Subj: Willard Price, Nat Geog Japan WWII Era--Sources?
Date: Fri, 01 Mar 1996 09:43:52 -0500 (EST)
From: Randall I. Bond <ribond@mailbox.syr.edu>
Willard Price (1887-1983) was born in Canada but his career was primarily
in the United States and abroad. He was an explorer, writer and naturalist.
He published numerous books for both adults and children, with an
emphasis upon travel. Many of the books were about Japan. He was there
1933-1938. During World War II one of his books, JAPAN'S ISLANDS OF
MYSTERY, was used by Admiral Nimitz and the U.S. Navy since it included
escriptions of the islands. Some of his Japanese books include:
JAPAN AND THE SON OF HEAVEN (1945)
THE JAPANESE MIRACLE AND PERIL (1971)
KEY TO JAPAN (1946)
JAPAN'S NEW HORIZONS (1938)
JOURNEY BY JUNK: JAPAN AFTER MACARTHUR (1953)
CHILDREN OF THE RISING SUN (1938)
Many of his books were published by the John Day Co. whos editor Richard
Walsh was the husband of Pearl Buck. Thus the company published many
books on Asia as well as a periodical in the 1930s and 40s called Asia
and the Americas.
For more information on Price see:
SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTHOR VOL.48 Gale Research 1987
AUTHORS OF BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE by Martha Ward and Dorothy Marquardt
Scarecrow Press, 1971
and Price's autobiography
MY OWN LIFE OF ADVENTURE: TRAVELS IN 148 LANDS Jonathan Cape 1982
Between 1915-20 he was the editor of WORLD OULOOK a periodical published
by Board of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Between
1933-37 he served as their foreign correspondent. This would coincide
with his time in Japan.
I am wondering if his writings were used by Ruth Benedict for her study of
Japan, THE CHRYSANTHEMUM AND THE SWORD (1946) ?
Hope this helps.
Randy Bond
Art Librarian
Syracuse University
<ribond@mailbox.syr.edu>