Pachinko By Min Jin Lee Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This multi-generation story about what it’s like to be a … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway SEP-OCT 2021
The Pillow Book: The Diary of a Courtesan in Tenth Century Japan By Sei Shōnagon Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: N/ATranslation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway JUL-AUG 2021
Klara and the Sun By Kazuo Ishiguro Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: N/ATranslation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐My recommendation: I did not love this book, but every … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway MAY-JUN 2021
The Aosawa Murders By Riku Onda Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This book is one of those rare Japanese mysteries … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway MAR-APR 2021
Tokyo Vice By Jake Adelstein Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: Investigative reporter Jake Adelstein covered the yakuza beat for a … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway FEBRUARY 2021
OUT By Natsuo Kirino Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A fabulous thriller that skillfully conveys just how cold and ingenious … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway JANUARY 2021
December 6 By Martin Cruz Smith Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This is a fascinating snapshot of life in Japan … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway DECEMBER 2020
Idoru By William Gibson Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This book imagines a Japan that’s mesmerizing in its projections of … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway NOVEMBER 2020
The Last Tea Bowl Thief By Jonelle Patrick Okay, obviously it would be weird for me to review my own book, so instead I’m going to point you over to … Continue Reading Book Review SPECIAL EDITION
The Tale of Murasaki By Liza Dalby Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: If you love historical novels, this beautifully imagined … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway OCTOBER 2020
It Was You By Jonelle Patrick Click on the photo for a link to your free digital copy of It Was You All Japanagram subscribers can download a free digital … Continue Reading Book Giveaway SEPTEMBER 2020
You can’t buy this book anywhere …but you can get it for FREE Between now and October 20, 2020, when The Last Tea Bowl Thief comes out, I’m giving away … Continue Reading Exclusive for Japanagram subscribers only!
CLIMB By Susan Spann This month’s book giveaway is Susan Spann’s wry and moving new memoir, CLIMB. Two and a half years ago, her life appeared to be rocketing along … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway AUGUST 2020
Claws of the Cat and CLIMB By Susan Spann This month, I’m going to pick two lucky winners, because I’ve got two books by the same author to give away! … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway AUGUST 2020
Shinjū By Laura Joh Rowland Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A well-researched and deeply entertaining crime read, set in samurai-era … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway JULY 2020
The Essential Haiku Edited by Robert Hass Setting & details: N/AAuthenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: The most enjoyable book of haiku in the … Continue Reading Book Review & Giveaway JUNE 2020
