This work talks about new lands, loves lost, histories made. The year is 1858. Thomas Glover is a gutsy eighteen-year-old who grasps the chance of escape to foreign lands and takes a posting as a trader in Japan. Within ten years he amasses a great fortune, learns the ways of the samurai, and, on the other side of the law, brings about the overthrow of the Shogun. Yet beneath Glover's astonishing success lies a man cut to the heart. His love affair with a courtesan - a woman who, unknown to him, would bear him the son for ... Read More
This work talks about new lands, loves lost, histories made. The year is 1858. Thomas Glover is a gutsy eighteen-year-old who grasps the chance of escape to foreign lands and takes a posting as a trader in Japan. Within ten years he amasses a great fortune, learns the ways of the samurai, and, on the other side of the law, brings about the overthrow of the Shogun. Yet beneath Glover's astonishing success lies a man cut to the heart. His love affair with a courtesan - a woman who, unknown to him, would bear him the son for which he had always longed - would form a tragedy so dramatic as to be immortalised in the stories behind Madame Butterfly and Miss Saigon. "The Pure Land" relives in fiction the arc of Glover's true-life rise and fall, and forges a hundred-year saga that culminates in the annihilation of Nagasaki in 1945. The novel gracefully spans the feudal and the atomic ages, East and West, global history and private passion. Alan Spence has produced a modern epic, at once a rattling good adventure, a heart-wrenching love story and a journey of the spirit. Read Less
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Fair. [ No Hassle 30 Day Returns ] [ Writing: SOME ] [ Edition: first ] [ Water Damage: SLIGHT doesn't affect use ] Publisher: Canongate U.S. Pub Date: 11/10/2007 Binding: Paperback Pages: 432.
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Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
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Very Good. No Jacket as Issued. BT5-An uncorrected proof paperback book in very good condition that is lightly curled and light shelf wear. 9"x6", 420 pages. Satisfaction Guaranteed.
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 400 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
If you like to read about Japanese historical novels this book fills that bill. It does seem to simplify some of the cultural and historical elements however which makes it less satisfying.
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Apr 4, 2007
How the West started World War II
In The Pure Land by Alan Spence we see through one man?s story how Europe and America in their greed to make profits and build wealth through corporate empires created the atmosphere that eventually led to World War II and the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Japan. The protagonist, Thomas Glover, escaped Scotland at the age of eighteen to live in Japan, which America forced to open for trade with the West. The same thing was going on at the same time in China. Corporate capitalism requires growth in profits and growth in profits requires new markets. The Pure Land, historical fiction at its best, clearly shows how greed and capitalism in partnership leads to death and destruction on a grand scale. The Pure Land makes an ominous connection to what is happening in the world today. There is nothing wrong with free enterprise except when it is allowed to run wild without restrictions and little or no oversight. In this book the reader will experience first hand how this type of corruption works and gets out of hand. Of course for the individual making the money and having all the success it is all fun and games but for those of us left in their wake, there is nothing but suffering, death and destruction. This was a very convincing, well-written story of the life of a real man, Thomas Glover. After reading The Pure Land, the reader should reevaluate what success in life really is and what is important to the individual.
