Power Search
Low Price Guarantee
We Take School POs
The Breaking Jewel
Contributor(s): Oda, Makoto (Author), Keene, Donald (Translator)

View larger image

 ISBN: 0231126123     ISBN-13: 9780231126120
Publisher: Columbia University Press
OUR PRICE: $89.25  

Binding Type: Hardcover - See All Available Formats & Editions
Published: January 2003
Qty:
Temporarily out of stock - Will ship within 2 to 5 weeks

Annotation: Set on an island in the South Pacific during the final days of World War II, when the tide has turned against Japan and the war has unmistakably become one of attrition, "The Breaking Jewel" offers a rare depiction of the Pacific War from the Japanese side and captures the essence of Japan's doomed imperial aims. The novel opens as a small force of Japanese soldiers prepares to defend a tiny and ultimately insignificant island from a full-scale assault by American forces. Its story centers on squad leader Nakamura, who resists the Americans to the end, as he and his comrades grapple with the idea of "gyokusai," (translated as "the breaking jewel" or the "pulverization of the gem"), the patriotic act of mass suicide in defense of the homeland.

Well known for his antiestablishment and antiwar sentiments, Makuto Oda gradually and subtly develops a powerful critique of the war and the racialist imperial aims that proved Japan's undoing.

Click for more in this series: Weatherhead Books on Asia
Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- Fiction | Literary
- Fiction | War & Military
Dewey: FIC
LCCN: 2002073430
Age Level: 22-UP
Grade Level: 17-UP
Series: Weatherhead Books on Asia
Physical Information: 0.6" H x 5.74" W x 8.44" L (0.64 lbs) 136 pages
Themes:
- Cultural Region - Asian
Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2003 pg. 183
Library Journal 02/01/2003 pg. 118
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:
Set on an island in the South Pacific during the final days of World War II, when the tide has turned against Japan and the war has unmistakably become one of attrition, The Breaking Jewel offers a rare depiction of the Pacific War from the Japanese side and captures the essence of Japan's doomed imperial aims. The novel opens as a small force of Japanese soldiers prepares to defend a tiny and ultimately insignificant island from a full-scale assault by American forces. Its story centers on squad leader Nakamura, who resists the Americans to the end, as he and his comrades grapple with the idea of gyokusai (translated as "the breaking jewel" or the "pulverization of the gem"), the patriotic act of mass suicide in defense of the homeland.

Well known for his antiestablishment and antiwar sentiments, Makuto Oda gradually and subtly develops a powerful critique of the war and the racialist imperial aims that proved Japan's undoing.
 
Customer ReviewsSubmit your own review
 
To tell a friend about this book, you must Sign In First!