Conrad Totman facts for kids
Conrad Davis Totman, born on January 5, 1934, is an American historian. He studies how people and nature interact over time, especially in Japan. He also translates Japanese texts. Mr. Totman used to be a professor at Yale University.
About Conrad Totman
Conrad Davis Totman is known for his work as an environmental historian. This means he studies how humans and the natural world have influenced each other throughout history. He is also a Japanologist, which means he is an expert on Japan.
Early Life and Education
Conrad Totman was born in Conway, Massachusetts. He went to Harvard University and earned a degree in East Asian history in 1964.
Before his university studies, he joined the army in 1953. He served in South Korea starting in June 1954. This was just after the Korean War had ended.
His Career
Mr. Totman taught Japanese history at several universities. These included the University of California, Santa Barbara, Northwestern University, and Yale University. He retired from Yale in 1997.
His Books and Writings
Conrad Totman has written many books and articles. His work often focuses on the history of Japan, especially how people used and managed forests. He has published 39 works in different languages.
Some of his well-known books include:
- Japan Before Perry: A Short History, published in 1981.
- The Green Archipelago: Forestry in Preindustrial Japan, published in 1989. This book looks at how forests were managed in Japan long ago.
- Early Modern Japan, published in 1993.
- A History of Japan, published in 2000.
- Japan: An Environmental History, published in 2014.
