Puppets of Nostalgia: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of the Japanese Awaji Ningy Tradition

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Puppets of Nostalgia is the first major work in any Western language to examine the ritual origins and religious dimensions of puppetry in Japan. In a lucid and engaging style accessible to the general reader, Jane Marie Law describes the "life, death, and rebirth" of awaji ningyo shibai, the unique form of puppet theater of Awaji Island that has e

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"A major contribution to the fields of ritual studies, history of religions, theater, and the anthropology of modern Japanese society. The author writes in a lively, captivating style without sacrificing scholarly rigor. The 'transcendent' quality of this work stems from Jane Marie Law's synthesis of sound historiography and ethnographic fieldwork."Avron Boretz, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
"This is a sophisticated, post-modern, cross-disciplinary study. It breaks new ground in its examination of non-ecclesiastical religious experience and the role of ritual specialist/popular entertainers and serves as an example of how to address the issue of the meaning and creation of 'traditions.' Jane Marie Law has asked, and answered splendidly, all the right, most interesting questions about tradition formation, reformation, and revival."Susan Matisoff, Stanford University