American Fuji
Reviews
Paperback ISBN 0-425-18336-X
Berkley Signature Editions, 2002.
“In this fine debut
novel, an American travels to Japan to investigate the mysteries
surrounding his son's death and ends up discovering the larger answers
to the meaning of love.”
— Sue Grafton
“A wonderful read
— funny, startling, honest, vivid.”
— Ursula K. Le Guin
“A winning debut novel.” — Booklist
“More than any book I
have read about Japan in years, American Fuji succeeds brilliantly in
capturing the furtive charms and mysteries of this extraordinary
society with precision and great compassion.”
— Simon Winchester
"A delicious read—both funny and touching, skillfully written, and with a diabolically clever and intricate plot that makes it hard to put down. Sara Backer is definitely a writer to watch." —Lynne Sharon Schwartz
“Highly
entertaining.”
— Publishers Weekly
“While cultures clash,
love flourishes: a funny, warmhearted first novel.”
— Kirkus Reviews
"A grim,
sometimes mordantly funny, vision of Japan that seems determined to
keep outsiders outside—where they belong . . . The leading
characters
in American
Fuji are complex and the plot twists clever . . . there is
also considerable knowledge and appreciation of the ways Japan forces
the foreigner toward self-reflection, a heightened sensitivity to
gesture and an earnestness unencumbered by irony."
— The New
York Times Book Review
“Backer delivers a
hilarious send-up of the silly, shallow side of modern life and death
even as she takes us on a Far Eastern quest for truth and justice, love
and enlightenment.”
— Amarillo Globe-News
"Vastly entertaining . . . the incessant clashes between what Alex wants and what Gaby knows are very funny . . . American Fuji is sweet and funny, sad and inspiring: a big challenge for a medium-sized novel about a small country, but Backer carries it off. Expect to be surprised, as Gaby invites us—and delighted." — Detroit Free Press
“A complex and
compelling first novel. American Fuji
is a powerful book and a stunning debut.”
— Bookreporter.com
“Sara Backer has
written the near-perfect first novel.”
— Town Crier On
The Web
“373 pages of Backer on
Japan is just not enough. Highly recommended.”
— I Love A Mystery Newsletter
“For those seeking a
book with an unusual outlook and flair, Sara Backer's debut novel
really fits the bill.”
— Romantic Times
“We love this
book!”
— Partners & Crime
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