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Science Comics: Coral Reefs: Cities of the Ocean by Maris Wicks, Randi Rotjan
4.0
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour.
The drawings in this book were the most charming part and it was quite fun to read it to my son. Now, given his age, I didn't read the exact text to him because it's definitely above his pay grade. Reading it myself, I found it very educational, though a bit steep in some parts considering the intended audience. It was in depth and luckily the artwork made the facts more palatable than if they'd been straight text.
There was such a variety of creatures. I was impressed by the amount of research that must have gone into this book. I am interested in reading some of the author's other works, as the detail was such that I'm sure she could make quite a few other subjects fun to learn about.
The drawings in this book were the most charming part and it was quite fun to read it to my son. Now, given his age, I didn't read the exact text to him because it's definitely above his pay grade. Reading it myself, I found it very educational, though a bit steep in some parts considering the intended audience. It was in depth and luckily the artwork made the facts more palatable than if they'd been straight text.
There was such a variety of creatures. I was impressed by the amount of research that must have gone into this book. I am interested in reading some of the author's other works, as the detail was such that I'm sure she could make quite a few other subjects fun to learn about.
Edge of Wild by D.K. Stone, Danika Stone
4.0
After having seen the book trailer for this, who wouldn't be intrigued by this story? It sounds like the perfect weekend mystery read to curl up with. I know that I found myself reading this until the wee hours of the morning which may or may not have been a bit of a mistake in certain parts. Seriously, spooky stuff!
The main male character, Rich, started out as the typical corporate guy that annoys you. He seems to think he knows best, no matter what anyone tells him, and you can't imagine liking him at all. I was impressed with his character development over the course of the book. You were slowly introduced to different sides of him, facets that made him more ordinary and relateable than the straight laced suit he began as.
Lou, the primary female character, was by far my favorite character in the book. She has a bit of the supernatural about her. She has dreams and visions of her past lives, hints that intrude on her current life and may or may not be a boon. She never lets Rich intimidate her, she tries her best to give her all to her town (regardless of what the stick in the mud traditionalists think), and she's not a typical heroine. She'd give Rich a swift kick in the ass if she thought he needed it and she's an insane mechanic to boot. Kudos to her; I know nothing about cars and she never gives up, even when Rich's fancy pants car continues to break down.
I do wish there had been more information about Lou's abilities. I don't recall there every being much explanation for it. Was it something inherited from her mother's side of the family, as her mom was the only person to really take these visions seriously? Is it possible that there are more people in town with abilities that we just don't know about?
Lou and Rich aren't the only cast members in this book, of course. There are a great number of townspeople, each of which brings their own brand of crazy to the table. There's the slightly eccentric boutique owner that keeps hinting to Rich about the true goings on of the town. There's the owner of the coffee shop, Lou's oldest friend and a comforting presence in the background of the book. There's the B & B owner who I swear should be played by Imelda Staunton (aka Dolores Umbridge) in the movie adaptation.
The story keeps you on edge as you work your way toward the resolution of Rich's problems with his job: the running and upkeep of the lodge his bosses have had no end of trouble with. There are scenes that are heightened when you read them in the dark of the night, and there are scenes that will have you launching yourself for the nearest lamp and double checking the locks on your doors.
My last note: the cover was a great choice. Not only is it simplistic and true to the overall feel of the novel, but it actually makes sense in terms of the book. It isn't something that has no connection to the story; there is definitely a reason for the blood and the bunny.
Please please please do yourself a favor and pick this book up. It's got mystery, it's got great characters, and it's got a good buildup of romance that you realize is totally realistic, a nice change from the over-hyped insta-love you see a lot these days.
The main male character, Rich, started out as the typical corporate guy that annoys you. He seems to think he knows best, no matter what anyone tells him, and you can't imagine liking him at all. I was impressed with his character development over the course of the book. You were slowly introduced to different sides of him, facets that made him more ordinary and relateable than the straight laced suit he began as.
Lou, the primary female character, was by far my favorite character in the book. She has a bit of the supernatural about her. She has dreams and visions of her past lives, hints that intrude on her current life and may or may not be a boon. She never lets Rich intimidate her, she tries her best to give her all to her town (regardless of what the stick in the mud traditionalists think), and she's not a typical heroine. She'd give Rich a swift kick in the ass if she thought he needed it and she's an insane mechanic to boot. Kudos to her; I know nothing about cars and she never gives up, even when Rich's fancy pants car continues to break down.
I do wish there had been more information about Lou's abilities. I don't recall there every being much explanation for it. Was it something inherited from her mother's side of the family, as her mom was the only person to really take these visions seriously? Is it possible that there are more people in town with abilities that we just don't know about?
Lou and Rich aren't the only cast members in this book, of course. There are a great number of townspeople, each of which brings their own brand of crazy to the table. There's the slightly eccentric boutique owner that keeps hinting to Rich about the true goings on of the town. There's the owner of the coffee shop, Lou's oldest friend and a comforting presence in the background of the book. There's the B & B owner who I swear should be played by Imelda Staunton (aka Dolores Umbridge) in the movie adaptation.
The story keeps you on edge as you work your way toward the resolution of Rich's problems with his job: the running and upkeep of the lodge his bosses have had no end of trouble with. There are scenes that are heightened when you read them in the dark of the night, and there are scenes that will have you launching yourself for the nearest lamp and double checking the locks on your doors.
My last note: the cover was a great choice. Not only is it simplistic and true to the overall feel of the novel, but it actually makes sense in terms of the book. It isn't something that has no connection to the story; there is definitely a reason for the blood and the bunny.
Please please please do yourself a favor and pick this book up. It's got mystery, it's got great characters, and it's got a good buildup of romance that you realize is totally realistic, a nice change from the over-hyped insta-love you see a lot these days.
Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends by Doogie Horner, David Stabler
4.0
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book in David Stabler's series of Kid books I've read (Kid Athletes, etc.) and I found it a good introduction into the life of these artists.
I'll admit that more than a few of these names, while familiar to me in the general sense of the word, were unfamiliar to me in terms of what they were really known for as artists. That made certain chapters a bit more difficult to enjoy, as they don't really talk about the artist's future work. A sentence or two is all you receive before going back to the artist's childhood. That's fine and all, but if you aren't familiar with the subject at hand before reading the book, you might find yourself lost.
It was interesting to learn these little stories about the artists as children, those that I knew about. One instance in particular was the story of a shield that Leonardo da Vinci once painted on commission. It sounded terrifying and like just the sort of thing that he would've loved, and clearly did, as he seemed so proud of it when showing it off to his father.
The art accompanying each story was well chosen. The artist, Doogie Horner, went with a children's comic book feel that accentuated each story well and didn't make it too serious.
I'm curious to see what these two have done in their other works regarding athletes and presidents, so I'd say this book was successful not only in interesting me in learning more about the artists themselves, but also in checking out more of this author's work about other historical figures.
This is the first book in David Stabler's series of Kid books I've read (Kid Athletes, etc.) and I found it a good introduction into the life of these artists.
I'll admit that more than a few of these names, while familiar to me in the general sense of the word, were unfamiliar to me in terms of what they were really known for as artists. That made certain chapters a bit more difficult to enjoy, as they don't really talk about the artist's future work. A sentence or two is all you receive before going back to the artist's childhood. That's fine and all, but if you aren't familiar with the subject at hand before reading the book, you might find yourself lost.
It was interesting to learn these little stories about the artists as children, those that I knew about. One instance in particular was the story of a shield that Leonardo da Vinci once painted on commission. It sounded terrifying and like just the sort of thing that he would've loved, and clearly did, as he seemed so proud of it when showing it off to his father.
The art accompanying each story was well chosen. The artist, Doogie Horner, went with a children's comic book feel that accentuated each story well and didn't make it too serious.
I'm curious to see what these two have done in their other works regarding athletes and presidents, so I'd say this book was successful not only in interesting me in learning more about the artists themselves, but also in checking out more of this author's work about other historical figures.
Guardians of the Scroll by Steven Loveridge
4.0
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
Here we have another adventure from the Palace Library. It was just as wondrous as the first book with a fair bit more danger.
I loved that the children were able to visit the Library of Alexandria, dangerous as it was. That library is the ultimate dream for a bibliophile: to visit that great and terrible source of knowledge which was tragically lost in our world.
The tales of Ancient Egypt have always been fascinating to me, finding out how they lived, what they learned back then. It makes me wonder just how much more knowledge we'd have if the Library hadn't burned.
The adventure was thrilling and so tense in parts that it urges you to continue reading, to read and read until you've finished the tale. Some parts were a bit squirm inducing, such as when Henry is locked up and being questioned by the soothsayer, but not so much that I would keep the book from any child interested in it.
I found the ending to be very good in that it was a interesting ending, definitely one that left me wanting to read the third book (out sometime this year I hope!), but I was sad too because it left the story at a point with so much potential, so many questions and feelings that I felt a bit out of sorts after finishing it.
Here we have another adventure from the Palace Library. It was just as wondrous as the first book with a fair bit more danger.
I loved that the children were able to visit the Library of Alexandria, dangerous as it was. That library is the ultimate dream for a bibliophile: to visit that great and terrible source of knowledge which was tragically lost in our world.
The tales of Ancient Egypt have always been fascinating to me, finding out how they lived, what they learned back then. It makes me wonder just how much more knowledge we'd have if the Library hadn't burned.
The adventure was thrilling and so tense in parts that it urges you to continue reading, to read and read until you've finished the tale. Some parts were a bit squirm inducing, such as when Henry is locked up and being questioned by the soothsayer, but not so much that I would keep the book from any child interested in it.
I found the ending to be very good in that it was a interesting ending, definitely one that left me wanting to read the third book (out sometime this year I hope!), but I was sad too because it left the story at a point with so much potential, so many questions and feelings that I felt a bit out of sorts after finishing it.
Shadowboxing With Bukowski by Darrell Kastin
1.0
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love to read books about books. Books about libraries, bookstores, bookworks, I'm game. It's fun to see a novel centered around something I'm passionate about (the written word). Generally speaking, reading those books puts me into those settings when otherwise I can't be. If I'm stuck at home at least I can imagine myself surrounded by books, talking about those stories with other people in person, which can sometimes be overwhelming but can also be a lot of fun.
Shadowboxing with Bukowski started out as one of those types of books. The narrator felt like he could be a fellow book loving soul who I as a reader would be able to join on his journey of trying to save his dying bookshop. However, as the book progressed, I found myself disliking him more and more because his voice became more pretentious the further you read. He might have said things to the contrary, but every sentence was loaded with self importance and I couldn't stand it for stretches at a time.
The plot moves slowly enough, which I normally don't mind because that's generally what this sort of book is like. I could have forgiven it once more, but not with a narrator that sounds like he would rather be doing anything else than trying to save his store. I couldn't even finish the book, to be honest, his voice was that grating.
If you think you might like to check out book about book collectors or people who work in bookshops, I'd recommend Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone or Shelf Life: Romance, Mystery, Drama, and Other Page-Turning Adventures From a Year in a Bookstore by Suzanne Strempek Shea.
I love to read books about books. Books about libraries, bookstores, bookworks, I'm game. It's fun to see a novel centered around something I'm passionate about (the written word). Generally speaking, reading those books puts me into those settings when otherwise I can't be. If I'm stuck at home at least I can imagine myself surrounded by books, talking about those stories with other people in person, which can sometimes be overwhelming but can also be a lot of fun.
Shadowboxing with Bukowski started out as one of those types of books. The narrator felt like he could be a fellow book loving soul who I as a reader would be able to join on his journey of trying to save his dying bookshop. However, as the book progressed, I found myself disliking him more and more because his voice became more pretentious the further you read. He might have said things to the contrary, but every sentence was loaded with self importance and I couldn't stand it for stretches at a time.
The plot moves slowly enough, which I normally don't mind because that's generally what this sort of book is like. I could have forgiven it once more, but not with a narrator that sounds like he would rather be doing anything else than trying to save his store. I couldn't even finish the book, to be honest, his voice was that grating.
If you think you might like to check out book about book collectors or people who work in bookshops, I'd recommend Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone or Shelf Life: Romance, Mystery, Drama, and Other Page-Turning Adventures From a Year in a Bookstore by Suzanne Strempek Shea.
Doctor Who: The American Adventures by Justin Richards
2.0
I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I requested this novel from Edelweiss first and requested it from NetGalley under the impression that it was a graphic novel adaptation of the same work, which I would have compared in a side-by-side review. When I opened the NetGalley copy, it turned out to be a regular novel too, so honest note here, I'm reviewing for both sites.
All That Glitters
The first story in this collection is a generic wild west story. That sounds like it could be a cool premise, given the 11th Doctor's fondness for Stetsons. However, the story fell flat on its face at the end. The build up was to an alien that was trying to rebuild itself and we don't learn much else before the Doctor defeats him by shoving him off a cliff.
That is it. The literal end to the story is one moment the Doctor is on the cliff with the alien/monster, the bad guy goes down, and it's over. What kind of resolution is that? It was disappointing, to say the least.
Off the Trail
The beginning of this story had the feel of a Twilight Zone episode. That was interesting because it lent a very creepy feel to the story. I got a good sense of settling into the story, which was a pickup after the previous tale.
Things started changing, though, when the Doctor appeared, and that's a huge problem considering this is a Doctor Who story. The bad guy of the story was a let down and the resolution, while admittedly a bit better than All The Glitters, was still a let down. Too simple, too easy, even for the Doctor.
Ghosts of New York
The first couple of pages of this story got me to the heart of one of the problems that I have with this author. He's more of a teller than a shower and that isn't effective in this instance. It made for a very dry experience and when, in Ghosts of New York you're talking about subway tunnels, you've got to put a lot more effort into it to make it interesting.
The premise of an abandoned alien ship forgotten beneath New York City was a bit more interesting than the previous stories, so while reading American Adventures the good thing is that the stories are progressively getting better, if not the manner in which they're told.
Taking the Plunge
This was the first entry that I felt could actually be an episode of Doctor Who. It's villain was nowhere close to the most evil that the Doctor has ever faced, nor was it the smartest, but it was good for a Saturday night read. It had a little bit of adventure in a somewhat familiar setting (a generic sounding theme park in Florida but really I was picturing Disney World the whole time), an easily pictured baddie (physically and scheme wise [it really has been done before]), and a tied up conclusion.
Spectator Sport
This story has potential. The Doctor stumbles upon a tourist vehicle in the midst of a Civil War battle. He disapproves, naturally, but while on board an attempted murder occurs. Seeking justice, he is determined to find out who was behind the attempt. The would be assassin soon reappears, the Doctor is able to defeat him easily enough, and the story ends.
What? I'm sorry, did I just miss the end of the story? I actually went back and re-read it twice just to make wure, but no, there's actually no real ending for this story. The would be assassin has no motive that is evident, and while it's clear he's working for someone, you never find out who it is or why they want the potential victim dead. This story plummeted to the bottom of my esteem when it flat-lined the story right at the finish line.
Base of Operations
The only thing that I really liked about this story was towards the end when the Doctor was confronting the alien species that wanted to invade Earth this time. His strong stance towards them, defending the Earth and explaining that it would always be defended, is a core element of the Doctor's persona.
Summary
The quality of the stories was all over the place. Some were really bland, some were slightly better. This work was not a particularly good entry into Doctor Who canon based on that alone, but also because it is not recognizable as belonging to any particular Doctor's time period.
The characterization was very disappointing. The Doctor is technically the same "person", but each regeneration has its own distinct flair. What I failed to see in these stories was a distinguishable flair. The Doctor pictured on the cover was 12; when told that, I could picture him in the stories. However, if there were no regeneration pictured, then I wouldn't have been able to tell you when these stories took place in the Doctor's life. That made me sad as a longtime fan of the Doctor.
Note: I requested this novel from Edelweiss first and requested it from NetGalley under the impression that it was a graphic novel adaptation of the same work, which I would have compared in a side-by-side review. When I opened the NetGalley copy, it turned out to be a regular novel too, so honest note here, I'm reviewing for both sites.
All That Glitters
The first story in this collection is a generic wild west story. That sounds like it could be a cool premise, given the 11th Doctor's fondness for Stetsons. However, the story fell flat on its face at the end. The build up was to an alien that was trying to rebuild itself and we don't learn much else before the Doctor defeats him by shoving him off a cliff.
That is it. The literal end to the story is one moment the Doctor is on the cliff with the alien/monster, the bad guy goes down, and it's over. What kind of resolution is that? It was disappointing, to say the least.
Off the Trail
The beginning of this story had the feel of a Twilight Zone episode. That was interesting because it lent a very creepy feel to the story. I got a good sense of settling into the story, which was a pickup after the previous tale.
Things started changing, though, when the Doctor appeared, and that's a huge problem considering this is a Doctor Who story. The bad guy of the story was a let down and the resolution, while admittedly a bit better than All The Glitters, was still a let down. Too simple, too easy, even for the Doctor.
Ghosts of New York
The first couple of pages of this story got me to the heart of one of the problems that I have with this author. He's more of a teller than a shower and that isn't effective in this instance. It made for a very dry experience and when, in Ghosts of New York you're talking about subway tunnels, you've got to put a lot more effort into it to make it interesting.
The premise of an abandoned alien ship forgotten beneath New York City was a bit more interesting than the previous stories, so while reading American Adventures the good thing is that the stories are progressively getting better, if not the manner in which they're told.
Taking the Plunge
This was the first entry that I felt could actually be an episode of Doctor Who. It's villain was nowhere close to the most evil that the Doctor has ever faced, nor was it the smartest, but it was good for a Saturday night read. It had a little bit of adventure in a somewhat familiar setting (a generic sounding theme park in Florida but really I was picturing Disney World the whole time), an easily pictured baddie (physically and scheme wise [it really has been done before]), and a tied up conclusion.
Spectator Sport
This story has potential. The Doctor stumbles upon a tourist vehicle in the midst of a Civil War battle. He disapproves, naturally, but while on board an attempted murder occurs. Seeking justice, he is determined to find out who was behind the attempt. The would be assassin soon reappears, the Doctor is able to defeat him easily enough, and the story ends.
What? I'm sorry, did I just miss the end of the story? I actually went back and re-read it twice just to make wure, but no, there's actually no real ending for this story. The would be assassin has no motive that is evident, and while it's clear he's working for someone, you never find out who it is or why they want the potential victim dead. This story plummeted to the bottom of my esteem when it flat-lined the story right at the finish line.
Base of Operations
The only thing that I really liked about this story was towards the end when the Doctor was confronting the alien species that wanted to invade Earth this time. His strong stance towards them, defending the Earth and explaining that it would always be defended, is a core element of the Doctor's persona.
Summary
The quality of the stories was all over the place. Some were really bland, some were slightly better. This work was not a particularly good entry into Doctor Who canon based on that alone, but also because it is not recognizable as belonging to any particular Doctor's time period.
The characterization was very disappointing. The Doctor is technically the same "person", but each regeneration has its own distinct flair. What I failed to see in these stories was a distinguishable flair. The Doctor pictured on the cover was 12; when told that, I could picture him in the stories. However, if there were no regeneration pictured, then I wouldn't have been able to tell you when these stories took place in the Doctor's life. That made me sad as a longtime fan of the Doctor.
My Second Life by Faye Bird
4.0
I wasn't sure what to expect when I was offered the chance to review My Second Life. I believe in reincarnation and the thought that you can be held responsible for something you did in a past life is definitely intriguing. It brings up so many questions: can someone who did good be allowed a pass if they commit a crime? Can someone who did something terrible ever be redeemed? Faye Bird tackles one of these questions with Ana, her main character.
Ana is a fifteen year old girl who has always known that she's lived a life before. From the moment she is born into her life as Ana, she has memories of her life as Emma, the girl she was previously. For the most part these memories manifest as a longing for her first mother, which causes a lot of conflict with her current mother. This was illustrated in the book by the fact that as a reader I never really got the sense that we knew Ana's mother. She was in the book for brief periods of time, but her character was never really developed in my eyes. I think this was a good method because it gave me a similar sense of distance from her like what Ana must have felt.
Things get tricky for Ana when she, by chance, runs into someone from her old life and starts to have memories that are much darker than anything she's ever experienced before. It brings up the question in her mind; what did I do when I was Emma? This question drives Ana to dive into an investigation of her past life and the path that it leads her down is frightening, nerve wracking, and will ultimately lead to a place that will lead both Ana and the reader unsettled.
I won't go into much more plot wise because I don't want to spoil the story, but I will say that you'll think you know what's happening but the truth will surprise you. Faye Bird does a good job of keeping the ending close to her chest. The pacing of her writing is very quick, which I appreciated. This read could be done in a day or two if you're busy, maybe a couple of hours if you've got a spare afternoon.
One of the things that I wish had been more developed in the book was Ana's previous life and how it worked and why she was the only one that seemed to be "gifted" with this second chance. She was incredibly lucky to be reborn at all, but also, how did it happen that she was reborn so close to her original family? Out of the whole world, England again? I'd be curious to see if Faye Bird has another book planned that might examine someone else's experience with rebirth that might explain some of these loose threads.
The romantic aspect of the story between Ana and Jamie was a bit lackluster for me and didn't add anything, though I think it was meant to give Ana a sense of normalcy. Considering her extraordinary circumstances, that sort of plot device was probably a good idea, but similar to Ana's mother, I never really connected with Jamie. I was much more interested in how Ana was feeling, what was going on in her head, how she was dealing with "living" two lives at once.
There were a few slow points in the beginning, but I think that, even given the negatives I've pointed out here, that My Second Life is well worth the read. It's a good concept and makes you think about the question that Ana faces: can you be held responsible for something "you" did in a past life?
Ana is a fifteen year old girl who has always known that she's lived a life before. From the moment she is born into her life as Ana, she has memories of her life as Emma, the girl she was previously. For the most part these memories manifest as a longing for her first mother, which causes a lot of conflict with her current mother. This was illustrated in the book by the fact that as a reader I never really got the sense that we knew Ana's mother. She was in the book for brief periods of time, but her character was never really developed in my eyes. I think this was a good method because it gave me a similar sense of distance from her like what Ana must have felt.
Things get tricky for Ana when she, by chance, runs into someone from her old life and starts to have memories that are much darker than anything she's ever experienced before. It brings up the question in her mind; what did I do when I was Emma? This question drives Ana to dive into an investigation of her past life and the path that it leads her down is frightening, nerve wracking, and will ultimately lead to a place that will lead both Ana and the reader unsettled.
I won't go into much more plot wise because I don't want to spoil the story, but I will say that you'll think you know what's happening but the truth will surprise you. Faye Bird does a good job of keeping the ending close to her chest. The pacing of her writing is very quick, which I appreciated. This read could be done in a day or two if you're busy, maybe a couple of hours if you've got a spare afternoon.
One of the things that I wish had been more developed in the book was Ana's previous life and how it worked and why she was the only one that seemed to be "gifted" with this second chance. She was incredibly lucky to be reborn at all, but also, how did it happen that she was reborn so close to her original family? Out of the whole world, England again? I'd be curious to see if Faye Bird has another book planned that might examine someone else's experience with rebirth that might explain some of these loose threads.
The romantic aspect of the story between Ana and Jamie was a bit lackluster for me and didn't add anything, though I think it was meant to give Ana a sense of normalcy. Considering her extraordinary circumstances, that sort of plot device was probably a good idea, but similar to Ana's mother, I never really connected with Jamie. I was much more interested in how Ana was feeling, what was going on in her head, how she was dealing with "living" two lives at once.
There were a few slow points in the beginning, but I think that, even given the negatives I've pointed out here, that My Second Life is well worth the read. It's a good concept and makes you think about the question that Ana faces: can you be held responsible for something "you" did in a past life?
Maido: A Gaijin's Guide to Japanese Gestures and Culture by Christy Colon Hasegawa
5.0
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I was in high school I became interested in anime, which was my introduction into Japanese culture. It might not have been the best introduction, but I had to start somewhere. The actions in anime, as far as I can tell, are overacted and not entirely culturally acted. It did interest me in finding out more about Japan, though, historically, culturally, etc.
Maido: A Gaijin's Guide to Japanese Gestures and Culture is a good working guide to gestures which, to compare them to American ones for a moment, we might take for granted. I was familiar with a couple of the ones mentioned in this book, having seen them demonstrated in film and television shows, but here I was given a bit more information on exactly what they meant and how they might be similar to other gestures if done in a slightly different way.
The photographs were very well done. As well as demonstrating the gestures that were being talked about, the fashions were really cool. I almost wish this book had had a section to talk about what the models were wearing as well because some of the outfits were very unique.
Ms. Hasegawa, the author, did a good job at getting her point across without pontificating for which I was thankful. She didn't let her writing get dry either, injecting some points of humor into the paragraphs about the various gestures.
While I'm sure this book didn't cover all the gestures that one would ever need when visiting Japan, and caution should still be exercised unless you're 100% you're using a gesture correctly, it gave a good overview with the ones that might be needed the most. It certainly gave the ones that, I think, would be used the most, such as gestures used for politeness' sake (thank you, I'm sorry), in restaurants, and what to avoid when at all possible to avoid rudeness (insinuating someone's a gang member). I'd like to read more from Ms. Hasegawa, as she tackled the brief subject of gestures and culture well; I think she'd have a good handle on a variety of other subjects, maybe even books more in-depth on Japanese culture.
When I was in high school I became interested in anime, which was my introduction into Japanese culture. It might not have been the best introduction, but I had to start somewhere. The actions in anime, as far as I can tell, are overacted and not entirely culturally acted. It did interest me in finding out more about Japan, though, historically, culturally, etc.
Maido: A Gaijin's Guide to Japanese Gestures and Culture is a good working guide to gestures which, to compare them to American ones for a moment, we might take for granted. I was familiar with a couple of the ones mentioned in this book, having seen them demonstrated in film and television shows, but here I was given a bit more information on exactly what they meant and how they might be similar to other gestures if done in a slightly different way.
The photographs were very well done. As well as demonstrating the gestures that were being talked about, the fashions were really cool. I almost wish this book had had a section to talk about what the models were wearing as well because some of the outfits were very unique.
Ms. Hasegawa, the author, did a good job at getting her point across without pontificating for which I was thankful. She didn't let her writing get dry either, injecting some points of humor into the paragraphs about the various gestures.
While I'm sure this book didn't cover all the gestures that one would ever need when visiting Japan, and caution should still be exercised unless you're 100% you're using a gesture correctly, it gave a good overview with the ones that might be needed the most. It certainly gave the ones that, I think, would be used the most, such as gestures used for politeness' sake (thank you, I'm sorry), in restaurants, and what to avoid when at all possible to avoid rudeness (insinuating someone's a gang member). I'd like to read more from Ms. Hasegawa, as she tackled the brief subject of gestures and culture well; I think she'd have a good handle on a variety of other subjects, maybe even books more in-depth on Japanese culture.