O.K., there's a little more. I've read GR description, then looked leafed-through Amazon sample, liked what I saw and...you kow the rest.
I thought A Year in Japan will be your typical graphic memoir (I haven't read a lot of them, but I know what to expact), but this book is more like a compilation of facts about Japan that author gathered during her stay there.
It's made in form of show-and-tell journal where you see a drawing and then a little article connected to that drawing on the next page. I'll definitely say that I need a re-read in future, because despite a fact that I always remember a lot of bits'n'bobs - usually those that I don't really need, though - there where a lot of Japanese names for things and if I wanna know them (and I want to know them), I need to read this book again.
A Year in Japan was a quick read for sure and I'll recommend this book to all lovers of Japan, cultures&traditions and present day life, and to lovers of art, because in terms of illustrations this book was absolutely beautiful. Saying that I was more of a fan of Williamson's nature drawings, then her drawings of people.
My favourite illustration without a doubt is this one (sorry for the blur... Damn you, shaky hands!):
Because I don't know how Kate T. Williamson managed to do that, but for me, it actually feels like I'm looking through the window or standing in real park. Just..gorgeous!!!
Also I really like this one:
Yeah. Those 2 are my fav. Of course, I liked more than these 2, but I can't add 70% of book here, can I?=D
That being said, I also had a few probs with this book. And both of them have word "writing" in name.
First of, I wasn't a big fan of a font (or style of writing), because A Year in Japan is made like a hand-written journal and despite my 6 years in Medical University (and you know how doctors write... I had and still write like that...), I couldn't understand some of the words at first, because of the way she connects letters, but I got used to it after first 20 pages, so it wasn't a huge problem.
But I had a little bigger one with writing style, because this random bunch of facts and the way Kate described them weren't too exciting at first. It became more and more interesting closer to the middle, though.
But at the end of the day, I had a little feeling, that this book is written by westerner about East, because last couple of articles were spiced with a drop of a snobbery (at least it felt like that for me, especially when she writes about street decorations...). I try not to be a snob myself, so I don't really like to read snob's musings about another countries culture and traditions. But, to be honest, I hope I was wrong about that.
Other than that, this was a beautiful book, piece of art indeed. I can recommend it as a gift for sure and if it sounded at least slightly interesting to you, give it a go.=)
Add it on Goodreads
You can buy this book here: TheBookDepo | Amazon
My rating:
* * *,5.
I'll read more books about Japan in upcoming months for sure, because I wanna know more and Tokyo on Foot is first on the list (since I own it =)).
HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? IF YES, WHAT DO YOU THINK? IF NUH, DO YOU PLAN TO?
AND ALSO, IF YOU HAVE ANY RECS FOR BOOKS ABOUT PRESENT DAY JAPAN AND CULTURE&TRADITIONS of JAPAN in GENERAL FOR ME, I'M OPEN FOR THOSE.
Hope you're having an awesome day, reading your next favourite book and just having a best time of your life.
Keep reading and DFTBA!
Few more words:
Paperback with HUGE French flaps, that form their own layer of cover, 192 pages, published by Princeton Architectural Press in 2006. Bought for ma-self haha.
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