Bortner, Michael A.: - 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.