A Companion to Japanese History - (Wiley Blackwell Companions to World History) by William M Tsutsui (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A Companion to Japanese History provides an authoritative overview of current debates and approaches within the study of Japan's history.

• Composed of 30 chapters written by an international group of scholars
  
• Combines traditional perspectives with the most recent scholarly concerns
  
• Supplements a chronological survey with targeted thematic analyses
  
• Presents stimulating interventions into individual controversies

From the Back Cover

A Companion to Japanese History provides an authoritative overview of current debates and approaches within the study of Japan's history. Composed of 30 chapters written by an international group of scholars, it balances treatment of traditional themes with coverage of current trends and emerging perspectives.

The volume presents a chronological survey of Japanese history from the country's earliest history up to the present day, giving readers insights into the key developments in each period of Japan's past. It also examines themes and alternative histories, with a particular emphasis on approaches and issues that will shape the future development of scholarship in Japanese history.

Review Quotes

"William M. Tsutsui introduces A C: oml anion to Japanese History as an ambitious snapshot of Japan studies since the breakdown of the authority of modernization theory in the last half of the twentieth century." (Journal of World History, June 2010)

"The well-written contributions, which blend together skillfully to form a unified whole, reflect the authors' authoritative knowledge of Japan ... As a one-volume tour-de-force of Japanese history, this book stands out." (American Reference Books Annual)

A Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2007

"Tsutsui has edited an invaluable and authoritative overview of current scholarship on the history of Japan. The 30 chapters, written by an international group of scholars, provide balanced treatment of traditional themes with coverage of recent trends, debates, and emerging perspectives ... Essential. All levels/libraries." (Choice)

"A vital reference tool for a large reference or academic library, providing a much needed fresh approach to the subject areas covered." (Reference Reviews)

About the Author

William M. Tsutsui is Professor of History at the University of Kansas. He is the author of Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters (2004), Manufacturing Ideology: Scientific Management in Twentieth-Century Japan (1998), and Banking Policy in Japan: American Efforts at Reform During the Occupation (1988).