Atsushi Kawai: Japanese History Read in One Night

There is an old saying, "If you do not know what is to come, look to the past." It means that if you cannot know what lies ahead, you should examine the past. The "usefulness of history" can be found in this single phrase. Unfortunately, however, for the majority of people, history is nothing more than a boring subject to be memorized. One major reason for this is that many history books consist of a monotonous listing of information, failing to adequately address the historical context that inevitably led to events or the relationships between figures. There is only a description of events, but no story. This is no different for books dealing with Japanese history. This book is the latest revised edition of *Japanese History in One Night*, which originated from this very awareness of the problem. The author, a Japanese history teacher and renowned writer, has carefully selected 100 key events, adding anecdotes and illustrations to enable readers to understand the flow of history as a whole and as entertainingly as possible. Why did so many samurai run rampant in Japanese history? What was the reason for the frequent occurrence of mass suicides? What was the background behind the blossoming of various religions and the birth of outstanding architectural techniques? As you follow the various questions, you will hear the causes and consequences of major events that are indispensable in Japanese history as ‘stories.’ Based on a deep understanding of Japanese identity and culture, you will gain a broader and more balanced perspective not only on Korean history but also on ‘East Asian History,’ which is a subject recently chosen by many high school students.

Korean title: 하룻밤에 읽는 일본사

Korean author: 가와이 아쓰시

Korean publisher: 알에이치코리아

ISBN-13: 9788925536958