History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Grandfather's Journey (Caldecott Medal Book)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful and heartwarming book!
Grandfather's Journey
Great Selection!
A Wonderful Story
This book is ok.

Grandfather's Journey (Caldecott Medal Book)
Allen Say
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0395570352

Amazon.com

Home becomes elusive in this story about immigration and acculturation, pieced together through old pictures and salvaged family tales. Both the narrator and his grandfather long to return to Japan, but when they do, they feel anonymous and confused: "The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other." Allen Say's prose is succinct and controlled, to the effect of surprise when monumental events are scaled down to a few words: "The young woman fell in love, married, and sometime later I was born." The book also has large, formal paintings in delicate, faded colors that portray a cherished and well-preserved family album. The book, for audiences ages 4 to 8, won the 1994 Caldecott Medal.

Book Description

Through compelling reminiscences of his grandfather's life in America and Japan, Allen Say gives us a poignant acount of a family's unique cross-cultural experience. He warmly conveys his own love for his two countries, and the strong and constant desire to be in both places at once.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful and heartwarming book!.......2007-08-17

What a beautiful book. The illustrations are magnificent and the story itself is amazing. It brought a tear to my eye as I remembered my Nonno.

Grandfather's Journey.......2007-03-14

This book is a deserving winner of the Caldecott. I was often offended by books that portrayed immigrants as one dimensional in that they were always so glad to arrive in America and never appeared to have feelings for their native country. As an immigrant I know that relocation in America, while often a blessing, comes at a price. Grandfather's Journey is a beautiful book that depicts the struggle of being pulled by love of new and old homelands.

Great Selection!.......2006-09-02

The cover illustration is what initially drew me to this book; watching a young man stand on the deck of a steamship while the wind and waves thrash about. The color of the sea beckoned me to turn the pages and find out more about where this man was going and whether or not he would get there.

Grandfather is a young immigrant traveling from Japan to his new home in America. He journeys all across this land and experiences all aspects of it: cities, farms, mountains, rivers, people, etc. He settles in California but eventually misses his homeland, and travels back to satisfy his longings. Through a series of events, he is unable to make his way back to the West Coast that he loves so much.

My husband and I were in the Navy and lived among people from all over the world. I loved getting to know them and experiencing their ways of life. Understanding how other people around the world think and love and live, has made me a more complete person. It has made me who I am today. In this way I connect with Grandfather and his journeys.

A Wonderful Story.......2006-07-03

Allen Say's autobiographical Grandfather's Journey's beautiful illustrations won the Caldecott Medal, but that is only half the reason to recommend this book. This story is about a Japanese man struggling over what his home is--the United States or Japan.
When he is almost an adult, a young man (who would be Say's grandfather) moves to North America. He travels all over the United States (depicted in the illustrations) and falls in love with San Francisco. He briefly returns to Japan for his childhood love, then returns to San Francisco. Together they have a daughter and are living happily, but the grandfather becomes homesick for the mountain, rivers and friends of Japan. We see him surrounded by his songbirds in American clothes wishing for his home. Finally, when his daughter is almost grown, he returns to Japan. He laughs with his friends in his home village and for a time is happy. But his daughter had spent all her life in San Francisco and was not meant for the small village, so her father buys her a house in a city. She marries an untraditional man and has a son.
But the father wishes for San Francisco. We see, as his grandson saw, him surrounded by songbirds and the things he loves, dressed in the traditional Japanese dress, wishing for his home in San Francisco. He plans to return to North America.
Unfortunately, World War II begins and destroys the city. Grandfather returns to the small village, but never had another songbird. He told his grandson (who is the author and illustrator, Allen Say)that he wished to return to San Francisco one more time. But he died before he had the chance.
When his granson was nearly an adult, he went to America himself to see what his grandfather had talked about. He falls in love with it, but is homesick. Whenever he visits Japan, however, he longs for San Fransisco. He thinks of his grandfather and understands him more than ever.
Grandfather's Journey is beautiful, but some young children may not understand the emotions of the characters. Still, Grandfather's Journey is beautiful and deserves to be read by people of all ages.

This book is ok........2006-07-03

This book is about a boy's grandfather who goes to America. He likes California the best. He goes back to japan and gets married then he goes back to California and has a daughter. Then he goes back to Japan. The daughter grows up and gets married. Some time later she has a little boy. When the boy grows up he goes to California he gets married and has baby girl. I think kids from 6-8 should read this book.

Average customer rating:

open mind.
Ehon: The Artist And the Book in Japan by Roger S. Keye
Beautiful book, excellent scholarship

Ehon: The Artist And the Book in Japan
Roger S. Keyes
Manufacturer: New York Public Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0295986247

Book Description

Ehon - or "picture books"- are part of an incomparable 1,200-year-old Japanese tradition. Created by artists and craftsmen, most ehon also feature essays, poems, or other texts written in beautiful, distinctive calligraphy. They are by nature collaborations: visual artists, calligraphers, writers, and designers join forces with papermakers, binders, block cutters, and printers. The books they create are strikingly beautiful, highly charged microcosms of deep feeling, sharp intensity, and extraordinary intelligence. In the elegant, richly illustrated Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan, renowned scholar Roger S. Keyes traces the history and evolution of these remarkable books through seventy key works, including many great rarities and unique masterpieces, from the Spencer Collection of the New York Public Library, one of the foremost collections of Japanese illustrated books in the West.

The earliest ehon were made as religious offerings or talismans, but their great flowering began in the early modern period (1600-1868) and has continued, with new media and new styles and subjects, to the present. Shiohi no tsuto (Gifts of the Ebb Tide, 1789; often called The Shell Book) by Kitagawa Utamaro, one of the supreme achievements of the ehon tradition, is reproduced in full. Michimori (ca. 1604), a luxuriously produced libretto for a No play is also featured, as are Saito- Shu-ho's cheerful Kishi empu (Mr. Ginger's Book of Love, 1803), Kamisaka Sekka's brilliant Momoyogusa (Flowers of a Hundred Worlds, 1910), and many more.

Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan ends with ehon by some of the most innovative practitioners of the twentieth century. Among these are Chizu (The Map, 1965), Kawada Kikuji's profound photographic requiem for Hiroshima; Yoko Tawada's and Stephan Kohler's affecting Ein Gedicht für ein Buch (A Poem for a Book, 1996); and Vija Celmins's and Eliot Weinberger's Hoshi (The Stars, 2005).

The magnificent ehon tradition originated in Japan and developed there under very specific conditions, but it has long since burst its bounds, like any living tradition. Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan suggests that when artists meet readers in these contrived, protected, focused, sacred book "worlds," the possibilities for pleasure, insight, and inspiration are limitless.

Customer Reviews:

open mind........2007-05-12

a book you need to learn and see. to learn to see. an oriental vision of the world.

Ehon: The Artist And the Book in Japan by Roger S. Keye.......2007-02-16

Very well selected and documented. Beautiful reproductions and a pleasure to read.

Beautiful book, excellent scholarship.......2006-10-26

This superb publication accompanies a marvelous exhibition at The New York Public Library. This is a must-have book for anyone interested not only in Japanese art and illustration, but in great art in general. Professor Keyes has focused on material in the extraordinary Spencer Collection, but follows a different approach than previous curators and authors, covering material from the 8th century Buddhist "hidden books," through Utamaro, Hiroshige and lesser known masters right through to avant-garde artist's books of the 21st century. Japanese photography of the 20th century is also included and connects in fascinating ways to the greater body of Japanese Ehon. A wonderful gift book, but be sure to squirrel away a copy for yourself! And if you are within a 500 mile radius of New York City, run to see this show on display through early February, 2007.

A Hundred Years of Japanese Film: A Concise History, with a Selective Guide to DVDs and Videos

Average customer rating:

A great read...
Huge fan
Too superficial
He knows what he's talking about!
The heart and soul, and mind, behind Japanese movies

A Hundred Years of Japanese Film: A Concise History, with a Selective Guide to DVDs and Videos
Donald Richie
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 4770029950

Book Description

The authoritative guide to Japanese film, completely revised and updated. Thoroughly revised and updated, the latest edition of this authoritative volume by Donald Richie, the foremost Western expert on Japanese film, gives us an incisive, detailed, and fully illustrated history of the country's cinema. Called "the dean of Japan's arts critics" by Time magazine, Richie takes us from the inception of Japanese cinema at the end of the nineteenth century, through the achievements of Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, and Ozu, then on to the notable works of contemporary filmmakers. This revised edition includes analyses of the latest trends in Japanese cinema, such as the revival of the horror genre, and introduces today's up-and-coming directors and their works. As Paul schrader writes in his perceptive foreword, Richie's accounting of the Japanese film "retains his sensitivity to the actual circumstances of film production (something filmmakers know very well but historians often overlook) . . . and shows the interweave of filmmaking-the contributions of directors, writers, cinematographers, actors, musicians, art directors, as well as financiers." Of primary interest to those who would like to watch the works introduced in these pages, Richie has provided capsule reviews of the major subtitled Japanese films commercially available in DVD and VHS formats. This guide has been updated to include not only the best new movie releases, but also classic films available in these formats for the first time.

Customer Reviews:

A great read..........2007-09-03

There are two reasons why I enjoyed reading A Hundred Years of Japanese Film. The first is I have many of the films the author writes about. From Late Spring to Early Summer, from Manji to The Seven Samurai, from After Life to When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, I have watched a small cross-section of Japanese movies and it allowed me to understand many of the points he was trying to make.
Also, the author Donald Richie, has done the commentary of many of the above films, which means I already have a feel of where he is going with his views and observations. Overall the author is a very serious person when it comes to Japanese films, how they developed and what has happened to them over the years. A great book for anybody already deeply interested on the subject.

Huge fan.......2007-08-23

I am a huge fan of Japanese cinema and this book was an excellent accompaniment to my already huge collection.

Too superficial.......2007-06-23

I've seen this book assigned as the basic text for top college courses on Japanese cinema, and seen it praised by Amazon reviewers. Much as I hate to write about books I didn't like, I must make an exception here for the sake of future buyers. This is not college-level material, and it's way below five stars. It is a 200-page plus list of names and titles put in narrative form, with a batch of overly concise plot summaries at the back. None of the authors, works or topics mentioned ever gets more than a few lines of attention. You will be lucky to find a full paragraph on anything that you find interesting. Surprisingly for a history of cinema, the book gives no in-depth analyses of individual works or filmmakers, makes no mention of the institutional developments in the filmmaking industry, and fails to position works within contemporary aesthetic movements or intellectual debates. In a word, this book is too superficial to be of any use.

As others noted, there are some perceptive observations scattered here and there, but these only serve to show how much better this author could have done, had he conceived this as something a little more substantial. The thing is, as far as I know there isn't a solid history of Japanese cinema in English around, and we have to make do with what is available.

Edit: I stand corrected. There IS a new history of Japanese cinema in English in print: Isolde Standish, A New History of Japanese Cinema.

He knows what he's talking about!.......2007-02-07

Donald Richie has spent a good part of his life living in Japan and has been reviewing Japanese films for just as long. He personally knows many of the film makers and so his reviews carry weight and are sensative to the changes in Japanese film-making. A must buy for the serious fan of films made in Japan.

The heart and soul, and mind, behind Japanese movies.......2007-01-11

I scout around for shortcuts to the Japanese mind, having a mild interest in the subject. This is the best I've found. The text usefully comments on the Japanese temperament, traces through film the trends in that temperament over the first two-thirds of the 20th C, and through those trends gives insight into the experience of the Japanese, through their film directores, in becoming "Westernized." I felt it could give me as much insight as I was ready for. And of course once I needed more I could view the movies themselves--a useful guide to sources of video and DVDs is included. Wonderful writing, from a trustworthy guide. An enjoyable read.

Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards))

Average customer rating:

Touching Book
The Love of an Akita
Beautiful story
Sit, boy. Stay.
great for dog lovers

Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards))
Pamela S. Turner , and Yan Nascimbene
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618140948

Book Description

Imagine walking to the same place every day, to meet your best friend. Imagine watching hundreds of people pass by every morning and every afternoon. Imagine waiting, and waiting, and waiting. For ten years. This is what Hachiko did. Hachiko was a real dog who lived in Tokyo, a dog who faithfully waited for his owner at the Shibuya train station long after his owner could not come to meet him. He became famous for his loyalty and was adored by scores of people who passed through the station every day. This is Hachiko's story through the eyes of Kentaro, a young boy whose life is changed forever by his friendship with this very special dog. Simply told, and illustrated with Yan Nascimbene's lush watercolors, the legend of Hachiko will touch your heart and inspire you as it has inspired thousands all over the world.

Customer Reviews:

Touching Book.......2007-05-15

It is hard for me to read this story to my daughter without getting choked up at the end. It is a sweet book that talks about a dog's love and loyality. I figure this is a great segway into another tear jerk classic, Charlotte's Web!

The Love of an Akita.......2006-10-27

The story of Hachiko is one of the most moving accounts of the bond between dog and owner. Hachiko, a beautiful curly tailed Akita was the revered pet of one Professor Ueno, who named the dog after the number 8, which he considered a lucky symbol. Hachiko was his 8th Akita.

Sadly, Professor Ueno died at work in April of 1925, some 15 months after he bought the Akita. Hachiko faithfully walked with his loving owner to the Shibuya train station every morning and could be counted on like clock work to greet his owner upon return. Even after his owner's death, the curly tailed dog continued coming back to the train station to await his return.

This continued for 10 years until the Akita died in 1935. A statue of the dog was erected at the train station as a nod to his show of loving loyalty. Hachiko, like Balto, the malamute who braved storms in 1925 Alaska during an epidemic has been immemorialized in statue at the train station where he faithfully awaited his owner's return.

A beautiful moving story that might make you cry. Even so, it is worth reading. As wonderful as Hachiko's story is, I preferred Leslea Newman's book about the loyal curly tailed Akita.

Beautiful story.......2005-06-14

This is a well known old story in Japan. It is a sad, but beautiful story of a friendship with a human and dog. Hachiko is a Akita that somewhat stubborn but truly royal disposition. He was waiting his owner even in a cold snow day until he died.

Sit, boy. Stay........2005-05-14

A parent was speaking to me the other day in my library (I'm a children's librarian, you see) and she wanted some nice picture books on dogs for her child. Naturally my mind jumped to such modern day classics as Bob Graham's, "Let's Get a Pup, Said Kate". "No", the parent said. "Something about a real dog". That's a significantly more difficult request. Right off the top of my head I had a hard time thinking up any seriously well-written non-fiction doggish titles. We scanned the 636.7's, when my eye alighted on a very new book indeed. I suggested, "Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog" without hesitation. After all, it had appeared on the New York Public Library's list of the great children's books of 2004. However, when I described the plot the patron pooh-poohed it as "depressing". And since I had not actually read the book myself, I was powerless to disagree. Now I come back to "Hachiko", having read it at long last, and I'm mighty sad that I wasn't able to defend it to the dog-seeking patron. Though containing sad elements, the book is a loving testament to one canine's love for his master.

Our hero is Hachiko, a large Akita dog that was owned and loved by its master, Dr. Ueno. Through the eyes of a small boy we see the dog return to the railroad station every day to wait for Dr. Ueno when he steps off the train from work. The boy loves the dog but is content to simply pet and hug it at the station. One day, the boy hears terrible news. Dr. Ueno has passed away, and naturally the boy's first question is, "What will happen to Hachiko?". Some kind relatives attempt to take the dog in, but to their surprise Hachiko continues to wait at the station every day for his lost master. For almost ten years, faithful Hachiko would wait for Dr. Ueno to come home. No one knows the dog's motivation, or if it really understood what it was waiting for. After its death, however, the people of the town raised the money to create a large bronze statue of the pup in its honor. A replica of that statue stands in the Shibuya Station of Tokyo to this day.

Okay, so maybe the whole idea of a dog waiting for its master to come home for years and years, not realizing that he's dead, is sad. But it's also the perfect material for a children's picture book. Not surprisingly, his tale was co-opted not only for this book but also for the slightly older reader, "Hachiko Waits" by Leslea Newman. But how well does it work here? First, I was surprised that it was categorized as non-fiction. Though the tale of the dog is true, the aspect of the boy who interacts with him was made up for the purpose of the story. The book is a bit sparse and formal as well. Long blocks of text will run on one page while the facing page shows a large full-page illustration or just a little picture with a sentence. This means that kids will probably have to have this book read to them, rather than the other way around. I could've enjoyed a more creative layout here. Fortunately, Yan Nascimbene's illustrations are lovely. Hachiko himself, oddly, looks a bit stiff for a hero. But the cherry blossoms, darkening evening scenes, and general feel is beautiful to the eye. It may be a little formal for a children's picture book, but no one can argue with its attractive qualities.

In a way, I don't blame the mother who wasn't inclined towardds the book. The audience for, "Hachiko" is a select one. But it truly is a lovely story, and one that I hope many kids will get a chance to hear at some point in their lives. Though not the most inviting package, it delivers a sweet emotional punch.

great for dog lovers.......2004-12-24

Hachiko is a young puppy who lives with his owner, Professor Ueno. Everyday when Professor Ueno goes off to work the dog is there to tell him goodbye. He waits for his owner at the train station all day long. One day the Professor Ueno dies while away at work. Hachiko waits for him still, ten years pass by. This story is told from the point of view of a young boy who witnessed this love and devotion.

This was a unique story. I had heard of it before so it was nice to see it told in picture book form.

I would recommend this book to all dog lovers. It's a very inspiring story.

Picture Letters From the Commander in Chief: Letters From Iwo Jima

Average customer rating:

Glimpse into the Private Life of an Enemy Commander.
The Letters of LTG Kuribayashi

Picture Letters From the Commander in Chief: Letters From Iwo Jima
Tadamichi Kuribayashi
Manufacturer: VIZ Media LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1421518457

Book Description

The battle of Iwo Jima was one of the bloodiest campaigns of WWII. Under the command of Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, the Japanese army held off U.S. Navy and Naval Air Corps. attack for over a month before finally succumbing to defeat. Comprised mostly of personal letters from Kuribayashi to his family, Picture Letters From the Commander in Chief offers readers a unique glimpse into arguably the most iconic battle of the second World War. A sensitive man, Kuribayashi is able to articulate in these letters his love for his family and his unwavering loyalty to his country. And in doing so, he helps bring a new voice and perspective to history.

Customer Reviews:

Glimpse into the Private Life of an Enemy Commander........2007-08-22

The book is a compilation of Kuribayashi's letters home to his children during his military career. It's a very touching glimpse into the heart of a father from another culture who is separated from his children and is trying to have some kind of communication with them. Each letter is illustrated with Kuribayashi's own hand and each provides for the children an illustration of their father's everyday life in a foreign land, taking a stroll, riding in a car, even taking a bath.

Kuribayashi encourages his children to do well and to be good to each other and to listen to their mother. His last letter from Iwo Jima is especially sad as you can tell he expects never to see his family again.

The Letters of LTG Kuribayashi.......2007-08-13

LTG Tadamichi Kuribayashi, an officer of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, was one of those rare individuals who seem born to become soldiers. Displaying a strong will and unorthodox tactics during the struggle for Iwo Jima in early 1945, he nevertheless was possessed of a rare humility and ingrained honor that made him a highly-respected leader to both his subordinates and enemies.

"Picture Letters from the Commander in Chief" is a very short read. It is simply a collection of LTG Tadamichi Kuribayashi's letters to his family during his time abroad as a young military man and his letters from Iwo Jima island. Reading the actual letters portrayed so movingly in "Letters From Iwo Jima" serves to round out one's understanding of who Kuribayashi was as a man.

There are no insights to his tactics for the Iwo Jima battle and only a small window is opened into his personal views on the Pacific War in one of his last letters from the forsaken island. The rest of them were written and sketched by him for benefit of his wife and children. As his son Taro and later, his infant daughter Takako, were very young when the letters were written oftentimes the subjects were light and focused on Kuribayashi's observations of his time in the United States or anything light-hearted he could report from the dismal island of sulfur that is Iwo Jima.

The letters reveal above all a loving and doting father, who despite enormous distances from his children still cautioned them on discipline. Preparing for the Battle of Iwo Jima, which would cost him his life, he still found time to correct his Tako-chan's grammatical errors in her letters to him and apologized to his wife for not fixing the draft in their kitchen during his last leave. His occasional snipes at his wife for not writing him or for the paucity of packaged herring roe sent to him during his stay in America will elicit a smile from any married man. His love for his wife and children permeate the letters, particularly in his first letter from Iwo Jima, when he instructs his children to grow fast and take care of their mother after his death.

"Picture Letters from the Commander in Chief," if read as an appendix to Kumiko Kakehashi's powerful portrayal of Iwo Jima in "So Sad to Fall in Battle," serves to further deepen an understanding of who Tadamich Kuribayashi was as a man.

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Puts You in the Picture
Wonderful Japanese Tale
Enchanting story and splendid artwork
PRESERVING THE ROOTS OF JAPANESE CULTURE

Kamishibai Man
Allen Say
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618479546

Book Description

The Kamishibai man used to ride his bicycle into town where he would tell stories to the children and sell them candy, but gradually, fewer and fewer children came running at the sound of his clappers. They were all watching their new televisions instead. Finally, only one boy remained, and he had no money for candy. Years later, the Kamishibai man and his wife made another batch of candy, and he pedaled into town to tell one more storyhis own. When he comes out of the reverie of his memories, he looks around to see he is surrounded by familiar facesthe children he used to entertain have returned, all grown up and more eager than ever to listen to his delightful tales. Using two very different yet remarkable styles of art, Allen Say tells a tale within a tale, transporting readers seamlessly to the Japan of his memories.

Customer Reviews:

Puts You in the Picture.......2006-09-05

My wife and I perform kamishibai stories at local schools, libraries, and cultural festivals, and we always take Kamishibai Man along to show audiences. The illustrations are warm yet detailed; you get a good sense of what it must have been like to watch the original kamishibai men, back in the days before TV. And the story's mix of nostalgia and hope is touching. Highly recommended.

Wonderful Japanese Tale.......2006-03-16

This story, set in old Japan, is that of a story teller (Kamishibai). Jichan,or grandfather in Japanese, and his wife had no children. So, he enjoyed telling his stories to the young children and selling his candies. But all that changed when television came around. The children stopped coming to listen to his stories and he was even shushed by a child when calling for them to come. Though it saddened him, Jichan stopped coming around and being the Kamishibai Man. That is until one day many years later when he decided to give it one last shot. Find out what happens when Jichan returns to the city. See the surprises that are in-store for him.

Enchanting story and splendid artwork.......2006-01-25

Like all Allen Say's work, this book is splendidly illustrated. I love the story. It brings me back to my childhood in Hong Kong, where we kids sat outdoor and enjoyed bowls of sweetened soybean gelatin dessert bought from the door-to-door vendor while lapping up our mothers' gossip and real-life tales. The affordability of refrigerator in each home pretty much replaced the vendor. I remember as a little girl, I too had gone by my window one day and shushed the old man for clacking his clappers and yelling to sell his goods. Children and adults will both enjoy the stunning drawings, reading the words aloud, and appreciate the "once upon a time" story.

PRESERVING THE ROOTS OF JAPANESE CULTURE.......2005-11-12

This book is absolutely amazing. It's like walking through a museum in many ways -- and don't we parents feel great when we take our kids to a museum? We feel like it's worth the admission price to ensure our children know how to appreciate history, art, and beauty.

In the introduction, Allen Say writes, "When I think of my childhood in Japan, I think of kamishibai. It means 'paper theater.' Every afternoon, the kamishibai man came on a bicycle that had a big wooden box mounted on the back seat. The box had drawers full of candies and a stage at the top. We bought candies and listened to the man's stories."

Say was born in Yokohama in 1937, into a very different Japan than what exists now. Back in the days where people didn't have televisions in their homes, children would eagerly anticipate listening to the kamishibai man's stories. "Clack! Clack!" He would beat his wooden blocks together until he'd drawn a crowd of listeners. His stories were cliffhangers, ending with "to be continued." So the children would return the next day to hear what happened next.

In this book, an old man who has retired to the countryside remembers his days of being a kamishibai man. "I've been thinking how much I miss going on my rounds," he says to his elderly wife. So, she makes him some candies, and he rides his bike back into the city, humming along the way (until he reaches the urban metropolis). Much has changed. The trees and quiet parks have been replaced with concrete and buildings. "Who needs to buy so many things and eat so many different foods?" he wonders to himself.

The cover of the book shows you what his theater looks like. (Oh, don't you love that picture?) He takes out his wooden blocks and clacks them together, just like in the old times. In his mind, he's seeing the happy faces of children running to him. Thus begins a story within a story, and Say changes his style of artwork to preserve the style of the kamishibai man's illustrated cards.

He tells the story of what it was like for him when TVs came along and began to replace his job as entertainer. In a poignant scene, a little girl comes to her window and shushes him! You can see her siblings inside, sitting mesmerized in front of a television set. The sadness on the storyteller's face expresses the end of an era.

But as the elderly man finishes his story, he looks up to see that he's surrounded by clapping middle-aged people, who remember him. "We grew up with your stories!" one of them shouts. They applaud him, and he's even filmed by a news station (which is ironic, isn't it?).

The facial expressions in the artwork are stunning; you have to look at each picture carefully to notice all the exquisite details. I've watched my five-year-old stare and stare at these pictures. This would be a great addition to school libraries and classrooms -- teachers will love to read it out loud because it's captivating and full of dialogue.

In the afterword, a Japanese folklore scholar explains more of the significance of Japan's post-war transition to an electric, affluent society. She writes, "The artists who had made their living in kamishibai turned to more lucrative pursuits, notably the creation of manga (comic books) and later anime [cartoons], but they never forgot their roots in kamishibai."

-- Reviewed by Heather Lynn Ivester for Mom 2 Mom Connection

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A True Gem
A must read
Entertainment to grow your child's heart and soul
A Must Read for Teachers
Accepting Differences

Crow Boy (Picture Puffins)
Taro Yashima
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 014050172X

Customer Reviews:

A True Gem.......2006-04-30

I am so glad this book is still in print! It is a wonderful story with equally wonderful illustrations, and a strong message: a child who is "different" turns out to have special talents. One of my all-time favorites.

A must read.......2005-10-10

all of my classmates told me to get a copy of this book "Crow Boy" by Taro Yashima, so i did. when i started reading it, tears flowed from my eyes, it really is "a-must-read"

this book should be recommended for all students and teachers, it'll teach you a moral lesson you'll never forget.

Entertainment to grow your child's heart and soul.......2005-08-17

This book encourages compassion and awareness of the natural world. It is a healthy change for children who are used to overstimulating action books and videogames.

A Must Read for Teachers.......2005-02-18

This story was first read to me by a colleague. A very enlightening and heartwarming story "Crow Boy" forces readers to reflect on the importance of considering individual differences within classroom settings. A child's potential can only be fulfilled when we consider all of their interests and needs. Every teacher must have a personal copy. I am going to get mine.

Accepting Differences.......2000-07-31

In a small Japanese village, Chibi, the main character, is an outcast at school because he is different from the other children. Day after day, Chibi is faced with feelings of isolation and rejection. This memorable story presents the reader with a situation that all children experience some time in their life. The realism of this story allowed me to feel close to Chibi and watch him change towards the end. Through the unique illustrations, Taro Yashima was successful in describing the mood and setting. The moral lesson of this story is beautiful, and should be included in every classroom at the beginning of the school year. Through this lesson, the reader learns to develop an awareness for individual differences. This short story will present you with an enjoyable learning experience. I highly recommend this book for any type of reader.

The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film

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The best book available on modern Japanese film
Move over Ozu

The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film
Tom Mes , and Jasper Sharp
Manufacturer: Stone Bridge Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1880656892

Book Description

An eye-opening portrait of a vibrant film culture, The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film is the most comprehensive study of the Japanese filmmaking scene yet written. Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp explore the astounding resurgence of Japanese cinema, both live action and animated, profiling 19 contemporary Japanese filmmakers, from the well-known (Kitano, Miike, Miyazaki) to the up-and-coming (Naomi Kawase, Satoshi Kon, Shinya Tsukamoto) and reviewing 97 of their recent films. With 100+ images from behind and in front of the camera, this is a book any film lover will savor. Foreword by Hideo Nakata, director of Ring.

Tom Mes (in Paris) and Jasper Sharp (in Tokyo) co-edit Midnighteye.com, the premier English-language website on Japanese cinema.

Customer Reviews:

The best book available on modern Japanese film.......2005-06-01

For modern Japanese film, Midnight Eye is the definitive information source. Tom Mes and Jaspar Sharp's website covers film reviews, interviews, DVD releases, feature articles, a calendar of events and film festivals, and absolutely anything an interested person would want to know. With such a pedigree, there are no more qualified people to write a guide of this kind.

"The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film" is as excellent as one would expect, an essential book for those interested in modern Japanese film. The layout is well-balanced, covering director profiles and film reviews, using both original material and previously featured articles. The writing is crisp and clear, and each chapter provides insight even on topics where one is knowledgeable. Over 100 photos show some of the visual highlights of this visual media.

Each chapter focuses on a director, from history to motivation to style, with a review of that director's top five or six films. Being new Japanese film, the profiles begin in 1956 with Seijin Suzuki ("Elegy to Fighting," "Tokyo Drifter"), a complicated and controversial director. With the Criterion Collection currently making a push of Suzuki's catalog on DVD, this makes a great starting point and leaves me looking forward to each new release. All of the major directors are profiled, such as Shohei Imamura ("The Eel"), Kinji Fukasaku ("Battles without Honor and Humanity" "Battle Royale") Masato Harada ("Bounce KoGals"), Kiyoshi Kurosawa ("Cure"), Studio Ghibli luminaries Isao Takahata ("Grave of the Fireflies") and Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away"), Takeshi Kitano ("Hanabi"), Takashi Miike ("Ichi the Killer," "Audition"), Hirokazu Kore-eda ("After Life"), and Hideo Nakata ("The Ring"). Other, lesser-known directors are also given their due, such as Nara-based naturalist Naomi Kawase ("Suzaku.")

The final section covers what they call "The Other Players," those who have put out a film or two of exceptional quality but hadn't yet established a solid career in the same rank. Animator Satoshi Kon's "Perfect Blue," Masayuki Suo's "Shall We Dance?," Mamoru Oshii's "Avalon," Juzo Itami's "Tampopo" and Mitsuo Yanagimachi's "Fire Festival" are all given their due. More than just simple film-reviews, the authors pack each spotlight with as much interest and insight as their director profiles.

With Donald Richie's seminal "100 Years of Japanese Film" covering the past, it is great to see such a qualified inheritor of the future. Anyone interested in Japanese film will be pleased with "The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film," both for its insights into current favorites as well as the host of new favorites that they will undoubtedly discovered.

Move over Ozu.......2005-01-07

If you are a fan of modern Japanese Film and have the Internet, it is most likely that you are familiar with the website Midhight Eye opperated by Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp. The website is a treasure trove of not only movie and book reviews, but interviews with numerous directors and actors, including the likes of Suzuki Seijun and Asano Tadanobu.

The book covers around 50 years of film, beginning with older, but still popular, directors Imamura Shohei and the above mentioned Suzuki Seijun to younger directors such as Tsukamoto Shinya and Ishii Sogo. The book portrays well known directors such as Kitano Takeshi and Miike Takashi as well as lesser known directors such as Kawase Naomi, also the only female director in the book, whose base of opperation is the ancient capital of Nara rather than Tokyo or Osaka.

The book covers a wide variety of films from yakuza numbers such as Fukasaku's fierce _Battles without Honor and Humanity_ to the Kore-eda's pseudo-documentary _After Life_. horror films, pink films, science fiction, and documentaries are also covered.

The writing is quite clear and informative, and one learns interesting tidbits of information about their favorite directors. this book would be a good guide for fans of Japanese films as well as newcomers.

The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune

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Tedious
Kurosawa and Mifune - seminal Japanese cinema
Warning: Not a Biography
Its all about films....
Terrible as Biography

The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune
Stuart Galbraith IV
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0571199828

Book Description

The first -- and long overdue -- English-language biography of two of the world's great cinema figures.

Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune made sixteen feature films together, including Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, Yojimbo, and High and Low -- all undisputed masterworks of world cinema. Kurosawa's films inspired blockbuster remakes and influenced directors like George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese. Meanwhile, Mifune virtually invented the roaming warrior rogue, a character adapted with great success by actors like Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery, Bruce Willis, and countless others. Their impact on the international film world is undisputable, yet at the very height of their abilities, Kurosawa and Mifune went their separate ways. After Red Beard in 1965 they would never work together again -- nor would they ever achieve the same level of success apart as they had together.

The Emperor and the Wolf is an in-depth look at the life and work of these two luminaries of cinema. Full of behind-the-scenes details about their tumultuous lives and stormy relationships with the studios and each other, it is also a provocative look at postwar American and Japanese culture and the different lenses through which the two societies viewed each other.

Customer Reviews:

Tedious.......2006-05-25

The subtitle of this book, The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa, is completely deceitful. There is nothing biographical in this book about either one of its main protagonists. It is rather a chronicle of the Japanese film industry, not without interest in itself. However, the voluminous facts, tid-bits of information about every minor actor, director, script-writer, and film composer, as well as the synopsis of every film mentioned, makes for increbibly tedious reading. While the book has its merit as a source of information, not much credit should be given to the author other than for his ability to put together facts that are available from a number of sources. Meanwhile, reading all these capsules of data will leave you dry when it comes to the lives of Kurosawa and Mifune. The author tells us nothing about how they lived, felt, thought, behaved,what motivated them; probably because he doesn't know himself. A simple gathering of public facts, none researched by the author himself because their sources are many and widely available, especially on the internet, do not make for a worthy book!

Kurosawa and Mifune - seminal Japanese cinema .......2006-02-01

Galbraith's combined biography of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune has a wealth of knowledge, or, more accurately, a lot of data. Though Emperor/Wolf has reams (848 pages at close to 3 pounds) of information, what it doesn't have is a life of its own. The material covered by Galbraith could have been assembled by researching web sites, magazine and newspaper articles. You read much about Kurosawa and Mifune but you never come to know the men as living beings. Everything is written just outside of any emotional involvement. I never felt their rage or joy and so I was never enraged or joyful. I never felt any emotional contact with the protagonists. It was as though Kurosawa and Mifune were being disected in an operating theatre and I was high above behind glass. I couldn't smell the blood of battle, hear the applause, cry at their deaths. The book was soulless; a compendium that could be used as an overview for further, smaller more intimate writings. Though it seems obvious to connect these two cinema powerhouses, on second thought, it is a failed premise because of the bodies of work by each man exclusive of the other, and dooms the effort.

Warning: Not a Biography.......2004-07-11

I read the warnings about this book, but I am such a film buff, Kurosawa fan, Mifune fan and all-around nerd, that I did not heed them. First thing, this book is not a biography of Mifune or Kurosawa. It should be retitled and repackaged as the "Films of Kurosawa and Mifune". This is really a filmography with extensive plot summations and notes on production. The author includes his opinion of each movie, as if I care what his opinion is. There is very little information about either of these greats. The excuse is that the war destroyed most of the documents pertaining to their early years. That does not explain the lack later on of any information about either of them. For instance, the author writes that scandal plagued Mifune in his later years, but does not go into any more detail than to mention that he had a mistress. I was very disappointed in this book and do not feel as if I learned one thing about Kurosawa or the great Toshiro Mifune.

Its all about films...........2004-02-12

I think many reviewers didn't read the subtitle of the book, "Lives and Films of....." I don't think this book was meant to be a complete kiss and tell biography of Kurosawa and Mifune, this is a book which chronicled their cooperative efforts together in making films that became great classics and their relationship with and against each other. This is a book on relationship between two giants of the Japanese film industry. It was not meant to be a total biography as so many reviewers seem to have wanted.

The book gives very good background material to both men but its always about the relationship between the two. After both men split up after Red Beard, the author took pains to how see each one of them dealt with their careers afterward. Kurosawa continued to have success while Mifune drifted into period films, TV shows and his achievements suffered greatly. The book also gives a great understanding on how Japanese film industry worked, how it declined and basically how it fell apart in the face of Hollywood. Even the author expressed mixed surprised how waves of American films in a foreign nation like Japan, completely converted the Japanese audience into their own as they abandoned their own film industries into Third World status.

I thought the book was well written, well researched and explained the relationship and the films made by both Kurosawa and Mifune. But for anyone looking for a true biography, look some place else, for film historians like myself, this book is a must read.

Terrible as Biography.......2004-01-30

This book was quite disappointing. Most of my criticisms have already been mentioned by other reviewers, but I must emphasize that this book gives almost no sense of Kurosawa or Mifune as individuals and very, very little insight into their relationship. I was truly amazed that such a long book could fail to provide any nuanced sense of the personalities it is supposedly about. The book reads more like an annotated filmography, with endless details about minor actors and plot summaries of Japanese films that American fans will almost certainly never be able to see. I might refer to the book occasionally as a reference, but it is deadly dull reading. Not only is it not a good biography, it provides very little insight about Kurosawa's filmaking. There is some interesting historical stuff about the Japanese film industry, but that's about the only good thing I can think of to say about the book.

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