Rhiannon Paine

Japan has always been an intriguing country, combining a deep paternalistic environment with American capitalism. For all of its emphasis on technology and closely packed humanity, it has managed to set aside forests and still maintains a spiritual core that make gifts, tea, and futons so bloody magnificent.

In trying to find a book that would allow me to peep more into Japanese culture, yet not be a basic travel brochure, this little gem somehow found its way to me (thanks to Powell's bookstore aficionados). This is a true story of an American female worker and her time spent in Japan as an employee of Hewlett-Packard in the 1980s. We get to see her view of the country while also living her daily story as a worker, which is a very refreshing change from the usual writer-with-lots-of-money/time.

The neighborhood dogs used to start barking at bedtime. They were terriers...and stunted-looking like the trees in the thin strips of garden around the houses. They couldn't grow big in Tokyo; there wasn't enough room.

Nice sense of humor and a very pleasant read that makes me want to experience some time in our sister country of quakes.

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