April 28, 2004

Boise State Prof Pens Book On The History Of Japan

Following World War I, Japan suddenly emerged on the international scene as one of the world’s five “great powers.” How this chain of previously insignificant islands rose to such prominence is detailed in a new book by Boise State history professor Shelton Woods. "Japan: An Illustrated History," published by Hippocrene Books (200 pages, $14.95, paperback), spans 6,000 years of geologic, political and social events that shaped this community and its people. The book details several key events in the history of this richly cultured country. Included are the establishment of imperial rule under the Yamato clan, the era of the shogun, the Edo period of Japanese isolationism, the devastating results of World Ward II and Japan’s emergence as a democracy and economic superpower. "Japan" is the latest in a series of books in Hippocrene’s Illustrated History series. The series boasts more than two dozen histories of countries, cities and states. Each is a compact volume depicting the entire history of a region, from earliest times to the present, written in an accessible, engaging style. The books are of interest to travelers, students and the general public. Woods was born and raised in Southeast Asia. A professor of East/Southeast Asian history and associate dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs at Boise State, he received his Ph.D. in Southeast Asian history from the University of California-Los Angeles. He currently lives in Boise with his wife, Karen. -30- Contact Shelton Woods College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs 208 426-3349 Media Contact Kathleen Craven Boise State communications and marketing (208) 426-3275