The Heian era, marked by a tremendous amount of formative activity, are crucial to understanding all that followed. This text is as exhaustive a record and analysis of those times as any reader would ever want. The chapters are written by individual experts in their fields and cover key aspects of history, politics, sociology, religion, and art. If anything, the worst criticism of this text is that the amount of information provided is overwhelming.

Casual history buffs beware. Don't expect an easy to read narrative. The intended reader is either academic or deeply interested. The kind of person who doesn't mind information overload and who is willing to take the time to put all the pieces of the picture into place. It may be important to understand rice politics, but, for the average reader, the subject lacks the glitter of the Heian court and the conflicts that forged modern Japan.

Of course, this is intended to be a reference book as much as a history, which accounts for the dryness of some of the writing. But as a reference book it really shines - I have yet to look for something and not be able to find material. For the right reader, the book is well worth its steep price.

The format is the classical form of a series of chapters written by experts in the field. Delmer M. Brown, who is Professor Emeritus at the Center for Japanese Studies (UC Berkeley) has done an excellent job of bringing the work together and making this first volume work as a whole, including writing a good piece of the text himself. Eight other writers contribute, with sections on the Jomon, Yayoi, Yamato, Asuka (century of reform) and Nara periods, ending with 784 CE. Collateral chapters on Japan's relations with the continent, Kami worship and Buddhism, Nara economic and social institutions, and culture are also included to fill out the overall picture. The religious and cultural studies I found particularly informative.

When a book attempts to cover this much material, the pace of exposition is often overwhelming. Brown manages to keep this from being extreme, but it would be dishonest to describe 'Ancient Japan' as a leisurely armchair read. On the other hand, it is the perfect vehicle for forming a mental picture of the periods under study, and identifying additional sources for further reading. As such, the footnotes, citations, and index/glossary are invaluable. In addition, the writing is all in a competent academic style that never bores, even when it fails to excite. Despite the steep price this volume is an important addition to a scholarly library. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.