The Japanese by Christopher Harding published today by Allen Lane

Dr Christopher Harding’s The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives is released today from Allen Lane.

‘Harding’s book is a marvellous read, full of startling information‘ – Waldemar Januszczak, Sunday Times

From the acclaimed author of Japan Story, this is the history of Japan, distilled into the stories of twenty remarkable individuals.

The vivid and entertaining portraits in Chris Harding’s enormously enjoyable new book take the reader from the earliest written accounts of Japan right through to the life of the current empress, Masako. We encounter shamans and warlords, poets and revolutionaries, scientists, artists and adventurers – each offering insights of their own into this extraordinary place.

For anyone new to Japan, this book is the ideal introduction. For anyone already deeply involved with it, this is a book filled with surprises and pleasures.

Dr Christopher Harding is a cultural historian of modern Asia and its relationships with the West. Born in London, Christopher studied at the University of Oxford before living and working for a number of years in Japan. He now lectures in modern Indian and Japanese history, and in culture and mental health, at the University of Edinburgh.