Inventing Japan

Ian Buruma's survey of modern Japan covers a lot of ground in seven hours--from the end of isolationism after the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853 to the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, with a couple of World Wars tossed in. It's not surprising that the narrative, while well organized and wonderfully written, moves quickly and has the potential to leave the listener behind. Nelson Runger, however, relates this century of history with the measured pace of a newscaster, allowing the listener time to absorb the material without difficulty and making this recording an accessible introduction to a fascinating culture. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine