Turning Japanese - Memoirs of a Sansei

David Mura

Summary

“The poet David Mura brings an intriguing perspective to the New World quest for enlightenment from this ancient and ascendant culture” (The New York Times). Award-winning poet David Mura’s critically acclaimed memoir Turning Japanese chronicles how a year in Japan transformed his sense of self and pulled into sharp focus his complicated inheritance. Mura is a sansei, a third-generation Japanese-American who grew up on baseball and hot dogs in a Chicago suburb where he heard more Yiddish than Japanese. Turning Japanese chronicles his quest for identity with honesty, intelligence, and poetic vision, and it stands as a classic meditation on difference and assimilation and is a valuable window onto a country that has long fascinated our own. Turning Japanese was a New York Times Notable Book and winner of an Oakland PEN Josephine Miles Book Award. This edition includes a new afterword by the author. “A dizzying interior voyage of self-discovery and splintered identity.” —Chicago Tribune “There is brilliant writing in this book, observations of Japanese humanity and culture that are subtly different from and more penetrating than what we usually get from Westerners.” —The New Yorker “Turning Japanese reads like a fascinating novel you can’t put down . . . Mura’s story is a universal one, and one that is accessible to everyone, even those whose experience in the U.S. is not that of a person of color.” —Asian Week “[Mura] paints a portrait of Japan that is rich and satisfying . . . a refreshingly kindly and tolerant study, a powerful antidote to the venomous anti-Japanese mood that seems, distressingly, to be seizing some corners of the American mind.” —Conde Nast Traveler

Available since: 12/01/2007.

Print length: 400 pages.

Other books that might interest you

As a Man Thinketh

James Allen

Step into the profound journey of life where the mind acts as our compass, shaping our every step along the path. 
Within lies the essence: a mind untainted, a beacon leading to a life adorned with love and empathy, dictating our actions towards friends and adversaries alike. 
Yet, where does one find this guiding light? How does purity of mind, the harbinger of happiness and assurance, become attainable? 
In the timeless manuscript, "As A Man Thinketh," the author unfurls definitive answers. For over a century, James Allen's words have not just resonated but navigated countless souls toward a richer existence amidst humanity's trials. 
"From a pure heart springs forth a pure existence, body, and soul," scribed James Allen. "From a corrupted mind emerges a life tainted and a spirit marred." 
The clamor for worldly gains eclipses the quest for spiritual elevation—a predicament Allen grappled with in his era. His revelations, born of profound introspection, steered him, just as they will illuminate your path today.

Show book

Money A Memoir - Women Emotions...

Liz Perle

Long ago, and not entirely consciously, Liz Perle made a quiet contract with cash: She would do what it took to get it—work hard, marry right—but she didn't want to have to think about it too much. Since she was a young girl, the subject of money had been quietly sidestepped, a shadowy factor whose private influence was impolite to discuss. When a sudden divorce left Perle with no home, no job, a four year old and a box of toys, she realized she could no longer afford to leave her murky and fraught relationship with money unexamined.What Perle discovered as she reassembled her life, both personally and professionally, was that almost every woman she knew also subscribed to this strange and emotional code of discretion. Women who were all too willing to tell each other about their deepest secrets or sexual assets still kept mum when it came to their financial ones.In Money, A Memoir, Perle attempts to break this silence, adding her own story to the anecdotes and insights of psychologists, researchers and more than 200 "ordinary" women. It turned out that when money was the topic, most women needed permission to talk. Perle found when she confessed her fears and idiosyncrasies to other women, theirs came tumbling out as well. The result is an insightful, unflinching look at the subtle and commanding influence of money on our every relationship.

Show book

Peter Max & Swami Satchidananda...

Sripad Jagannatha Das

"Swami Satchidananda was a true inspiration to me. His teachings on spirituality, yoga, and meditation opened my eyes to new ways of thinking and living. He had a profound impact on my life and my art, and I am grateful for the time we spent together. His friendship was a gift that I will always treasure." - Peter Max

"Peter was not just a gifted artist but a beautiful human being. His art was a reflection of his innermost being, and it spoke to the hearts of people around the world. I was privileged to know him as a friend and to see the depth of his soul. His art was an expression of his love for life, and it continues to inspire me to this day." -Swami Satchidananda

Here is a captivating audiobook exploring the close relationship between Peter Max and Swami Satchidananda. Narrated by Raj Rass and Sripad Jagannatha Das, go on a journey through the lives of two remarkable individuals who formed an unlikely and enduring friendship.

Peter Max is a world-renowned artist known for his vibrant, colorful, and abstract works of art. Swami Satchidananda, on the other hand, was a kindly spiritual leader and yoga master who dedicated his life to spreading the teachings of yoga and meditation in the West. These two great souls formed a deep connection that lasted decades.

Here we delve into the unique bond that developed between Max and the Swami. We discover how their passion for creativity, spirituality, and a search for true and deep meaning and purpose in life drew them together, and how their friendship impacted the lives of so many.

This inspirational audiobook is a touching important captivating tale of friendship, creativity, and true spirituality. Join us on this fascinating journey as we explore the deep connection between two remarkable individuals from vastly different cultures, united by a profound bond. Theirs was truly a match made in heaven! Hare Om Tat Sat.

Show book

The Holey Pants

Alphie McCourt

"From the lanes of Limerick to the bejeweled and glittering women of the Upper East Side; that's quite a stretch, but please, not too far. I had a hole in my pants. In New York, everything is possible."

Show book

Truth and Fantasy

Joram Piatigorsky

The 67 essays in Truth and Fantasy explore diverse themes from different perspectives based on the author's and narrator's experiences. The essays are neither comprehensive nor meant to argue forcefully for any single viewpoint. Rather, they are meant to stimulate and inspire additional thoughts and ideas. Beginning essays include musings on random thoughts on the power of silence and neutral and indifference. Subsequent essays emerge from a lifelong career in biology research and touch on whether the ability to evolve is an evolutionary trait. Other essays argue that the nature of intelligence and aesthetics can be traced throughout the animal kingdom, including even so-called "mindless" invertebrates. Challenging subjects are covered in essays about the foundations and meaning of creativity, considering even the role of boredom and imperfections as sources of creativity. Other essays deal with ambition and the relative significance of the buried streams of time between the specific, visible, highlighted episodes in life. The essays include reflections relating competitive tennis to general issues of life, express gratitude for 50 years of marriage, the miracle of having children and grandchildren, the positive nature of kindness, the despondence of losing a treasured wedding ring, and relief when it's found; art: how it's valued, the significance of authenticity, the importance of ambiguity, and the experiences of amassing a world-class collection of Inuit sculptures. Essays describe uplifting experiences and broadening horizons by traveling to exotic places – Israel, Iceland, Greenland, Portugal, and West Africa – and the nostalgia of returning after 40 years to the science laboratories in Puget Sound as a writer instead of a science student. Finally, essays maintain that aging need not dampen ambition and creative efforts but do not ignore the inevitability of death and its value in defining the marvel and privilege of life.

Show book

A Time to Lead - For Duty Honor...

Wesley K. Clark, Tom Carhart

Four-star General Wesley K. Clark became a major figure on the political scene when he was drafted by popular demand to run for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 2003. But this was just one of many exceptional accomplishments of a long and extraordinary career. Here, for the first time, General Clark uses his unique life experience—from his difficult youth in segregated Arkansas where he was raised by his poor, widowed mother; through the horror of Vietnam where he was wounded; the post-war rebuilding of national security  and the struggles surrounding the new world order after the Cold War—as a springboard to reveal his vision for America, at home and in the world. General Clark will address issues such as foreign policy, the economy, the environment, education and health care, family, faith, and the American dream.Rich with breathtaking battle scenes, poignant personal anecdote and eye-opening recommendations on the best way forward, General Clark's new book is a tour de force of gripping storytelling and inspiring vision.

Show book