First published 1985
In 1853, Japan remains sealed from the world, its people unaware that America exists. For generations, the island nation has rejected all foreign contact, turning away trade ships and abandoning even their own shipwrecked sailors. Japanese society operates under ancient feudal rules, much like medieval Europe once did. Then Commodore Perry arrives with his American fleet, carrying advanced technology and new ideas that will shatter Japan's isolation. As Perry's ships anchor in Japanese waters, two vastly different civilizations meet for the first time. The encounter forces Japan to confront a choice between maintaining its centuries-old isolation or embracing the modern world. Blumberg captures this pivotal moment when East meets West, showing how one man's mission transforms an entire nation and sets the stage for Japan's emergence into the global community.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, adventure, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: culture-clash, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Japan, America
Period: 1853
144 pages · Hardcover · Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books