Fuji: A Mountain in the Making

"Bernstein’s perspective on the intersection of geography and culture is illuminating, and the text is richly supplemented with maps and images. [Fuji] will resonate with those who have a deep interest in Japanese history." * Publishers Weekly * "An encyclopedic analysis of a national icon." * Kirkus Reviews * "Although readers may know the name of the highest mountain in Japan, few will be familiar with the comprehensive and illuminating history of Mount Fuji that historian Bernstein provides in this awe-inspiring account. . . . [Fuji] brings the majesty and mystery of Mount Fuji to readers." * Booklist * "Fuji: A Mountain in the Making follows a number of 'biographies' of rivers and mountains, charting the relationship between humans and their environment and showing the shifting ways in which we project meaning and significance onto parts of the physical world around us. . . . [The book] reminds us that although, at least for now, Fuji lies dormant, we continue to find new ways of interacting with it."---Ian Rapley, Asian Review of Books "Bernstein has. . . succeeded in opening the unique archive of Mount Fuji and offers a reading that complements all existing narratives. In doing so, he provides an essential lesson: to understand a mountain is to learn how to read what it conceals as much as what it reveals: a very Zen idea. Far removed from a superficial or touristic interpretation, this work can train readers to move beyond the surface of monuments and state-sanctioned references in order to interrogate what they contain: accumulated layers of memory, power, knowledge, and human decisions. "---Nadia Boutaleb, NBSEH "[A] multifaceted, insightful, and comprehensive historical survey that captures the complexity of Japanese history. Readers will come away from Bernstein’s account with both a firmer, more nuanced understanding of the Japanese past and a better appreciation for the ways in which, using a wide range of source materials, an understanding of Japanese history can be expanded into a more holistic unity." * Choice Reviews * "[An] outstanding achievement. Tracing its early geological formation to its recent transformation into a world heritage site, Fuji interweaves environmental and human history and, in doing so, demonstrates how profoundly the two are connected. . . . While the actual ascent of Fuji can be a grind, . . . Fuji is a monumental literary expedition that is anything but."---Caleb Carter, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society