God's Samurai

God's Samurai PDF Author: Katherine V. Dillon
Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc.
ISBN: 1597973580
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 542

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Book Description
God's Samurai is the unusual story of Mitsuo Fuchida, the career aviator who led the attack on Pearl Harbor and participated in most of the fiercest battles of the Pacific war. A valuable record of major events, it is also the personal story of a man swept along by his times. Reared in the vanished culture of early twentieth-century Japan, war hero Fuchida returned home to become a simple farmer. After a scandalous love affair came his remarkable conversion to Christianity and years of touring the world as an evangelist. His tale is an informative, personal look at the war "from the other side."

God's Samurai

God's Samurai PDF Author: Katherine V. Dillon
Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc.
ISBN: 1597973580
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 542

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Book Description
God's Samurai is the unusual story of Mitsuo Fuchida, the career aviator who led the attack on Pearl Harbor and participated in most of the fiercest battles of the Pacific war. A valuable record of major events, it is also the personal story of a man swept along by his times. Reared in the vanished culture of early twentieth-century Japan, war hero Fuchida returned home to become a simple farmer. After a scandalous love affair came his remarkable conversion to Christianity and years of touring the world as an evangelist. His tale is an informative, personal look at the war "from the other side."

The Smart Set

The Smart Set PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Literature, Modern
Languages : en
Pages : 728

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Book Description


With God on their Side

With God on their Side PDF Author: Timothy Chandler
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134511663
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Book Description
'Sport' and 'religion' are cultural institutions with a global reach. Each is characterised by ritualised performance and by the ecstatic devotion of its followers, whether in the sports arena or the cathedral of worship. This fascinating collection is the first to examine, in detail, the relationship between these two cultural institutions from an international, religiously pluralistic perspective. It illuminates the role of sport and religion in the social formation of collective groups, and explores how sport might operate in the service of a religious community. The book offers a series of cutting-edge contemporary historical case-studies, wide-ranging in their social and religious contexts. It presents important new work on the following fascinating topics: * sport and Catholicism in Northern Ireland * Shinto and sumo in Japan * women, sport and the American Jewish identity * religion, race and rugby in South Africa * sport and Islam in France and North Africa * sport and Christian fundamentalism in the US * Muhammad Ali and the Nation of Islam. With God on their Side is vital reading for all students of the history, sociology and culture of sport. It also presents important new research material that will be of interest to religious studies students, historians and anthropologists.

Shinto: The Way of the Gods

Shinto: The Way of the Gods PDF Author: Hermann Candahashi
Publisher: Hermann Candahashi
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 153

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Book Description
"Shinto: The Way of the Gods - The Ancient Religion of Japan and Its Influence on Society" is a comprehensive examination of the Shinto religion and its significance in Japanese society. Shinto, which literally means "Way of the Gods," is one of the oldest religions in the world and has a profound influence on Japanese culture, history, and identity. In this book, we explore the origins of Shintoism and the fundamental principles of this religion. We take a look at the various types of Shinto shrines and their significance as places of worship and purification. Furthermore, we examine the diverse rituals and ceremonies practiced in Shinto and how they shape the spiritual lives of people in Japan. Another important topic is the connection between Shinto and nature. In Shintoism, it is believed that nature is inhabited by spirits or gods, and this concept has a strong influence on the understanding and treatment of the environment in Japan. We also consider the connection between Shinto and Japanese mythology, as many of the gods and goddesses of Shinto play a role in ancient Japanese myths and legends. An additional aspect is the importance of Shinto in family life. Family rituals and ancestor veneration are integral parts of Shinto beliefs and have a significant impact on family relationships in Japan. Furthermore, we shed light on the influence of Shinto on Japanese art. Whether it is painting, architecture, theater, or music, Shintoism has greatly shaped the artistic expressions of Japan. Additionally, we examine the political history of Japan and the influence of Shinto on the country's development. Particularly during the imperial era, Shintoism played a significant role as an instrument of state ideology and as a justification for imperialistic aspirations. Throughout the book, we also consider the role of Shinto in modern society. How has the faith changed over time, and how is it practiced in contemporary times? We take a look at the influence of Shinto on various aspects of modern life, such as education, work ethics, and social norms. A fascinating topic is also the presence of Shinto in popular culture. Films, anime, and manga often incorporate elements of Shinto, contributing to the spread and popularity of the religion. We examine some well-known examples and explore their impact on the international perception of Shinto. Tourism also plays a significant role in relation to Shinto. Many tourists from around the world visit Japan to experience the impressive Shinto shrines and participate in traditional ceremonies. We analyze the impact of tourism on Shinto sites and the challenges they face.

Pacific Skies

Pacific Skies PDF Author: Jerome Klinkowitz
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN: 1604730544
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 309

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Book Description
Gathering more than a hundred personal narratives from Americans and from Japanese, Pacific Skies recounts a history of air combat in the Pacific theater. Included are the words of such famous aces and bomber pilots as Joe Foss, Pappy Boyington, Dick Bong, and Curtis Lemay, as well as the words of many rank-and-file airmen. Together their stories express fierce individualism and resourcefulness and convey the vast panorama of war that included the skies over Pearl Harbor, Wake, and Guadalcanal and missions from Saipan and Tinian. As Pacific Skies recounts the perilous lives of pilots in their own words, Jerome Klinkowitz weaves the individual stories into a gripping historical narrative that exposes the shades of truth and fiction that can become blurred over time. A book about experiencing and remembering, Pacific Skies also is a story of unique perspectives on the war.

Berserker - The Infamous Warriors

Berserker - The Infamous Warriors PDF Author: Tim Nilsen
Publisher: anonymous
ISBN:
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 107

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Book Description
Berserkers - The infamous warriors: The mystical fighters of Norse mythology and their eternal legend The berserkers are among the most fascinating and terrifying figures in Norse mythology. As fierce warriors who fell into a state of unbridled frenzy, they shaped the stories and legends of the Viking Age like no other figure. But who were these mystical warriors really? What rituals and beliefs lay behind their unstoppable rage? And why do they still have such a strong influence on our culture today? In this book, you will delve deep into the world of the berserkers. You will learn about their origins as Odin's indomitable warriors, their ritual practices and the symbolism that surrounded them. Discover the historical significance of these warriors in Norse society and the various depictions of their battles in the Icelandic sagas. Learn more about the role of bear and wolf skins, the mysterious number twelve and the berserkers' connection to the ancient gods of the north. In addition to the historical and mythological analysis, this book also sheds light on the modern reception of berserkers in film, literature and pop culture. It shows how these fearsome warriors have become symbols of brute strength and uncontrollable rage that still inspire the imagination today. Ideal for fans of Norse mythology, history and epic tales, this book offers a comprehensive and gripping account of the legendary berserkers and their eternal legend.

Your Expectation

Your Expectation PDF Author: Bart Sangster
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1471740609
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 202

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Book Description
Your Expectation is for everybody who wants to be successful in his or her professional and personal life. It will help to improve your rational skills in risk assessment, decision-making as well as the necessary emotional competencies to manage change, uncertainty and the interaction with others. Many stories and historical events highlight the various steps in the decision-making process and will inspire you to use seemingly irrelevant small events of every day's life to practice and further advance these skills and competences. Making an informed decision is not enough to make you meet your objective. A professional execution of your decisions is equally important. How can we best prepare for their execution. How do we learn to notice the many unexpected events, risks and opportunities, around us and how can we turn them into our advantage. Elisabeth Fry, Kublai Kahn, King Louis XIV of France, George Scovell and the Duke of Wellington will provide the examples.

The Empire Triumphant

The Empire Triumphant PDF Author: Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476611718
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 385

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Book Description
George Lucas's first Star Wars trilogy shows the influences of its era; Cold War tension is evident in its theme of rebellion against totalitarianism. Recent entries in the Star Wars saga--The Phantom Menace (1999) and Attack of the Clones (2002)--are much more concerned with evil corporations, terrorists, and the corruption of the political process. Each film is influenced by the times in which it was released, but also by cultural subtexts and by other films that had direct and indirect effects on Lucas as writer, producer, and director. This work focuses on all six Star Wars films. The first topic of this multifaceted examination is how the films use the language of colonialism ("The" Rebellion, "The" Empire) to emphasize the idea of imperialism. Next the author looks at how Asian influences--including religious undertones from Taoism and Buddhism and the works of Kurosawa and other Asian filmmakers--provide a subtext for much of the action. Next the discussion turns to the representation of people of color in the Star Wars universe, and how other ethnicities are represented overall, particularly through the literalization of the word "aliens." These topics of discussion provide for penetrating conclusions about Lucas's films and how they represent race, religion, and rebellion.

The Taming of the Samurai

The Taming of the Samurai PDF Author: Eiko Ikegami
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 067425466X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 456

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Book Description
Modern Japan offers us a view of a highly developed society with its own internal logic. Eiko Ikegami makes this logic accessible to us through a sweeping investigation into the roots of Japanese organizational structures. She accomplishes this by focusing on the diverse roles that the samurai have played in Japanese history. From their rise in ancient Japan, through their dominance as warrior lords in the medieval period, and their subsequent transformation to quasi-bureaucrats at the beginning of the Tokugawa era, the samurai held center stage in Japan until their abolishment after the opening up of Japan in the mid-nineteenth century. This book demonstrates how Japan’s so-called harmonious collective culture is paradoxically connected with a history of conflict. Ikegami contends that contemporary Japanese culture is based upon two remarkably complementary ingredients, honorable competition and honorable collaboration. The historical roots of this situation can be found in the process of state formation, along very different lines from that seen in Europe at around the same time. The solution that emerged out of the turbulent beginnings of the Tokugawa state was a transformation of the samurai into a hereditary class of vassal-bureaucrats, a solution that would have many unexpected ramifications for subsequent centuries. Ikegami’s approach, while sociological, draws on anthropological and historical methods to provide an answer to the question of how the Japanese managed to achieve modernity without traveling the route taken by Western countries. The result is a work of enormous depth and sensitivity that will facilitate a better understanding of, and appreciation for, Japanese society.

Traditional Japanese Literature

Traditional Japanese Literature PDF Author: Haruo Shirane
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231504535
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 601

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Book Description
Haruo Shirane's critically acclaimed Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600, contains key examples of both high and low styles of poetry, drama, prose fiction, and essays. For this abridged edition, Shirane retains substantial excerpts from such masterworks as The Tale of Genji, The Tales of the Heike, The Pillow Book, the Man'yoshu, and the Kokinshu. He preserves his comprehensive survey of secular and religious anecdotes (setsuwa) as well as classical poems with extensive commentary. He features no drama; selections from influential war epics; and notable essays on poetry, fiction, history, and religion. Texts are interwoven to bring into focus common themes, styles, and allusions while inviting comparison and debate. The result is a rich encounter with ancient and medieval Japanese culture and history. Each text and genre is enhanced by extensive introductions that provide sociopolitical and cultural context. The anthology is organized by period, genre, and topic—an instructor-friendly structure—and a comprehensive bibliography guides readers toward further study. Praise for Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600 "Haruo Shirane has done a splendid job at this herculean task."—Joshua Mostow, University of British Columbia "A comprehensive and innovative anthology.... All of the introductions are excellent."—Journal of Asian Studies "One of those impressive, erudite, must-have titles for anyone interested in Asian literature."—Bloomsbury Review "An anthology that comprises superb translations of an exceptionally wide range of texts.... Highly recommended."—Choice "A wealth of material."—Monumenta Nipponica