The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture - Paperback

by Ruth Benedict (Author), Lois W. Banner (Foreword by)

"One of the best books ever about Japanese society...[A] thoughtful, nuanced study." --U.S. News & World Report

First published in 1946, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword is one of the most influential and widely read works on Japan in the twentieth century. Written by cultural anthropologist Ruth Benedict during World War II, the book blends anthropology, history, and cultural analysis, and has shaped decades of cross-cultural discourse.

Benedict examines themes of social structure, family roles, self-discipline, and other enduring values, seeking to understand how deeply rooted traditions shaped Japanese society at a moment of profound global change

This new edition has been completely redesigned for greater readability and features a new foreword by Lois Banner, a pioneer in the field of women's studies.

Author Biography

Ruth Benedict (1887-1948) was an American anthropologist and a key figure in the development of cultural anthropology. She earned her doctorate from Columbia University, where she remained throughout her entire career. She is best known for her pioneering work Patterns of Culture (1934), where she explores how individual societies form unique patterns of values, beliefs and practices.

Lois Banner is professor emeritus of history at the University of Southern California and one of the first academics to concentrate on women's studies. She has won several prestigious awards for her scholarship including a Rockefeller Fellowship. She is the author of many books and articles, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton: A Radical for Women's Rights, and Intertwined Lives: Margaret Mead, Ruth Benedict, and Their Circle.