Okinawa the history of an island people is the definitive book available in english on the history of okinawa and the ryukyu islands and an influential scholarly work in the field of japanese studies the histories of japan okinawa and the entire pacific region are crucially intertwined therefore the review of this fascinating chain of islands is crucial to understanding all of east asia. The first full lenght monograph on the history of the ryukyu islands in any western languagea standard work pacific affairs this book is the definitive work on okinawan history and an important scholarly work in the field of japanese studies few people can point to okinawa on a map yet this tiny island sitting between china and japan was and continues to be one of the. In okinawa history of an island people noted eastern affairs specialist george kerr recounts the fascinating history of the island and its environs from 1314 ad to the late twentieth century first published in 1958 this edition features a new introduction and appendix by okinawa history scholar mitsugu sakihara making this the most comprehensive resource on the small vital and intriguing island of okinawa. Okinawa the history of an island people is the definitive book available in english on the history of okinawa and the ryukyu islands and an influential scholarly work in the field of japanese