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Summary: Another outstanding book from James Webb.
Review: Terrific character development and story telling about the end of World War II. Buy it and enjoy a great book.
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Summary: Hard to put down
Review: I love this book genre....and The Emperor's General is one of the best books I have read of its type. I am a student of this period of history, and found it both exploring and accurate. To steal the words of Newsweek book reviewers: "a page turner"....
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Summary: I want to contact the Author! I am visiting the Philippines
Review: This book was great! I was rivited through the entire story line. This book offers great insight into MacArthur, the Philippines, and the Second World War.This book convinced me to study the Philippines in a class at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business titled "The Politics and Economics of Development". Soon I will travel to the Philippines to complete this class. I desperately want to talk to the author! Can anyone help me contact the author of this book? Thanks, Scott
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Summary: Ha! Surprised I liked it so much
Review: Seems to me that the people who would read this book are white, middle-class conservative men with some link to the military--sorry about the generalization if it seems unfair. Moreover, the book is written in that unsophisticated prose style that I usually associate with popular consumer fiction, not "real" literature. But I thoroughly enjoyed this work and was surprised at Webb's historical accuracy and addressing of themes in US-Japan relationships--unpleasant facts that have only been written about in recent scholarly books about collusive ties between the US and post-War Japan (cf. Dower's "Embracing Defeat" and the new Hirohito biography). Well, seems like Webb and others in the US military are well aware of MacArthur's personal and political faults as well (or maybe just the Marines). Happened to run across an obituary in the New York Times of one of the US defense attorneys of the wrongfully indicted Japanese general, which verified every one of Webb's narrative details! Gen. MacArthur's character comes to life and his arrogance is inextricably linked to the way he established US military policy toward East Asia's Pacific Crescent, a restructuring of Japan's own WWII Economic Co-Prosperity Sphere imperialism, but this time American style. The prose is smoothly-paced and highly readable; I whipped through this book in no time. As someone who has no connection to the world of men like Webb (whom I assumed represents the military elite who served in Vietnam and came to public attention in the Reagan-era Iran-Contra scandal), I was not only pleasantly surprised, but extremely impressed. I think this is an engaging, intriguing piece of work. Webb should be commended for producing a fascinating narrative that will stimulate and satisfy the minds of both lay reader and history buff alike.
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Summary: Webb's Best Work Yet!
Review: Without a doubt, James Webb's best novel yet. Fast paced andthought provoking, I found The Emperor's General to be a fascinatinghistorical novel. Not only does the author present an insight intoMacArthur's world at the end of World War II, he examines the moralityof the events, from the rigged war crime trial of a Japanese generalto the personal troubles of a young junior officer. I was tornbetween not being able to put the book down and having to stop andexamine the issues brought to light by Webb.
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Summary: The Emperor's General
Review: Outstanding. I listened to the audio version as I was driving through the mid-west this week. I was often spell bound. Many passages are profound. I got choked up two or three times. Best book I've read/heard since Memoirs of a Geisha. Can't wait to get my next James Webb book.
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Summary: Polished, Entertaining and Educational
Review: As one who has read all of Webb's books, I found this one to be even more polished than his earlier works. The guy is simply an amazing writer and it shows in this book. He puts you in the scene with MacArthur through his fictional character Jay Marsh. This is a great and highly entertaining way to enjoy an interest in history and learn about MacArther, WWII and the Phillipines and postwar Japan. If you even think you might have an interest in any of these, read this book.
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Summary: Webb's best yet.
Review: I have read all Webb's novels & liked them all, but this is by far his best. Protagonists in his previous books have been either stereotypes or mouthpieces for Webb himself, but in Capt Jay Marsh Webb has created an interesting, entertaining & likable, but flawed, character who is an original & speaks in his own voice. The other characters both fictional & real are deftly drawn, too. This is a terrific novel, well-researched & well-written, & raises some important issues.
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Summary: Excellent!
Review: Exceptional piece of historic fiction. The characters are vivid and realistic. The historical background is very well laid out and comes alive in the context of this excellent novel. This book has it all--history, war, romance, intrigue. Very highly recommended!
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Summary: Excellent read and history lesson
Review: I lived in Japan in the late 80s. I found it remarkable to read in print in Webb's novel about historical episodes which were generally common knowledge to anyone who questioned the sanitised official line about the Occupation Period (put forward by both Americans and Japanese), but could not be written about by academics who valued their career prospects. Webb's book tallies precisely with David Bergamini's analysis. On top of that, an excellent read.
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