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Margaret Stawowy
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jun 16, 2002
Soldiers who fought for their honor on two fronts
THE LAST FOX: A Novel of the 100th/442nd RCT, by Robert H. Kono. Eugene, Oregon: Abe Publishing, 2001, 322 pp., $14.95 (paper) Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the American government interned people of Japanese ancestry, two-thirds of them American citizens, in camps. Families who...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
May 19, 2002
An unexpected transformation at English school
RED SKY, RED DRAGONFLY, by John Galligan. Madison, Wisconsin: Diversity Incorporated, 262 pp., $14.95 (paper). "Red Sky, Red Dragonfly," a first novel by college writing professor John Galligan, provides ample evidence that he understands the craft he teaches. A humorous and original tale spanning two...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jan 6, 2002
The challenges and rewards of bicultural marriage
LOOKING BEYOND THE MASK: When American Women Marry Japanese Men, by Nancy Brown Diggs. State University of New York, 2001, 231 pp., $19.95 (paper). Finally, here is a book that explains the ramifications of a decision I made 24 years ago when I married my Japanese husband in the United States. Although...
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Nov 18, 2001
A story that just doesn't translate
DRUNK AS A LORD: Samurai Stories, by Ryotaro Shiba; translated by Eileen Kato. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2001, 253 pp., 3,500 yen (cloth) Ryotaro Shiba (1923-1996), a distinguished historical writer, brought Japan's past alive by examining many of its important historical figures and the personal...
CULTURE / Books
Sep 16, 2001
Wreaking revenge by living well
SO CAN YOU, by Mitsuyo Ohira. Translated by John Brennan. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2000, 223 pp., 1,300 yen When I first set eyes on "So Can You," I wasn't sure what kind of book to expect. On the cover was a photo of a kind-faced, bespectacled woman in a plaid blazer who could easily pass for...
CULTURE / Books
Apr 22, 2001
Okinawan writers provide a breath of fresh air
SOUTHERN EXPOSURE: Modern Japanese Literature from Okinawa, edited by Michael Molasky and Steve Rabson. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 362 pp., $27.95 (paper). Okinawa consists of just .6 percent of the total landmass of Japan and contributes 1 percent to the population, according to the introduction...
CULTURE / Books
Oct 9, 2000
Limp prose from an angel of mercy
TOTTO-CHAN'S CHILDREN: A Goodwill Journey to the Children of the World, by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi; translated by Dorothy Britton. Kodansha International, 2000, 222 pp., with photographs, 2,500 yen (cloth). Tetsuko Kuroyanagi is a familiar figure on Japanese television quiz shows. She's the one decked out...
CULTURE / Books
Jun 20, 2000
Shallow pits and rabbit hutches
JAPANESE HOMES AND LIFESTYLES: An Illustrated Journey through History, by Kazuya Inaba and Shigenobu Nakayama. Translated by John Bester. Kodansha International, 2000, 144 pp., $32. Do you curse costly rents, cramped quarters and cluttered cupboards? Do you think tatami are terrific, futons fabulous...
CULTURE / Books
Apr 25, 2000
Salute to a life of honesty, humanity and hard work
A SUMMER FOR A LIFETIME: The Life and Times of George I. Purdy, as told to Thomas Caldwell. Foreword by Michael J. Mansfield. Lost Coast Press, 2000, 144 pp., $24.95. When I was a librarian I was assigned to inventory a business biography collection. I didn't expect to find much excitement in the stacks,...

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