History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

In Light of Shadows: More Gothic Tales by Izumi Kyoka

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Immutable tranquility
Made in the Shade

In Light of Shadows: More Gothic Tales by Izumi Kyoka
Kyoka Izumi
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0824828941

Book Description

In Light of Shadows is the long-awaited second volume of short fiction by the Meiji-Taishô writer Izumi Kyôka. It includes the famous novella Uta andon (A story by lantern light), the bizarre, anti-psychological story "Mayu kakushi no rei" (A quiet obsession), and Kyôka's hauntingly erotic final work, "Rukôshinsô" (The heartvine), as well as critical discussions of each of these three tales. Translator Charles Inouye places Kyôka's "literature of shadows" (kage no bungaku) within a worldwide gothic tradition even as he refines its Japanese context. Underscoring Kyôka's relevance for a contemporary international audience, Inouye adjusts Tanizaki Jun'ichirô's evaluation of Kyôka as the most Japanese of authors by demonstrating how the writer's paradigm of the suffering heroine can be linked to his exposure to Christianity, to a beautiful American woman, and to the aesthetic of blood sacrifice.

In Light of Shadows masterfully conveys the magical allusiveness and elliptical style of this extraordinary writer, who Mishima Yukio called "the only genius of modern Japanese letters."

Customer Reviews:

Immutable tranquility.......2006-09-25

"In Light of Shadows" collects three more Gothic tales from Japanese master Izumi Kyoka. He is not an easy writer to get into, as is style is deep and complex, and filled with allusion to classic Japanese literature that you probably haven't read. However, the skillful translation of Charles Inouye has provided a bridge into Kyoka's world, allowing Westerners to experience the sad beauty of his stories for the first time.

Kyoka's work is of extraordinary depth, and are the kind of tales that muddle around in your head long after you have turned the final page, trying to figure out if you actually understood them. Then, you are drawn back for a second, and a third reading, with each time a little more of the mystery being made clear.

"A Song by Lantern Light" weaves together two storylines, both of which are influenced by two separate Japanese classics, the travelogue "Shank's Mare" are the Noh play "The Diver." Two gentlemen, Yajirobei and Nejibei travel the same route as "Shank's Mare," constantly dropping quotes from the famous novel and trying their best to re-create the circumstances of the trip. Intermixed with this is the melancholy tale of a nameless, wandering singer and a beautiful woman, Omie. A haunting tale of redemption.

"A Quiet Obsession" is Kyoka's attempt at an old-fashioned Japanese ghost story. A traveler visits an ancient inn, where the bath is haunted by the ghost of a beautiful woman. Slowly, her sad story unfolds in an unexpected way.

"The Heartvine" is a story with its own story. Kyoka was dying of lung cancer, and he knew full well that this would be his final tale. A young man considers suicide, but is saved by the intervention of a young woman who killed herself that same night. It is a story of life and death, the kind only a dying man could write.

At the end of the book, there are also individual essays of the three stories, putting them into historical and cultural perspective. Inouye's passion for Kyoka's writing is infectious, and it is wonderful the way he lays bare the secrets of the stories. I can only hope that this is just the next volume in a continuing series of Kyoka stories translated by Inouye.

Made in the Shade.......2006-03-11

This collection of stories by Izumi Kyoka is every bit as excellent as "Japanese Gothic Tales"--possibly better. The haunting moods that Izumi crafts are unlike most anything else I've come across in literature, resembling Poe but more subdued, less horrific. Less dramatic yet more moving. Unlike so many Japanese writers of the early 20th century, Izumi does not throw out the fine literary tradition of Japan in favor of the latest ill-digested trends from Europe, but draws on the best of both traditions to create something altogether more than the sum of its parts. This is probably why he's misunderstood by both his detratctors and his supporters as "quintessentially Japanese" or whatnot. Nope, he's just quintessentially himself, like all the authors we keep reading and re-reading generation after generation,

All three of the fine stories here are distinct in a number of ways too, giving the reader some sense of the scope of Izumi's talent. "A Song by Lantern Light" is one of the more structurally complex of his works, a moving tale of salvation and reconciliation. "A Quiet Obsession" is the closest thing here to a good old ghost story, but the convoluted layers of narration and the sort of time warp effect of the story make for a real mental bender. And "The Heartvine" is easily the most intense; the guy knew he was dying as he wrote it, and you can really feel that he put his whole heart and soul into this partially autobiographical final testament to his readers.

The virtuousi translation work by Charles Inouye should truly be commended, and his essays afterwards are thought-provoking and insightful; he should be thanked too for putting these at the end so that there are no spoilers.

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Hauntingly Good English Debut for Izumi Kyoka
Unfortunate women and death
Real Japan, Real Fear, Really Good

Japanese Gothic Tales
Izumi Kyoka
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0824817893

Customer Reviews:

Hauntingly Good English Debut for Izumi Kyoka.......2006-04-14

The four stories by Izumi Kyoka (one of Japan's most interesting and eccentric modern authors) included in this book are truly excellent, haunting in almost every sense of the word: Creepy and spooky, reverberating with untold depths, recurring obsessively in imagery, and hard to forget. For all intents and purposes this is the first book-length translation of Kyoka's fiction into English, and so it's appropriate that the four stories sort of capture the span of Kyoka's artistic development in microcosm: "The Surgery Room" is an early work by Kyoka that somewhat resembles the naturalist fiction of the time, concerned with serious social issues and the sordid side of life--many of Kyoka's perennial themes are here in embryo within this melodramatic tale, but it is clear that he hasn't quite found his footing yet. "The Holy Man of Mount Koya" is his most famous work and justly so, and here we see Kyoka's themes spelled out with the most narrative clarity ever--he hit the nail right on the head with this archetypal story of temptation and transcendence. "One Day in Spring" develops these themes in similar ways to the prior story, but Kyoka gets very surreal and imagistic in his writing style here--imagine a traditional Japanese ghost story, a haunting no drama, and an episode of "The Twilight Zone" blended together with a dash of Salvador Dali and you might get something like this complex story. And this weird writing style also informs "Osen and Sokichi" which otherwise in basic premise is similar to the first story.

Charles Inouye's introduction and conclusion are extremely helpful in placing Izumi Kyoka in context and in interpreting the stories in an illuminating but not high-handed manner. And his talent and craftsmanship as a translator are incredible. One could ask for no better introduction of Izumi Kyoka to the English-speaking world than this little volume.

Unfortunate women and death.......2004-01-21

"Japanese Gothic Tales" might be a slightly misleading title for this collection of four of Izumi Kyoka's short stories. While they are gothic in the sense of being somewhat in the style of gothic literature, they are not really gothic in the modern sense of the word. In other words, this is not a straight forward collection of horror stories. Kyoka may very well be Japan's Edgar Allen Poe, as has been maintained before, but if so it is because of his effective use of atmosphere and the short story, rather than his themes.

Instead of horror, it is a sampling of Kyoka's unique and somewhat complicated style of storytelling. His use of layers and misdirection, of drifting back and forth in time and story without offering life-lines to the readers creates an atmosphere of disquiet far more than any ghosts of monsters. Kyoka is particularly difficult to read even for native Japanese speakers, and he is incredibly difficult to translate.

"The Surgery Room" offers a traditional Japanese tale of impossible love and the consequences it leads to. More than anything, it reminds me of one of Road Dahl's adult short stories. Sharp and cutting like a scalpel.

"The Holy Man of Mt. Koya" is probably the most straight forward tale, and rates the cover of the book. A mountain ghost story that is both chilling and thought-provoking. Excellent.

"One Day in Spring" is a complicated tangle, drifting back and forth between characters, stories and life-times. It revisits the familiar thread of love outside your caste, and the only possible solution. A very sad story, with subtle Buddhist undertones. It is the longest story in the book.

"Osen and Soichi" is a tale of maternal infatuation that is often found in Japanese literature. The character of the prostitute/surrogate mother who suffers for her charge. Of course, there can be no happy ending.

The translator, Charles Inouye, has done a superb job rendering Kyoka into English, as well as providing informative Forwards and Afterwords, discussing the tales and Kyoka's place in Japanese literature.

Real Japan, Real Fear, Really Good.......1997-08-13

Kyoka's tales define Japanese Gothic: masterpieces of Japanese Ghost Stories and, at the same time, short stories about love which exceeds death's boundries. "The Surgery Room" is a vivid tale of a surgeon torn between saving his patient's life or letting her die with her secrets. In "Osen and Sokichi" a boy finds salvation in a prostitute only to learn later the terrible price of sacrifice. "One Day in Spring" chronicles the passion between two loves: one which transcends time and threatens to literally trap others in the flowing lines of their poetry. Finally, in "The Holy Man of Mt. Koya"--the best story--we learn of a mountain seductress who tempts a monk to forsake his vows and, possibly, his humanity. Unlike Banana Yoshimoto and other modern writers who can only write about their boredom with life, Kyoka gives us a compelling description of the Japanese and their culture: what they love to fear.

Inugami Clan: A Gothic Tale of Murder from Japan's Master of Crime

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Features the Japanese Columbo
Inherit The Wind
A paint by numbers mystery
Keeping Murder in the Family
A Japanese family disintegrates, violently

Inugami Clan: A Gothic Tale of Murder from Japan's Master of Crime
Seishi Yokomizo
Manufacturer: ICG Muse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Japanese | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 4925080768

Book Description

Dicovering the Inugami clan's secrets of forbidden passions, monstrous cruelty, and disguised identities, private investigator Kosuke Kindaichi unravels the complex web of human relationships and emotions that lie behind the murders.

Customer Reviews:

Features the Japanese Columbo.......2007-04-04

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher of Reader Views (03/07)

I have to admit that when I first began reading "The Inugami Clan," I was worried that the translation to English would be awkward and I would not be able to understand the Japanese culture. That never happened; the story was translated well and very enjoyable from start to finish.

"The Inugami Clan" was a best-selling book in Japan and the story centers around the legendary detective Kosuke Kindaichi. Upon appearance, Kindaichi seems to be a clumsy, stuttering detective with strange habits like constantly scratching his unruly head. Underneath all that is a brilliant detective with amazing deductive powers. He is always a few steps ahead of the local police. Sounds a bit like our lovable TV Dectective Columbo, doesn't it?

The story takes place in the mid 1940's as World War II is wrapping up on the estate of the famous Sahei Inugami, a wealthy entrepreneur who passes away leaving a very strange will for his family. He also leaves behind three daughters from three different mistresses and their families. Also in his residence is the very beautiful Tamayo, a descendent of the priest who saved his life by taking him in when he was starving to death. The will has some very bizarre stipulations for his family and descendents of those who helped them. These quickly lead to several brutal murders that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. I found it very interesting that the author tells you what is going to happen before it does and found out that that is common in Japanese novels.

The story is also not focused on the murders but on the bizarre relationships that the deceased Sahei Inugami had with his family and friends. Talk about the webs we weave.....this guy did it all! The book includes homosexual relationships, lost love and adultery.

I would definitely recommend "The Inugami Clan" to those who enjoy a good murder mystery. The famous Kosuke Kindaichi is certainly a memorable and entertaining character. And not only is it a very well written story but it is full of Japanese culture that the reader will enjoy. I hope to see more of Seishi Yokomizo's stories translated into English.

Inherit The Wind.......2004-08-22

Japanese popular fiction is much under-represented in the US, while film and anime do quite well. So out of interest in all things Japanese I sought out the few volumes of popular mysteries that have been translated. What I've found is that, while the Japanese approach to storytelling is different from what is common in the USA, it is equally interesting.

Japanese writers, of whom Seishi Yokomizo is a notable example, unfold their tales differently. For example, it's not uncommon for the reader to be told what is going to happen even before events begin to unfold. The narrative descriptions of the crimes, while often grim tend to be clinical by our standards. Thus, in the Inugami Clan, which was a Japanese best seller, a strange will will left by a wealthy man reveals a peculiarly twisted set of relationships and triggers four deaths and several other attempts. The killings are carefully presented, but never overwhelm the story.

And the story isn't the murders, but the unfolding of a complicated set of relationships that seem to shift with every glance. The crimes, investigated by Kosuke Kindaichi (a Japanese Sherlock Holmes) become the bitter framework, upon which three sisters and the heirs to the fortune perform a stately, yet terrible dance. The ghost of the end of World War II and a chilling winter add to the sense of desolation.

Yokomizo excels at descriptive moments, whether he is focusing on people or the settling. He brings the landscape to life in a fashion which has been lost to the action oriented writing of the west. This is true to such the degree that a reader, unused to the differences and expecting something out of a Hong Kong fight film is likely to blame the translation rather than realize that the small, chess-like motions of the tale are the intent of the author. The translator, Yumiko Yamazaki does a very good job of capturing this flow.

Hopefully we will see more tales by Seishi Yokomizo reach translation in the near future. This is an opportunity to experience something uniquely Japanese in an unexpected context. To see what can be done outside the western mystery story.

A paint by numbers mystery.......2004-07-16

On the look out for Japanese murder mysteries I came across this book by the Land of the Rising Sun's bestelling mystery writer. Despite the positive critiques by my fellow reviewers, I considered The Inugami Clan decidely average.

In this book the American public gets a first encounter with the legendary P.I. Kandaichi, who stutters, scratches his full head of hair frequently and -so the story goes- has an uncanny ability to always find his man or woman. The plot involves a serial elimination of heirs to a late silk magnate in the 1940s.

The story carries the epitath gothic and is not only laced with sadistic murders, but would further make the good old Marquis DeSade happy with elements like homosexuality, adultery and (attempted) incest.

However, Yokomizo provides little more than a Mystery 101. He follows an approach where each chapter follows a cycle of storyline anticipation, clues collection and "expert" analysis.
Unfortunately, the mystery has a gaping hole, that is about as large as our deficit or the one in the ozone layer after four years of dubleya. As such, the reiteration of the awesome cunning of the scratcher while humorous at the start, rapidly became nauseating. The resolution of it all could have taken half of the pages.

Last but not least, the translation is extremely clunky. In the event further translations of Yokomizo's work are planned, recruitment of a translator with high school level English languages skills would be highly recommended.

Keeping Murder in the Family.......2004-07-05

This is a good juicy murder mystery full of family secrets and grudges. It blends post-WWII noir with a pinch of Poeish grotesquerie and a good old-fashioned "house party" mystery. You also get to meet the famous series detective Kosuke Kindaichi, whose rumpled demeanor and unseemly headscratching cover a brilliant and kind mind. (His cases were the subject of many films, and his grandson is star of The Kindaichi Case Files manga, anime, and live action series.)

Btw, to the reviewer who thought this showed how Japan had changed for the worse thanks to Westernization? I think you'll find that's not the point at all, if you consider the timelines and motivations. Many of the vices that caused the trouble were part of pre-Meiji culture, sadly. But it's not a pro-Western novel, either. Anything this noirish is bound to be full of inconveniently gray areas.

A Japanese family disintegrates, violently.......2003-12-23

Set in the 1940's, this is the first in a series of mysteries featuring private detective Kosuke Kindaichi.

The elderly patriarch of a wealthy Japanese family of the title, dies, inexplicably leaving a will that virtually ensures a bloody battle for his fortune.

Kindaichi is summoned by the family's attorney to snow-covered northern Japan, where the gore-soaked feud plays out. Slowly, the family's sordid secret history is revealed as the members are ritualistically murdered, one by one.

Kindaichi is a likable character, an eccentric whose odd mannerisms (like a nervous tic of head-scratching) hide his superior intelligence.

The translation is a bit stiff at times, and some plot elements seem forced, but otherwise this is an enjoyable mystery. The atmospheric setting (the Inugami family's labyrinthine lakeside villa, in the winter) brings the reader to a region of Japan not well known in the West.

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Tales of Moonlight and Rain : Japanese Gothic Tales
Akinari Ueda
Manufacturer: Columbia Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0231036310

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Tales of Moonlight and Rain: Japanese Gothic Tales
Uyeda Akinari
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LOM7WE

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Tales of Moonlight and Rain; Japanese Gothic Tales,: Japanese Gothic Tales
Akinari Ueda
Manufacturer: Columbia Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NZUDC2

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Tales of Moonlight and Rain; Japanese Gothic Tales,: Japanese Gothic Tales
Akinari Ueda
Manufacturer: Columbia Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPK8YY

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