32 ratings | 9 reviews | avg rating:4.59

Matt Alt’s Followers (127)

Matt’s Bookshelves

to-read (3)
currently-reading (1)
read (54)

Matt’s Friends (154)

Tobias

976 books | 76 friends

Chris

1,085 books | 35 friends

Christopher Hood

401 books | 150 friends

Chad Kohalyk

1,343 books | 121 friends

Leslie

1,999 books | 36 friends

Marianna Zanetta

1,544 books | 279 friends

Daniel Warriner

460 books | 1,375 friends

Craig Mod

82 books | 696 friends

More friends…

Matt Alt

Goodreads Author

Born

in Washington DC, The United States

Website

http://www.mattalt.com

Twitter

matt_alt

Genre

Nonfiction, History, Folklore

Member Since

December 2012

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/matt_alt

edit data

Matt Alt lives in Tokyo with his wife and frequent collaborator, Hiroko Yoda.

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Matt Alt questions, please sign up.

Combine Editions
Matt Alt’s books

Average rating: 4.14 · 5,301 ratings · 725 reviews · 14 distinct works • Similar authors

	Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World 4.18 avg rating — 3,199 ratings — published 2020 — 25 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Yokai Attack!: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide by Hiroko Yoda, Matt Alt (Goodreads Author), Tatsuya Morino (Illustrator) 4.13 avg rating — 954 ratings — published 2008 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Yurei Attack!: The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide (Yokai ATTACK! Series) by Hiroko Yoda, Matt Alt (Goodreads Author), Shinkichi (Illustrator) 4.10 avg rating — 450 ratings — published 2012 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Japandemonium Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien by Toriyama Sekien, Matt Alt (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Hiroko Yoda (Editor) 4.07 avg rating — 319 ratings — published 2014 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ninja Attack!: True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws (Yokai ATTACK! Series) by Hiroko Yoda, Matt Alt (Goodreads Author), Yutaka Kondo (Illustrator) 3.94 avg rating — 236 ratings — published 2010 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan by Matt Alt (Goodreads Author), Hiroko Yoda 3.88 avg rating — 101 ratings — published 2007 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Introduction to Yōkai Culture: Monsters, Ghosts, and Outsiders in Japanese History by Kazuhiko Komatsu, Hiroko Yoda (Translator), Matt Alt (Goodreads Author) (Translator) 3.69 avg rating — 97 ratings — published 2012 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Frommer's? Japan Day by Day by Matt Alt (Goodreads Author), Hiroko Yoda, Melinda Joe 4.08 avg rating — 13 ratings — published 2012 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Secret Lives of Emoji: How Emoticons Conquered the World 3.89 avg rating — 9 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pure Invention: How Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Matt Alt…

29 posts
Matt Alt's Blog

Check out my newsletter & YouTube channel!

[image error]

The sad news is, this blog has been dormant for many years now.

The good news is, I'm writing more than ever!

Check out my newsletter here:

https://blog.pureinventionbook.com/

And check out my YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/@AltMattAlt

Thanks for all the support over the years!

Matt is Currently Reading

Matt Alt is currently reading

The Wrong Goodbye

by Toshihiko Yahagi

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Sep 03, 2021 02:48AM

rss
Matt’s Recent Updates

Matt Alt wants to read Eight Million Ways to Happiness: Wisdom for Inspiration and Healing from the Heart of Japan by Hiroko Yoda	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 26, 2025 12:19PM · like

More of Matt's books…

Quotes by Matt Alt (?)

“A 1968 survey asking young men how they spent their free time within the last three months was topped by “reading,” followed by “drinking at home.”
― Matt Alt, Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World

1 likes

“Era come se l'intero Giappone si stesse riconfezionando per essere riproposto al mondo nel suo ruolo anteguerra di venditore di curiosità.”
― Matt Alt, Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World

0 likes

Polls

Nonfiction Poll for group read March/April 2025

Japan in Print: Information and Nation in the Early Modern Period by Mary Elizabeth Berry

3 votes 50.0%

Christ's Samurai: The True Story of the Shimabara Rebellion by Jonathan Clements

2 votes 33.3%

Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World by Matt Alt

1 vote 16.7%

Bending Adversity: Japan and the Art of Survival by David Pilling

0 votes 0.0%

Takarazuka: Sexual Politics & Popular Culture in Modern Japan by Jennifer E. Robertson

0 votes 0.0%

In Search of Japan's Hidden Christians: A Story of Suppression, Secrecy and Survival by John Dougill

0 votes 0.0%

Titia: The First Western Woman in Japan by René Bersma

0 votes 0.0%

6 total votes

4 comments

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
You'll love this ...: Lanelle's 2021 Museum Meanderings	318	59	Oct 22, 2021 06:36PM
Non Fiction Book ...: Nominations for the July / August 2024 BotMs	8	71	May 05, 2024 08:26PM
Non Fiction Book ...: July / August 2024 BotMs—Poll has closed	3	26	Jun 16, 2024 06:37AM
Non Fiction Book ...: July / August 2024 BoTM - Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World	3	25	Jul 10, 2024 01:59PM
Malaysian Reads: Currently reading...	211	404	Dec 10, 2024 08:05PM
More Trees Please: * Start Here	13	18	Jan 02, 2025 12:59PM
Non Fiction Book ...: * What nonfictions are you reading or have finished in 2024?	460	254	Mar 30, 2025 09:50AM