About the Author

Michael Bortner has been a collector of Imperial Japanese hinomaru yosegaki for over fifty years. His authoritative volume on that subject, as well as on senninbari, was released in 2008. This book is intended to provide the reader with an equally thorough and detailed discussion on the history and use of the tiger by the Japanese to decorate a rare few of their good luck flags. Drawing upon his own extensive collection, as well as those from fellow collectors worldwide, the author has assembled the first book in English solely on the subject. The author earned his B. A. Degree in History from the University of California, Irvine, and his M. A. Degree in Anthropology from the California State University, Hayward. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Georgetown University, Washington, D. C., and currently lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife Andrea; they have two children.

Reviews

"Flush with beautiful images, the coffee table art history book Battle Carried presents the stories behind Japanese WWII tiger flags. There is a particular haunting beauty to these captured tiger images, particularly when they're considered against the weight of history." - Clarion Reviews
"Never before has the significance of the tiger and the role that it played within the psyches of the Japanese military men of the Pacific War been studied. An essential read..."- Ron Werneth, Author - Fall of the Japanese Empire and Beyond Pearl Harbor
"Dr. Bortner's broad and thorough examination and well-organized presentation places the artifacts in context, allowing the reader to better understand them and the warriors who carried them...This treatise advances our understanding of Japanese history, culture, language, textiles and art."- Gregory A. Babich, Co-author Imperial Japanese Grenade Rifles and Launchers