Beate sirota gordon books

Beate sirota gordons father, leo sirota, was a famous pianist both in europe and in japan. A memoir of japan, human rights, and the arts ebook written by beate sirota gordon. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Beate sirota gordon 19232012 played a significant role in the negotiations on the japanese postwar constitution between the united states and the government of prime minister yoshida of japan in 1947. The beate sirota gordon papers house the personal papers of beate sirota. This question will be on the mind and haunt your waking hours after reading the only woman in the room by beate sirota gordon.

This collection, which dates from 1924 to 2016, consists of documents, photographs, audiovisual material, books, and ephemera, evidencing beates life experiences as a child in japan, her primary school education, her mills college education, involvement with drafting the japanese constitution, and career as an. One womans mark on the nations constitution the japan times. She also wrote article 24, which embedded equal rights for marriage partners in that constitution. During world war ii, while her parents remained in japan. In this memoir, she takes us through the various events in her life made remarkable by the fact that in late 1945, she became a member on the us occupation team that drew up japans national constitution. A vivid and very personal account of one womans life in europe, prewar japan, and the united states. The only woman in the room is a vivid and very personal.

Beate sirota gordon 19232012 is well known for drafting the equal rights clause of japans new constitution. Aug 24, 2007 beate sirota gordon, author of the memoir, the only woman in the room, and member of the japan society new york speaks at middlebury college. This collection, which dates from 1924 to 2016, consists of documents, photographs, audiovisual material, books, and ephemera, evidencing beate s life experiences as a child in japan, her primary school education, her mills college education, involvement with drafting the japanese constitution, and career as an. Birth of beate sirota gordon, who wrote equality into the. The story of beate sirota gordon public radio international. Jun 14, 2014 in december 2012, 89yearold beate sirota gordon knew she was dying.

As the daughter of renowned russian pianist leo sirota, beate gordon grew up in the cosmopolitan world of the concert tour, then settled in japan in the 1930s. Discover the unlikely story of beate sirota gordon, a young woman who grew up in japan and returned as a translator working for the american military after wwii. Jan 02, 20 beate sirota gordon, the daughter of russian jewish parents who at 22 almost singlehandedly wrote womens rights into the constitution of modern japan, and then kept silent about it for decades. The womens rights advocate and tireless promoter of crosscultural exchange in the arts was ill at home in the new york. Buy this book this engaging, modest account recalls the life and. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the only woman in the room. All of us have a lot to learn from beate gordon a woman with the courage to match her convictions. Nassrine azimi and michel wasserman pay tribute to beate sirota gordon, champion of the arts and part. Last boat to yokohama tells a story of both tragedy and grandeur in the 20th century. She was the former performing arts director of the japan society and the asia society and was one of the last surviving members of the team that worked under douglas macarthur to write the constitution of japan after world.

Beate sirota gordon american cultural ambassador britannica. In 1946, when article 24 of the japanese constitution was being written and finding herself to be the only woman in the room, as. We collect and sell books online to donate books and fund literacy initiatives worldwide. Nassrine azimi and michel wasserman pay tribute to beate sirota gordon, champion of the arts and part of the american team who developed japans postwar constitution under general macarthur. How 22yearold american beate sirota gordon helped draft. Beate sirota gordon 19232012 was an austrianborn american performing arts impresario. Thanks to her bravery in speaking up for the women of japan, the new constitution ended up including equal. In 20, when it was announced that beate sirota gordon, contributor to the japanese constitution, had passed away, there was scant information available about this singular womans life. Beate sirota gordon beate sirota gordon because gordon s father, leo sirota, served as professor of music at the imperial academy in tokyo, gordon was raised in japan until she left in 1939 to attend mills college in california at age sixteen.

The english version of this book was published in march 1998 under the title the only woman in the room. The life and legacy of beate sirota gordon kindle edition by azimi, nassrine, wasserman, michel. But now, im excited to report, theres not just one book on beate sirota gordon, now theres two. A concise, elegant autobiography by beate sirota gordon, an austrian who grew up in prewar japan as a child and later returned to what she very much considered her home to find her parents music teachers who refused to abandon their japanese students as pre war tensions mounted and were held prisoner. The only woman in the room is a vivid and very personal account of one womans life in europe, prewar japan, and the united states. The only woman in the room how the amazing beate wrote. The only woman in the room by beate sirota gordon librarything. No steps behind hardcover beate sirota gordons battle for womens rights in japan. Beate sirota gordon 19232012 was a longunsung heroine of japanese womens rights, having written them into japans postworld war ii constitution.

He scribbled some strange signature instead of his usual one. At age five sirota moved with her russianborn parents. In 1946, at age twentytwo, beate sirota gordon helped to draft the new postwar japanese constitution. Beate sirota came to japan as a young girl, learning its language, customs, and traditions. These revolutionary words from article 14 of the postworld war ii japanese constitution were written by a 22yearold american woman, beate sirota gordon. The only woman in the room chronicles how a daughter of russian jews became the youngest woman to aid in the rushed, secret drafting of a constitution. Gordon s father moved the family from europe to japan when she was a young girl. This includes data values and the controlled vocabularies that house them.

Beate sirota gordon bsg, the author of this easy to read autobiography, had a fascinating life. For much of her life, beate sirota gordon kept quiet about her role in drafting the japanese constitution. She was the former performing arts director of the japan society and the asia society and was one of the last surviving members of the team that worked under douglas macarthur to write the constitution of japan after world war ii. She was the former performing arts director of the japan society and the asia society, and was one of the last surviving members of the team that worked under douglas macarthur to write the constitution of japan after world war ii.

She quickly learned the language, made close friends, and came to appreciate the countrys cultural customs. Oct 20, 2008 better world books uses the power of business to change the world. First at the japan society and then the asia society, she worked tirelessly to introduce north american audiences. Beate sirota gordon books list of books by author beate. However, she should be better remembered for her contribution to japanese womens equality by drafting portions of the postworld war ii japanese. The linked data service provides access to commonly found standards and vocabularies promulgated by the library of congress. An unexpected champion for womens rights in postwar japan, austrian born beate sirota gordon was an inspiring intersectional feminist. Beate was only 22 years old but as the only woman on the team, she found herself as the obvious choice to write one particular section. The life and legacy of beate sirota gordon is an impressive and highly recommended addition to community and academic library 20th century biography collections.

The only woman in the room ebook by beate sirota gordon. Jan 05, 20 the american woman who wrote equal rights into japans constitution as a 22yearold military aide, beate sirota gordon gave japans new founding document its own version of the equal rights. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. The only woman in the room by beate sirota gordon goodreads. Jan 01, 20 beate sirota gordon, who at age 22 was responsible for enshrining equal rights for women in the postworld war ii japanese constitution, and then went on to found the awardwinning performing arts. Apart from belonging to a famous family, beate sirota gordon is famous in her own right. Beate sirota gordon, interpreter of japan to americans, died on december 30th, aged 89.

First at the japan society and then the asia society, she worked tirelessly to introduce north american audiences to authentic and traditional artists. Fluent in japanese language and culture, she was assigned to work with the delegation writing the new postwar constitution. The beate sirota gordon papers house the personal papers of beate sirota gordon. Beate sirota gordon, the daughter of russian jewish parents who at 22 almost singlehandedly wrote womens rights into the constitution of modern japan, and then kept silent about it. Inherently fascinating and exceptionally well written from beginning to end, last boat to yokohama. The american woman who wrote equal rights into japans constitution as a 22yearold military aide, beate sirota gordon gave japans new founding. Beate sirota gordon papers online archive of california. Better world books uses the power of business to change the world. Beate sirota gordon, the daughter of russian jewish parents who at 22 almost singlehandedly wrote womens rights into the constitution of modern japan, and then kept silent about it for decades. As the only woman in the room, beate was assigned to write the section on equal rights, a responsibility which she took very seriously. It recounts the life and work of beate sirota gordon. October 25, 1923 december 30, 2012 was an austrianborn american performing arts presenter and womens rights advocate. She wrote the article on womens rights and was the only woman in. Every woman on both sides of the pacific should know about beate sirota gordon and what she did for the women of japan.

In 1946, at age twentytwo, beate sirota gordon helped to draft the new. Beate sirota gordon was an austrianborn american performing arts presenter and womens. Beate sirota gordon was just 22 years old when her stellar language skills landed her on the u. Womens rights activist beate sirota gordon s passion for bridging cultures is clearly evoked through this fascinating tribute to her work. When an extraordinary convergence of circumstances gave her the chance. Beate sirota gordon, american cultural ambassador born oct. A memoir of japan, human rights, and the arts, beate sirota gordon is published by university of chicago press. We just sat down immediately and colonel rousse said to us well, there are three of us and there is a lot to write for civil rights. Beate sirota gordon s battle for womens rights in japan by jeff gottesfeld author and shiella witanto illustrator discover the unlikely story of beate sirota gordon, a young woman who grew up in japan and returned as a translator working for. The life and legacy of beate sirota gordon 9781941110188. The american woman who wrote equal rights into japans. Beate sirota gordon, author of the memoir, the only woman in the room, and member of the japan society new york speaks at middlebury college.

A long interview with beate sirota gordon article 9. The only woman in the room book by beate sirota gordon. In 1998, beate sirota gordon, former performing arts director of the japan society, was decorated by the japanese government for her longterm service to japanese culture. Read the only woman in the room a memoir of japan, human rights, and the arts by beate sirota gordon available from rakuten kobo. At age of 22, and fresh out of college with a degree in modern languages, gordon, along with a small team of americans, was responsible for writing japans constitution in the aftermath of world war ii. Not only do you learn about her interesting talented family, but you experience wwii and the japanese aspect of it from an unusual perspective. Beate sirota gordon 19232012 may be little known in america, but in japan, she is considered a hero.

The childrens book council cbc is the nonprofit trade association of childrens book publishers in north america, dedicated to supporting the industry and promoting childrens books and reading. I detailed my struggle getting my hands the english translation of her memoir in this post. This collection, which dates from 1924 to 2016, consists of documents, photographs, audiovisual material, books, and ephemera, evidencing beate s life experiences as a child in japan, her primary school education, her mills college education, involvement with drafting the japanese constitution, and. The real heart of the book is the week of sirota gordons work on the constitution. With more than 8 million new and used titles in stock, we. Beate sirota gordon papers california digital library.

Discover the unlikely story of beate sirota gordon, a young woman who grew up in japan and returned as a translator. During world war ii, while her parents remained in japan under secret service surveillance gordon lived. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading last boat to yokohama. A long interview with beate sirota gordon a chance for. High praise for last boat to yokohama and beate sirota gordon the story of the life of beate sirota is an inspiring one, and one that continues to inspire long after she has left the room. Two wellknown articles of the japanese constitution are article 9, sometimes known as the peace clause, and article 24, regarding equal rights. When an extraordinary convergence of circumstances gave her the chance, she dared to do the unthinkable write a clause for the new national constitution guaranteeing women equal rights. Following her work on the japanese constitution, gordon devoted her life to bringing the arts of asia to the united states. This collection, which dates from 1924 to 2016, consists of documents, photographs, audiovisual material, books, and ephemera, evidencing beates life experiences as a child in japan, her primary school education, her mills college education, involvement with drafting the japanese constitution, and. One day, when we were having lunch, i asked him to write his signature in my signature book. She was a member of the team that drafted the constitution of japan under douglas macarthur.