its_thekla's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Memoirs aren't really my cuppa tea, but this book was recommended to me on Reddit of all places.
Im planning a trip to Japan within the next two years, and this book made me wistful for something I'll never know. Beautifully written and heartfelt, it was a very peaceful read.
Im planning a trip to Japan within the next two years, and this book made me wistful for something I'll never know. Beautifully written and heartfelt, it was a very peaceful read.
schnauzermum's review
4.0
A skim through the GoodReads reviews shows how controversial this book is. I enjoyed it greatly. It’s not a definitive look at Japanese culture. It’s one man’s opinion and is, I think, as much about the relationship you can have with a country and culture. It’s personal, partial, but none the worse for that, in my view. There are many other perspectives on Japan. I also find it very well written, although how much of that is down to Kerr and how much to his translator (he wrote it in Japanese) is unclear.
cakereads's review against another edition
3.0
fascinating insight into "lost" japan. could get pretentious and draggy at points, but each chapter is an individual essay, so it's still manageable. enjoyed it for the most part!
8797999's review
5.0
Fascinating, enlightening and very interesting and personal. A superb collection of essays and full of places, people and facets of Japan and Japanese culture. A book to enjoy and meander your way through slowly, handily with google beside you to see the shrines and art mentioned.
What a good writer Alex Kerr is, and what an interesting life he has lived.
What a good writer Alex Kerr is, and what an interesting life he has lived.