Pure Invention

A nerd- and generalist-friendly look at how Japan shaped the post-World War II world, from toys to Trump … A non-native’s savvy study of Japan’s wide influence in ways both subtle and profound * Kirkus *Amazingly well researched, fabulously informative and an awful lot of fun. If you love Japanese culture or are just curious to know more I can’t recommend this book highly enough * Jonathan Ross *A work of startling originality … This is a wonderful book, exuberant and joyful, full of love for Japan but a deep appreciation of the sorts of links that get left out of popular accounts - political economies, human-interest stories and technological determinism – Jonathan Clements * All the Anime blog *A classic in the making * Post magazine *

Matthew Alt is a writer, translator and reporter. He is the author of several illustrated books about Japan. His writing has appeared in the New Yorker, Wired, Slate, the Independent and the Japan Times. He is the co-host of the TV show Japanology Plus on NHK World. He lives in Japan.