{"product_id":"the-japanese-9780141992280","title":"The Japanese","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eSUNDAY TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Mightily impressive ... a marvellous read'' \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the acclaimed author of \u003ci\u003eJapan Story\u003c\/i\u003e, this is the history of Japan, distilled into the stories of twenty remarkable individuals. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The vivid and entertaining portraits in Chris Harding''s enormously enjoyable new book take the reader from the earliest written accounts of Japan right through to the life of the current empress, Masako. We encounter shamans and warlords, poets and revolutionaries, scientists, artists and adventurers - each offering insights of their own into this extraordinary place. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For anyone new to Japan, this book is the ideal introduction. For anyone already deeply involved with it, this is a book filled with surprises and pleasures.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSkilled, ambitious, m\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eightily impressive\u003c\/b\u003e ... Harding turns out to be as adept at describing the country's artistic development as he is at unpicking its brutal politics. Another of his talents is a sharp eye for the telling quote that makes these distant presences tangible ... \u003cb\u003ea marvellous read, full of startling information.\u003c\/b\u003e -- Waldemar Januszczak * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSplendid\u003c\/b\u003e ... It's an effective way of telling an unfamiliar story, leavening the course of social change with \u003cb\u003eplenty of enjoyable individual details.\u003c\/b\u003e -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn enjoyable romp through the ages across the Japanese archipelago\u003c\/b\u003e ... Harding is in his element ... \u003cb\u003eA tour de force, this imaginative book may well be the \"ideal introduction\" for anyone new to Japan\u003c\/b\u003e ... Vividly written, there are certainly some interesting surprises to savour along the way. -- Andrew Cobbing * BBC History Magazine *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA fresh and fascinating perspective\u003c\/b\u003e ... By shifting focus without losing the renowned figures or the sweeping trends but rather leavening them with formerly unsung individuals, \u003cb\u003eHarding is able to say something new about the history of Japan and reinvigorate old stories. \u003c\/b\u003eAs such, this book can act as a primer for the archipelago's long and complex story, or as a refreshing take on familiar periods for those already well-versed in the emperors, shoguns and battlefields. -- Iain Maloney * Japan Times *\u003cbr\u003eThe people included in this look at the lives of 20 of Japan's most notable characters are not, it's fair to say, household names, but historian and broadcaster \u003cb\u003eChristopher Harding brings them to life with warmth and insight. Together, they offer a great primer to the nation's expansive, dynamic story.\u003c\/b\u003e * History Revealed, Book of the Month *","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732514320727,"sku":"9780141992280","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780141992280.jpg?v=1719997219","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-japanese-9780141992280","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}