A review by pattydsf
A Beginner's Guide to Japan: Observations and Provocations by Pico Iyer
4.0
I call this a ‘beginner’s guide’ not only because it’s aimed at beginners, but mostly because it’s written by one. Being in Japan has taught me to say, ‘I wonder,’ more often than ‘I think.’ The first rule for any foreigner in Japan is not to talk of this-or-that; the second is never to take anything too seriously.”
“More important than learning to speak Japanese when you come to Japan is learning to speak silence. My neighbors seem most at home with nonverbal cues, with pauses and the exchange of formulae. What is the virtue of speaking Japanese, Lafcadio Hearn noted, if you cannot think in Japanese?”
I have enjoyed Iyer’s writing for years. He is a writer that I wish I had read more frequently. So when I saw this book on the new book shelf at my local public library, I grabbed it. I knew that the combination of Japan (a country I have grown to love) and an excellent writer was going to be a good read.
This book was lovely. Iyer admits that he is a beginner even though he has lived in Japan, with a Japanese wife and children for thirty years. During my short stay in Japan, it was clear to me that all non-Japanese would always be beginners in that country. It was good to meet someone who understood that.
The book is short essays, sometime just a paragraph. They are linked under headings such as “The Enigmas of Arrival,” “The Apple in the Garden,” and “Spirits from the Past.” The book moves from the public to the private which is how I got to see Japan. I started in Tokyo with millions of people and eventually ended up in Ishinomaki which hosts fewer foreigners. It was an experience of a lifetime and Iyer’s book brought back many lovely memories.
I will say that I believe that this book title is a bit deceiving. As I said, all visitors to Japan are beginners. However, if you are looking for a guidebook, don’t start here. Read this book when you return.
Nothing I say will do justice to Iyer’s writing. He uses words carefully with inspiration. Although he says his Japanese is poor, I doubt it. The writing in this is lovely. If you have any interest in Japan, you may enjoy this book.
“More important than learning to speak Japanese when you come to Japan is learning to speak silence. My neighbors seem most at home with nonverbal cues, with pauses and the exchange of formulae. What is the virtue of speaking Japanese, Lafcadio Hearn noted, if you cannot think in Japanese?”
I have enjoyed Iyer’s writing for years. He is a writer that I wish I had read more frequently. So when I saw this book on the new book shelf at my local public library, I grabbed it. I knew that the combination of Japan (a country I have grown to love) and an excellent writer was going to be a good read.
This book was lovely. Iyer admits that he is a beginner even though he has lived in Japan, with a Japanese wife and children for thirty years. During my short stay in Japan, it was clear to me that all non-Japanese would always be beginners in that country. It was good to meet someone who understood that.
The book is short essays, sometime just a paragraph. They are linked under headings such as “The Enigmas of Arrival,” “The Apple in the Garden,” and “Spirits from the Past.” The book moves from the public to the private which is how I got to see Japan. I started in Tokyo with millions of people and eventually ended up in Ishinomaki which hosts fewer foreigners. It was an experience of a lifetime and Iyer’s book brought back many lovely memories.
I will say that I believe that this book title is a bit deceiving. As I said, all visitors to Japan are beginners. However, if you are looking for a guidebook, don’t start here. Read this book when you return.
Nothing I say will do justice to Iyer’s writing. He uses words carefully with inspiration. Although he says his Japanese is poor, I doubt it. The writing in this is lovely. If you have any interest in Japan, you may enjoy this book.