Review of ‘The Last Bastion of Civilization: Japan 2041’
The Last Bastion of Civilization: Japan 2041 by Andrew Blencowe is not non-fiction, but it takes facts and events from history, and weaves them into a fictional narrative that might best be described as ‘fictional journalism.’
In this series of fictional essays, Blencowe takes on many modern-day assumptions about politics and society, as he traces the rise of Japan to the status of the world’s sole super power by 2041. Well-written, it will disturb many, but not, I think, for the right reasons. The debunking of much of much of accepted political wisdom hits the mark, but the views expressed regarding people and cultures of color are disturbing because they follow the thinking of many who see the world divided between superior and inferior races. One can’t be sure that this expresses the author’s views, or if this thinking is attributed to the characters writing the essays, but it is no less disturbing for that.
Despite being unsettled by the tenor of the book, I found it interesting reading. Contained in the ethnocentric diatribes are a few nuggets of wisdom. If you have an open mind, and are able to read past some of the racist assumptions, you just might enjoy this book.
I also found it intriguing that the only two nations that good consistently good marks in the book are Japan and Germany. While Japan comes out on top of the hierarchy, the Germans are not far behind, and are held out as the only two nations that read the tea leaves correctly as the 21st century matures.
I give the author high marks for his use of prose, but have to subtract a few for the obvious biases contained in the book. My net rating is three and a half stars.
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