Sumo: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to Japan’s National Sport by David Benjamin My rating: 3 of 5 stars Sumo, as a sport, too often gets deified and lost in the Shinto ceremonies that are blatantly evident to all who watch, from the throwing of salt to the traditional mawashi(loincloth) the wrestlers wear. David Benjamin does […]
Shogun: A Novel of Japan by James Clavell My rating: 2 of 5 stars Picking up this book seemed like a natural choice. I have an acute interest in Japanese History and have lived in the country for the past three years. It is consistently the first book recommended when you search for historical fiction […]
Lafcadio Hearn’s Japan: An Anthology of his Writings on the Country and it’s People by Lafcadio Hearn My rating: 4 of 5 stars Hearn often receives a bad rap in in the realm of Asia Studies, which was initially what drew me to this compilation. The reasons for his disregard in academic circles are varied. […]
Lies, Inc. by Philip K. Dick My rating: 1 of 5 stars For fans of Philip K. Dick, this posthumously compiled novel, works with many of the themes common to most of Dick’s work. Reality, para-worlds, paranoia, and government conspiracy all manifest themselves in the final published novel, but unlike other more recognized titles, fails […]
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe My rating: 3 of 5 stars It’s always good to reread “classic” novels. Achebe’s most renown work, originally assigned during a freshman World Literature class, certainly reads better the second time around without the lens of academia and political correctness to distort reactions. Things Fall Apart keeps a fairly […]
The Rise and Fall of Communism. Archie Brown by Archie Brown My rating: 3 of 5 stars Simon Heffer’s cover quote on this title was “SUPERB… A hugely readable book”, and although I can’t quite get behind this lengthy history with as much enthusiasm, this book does provide you with insights from the earliest days […]
The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyengar My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is one of those rare page turning non-fiction books that is backed up by an immense amount of research, but the wonderful practical research that can engage readers of all types. Iyengar manages to clearly dissect Choice, a ubiquitous element throughout […]
1776 by David McCullough My rating: 2 of 5 stars Knowledge of the American Revolution should be a prerequisite for all Americans. However, an understanding of that conflict should not begin with McCullough’s often praised and Pulitzer Prize winning history 1776. As is often the case with works which examines something expansive like the American […]
Chronicles, Vol. 1 by Bob Dylan My rating: 2 of 5 stars Chronicles Vol. 1 has a few moments of insight concerning Dylan’s musical influences and non-linear remembrances from his past, small vignettes that are often unrevealing in regards to the overall scope of the enigmatic artist’s life. This is not an autobiography, and those […]
Tokyo on Foot: Travels in the City’s Most Colorful Neighborhoods by Florent Chavouet My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book called out to me the moment I saw it in the book store. There are numerous books which try to capture the feelings one has when visiting Japan for the first time. Few do […]