Jonathan Clements

A Brief History of Japan by Jonathan Clements is a captivating exploration of Japan's rich tapestry of history. From the era of ancient teenage priest-queens to the bustling modern age of salarymen, Clements weaves an engaging narrative that takes readers through the myriad transformations of a nation that once aspired to conquer China yet later chose to seclude itself from...

The gripping story of Taiwan, from the flood myths of ancient legend to its 'Asian Tiger' economic miracle — and the looming threat of invasion by China. Once dismissed by the Kangxi Emperor as nothing but a 'ball of mud', Taiwan has a modern GDP larger than that of Sweden, in a land area smaller than Indiana. It is the...

Between the eighth and eleventh centuries, the Vikings surged from their Scandinavian homeland to trade, raid and invade along the coasts of Europe. Their influence and expeditions extended from Newfoundland to Baghdad, their battles were as far-flung as Africa and the Arctic. But were they great seafarers or desperate outcasts, noble heathens or oafish pirates, the last pagans or the...

For millennia, China was the largest and richest nation on earth. Two centuries ago, however, its economy sank into a depression from which it had not fully recovered—until now. China's modern resurgence as the world's largest nation in terms of population and its second-largest economy—where 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty in the space of a few...

By the time of Japan's surrender in 1945, an entire generation had grown up knowing nothing but conflict; but the transformation of Japan into a militarist power began decades earlier, with the toppling of the old samurai regime, and the rush of the formerly isolated nation onto the world stage. Japan at War in the Pacific recounts the dramatic story...

Mannerheim by Jonathan Clements profiles Baron Gustaf Mannerheim, one of the most significant figures of the twentieth century and the only man to be decorated by both sides during the Second World War. As a Finnish officer in Russian service, Mannerheim witnessed the coronation of the last Tsar. He was reprimanded for foolhardiness and decorated for bravery during the Russo-Japanese...

In the American mind, Finland is often swept up in the general group of Nordic countries, little known and seldom gaining prominence on its own. But as Jonathan Clements shows in An Armchair Traveller's History of Finland, it has a long and fascinating history, one that offers oddities and excitements galore: from prehistoric herders to medieval lords, Christian martyrs and...

A guide to the history of China’s capital, from before its rise to prominence as the seat of empires to the 2022 Winter Olympics. Before China’s capital became a sprawling megacity and international centre of business and culture, its fortunes fluctuated under a dozen dynasties. It has been a capital for several states, including those headed by Mongolian chiefs and...

Tokyo, which in Japanese means the “Eastern Capital,” has only enjoyed that name and status for 150 years. Until the middle of the nineteenth century, the city that is now Tokyo was a sprawling fishing town by the bay named Edo. Earlier still, in the Middle Ages, it was Edojuku, an outpost overlooking farmlands. And thousands of years ago, its...

A fascinating history of Finland from prehistoric times to the twenty-first century. The modern nation of Finland is the heir to centuries of history, as a wilderness at the edge of early Europe, a borderland of the Swedish empire, and a Grand Duchy of tsarist Russia. And, as Jonathan Clements’s vivid, concise volume shows, it is a tale paved with...

Japanese animation is at the nexus of an international multimedia industry worth over $23.6 billion a year, linked to everything from manga to computer games, Pokémon, and plushies. In this comprehensive guide, Jonathan Clements chronicles the production and reception history of the entire medium, from a handful of hobbyists in the 1910s to the Oscar-winning Spirited Away and beyond. Exploring...

It's called personal finance for a reason. How can we use our income and wealth to make ourselves happier? What drives our financial decisions? How should we think about retirement and the financial markets? The answers to these questions vary for each of us. Join renowned financial writer Jonathan Clements on a fascinating journey to explore the connection between money...

With almost 13 million residents, Tokyo is now as much an icon of modernity as it is a city, with its neon-lit billboards, futuristic technology, and avant-garde fashion scene. But the long and fascinating history of Japan’s modern capital encompasses much, much more, and in An Armchair Traveller’s History of Tokyo, Jonathan Clements sketches the city’s amazing trajectory from its...

Clements has a knack for writing suspenseful sure-footed conflict scenes: His recounting of the Korean invasion led by samurai and daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi reads like a thriller. If you're looking for a samurai primer, Clements' guide will keep you on the hook Japan Times, reviewed as part of an Essential Reading for Japanophiles series. From a leading expert in Japanese...

Take a deep dive into the wondrous world of manga, the Japanese comics phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. Manga has taken the world by storm. A richly diverse medium, the Japanese comics phenomenon has something for everyone—fantasy, horror, thrillers, romance, history, biography, sport, business, and even school textbooks. Manga A Visual History chronicles the evolution of manga...