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Outstanding Books on the Far East Published in 1941
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 March 2011
Extract
Some months ago it was suggested that the FAR EASTERN QUARTERLY might render a real service to that part of the reading public interested in Eastern Asia by running a lengthy review article of the ten outstanding popular and semi-popular books of the year relating to the Far East. As the managing editors approved of the idea, a select list of books published in America during 1941 that seemed to fall into that category was drawn up. This list was submitted to the Board of Editors of the QUARTERLY and a number of other students of the Far East with a request that they select from that list or from their own reading in the field their list of the ten best books.
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- Copyright © Association for Asian Studies, Inc. 1942
References
1 Vandenbosch's work might well be supplemented by Fumivall's, J. S. excellent Progress and welfare in Southeast Asia (New York: Institute of Pacific Relations. 84Google Scholar p. 75 ¢) and the Royal Institute of International Affairs’ study on the Netherlands overseas territories (London and New York: Oxford University Press, ix, 92 p. 75 ¢).
2 K. P. Landon provides a valuable and detailed study of a special problem in The Chinese in Thailand (New York and London: Oxford University Press; Shanghai: Kelly & Walsh. An IPR book. 310 p. $2.50. Reviewed in no. 2, pp. 201–03). Indo-China is covered in the substantial but spotty composite work by Levy, Roger, Lacam, Guy and Roth, Andrew on French interests and policies in the Far East (New York: Institute of Pacific Relations, xii, 209 p.Google Scholar $2.00. Reviewed in no. 3, pp. 297–99).
3 The general problem of the native peoples of Malaysia in the face of Japanese imperialism is treated in an impressionistic fashion by Woodbern Remington, E. in Cross winds of Empire (New York: John Day. 279 p.Google Scholar $3.00. Reviewed in no. 2, pp. 204–05), but his major emphasis is on the Philippines. The problems of these islands are also discussed without too much understanding or sympathy by Horn, Florence in Orphans of the Pacific (New York: Reynal. 316 p.Google Scholar $3.50. Reviewed in no. 3, pp. 304–05). A light yet realistic touch is given by Lambert, S. M. in his Yankee doctor in paradise (Boston: Little, Brown. 393 p.Google Scholar $3.00), a story of his life and work in the South Seas. Various problems of countries facing the Pacific are discussed in the volume Ourselves-and the Pacific (Melbourne University Press: New York: Stechert. vi, 252 p. $1.15), edited by R. M. Crawford, while the specific problems of American Pacific possessions are well analyzed in The American empiri (University of Chicago Press, xii, 408 p. $4.00. Reviewed in no. 2, pp. 198–200), edited by William Haas.
4 These two works might be supplemented by the stimulating series of essays on India, Indo-China, Japan, Soviet Asia and China in The renaissance of Asia (Berkeley: University of California Press, xii, 169 p. $1.50), and by Buss', Claude A.War and diplomacy in Eastern Asia (New York: Macmillan, xi, 570 p.Google Scholar $5.00. Reviewed in no. 1, pp. 71–73), which unfortunately is marred by numerous careless errors and presented in such a rambling style that those unfamiliar with the persons and events involved often cannot follow him. A more concise summary than any of the above is provided by Bisson, T. A. in Shadow over Asia: the rise of militant Japan (New York: Foreign Policy Association. 96Google Scholar p. 25¢), and Andrew Roth traces the extension of Japan's control over Indo China in Japan strikes south (New York: Institute of Pacific Relations. 108 p. 50¢. Reviewed in no. 2, pp. 203–04). A popular exposition of American foreign policy appears in Smith's, R. A.Yourfor-eign'policy (New York: Viking. 280Google Scholar p. $2.75), and two useful works deal with the military problems of a Pacific war: Capt. Puleston, W. D., The armed forces of the Pacific (New Haven: Yale University Press. 273Google Scholar p. $2.75. Reviewed in no. 3, pp. 291–92) and Pratt, Admiral Fletcher, America and total war (New York: Smith and DurrellGoogle Scholar. $3.00). Arthur N. Holcombe deals with problems that must be faced once the war is won in Dependent areas in the post-war world (Boston: World Peace Foundation, 50¢), and Rajchman's, MartheNew atlas of China: land, air and sea routes (New York: John Day.Google Scholar $1.75) provides ten valuable maps of the Far Eastern and Pacific area.
5 The number of books relating primarily to Japan published during the year was exceedingly small, but several of the same general type as Fleisher's should be noted: Abend, Hallett, Japan unmasked (New York: Ives Washburn. 322 p.Google Scholar $3.00. To be reviewed); Hauser, Ernest O., Honorable enemy (New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce. 268 p.Google Scholar $2.50); Young, James R., Behind the rising sun (New York: Doubleday, Doran. 334 p.Google Scholar $3.00) and Rhee, Synganan, Japan inside out (New York: Reveil. 202 p.Google Scholar $2.00. To be reviewed), an exposé of Japanese aims and methods by a Korean patriot. A unique book is an autobiography of a Korean red as told to Nym Wales and published in the Song of Ariran (New York: John Day. $2.75) by Kim San and Nym Wales. A Japanese conception of recent cultural relations between Japan and China and of the impact of Western powers upon the Far East is found in Miki, Kiyoshi and Hosokawa's, KarokuIntroductory studies on the Sino-Japanese conflict (Tokyo: Japanese Council, Institute of Pacific Relations. 104 p.Google Scholar). A valuable picture of modern Japanese life and ideals is presented in Sumie Seo Mishima's, My narrow isle: the story of a modem woman in Japan (New York: John Day. 280 p.Google Scholar $2.75).
6 Of almost equal merit with Snow's book as an analysis of war-torn China is Maurer's, HerrymonThe end is not yet (New York: McBride. 321 p.Google Scholar $3.00. Reviewed in no. 3, p. 284), while Barnett, Robert W. in Economic Shanghai (New York: Institute of Pacific Relations. 210 p.Google Scholar $2.00. Reviewed in no. 3, pp. 303–04) gives an excellent factual picture of the effect of the Sino-Japanese war upon Shanghai. Good books of travel and reporting on the war in China are: Galbraith, Winifred, In China now (New York: Morrow. 285 p.Google Scholar $2.50); Gayn, Mark J., The fight for the Pacific (New York: Morrow, xii, 378 p.Google Scholar $3.00. Reviewed in no. 2, p. 204), and Green, O. M., China's struggle with the dictators (London: Hutchinson. 259 p.Google Scholar). A travel book of some historical interest is Fischer, Emil S., Travels in China, 1894–1940 (Tientsin Press, xviii, 340 p.Google Scholar), the main journey being one up the Yangtze in 1917, and Carl Crow gives an interesting if not always accurate picture of early relations between China and the West in Foreign devils in the flowery kingdom (New York: Harpers; London: Hamish Hamilton. 340 p. $3.00).
7 The only other work of consequence dealing with central and northeastern Asia is Arseniv, V. K., Dersu the trapper (New York: Dutton. 350 p.Google Scholar $3.00), being a narrative of travel in Siberia from 1902 to 1907.
8 Linebarger's book is supplemented in many directions by the various chapters written by Madame Chiang and her collaborators in Chiang, May-ling Soong, China shall rise again (2nd ed.New York and London: Harpers, xv, 356 p.Google Scholar $3.00. Reviewed in no. 3, pp. 311–12), while Emily Hahn provides biographical details of the leading women in present day China in her Soong sisters (New York: Doubleday, Doran. 349 p. $3.00). Nym Wales gives a much needed account of the Chinese industrial cooperative movement in China builds for democracy (Shanghai: Kelly and Walsh. Published in 1942 in New York by Modern Age Books. $2.50).
9 Additional Chinese poems appear in Jenyns', Soame translated Selections from ike three hundred poems of the T'ang dynasty (New York: Dutton. 116 p.Google Scholar $1.25), and The Manyōshū (University of Chicago Press. 501 p. $7.50) is a translation of over one thousand poems from the poetry classic of Japan.
10 Six modern Japanese short stories appear in Yokomitsu's, RiichiYoung forever and five other novelettes (Tokyo. 142 p.Google Scholar $1.20). This volume and the one by Natsume, noted below, perhaps may still be obtained from P. D. Perkins, 1620 Mission Street, South Pasadena, California.
11 Another creative work of interest because of the light it throws upon Chinese life as well as because of its literary merit is Buck's, Pearl S.Today and forever, stories of China (New York: John Day. 327 p.Google Scholar $2.50). A modern Japanese novel is presented in Ineko Sato's translation of Natsume's, SosekiKokoro (Tokyo. 288 p.Google Scholar $2.00). Willard Price's historical novel Barbarian (New York: John Day. 310 p. $2.50) gives an account of the Perry expedition to Japan and a picture of life in the treaty ports of Japan after 1858. One final book should be noted because of the sound and interesting account of the gods of various religions which it gives; this is Haydon's, A. EustaceBiography of the gods (New York: Macmillan, xiii, 352 p.Google Scholar $2.50).