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Reading Medieval Ruins: Urban Life and Destruction in Sixteenth-Century Japan

Although this is a wonderful read for anyone having a deep infatuation with Japanese history, it mostly appeals to a scholar or a reader who is somewhat familiar with the topic. This, however, should not discourage any passionate readers from attempting this book. Its language style and structure are straightforward. This book looks at Japanese history through the eyes of the author Morgan Pitelka and a common citizen living in the medieval Japanese city of Ichijōdani.

Pitelka avoids tediousness by using fluid language and vibrant imagery while still maintaining an educational and academic stance.

Pitelka’s Reading Medieval Ruins contains nothing too logically complex to grasp. On the other hand, it deals with very specific subjects that a person looking for a general overview of Japanese history may not know the meanings or contexts of. An example of this is probably Pitelka’s discussion on medieval Japanese medicine. It is an intriguing yet niche topic. Pitelka starts the discussion on medicine without providing much background information. From another perspective, regardless of whether one chooses to read it on its own or not, this book is a fascinating examination of a plethora of topics in a very tumultuous time in Japanese history.

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