Written in the author's typically charming and self-effacing style, this book offers readers a fascinating insight into Japan and Japanese life at the eve of its fateful entry into the Second World War. The author tells of his struggle to teach English in a Japanese university, as well as his daily encounters with Japanese institutions and customs. Never dry or pedantic, the work is a balanced and intriguing portrait of political and social life in 1940s Japan.

Written in the author's typically charming and self-effacing style, this book offers readers a fascinating insight into Japan and Japanese life at the eve of its fateful entry into the Second World War. The author tells of his struggle to teach English in a Japanese university, as well as his daily encounters with Japanese institutions and customs. Never dry or pedantic, the work is a balanced and intriguing portrait of political and social life in 1940s Japan.