Saturday, May 15, 2010

Book Note: Mark D. West, Secrets, Sex, and Spectacle: The Rules of Scandal in Japan and the United States (2007)



I loved Mark D. West's previous book,
Law in Everyday Japan: Sex, Sumo, Suicide, and Statutes, and this one did not disappoint. Secrets, Sex, and Spectacle: The Rules of Scandal in Japan and the United States is a scholarly yet accessibly entertaining analysis of what qualifies as scandal in each culture and how each culture deals with the aftermath. Neither of West's books is particularly noirish, but if you're a fan of Japanese noir, his work will enrich your understanding of Japanese culture and deepen your appreciation of Japanese fiction.

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