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Title: The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime by Robert Whiting ISBN: 0-446-53192-8 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 2004 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.67 (3 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: a poor imitation of "You've Got To Have Wa"
Comment: The Meaning of Ichiro is Robert Whiting's third book about America's game and its Japanese counterpart. Superficially based around an examination of the impact of Ichiro Suzuki and other Japanese baseball players on baseball in America and Japan, Whiting provides some insights into the games themselves and the men who play them.
But while You've Got To Have Wa, Whiting's first book, provided the first real look into baseball as it is played in Japan, The Meaning of Ichiro brings very little new to the table. Whiting's points about the differences between baseball in the two countries are basically a rehash of things he's said in previous books. The only new material he provides is in the way of biographies, but these are mostly just quickly sketched vignettes (with the exception of his discussion of manager Bobby Valentine) that offer almost no interesting material beyond the occasional player scandal that received attention in Japan but not in the U.S. His analysis is shallow at best, often times providing little more then the stat lines for a particular player.
The biggest weakenss of The Meaning of Ichiro though is its lack of coherence. You've Got To Have Wa, an excellent book, neatly tied its combination of analysis and annecdotes together. The Meaning of Ichiro does not fit nearly so well. Chapters have very little connection between them. In fact, the constant repition of certain pieces of information makes it feel as if the chapters were all written independently then cobbled together at the last minute. In general, the book sorely lacks an editor, a failing that is additionally evidenced in the relatively large number of typos and grammar mistakes that made it through to the final printing.
I can recommend The Meaning of Ichiro if someone is looking for quick and dirty biographies of a few of the Japanese players who have come to America, or as a general overview of Japanese baseball. But for a serious book that presents cogent and well reasoned analysis of Japanese and American baseball, invest in You've Got To Have Wa and give this one a free pass.
Rating: 4
Summary: Don't Look Behind You
Comment: By far, the best part of The Meaning of Ichiro is the first two chapters, which follow Ichiro Suzuki's childhood and career. His father devoted his whole life to molding Ichiro into a model baseball player. Ichiro, though an excellent student, passed up college for baseball. He had a good career in Japan, then went on to a tremendous start in American baseball as a member of the Seattle Mariners. The story of a father and son so devoted to baseball and so successful is a compelling one.
So what is the Meaning of Ichiro? As Whiting settles into a broader look at Japanese baseball and its relationship with American baseball, it emerges that while the two baseballs have much in common, a big difference is in the cultural attitudes of Japan and America. In Japan, the individual works for the good of the larger group -- the family, the school, the company, the country, the baseball team. In America, the individual is self-reliant and takes himself as far as he can go, breaking records and setting new standards. Of course, both of these attributes make baseball what it is.
Whiting goes into the history of baseball in Japan and the participation of Americans in Japanese baseball. American players, managers, even a few umpires, have had limited success in Japan, mostly because of cultural differences, but also because of racism in Japan. Whiting's explanation of the meaning of the word "gaijin" and how it is used is very revealing.
The relatively recent entrance of Japanese players to America has been more successful. Whiting looks at the Japanese and American careers of several Japanese players. So far, there are no coaches or managers who have made the transition from Japan to America.
The Meaning of Ichiro is mostly about baseball, but it's also about Japanese culture and attitudes. Japan, like many countries, is adopting a lot of American ways. Soon, they may be beating us at our own game.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Cross-Cultural Study
Comment: Following the out-of-print The Chrysanthemum and the Bat (1977) and You Gotta Have Wa (1990), The Meaning of Ichiro can be looked at as the third in a trilogy of Robert Whiting books on Japanese baseball. (He also did an as told to book with Warren Cromartie). In it, Whiting pursues the next logical step, looking at the impact Japanese players have had on the American game, and how this has changed the relationship between the two countries in terms of society in general as well as in the baseball world. Whiting examines the make-up of various Japanese players and how it affected their success in the American big leagues. Besides Ichiro, he discusses Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Hideki Irabu, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, and Hideki Matsui, among others. He also looks at how foreign managers have fared in Japan, paying particular attention to Bobby Valentine's tenure as skipper of the Chiba Lotte Marines. Whiting points out that for many years, Americans played in Japan, but no Japanese played in the U.S and he supports a conclusion that the emergence of Japanese stars in the major leagues has been a good thing for the relationship between the two countries. This is good reading for those who are interested in international baseball and how foreign relations are effected outside of strictly diplomatic circles.
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Title: You Gotta Have Wa (Vintage Departures) by ROBERT WHITING ISBN: 067972947X Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 03 October, 1990 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Slugging It Out in Japan: An American Major Leaguer in the Tokyo Outfield by Warren Cromartie ISBN: 4770014236 Publisher: Kodansha Amer Inc Pub. Date: 01 April, 1991 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero by Leigh Montville ISBN: 0385507488 Publisher: Doubleday Pub. Date: 13 April, 2004 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan (Vintage Departures) by Robert Whiting ISBN: 0375724893 Publisher: Vintage Books USA Pub. Date: 26 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Baseball Prospectus 2004: Statistics, Analysis and Insight for the Information Age by The Baseball Prospectus Team of Experts ISBN: 0761134026 Publisher: Workman Publishing Pub. Date: February, 2004 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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