A Brief History of Japan, Jonathan Clements
A Brief History of Japan, Jonathan Clements
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

A Brief History of Japan
Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun

Author: Jonathan Clements

Narrator: Julian Elfer

Unabridged: 8 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 10/22/2019


Synopsis

This fascinating history tells the story of the people of Japan, from ancient teenage priest-queens to teeming hordes of salarymen, a nation that once sought to conquer China, yet also shut itself away for two centuries in self-imposed seclusion.

First revealed to Westerners in the chronicles of Marco Polo, Japan was a legendary faraway land defended by a fearsome Kamikaze storm and ruled by a divine sovereign. It was the terminus of the Silk Road, the furthest end of the known world, a fertile source of inspiration for European artists, and an enduring symbol of the mysterious East. In recent times, it has become a powerhouse of global industry, a nexus of popular culture, and a harbinger of post-industrial decline.

With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.


About Jonathan Clements

Jonathan Clements is the author of Christ's Samurai: The True Story of the Shimabara Rebellion, A Brief History of the Samurai, Modern Japan: All That Matters, Anime: A History, and Prince Saionji Kinmochi. In 2016 he became the presenter of Route Awakening (National Geographic)-a TV series on historical icons of Chinese culture.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Katie on May 14, 2023

A really interesting history book, especially in the second half.......more

Goodreads review by Daniel on October 07, 2021

This was an excellent short history of Japan, both entertaining and informative. For those looking for an entertaining read, you will appreciate the short introductory stories for each time period. For those looking to learn a lot about Japan in a short period of time, you will appreciate how the au......more

Goodreads review by Daniel on May 28, 2018

A must read for visitors to Japan. This book is very readable, and turned years of long history to a short book. Each chapter focused on a critical part of history, with a dramatized introduction of a story that reflects the parts. So the Emperors are descended from the Gods, and archeology work on......more

Goodreads review by Massimo on April 28, 2025

Like countless others, I’ve been fascinated with Japan and its culture for a long time, and have had the pleasure and honor to visit the country and experience firsthand some of the places mentioned in this delightful little guide by Jonathan Clements. The book does what the title says: it provides......more

Goodreads review by Tobi on January 29, 2024

Don’t know what all the complains are about. This book is genuinely a good, brief history of Japan. Like i’m sorry the author doesn’t go into immense detail about the theory of absolutism, or individual members of the bakafu, but this book truly is brief, and I think the details the author decided t......more