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A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
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Great first listens
Publisher's Summary
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.
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What listeners say about A Brief History of Japan
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Colin McMahon
- 2022-07-21
Great for beginners, very engaging.
This is an amazing, broad view of the history of japan condensed into 8 hours. I listened to it 3 times already and am still impressed.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-11-02
Worth the listen
A worthy addition to anyone, who has a deep interest in Japan as a whole.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jay
- 2023-09-18
Engaging and easily digestible
Fairly concise and high level view of the Japanese history, Easy for beginners to grasp and engaging to listen to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2020-04-03
History need not be dry.
This book is wildly entertaining and read very well. I laughed out loud. To history. Imagine your brilliant history professor friend, who after a few glasses of wine decides he's going to tell you the whole story of Japan, from ancient times until today, while gesturing grandly with his hands for emphasis. you'd stick around and listen, wouldn't you? You'd be crazy not to! This is it. Not an academic exercise, but not inaccurate either. Don't walk away.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- TK
- 2023-01-27
Just what I was looking for.
Broad, informative, succinct. In and out feeling better informed without a seeming college lecture series or textbook. Good narration and pronunciation.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Laverdm
- 2024-03-19
Absolutely amazing
This is a must read if you want or need to understand Japanese culture and history.
The book is beautifully organized and easy to read/listen to 😉
I will definitely re-read it more than once
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