- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Random House USA Inc; 1st edition (1 Mar 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0679456244
- ISBN-13: 978-0679456247
- Product Dimensions: 24.9 x 15.7 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,152,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Those who've heard T. R. Reid's weekly commentary on National Public Radio or read his far-flung reporting in National Geographic or The Washington Post know him to be trenchant, funny, and cutting-edge, but also erudite and deeply grounded in whatever subject he's discussing. In Confucius Lives Next Door he brings all these attributes to the fore as he examines why Japan, China, Taiwan, and other East Asian countries enjoy the low crime rates, stable families, excellent education, and civil harmony that remain so elusive in the West. Reid, who has spent twenty-five years studying Asia and was for five years The Washington Post's Tokyo bureau chief, uses his family's experience overseas--including mishaps and misapprehensions--to look at Asia's "social miracle" and its origin in the ethical values outlined by the Chinese sage Confucius 2,500 years ago.
When Reid, his wife, and their three children moved from America to Japan, the family quickly became accustomed to the surface differences between the two countries. In Japan, streets don't have names, pizza comes with seaweed sprinkled on top, and businesswomen in designer suits and Ferragamo shoes go home to small concrete houses whose washing machines are outdoors because there's no room inside. But over time Reid came to appreciate the deep cultural differences, helped largely by his courtly white-haired neighbor Mr. Matsuda, who personified ancient Confucian values that are still dominant in Japan. Respect, responsibility, hard work--these and other principles are evident in Reid's witty, perfectly captured portraits, from that of the school his young daughters attend, in which the students maintain order and scrub the floors, to his depiction of the corporate ceremony that welcomes new employees and reinforces group unity. And Reid also examines the drawbacks of living in such a society, such as the ostracism of those who don't fit in and the acceptance of routine political bribery.
Much Western ink has been spilled trying to figure out the East, but few journalists approach the subject with T. R. Reid's familiarity and insight. Not until we understand the differences between Eastern and Western perceptions of what constitutes success and personal happiness will we be able to engage successfully, politically and economically, with those whose moral center is governed by Confucian doctrine. Fascinating and immensely readable, Confucius Lives Next Door prods us to think about what lessons we might profitably take from the "Asian Way"--and what parts of it we want to avoid.
When Reid, his wife, and their three children moved from America to Japan, the family quickly became accustomed to the surface differences between the two countries. In Japan, streets don't have names, pizza comes with seaweed sprinkled on top, and businesswomen in designer suits and Ferragamo shoes go home to small concrete houses whose washing machines are outdoors because there's no room inside. But over time Reid came to appreciate the deep cultural differences, helped largely by his courtly white-haired neighbor Mr. Matsuda, who personified ancient Confucian values that are still dominant in Japan. Respect, responsibility, hard work--these and other principles are evident in Reid's witty, perfectly captured portraits, from that of the school his young daughters attend, in which the students maintain order and scrub the floors, to his depiction of the corporate ceremony that welcomes new employees and reinforces group unity. And Reid also examines the drawbacks of living in such a society, such as the ostracism of those who don't fit in and the acceptance of routine political bribery.
Much Western ink has been spilled trying to figure out the East, but few journalists approach the subject with T. R. Reid's familiarity and insight. Not until we understand the differences between Eastern and Western perceptions of what constitutes success and personal happiness will we be able to engage successfully, politically and economically, with those whose moral center is governed by Confucian doctrine. Fascinating and immensely readable, Confucius Lives Next Door prods us to think about what lessons we might profitably take from the "Asian Way"--and what parts of it we want to avoid.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
T R Reid, an accomplished American journalist and a fine writer, lived and worked in Tokyo for several years. Most of this book is based on Reid's personal experience with Japanese culture, although there is some discussion of Asian culture generally.
Reid explains how Asian cultures have succeeded socially where the West has not, e.g., lower crime rates, more economic equality and more social cohesion. For example, he tells of purchasing a bicycle in Japan. The cost of the bike is higher than it would have been in the US, because the Japanese store has more and higher paid employees. On the other hand, there is no risk of the bike being stolen, so Reid does not feel compelled to buy a lock.
Reid's observations are interesting and worthwhile, although not necessarily unique. The book is easy and pleasant to read. I recommend it.
Reid explains how Asian cultures have succeeded socially where the West has not, e.g., lower crime rates, more economic equality and more social cohesion. For example, he tells of purchasing a bicycle in Japan. The cost of the bike is higher than it would have been in the US, because the Japanese store has more and higher paid employees. On the other hand, there is no risk of the bike being stolen, so Reid does not feel compelled to buy a lock.
Reid's observations are interesting and worthwhile, although not necessarily unique. The book is easy and pleasant to read. I recommend it.
Format:Hardcover
Mr. Reid has written an easy read of the powerhouse and most like dominent cultures for the next 500 years, Asia. His description of Japanese schooling is right on target (my wife is from Japan and our children go to Japanese schools run by the Japanese government in San Diego). If you want to know something about the powerhouse for the next 500 years read his book!
My only critism of his book is his endorcement of Asian (Japanese in particular) emphasis on ceremony. My word about Japanese ceremony is,yuk! Also, I wish he had provided us with some suggestions as to how Western cultures might incorporate Confucius values into our diverse socitey?
Aparently in Asia most Asian news organization believe the entire U.S.is like it was in the wild West of the 1870's with murder, bugulary, rape and mayham an everyday common happening. And for this reason the U.S. is constantly being put down by Asian leaders and Asian media. The Asians point out that since the 1960's crime has sky rocketed in the U.S. What Mr. Reid is suggesting in his book is because there is a crisis in American culture (ie, high crime) perhaps we should take drastic measures to correct the problem by adopting Asian values and completly change our culture by doing so?
Anyway, it was a great book and I hope to pass it on to friends that show some interest in those successful Asians.
Joe Seckelman
Format:Hardcover
I am going to send copies of this book to many people. It is the best news that I have received in a long time. With so many bad things happening in America (for example the shootings at Columbine H.S.), it is wonderful to know that some parts of the world are safer.
The news that in some parts of the world the middle class is actually growing seems almost too good to be true. I didn't realize that this was actually happening somewhere.
I have the great fortune of living with a student from Okinawa Japan, and he has confirmed that school in Japan is as described in this book. I am thinking about trying to set up a Japanese style school here in the United States. If anyone else is interested in this idea, please contact me.
I think we have to begin making our world better starting with the children. For me, this book offered the first real recipe on how to do that. There are many ideas in education. It is hard to discern which will really work, and which will do more harm than good. The Asian system has proven itself, and we should learn from their examples.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Big Bore
Begins with good writing and interesting tales, then suddenly dies in a morass of stale Confucian history. Read more
Published on 8 Aug 1999
Fascinating, albeit sometimes tedious look at Asian society
This book is a revealing look at Asian society and its striking differences, as well as similarities to Western society. The reading is sometimes a bit tedious and repetitive. Read more
Published on 13 May 1999
Damned insightful
T.R. Reid has captured a few very powerful concepts about the emerging cultural forces of the next century. Read more
Published on 21 April 1999
A great first look at Asian politics, society, etc. today
In part of my professional life, I get to teach about Asian politics. I've long been looking for a book that will give my students insights into cultural traditions, social... Read more
Published on 20 April 1999
Superficial generalizations and ignorant bias galore
After seeing TR Reid speak to promote his book and wax poetic about all the insights gained on Asian culture during his stint in Japan, I am appalled to think that the general... Read more
Published on 9 April 1999
EASY READING. VERY INSIGHTFUL.
A thoroughly enjoyable book! I gained new insight into East Asian Confucian values and, in particular, how those values contrast to Western ideals in relation to education,... Read more
Published on 29 Mar 1999
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biography
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Biographies & Histories > Biographies & Memoirs
- Books > Fiction > Contemporary Fiction
- Books > History > Countries & Regions > Asia > East Asia > Japan
- Books > History > Cultural History
- Books > History > World History
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Anthropology > Customs & Folklore > Customs
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Anthropology > Social & Cultural
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
