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The Sword and the Chrysanthemum

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#4223 [2004-04-13 20:10:04]

The Sword and the Chrysanthemum

by kitsuno

Anyone read this book yet?

http://susanscharfman.com/home.html

Any opinions on it?

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#4225 [2004-04-13 22:16:08]

Re: [samuraihistory] The Sword and the Chrysanthemum

by cepooooo

On Apr 13, 2004, at 5:10 PM, Kitsuno wrote:

> Anyone read this book yet?
>
> http://susanscharfman.com/home.html
>
> Any opinions on it?

Not read... Isn't it a bit dumb to use as a title basically the same
Benedith used some 50 years ago?
My favorite books on the Japanese written by gaijin are Hearns' "An
Interpretation," and Kerr's "Dogs and Demons." Smith's "Japan: A
Reinterpretation" is very good in the chapters about education, and
Wolferen's "The Enigma of Japanese Power" has some good parts as well.
Avoid like smallpox Reischauer's "The Japanese Today." He was a good
historian, but as a social scientist he had an agenda, thou reading his
propaganda is a waste of time. I have been told Buruma's books are
great, but I haven't read them.
cepo


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#4239 [2004-04-15 13:34:23]

Re: [samuraihistory] The Sword and the Chrysanthemum

by sengokudaimyo

Kitsuno wrote:

> Anyone read this book yet?
>
> http://susanscharfman.com/home.html
>
> Any opinions on it?

Initial reaction:

Something is fishy. Given the name, especially. No one who knows about Japan or
has lived there for any length of time has NOT heard of Ruth Bennedict's book.
To use damn near the same title smacks of someone willing to accept (and hoping
for) some "accidental orders."

Plus I have an innate distrust of any self-published book...

Tony

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