This is one of the best bathroom reads I have seen in a long time. ...Stuff like the average thickness of every plate of every cruiser in the Japanese Imperial Navy makes this something that you just cannot put down.

It is the Mother of All Reference Books on Japanese Cruisers. There is nothing to compare with it.

It is quite simply stupendous and will garner more than few stares from inquisitive guests.

I purchased this book without realizing that it was 850+ pages, a full 7.5 lbs, jam packed with everything anyone could ever want to know about these vessels. I have read a lot of books claiming to be a thorough histories of a county's vessels of a given type and I can honestly say, there isn't even a book this detailed in the U.S. about the U.S.Navy's Cruisers! I cannot imagine how long this information must have taken to collect. For the current price it is a bargain. Japanese cruisers were not at the top of my list as far as interests go, and I loved it.
I highly recommend this book, not only as good reading, but as an example to be followed by any would be author that would like to write books on American, British, or German warship types.
Simply outstanding! If these authors collaberate on another work, I'm buying without waiting for reviews.

This book is one of the best English language works on a specific subject, that of the cruisers of the Japanese Navy during World War 2. During the early phases of World War 2, Japanese cruisers posted an impressive combat record. The authors are experts on the IJN and many of the sources are unavailable outside Japan

For the modeler and historian, all aspects of Japanese heavy and light cruisers are illustrated, including armament, profile drawings, and operational histories. Some of the successes and failures of Japanese design, including the Takao class, possibly the most successful Japanese heavy cruisers to the Mogaim class, which attempted to place a heavy armament on a lightly constructed hull and were considerably overweight and later rebuilt, are explained in great detail

The profile drawings are well detailed, albeit extremely small; however they are useful in showing the arrangements of the ships. For the modeler and naval historian, this is a must book. With the recent proliferation of better detailed IJN cruiser models, this book is needed in any naval library.