Modern Japan: A Very Short Introduction
A wonderfully engaging narrative of a complicated history, which from the beginning to end sheds light on the meaning of modernity in Japan as it changed over time. An exemplary text. Carol Gluck, Columbia University With remarkable clarity and breadth of coverage, Goto-Jones introduces the major topics and themes of the modern history of Japan, giving particularly thoughtful attention to the complex and tortured efforts of figures seeking to define and defend a properly Japanese modernity, and those striving to come to grips with the trauma and shadow of World War II. Andrew Gordon, Harvard University Lively, lucid, and full of insight, this is an outstanding exploration of Japan's troubled modern past. Stephen S. Large, Wolfson College, Cambridge University