The 1970s and 1980s saw a revolution in Japanese literary criticism. A new generation of scholars and critics, many of them veterans of 1960s political activism, arose in revolt against the largely positivistic methodologies that had hitherto dominated postwar literary studies. Creatively refashioning approaches taken from the field of linguistics, the new scholarship challenged orthodox interpretations, often introducing new methodologies in the process: structuralism, semiotics, and phenomenological linguistics, among others. The radical changes introduced then continue to reverberate today, shaping the way Japanese literature is studied both at home and abroad. The Linguistic Turn in Contemporary Japanese Literary Studies is the first critical study of this revolution to appear in English. It includes translations of landmark essays published in the 1970s and 1980s by such influential figures as Noguchi Takehiko, Kamei Hideo, Mitani Kuniaki, and Hirata Yumi. It also collects nine new essays that reflect critically on the emergence of linguistics-based literary criticism and theory in Japan, exploring both the novel possibilities such theory created and the shortcomings that could not be overcome. Scholars from a variety of disciplines and fields probe the political and intellectual implications of this transformation and explore the exciting new pathways it opened up for the study of modern Japanese literature.

"THE WORLD'S RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS have offered answers to the weightiest questions of human existence, contributed to the formation of political and social institutions, inspired masterpieces of art and literature, and provided many of the cultural values and ideals on which entire civilizations have been based. Today, religions continue to play a powerful role in shaping the ways in which people understand themselves, the world they live in, and how they should live. Invitation to World Religions welcomes students to the study of religion. In these pages, we open the doors and invite the reader to explore with wonder and respect. We describe the essential features of the world's major religions and show how they have responded to basic human needs and to the cultural settings in which they developed. We also compare the answers religions have offered us regarding some of the most essential human questions: Why are we here? What is the nature of the universe? How should we live? Our aim has been to balance concision and substance in an introductory text that is accessible, as well as challenging"--

The Sengoku: Character Sheets book contains 41 illustrated and revised, two-sided character sheets, plus 11 additional blank (un-illustrated) character sheets. Features 41 illustrations of popular character profession templates -- samurai, bushi, priests, mystics, shinobi and more!

Misty Lake tells the story of a young Metis journalist from Winnipeg who travels to a Dene reserve in Northern Manitoba to conduct an interview with a former residential school student. What Mary imparts in her interview will change Patty's life profoundly, allowing the journalist to make the connections to her own troubled life in the city. Patty knows that her Metis grandmother went to residential school when she was a girl. But Patty hasn't understood until now that she's inherited the traumatic legacy of residential school that was passed down to her mother from her grandmother. With this new understanding, Patty embarks on a healing journey. It will take her to the Dene fishing camp at Misty Lake, a place of healing, where, with Mary, she will learn that healing begins when you can talk about your life.

Saké, the Japanese wine distilled from rice and an essential part of Japanese culture for more than 2,000 years, is suddenly becoming one of the hippest alcoholic beverages in in the U. S. and abroad. The current rise of saké bars and saké-influenced drinks such as the sakétini are delicious evidence of this newly gained popularity. Despite this newfound buzz, most Westerners know very little about this traditional drink. There are more varieties of saké than there are of red and white wines combined. Saké is supposed to be served chilled. Only low-grade saké is heated, mainly to hide the inferior quality of the drink. In Japan, saké is rarely served with sushi, which is ironic as most Americans who drink saké only drink it with sushi. Rocky Aoki, the founder of the famous Benihana and Haru restaurants examines how the rice is grown and brewed, supplies fascinating background and history of saké in Japanese culture, describes the different varieties of saké, discusses which sakés should accompany different types of foods, and where one can purchase saké. With the same zest that he has brought to his phenomenally successful Benihana chain, which introduced the world to Japanese cuisine, Aoki will share the joy of saké. Also included is an extensive appendix guide to 100 brands of saké that are commonly found in the United States and are considered the most popular brands based on quality, price, and availability.

Mämaka Kaiao adds to the 1998 edition more than 1,000 new and contemporary words that are essential to the continuation and growth of ka ölelo Hawaii--the Hawaiian language.