The First Englishman in Japan
Commodore Matthew Perry, an American Naval officer, is generally credited as the man who, with his 1854 expedition, opened Japan to trade with the West. However, author Giles Milton, who previously proposed (in Nathaniel's Nutmeg) that New York City might still be a Dutch colony but for the spice trade, would like to bring English sailor William Adams to readers' attention.
It may be a new year, but one thing that carried over from last year is Book Sense's Good Morning America book club streak. On Thursday, January 2, the popular morning show's "Read This!" book club made its seventh selection, and once again chose a Book Sense 76 pick.