This work talks about new lands, loves lost, histories made. The year is 1858. Thomas Glover is a gutsy eighteen-year-old who grasps the chance of escape to foreign lands and takes a posting as a trader in Japan. Within ten years he amasses a great fortune, learns the ways of the samurai, and, on the other side of the law, brings about the overthrow of the Shogun. Yet beneath Glover's astonishing success lies a man cut to the heart. His love affair with a courtesan - a woman who, unknown to him, would bear him the son for ...
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This work talks about new lands, loves lost, histories made. The year is 1858. Thomas Glover is a gutsy eighteen-year-old who grasps the chance of escape to foreign lands and takes a posting as a trader in Japan. Within ten years he amasses a great fortune, learns the ways of the samurai, and, on the other side of the law, brings about the overthrow of the Shogun. Yet beneath Glover's astonishing success lies a man cut to the heart. His love affair with a courtesan - a woman who, unknown to him, would bear him the son for which he had always longed - would form a tragedy so dramatic as to be immortalised in the stories behind Madame Butterfly and Miss Saigon. "The Pure Land" relives in fiction the arc of Glover's true-life rise and fall, and forges a hundred-year saga that culminates in the annihilation of Nagasaki in 1945. The novel gracefully spans the feudal and the atomic ages, East and West, global history and private passion. Alan Spence has produced a modern epic, at once a rattling good adventure, a heart-wrenching love story and a journey of the spirit.
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Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine.
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Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages.
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Seller's Description:
Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages. Damaged cover. The cover of is slightly damaged for instance a torn or bent corner.
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Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Aged book. Tanned pages and age spots, however, this will not interfere with reading.
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Good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
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Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
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Very good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
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Very good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
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Fair. [ No Hassle 30 Day Returns ] [ Writing: SOME ] [ Edition: first ] [ Water Damage: SLIGHT doesn't affect use ] Publisher: Canongate U.S. Pub Date: 11/10/2007 Binding: Paperback Pages: 432.
If you like to read about Japanese historical novels this book fills that bill. It does seem to simplify some of the cultural and historical elements however which makes it less satisfying.
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Apr 4, 2007
How the West started World War II
In The Pure Land by Alan Spence we see through one man?s story how Europe and America in their greed to make profits and build wealth through corporate empires created the atmosphere that eventually led to World War II and the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Japan. The protagonist, Thomas Glover, escaped Scotland at the age of eighteen to live in Japan, which America forced to open for trade with the West. The same thing was going on at the same time in China. Corporate capitalism requires growth in profits and growth in profits requires new markets. The Pure Land, historical fiction at its best, clearly shows how greed and capitalism in partnership leads to death and destruction on a grand scale. The Pure Land makes an ominous connection to what is happening in the world today. There is nothing wrong with free enterprise except when it is allowed to run wild without restrictions and little or no oversight. In this book the reader will experience first hand how this type of corruption works and gets out of hand. Of course for the individual making the money and having all the success it is all fun and games but for those of us left in their wake, there is nothing but suffering, death and destruction. This was a very convincing, well-written story of the life of a real man, Thomas Glover. After reading The Pure Land, the reader should reevaluate what success in life really is and what is important to the individual.
