My notes regarding some books with Japan/Japanese relation.
Giles Murray: “Breaking into Japanese Literature-Seven Modern Classics in Parallel Text”
ISBN-13: 9784770028990
A great book for reading 7 interesting parts of Japanese Literature. Below each Japanese part English translation, also English translations for the Kanji are available. I still find the texts more readable online using the rikaichan/rikaisama plugins, that's more fluent for me.
Janet Ashby: “Read Real Japanese All You Need to enjoy eight contemporary writers”
ISBN: 4-7700-2936-51
Another book with Japanese literature and English translations, haven yet read it.
Ruth Benedict: “The Chrysanthemum and the Sword”
ISBN-13: 978-0618619597
Quite interesting read on Japanese live and thinking. This was created when WW2 started, trying to grasp Japanese spirit without beeing able to visit the country any more directla.
Nihon Keizai Shinposha: “Manga Nihon Keizai Zeminaru”, Manga version (ISBN-13: 978-4532087579)
van Wolferen: “The Enigma of Japanese Power” (ISBN-13: 978-0679728023)
John W. Dower: “Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II” (ISBN-13: 978-0393320275)
John Benson: “Eyewitness Travel Guide. Japan”, 15€, (ISBN-13: 978-1405339131)
Jan Dodd: “The Rough Guide to Japan 4”, 15€, (ISBN-13: 978-1843539193)