Viewed Sideways

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"An indispensable guide to Japanese cinema and culture." —<b> <i>Library Journal</i> </b> "Viewed any which way, Japan through the eyes of Donald Richie is an interesting and rewarding place to read about. This is...yet another reminder that he is a master of the short essay and a thought-provoking guide to his subject." —<b>Jeff Kingston, <i>The Japan Times</i></b> This definitive new collection of essays by the writer <i>Time</i> calls "the dean of arts critics in Japan" ranges from Kyogen drama to the sex shows of Shinjuku, from film and Buddhism to Butoh and retro rock 'n' roll, from <i>wasei eigo</i> (Japanese/English) to <i>mizushobai</i>, the fine art of pleasing. Spanning some fifty years, these thirty-seven essays—most never anthologized before—offer cross-sections of Japan's enormous cultural power. They reflect the unique perspective of a man attempting to understand his adopted home. The writings of <b>Donald Richie</b>—film critic, reviewer, novelist, and essayist—have influenced generations of Japan observers around the world.