Alexander McKay

A fascinating biography of a little-known Scot who arrived in Japan in 1859. Thomas Glover then played a crucial role in Japanese history, assisting the overthrow of the Shogunate by supplying the rebels with Scottish-designed warships and modern arms. He went on to become a pivotal figure in the rapidly growing Mitsubishi empire founding shipyards and breweries in Japan. Glover had a string of Japanese mistresses one of whom was the inspiration for Puccini's 'Madame Butterfly'. He is regarded by the Japanese as one of the founding fathers of the Japanese economic miracle, and his house in Nagasaki is now a museum drawing over 2 million visitors each year.… (mer)