Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 106 Location: US Country:
Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 10:34 am Post subject:
I'm reading "Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan" by Herbert P. Bix which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. I'm half way done with the book and all I can say is, it's a dry, intellectual, almost a textbook type of reading. It's apparently very well researched with plenty of original, Japanese sources that are quoted, but it's a bit too "textbooky". I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to finish it. The books seems rather anti-Hirohito. That is, he portrays Hirohito in a much more negative light through the use of various Japanese sources. Interesting, because there are apparently other sources that supposedly contradict his writings. In a nutshell, thus far, Bix is saying that Hirohito wasn't the passive figurehead during WWII that many people thought he was. Supposedly, he was much more knowledgeable about what was happening with the troops and that he even sanctioned much of what they were doing. Overall, interesting reading but hard to finish. I guess we'll see what the rest of the book brings.
Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1249 Location: USA Country:
Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 12:19 pm Post subject:
solidsonya wrote:
my book for english counts!!!
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Indeed it does.
Though most of you should've ALREADY gone through a lion's share of Shakespeare already (not you, Solidsonya, as you are still enjoying the play, milady), I'll say it, because, technically speaking, SPOILER AHEAD:
If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle; I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on:
'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii.
Look, in this place ran Cassius's dagger through;
See what a rent the envious Casca made;
Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed,
And as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel . . .
-- Antony, lines 169-181, "Julius Caesar," III, ii, from The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare
I'm reading 'The Dragon Queen' by Alice Borchardt. I don't even know if it's good, I just picked it off the shelf in the library after reading the blurb. I was looking for a good fantasy, medievalish kinda story. I also wanted some (but not too much) romance thrown in.
I've read the first few chapters and things aren't going the way I want them to... I don't really understand what's going on, and the emotions that the characters have shown so far are lust, anger, hatred, motherly love. That's all. Has anyone even come across it? Does it get better? If not I'll just return it. Bahh.
well....i'm reading right know a lot of things cause my school finishes so i have to read a lot of books. here a little list :
- The Return of the King by J.R.R Tolkien
- Un sac de billes by Joffo Joseph (school)
- un aller Simple by ??? (school)
- greek myths
- macbeth by shakespeare (school)
- Kassandra (school)
- etc.
Though most of you should've ALREADY gone through a lion's share of Shakespeare already (not you, Solidsonya, as you are still enjoying the play, milady), I'll say it, because, technically speaking, SPOILER AHEAD:
If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle; I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on:
'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii.
Look, in this place ran Cassius's dagger through;
See what a rent the envious Casca made;
Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed,
And as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel . . .
-- Antony, lines 169-181, "Julius Caesar," III, ii, from The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare
What meter! Oh, man! Incredible.
WHOA!! my class just finished reading that part!! creepy...
hehe i've only read Midsummer's night's dream and this one
is what The Man is reading right now (almost done with The Classical Tradition, actually).
That second one, The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, contains about as many pages as five phone books stacked together, methinks. Come September, it'll be a year since I started the thing.
Joined: 08 Nov 2003 Posts: 435 Location: USA Country:
Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 8:18 am Post subject:
Nihon-jin wrote:
I'm reading "Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan" by Herbert P. Bix which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. I'm half way done with the book and all I can say is, it's a dry, intellectual, almost a textbook type of reading. It's apparently very well researched with plenty of original, Japanese sources that are quoted, but it's a bit too "textbooky". I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to finish it. The books seems rather anti-Hirohito. That is, he portrays Hirohito in a much more negative light through the use of various Japanese sources. Interesting, because there are apparently other sources that supposedly contradict his writings. In a nutshell, thus far, Bix is saying that Hirohito wasn't the passive figurehead during WWII that many people thought he was. Supposedly, he was much more knowledgeable about what was happening with the troops and that he even sanctioned much of what they were doing. Overall, interesting reading but hard to finish. I guess we'll see what the rest of the book brings.
Yes, Bix is rather dry, but the material is indispensible. Bix points out Hirohito's greater role in the war and the differing portrayals between Hirohito and Tojo. Most Americans think Tojo was the leader, while Hirohito was the yes man, while the reality is that Hirohito wielded immense influence, and that even though he didn't make direct orders, he worked behind the scenes to get what he wanted.
If you're interested in more on the era, I recommend John Dower's "Embracing Defeat" and "War Without Mercy." Dower's writing style is a bit less dry than Bix's.
I just finished reading GTO vol. 18. _________________
"...but it was my integrity that was important. Is that so selfish? It sells for so little, but it's all we have left in this place. It is the very last inch of us...but within that inch we are free." - V for Vendetta
Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 106 Location: US Country:
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 4:04 am Post subject:
Quote:
If you're interested in more on the era, I recommend John Dower's "Embracing Defeat" and "War Without Mercy." Dower's writing style is a bit less dry than Bix's.
Thanks for the recommendations. I'll have to give both of them a look. Right now, it's all I can do to finish Bix's book. I'm thinking the next book I read will have to be something a little lighter. But we'll see ...
Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1249 Location: USA Country:
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 8:36 am Post subject:
IkematsuSosuke wrote:
I want to read a book this summer..whats a good book to read?
Brush up on your Shakespeare (get a good version, w/footnotes at the bottom; the Oxford or Signet copies are great), Hemingway, Faulkner, Western Canon stuff, you know? Always enhances the soul (not to mention the mind).
If you wanna' go contemporary lit', Laura Joh Rowland's Samurai detective Sano series seems to delight every reader whom I've recommended them; she knows her Jpn. feudal history (she even includes samurai in love w/samurai characters). But, when you're done with 'em, you'll respect the series as solid who- and whydunnits.
I'd give you recommendations based what I'm reading nowadays, but you'd hate on me. Heh.
Joined: 28 Nov 2003 Posts: 78 Location: Where Gavagai Roam Country:
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 8:44 am Post subject:
Right now I started on Greg Egan's Diaspora. Interesting on how he interprets Dennett and Minsky's construction of consciousness into a fictional story about mankind in the future.
Also I just read a few pages of this manga - Confidential Confessions by Reiko Momochi. Pretty good so far - but depressing at the same time.
Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1249 Location: USA Country:
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 8:50 am Post subject:
IkematsuSosuke wrote:
No hate in this forum, only love
Oh, yes. I forgot. Silly me.
By the way, IkematsuSosuke, that Rowland series reads nicely and moves at a respectable pace. Enjoy.
P.S. oh, wait; you're an engineering type, no? In that case, and if you have time (I still highly recommend the picks I'd previously mentioned for summer reading), but, if you still wanna' keep ya'll technical interest on AND wanna read fiction, you might wanna consider Tom Clancy's novels. I'd recommend (and keep in mind, these are pretty huge-sized, in pages, books) Debt of Honor (which is about a Mishima-like Japanese industrialist who wisheth to restart the hate on the U.S.; the ending . . . is VEEEEERRRRRRY chilling, don't say I didn't warn you), Red Storm Rising (Clancy's only novel about a full-scale war, if you ask me; and his bona fide classic), and Rainbow Six (did you like the game? READ THIS ONE, THEN!).
But, eh, save the reading for late night . . . it's gonna be SUMMER after all! Ah, I should talk . . . all I did during the summer (if I wasn't out with friends) was read . . . was on the beach, but, yeah, I read during my college breaks as well.
Joined: 14 Feb 2004 Posts: 1105 Location: Stockton/Frisco Country:
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 8:54 am Post subject:
Nope, I'm not the engineering type..I'm the psychology type.
I'm sure I'll have time to read during the summer..can't afford to go out everyday..if I can I would..my dinky paycheck doesn't go far..plus the high gas price
Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1249 Location: USA Country:
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 9:00 am Post subject:
IkematsuSosuke wrote:
Nope, I'm not the engineering type..I'm the psychology type.
I'm sure I'll have time to read during the summer..can't afford to go out everyday..if I can I would..my dinky paycheck doesn't go far..plus the high gas price
Whoops. OK, the Rowland books'll do great. Though, if you wanna follow ONE novel throughout an entire year, the Clancy books are it. OK.
Yeah, those gas prices . . . on the mainland you guys must be upset. I have NO idea why folk in Hawai'i are whining . . . why? 1) limited distance; 2) we don't have to pay for heat, and we don't have to change up our clothing each season.
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I'm thinking the next book I read will have to be something a little lighter. 
characters). But, when you're done with 'em, you'll respect the series as solid who- and whydunnits.
