Keene, Donald. Dawn to the West: Japanese Literature of the Modern Era, New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1984.

A lively and engaging treatment of the history of Japanese literature from the sixteenth century to the present.

Najita, Tetsuo and J. Victor Koschmann, editors. Conflict in Modern Japanese History: The Neglected Tradition, Prince-ton: Princeton University Press, 1982.

A thoughtful discussion of some important social and political issues in twentieth century Japan.

Sibley, William. The Shiga Hero, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979.

One of the first full-length works on Shiga Naoya, and a thorough introduction to his works.