Giving Up the Gun: Japan's Reversion to the Sword, 1543-1879
This is a significant story, and Perrin tells it marvelously well, with rich detail, captivating quotations from observers of the time, both Japanese and Western, and a wealth of revealing comparisons with contemporary technology, warfare, and life in Europe. This little book is both...
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This is a significant story, and Perrin tells it marvelously well, with rich detail, captivating quotations from observers of the time, both Japanese and Western, and a wealth of revealing comparisons with contemporary technology, warfare, and life in Europe. This little book is both thought-provoking and a delight to read. Edwin O. Reischauer, Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780879237738 (0879237732)
ASIN: 0879237732
Publish date: 1988-01-01
Publisher: David R. Godine
Pages no: 136
Edition language: English
This was an interesting look at how Japan gave up an entire form of technology in the 17th century. While Perrin is no expert on Japan, and his overall observations about technology are a little dated, he is a superb writer who makes his arguments effectively and with passion.
A very interesting short study of the use of firearms in Japan: why did they, after adopting them in the 16th century with great success, stop using them (a lot to do with aristocratic culture), and how (the Tokugawa shogunate managed to establish a single centralized manufactury and government mono...
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