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The Wise Bamboo
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
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253 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1953
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 23, 2020
This book is a little gem. I was amazed by the elegant style, gift for storytelling and rich humor of someone who was not a professional writer. I bought the book largely because I had the good fortune of staying once at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo and was curious about how it was during the war; but the book went well beyond my expectations. I enjoyed many laughs at the author's stories or simply at his way with words.
The book is also interesting as a snapshot, from a peculiar angle of course, of the US postwar occupation of Japan and of the conflict between the American and the Japanese way of thinking (at least in that point in time). It was a delightful read. My only regret is that although this is an account of six years in Japan, the author says very little about his life prior to that and afterwards. This is a pity because he seemed to have been a very interesting man. Highly recommended.
The book is also interesting as a snapshot, from a peculiar angle of course, of the US postwar occupation of Japan and of the conflict between the American and the Japanese way of thinking (at least in that point in time). It was a delightful read. My only regret is that although this is an account of six years in Japan, the author says very little about his life prior to that and afterwards. This is a pity because he seemed to have been a very interesting man. Highly recommended.
October 15, 2020
A story of an officer and the famous hotel he revived after WWII
A fascinating story of the revival of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo by a young Army officer. How he managed a Japanese staff, eclectic and elite guests, and a complex structure needing major repairs to function. The clash of cultures was a constant theme, resulting in the myriad storys that were often funny and revealing of human foibles and eccentricities. It was a saga of rapid growth and change, all led by the remarkable manager who learned on the job, under great pressure, but always with tact and ingenious solutions. A delightful story of life in the occupation culture of postwar Japan.
A fascinating story of the revival of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo by a young Army officer. How he managed a Japanese staff, eclectic and elite guests, and a complex structure needing major repairs to function. The clash of cultures was a constant theme, resulting in the myriad storys that were often funny and revealing of human foibles and eccentricities. It was a saga of rapid growth and change, all led by the remarkable manager who learned on the job, under great pressure, but always with tact and ingenious solutions. A delightful story of life in the occupation culture of postwar Japan.
April 5, 2023
The stories in the book are quite entertaining. It was written a long time ago so there are some old-fashioned thoughts throughout, but the light-hearted humor about many guests at the Imperial Hotel are fun to read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews