I just got the German translation of Mille ans de manga (1000 Years of Manga, Flammarion, 2008) as a present. It has also been translated into English. It's a pricey book, but it's packed with colourful illustrations that trace the history of manga back through centuries of artistic tradition. The author, Brigitte Koyama-Richard, has published several books in French on Japanese culture and is a professor of comparative culture and art history at Tokyo University. This book is a must have for anyone with a passion for Japanese art and popular culture.