Rent-a-Dog

Being a lifelong dog lover, living in the constriction that defines Japanese urban life has forced me to abandon man’s best friend until we move to more spacious environs (or finding a landlord that permits pets).  Under pressure from a dog crazed wife, I finally consented to her pleads to check out a nearby pet […]

Review: The Art of Choosing

The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyengar My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is one of those rare page turning non-fiction books that is backed up by an immense amount of research, but the wonderful practical research that can engage readers of all types. Iyengar manages to clearly dissect Choice, a ubiquitous element throughout […]

Review: 1776

1776 by David McCullough My rating: 2 of 5 stars Knowledge of the American Revolution should be a prerequisite for all Americans. However, an understanding of that conflict should not begin with McCullough’s often praised and Pulitzer Prize winning history 1776. As is often the case with works which examines something expansive like the American […]

Todoroki Valley

In my constant quest to discover green space within the Tokyo-Yokohama Metroplex, I came across one of the more startling contrasts between cityscape and nature at the Todoroki Valley (等々力 渓谷) in Setagaya Ward. The Todoroki Valley is a walking path approximately 1 km long which follows a small cascading stream and terminates at a beautiful […]

Review: Chronicles, Vol. 1

Chronicles, Vol. 1 by Bob Dylan My rating: 2 of 5 stars Chronicles Vol. 1 has a few moments of insight concerning Dylan’s musical influences and non-linear remembrances from his past, small vignettes that are often unrevealing in regards to the overall scope of the enigmatic artist’s life. This is not an autobiography, and those […]

Review: Tokyo on Foot: Travels in the City’s Most Colorful Neighborhoods

Tokyo on Foot: Travels in the City’s Most Colorful Neighborhoods by Florent Chavouet My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book called out to me the moment I saw it in the book store. There are numerous books which try to capture the feelings one has when visiting Japan for the first time. Few do […]

Review: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell My rating: 4 of 5 stars What I enjoyed most about this novel is the language of the traders on Dejima. You’ll learn over 20 ways to describe the pain associated with gout and/or syphilis via the descriptive prowess of a 1800s English sea captain. […]