220 The eBook Version for THE KEY TO ALL JOYO KANJI

The eBook version of the new THE KEY TO ALL JOYO KANJI will be out on February 2, 2023, for two types of eBook readers, Amazon Kindle and Apple Books. A company in Tokyo (Voyager Japan) produced it this month and will start to sell it.

Page navigation and a lower price

In addition to the same contents as a paperback (and a hardcover book), the eBook version offers page navigation from the Kanji Common Shapes to jump to the appropriate page. Another advantage is that because it does not involve paper and binding, the price of an eBook could be set lower. Due to the nature of the manuscript containing 5,000 images (such as the common shapes, ancient characters, and kanji stroke orders) in tables, it uses a fixed-layout style (which means images and texts are fixed in exact positions like a page in a print book). Still, a reader should be able to zoom out with two fingers or a cursor on the computer screen. Because of the large file size, it may take time for your device to fully load. (Please read the update named 220 The Key to All Joyo Minor Revision dated 4/5/2023.)

Kanji book for a mature reader

Earlier, I wrote somewhere else that I was preparing a new Joyo kanji reference/study guide with a mature kanji learner in mind. Yes, “mature” was the word. The Key to All Joyo Kanji is intended for a reader who wants to take time to read about kanji and evaluate the explanation themselves based on historical evidence rather than for a quick fix for a kanji quiz the next day. A reader may come to a different interpretation. I very much welcome it because the more time readers spend thinking about kanji, the more likely their knowledge of kanji becomes internalized.

When I imagine someone wanting a book to read on a commuting train heading for work or classes or during lunch break as a desert for the mind, I feel that this additional eBook may have a place.

Have a good read!     – Noriko (January 28, 2023; Rev. Feb 8, 2023)