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A Tokyo Romance

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( 880 ratings, 125 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Tokyo Romance by Ian Buruma is a captivating memoir that explores the author's formative years in Tokyo during the 1970s. Buruma immerses himself in the city's vibrant counterculture and avant-garde theatre scenes, offering vivid insights into the cultural and social transformation of post-war Japan. His narrative weaves personal recollections with reflections on art and identity, painting a compelling portrait of a young foreigner finding his place in a rapidly changing world.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this captivating memoir if you're intrigued by the vibrant cultural scene of Japan in the 1970s. The author, who later became an acclaimed writer, shares his unique experiences of growing up in Tokyo, weaving a rich tapestry of artistic exploration, personal growth, and a deep dive into the avant-garde theatre and cinema of that era. If you're drawn to stories that blend historical insight with personal adventure, this book may appeal to you.

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Ian Buruma's unflinching account of his journey into the heart of Tokyo's underground culture as a young man in the 1970s.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

When Ian Buruma arrived in Tokyo as a young film student in 1975, he found a feverish and surreal metropolis in the midst of an economic boom, where everything seemed new and history only remained in fragments.

Through his adventures in the world of avant-garde theatre, his encounters with carnival acts, fashion photographers, and moments on-set with Akira Kurosawa, Buruma came of age. For an outsider, unattached to the cultural burdens placed on the Japanese, this was a place to be truly free.

A Tokyo Romance is a portrait of a young artist and the fantastical city that shaped him, and a timeless story about the desire to transgress boundaries: cultural, artistic, and sexual.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Tokyo Romance by Ian Buruma has been praised for its engaging and gracefully written narrative that blends nostalgic bravado with self-deprecation. Reviewers commend Buruma's keen observations and his ability to paint a vivid portrait of his experiences within the avant-garde culture of Japan. The prose is noted as consistently good, and the book offers smart insights into various aspects of Japanese culture, making it both a personal and illuminating account of self-discovery in a foreign land.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781782398028

Publisher: Atlantic Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 March 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Atlantic Books

Edition: Main

Illustration: integrated b&w photographs

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 251g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Ian Buruma was the editor of The New York Review of Books. His previous books include Their Promised Land, Year Zero, The China Lover, Murder in Amsterdam, Occidentalism, God's Dust, Behind the Mask, The Wages of Guilt, Bad Elements and Taming the Gods.

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  • Murder in Amsterdam
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    Ian Buruma's maternal grandparents, Bernard and Winifred (Bun & Win), wrote to each other regularly throughout their life together. The first letters were written in 1915, when Bun was still at school at Uppingham and Win was taking music lessons in Hampstead. They were married for more than sixty years, but the heart of their remarkable story lies within the...
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    Ian Buruma explores the life and death of Baruch Spinoza, the Enlightenment thinker whose belief in freedom of thought and speech resonates in our own time. A New Yorker "Best Book of 2024" Selection "An elegant, relevant biography of a vital thinker." β€” Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Baruch (Benedictus) Spinoza (1632–1677) was a radical free thinker who led a life...
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