The articles are an excerpt from the book Souvenirs from Japan: Japanese Photography at the turn of the century that discusses the introduction of photography that precipitated the decline of the ukiyo-e woodblock prints and thereafter served as the medium in which visual information was transmitted. In the articles she examines the western view of Japan, which greatly influenced the content and style of photography, because western tourists were the primary market to whom artist could sell their works. In addition, she takes a glimpse at the subject and artistry of souvenir photography in its production process, from the choice of subject, through coloring the photo and finally packaging a collection in an album and pricing the album. The author takes on a simple academic writing style and is very succinct in her study of souvenir photography.

For the reader who is looking to be well informed on the subjects of souvenir photography, you would be disappointed. She is too brief in her studies of the art and does not adequately explore any idea such that she would provoke thought on the part of the reader. In fact, her approach suggests that she expected a readership of people who were just brushing through the subject of Japanese souvenir photography. Nevertheless, she is successful in portraying the western view of Japan in the nineteenth century by comparing the views of two contrasting individuals, Pierre Loti and Lafcadio Hearn, which happened to be similar most of the time.

Kevin Immonje