I have written five textbooks, all unique and all content-based, for Japanese university students or adults in general. As opposed to general English conversation texts that teach students how to function in common, everyday English—the market is flooded with these types of books—my texts are for a specific audience or to meet a specific goal, and therefore do not have a lot of competition in the textbook market (This was a deliberate decision on my part.). You could say I have found my niche in this type of textbook. All the texts except “MacArthur” sell for about $18.00, about average for a textbook in Japan. “MacArthur,” which includes two CDs, lists at $24.00. Writing a book or two sometimes opens doors, and as a result, I have met or corresponded with a few famous people. (My claim to fame!?) They are Margaret Truman Daniel, only child of Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States, who is my favorite president. She sent me a nice letter in regard to my writing about her father in my book. She died just last year (2008). Walter Mondale, former Vice President of the United States. When he was ambassador to Japan, he helped a group I was a member of with a problem some U.S. citizens were having with the Japanese government over university job security. Mr. Mondale was impressed by my rough draft of the MacArthur book and thought about writing an endorsement for it, but he later decided against it. Tomiichi Murayama, former Prime Minister of Japan, who wrote a blurb for the back cover of my book. We met here in Oita, his hometown in Japan. Dr. Barry Marshall, winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine, 2005, whom I wrote about in my text about great medical pioneers. We had dinner together when he visited Oita to give a lecture. Beate Sirota Gordon, former General Headquarters Occupation staff member under MacArthur who wrote the women’s rights section of the Japanese constitution. I met her when she came to Japan to give a lecture. Former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to Japan, Howard S. Baker. He wrote me a letter of praise for my book but said he was unable to endorse it due to his position. In 1976, at a symposium in Honolulu, I had the honor of meeting Edwin O. Reischauer, late, great, Japanese scholar and former ambassador to Japan. I wrote about him in my textbook, Foreign Legacies.
Next section: MY TEXTBOOKS in order of publication:
Following Sections:
Articles Memberships Research Trips Recent News & Activities |  With Beate Sirota Gordon, former GHQ Occupation staff member and
author of the women's rights section of the Japanese Constitution.
 With Dr. Barry Marshall, winner of the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2005. |