By Rana Mitter
This week, the foreign ministers of Japan and China shook hands in public in Beijing, pledging better relations in the years to come. It was a reminder to westerners that we still don’t know nearly enough about the relationship between the world’s second and third biggest economies (Japan and China having recently switched places, so that Beijing now holds the no. 2 spot, riding hard on the heels of the US). Relations between China and Japan have been rocky over the past few decades, with an incident over the arrest of the captain of a Chinese fishing vessel by the Japanese authorities causing ructions just last autumn. And of course for many Chinese, the relationship is shaped by memories of the horrific war with Japan between 1937 and 1945 in which some 15 million Chinese died. But China and Japan are also profoundly linked economically and culturally. Japanese companies invest in China; Chinese goods flow into Japan. And the two countries share aspects of culture, particularly writing systems and religious practice, that come from centuries of shared interaction. In the twentieth century, Japan was the dominant member of the duo. But as the century to come seems to be China’s , what does that mean for its closest neighbour, sometime enemy, and now wary partner?
The key player in this diplomatic minuet is the US, still, of course, the world’s biggest economy and a cultural powerhouse. It may be in relative decline, but it looms large in every region of the world, including the Pacific. And of course, the continuing security arrangements between the US and Japan are one of the factors that exercise minds in Beijing. The Chinese see the Pacific as the site of a new regional hegemony: not territorial, but in terms of influence, both military and economic. Having the United States, with its powerful naval presence, in the Pacific, is a constant reminder that there is a check on their ambitions in the region and that not everyone in that region welcomes every aspect of China’s “peaceful rise.” And Japan is still a key US ally. After World War II, Japan was disarmed precisely so that it could never again invade and occupy Asia. But as a result, Japan’s defence was taken care of by the United States, leaving Japan free to grow its economy (remember, until the 1990s, “Asian economic miracle” meant Japan, not China). Ironically, the China of today might have preferred it if China had been left to develop its own forces without US assistance in the postwar era, since it would be easier for Beijing to face down an independent military in Tokyo than to do so a force backed by Washington. The rivalry is not just about arms: both China and Japan compete for influence in the region and beyond with foreign aid and investment. So the mistrust remains – but also the realization that the relationship will inevitably change as China becomes richer and Japan becomes older (Japan is one of the faster-ageing societies in the world – although so will China be from the 2020s on, because the children of the one-child policy are getting older).
Rana Mitter is Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China at the University of Oxford and the author of Modern China: A Very Short Introduction and A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World. The Sino-Japanese relationship is just one area that will be explored at a forum
Last year, Colleen's idea to spotlight books and authors from a specific country led to the One Shot World Tour: Best Read With Vegemite, a blogfest of love for Australian authors.
Since the first One Shot World Tour (OSWT) was a success, we're taking another trip. Join us on March 26th as we celebrate Canadian authors. Simply post about any book of any genre for any age group written by a Canadian author, then give Colleen the link to your post and you'll be included in the day's round-up.
I pledge allegiance
To the tour
Of the united bloggers of literature
And to Colleen Mondor,
Who planned it all
One nation
On the net
Cool and literate
With interviews and book stuff
For all
A few months ago, Colleen from Chasing Ray organized the first Summer Blast Blog Tour (SBBT), in which bloggers had the opportunity to interview a multitude of fascinating and talented authors, with new and exclusive interviews posted every day for a week. Colleen has now organized a blog tour which is quite worldly: the One-Shot World Tour (OSWT), in which bloggers will feature a book or books by an author from a certain country.
The first stop on our tour is Australia - with a few side trips to New Zealand - making this inaugural edition Best Read With Vegemite.
Aussie Tales
When I was in elementary school, my sister had a very cool pen pal in Australia named Mel. When the girls discovered that their younger sisters who were nearly the same age, the younger set became pen pals as well. Our families met early in our friendship, when her family took a big trip to America. During that day, as well as in the years and letters to come, we giggled over the words our countries used differently. To me, jumper was a sleeveless dress best worn over a cute shirt and tights; to Zoe, it was a sweater. When she asked for tomato sauce, I pictured what I'd add to a pasta dish until she reached for the bottle of ketchup.
Zoe and I wrote back and forth for at least five years. We shared a love for performing and a love of books. We could talk about classics one moment and The Baby-Sitters Club the next.
At one point, our Australian sisters sent us a container of vegemite. We tried it, but we didn't care for it.
I do wish we were still in touch. Zoe and Mel, I hope you are doing well, and that you are successful and happy!
Today's Topic
In 2005, I read Finding Grace by Alyssa Brugman. I enjoyed it so much that I included in on my Best Books of 2005 list, under the category of "Best backlist titles read in 2005." I followed it up with Walking Naked, her second novel for teens, which was also well-written. I snatched up Being Bindy as soon as it was released in America last year. It was a fun, realistic story, and I added that to many of my middle school booklists. Though I enjoyed all three of these novels, it was Finding Grace that struck me the most. Here's my original review:
In this thoughtful novel, a high school graduate becomes the caretaker for a woman who became brain damaged as an adult for reasons unknown . . . at first. As Rachel learns more about her charge Grace, she also learns more about herself.
Finding Grace was surprisingly poignant. Rachel is appropriately awkward at first, not certain how to act around Grace. She is also on that brink between being a kid and being an adult, having graduated from high school but not completely knowing what she wants to do next. My heart went out to each of the characters in turn, and the writing kept me wanting to find out more about all of them.
Culture Clash or Crash Course?Though
Finding Grace does not focus outright on Australian culture, politics, or other country-specific topics, American readers will know from the start that they aren't reading a book set in their country simply because of the terms Rachel uses to reference her schooling and graduation. Nevertheless, the story is all about people and their relationships, and it will appeal to readers of any age or nationality who are looking for a coming-of-age story.
In SummaryFinding Grace explores and respects injuries and recovery of an adult after an accident while simultaneously detailing teenage embarrassment in a very gentle way. I recommend this book to teens and adults alike.
Other WorksAlyssa Brugman also writes the Shelby Shaw pony series, which currently has four titles - For Sale and Swap, Beginner's Luck, Hot Potato, and Hide & Seek. Her newest novel, Solo, is now on sale in Australia. None of these titles appear to be available in the USA - yet. I keep checking bookshops and the public library, just in case!
Australian Round-Up (links to come once everyone has posted)
Colleen is writing about Nick Earls at Chasing Ray
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast interviews Margo Lanagan
Kelly Fineman is all about Melina Marchetta
Big A, little A writes about Anna Feinberg and her "Tashi" series
Jenn at Not Your Mother's Bookclub interviews Simmone Howell
Chicken Spaghetti reviews Kathy Hoopmann's award winning All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome
Gwenda at Shaken and Stirred is all about How Sassy Changed My Life, The Red Shoes by Ursula Dubosarsky and a wee bit more with Margo Lanagan
Jen Robinson discusses John Marsden's "Tomorrow" series
Finding Wonderland has a look at Undine by Penni Russon and a look at some of Jaclyn Moriarty's titles
Little Willow discusses Finding Grace by Alyssa Brugman
At A Chair, a Fireplace & a Tea Cozy it is all about Catherine Jinks and her four "Pagan" books
Jackie at Interactive Reader posts about Randa Abdel-Fattah's Does My Head Look Big in This? and John Flanagan's The Icebound Land
Trisha at The Ya Ya Yas interviews Queenie Chan
Fuse Number 8 talks more about John Marsden and also highlights a new Hot Man of Literature: Andy Griffiths
Jenny Davidson who has interviewed mystery author Peter Temple
Mother Reader who will be posting on Am I Right or Am I Right? by Barry Jonsberg
Next UpIn two weeks, many of these blogs - including Bildungsroman, and again led by Chasing Ray - will be posting Radar Recommendations, encouraging folks to pick up books that may have fallen under their radar. Future stops on the world tour are currently being booked. Stay tuned!
Related Booklists and Posts at BildungsromanFull of GraceFrom a Land Down UnderSummer Blog Blast Tour (SBBT)
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