This compelling text explores the development of Japan through its art; religion; literature; and thought as well as through its economic; political; and social history. The author team combines strong research with extensive classroom teaching experience to offer a clear; consistent; and highly readable text that is accessible to students with no previous knowledge of the history of Japan.
#1541225 in Books 2017-06-21 2017-06-21Original language:English 10.90 x .70 x 8.30l; #File Name: 0486784673192 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A Sober Scientific Explanation for Mapmaking Errors and CorrectionsBy James J. BloomIf you have read William Babcock's Legendary Islands of the Atlantic (reprint of the 1922 original) and were hoping for an update; you will be disappointed. Dr.Stommel; hydrographer of the Woods Hole Institute; limits his examination to those islands that appeared on Admiralty charts; navigational aides drafted by the British Hydrographic Office beginning in 1795. So there is no discussion of legend and lore here; but a scientific examination of illusion and mis-location; and some possible tectonic or volcanic phenonemna. As such; it is a nice complement to Babcock's more imaginative study; showing how even the professional naval officers of the British establishment could be flummoxed by erroneous reports.8 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Interesting and definitiveBy WulfstanThis is a large oversized "coffee table-sized" book; with lots of BW illustrations and charts; including a large fold out map in the back. Note that the list says there are two maps in the sleeve attached to the back cover- and yes there are- one sheet with one chart printed on each side (I thought for a minute that I'd been shorted a map!) There's also a detailed appendix and index.Henry M Stommel knows his stuff; being an oceanographer for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute; and writer of 4 other oceanographic books. He is also a self-professed "islophile" or lover of islands.This book generally covers islands that have appeared on official charts since 1800; those that were really thought to exist- but (mostly) were found out to be mislaid or never there. Believe it or not; there were something like 200 islands; rocks and etc that were officially charted on generally considered to be reliable charts - that weren't really there at all. And I don't think any of them had anything to do with R'lyeh.This is a quite readable book; with some interesting stories. It also has a personal anecdote of how the author "found" his own "lost island".All that being said; with so many islands to cover; sometimes the book gets a little pedantic and "list-like" and slows to a crawl.Also a warning- many of the used copies out there are ex-library copies.Anyway; this is still an interesting book; and the definitive work on the subject.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy E PfeiferWell Written.
