Understanding Japanese Society (Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies)
£16.22
I absolutely love this book! - A total gem. I was so happy to find this book! After reading lots of dry, academic nonsense in the library, it was a breath of fresh air to find Joy Hendry s book. She manages to put across a friendly voice without losing any of her academic status and integrity, and I wish other writers tried to achieve this too. I wasn t even especially interested in Japanese society before I read this, but I was totally converted by this book. She covers all the everyday life types of topics, and with an insight and understanding that is rare, in my opinion. Everything is well-referenced and she refers readers to other sources of information on each chapter, including multimedia. A few black and white photos are included. I would go so far as to say that I believe this book is the best in its field. If I could give it 6 stars, I would.
Must read for anyone interested in Japanese culture - I regret not finding this book earlier. I thought I had a fairly good understanding of Japanese culture until I read this book. After reading it things seemed so much clearer to me. It helped me to look at different aspects of Japanese culture through different eyes. Very recommended!! A great read!! If you are planning on visiting or living in Japan, read this first.