Reserved for SKingList.

Sent to SKingList today. Hopefully, it will arrive soon.

Muito obrigado Marcelo!

This was very generous, I, along with the others on the ring appreciate it very much.

New ring as of 13 September

kiyoitsukikage - Poland (Prefers Europe)
LeishaCamden - Oslo Norway (Anywhere by surface)
Franciek - Italy (Ship Anywhere)
Drusillamac - Scotland (overseas via surface)
molekilby - UK (Ship Anywhere)
safrolistics - UK (UK Only)
LyzzyBee - UK (Ship Anywhere)
Tregossip - UK, (EU OK)
QueenSissi - Portugal (Europe)
librissima - Greece (Ship Anywhere)
sudokugirl - Sarajevo (Anywhere OK)
Icila - France (Anywhere OK)
duza-kaluza - Poland (Prefers Europe) - apparently now in Chile, have moved it to create a somewhat logical mailing order.
.
.
.
Centenaro - Brazil

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed to Poland. Can't imagine airmail will take more than a week - ten days or so. Enjoy!

It's arrived! :)

I finally finished the book. It really took me some time to get through the first 100+ pages... Issues described in the book are interesting, but for some reason the book as a whole wasn't VERY enjoyable... Maybe it's because I read a similar book by a Polish author and it was very enjoyable for me - I probably expected something very similar to that one and was disappointed that it wasnt it ;) Anyway, I got on with the book faster in the end. It was interesting to gain a little insight - if chaotic - into the orderly world of Japanese schools and students.
Thank you for letting me read this! I will post the book within a couple of days (unfornatunately I'm sick at the moment).

This book arrived in the mail from Poland today. It looks like a fascinating read, I'm thrilled to get the chance to read it. But I do have a lot of rings & rays in the house right now so I suspect I may end up reading it a little 'behind schedule'. I hope I can be forgiven for that. :-)

Thanks for taking such wonderful care of this ring, SKingList!!

I started reading this book on Thursday, December 6th. Have read about 160 pages so far. It's a very interesting book - slightly repetitive, but entertaining. I'll journal again when I've finished the book.

I finished reading this book today. It was a very interesting read. I actually gave a copy of it away for Christmas - I decided to do so even though I at that point had only read half the book, but it seemed to be the perfect gift to a British friend of mine who is planning to spend a year as a teacher in Japan. He has gotten the book but has not read it yet, so I'm still waiting to hear what he thinks ... :-)

What I think is the following: that the book is well written and a pleasure to read, and gives a lot of insight into the mindset behind the Japanese education system. I have read some reviews from people who felt it was very repetitive ... I didn't really agree with that, I thought it was slightly repetitive at times but certainly not very much so. Yes, he does make it out that most Japanese are very much alike ... but isn't that the whole point of the book, that he wants to describe the ways in which Japanese society strives to achieve this strong similarity, that this is what is primarily appreciated in Japan, and also how this gives the society both strengths and weaknesses. I think this is quite a nuanced account and I loved getting to know the various characters that Bruce struck up friendships with during his year in Japan. These people all 'ring true' for me as I see a lot of my own Japanese friends in them.

All in all an informative and entertaining read.

I will PM Franciek for an address and get the book on its way again soon. Thanks for sharing, everyone - especially Centenaro for your help in getting the ring back on track!! :-)

RELEASE NOTES:

The book is now on its way to Italy. Happy trails, little book, and happy reading, FrancieK! :-)

I've got it!!! thanks Kristin!

Interesting book, very nice to read. I've been interested into Japanese culture for years and tried to learn some of it with books and other stuff. I'm planning to go to Tokyo soon!!!

Received today. Many thanks franciek for sending on, SKingList for organising and Centenaro for rescuing. It's my next read and then I'll pass on.

I signed up to this ring many months ago when looking to diversify my reading. It certainly did that. I had a vision of Japan being built around ceremony, but never realised how wide or deep that actually went. It made me smile on many occasions. I wonder if it has changed in recent years. This book also reminded me of another book I've read, Lessons To Learn, although this was set in Korea.

I have the next address and hope to send it this week.

Received in the post today, and thanks for the note Jase!

I really enjoyed this book, I've read a few books about Japan, but this is the first centred mainly around the education system. An interesting look at the pros and cons of Japanese verses American schooling.

RELEASE NOTES:

Going to the next person in the bookring.

Received today - thank you - with another book as a RABCK and a little book of Japanese notelets. I may just leave a note in the book for the next reader!

Should get to this soon and on to the next person.

I really enjoyed this account of a teacher's year in Japan. He seemed to stand back from the action, while still recounting his tales, and takes a really deep and careful look at the way Japanese society operates, particularly in regard to schooling/education, and how that early experience really informs the whole of Japanese society.

It's not a dry academic text, though - far from it - we go dating with Bruce, and see him experiencing the newer, as well as the older ways.

A thoughtful and mature, insightful book which I heartily recommend.

ETA: Skinglist said yes to my request that my other half, Matth3w, could read this too while it was in the house!

Thanks a lot to SKingList for agreeing to "fit me in" after LyzzyBee. I'm very grateful and very glad that I got a chance to read this excellent and evocative book about Japanese culuture and in particular the Japanese education system.

I have read a number of books about Japan now and I felt that this one really managed to convey how the apparent "otherness" of Japanese culture arises as a result of the way children in Japan are brought up. Withe ach chapter providing an insight into different aspects of Japanese culture and tradition the whole ends up providing a rounded and insightful commentary on Japanese life.

Thanks once again to SKingList and we'll pass it on to the next person on the list after LyzzyBee very shortly.

RELEASE NOTES:

Posting to Tregossip on Saturday.

Thanks again for letting us both join the ring, Skinglist - and look, we have sent it on in good time, too!

Arrived this morning and thanks for the postcard, retirement is great, how did I find time to work full time??

Update 5/6/08
Rather repetative in places but not boringly so at all, more there to remind the reader.
See published 1991 and referces back to 1988 in places.
Have things changed in past 7 yrs?

Wherever I travel there are couples/parties of happy, friendly, very polite Japaneese tourists who are enjoying the travel experience.
And the parties of travelling students have manners that put most of Uk/EU young people to shame.

Thanks for letting me share

Thank you for sharing this book - it certainly educates the reader

RELEASE NOTES:

Off to Portugal, sent airmail 9th July

It has arrived. Thanks!

It was a really nice read though I am afraid it was, as previously said, repetitive though educational. Thank you for the possibility of reading it - I have learnt much.

Sent it to Librissima!