“Tokyo-ing!: Three Novellas” by Eric Madeen

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“Tokyo-ing is a masterful tour de force of a book, combining three short fast-paced novellas into a compassionate and profound look at life and culture in contemporary Japan. Though author Eric Madeen has taken on serious matters — karoshi (overwork death), alcoholism, back-stabbing in academia, eroticism, the disruption of traditional male/female work and family roles, old world superstition and new world attempts at life solutions — his tales are told with sly ingenious humor, affection, and happy fable-like endings which reward emotional growth through endurance and struggle. He is a stunning and tricky literary writer, who straddles the roles of both soto (outsider) and uchi (insider), a necessary attribute for any fine writer, but invaluable for unpacking the intricacies of Japanese culture. If you want to be entertained as you learn about the complex underpinnings of modern Japan, I highly recommend Eric Madeen as your virtuoso guide. Trust me, you’ll enjoy the ride.” — Marnie Mueller, author of The Climate in the Country, set in the Tule Lake Japanese American High Security segregation camp during WWII

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