not a universal stigma; it was quite nearly universally tolerated and any effort to control nanshoku usually was to control violent fights over popular boy prostitutes rather than a governmental decree against homosexual sex.

The book is heavy on male sexuality with little mention of lesbianism, but that's hardly a surprise considering most cultures tend to be strongly patriarchal and it is the men who record history. And as usual, it appears that it was through contact with the West, particularly with Christian missionaries, that the practice of nanshoku was eventually shunned into the crepuscular corners of Japanese culture. More evidence that if there is harm caused by same-sex activity, the harm is caused by a prudish societal mentality orignating in a rigid Judeo-Christian ethic that thrives on domination and guilt.

I call this a landmark work because it clearly establishes -- apparently beyond any possibility of a doubt -- a vibrant tradition of male love in Japan. It focuses on the Tokugawa era, which ran basically from the time the Japanese excluded foreign influence up to the Meiji era.

During those centuries, "nanshoku" (one term among many for male love) was apparently universal. If you follow Leupp's account, the tradition originated in Japanese Buddhism, which from quite early times differentiated itself from Buddhism on the Asian continent, in accepting and even honoring the practice of male love among Buddhist monks. Monks were well-known for their passionate love affairs with their acolytes, and the tradition was well respected.

When the samurai class arose, they adopted the practice of the monks and developed their own tradition of nanshoku, which also endured with honor over the centuries, until the time came when the merchant class arose, and made a new version of the old traditions for itself. Many witnesses, Japanese and foreign, report that all males of status had beautiful male companions, sometimes a fair number of them, which they appreciated in the same way they appreciated flowers. Another interesting bit of speculation is that a sexually active Japanese male may have made six visits to females for every visit he paid to a male. But of course there were also notorious "woman-haters" (the term is Japanese) who never had anything but nanshoku affairs.

This is foundational work, for the following reason. Twenty years ago, as a gay scholar, I had to spend valuable time and resources dealing with people who maintained that homosexual behavior had always and everywhere been viewed as immoral and wicked. As it turns out, this attitude is simply European and heavily influenced by Christian teaching, and the most extreme adherents SEEM to be Protestant Christians (I say that because Italy and other Mediterranean countries had much more wisdom in these matters).

However, the data from ancient Greece and Rome is now in, and in addition we have the facts about Tokugawa Japan. We now know, as established historic fact, that male love in some times and places has not only been widely practised, but honored as well. In fact, it was normative. As a result, any attempt to maintain that "it has always been wrong" simply reveals the fact that one hasn't bothered to study the matter -- at all.

Interesting not only for the view into the mind of one of my favorite directors, but also for the perspective of someone growing up in barely post-feudal Japan and living through WWII. The tale ends with the production and release of Rashoman, which leaves out a lot of interesting films and events from Kurosawa's life, leaving me hoping that he produces a second volume covering the remainder of his life before it comes to an end.

True, this book covers only the period up to Rashomon, the film which made Kurosawa a world-famous director, but, as Kurosawa himself says, after Rashomon it is the films not his life which is important. That, of course, is not true, and readers anxious for more should also read the excellent joint biography of Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune, "The Emperor and the Wolf" by Stuart Galbraith IV. But Kurosawa's "autobiography," despite its truncation, is fascinating.

This book is practically the only source of information on Kurosawa's early life. Readers will also appreciate the list of films which Kurosawa watched early in life and which influenced him as a film maker.

Something Like an Autobiography
by Akira Kurosawa
translated by Audie E. Bock

It seems obvious that this book is the first to turn to for admirers of Kurosawa's films who seek to know more about the legendary director's influences and ideas. This is the primary source in English for information about Kurosawa's early life and career, and all the film studies and biographies in print (including dvd commentary tracks and the recent documentary film) draw heavily on it.

It's an excellent book, ably translated by Audie E. Bock. Bock was Kurosawa's English translator and assistant for many years, and incidentally, has provided some of the better English subtitle translations of his films. Her translation of his text here is clear and direct.

In addition to being a great director, Kurosawa was a great scriptwriter, and he tells his own story in fine style through brief episodes that are replete with visual imagery (perhaps to be expected from a filmmaker). His recollection of his childhood is particularly revealing: of the turmoil and sweeping changes in early 20th century Japan, as well as the personal experiences and events that shaped the man he was to become.

Kurosawa recounts his story through his early career at Toho and Daiei up to the Venice Film Festival's award of the Grand Prix medal to Rashomon (1950). His decision not to proceed further is perhaps the book's only major disappointment, as Kurosawa was to live until 1998 and make many great films that are not discussed in the book.

Something Like an Autobiography will hold great appeal to any reader with an interest in 20th century Japanese culture in general, and is simply required reading for those seeking a deeper understanding of the Master's films.

This book took my breath away. Fumiko Enchi describes the life of Tomo, who deals with her adulterous husband with amazing strength. In a complex marriage of love and hate, Tomo is sent to choose a concubine for her husband, find a husband for the other concubine he doesn't want, and worry about his affair with her daughter-in-law. While she may seem like a cold and unfeeling woman who is a stickler to tradition, Enchi shows the reader the gentle, compassionate side of Tomo. Tomo in the end is finally able to defeat her husband in an intelligent, almost classy manner.

What strikes me about the book is the way Enchi explains the motivations and fears of each of the characters. Even though I couldn't stand Tomo's husband, Yukitomo, at least I understood why he treated his wife so coldly. As in reality, everyone has different layers. The plot of the book is also interesting.

Do not wait to read the "The Waiting Years"!

I had to read this class for a course, and I am so glad that I did. It is a wonderful depiction of how life was for a Japanese woman during the late 19th century. It is a story of a strong woman who kept her life going no matter what got in the way. Enchi is a beautiful writer!

It was more of an intro to Japanese literature for me and i found some similiarities in african polygamous setting i empatised with Kin and was heartbroken myself.
Fumiko Enchi is extremely deep and has portrayed in the story the power of love to bear all things

A must read book for all electronics/computer technology professionals/hobbist. Bob's comprehensive research and writing style made it easy to read and informative.
The book gives you retrospect on what had happened and how it happened. Although they were history but it gave us lesson on the past and we can plan or predict the future. It also gives a lot of insight on technology management. What made things happened and what screwed things up. In another prospective, as a technology worker, it also taught us not to give up easily.
Highly recommended.

Bookstores in the US are buldging with entertaining and informative "insider" books on Apple Computer, Microsoft, IBM, Xerox PARC etc. and a similar English-language writeup on Japanese companies such as Sharp, Sony, and Seiko is long overdue. Fortunately the Japanese stories and characters are every bit as entertaining and there are the bureaucratic villains as well. As a bonus, nice background information on the growth of the worldwide semiconductor industry is weaved into the narration. "Japan INC" seems a lot less monolithic after reading this book.

The author is married to a Japanese national and apparently devoted much of his adult life to researching this story.

"We Were Burning" is an amazing book for those interested in the history behind today's technology. It is extremely well researched with many details previously unknown (or only hinted about) until now. Johnstone weaves this information into a well-written format that reminds one of a good novel. Also, the book is divided into logical chapters which allows those of us with particular technology interests to focus on the sections of most importance. (I have re-read "Doctor Rocket Goes to Disneyland" at least three times by itself.)

Also, the extreme importance of this book is that it offers a comprehensive history of Japanese electronic developments for the English-language speaker. Too often we hear the of the successes of the North American and European industries, but the important Japanese contributions and accomplishments are rarely detailed. Well, no more!

Buy this book! You will be glad you did!

I was shocked to see that only five people have reviewed this book before me. It is such an important book in showing the tragedy caused by the Atomic bomb. The book begins by describing the peaceful life of Shigematsu a man who worked for a clothing company during WW II. At first the reader learns that Shigematsu is trying to beat radiation sickness by taking it easy and raising fish. Howerer, his idealic life is disturbed because no man is willing to marry Yasuko, his adopted daughter, because they are worried that she suffers from radiation poisoning. To help prove that she is okay. He writes out his full account of the time of the bombing. This book is mesmerizing. It shpws it graphic detail the ddestruction of the bomb. It is not blaming anyone, it is just showing the facts

I read this book for a college course 15 years ago, and have never forgotten it. It brought me out of my safe American home into a reality the most people don't want to know about. I have recommended it to many, with warnings of course, and am buying a copy to share with others. It does not preach for or against nuclear power, it just shows the result.

This book is one in about five books I've ever read that I would give a five star rating. The beauty of his writing style reminds me of 'The Grapes of Wrath'. His almost constant descriptions of the horrors of the initial blast and the minutes afterwards pound into the readers mind, time and time again, how incredible the human suffering really was. To me, it wasn't about whether it was the right decision or not but rather about the undeniable fact that things really got that bad. Without being sentimental at all every page had me on the verge of weeping for humanity.