BOOK LAUNCHES

BOOK LAUNCH: Whisper of the Land

Fine Line Press invites you to the Tokyo launch of Edward Levinson's Whisper of the Land to be held in Tokyo, 17 May 2015.

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Book Launch: Japan on Foot by Mary King

Two Women Walk Japan

19 May, 25 May, 27 May 2012

DATES / VENUES

Saturday May 19, 2.30 – 4.30 (followed by early dinner/drinks nearby) at Venture Dream Office, 13F Office One Shijo-Karasuma, Kyoto (2 mins from Hankyu Karasuma Sta. and Subway Shijo Sta. 京都市下京区室町通綾小路上る鶏鉾町480番地 MAP

Friday May 25, 6.00 – 9.00 p.m. at the Wesley Centre, 6-10-7 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo (SWET mbers ¥1,000; non-mbers ¥1,500) ) MAP ... See more

Sunday May 27, 12.30 p.m. Lunch and Meet the Writer, Mont St Michel, Mejiro, Tokyo (¥3,200 Bookings: geeptbee@xtra.co.nz / ph. Allan Murphy: 090-9153-5917)

Mary King, walker and writer, will be in Kyoto and Tokyo to talk about her walk and book, Japan on Foot. She will be available for interviews from May 18th – May 28th. Contact her to arrange an interview at mklond43@hotmail.com Photos can be provided either from the author or from Fine Line Press.

In Brief: Japan on Foot

British journalist Mary King tells the story of how she and her Japanese partner Etsuko Shimabukuro walked 7,500 kilometres through Japan – from Hokkaido, way up north, to Yonagunijima, Okinawa, which is Japan’s westernmost island. Japan on Foot recounts the adventures during their odyssey and includes fascinating insights into Japanese life. The book reveals aspects of the country and culture rarely shown or discussed. Japan on Foot is great reading for the Japanophile and armchair adventurer.

Mary writes about strippers, a shamaness, a yakuza Christian, an enlightened being, hunters, farmers, pilgrims, Hidden Christians, as well as a scientist who plans to resurrect the woolly mammoth and a marine geologist who maintains that the ruins of a lost civilisation lie off the shores of an Okinawan island. The book also includes interviews with members of the Ainu and buraku communities who talk about the discrimination they face in Japan. While there are plenty of interesting people and stirring adventures, Japan on Foot is also an inner journey – Mary shares her deepest thoughts and feelings about the people she loves and the country she made home.

Find out more or buy Japan on Foot online here.

Fifty people at the Launch for Forty Stories of Japan

Wed. Nov. 3, 2010

Ben's Café in Takadanobaba, Tokyo - Writers came from overseas: Annette Green from Washington DC, Sue Turner-Cray from Santa Barbara, Mary King from Beijing and David Gilbey from Wagga Wagga, South Australia. It was a sunny autumn National Holiday (Bunka no Hi, Culture Day). Fifteen minutes before the start of the launch 10 copies of the eagerly anticipated student companion volume for "Glimpses of Old Tokyo", the Workbook Exercises, were delivered by hand, hot off the presses, (thanks to Joe Zahedi, Printed Matter Press). Great timing! The author of "Glimpses", Masuho Fujita arrived next.

At the door Beth collected the venue and drinks charge, and gave name tags to the writers. Allan Murphy manned the book sales table, while Ben's Café owner, Yoshiko Toyama served food and poured celebration glasses of bubbly.

On David Gilbey's suggestion, writers read short passages from their stories. "Elvis" by Sue Turner-Cray was much enjoyed. Naomi Arimura, whose email correspondence describing life in Tokyo was the origin of "Forty Stories", read a humorous piece about asking for plastic glasses at a Christmas function ("A Japanese Xmas"). The readings were followed by a rousing rendition of Waltzing Matilda by David Gilbey, Jim Smiley accompanying him with cascading notes on his recorder. He also produced an unmistakable imitation of bagpipes on the same woodwind instrument.

A great launch! Thank you everyone who came to celebrate. Domo Arigato Ben's Café!

See photos

Forty Stories of Japan

Glimpses of Old Tokyo Visit Ben's Café | Read about Ben's

Glimpses of Old Tokyo

Glimpses of Old Tokyo

Visit Ben's Café | Read about Ben's