Reviews of Bob’s work

The Chrysanthemum and the Bat

(1987) “East Asia: Gradgrind’s Heirs”, The Atlantic, March issue
(1985) “The Chrysanthemum and the Bat – Newsday Review”, Newsday, April 17
(1983) “The Chrysanthemum and the Bat Review”, Avon Books, May 15
(1983) “Book Beat: Review”, Chicago Sun Times, May 15
(1983) “It Happens Every Spring: Baseball Is Back, and With Its Baseball Books and Other Literary Signs of Spring”, Texas Post, April 17
(1983) “Books: Something for Everyone”, Boston-Lowell, April 13
(1983) “Books Put Reader at Bat, on Green”, Chicago Tribune, April 9
(1982) “Background Books: Japan”, The Wilson Quarterly, December 10
(1978) “You Don’t Have to Be an American to Enjoy a Good Baseball Yarn”, Asia Magazine, June 25
(1978) “Baseball, Japanese Style”, Pacific Travel News, February 14
(1978) “Playing Baseball Samurai Style”, Asian Wall Street Journal, January 18
(1977) “Baseball Mania in Today’s Japan – America’s Favorite Sport Gives Revealing Insights Into a Very Different Culture”, Avon News, December 15
(1977) “Japanese Baseball Game Not Recognized as US Swat”, Yomiuri, December 12
(1977) “Review of Chrysanthemum and the Bat”, Focus Japan, December 1
(1977) “The Chrysanthemum and the Bat: Baseball Samurai Style Review”, Publisher’s Weekly, November 29
(1977) “‘Japanese Way’ Seen Through Baseball”, The Japan Times, November 18
(1977) “A Season Inside the Expo’s Dugout”, The Book Corner, November 15
(1977) “The Book Tells About Baseball in Japan”, Pacific Stars and Stripes, November 14
(1977) “The Unwritten Rules in Japanese Baseball”, The Japan Times, November 4
(1977) “The World of Baseball: From Toledo to Tokyo”, Enquirer and News, Battle Creek Michigan, November 1
(1977) “Random Thoughts: The Japanese at Bat”, George Y. Somekawa, October 28
(1977) “The Sports Scene: Difference Between MLB, Japan Pro Ball”, Mainichi Daily News, October 26
(1977) “The Chrysanthemum and the Bat review”, Library Journal, August 15
(1977) “Review: The Chrysanthemum and the Bat”, Fort Worth Star Telegram, July 17
(1977) “In Japan, umpires even get hits – in the head”, The Plain Dealer, July 14
(1977) “The Chrysanthemum and the – what? And The making of ‘The Chrysanthemum and the Bat’”, Tokyo Weekender, July 10
(1977) “Sideline Slants: Eureka-reared writer scores with new book”, Eureka Times, July 10
(1977) “Books for the Beach”, Time, July 4
(1977) “Here Comes the Summer Special Section”, Time, July 4
(1977) “A fascinating book: The Chrysanthemum and the Bat”, Honolulu Advertiser, June 26

Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies: The Outsiders Who Shaped Modern Japan

(2024) “Don’t forget Japan’s gamblers, fraudsters, dreamers, spies“, Asia Times, October 5
(2024) “Book Review: New Tokyo Outsiders by Robert Whiting“, Tokyo Shimbun, July 28, Japanese text
(2024) “Reading “Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies” by Robert Whiting”, Japonica, June 18
(2024) “Book Review: Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies“, Japan Today, April 27
(2024) “History: Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies: the outsiders who shaped modern Japan“, Library Journal, April 12
(2024) “Author unveils treasure trove of hidden stories about postwar Japan“, Nikkei Asia, September 7

Tokyo Underworld

(1999) “The Pizza Connection“, The New York Times, May 2

You Gotta Have Wa

(1989) “How Japan Stacks Up“, Los Angeles Times, October 1
(1989) “The Enigma of Japanese Baseball-whacky“, September 22
(1989) “Zen and the Art of Baseball“, Time Magazine, August 14
(1989) “Japanese Put a Spin on Baseball“, The New York Times Books of the Times, July 15
(1989) “The Hardest Hardball in the World“, Los Angeles Times, July 9
(1989) “The Samurai of Summer“, The New York Times Book Review, June 11
(1989) “You Gotta Have Wa – Chicago Tribune Review“, Chicago Tribune, June 10
(1989) “Why the ‘Red Devil’ Wore Out Welcome“, Atlanta Journal, June 4
(1989) “You Gotta Have ‘Wa’ – Newsday Review“, Newsday, June 4
(1989) “You Gotta Have Wa Review – Pittsburgh Post Gazette“, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, May 31
(1989) “Wa Review – The Washington Post“, The Washington Post, May 28
(1989) “In Japan, Baseball’s Played by the Code of the Samurai“, Ed Hinton, May 17
(1989) “You Gotta Have Wa – Review, Library Journal“, Library Journal, May 1
(1989) “Whiting Explains Differences Between U.S., Japan Games: There Are at Least Two Ways to Play Baseball“, Karl Greenfield, April 21
(1989) “Orel Hershiser, James Fallows, and David Halberstam“, Orel Hershiser, James Fallows, and David Halberstam, April 15
Review: You Gotta Have Wa, Publishers Weekly, April 14, 1989 (source URL needs verification – not yet located)
(1989) “Review: You Gotta Have Wa“, Kirkus Reviews, April 1