BOOKS
A sampling of published books on various topics.
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Strong in the Rain
Surviving Japan's Earthquake, Tsunami, and Fukushima Nuclear Disaster By Lucy Birmingham and David McNeill Blending history, science, and gripping storytelling, Strong in the Rain brings the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan in 2011 and its immediate aftermath to life through the eyes of the men and women who experienced it. Following the narratives of six individuals, the book traces the shape of a disaster and the heroics it prompted, including that of David Chumreonlert, a Texan with Thai roots, trapped in his school's gymnasium with hundreds of students and teachers as it begins to flood, and Taro Watanabe, who thought nothing of returning to the Fukushima plant to fight the nuclear disaster, despite the effects that he knew would stay with him for the rest of his life. This is a beautifully written and moving account of how the Japanese experienced one of the worst earthquakes in history and endured its horrific consequences. Translated into Japanese Amazon.com GoodReads.com |
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Old Kyoto
A Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants, and Inns Photography by Lucy Birmingham Down the cobbled paths and behind the tranquil noren curtains of Kyoto, the old way of life goes on, nurtured in the restrained furnishings of the traditional inns and in the old shops where fine handmade items still add a touch of quality to life. Since the first edition appeared in 1986, this lovingly written travelogue-cum-guidebook has become de rigueur for knowledgeable travelers seeking to find "the real Kyoto" behind the modern face of the city's constantly changing boulevards. Old Kyoto focuses on the family establishments that have been in business for at least a hundred years, and in some cases for over ten generations. Astonishingly, many of the old shops and inns of Kyoto can still be found on narrow backstreets, under the heavy, tiled rooftops of traditional machiya dwellings. Here, the adventurous traveler will uncover treasures: the way in which a hand-crafted calligraphy brush is bound, a miniature garden tended, a bamboo basket woven. For critics and travelers alike, Old Kyoto has long been regarded the essential guidebook to Japan's most cherished city. This second edition of Old Kyoto is completely updated. Shops have been added, and maps, prices, directions, descriptions, and general information have all been thoroughly revised. Amazon.com GoodReads.com |
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People Make Places
Lucy Birmingham, Contributing Writer 'People Make Places' expresses Tokyo’s strong sense of tradition, showcasing the fifth- and ninth-generation heirs of fabled restaurants and the children who continued their parents’ art galleries and collections. Here you’ll find mentions of 200-year old clay sauce pots that are never washed, merely topped up every day; wooden bowls that keep unrefrigerated rice safe for days; and the restaurant that first came up with oyakodon, now such a classic and widespread dish it’s hard to imagine there was a single inventor. At last, a book about Tokyo’s interiors! First-time visitors often wax lyrical about the city’s glittering exterior: its neon streets and multi-storied walkways and futuristic train lines zipping through buildings above your head. But as any long-term Tokyo resident knows, the real magic is to be found inside. Interiors in Japan have special cultural importance. Away from the caterwauling of clerks at big chain stores, the visual jumble of signs and the traffic clogging the streets, the interiors represent transformative, intimate, personal spaces that act as a balm for the soul of a tired urbanite. PeopleMakePlaces.com |
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Living Traditions of Old Kyoto
Photography by Lucy Birmingham First published in paperback in 1986, the new edition presents some 100 fine color photographs of beautiful Kyoto, one of the few Japanese cities that was not bombed during WWII. Features crafts; kitchens (shops, restaurants, and inns are pictured); people, places, and legends; and aspects of Kyoto's history. Amazon.com |
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A Day in the Life of Japan
Lucy Birmingham, Contributing Photographer A fascinating and beautiful book with superb insights into life in Japan and the Japanese people, photographed during one day in 1985 by 100 of the worlds leading photojournalists. This is one of 13 books in the famous Day in the Life series. Amazon.com |