A passionate and playful guide to kanji that examines characters from every angle for an in-depth understanding. Kanji (the most complicated Japanese script) may look daunting, but the characters are full of fun and life—if you know how to decode them. Crazy for Kanji provides a "map" to orient people by examining characters and compounds from every angle. Passionate and playful, the book is filled with enlightening discussions, fun facts, photos, exhibits, anecdotes, and games. It’s a reference source, workbook, and entertaining read all in one. Novices and kanji experts alike will find treasures in its pages. Drawing on her sharp intellect, sense of humor, and tireless ability to ask all the right questions, ... Kushner seduces us from Page 1. -- "Kanji Clinic" by Mary Sisk Noguchi, Japan Times columnist Kushner ... presents excellent learning strategies.... Her enthusiasm ... is infectious.... Kushner doesn't shy away from complexities.... She tackles them head on. --Asian Review of Books, by Todd Shimoda Funny as well as educational, offering hundreds of games, lessons, and believe-it-or-nots.... Brilliantly merges the contemporary ... with the antique. --East Bay Express, by Anneli Rufus Fun and informative read for people who are interested in the origins of language or simply want ... ways to make kanji easier. -- Nichi Bei Times, by Sarah Yuen How I wish I had had Eve Kushner's brilliant Crazy for Kanji to begin my journey. --Choate Rosemary Hall Bulletin, by Katharine Jewett, the head of the languages department Memorizing kanji--Japanese written characters--and their thousands of shapes, sounds, and meanings might drive anyone crazy. And here's something crazier: a whole book about kanji--where they come from, why they look the way they do, what they say about Japan, and how to learn them faster. The perfect book for students and teachers, Crazy for Kanji is filled with facts, examples, cultural clues, charts, dozens of photographs of kanji in action, and games and puzzles to challenge and entertain. Eve Kushner of Berkeley, California, is the creator of Joy o' Kanji (www.joyokanji.com). With this lifelong project, she is writing one essay about every Joyo kanji―that's 2,136 essays! Used Book in Good Condition