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Go behind the scenes of politics from around the world

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"Fascinating...clearly stated, interesting and provoking.... A plainspoken account of living in Asia."--San Francisco Chronicle

Anyone who has heard his weekly commentary on NPR knows that T. R. Reid is trenchant, funny, and deeply knowledgeable reporter and now he brings this erudition and humor to the five years he spent in Japan--where he served as The Washington Post's Tokyo bureau chief.He provides unique insights into the country and its 2,500-year-old Confucian tradition, a powerful ethical system that has played an integral role in the continent's "postwar miracle."

Whether describing his neighbor calmly asserting that his son's loud bass playing brings disrepute on the neighborhood, or the Japanese custom of having students clean the schools, Reid inspires us to consider the many benefits of the Asian Way--as well as its drawbacks--and to use this to come to a greater understanding of both Japanese culture and America.
Amazon.com Review
Despite setbacks, the economic "miracles" achieved by manyAsian countries in the latter 20th century have been impressive. Thisentertaining and thoughtful book invites the reader to consider EastAsia's other miracle: its dramatically low rates of crime, divorce,drug abuse, and other social ills. T.R. Reid, an NPR commentator andformer Tokyo bureau chief for the Washington Post, lived inJapan for five years, and he draws on this experience to show how thecountries of East Asia have built modern industrial societiescharacterized by the safest streets, the best schools, and the moststable families in the world.

Reid credits Asia's success to the ethical values of Chinesephilosopher Confucius, born in 551 B.C., who taught the value ofharmony and the importance of treating others decently. This is not anew perception--Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore and others have ratherheavy-handedly invoked it to claim moral superiority over theWest--but the author's vivid anecdotes strengthen itsrelevance. Public messages constantly remind Asian citizens of theirresponsibilities to society. To enhance a sense of belonging, civicceremonies encourage individuals' allegiance to a greater good; acrossJapan, for example, April 1 is Nyu-Sha-Shiki day, when corporationsofficially welcome new employees, most of whom remain loyal to theircompany for life. Citing Malaysia's ideas of a "reverse Peace Corps,"Reid sees a case for Asians coming to teach the West in the same waythat Westerners have evangelized in Asia for over fourcenturies. --John Stevenson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

East Meeting West, and all the Rest
J picked this paperback up for me during her business trip in the U.S., due in part for her own interest in it, but also because we both had enjoyed Reid's informal talks with Bob Edwards on NPR's Morning Edition where he often provided a great first-hand view of an ex-patriate. Since we've been in that position for just a little over 18 months now, she thought I would find Reid's view of what the East gets right, and gets wrong, interesting. And I did. Reid is clear in his thesis, which may have aged somewhat since the book was written in the late 90s and thus doesn't cover some of the world changes that have occurred since. The background idea, that Asia is rapidly coming into its own and displacing the 20th century to make the 21st century the Asian century, is hard to refute. Reid's thesis, however, that this is due to a philosophy born out of Confucian thought, is a little tougher to follow, although he provides plenty of examples, both anecdotal and statistical.

The best thing about the book, however, is that Reid adopts a Japanese idea and points out the flaws in his own theory in an afterward (an atogaki). This is where I understood what was bugging me the most about the book, and that is trying to define Asia as a homogenous group. My personal perspective, having lived in Malaysia and visited (albeit too briefly for many of these places) other Asian locations, is that while some shared perspective is present, there's a lot more cracks in the impenetrable front that is often portrayed within and without the region. Malaysia, in particular, has a schizophrenia from its mixed racial identity and the growth of Islamic economic power. Reid, at one point, quotes a Chinese Malaysian as saying the affirmative action put in place to bring the Malay population out of poverty (in comparison to the Chinese population) was not perfect, but necessary for the culture, might still be said today, but that commentator would also say that it is time to change that affirmative action to one based on income, rather than race, as the ongoing New Economic Plan is increasingly seen as a racial divider rather than one that is actually improving race relations.

Finally, the other nice point that Reid emphasizes is that Confucian thought is actually not that far different from Christian teaching, with the golden rule of "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" expressed as "Do not impose on others what you do not want for yourself." He then proceeds to make connections between other Judeo-Christian and Classical ethical guidance and Confucius, coming to the conclusion that, in a nutshell, ethics = ethics, in all languages and cultures. The difference may lie in how much individuals are willing to concede to groups, and vice versa (i.e., where are the commons, or where does your face end and my fist begin?).

More Nihonjinron
The author seems to have done little investigation into all of the forces at work in Japanese society. He simply regurgitates the Nihonjinron stereotypes that make discourse on Japan all the more difficult.

Low crime? Sure. On the other hand did he once mention the abhorrent practices of police brutality, forced confessions, broken kneecaps and busted skulls, 98% conviction rates, no habeas corpus, fudging of crime statistics and prison conditions that essentially amount to death sentences?

Low divorce rate? Until recently women were not entitled to a dime of their husbands money upon divorce. Now that they are, divorce rates are skyrocketing.

Contrary to what the author claims, Japan is not a homogeneous and harmonious society as any educated sociologist specializing in Japan knows. There are very distinct regional cultures, generational differences and dialects which greatly influence people's eating habits, language, thought patterns, housing styles, culturally influenced behavior etc...

There are great income and educational disparities. Minority, ethnic and gender issues DO exist however they often do not receive the attention from the media that they might elsewhere. One reason may be that Japan's freedom of the press is very low in comparison with other developed nations and groups fighting hard battles for recognition and rights are too often swept under the rug and ignored.

Any half-educated economist could tell you the real ECONOMIC factors that were behind Japan's boom and why it was not based upon Confucianism and "Asian Values". Lifetime employment is dying because companies found out the hard way that it does not work. There have been massive layoffs and a growing unemployment rate.

I could go on for pages citing realities and facts that contradict all of Reid's laughable stereotypes.

Asia has just as many problems as the west. They are equally as complex and difficult to solve. There is no Confucian quick-fix and anyone who says there is is seriously deluded.

Before making sweeping generalizations about the 120 million varied and diverse inhabitants of the islands of Japan, Reid needs to take a closer look at not only the omote (surface), tatemae (facade), and soto (outward) phenomenon of Japanese society (already covered in Japanese and foreign media ad nauseam), but its more intricate ura (undersurface), honne (true intentions), and uchi (inner) undercurrents.

If you are looking for a real balanced and objective view of Japanese society that neither overly-praises or degrades it, check out Yoshio Sugimoto's "An Introduction to Japanese society" which is a work that is actually based in reliable evidence, research, and solid conclusions.

This was mostly good,informative, and often funny.
I enjoyed this book.A lot of facts, a lot of social commentary, politics, predictions, and history.I most enjoyed the author's stories of his family's adventures and misadventures in Shibuya, Tokyo. I skimmed about ten percent of this book, because there were some things that just didn't interest me. Also it starts a little slow and boggy, but stick with it and you'll learn a lot and laugh a lot too.

Refreshing! Its fun to read Reid!
Refreshing! Like a cool summer breeze. It's not only fun to read but also informative. It's about Reid's journey to the East with his very western background and family. Be careful! One will experience bursts of laughter while reading this book. Its also about Confucius and its contagious - I could not stop reading it. So, grab a copy! And enjoy it with a cup of Coffee or Tea!

The Ethical System....
Many books on Japan or Asia deal in the military or the schools or the business point of view when dealing with that region of the world.The author decided to deal with the ethics, the ideals and codes of behavior passed down from Confucius.The ideals of respect, group unity and just plain manners.He uses it to try to explain why, for example, when there are problems with the economy there are no links to crime or unemployment.Why?In America and Europe one is always linked to the other.
This book is a must for anybody interested in Asian history, Japanese culture or how Confucius works on a daily level. ... Read more

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The Teach Yourself History series offers an alternative to academic historical books, its content being extensive yet extremely accessible and the approach refreshingly different. The books are informative and compelling, and engage the reader from beginning to end. They assume no prior historical knowledge, and are full of anecdotes and details that provide a very personal appeal. Teach Yourself Nazi Germany is an accessible introduction to one of the most controversial periods in modern history. It looks at the wider picture surrounding it, from the creation of the German nation to Hitler's rise to power and his motives. Before destroying himself and his nation in a bitter world war, the Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler, was adored by the mass of the German people. This book attempts to explain this paradox by involving the reader in the remarkable story of the Third Reich and in the controversies that still surround it.The engaging narrative looks at many different aspects, including the economy and working conditions, the structure of the country (politics, society, culture), Hitler's instruments of terror, treatment of Jews, the role and treatment of women, concentration camps, and, of course, Germany in the Second World War. ... Read more

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Helpful to the World War II fan to see what life on the other side was like
This is a very helpful book to assist those interested in learning about all aspects of World War II to get an overall idea of what was occurring in Nazi Germany at that time. After a brief opening discussing Hitler's early years, it goes into detail about what circumstances occurred in Germany that gave rise to Hitler and the Nazi party. This book also explains why von Hindenberg chose Hitler as Chancellor. It shows fairly well what life was like for those living under the regime and "gently" describes life for those deemed "unfavorable" to the party.
The thing that I appreciated about this book is that the author chose not to go into extreme detail about the depravities that the Nazis forced upon the innocent victims of concentration camps. The title says the goal of this novel is "essential understanding." It is a very helpful book to have for History majors in college if one must write a report on World War II. I used this as a reference for a paper on WWII and received an A, so believe me when I say it is helpful. The only downside is that when reading it in public, those around you may give you peculiar glances. I would also suggest "Teach Yourself: Mussolinis Italy." It is also very helpful. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Commonweal, published by Commonweal Foundation on June 19, 2009. The length of the article is 1549 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Northern light: what Canada can teach us about banking.
Author: Marc I. Seltzer
Publication: Commonweal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 19, 2009
Publisher: Commonweal Foundation
Volume: 136Issue: 12Page: 15(2)

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This digital document is an article from DAV Magazine, published by Disabled American Veterans on May 1, 2010. The length of the article is 612 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: What memorials can teach us: from the National Adjutant.
Author: Arthur H. Wilson
Publication: DAV Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Disabled American Veterans
Volume: 52Issue: 3Page: 3(1)

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When Henry VIII seized control of the church inEngland, the Protestant Reformation began—andtransformed the destiny of Europe. Teach Yourselfthe British Monarchy from Henry VIII gives readersa strong foundation on Britain’s kings and queensfrom the 16th century to the present day.

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In-service and teacher training programmes are based on policies and practices built by individuals and groups. This book examines teacher education and its relationship with power and society, specifically power relations involving social class, racial/ethnic and gender issues evident in living environments, religious institutions and professional associations and unions. The contributions in this book consider various aspects of education policy formation, focusing on teacher education and including questions on the location of teacher education programmes, their funding, the knowledge that students gain, the curriculum content and evaluation procedures employed in teacher education programmes. The effect of educational policy formation on teachers is considered, together with an exploration of the political dimension on potential and actual teachers. This leads to an inquiry into the process through which students on teacher education programmes acquire or develop their political identities and orientations which may influence their future actions as teachers. Comparative case studies highlight the centrality of politics in teacher education.These case studies are worldwide and include Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (20)

Memorization and NCLB
I've only read the foreword, introduction and a few pages of chapter 1 of this book. Now after reading some of it's reviews here on Amazon, I think it's worth it to say maybe NCLB and the way education is done is not as bad as everyone claims. Seems many are blaming it for not producing thinkers as much as it produces robots. Whether that's true, I don't know. What I do know is that memorization and drills is not a bad and definitely not the worst way of learning ... to think. Doctors must memorize a great deal of information before learning how it all works together. People that fix cars - mechanics - must do the same. Before chefs are creative, they must memorize how salt wine or citrus react to different conditions. Memorization, through drills, is not as bad as many in this debate make it out to be, including the author of this book. Schools may not provide as much opportunity for exploration of what's been memorized but that's a challenge we all need to share ... or lengthen the school day and thus increase teacher pay.

Hopefully this book turns out to be as thoughtful as it begins.

The global Achievement Gap
This book is a MUST READ for anyone interested in children, education, America, or our country remaining competitive in the global economy.It show how misdirected and distructive current educational reforms are.

Optimistic book
A good read for educators who are truly interested in the future of education in our country. Race to the Top funding needs to be directed to states who adopt Wagner's proposals. Tony Wagner completely understands the problems with our education system, explains the problems, and then offers realistic solutions. This book will capture your head, your heart and, I hope, your future actions. This important book is a wake-up call for America. For over fifty years, our schools have stayed the same, while the world has changed dramatically.

A Critical Look at Rigor
Tony Wagner's latest book (2008) does a very good job at analyzing the important issue of rigor, and how today, American society has confused the quest for large amounts of knowledge sold in a shallow package (a mile wide but an inch deep) as the answer to our nation's educational woes. Just like a shallow river, this approach looks impressive on the surface, producing a lot of froth and whitewater, but is not very navigable. This merit-badge approach of padding transcripts with "rigorous" classes comes at a steep price. While students (many in our "top" schools) grind through advanced classes, preparing to pass tests, they forgo the opportunity for deep analysis and practical problem-solving (this coming from the students themselves). In an age of informational abundance, the skills and competencies businesses need most (by their accounts) like the ability to use information well, are missing in many of today's graduates.

Wagner looks at alternative assessments that measure students' abilities to problem solve, manage information, and apply content knowledge to real issues. He talks with students, staff; visits schools, and presents programs that have eschewed the shallow approach favored by most schools today. Unlike the uncritical flybys that we are used to seeing during most school visitations where everything is choreographed for the visitor, Wagner, having been a teacher and administrator, looks beyond the facade and is not afraid to speak his mind. Speaking in a frank yet balanced tone, he argues convincingly that we need a better definition for "rigor"---one that looks beyond mere content, while not ignoring content's importance.

Thought provoking!
Wagner presents convincing arguments and pertinent research suggesting that schools in the U.S. need a major overhaul.Americans can learn a lot from successes in other industrialized nations that have reinvented schooling to make it more in tune with today's society. ... Read more

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"The quality of the contributors alone is enough to make this an excellent book. It is a valuable compendium--and bibliography--of recent thinking on the historical context of current discussions of educational reform."--Robert A. McCaughey, Barnard College

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This digital document is an article from District Administration, published by Professional Media Group LLC on March 1, 2004. The length of the article is 448 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Bard's battle: know your subject or know how to teach?(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
Author: Allan Richter
Publication: District Administration (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2004
Publisher: Professional Media Group LLC
Volume: 40Issue: 3Page: 15(1)

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This digital document is an article from District Administration, published by Professional Media Group LLC on December 1, 2004. The length of the article is 463 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Speak up, teach!(Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)
Author: Rebecca Sausner
Publication: District Administration (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2004
Publisher: Professional Media Group LLC
Volume: 40Issue: 12Page: 12(1)

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This digital document is an article from T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education), published by T.H.E. Journal, LLC on March 1, 1989. The length of the article is 512 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: The New York City Board of Education and Minolta Corp's Business Equipment Division have joined together to implement an experimental program that trains pregnant teenagers in the high-technology skills they will need to find work. The students, enrolled in the Board's Pregnant Teens Program, are learning office-machine skills on MS-DOS systems that incorporate word processing, personal computing, calculating and electronic typewriting. The students attend school for the full day and spend two class periods learning the systems. They can then opt to stay after school to practice. A government grant provides funds for staff and student positions, as well as a day-care center for babies of students. The students also share in the profits from projects completed under the program.

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Title: Office systems teach pregnant teens skills sought by employers.
Author: Kymberly G. Dryer
Publication: T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1989
Publisher: T.H.E. Journal, LLC
Volume: v16Issue: n7Page: p64(2)

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This digital document is an article from Albany Law Review, published by Albany Law School on March 22, 2005. The length of the article is 5176 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: What can dissents teach us?(Perspectives: Notable Dissents in State Constitutional Cases)
Author: Randall T. Shepard
Publication: Albany Law Review (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2005
Publisher: Albany Law School
Volume: 68Issue: 2Page: 337(12)

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This digital document is an article from William and Mary Law Review, published by College of William and Mary, Marshall Wythe School of Law on February 1, 2005. The length of the article is 14941 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Weighing in on the wine wars: what the European Union can teach us about the direct shipment controversy.
Author: Jonathan W. Garlough
Publication: William and Mary Law Review (Refereed)
Date: February 1, 2005
Publisher: College of William and Mary, Marshall Wythe School of Law
Volume: 46Issue: 4Page: 1533(36)

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This digital document is an article from District Administration, published by Professional Media Group LLC on October 1, 2004. The length of the article is 729 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Point of view on technology driver's licenses: districts should teach their students digital smarts.
Author: Mike S. Ribble
Publication: District Administration (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2004
Publisher: Professional Media Group LLC
Volume: 40Issue: 10Page: 85(1)

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This digital document is an article from Church & State, published by Americans United for Separation of Church and State on February 1, 2004. The length of the article is 629 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Bush brief in pledge case says public schools can teach about God.(People & Events)
Publication: Church & State (Refereed)
Date: February 1, 2004
Publisher: Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Volume: 57Issue: 2Page: 18(2)

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This digital document is an article from Hawaii Business, published by Hawaii Business Publishing Co. on January 1, 2003. The length of the article is 5173 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Internet and the TEACH act. (Law of the Line).(Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act )
Author: Bob Godbey
Publication: Hawaii Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2003
Publisher: Hawaii Business Publishing Co.
Volume: 48Issue: 7Page: 67(1)

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This digital document is an article from Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2004. The length of the article is 6588 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Euthanasia jurisprudence and physician-assisted suicide: what did Glucksberg teach us?
Author: Stephen W. White
Publication: Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2004
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 75Issue: 3-4Page: 214(11)

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First Things First: Using the Newspaper to Teach the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment ... Read more