“You see, Japan does not actually rest atop an infinite pile of turtles, but on the back of a giant carp . . .”
In his mid-thirties, Australian freelance writer and PhD graduate Michael Guest headed for Japan on a whim, worked as Professor in a national university, and stayed fifteen years. Memoir and cultural reflection, his captivating story is one of growth, adaptation and an ever-deepening appreciation of an enchanting, at times perplexing, society. The author is an expert on modern literature and humanities, with many academic and media articles to his credit, alongside international academic conference lectures.
“Rarely is a reader granted such enlightened insights into the people and culture of Japan. Guest takes us into the Japanese psyche, exploring social mores, the underlying meanings of simple actions, and the historical and religious fabric that knits the people together. . . .”—Brian Armour, author of Future Crime
“He draws his tight literary portraits from his experiences living and tertiary teaching in Japan. I was enchanted to learn the micro-details of a culture of micro-details.”—Gloria Lee McMillan, Lecturer in English, University of Arizona
“The book permeates your psyche . . . . his calm, poetic, detailed writing style, always with a touch of light irony, full immersion. The book is, indeed, very Zen.”—Virginia Arthur, author of Treed and Phat(’s) Chance for Buddha in Houston
