A Short History of Japan

by Malcolm D. Kennedy

From the Back "In this lively and entertaining history, Malcolm Kennedy stresses the unique importance of mythology and legend in the development of Japan up to the period of the Occupation. His comprehensive account begins with the immigration of the Koreans into the island of Japan; he covers the advent of Buddhism, its political and cultural significance; the rise of ancient dynasties; the development of the warrior class and the feudal system. In the intriguing chapters on modern Japan, Captain Kennedy details the social, economic, and political factors that have changed a former foe into an important ally of the Western world."

Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 1969

Reviews

[Lauren Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt this was very good especially considering how old a book it is, published in the 60’s. It doesn’t read as as dated as it could have been considering how much has happened since then.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book is pretty lousy, written by a Scottish historian back in the 1950's i believe, it is useful if you want a really brief history of Japan and don't have a lot of time to invest in a series of books, the difficulty with this book is that the author refers to events in British history and compares them to the Japanese, so if you are not well versed in British history like myself, some of the references will go by the wayside, i guess i will need to read up on British history then i can understand some of the allusions made to the Japanese in this book.