Explains, in layman’s terms, what Buddhism is and how we can manifest its teachings into our daily lives, and why we should
In preparation for an upcoming podcast with Catherine Pawasarat, we’re revisiting her two books: The recently released (Nov. 2020) The Gion Festival: Exploring its Mysteries (review here) and From Wasteland to Pureland: Reflections on the Path to Awakening (for a BOA quick take, click here).
On the Books on Asia Podcast episode 12: The Art of the Short Story, podcast host Amy Chavez talks with Tina deBellegarde about what makes a good short story, and why certain short story writers are so appealing. They discuss Japanese short story writers such as Haruki Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto, Hiromi Kawakami, Aoko Matsuda, More…
Androids are certainly tools to think with and one thing they make us think of is our own mortality.
The Other Ishiguro Review by Cody Poulton Last month in Books on Asia I reviewed Klara and the Sun and contrasted Kazuo Ishiguro with another author with the same surname. Well, here’s a book by the other Ishiguro, Hiroshi, who happens to make robots—and not just imagine them. Ishiguro Hiroshi is probably the most famous More…
A delightful book of short stories from Kyoko Nakajima, author of The Little House, and winner of the Naoki Prize
This is a delightful book of short stories from Kyoko Nakajima, author of The Little House, and winner of the Naoki Prize. I’m half-way through Things Remembered and Things Forgotten, (transl. Ginny Tapley Takemori) but my favorite story so far is “The Life Story of a Sewing Machine,” which describes the model number 100-30 machine, More…
Shortlisted for the 2013 Man Asian Literary Prize, “Strange Weather in Tokyo” is a story of loneliness and love that defies age.
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Limited time only deal for US$1.99 (on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple Books) See Where to Buy links to the left. Shortlisted for the 2013 Man Asian Literary Prize, Strange Weather in Tokyo is a story of loneliness and love that defies age. Book Description: Tsukiko is in her late 30s and living More…
Limited time only Amazon Kindle deal for US$1.99 (Amazon US, Canada) or 150 yen (Amazon Japan) Find out more about authors on Asia like Amy Tan by subscribing to the BOA podcast Book Description The Hundred Secret Senses is an exultant novel about China and America, love and loyalty, the identities we invent and the More…
A modern recasting of stories surrounding Japan’s famous mountain witch.
(Stone Bridge Press, June 22, 2021) Review by Jann Williams Over two-thirds of Japan is covered with forested mountains. Traditionally these are sacred places, viewed as dwelling places of the dead and ancestral spirits, and as a liminal space between this world and the other world. Yama, the Japanese word for ‘mountain,’ is reflected in More…
Yasuda has provided a witty and fresh approach to this art.
Support BOA by ordering Noh as Living Art: Inside Japan’s Oldest Theatrical Tradition through these links:
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Review by Cody Poulton This slim volume, at just over 100 pages, is a primer to noh, Japan’s classic performance art. First appearing in Japanese, the text was translated by Kawamoto Nozomu, who was raised in the United States and currently trains with the author in noh utai singing. The work was published by Japan More…
By CJ Fentiman From Chapter 3: A Cat’s Resentment (toward those who help it) (猫の逆恨み / Neko No Sakaurami) I’d had kittens before, but none with such a destructive nature. Finally, I decided it was time to take him to the vets and get some advice. Maybe there was something physically wrong with him that More…
It is that so-called “insignificant encounter” that Murakami focuses on to develop beautiful short stories.
It is that so-called “insignificant encounter” that Murakami focuses on to develop beautiful short stories.
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