The Devil’s Whisper By Miyuki Miyabe, translated by Stuhr Iwabuchi (Kondansha: New York, 2010, 264 pp., $11.95, paperback) Miyabe does it again — the elegantly crafted, more-than-just-mystery novel in “The Devil’s Whisper” keeps you hooked not just on the plot, but on the characters, their guilty consciences, and the moral quandaries and choices that bind […]
Book Reviews
BOOK REVIEW: Mystery novel unveils the power to change another’s life
August 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment
BOOK REVIEW: Cultural politics of Asian American movements
August 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment
CHAINS OF BABYLON: THE RISE OF ASIAN AMERICA By Daryl J. Maeda (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2009, 248 pp., $20, paperback) Daryl J. Maeda’s slim book “Chains of Babylon: The Rise of Asian America” is a compelling and quite refreshing examination of the history of Asian American movements in the Vietnam War era. To […]
BOOK REVIEW: Lone Star State Asians, a rich and varied history
August 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment
ASIAN TEXANS: OUR HISTORIES AND OUR LIVES Edited By Irwin A. Tang (Austin, Texas: The It Works, 2008, 416 pp., $35, hardcover) Who would ever have thought that there were one million persons of Asian ancestry living in Texas? Or that they have had such a stunningly rich and varied history? Well, pardner, this is […]
MANGA REVIEW: Reboot: X-Men goes kawaii
July 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
X-MEN MISFITS By Raina Telgemeier and Dave Roman Art by Anzu (New York: Del Rey, 2009, 192 pp., $12.99 paperback) “X-men Misfits” ironically describes itself by its title succinctly. The comic is a misfit in itself within the world of Marvel’s hit X-Men series. Through the frame of a shoujo-manga artist, this original English manga […]
MANGA REVIEW: Time to get schooled
July 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
ROSARIO + VAMPIRE: SEASON II VOL. 1 By Akihisa Ikeda (San Francisco: Viz Media, 2010, 184 pp., $9.99 paperback) School is back in session. “Rosario + Vampire: Season II” is back for its second year. This continuation of the original series starts off with Tsukune Aono returning to Yokai Academy for his second year. All […]
MANGA REVIEW: A walk on the wild side
July 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
ARATA: THE LEGEND VOL. 1 By Yuu Watase (San Francisco: Viz Media, 2010, 208 pp., $9.99 paperback) Yuu Watase, the acclaimed author of other manga series such as “Fushigi Yuugi” and “Ayashi no Ceres,” is no stranger to fantasy settings, but “Arata: The Legend” serves as her first foray into comics for boys. In “Arata,” […]
MANGA REVIEW: A collection from the legend
July 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
A DRUNKEN DREAM AND OTHER STORIES By Moto Hagio (Seattle: Fantagraphics Books, 2010, 288 pp., $24.99, hardcover) Moto Hagio is certainly one of the world’s leading artists when it comes to shoujo manga (comics for and about girls). Born in 1949, she is one of “the magnificent forty-niners,” a group of shoujo manga artists that […]
Once the center of international outcry, Japanese American author speaks out
June 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Roxana Saberi, as with other political prisoners, suffers from “emotional scars” that “will take a long time to heal. Some will never heal,” she told the Nichi Bei Weekly in a phone interview. However, she said that writing about and discussing her experience have helped. Saberi’s book, “Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in […]
Tasty Sweets, Minus the Guilt
January 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment
THE WORRY FREE BAKERY: Treats Without Oil and Butter By Kuniko Ibaraki, translated by Jessica Bezer (New York: Vertical, Inc., 2009, 80 pp., $14.95, paperback) At first glance, the title may create skepticism in many die-hard dessert connoisseurs, but every recipe in this book is grounded in Kuniko Ibaraki’s idea that delicious desserts can be […]
Pan-Asian Comfort Food With a Twist
January 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook: Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens By Patricia Tanumihardja (Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 2009, 368 pp., $35.00, hardcover) A multitude of cookbooks reference mothers. A fair amount offer nods to grandmas of all ethnic backgrounds. And there is no shortage of pan-Asian cookbooks to choose from at the local bookstore. But Patricia […]
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