Modern Girls, Shining Stars, The Skies of Tokyo, by Phyllis Birnbaum (1999) presents five essays that portray women who "did their best to stand up and cause more trouble than was considered proper in Japanese society" (p. XIV). These women included Matsui Sumako (actress), Takamure Chieko (artist), Yanagiwara Byakuren (writer), Uno Chiyo (writer), and Takamine Hideko (actress). The author spent several months with each of the women and concluded from this experience that while these women were not activists, their lives influenced many others. The book provided an interesting sketch of each of the women, however this presentation was based more on reflections of others rather than the author's personal experience with the women and it failed to reflect multiple perspectives with alternative explanations or points of view.
Birnbaume presented Matsui Sumako, who was famous for being "Japan's first Western-style actress" (p. 2), and was described as "hypnotic and seductive" causing a sensation that "brought the house down" (p. 2). Sumako portrayed Nora in A Doll's House, a heroine who went from a coddled wife to one who slammed the door shut on her husband and children to find her independence. Sumako portrayed the liberation of woman and critics responded with "this actress's Nora won't be soon forgotten as a first in Japan . . . for showing the liberation of a woman" (p. 27). However, she was also described as lacking femininity, mistreating her lover, and having "temperamental outbursts" (pp. 6-7). The love of the actress's life was Shimamura Hogetsu, an older married mentor. Sumako committed suicide shortly following her lover's death and Birnbaum reported a one-sided romantic account, that Sumako would rather die than live without her beloved, that lacked support and did not include personal observations.
Next, Birnbaume presented Takamure Chieko, who was known for her paintings that were "clear imitations of the ...