Just in case some of my non-drinker readers were getting bored of checking out Japan's micro brews, I thought I would write up my monthly book reviews a few days early. I managed to read more than four books this month as there were no 1000 page monsters.
酒が苦手な読者がいると思うので、一旦日本地ビールのネタを休憩。その変わりに、今月読んだ本の紹介をちょっと早めにアップしました。
JAPAN: 6000 MILES ON A BICYCLE by Leigh Norrie - You know, I usually enjoy people's travel essays on Japan and elsewhere in the world, but I must say, this is the most badly written, poorly edited, travel across Japan I've ever come across. Granted the author wrote a blog while traveling which I probably would have enjoyed more as I'm sure there were color pictures and short video clips to show us what he's seen and where he's been. Although Norrie was inspired by Alan Booth's "The Roads to Sata", who walked the entire length of Japan, Norrie decides to bicycle through all 47 Prefectures of Japan. Unfortunately, you don't even get a inkling about the people he meets or the places he sees. The writing reminded me of high school on Mondays where you were sure to hear things like "Man, I got so fucked up this weekend." "Dude, I got so wasted on Saturday", and I believe you get the picture. No, for us, the reader, the title should be changed to "Japan: 6,000 Miles of Constant Whining, Drinking, and Smoking". The blog should have never been adapted into a book. Just go and read the Alan Booth book or Craig McLachlan's "Four Pairs of Boots" instead.
TOKYO: CITY ON THE EDGE by Todd Crowell and Stephanie Forman Morimura - Now here we have two authors writing about my adoptive town of Tokyo. Just one city, and this was by far more interesting and entertaining than the previous plight through the whole of Japan, via Leigh Norrie. This is definitely not a guide book to Tokyo. You won't find the best places to shop or the best restaurants to eat at here. No, you will find out little things you probably never knew about Tokyo, such as being able to experience a large earthquake in a simulated environment. Checking out the girl's fashion in Harajuku (of course, Harajuku fashion has come into its own with magazines like "Fruits" and Gwen Stefani singing "Harujuku Girls"). There is the Marunouchi Financial District - the chapter is interesting but doesn't really make me want to go explore it. Or how about the odd museums this city is full of - The Lighter Museum, The Salt and Tobacco Museum, just to name a couple. And when you feature Tokyo, one must also give few words to the nearby towns of Yokohama and Hakone. The former with it's large Chinatown and Ramen Museum and the latter featuring short weekend getaways from the city. I plan on featuring this title on my friend's "Asia By the Book" blog. 
WAR CHILD: A BOY SOLDIER'S STORY by Emmanuel Jal - It was only a matter of time before one of the "Lost Boys of Sudan" would write his story. I'm sure many critics may compare this to Ismael Beah's "A Long Way Gone" but Jal's story is just as intense. Where as Beah had to deal with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) who's main goal was not freedom, but controlling the diamond trade. The civil war in Sudan isn't really about the Northern Muslims fighting against the Southern Christians - it's all a power grab for the vast amounts of oil!! Its a sad state of affairs when 7 year old Jal is first witness to the start of the conflict. At 9 he"s sent to Ethiopia to go to school. But when he gets there, he finds himself living in a refugee camp. At 11 he's left the camp and has become a child soldier. This sad but true and sometimes disturbing story of overcoming impossible odds will have you riveted to your seat. Jal may have escaped the conflict which continues to this day in Darfur. Peace and stability is still a long way off, and there are still "Lost Boys" who haven't escaped.
THE DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney - Meet Greg Heffley who's "diary" this is, or rather journal. In fact he starts off with saying, "Let me get something straight: this is a JOURNAL, not a diary. This was Mom's idea, not mine. But if she thinks I'm going to write down my "feelings" in here or whatever, she's crazy." You see, Greg is in middle school. He has an older brother in high school named Rodrick who is the bane of his existence and also plays guitar for his heavy metal band called Loded Diper, and a very much younger brother Manny, who's the darling of his parent's eyes. Greg's best friend is Rowley, who may come off as a little slow and it seems that Greg is only friends with him so he could play new video games that Rowley always seems to get. I find Greg to be more irritating than Ramona and not so cute as Chibi Maruko-chan (famous Japanese character). But still, you cannot help but laugh as you read Greg's "diary" which is also filled with a bunch of cartoons to depict what he's thinking. Hey, I needed something light to read after "War Child"!*翻訳あり： 「グレッグの駄目日記」
THE DIARY OF WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES by Jeff Kinney - Greg says his mother was so proud of him for continuing his journal that she thought it would be an excellent idea for him to start another one for the new year. Greg continues to be humiliated by Rodrick. Continues to take advantage of his frieｎd Rowley (Greg would call it being a great friend), and has a crush on Holly Hills.*翻訳あり：「グレッグの駄目日記 ‐ ボクの日記があぶない！」
HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE by Toby Young - Adapted for the silver screen and starring Simon Pegg and Kirsten Dunst, you just have to appreciate the dry humour of a British national who by own charm or sheer luck, was presented with a job opportunity who could not refuse. To work for Vanity Fair in New York. Filled with images of journalists from the Golden Era, Young is shocked to find that the writers of old are no longer the scribes with the acerbic wit that he was so fond of. He finds that working at Vanity Fair, which is owned by Conde Nast, are full of shallow people with big egos - he calls them the "Conde Nasties". Of course the more you read about his adventure, you will find yourself - "Blimey mate - you're getting what you deserve". But reading about his fall from grace from what some people would consider their dream job - is sad in a way, but he writes about his tragedy in a way that makes you laugh and will find yourself hoping that he will succeed (in something anyway). I may have to watch the film when it comes out.
THE DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LAST STRAW by Jeff Kinney - What do you know. Greg Heffley has started yet another journal in which he finds himself having to do his own laundry, is forced to participate in the neighborhood soccer team, fears that he may be sent a military academy, and is trying desperately to have the nerve to speak to his dream girl Holly Hills.
JAYWALKING WITH THE IRISH by David Monagan - Unlike Evan McHugh's "Pint-Sized Ireland" in which he goes in search of the perfect Guinness, Monagan uproots his family for an adventure of a lifetime. Along with his wife and three kids, they packed up their home in Connecticut and moved to the far distant land of Ireland. Their plan was to live abroad for a year and they picked County Cork. Now visiting a place on vacation and living in a foreign country are two totally different things (I know from experience as I am a current ex-pat living in Tokyo). Their adventure was to continue as they decide to buy a house and plan to settle in Ireland. Of course nothing goes quite as planned but you will still be entertained by the magic of Ireland.
ALVIN HO: ALLERGIC TO GIRLS, SCHOOL, AND OTHER SCARY THINGS by Lenore Look - Middle schooler Greg Heffley might have been a handful, but now lets meet Alvin Ho. He's just about to enter the second grade but he has one small problem - he's afraid of everything. In fact, he is so afraid, that he cannot speak when he is in school. Alvin also has a brother who's two years older named Calvin and a little sister named Anibelly. They live in Concord, Massachusetts. Alvin loves Aquaman, Wonder Woman and all heroes of the world. In fact, he becomes one himself - Firecracker Man. Follow Alvin as he tries to be a gentleman and tries to make friends (even though he doesn't talk to anybody).
アイバンのラーメン by アイバン・オーキン - Which translates to "Ivan's Ramen" by Ivan Orkin. I've featured Ivan Ramen in previous post as Mikako and I went there to eat for lunch one day. Now, you can read (in Japanese) of how a Jewish American boy from New York came to be the first American to own and run a ramen shop in the middle of Tokyo. After watching Juzo Itami's movie "Tanpopo", an idea is formed in Ivan's head to become a ramen master himself. Of course much of his success is owed to his wife Mari who encouraged and helped him achieve his dream. If you ever make it Tokyo, have a bowl of ramen at his shop near Rokka Park in Setagaya Ward.結構前ですけど、以前にアイバンラーメンをこのブログで紹介した事があります。私と美香子がアイバンラーメンを食べに行ったことがあって、その後にブログでアップしました。さて、今度そのアイバンラーメンの店主のアイバン・オーキンがついに本をだしました。ニューヨーク出身のユダイア人のアイバンがどうやて東京の真ん中で激しラーメン業界にラーメン職人になったことが書かれてます。本を読むと、妻のマリさんのおかげで、自分の夢が叶えた感じの物語。東京に来たら是非京王線で世田谷区の芦花公園駅に降りて、アイバンラーメンを行ってみて下さい。
THE DUST OF 100 DOGS by Lenore Look - A young adult novel that's different, entertaining, and original. Emir was in Irish woman who was sold as a bride to a Frenchman by her uncle after her parents were killed by Oliver Cromwell and his army. Emir escapes the Frenchman and becomes a notorious pirate, but the love of her life is killed and as she kills her lover's killer. But the Frenchman was not quite dead and Emir herself is killed as well, but before she dies, the Frenchman's First-Mate curses her to live the life of 100 dogs before she can return to a human body. Now, after 300 years, she has become Saffron - a normal teenage girl with Emir's memories intact...and now she's on her way to Jamaica. I hope you enjoyed this month's choices as I had reading them, with the exception of the first book. Oh wait. At least I read that entire book. I've heard such great reviews books by David Sedaris that I decided to give his first one a try - "Barrel Fever" which features a collection of stories and essays. Twenty pages into the book and I wanted to toss the piece of sh*t into an incinerator. I never got as far as reading the essays because the first few stories were so juvenile and irritating. Sometimes I think I am getting old as I probably would have found those stories hilarious ten or twenty years ago.
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1 comment:
Thanks so much for getting the word out about The Dust of 100 Dogs! I appreciate it!
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