Japan

The Industrial Revolution and British and European Society

Smiles' "The Theory of Self-Help" Summary and Comments - Greatly influential on Victorian morality in England! Also known as "The Rise of the West"

Smiles' "Jishu-ron" had a tremendous impact on workers in England, and when translated into Japanese as "Seikoku Risshi Hen," it became a huge boom as the Bible of the Meiji era along with Fukuzawa Yukichi's "Gakumon no Susume" (Encouragement of Learning).

This book is a very important work for understanding the mentality of 19th century English Victorians.

This article looks at the contents of "The Theory of Self-Help" and the significance of "The Theory of Self-Help" in British society. The work is also important as a background against which Marx's "Theory of Capital" was born.
Marx Engels Writings and Related Works

Shigeru Kashima, "Shibusawa Eiichi" - Strong connection to San Simonism! Familiar with the great drama "Ao Tian wo Sukeru"! Recommended biography of the great man who supported the Japanese economy!

What would have happened if there had been no Eiichi Shibusawa in Japan? This biography will give you a frightening glimpse of what would have happened if there had been no Eiichi Shibusawa. Eiichi Shibusawa was such a huge figure. I too was shocked from the bottom of my heart when I read this biography.

I believe that modern Japan is truly in a time of crisis. It is precisely because we live in such an era that I think it is very important to trace the path of Eiichi Shibusawa.

This biography is a great book that I would highly recommend. I even wish it would become a school textbook. Why not pick up a copy?
Vermeer, the Painter of Light and the Scientific Revolution

F. Crain's "William Adams - Ieyasu's beloved man, Anjin Miura" - The true face of William Adams, an Englishman who came to Japan aboard the Dutch ship Liefde for the first time.

I became interested in the East India Company because of Vermeer, and this was an enjoyable read because of the connection to Japanese history as well.

The fact that William Adams drifted to Japan on the Dutch ship Liefde would later have a very significant impact on the trade between the Dutch East India Company and the Shogunate.

Vermeer, the East India Company, and the Edo Shogunate.

We view Vermeer's paintings while thinking about the connection between these three things. This is a maniacal yet enjoyable style of appreciation!
Vermeer, the Painter of Light and the Scientific Revolution

Arata Hirakawa, "Warring States Japan and the Age of Exploration" - Why Japan did not become a colony of Portugal or the Anglo-Dutch East India Company

In the 16th and 17th centuries, England and the Netherlands were newly emerging while Spain and Portugal were dominating the seas of America and Asia.

There is no way that these four powers did not have their sights set on Japan. While Asian countries were being dominated by them one after another, somehow Japan was the only country that did not succumb to them. How was this possible? That is what this book tells us. To be honest, I was very surprised when I read this book. It changed my view of Japan.
Vermeer, the Painter of Light and the Scientific Revolution

List of recommended Vermeer commentary books - To enjoy the wonderful world of paintings by Vermeer, the painter of light.

Vermeer is a 17th century Dutch painter famous for "Girl with a Pearl Necklace" and "Woman Pouring Milk.

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive list of recommended commentaries on Vermeer that we have introduced on our blog so far.

All of them are very interesting books that we can confidently recommend. We hope that we have been of some help to you in your appreciation of Vermeer.
Vermeer, the Painter of Light and the Scientific Revolution

Tadashi Haneda, The World History of Rise and Fall, Volume 15: The East India Company and the Sea of Asia, The Source of 17th Century Dutch Prosperity in Vermeer's Life

I picked up the book when I learned that Vermeer's paintings had a strong connection to the prosperity of the Dutch East India Company!

If this is the case, then we can learn more about the background of Vermeer's paintings by learning more about the East India Company. Furthermore, by learning more about the East India Company, I could learn not only about Vermeer, but also about the world situation and Japan at that time. This is how I came to feel.

Then I started reading "The World History of Rise and Fall Volume 15: The East India Company and the Asian Seas". This was another good book! Interesting! I recommend it!
Vermeer, the Painter of Light and the Scientific Revolution

Timothy Brook, "Vermeer's Hat" - What is Dutch painting in the context of the Western "East India Company" and trade with China, Japan and Asia?

The Netherlands in the 17th century, when Vermeer lived, enjoyed a golden age thanks to the prosperity of the East India Company, which was established in 1602.

It was because of his vast fortune and the global marketplace that Vermeer's paintings were able to be Vermeer's paintings.

And the numerous "things" in Vermeer's paintings came precisely from China and Asia. By focusing on these "things," we can get an overview of the global world of the 17th century.

That is the general flow of the book.
Modern Russia and the Russo-Ukrainian War

Adam Higginbottom, "Chernobyl" - A great book that explains why the nuclear accident happened and also provides information on the connections with the Soviet political economy and bureaucratic system.

この本は単にチェルノブイリ原発の事故そのものだけを語るのではなく、この事故が起きるそもそもの原因となったソ連の構造そのものについても多く言及しています。

これはものすごく興味深かったです。ソ連末期がどのような状態だったのかということもこの本で知ることができます。

ロシア・ウクライナ問題に揺れる今、原発の問題が強く注視されています。

日本も全く他人事ではない原発事故について大きな示唆を与えてくれる衝撃の一冊です。
Learning from the History, Thought and Literature of the Cold War World

O.A. Westad, "Cold War World History" - A recommended general history of the world during the Cold War.

What surprised me when I read this book was that from the end of World War II, when the Cold War began in earnest, to the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was a constant struggle going on somewhere in the world. And these conflicts were so dangerous that they could have turned into all-out wars at any time.

When I thought of the Cold War, I thought of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and it was a real surprise to me that there were many, many other crises of all-out war besides this incident.

In Japan, we tend to think that after World War II, the war was over and the world was at peace, but this is not true at all.
A Taste of Goethe, Germany's Great Poet

Shigeru Mizuki, "All Hands Gyokusai! Synopsis and Impressions - A masterpiece manga about his own epic war experience

I read the book "Gyokusan Sho! I was not aware of what kind of past Shigeru Mizuki had lived with, and I was a little embarrassed. I am a little ashamed that I had no idea what kind of past Shigeru Mizuki had lived with. I am sure that my view of "Gegege no Kitaro" has also changed.

This work is written in cartoon form, making the book accessible to everyone. In my opinion, this is a book that should be cherished today, 75 years after the war and in the midst of the turmoil caused by the Corona disaster. I highly recommend it.