History of Japanese Art

Customer Reviews:

Useful for Art History Students.......2007-01-26

Depending on what your intended usage for this book will be, this book may be somewhat helpful. I needed this for an art history class my senior year of college as an art history major. Thing is, the class was pretty ridiculous. It was supposed to be an introductory class into the art of japanese art & tradition, but the professor spoke more of Chinese art & traditions.

This book will give you a pretty thorough knowledge in Japanese Art, as well as some of its culture, more through the introductions of the eras and periods and through its pictures. But that's it, do not buy this if you're looking for a complete knowledge, because that's not what it is. Also, if you are looking for early (i.e. ancient!) japanese history, there really isn't any, in this book or just in general.

Definitely buy it here on Amazon, because I found it to be a lot cheaper in comparison to my friends who had spent a fortune on it through eBay and the university bookstores. You may also want to get a soft cover if you want to sell it back later on or use it solely for class, because it's such a heavy book (I have the hard cover). My intent was to keep the book, because it's such a nice book to have in anyone's collection.

If you do purchase it, you will not be let down. It's a great buy.

good comprehensive book.helped in class.......2006-02-24

very good book decent photos, covered a good amount of information . Got for my history of japanese painting class helped out

History of Japanese Art (Trade) (2nd Edition).......2005-09-18

Excellent - Just what I thought it would be.

"The authority" on Japanese art in English.......2000-09-05

There are a number of books on Japanese art in English, but many spend a great deal of time on one particular period (usually the period the author prefers) and writes about the rest as though they were "add-ons". Mason's work is concise as well as informative about a broad range of topics, and will serve as a good stepping stone or introduction for those looking to get in to the world of Japanese art. The general volume dedicated to each time period shows a fair balance, and it is easy to see how earlier movements in art and design influenced later developments, from prehistoric times to the modern era.

If there are any problems to be sited with the text, it is that it is getting a little old. Since 1993 (the most recent edition) there have been many advances in art history in Japan (particularly regarding prehistoric art and society), and many of the newer focuses in the art history comunity (such as Edo period printed matter, particularly picture inserts) will not be reflected in the text.

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Japanese Tattooing Now!: Memory And Transition, Classic Horimono To The New One Point Style

Average customer rating:

McCabe comes through again!
JAPANESE TATTOOING NOW BY MICHAEL McCABE
Fantastic Resource for Japanese Tattoos
Michael McCabe is a Master

Japanese Tattooing Now!: Memory And Transition, Classic Horimono To The New One Point Style
Michael McCabe
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0764321420

Customer Reviews:

McCabe comes through again!.......2007-04-10

Beautiful tattoos in both eastern and western styles, done by Japanese artists. If Mike puts his name on a book, you can pretty much trust that its going to be a winner.

JAPANESE TATTOOING NOW BY MICHAEL McCABE.......2007-01-05

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JAPANESE TATTOOS THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. GREAT PICTURES AND VERY INTERESTING TEXT.

Fantastic Resource for Japanese Tattoos.......2006-01-18

This is a terrific book full of great Japanese tattoos. There are tons and tons of photos and cool ideas. If you are thinking about getting a tattoo and like classic images, this is well worth it.

Michael McCabe is a Master.......2005-09-28

Michael McCabe is by far one of the finest cultural anthropologists our generation has seen. His experience as a professional tattooist and his ability to tell a wonderful story make his books both relevant and enjoyably readable---which is not always the case with the THOUSANDS of published books that are supposedly about the tattoo culture.

I buy EVERYTHING and ANYTHING with his name on it, and I've never been disappointed.

Average customer rating:

great ideas for an asian inspired home
excellent book of ideas and resources

Japanese Accents in Western Interiors
Peggy Landers Rao , and Jean Mahoney
Manufacturer: Japan Publications Trading
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Reference | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Style | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0870409883

Book Description

Shopping for Japanese antiques and folkcraft presents intriguing, yet mystifying choices. Kotatsu, futon covers, furoshiki, ran ma, unusual pieces of porcelain...so many things uniquely Japanese. The categories are broad and the choices, inviting. Gradually, the collector mentally sorts things
out, learns the purpose and potential of various objects, and makes selections appropriate for the Western home.

Peggy Rao and Jean Mahoney telescope the learning process by showing how some foreign residents in Tokyo have incorporated 77 different kinds of antiques and folkcraft into their Western homes. Each instance is inventive, since every photograph shows a Japanese object used in a different role from
its original function. A hibachi becomes a display chest, narrow yukata fabric becomes an ingenious window decoration, a bamboo screen conceals a TV.

Some acquisitions are inexpensive solutions to decorating problems. Some reflect the expertise of the professional designers whose own homes are included in the photographs. Some are total transformations, inspired by various Japanese art forms.

Toshiaki Sakuma's artistic photographs, taken in 45 different homes, capture the beauty of this West-East merger in interior design. Many of the items photographed have disappeared from everyday life in Japan. Some are puzzles even to the Japanese under the age of 50. The accompanying text reveals
the background of all the objects shown, and suggests why they might be worth acquiring from an artistic point of view. The book becomes not only a shopping guide, but also an introductory overview to the Japanese culture for visitors, residents and anyone, anywhere, interested in Japanese
treasures.

Turning the pages, the reader finds aesthetic ways to turn kimono into wall hangings, nine different uses for an obi besides wearing one, a good reason to look through piles of work garments at open markets, and the answer to why there are so many wooden fish on long poles in antique stores. Certain
craft processes are explained, along with the symbolism of such recurring design motifs as the pine, plum and bamboo.

The authors also provide an up-to-date list of shopping sources for antiques and folkcraft in Japan, the United States and Canada.

Customer Reviews:

great ideas for an asian inspired home.......2006-03-10

Nice ideas for using Japanese art and furniture.

excellent book of ideas and resources.......1998-06-21

Book contains abundant pictures with full descriptions of items and history. Also contains excellent resource section for U.S. and Japan. Terrific book for anyone interested in Japanese style interior design

Average customer rating:

High on the list of "Must Have"!
Have seen the show. See 12/1/98 Wall Street Journal.

Edo: Art in Japan 1615-1868
Robert T. Singer et. al.
Manufacturer: National Gallery Washington
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Renaissance | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Museums & Collections | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0300077963

Amazon.com

Edo: Art in Japan 1615-1868 is the lavish catalog of an exhibition organized on a scale never before attempted--even in Japan. There, the art of the Edo period is considered too vast a subject for a single show. Edo, the old name for Tokyo, has come to represent the two and a half centuries when the shogun's government intentionally isolated Japan from the rest of the world. Much of the huge wealth generated by this intensely hierarchical and inward-looking society was devoted to the creation of art and status items for the military rulers and rich merchants who supported them, with craftsmen producing works of extraordinary elegance and inventiveness. The show comprises nearly 300 objects, including 50 national treasures or important cultural properties, many of which have never before left Japan.

Besides scholarly descriptions of the objects, highly original essays by major art historians explore the six themes covered by the exhibition: ornament (or style); samurai; work; religion and festivals; travel, landscape, and nature; and entertainment. The vibrancy of a sophisticated urban population intent on pleasure suffuses the entire show, including, for example, a number of exquisite screens bright with gold that pulse with scenes of daily life in Edo. Among the most striking groups of objects are war helmets--functional, but given the most whimsical forms: a butterfly, a seashell, an upturned bowl. The superb quality of the objects and scholarship of the writing make this a landmark publication in Japanese art. --John Stevenson

Book Description

This gorgeous book examines a wide range of art from the Edo period in Japan, an era of splendor and innovation in the arts. The book, which includes works that range from gold leaf screens and woodblock images to porcelains, armor, and textiles, is the catalogue for a major exhibition of Edo art at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Published in association with the National Gallery of Art, Washington

Customer Reviews:

High on the list of "Must Have"!.......1999-02-24

Like NilesO, I too have seen the show at the National Gallery. Some of the items on display, I have also seen at the Tokyo Museum of Art back in '96 as part of an exhibition called "Flowers in Japanese Art, Craft and Literature". I've gone through half my annual book budget for '99 (and here it's only February!)! I think I'll pass for now, borrow the library's copy and wait for the paperback edition.

Have seen the show. See 12/1/98 Wall Street Journal........1998-12-02

The show is spectacular (check the review in the 12/1/98 Wall Street Journal), and the book (actually an expanded catalogue of the show that approaches being an art history text) is hefty and scholarly. It would seem a "must have" for serious students/afficionados of Japanese arts and culture of the Edo period. I have not read the tome, which is quite hefty and not yet available via Amazon.com, but did flip through it during my tour of the show at the National Gallery yesterday (11/30/98). My 5-star rating is, thus, based on the show, and not truly on the book. But the show is so brilliantly conceived by the author of the book (who curated the show) that I can't imagine the book would disappoint. It's pricey, but I think it's important enough that I have it on order. NilesO@AOL.com

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

Average customer rating:

Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Mythology & Folklore | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Controversial Knowledge | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Celtic | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Average customer rating:

Playing In the Shadows
Well worth the price
Excellent Book, Beautiful Photography
A LITTLE book, indeed

Japanese Style
Suzanne Slesin , Stafford Cliff , and Daniel Rozensztroch
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Style | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0517560801
Release Date: 1988-04-06

Book Description

Slesin and Cliff ( French Style and English Style) with their coauthor and photographer from Caribbean Style look at the richness, diversity, and never-ending romance of how the Japanese live today, as expressed through interior design. 770 full-color photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Playing In the Shadows.......2004-06-15

In another book I recently read of the importance of shadows in the domestic architecture of Japan. Openings aren't created simply to provide light, they are used t leave part of a room dim and private and to provide illumination only exactly where needed. The photography in Japanese Style (by Gilles de Chabaneix) captures this beautifully, even as the writers focus on other possible threads.

Any discussion of the intimate side of Japanese architecture and space use will spend a lot of time on the vast dichotomy between modern Japan and the style most Americans are familiar with - the traditional housing that represents over a millennia of incremental design. This book follows the same theme, moving from rural manor to a tiny Tokyo apartment, from beautifully carved wood to the unique character of poured concrete.

The more you look through this book, the more you realize that Japanese designers have managed to bridge the time gap rather than making an abrupt leap. Even though the change appears to be radical, the underlying sensitivity to arrangement and a knack for disciplined minimalism have been there all along. One glance at the photographs of a four level home build on a 320 square foot lot is all you need to realize that there is an unerring understanding of harmony and purpose. Style becomes a two way street - Tokyo has evolved as an expression of the Japanese esthetic, at the same time as the conditions of the city have shaped the artistic experience.

Buy this book for the photographs. For the most part the writers contribute little, other than providing some context. But De Chabeneix has an intuitive sense of how to see what the Japanese resident is seeing. Often the shots are magical, different angles of the same room look so difference that it is only on the second or third glance that you realize you are looking at the same room serving multiple purposes. As a result, you capture what it takes to make the Japanese Style happen anywhere, with any materials.

Well worth the price.......2003-06-23

Because we are in the process of designing and building a Zen Danish (as we call it) new home I purchased this wonderful book in order to get some specific ideas. Of special interest are the similarities between the Danish and Japanese styles that we love.

What amazed me is this book was published in the 80's yet I swear this book looks like it is a 2003 or futuristic publication that is timeless and well worth the hefty price of the book.

The section on Small Spaces is excellent and a chapter I would recommend for anyone who is looking to build either a small yet open home for one or two, or the second home in the mountains or sear the seashore.

I love the section on lofts and how they can be made to be classy, and not cluttered. And the whole chapter on craftsmanship which is actually what makes a Zen style living area so wonderful to me. Beginning on page 100 I gained some excellent ideas for our new garden and wisdom on how to have just the right amount of plant life and a koi pond to make the outside a part of ones living environment, rather than the grass and other high maintenance yards the average American has.

It is a book I find myself picking up every few days, reading a few pages and getting new ideas I can actually use.

Excellent Book, Beautiful Photography.......2001-03-01

This has got to be one of the best "Style" Books ever published. Excellent examples of architecture, beautiful interior design, and superb photography. Just the right juxtaposition of traditional and modern. Each of the major sections has both Japanese and Western Styles. Normally this would not mix, had it been contrived, but all of the examples in the book are real houses where people live and work. No Architectural Digest type of Houses that look artificial and posed are to be found in this book. My favorites are the tranditional Japanese houses of which there really great examples. This book can give you hundreds of ideas for decorating your house tastefully. The photography really does justice to these houses and the subtle aesthetics of the Japanese Style.

I collect "Style Books", and this has long been one of my favorites. I have had this book for over ten years and still look at it from time to time.

I would like to point out that the other review for this book below refers to a Miniature version of this book, and is probably a misunderstanding of some sort.

A LITTLE book, indeed.......2000-02-04

To have this book labeled Paperback edition of the original SUPERB hardcover book without qualification is a little bit too much for me.

Even at a quarter of the price, this 4 1/2 inch book is nothing compared to the original edition.

Book Description

In 1942,Executive Order 9066 mandated the incarceration of 110,000 Japanese Americans, including men, women, children, the elderly, and the infirm, for the duration of the war. Allowed only what they could carry, they were given just a few days to settle their affairs and report to assembly centers. Businesses were lost, personal property was stolen or vandalized, and lives were shattered. The Japanese word gaman means "enduring what seems unbearable with dignity and grace. "Imprisoned in remote camps surrounded by barbed wire and guarded by soldiers with machine guns, the internees sought courage and solace in art. Using found materials at first and later what they could order by catalog, they whittled and carved, painted and etched, stitched and crocheted. What they created is a celebration of the nobility of the human spirit under adversity. THE ART OF GAMAN presents more than 150 examples of art created by internees, along with a history of the camps.

Customer Reviews:

Crafts behind the wire.......2007-08-30

Delphine Hirasuna is to congratulated on producing a fascinating and moving tribute to the 120,000 Japanese who were interned, firstly in makeshift Assembly Centers for a few months then in Relocation Camps until 1946. It took until 1988 before a Presidential apology was forthcoming for the blatant violation of their civil rights by the federal government.

I think the strength of the book is the background to why the art and craft was produced. Hirasuna explains the rounding up process and public perceptions towards the Japanese only a few months after Pearl Harbor, the locations of the camps (as remote as possible it seems) and daily struggle in a hostile environment.

On page seventeen there is a map of the US and some camp statistics including a reference to Crystal City in Texas which bizarrely held 2264 ethnic Japanese from Latin and South America (1811 from Peru) who, having been forcibly taken to the camp, were then accused of entering the country illegally! After the war the Peruvians were not allowed to return home until Congress sorted out this injustice in 1953.

Look at the paintings, sculpture, craftwork and furniture and be amazed that most of it was created from whatever materials were available, discarded wood, sacking, vegetation, rocks, shells and anything that could be cut, woven or molded. My favorites are twenty-two brooches made from shells, ribbon and wire and they look just stunning. On pages 104-5 you can see a Buddhist shrine, five foot tall, with the most intricate carvings and hard to believe that it was probably made from firewood.

In the back of the book there is some background information about Japanese history museums and a short bibliography which strangely misses out Manzanar: Photography by Ansel Adams, Commentary by John Hersey. A more recent look at the subject is Impounded: Dorothea Lange and the Censored Images of Japanese American Internment a portfolio of photos by Dorothea Lange. Unfortunately the reproduction and design of the book don't do the photos justice.

The Art of Gaman is beautifully printed and designed (by Kit Hinrichs of Pentagram) and a suitable tribute to creativity in hard times.

***FOR A LOOK INSIDE click 'customer images' under the cover.

THe Human Spirit Defined.......2007-04-13

This book will have you in tears with its beauty in the face of diversity so extreme you can't imagine unless you've talked with a survivor of these internment camps. The level of the art is very fine, museum quality. It is hard to believe they had to scrounge the materials from dump piles and surplus. Anyone who doesn't think art can save lives should get this book.

I was moved to tears.......2007-01-11

The heart and spirit of the japanese internees continued to shine within the walls of their confinement. They found beauty and admiration of beautiful things living in desolate and inhumane conditions of the prison camps. This is a understated book with touching stories to tell.

Well done!.......2007-01-10

This book shows artwork done with minimal supplies in the Japanese-American concentration camps of the western US during WWII. The images are high quality, in color, and very thought-provoking.

The Art of Gaman by Hirasuna.......2005-12-21

This work documents the extensive detainment of Japanese
citizens during the later period of WWII. These prisoners
were kept in whitewashed horse stalls in California, Oregon
and the State of Washington. The camps emphasized education
including arts/crafts with a shortage of teachers.

Fine works of art include:
- The Natural Form of a Snake by Obata
- Kobu by Matsuhiro
- A Bonsai Notebook by Iseyama
- Shell Broaches and Corsages by Iwa Miura and Shintaku

The volume is a solid value for the price charged. It is a must
for serious students of WWII and historians everywhere.

Japan the Art of Living: A Sourcebook of Japanese Style for the Western Home

Average customer rating:

expecting something different
outstanding
Excellent Sourcebook for Japanese Interior Design
very helpfull

Japan the Art of Living: A Sourcebook of Japanese Style for the Western Home
Amy Sylvester Katoh , and Shin Kimura
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0804816115

Amazon.com

Longtime Japan resident Amy Sylvester Katoh and photographer Shin Kimura have created a fascinating and educational masterpiece in Japan: The Art of Living. More than 300 pictures of rooms, furniture, table arrangements, stylish windows, and more enliven its pages as they guide the reader on a "photographic tour of exquisite homes in the Tokyo area, focusing on ... antiques and folk crafts."

Katoh counsels readers to break free from some of the rules that govern Japanese style and design and experiment with their own brand of panache--or Japanache, as Katoh calls it. Instead of simply cataloging stylish homes, the author presents a design element, such as tansu chests, with a dozen options and alternatives, providing both ancient ideas and their modern updates. In addition to the superb photos and engaging text, there is also an index of places to buy the featured antiques, textiles, washi paper, screens, and other items, both in Japan and in 11 states in the U.S. If you were a fan of Japanese design before, this book will make you a fanatic. --Jhana Bach

Book Description

In this best seller, available for the first time in paperback, Amy Sylvester Katoh introduces stunning interior designs that have successfully blended East and West, traditional and modern. With over 300 color photographs by Shin Kimura, this tour of exquisite homes in the Tokyo area offers new ideas for decorating the Western home. It shows how enhancing table settings, arranging space with carefully selected screens and furnishings, and inviting the season indoors with delicate flower arrangements can create a Japanese aesthetic in the most parochial of rooms. Amy Sylvester Katoh, collector and connoisseur of Japanese Craftss and textiles, includes the latest information on antique markets and hints for where to see the art of living - in galleries, textile and Crafts shops, and restaurants.

Customer Reviews:

expecting something different.......2002-12-16

If you are looking for examples of the zen and minimalist aspects of Japanese style, then this is the wrong book for you.

Pluses:
Some of the pictures are interesting, and I liked many of the cultural aspects of the book.

Minuses:
Some of the pictures reminded me of the elaborate and glitzy decor of some Westernized Asian restaurants.

Recommendation:
If you are interested in all aspects of Japanese style, this book might interest you. Everyone else should avoid buying this book.

outstanding.......2001-11-15

i have thouroughy enjoyed it thank u very much it really made my day to see that other people have the same in terests as me n my colleagues

Excellent Sourcebook for Japanese Interior Design.......2000-12-15

Regardless if you want to have a Japanese Tea Room, a Japanese touch, or just like looking at great photographs of Interior Design, you should buy this book.

I normally don't like books which take elements from one Style, in this case Japanese, and then adapt it for Western use, but here it works very well, thanks to superb and tasteful examples. The authors are also very up-front about it, as the sub-title which does not appear on the cover is "A Sourcebook of Japanese Style for the Western Home".

In hundreds of excellent photographs we are shown in sections with such titles as: "Light and Space", "Traditional Furniture" and "Japanese Textiles" just how easy it is to give rooms and areas of your home a Japanese touch or feel. I personally like the Style very much because it is subdued, almost austere, yet elegant, and makes much use of natural materials. The book is full of really clever examples of what one can do with space, and the best part is, that for the most part it can be done without great expense. The list of sources of where to buy materials at the end of the book is unfortunately out of date. The copy of the book I have was published in 1990, but many sources should be readily available on the Internet.

Along with the excellent book "Japanese Style" by Suzanne Slesin, et.al. (at the time of writing out of print), "Japan: The Art of Living" is all you'll need to go Japanese. And lastly before I forget, the price is right.

very helpfull.......2000-08-19

As a an architecture student and in an architecture firm working guy I found this book very helpfull. I like japanese architecture and this book has taught me a way to design interiors in japanese-western way.

Average customer rating:

Japanese Gardens
WTF...it's small and shallow
Eccellent coffee table book
Making clear the mysteries of the garden

Styles and Motifs Japanese Gardens
Katsuhiko Mizuno
Manufacturer: Japan Publications Trading
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Japanese Gardens | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 4889961836

Book Description

The art of landscaping was said to have been imported from China but as with other imports, the Japanese transformed garden design to suit the indigenous climate and natural surroundings, creating an entirely original art form in the process. A stroll through any of these gardens reveals their
inimitable spirit, style and expression.

STYLES AND MOTIFS JAPANESE GARDENS is a highly accessible flip reference for the novice gardener and first time visitor. Each of the 31 beautiful Kyoto gardens featured in this book embody the unique landscaping approaches and techniques of the periods when they were created, from the Heian and
Muromanchi eras to Momoyama and Edo.

From teahouses, rock gardens, ponds, and basins, STYLES AND MOTIFS JAPANESE GARDENS features only gardens that are open to the public, making this book an ideal guide for visitors to Kyoto who wish to know more about the spirit and form of Japanese landscape arts.

Customer Reviews:

Japanese Gardens.......2006-07-15

I got some good ideas looking through this book. I am not a "kid" under 13 but found it difficult to find any other place to review this. I was waiting for it to come to my library but got impatient and sent for it.

WTF...it's small and shallow.......2006-06-26

Some joker here said this book was an "Excellent coffee table book." When you think of a coffee table book, you think of a big book with large pictures.

This book is 6 inches...it's a combed bound landscape pocket book.

Sure the pictures and the short essays that accompany them are lovely...bring a magnifying glass!

However, the essays often point out the shortcomings of the book. In one case, it talks of how a garden was built to be enjoyed from multiple points of view; however, you only get one photo of the garden. In another case, a pond garden is described as being enjoyed from a boat; but the picture is from the shore.

For you zen folk: the nature of the book is not in harmony with the content of the book. A pocket book can never cover the scope of these gardens.

I gave it two stars because it might be good as a learning aid to those studying Japanese gardens...the landscape binding make it a pretty good flash-card system.

Eccellent coffee table book.......2006-02-19

Splendid photographs and insightful descriptions enhance the appreciation I already have for the artistry within Japanese gardens.

Making clear the mysteries of the garden.......2005-05-04

It is said that if you cut a Japanese garden with a sword, it will bleed, because the gardener has put his very life's blood into his creation. To stand in the composed splendor of an authentic Japanese garden, it is easy to believe this, so powerful and rich is the aura of the place. Any visitor to Japan will spend at least some time in the famous gardens, wandering and dreaming. Possibly there are one or two Japanese gardens in your hometown as well, if you are lucky.

However, unless you are steeped in the mysteries and culture of Japanese religion, you would no more understand the deeper symbolism of the place than a lifelong Buddhist would understand the icons of a Catholic church. Japanese gardens are not mere works of beauty. In some cases, they are encoded representations of paradise. In other cases, mediation tools to assist in gaining enlightenment. In all cases, they are much more than what they appear.

Katsuhiko Mizuno has kindly written a guide book, a decoder if you will, to the delights of the garden. "Styles and Motifs: Japanese Gardens" is an essential book. Mizuno has made simple the complex structure, elucidating the symbology of the naturescape and the intentions of the gardener. Set into thirty basic motifs, such as "Moss Gardens," "Sand Designs," "Buddhist Trinity Stones" and "Rock Arrangements Symbolizing Eternal Life," the book explains and shows examples of typical features. Each feature is accompanied by a beautiful photograph, and information as to which gardens throughout Japan that particular feature can be found.

The book is compact, and spiral bound, making it very convenient to carry and travel with. Anyone coming to Japan would be happy to have included a copy in their packing.

I have been to Ryoan-ji in Kyoto many times, and each time I can hear people, staring at the famous Dry Landscape Garden (#15 in the book) saying, "Its beautiful, but what does it mean? I just don't get it." If they had a copy of "Styles and Motifs: Japanese Gardens," think of how much richer their experiences would have been!

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books