Hotta, Eri

A Suzuki biography will surely interest music educators and historians, but Hotta’s book (which encapsulates a century of Japanese history) will also appeal to general audiences seeking a musical lens on history.

This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in Japan's involvement in World War II generally or its motivations for attacking the United States specifically. While scholarly and thoroughly researched, it's also a highly enjoyable read. Hotta writes the story with a novel's narrative drive, making it a real page-turner. Readers seeking a more concise exploration of this topic should consider Jeffrey Record's A War It Was Always Going To Lose: Why Japan Attacked America in 1941.