History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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.

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

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | 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.

Unspeakable Acts: The Avant-garde Theatre of Terayama Shuji And Postwar Japan

Average customer rating:

A good introduction

Unspeakable Acts: The Avant-garde Theatre of Terayama Shuji And Postwar Japan
Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0824827961

Book Description

Iconoclast, outlaw, genius, terrorist, pornographer: Terayama Shûji (1935-1983) has been labeled all of these and more. One of postwar Japan's most gifted and controversial playwrights/directors, Terayama has been compared to such artists as Robert Wilson and John Cage. During his lifetime his work incited scandal, outrage, even violence. Since his death more than twenty years ago, he has been transformed into a cult hero in Japan; members of the international theater continue to adore and damn him. Despite this notoriety, Unspeakable Acts is the first book in any language to analyze the theater of Terayama in depth.

Unspeakable Acts interrogates postwar Japanese culture and theater through the creative work of this unique yet emblematic artist. By situating Terayama in his historical milieu and by using tools derived from Japanese and Western theories of psychoanalysis, anthropology, sociology, gender studies, and aesthetics, Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei has woven a sophisticated and provocative study. Among the key themes she explores are the ruins of personal and national identity in the wake of Hiroshima, the Occupation, and the anti-American demonstrations of the 1960s; the paradoxical links between Japanese nostalgia, performance, and postmodernity; the theory of Japan as a "mother-centered culture" that nurtures powerful bonds of love-in-hate toward mothers and other females; and the artistic legacies and practices that bind Terayama to—and sever him from—both the international avant-garde and the popular Japanese rural traditions of his youth.

While driven to create art in many genres, Terayama nurtured above all his roles as a trickster and outsider, encouraging disaffected youths to rebel against social convention. His theatrical troupe, Tenjô Sajiki, was a haven for talented pop artists, transvestites, dwarves, circus performers, and gamblers. His directorial style was so idiosyncratic that it was generally believed that his works could not be remounted after his death. However, because the provocative content of his plays continues to resonate for many Japanese today, internationally renowned directors such as Ninagawa Yukio have been prompted to produce new versions both in Japan and abroad. Translations of three plays and copious excerpts from Terayama's most important book of dramatic theory comprise the second half of this eye-opening volume.

Unspeakable Acts will be essential reading for anyone interested in the paradoxical nature of postwar Japanese theater and culture and the cross-cultural influences in international avant-garde performance.

Customer Reviews:

A good introduction.......2006-01-07

This book's volume is a little misleading. You look at it and you think you're in the presence of the definite english treatise on the life and work of Terayama Shuji, but later you realize that you only get a mere 170 pages worth of it, the rest of the 335-page book consisting of a few select translations of his work. The translations themselves are a wonderful thing to have, but the first part of the book is a little unsatisfying, that is, it's a good introduction but I felt like some points deserved to be expanded. Furthermore, the author's words denote an infatuation with Terayama Shuji's work and persona and yet they're a little too academic and dispassionate (which would've made for a more interesting reading experience, but this is only a personal preference and it's completely understandable). However, the book is an easy read, informative enough and well researched. It also contains a few photographic reproductions which help the reader invision the often surreal and visually imaginative world conceived by Terayama. "Unspeakable acts" pretty much accomplishes what it sets out to do, but at the same time it falls a little short of the expectations (the author herself mentions, at one point, the limitations of the book's scope). Perhaps a second volume would be a welcome addition.

Reading a Japanese Film: Cinema in Context

Average customer rating:

Reading a Japanese Film: Cinema in Context
Keiko I. McDonald
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Eastern | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Guides & Reviews | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 082482993X

Book Description

In recent years, the popularity and availability of Japanese films in the West—including but not limited to those belonging to the animation and horror genres—have resulted in new, more diverse audiences for some of the most critically acclaimed and thoroughly entertaining films ever made. Reading a Japanese Film, written by a pioneer of Japanese film studies in the United States, provides many of these viewers with the necessary tools to construct a deeper understanding of Japanese cinema. In her introduction, Keiko McDonald presents a historical overview for those with little or no knowledge of Japanese cinema and outlines a unified approach to film analysis. Sixteen "readings" of films currently available on DVD with English subtitles put theory into practice as she considers a wide range of work, from familiar classics by Yasujiro Ozu (Floating Weeds), Kenji Mizoguchi (Sisters of Gion), and Akira Kurosawa (Drunken Angel), to the films of a younger generation of directors, including Hirokazu Koreeda's Maboroshi, Yoshimitsu Morita's The Family Game, Takeshi Kitano's Kids Return, and Naomi Kawase's Suzaku. Specific genres are also represented. Shiro Toyoda's melodramatic The Mistress adapts a work of Japanese literature. Kaneto Shindo's Onibaba is a horror film with socio-political overtones. My Neighbor Totoro is a beloved anime by Oscar-winner Hayao Miyazaki. The Japanese commitment to period film is examined via Hiroshi Inagaki's classic Musashi trilogy. Suitably analytic yet thoroughly accessible, this work will become a staple of Asian film studies courses and enrich any cinema lover's appreciation of Japanese film.

Heroes of the Kabuki Stage: An Introduction to the World of Kabuki with Retellings of Famous Plays, Illustrated with Woodblock Prints

Average customer rating:

Anybody interested in Japanese culture...
illustrated study of Kabuki theater

Heroes of the Kabuki Stage: An Introduction to the World of Kabuki with Retellings of Famous Plays, Illustrated with Woodblock Prints
Arendie Herwig , and Henk J. Herwig
Manufacturer: Hotei Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 9074822614

Customer Reviews:

Anybody interested in Japanese culture..........2005-06-28

...will find a treasure-trove of information in this wonderful book. The nobles had Noh, the commoners had Kabuki. Noh is tragic, intense, and performed with no scenery. Kabuki is melodramatic (when it isn't funny), diffuse, and depends on elaborate costume and scenery changes, some so entertaining they're done while the audience watches.
On the Left Coast, when most people hear "Japanese Art," they think of the Zen-influenced sumi ink painting, calligraphy, the cha-ya-nu ceremony, and ikebana. A tour through this book shows that much of Japanese art is unrestrained, brash, colorful, and fun.
I'm an old Japanese woodblock print collector and can vouch for the excellence of the prints used to illustrate every story. If you are a Westerner going to see your first Kabuki, this book is the authoritative source for understanding not only 85 separate Kabuki plays, but the whole wonderful set of conventions that have been built up around it.
The publisher has a catalog of Japanese and Asian art books which range from the terrific to the merely splendid.

illustrated study of Kabuki theater.......2005-03-01

The large, coffee-table quality book offers a particularly engaging, different way to learn about the kabuki theater that has long been an integral part of Japanese society. With full-color pictures of Japanese woodcuts on nearly every page, it's really an art book on kabuki. One aspect of the woodcuts relating to the theater are woodcuts of actors. These testify to the important place of kabuki in Japanese society, while they sometimes served as a sort of publicity. Besides offering a multi-dimensional treatment covering origins and evolution, playwrights and actors, the yearly cycle of kabuki, costumes, staging, and music, the work is also a lifelong reference--with its six indexes for instance. The Dutch authors are steeped in the subject from extensive research and attraction to Japanese prints. Thirty-seven kabuki dramas are reviewed with casts of characters, narratives of story lines, appropriate woodcuts, and endnotes and references.

On the Art of the No Drama: The Major Treatises of Zeami (Princeton Library of Asian Translations)

Average customer rating:

On the Art of the No Drama: The Major Treatises of Zeami (Princeton Library of Asian Translations)

Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Arts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 069110154X

Book Description

This annotated translation is the first systematic rendering into any Western language of the nine major treatises on the art of the Japanese No theater by Zeami Motokiyo (1363-1443). Zeami, who transformed the No from a country entertainment into a vehicle for profound theatrical and philosophical experience, was a brilliant actor himself, and his treatises touch on every aspect of the theater of his time.

Chushingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers): A Puppet Play

Average customer rating:

The virtue of blind loyalty
The Japanese Vendetta story to rival The Count of Monte Cristo
Kill Moronao: Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold, with Te-uchi noodles
Wonderful, interesting book. good translation~~
Keeneýs translation brings a puppet play to life

Chushingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers): A Puppet Play
Takeda Izumo , and Miyoshi Shoraku
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Eastern | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0231035314

Book Description

-- The New Yorker

Chushingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers), also known as the story of the Forty-Six (or Forty-Seven) Ronin, is the most famous and perennially popular of all Japanese dramas. Written around 1748 as a puppet play, it is now better known through Kabuki theater performances.

Donald Keene's translation of the original text is presented here with a new preface and an introduction and notes to aid readers in their comprehension and enjoyment of the play.

Customer Reviews:

The virtue of blind loyalty.......2007-07-05

"Chushingura" is Japan's "Romeo and Juliet". Not literally, of course, as the stories are very different, but in the way that it is a story that every Japanese person knows. Based on an actual incident, the story has been glorified and told and re-told for every generation, and still reverberates in hearts today. It is also, traditionally, a very hard story for Westerners to come to grips with, because the morals on display are not what we would consider to be admirable.

Loyalty is something we can admire, of course, but this is unearned loyalty. The 47 Ronin do not avenge their lord because he was a good man, because he is worthy of their loyalty. They avenge him because he is their Master, and because he was born to be their master. The samurai also did not earn their position, they were born samurai, as an inherited class. Their job, rank and income was all decided the moment they drew their first breath, along with whom they would owe their loyalty to. The very word "samurai" translates as "servant", and without someone to serve they have no purpose. They uphold an inherently unfair system, as shown by their unwillingness to include a merchant in their vendetta, not because his courage is less but because his birth-determined class is lower than theirs.

Donald Keene has performed a minor miracle with his translation of "Chushingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers". First off, his introduction deals with the inherent difficulties in the work. Even in Japan, since the inception of the work their has been debate on who are the heroes and who are the villains. A hotheaded lord sacrifices his life, family, home and the lives of the hundreds who depend on him simply because he could not swallow an insult. His personal pride was more important to him than all of these people's lives, all of whom paid his price. Keene shows the various points of view, the commentary given by Japanese authors over the years, and the way the story has been interpreted to support the various viewpoints of society.

On top of that, he has created a thrilling translation, one that can be read as a novel and is hard to put down once started. Think what you may of the moral lesson, the story itself is pure adrenalin, and it is hard not to cheer for the sword-hard loyalty that drives the 47 Ronin. In this translation, there is no dispute as to who the heroes are, even as they sell their wives into prostitution in order to raise funds for the vendetta, or willing slit the throats of their own children in order to prove their earnestness. Keene also provides annotations for some of the more obscure references and translations, especially the references to famous Chinese poems and allegories which are abundant.

I picked up this book thinking it was going to be a study guide for Japan's most famous story, hoping to glean some insight into a tale I have seen dozens of times in different interpretations. I got that, but what I also got was a great book, fun and exciting to read. I wasn't expecting that at all.

The Japanese Vendetta story to rival The Count of Monte Cristo.......2007-04-04

Chushingura, The Treasury of Loyal Retainers is an action packed story. The main theme of the novel is vengeance, although loyalty, sacrifice, persistence and honor all contribute to the eventual act of vengeance that is carried out at the end of the story. In the beginning of the story the villain, Lord Moronao is shown to be evil and morally repugnant by his actions. This allows the reader to side with the samurai as they plan to avenge the death of their former master by killing Lord Moronao. This book almost has a "Count of Monte Cristo" feel to it. Because such time and preparation is spent planning the event that will avenge their master's death, the story has a strong emotional connection which makes the reader almost feel like he is one of the samurai involved in the plot for vengeance.
As the thirty seven samurai plot their revenge, several subplots unfold. It is interesting to see how the samurai continue to live their lives even though their plot will undoubtedly end with their deaths. It is amazing that all these men and even their families are so committed to their cause that they would lay down their lives. These men are so firmly dedicated to honoring their dead master that they are willing to loose everything they have in order to carry out their plan.
Although the book definitely holds your interest it is hard to comprehend the extreme loyalty these men have for their dead master. Lord Hangan is not in the story for long and little is exposed of his character. I think for this story to be comprehendible to a modern audience Hangan needs to be shown as a person worth dying for, not just a simple master whose men are loyal to him. There needs to be an explanation why these men all feel so incredibly strongly for him. Or perhaps Moronao should have wronged more of the samurai so that the vendetta becomes personal in different respects to each man. I guess when reading this story one must take into consideration the era in which the actual story took place and the importance Japanese society placed on the virtues of loyalty, honor, and sacrifice.

Kill Moronao: Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold, with Te-uchi noodles.......2005-08-31

As another reviewer has noted, this book is impossible to put down. Although I am not a big fan of introductions-before-book, this one by Donald Keene helps a lot (the spoilers are few) and is recommended. Professor Keene's translation style is very limpid and flowing -- one is surprised by the end of Act Eleven when the climactic action sequence is brought to an end.

Fans of Bunraku (puppet theatre) and Kabuki should have this book -- and hopefully the National Theatre in Tokyo might offer either version of the play (one can get in and see Bunraku these days for about 40-50 bucks).

A note of warning: as Prof. Keene points out, this work of literature shows the other side of Japanese art (in contrast to austere restraint, this shows the Japanese love for color and violence) -- but it is not a non-stop action work. Instead, it deals more with the "tests" of loyalty (hence the title) each retainer must show in order to be allowed to participate in the final plan to kill their lord's enemy. In that way, Chushingura is much more about the love the retainers have for their lord than, in my opinion, the hatred and violence they harbor against the enemy. Uma Thurman in samurai garb, they are not...uh...

Fans of Chikamatsu's plays will find this popular work refreshing -- it moves at a much faster pace, with more feints here and there. As a result, it lacks the gravitas of Chikamatsu's works, but it is much more fun. A great book to own and then pass around to friends.

Wonderful, interesting book. good translation~~ .......2005-01-23

I read this book because it was required by a class.
However, after I started reading it, I can't put it down; it was very good translated, many Japanese names to remember for sure, but the interesting story will keep you going.

I would recommend people who are interested in Japanese samurai
period to read this book.

Keeneýs translation brings a puppet play to life.......2002-05-30

It is surprising that there is only one readily available (or at least affordable) translation of Chushingura, one of Japan's most famous puppet/kabuki plays, at amazon. We are fortunate then that Donald Keene's translation is that particular one, for it is a vivid, elegant work, serving as both an entertaining read and historical document.

After Tokugawa became Shogun in 1601, Japan entered a long period of regimented peace. The Samurai warrior-class were forced to adapt therein, trading their swords for the pen, and many of the classic traditions fell into stagnation. The old ways were taught, but seldom practiced: to excel in Tokugawa's bureaucracy, skill with the tongue was more important than skill with the sword...at least in the long run.

But occasionally the Samurai spirit rebelled. In 1703, forty-six former retainers of the late lord Naganori burst into the grounds of lord Yoshinaka, the man indirectly responsible for the death of their master; they killed Yoshinaka and then marched to a nearby Buddhist temple to offer the severed head to their master's grave. Even though they knew it would mean death by ritual seppuku (disembowelment), the ronin fulfilled their pledge to their master regardless, thus gaining `face' through the performance of duty.

Chushingura, a fictionalized account of this famous vendetta, emphasizes these aspects of honor and loyalty: the forty-six ronin are determined to see their course through to its end, regardless of cost. And the cost is, in places, quite high. Some have their wives sold to prostitution so that they can finance their revenge operation. Others deny their wedding promises, knowing death rests upon their shoulders. One ronin engages in all sorts of debauchery, destroying his reputation and staining his family name, so that suspicion is allied and he can plot in peace. Sacrifice for honor is prevalent throughout the play, and from it one can glean all of the qualities the Japanese revere most in their national character and heritage.

Book Description

Donald Keene combines informative works on two forms of classical Japanese theater into a single volume. The No text looks at all aspects of this traditional theater form including its history, its stage and props, the use of music and dance in its performances, the plays as literature, and the aesthetics of No. Also discussed are Kyogen, the comic farces that are typically interspersed with the solemn No dramas.

Revealed Identity: The Noh Plays of Komparu Zenchiku (Michigan Monograph Series in Japanese Studies, 55)

Average customer rating:

Revealed Identity: The Noh Plays of Komparu Zenchiku (Michigan Monograph Series in Japanese Studies, 55)
Paul S. Atkins
Manufacturer: Center for Japanese Studies University of Michigan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Eastern | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Profound yet accessible
Good research material
Great stuff
Noh Comparison

Japanese No Dramas (Penguin Classics)
Various
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Eastern | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Japanese | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0140445390

Customer Reviews:

Profound yet accessible.......2006-01-03

As previous reviewers have observed, Royall Tyler's scholarship is always top-notch, and his efforts in "Japanese No Dramas" are no exception. Yet equally impressive in this volume is the translator's ability to so richly present the depth of the No theater in clear, concise introductory essays that preface each play while locating them within a broader historical and literary context. This feature makes the text perfect for casual readers and devoted students alike. Tyler's general introduction to the No provides a solid theoretical background for complete beginners, explaining the foundations of the art, its prevalent symbolism and themes, and text- and performance-related terminology, while the aforementioned play-specific introductions offer perceptive critical analyses that follow and expand upon current Japanese No scholarship. Also worth mentioning in this respect are the footnotes. As readers of Tyler's "The Tale of Genji" translation will recall, the author supplies a great deal of explanatory notes to the text, both clarifying less-than-obvious intended meanings and pointing out references to other works. Since intertextuality forms such a vital aspect of classical Japanese literature, Tyler's decision to document each allusion proves invaluable for readers who are familiar with Japanese canonical texts or who seek to better appreciate the literary resonance of certain recurrent images and phrases. Furthermore, considering that a few of the No plays featured in this collection are nearly impossible to understand without basic knowledge of their social, religious, or historical background, readers will find themselves most grateful for Tyler's eminently helpful (yet never intrusive) explanations.

Of course, as impressive as the scholarship is here, it would mean little if the translations of the selected plays were substandard. Thankfully this is by no means the case. Tyler's renderings of each work compare favorably with the various other translations I've stumbled across, and the language he has chosen is simple yet elegant--doubtless an apt reflection of the No theater itself. As Tyler explains, although No is essentially a performance art and as such must be experienced live to be fully grasped, this certainly does not deprive the texts of their literary value. The poetry of "Matsukaze" alone is enough to convince one of this fact, and several other plays are equally lyrical and profound in their expression.

On a personal note, I have never been fortunate enough to attend an actual performance (which are rather difficult to find outside Japan), and my interest in the No is a product of reading volumes such as this; and yet, in spite of such apparent limitations, I can claim that multiple No plays rank among the greatest literature I have ever studied. Surely Royall Tyler's fine translations and careful attention to detail are in large part responsible for this occurrence. Five stars without hesitation.

Good research material.......2002-04-14

Tyler is known as an authority on Japanese Literature and this volume serves an excellent introduction to No drama which is quite philosophical and religious in background. Tyler includes several plays which are interesting from both an academic and asthetic viewpoint. I would like to make the suggestion to readers to look up some of Tyler's academic papers in titles such as "The Noh play Matsukaze as a transformation of Genji Monogatari" in Monumenta Nipponica. You can search in Jstor.com at your university library for his articles by author. His work in academic journals is top-notch.

Great stuff.......2001-01-07

In college I picked up a copy of no dramas and started thumbing through. The plays really caught my attention. The plays are mostly short, and have an emotional impact. The funny thing is, in my opinon, even though these plays are ancient an canonized in Japan, to me, they seemed really off the wall and funky. These plays are easy to read and sympathetic. Not what you might be expecting if you have any prejudgements...

Noh Comparison.......2000-05-22

The significance and effect of Noh drama is roughly equivalent to that of the plays of the great tragedians of ancient Greece. Noh combines the spiritual influences of the Buddhist and Shinto religions and the Japanese flair for densely woven, yet elegantly simple, verse in haunting allegories of enlightenment. Every detail, from set construction to the ritual motions of the actors on stage, heightens the poignancy of the plots. While the text of many of the plays are only a few pages long; a performance of a Noh play can last several hours. These plays are not only touching and intensely spiritual, but also provide a valuable resource for westerners who want to understand the roots of Japanese culture.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books