Michael Pronko's Blog, page 20
February 10, 2016
Motions reviews
✭✭✭✭✭ Star Review by Jack Magnus
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo is a collection of nonfiction travel essays written by Michael Pronko. The author, a professor of American literature, has been writing essays about this city for fifteen years, beginning in his capacity as a reviewer of jazz for an online magazine. He’s since written some 200 essays on Tokyo’s culture, food, nightlife, and just about anything he can think of, and yet he still finds more to write about. Hence these essays as he continues to discover that there’s still so much more about this city that he’s lived in for the last 18 years to enjoy and make his own. The essays in this collection range from the enjoyment of ramen noodles and onigiri and the intricacies of establishing a common conversational language in his everyday interactions, to the difference between loose and tight public body language that is so hard for non-Tokyoites to acquire; the verticality of Tokyo with its many layers and levels; and the mood of its denizens in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Michael Pronko’s collection of nonfiction travel essays, Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo, is an extraordinary travel guide to a culture I had previously known next to nothing about. Each of his essays brought me closer and closer to an appreciation of the complex and complicated place Tokyo is, and the lifestyles of those who call it home. His writing style is conversational and smooth, and I found that after finishing one essay I was eager to dive into the next one right away. I particularly enjoyed his essays on Tokyo nightlife and the jazz clubs he frequents. There are lots of reasons why Pronko has made this city of crowds and concrete and hidden little shrines his home, and he shares so much of that affection and enthusiasm in each of these essays. This is the first of his collections of Tokyo essays that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo is most highly recommended.
✭✭✭✭✭ Star Review by Rabia Tanveer
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a collection of essays that describe life in Tokyo. To be honest, this book actually cleared up some of my misconceptions about Tokyo and how people live in Tokyo. I thought people lived the high life, that they lived in the fast lane, and their lives are easier than most. After reading Michael Pronko’s essays, I realized how wrong I was. The people of Tokyo are not as different from us as we believe. Granted, they live in one of the most technologically developed cities, but they do have their own challenges.
I found “A Meal in the Hand” very interesting. Imagine your work day, imagine how you are working through your lunch, and you quickly gobble down a bag of chips or Doritos. Well, in Tokyo, they eat onigiri, a much healthier snack. And for readers who might think that the fast-paced life in Tokyo has no place for religion, “Tokyo’s Traditional Pauses” will tell them what religion is really like for the people of Tokyo.
There was another essay in the book which describes the earthquake and tsunami of 2011. The essay talks about the gruesome effects of the earthquake and how it shook the city. This book is perfect for people who, like me, enjoy reading about different cities and their cultures. Tokyo is a passionate city and I am glad I read this book and now realize that. A well written and eloquent account of life in Tokyo. I really liked it.
✭✭✭✭✭ Star Review by Faridah Nassozi
Tokyo is not only the Japanese capital and largest city, but is also one of the world’s most dynamic places. Probably one of its most fascinating attributes is how it has managed to go ultramodern without abandoning the beautiful traditions and ways of its people. Through his third book about Tokyo, titled Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo, Michael Pronko presents yet another amazing insight into this magnificent city and its lifestyle. From fashion, entertainment, food, nightlife, ultramodern facilities, or some good old-fashioned Japanese culture, Tokyo has got it all and Michael Pronko captures its blends perfectly. With each new essay opening yet another window into life in this magnificent city, the book vividly captures the depth and beauty of Tokyo, bringing to life the city and the lifestyle.
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko perfectly captures the surreal feel and allure of Tokyo. It is an unbiased in-depth view of Tokyo from someone who not only lives in the city but has formed a deep personal connection with it. By using his personal experiences to tell the story of one of the world’s most dynamic cities, Michael Pronko put a human touch to the ever so vibrant scenery that is Tokyo. It is a perfect example of how to adopt the new without abandoning the old. The traditions bring a certain balance and serenity into the commotion and chaos of this ultramodern city and the two blend together impeccably; a feeling that is perfectly portrayed through Michael Pronko’s narrations and descriptions. Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a captivating read that flawlessly captures the spirit of Tokyo.
✭✭✭✭ Star Review by Mamta Madhavan
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a book that throws light on Tokyo, Japan, Japanese culture and the country as the whole. Written in five parts as essays, the author covers the place extensively and expansively, giving readers interesting details about Tokyo and his time there. The 42 essays capture the vibrancy of the city and life there through the author’s eyes, making it come alive. All the topics are engaging and will make readers look at Tokyo with a new perspective and ponder on the culture that defines the Japanese.
It’s a book for all those who are interested in knowing more about Tokyo, the Japanese, and their culture. The book touches upon many interesting facts, capturing the essence of the land beautifully. The idea of presenting these thoughts as essays is clever and readers don’t get bored. The writing style is simple and crisp, making all the essays appealing. The glossary at the end of the collection is helpful for readers to comprehend any difficult words.
The author’s wanderings and musings on Tokyo will make readers want to travel to the city to savor and experience all that the author mentions during his time there. The author’s words and experiences make it visual and get readers close to Tokyo and its uniqueness. The book will definitely help readers learn the finer details about the place. I enjoyed these essays. This book helps readers learn a lot more about Tokyo than what one usually gets to read.
Motions and Moments
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February 9, 2016
Tokyo Mystery Deepens – Essays on Tokyo
What happens when large bugs get trapped on crowded Tokyo trains? How does allergy season affect Tokyo’s millions? Ever wonder why Japanese love to take photos together or how everyone feels during rainy season? How is Tokyo made so compact and made as much from imagination as from concrete and steel?
Tokyo life is equal parts trial and joy. This collection offers up essential skills for living in the vastest, most crowded city in the world—sweating politely, suffering noise and glancing in mirrors–and muses over the minutest of daily details—window flowers, eye contact and small gestures of thanks.
If you’re traveling to Tokyo, these essays point toward the undercurrents of life and if you’ve ever considered visiting Tokyo, these essays will give you more reasons to go. If you live in Tokyo, you know all this, but you can always know it again. Tokyo’s Mystery Deepenstaps into the enigmatic sides of Tokyo with humor, delicacy and a large dose of healthy confusion.
Beauty and Chaos – Slices and Morsels of Tokyo Life
Whether contemplating Tokyo’s odd-shaped bonsai houses, endless walls of bottles, pachinko parlors, chopstick ballet or the perilous habit of running for trains, the essays inBeauty and Chaos explore Tokyo from the inside to reveal its deeper meanings and show why Tokyo is the most amazing, confusing city in the world.
Starting with observations and ending with insights, these essays dig into the ever-present but overlooked slices and morsels of daily life in the world’s biggest city. In turns comic, philosophic, descriptive and exasperated, the essays in this collection won acclaim in Japan from Tokyo readers.
Beneath Tokyo’s perplexing exterior, there’s meaning to the frantic swirl. By untangling the contradictions of the city and opening inner connections, Tokyo emerges a fascinating place of chaotic commotion, but serene, human-scale beauty, too.
If you’re traveling to Tokyo, these essays open up the sense and significance of life in this fast-paced, high-rise megalopolis. If you’ve ever considered going to Tokyo, these essays will give you more reasons to go, and ways to consider the city when you’re there.
Originally published in Japanese, these essays are available in English for the first time. Part travelogue, part comparative culture, and all creative essay, Beauty and Chaos taps the mystery of Tokyo and lets the meanings flow.
February 7, 2016
More Reviews from Reader’s Favorite
More Reviews from the exceptionally great Reader’s Favorite review site
5 Star Review by Jack Magnus
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo is a collection of nonfiction travel essays written by Michael Pronko. The author, a professor of American literature, has been writing essays about this city for fifteen years, beginning in his capacity as a reviewer of jazz for an online magazine. He’s since written some 200 essays on Tokyo’s culture, food, nightlife, and just about anything he can think of, and yet he still finds more to write about. Hence these essays as he continues to discover that there’s still so much more about this city that he’s lived in for the last 18 years to enjoy and make his own. The essays in this collection range from the enjoyment of ramen noodles and onigiri and the intricacies of establishing a common conversational language in his everyday interactions, to the difference between loose and tight public body language that is so hard for non-Tokyoites to acquire; the verticality of Tokyo with its many layers and levels; and the mood of its denizens in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Michael Pronko’s collection of nonfiction travel essays, Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo, is an extraordinary travel guide to a culture I had previously known next to nothing about. Each of his essays brought me closer and closer to an appreciation of the complex and complicated place Tokyo is, and the lifestyles of those who call it home. His writing style is conversational and smooth, and I found that after finishing one essay I was eager to dive into the next one right away. I particularly enjoyed his essays on Tokyo nightlife and the jazz clubs he frequents. There are lots of reasons why Pronko has made this city of crowds and concrete and hidden little shrines his home, and he shares so much of that affection and enthusiasm in each of these essays. This is the first of his collections of Tokyo essays that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo is most highly recommended.
5 Star Review by Rabia Tanveer
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a collection of essays that describe life in Tokyo. To be honest, this book actually cleared up some of my misconceptions about Tokyo and how people live in Tokyo. I thought people lived the high life, that they lived in the fast lane, and their lives are easier than most. After reading Michael Pronko’s essays, I realized how wrong I was. The people of Tokyo are not as different from us as we believe. Granted, they live in one of the most technologically developed cities, but they do have their own challenges.
I found “A Meal in the Hand” very interesting. Imagine your work day, imagine how you are working through your lunch, and you quickly gobble down a bag of chips or Doritos. Well, in Tokyo, they eat onigiri, a much healthier snack. And for readers who might think that the fast-paced life in Tokyo has no place for religion, “Tokyo’s Traditional Pauses” will tell them what religion is really like for the people of Tokyo.
There was another essay in the book which describes the earthquake and tsunami of 2011. The essay talks about the gruesome effects of the earthquake and how it shook the city. This book is perfect for people who, like me, enjoy reading about different cities and their cultures. Tokyo is a passionate city and I am glad I read this book and now realize that. A well written and eloquent account of life in Tokyo. I really liked it.
5 Star Review by Faridah Nassozi
Tokyo is not only the Japanese capital and largest city, but is also one of the world’s most dynamic places. Probably one of its most fascinating attributes is how it has managed to go ultramodern without abandoning the beautiful traditions and ways of its people. Through his third book about Tokyo, titled Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo, Michael Pronko presents yet another amazing insight into this magnificent city and its lifestyle. From fashion, entertainment, food, nightlife, ultramodern facilities, or some good old-fashioned Japanese culture, Tokyo has got it all and Michael Pronko captures its blends perfectly. With each new essay opening yet another window into life in this magnificent city, the book vividly captures the depth and beauty of Tokyo, bringing to life the city and the lifestyle.
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko perfectly captures the surreal feel and allure of Tokyo. It is an unbiased in-depth view of Tokyo from someone who not only lives in the city but has formed a deep personal connection with it. By using his personal experiences to tell the story of one of the world’s most dynamic cities, Michael Pronko put a human touch to the ever so vibrant scenery that is Tokyo. It is a perfect example of how to adopt the new without abandoning the old. The traditions bring a certain balance and serenity into the commotion and chaos of this ultramodern city and the two blend together impeccably; a feeling that is perfectly portrayed through Michael Pronko’s narrations and descriptions. Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a captivating read that flawlessly captures the spirit of Tokyo.
4 Star Review by Mamta Madhavan
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a book that throws light on Tokyo, Japan, Japanese culture and the country as the whole. Written in five parts as essays, the author covers the place extensively and expansively, giving readers interesting details about Tokyo and his time there. The 42 essays capture the vibrancy of the city and life there through the author’s eyes, making it come alive. All the topics are engaging and will make readers look at Tokyo with a new perspective and ponder on the culture that defines the Japanese.
It’s a book for all those who are interested in knowing more about Tokyo, the Japanese, and their culture. The book touches upon many interesting facts, capturing the essence of the land beautifully. The idea of presenting these thoughts as essays is clever and readers don’t get bored. The writing style is simple and crisp, making all the essays appealing. The glossary at the end of the collection is helpful for readers to comprehend any difficult words.
The author’s wanderings and musings on Tokyo will make readers want to travel to the city to savor and experience all that the author mentions during his time there. The author’s words and experiences make it visual and get readers close to Tokyo and its uniqueness. The book will definitely help readers learn the finer details about the place. I enjoyed these essays. This book helps readers learn a lot more about Tokyo than what one usually gets to read.
Five Star Review from Reader’s Favorite
Reviewed by Ryan Jordan for Readers’ Favorite
Link to Reader’s Favorite Reviews
Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a collection of essays about life in Tokyo, and particularly how it deviates from the life Western people might be used to in engaging with Eastern culture. Each essay is like a self-contained explanation of one facet of life in the context of a grander conversation, and each one is a complete work in its own right. They all flow very well together and contribute to the whole, some discussing behavior in Tokyo, or demeanor, or social norms, and how to interact effectively. All are told through the lens of one man and his interactions which gives it a narrative flow. This makes it almost feel like a fictional novel of short stories and vignettes rather than a collection of essays.
Each of the essays has an interesting tidbit to share and the quality of them is quite impressive. A lot of similar works don’t have the same conversational quality of this work where the author says a lot of interesting things and also sounds like he knows what he’s talking about. It was easy to read and contained powerful messages that don’t necessarily apply only to life in Tokyo, but pertain to life in general, and this elevates the work to new heights. Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a real winner and worth reading by anyone who is interested in conversational essays by a talented and experienced author.
Plus FOUR more reviews!
Link to Reader’s Favorite with more reviews of Motions and Moments
Review from Publishers Daily Reviews
Link to Publishers Daily Reviews
How many drunken salarymen does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Answer: three. One to screw it in and two to make sure his shirt is perfectly tucked.
If you don’t want to be taken for a common gaiijin (foreigner) when negotiating the byways of modern-day Tokyo, you’d best consult this excellent guide to the traditions, customs, and many charming quirks that a visitor to Japan’s largest city might encounter.
Written in an articulate style reminiscent of George Plimpton at his best, author Michael Pronko shares 43 insightful essays that reflect his unique observations as an American expatriate living and teaching in the largest city in the world.
In the essay “The Language Dance,” for example, Pronko discusses the proclivity of Tokyoites to be formal in just about every aspect of daily life. Even those who don’t work in the many high-rises seem always pressed and tidy — from construction workers to deliverymen.
About the only time the Japanese get really casual, in fact, is when they’re speaking English:
“The Japanese can really loosen up in English. In English, the Japanese switch not just language, but cultural assumptions, body language and mindsets, and end up telling me more in English about themselves and their lives than they ever would in Japanese.”
Another valuable tip for optimum existence in Tokyo: learn how to skillfully negotiate the extensive train and subway system. When walking through an ultra-crowded station, you must be particularly adroit:
‘You have to be controlled to shoot at high speed through the crowd and out the narrow chutes of the train’s exit wickets. One misplaced step means a bruised knee or bruised hip, or, even worse, embarrassment. ”
In addition, Pronko relates, there seems to be a national obsession not just with cell phones, but the entire concept of doing many things at once. Even the TVs carry several information streams — all at once.
“The city itself seems built on multitasking, as if that has been the basic design principle. From any single point, you can find a hundred things to do, and imagine a hundred more. You can’t just walk through Tokyo; you have to deal with it — like an email inbox that never stops receiving new messages.”
There are dozens of erudite observations in this well-written and meticulously edited book. But perhaps one of the best passages, on the end of the annual cherry tree flowering, will resonate with you as it did with me:
“On days when the spring wind blows strong, the last blossoms release and dance through the air. The few late releasing petals seem more rare and more precious, floating alone through the warmer air of spring, like the last dancer pirouetting off the stage after a performance.”
This is a memoir to be savored like a fine red wine, crafted with supreme care by a man who clearly has fallen in love with his adopted city — and we are the beneficiaries of his lyrical reflections, making us want to visit and absorb the rich megalopolis of Tokyo for ourselves.
Five-plus stars to Motions and Moments, and to its warm and witty author Michael Pronko.
Don Sloan
Link to Publishers Daily Reviews
4 Star (out of 4) Review from Online Book Club
Official Review: Motions and Moments by Michael Pronko
Post Number:#1 by bookowlie » 14 Jan 2016, 10:37
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of “Motions and Moments” by Michael Pronko.]
4 out of 4 stars
Sometimes the planets are all aligned and a book pops up that seems like a perfect fit for my reading preferences. Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo by Michael Pronko is a non-fiction book of essays about the intricacies of living in Tokyo. The essays are mainly drawn from monthly columns the author wrote for Newsweek Japan. He wrote for this magazine for ten years and his earlier essays were published in a few previous books. The author has a unique Westerner’s perspective as an American living abroad.
Although Mr. Pronko has lived in Tokyo for many years, he will never be truly “of Tokyo.” He remains an outsider who has the keen eye of someone living in a foreign land. In Japan, normal, enjoyable activities contain an extra connotation of the culture of being Japanese. By contrast, Westerners tend to enjoy activities because they just happen to enjoy them – for example, an American eating a delicious dessert. There is also a formality about the Japanese language, as well as Japanese body language. Their posture is Zen-like and there is even a proper way of sitting.
This book sparkles and succeeds as a love letter of sorts to Tokyo. The author’s writing is a joy to read, with wonderful phrasing and vivid descriptions. I have no doubt he could write the great American novel, if he so chooses; a book of essays about his adopted country is still a fine choice. His wise and thoughtful take on Tokyo shines through the pages. The essays are informative, sometimes providing contrasts to the American way of life. I felt like I received a crash course in the intricacies of this city’s culture. Space is a particular problem in Tokyo and its residents have mastered the art of “fitting things in.” It’s a necessity to have things well organized and be able to maneuver in tight spaces.
There are many interesting observations in this book. Tokyoites are obsessed with English slogan T-shirts and the author likes to jot down some of the quirky T-shirt sayings he sees. With the heavy reliance on finding restaurants and places to see through the internet, the author laments that people might miss the gems that are off the radar – a great jazz bar, a coffee shop with coffee drinkers’ names carved on the walls, etc.
“Staying” is very compelling with good imagery of a city that is built vertically. People often come out of a train or building straight into an upper-level walkway, a multi-level store or a maze of tunnels five levels down. Other standouts include “Ugliest City in the World” and a passage about the ritual of futon care, as well as a thoughtful section about the aftereffects of the 2011 earthquake.
Japanese words are sprinkled throughout the book. Some of the words are briefly explained in the text, but most are not in order to avoid interrupting the flow of the text. The author explains this in the introduction and provides a helpful glossary at the end of the book. I was able to figure out a few of the words from the context, and it was quick and easy to use the glossary for the words that weren’t so easy to decipher.
Halfway through the book I got a slight case of Tokyo overload and had to take a short break from reading. This is not really a criticism; it’s merely a comment about the overflow of valuable information about this vibrant city. I would compare it to binge-watching a TV series on DVD or Netflix. The show might be fabulous, but you still want to take a time-out after watching several episodes in a row.
I noticed approximately six technical errors in the book which surprised me, given the overall high quality of the writing. The rating system doesn’t allow for a reduction of less than a star. In any event, I was so impressed with the book that I doubt I would take away a half-star even if I could.
This book has earned 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy essays about foreign culture. As someone who knows very little about Tokyo, I loved this book. As someone who appreciates good writing, I loved this book. As someone who loves non-fiction books about experiencing a particular place and culture, I loved this book. As the author writes, “Tokyo is a workout.” This book about Tokyo is a reading workout in the best sense of the word.
Review from The Bookbag (a great book review site!)
Last year I was lucky enough to review Beauty and Chaos: Slices and Morsels of Tokyo Life, Michael Pronko’s first essay collection about his adopted city. I found that book to be full of insight and variety, so was delighted to be approached about reviewing his latest book, Motions and Moments, which is a third set of essays (after Tokyo’s Mystery Deepens). Again the book is compiled from Pronko’s Newsweek Japan articles, this time from 2011 onwards. All of the pieces have been reworked, but most of them remain short; ‘Tokyo life is about spatial limitations,’ Pronko wryly comments, and it’s appropriate for his pieces to reflect that.
‘The irresolvable problem, I’d say, is how to be myself and yet also be a Tokyoite, a trick I’m still mastering,’ Pronko confesses. In essence, that is what these essays are about: the ways in which he has adapted to life in Japan, but also his continued suspicion that, coming from the ‘wide-open American spaces’ of the Midwest, he might always be a gawky outsider. Compared to the earlier collection, I sense Pronko is more comfortable in his surroundings, perhaps happier to include himself in ‘we’ rather than looking on passively at ‘them’. For instance – inspired by Japanese women’s perfect outfits – he consciously tries to dress better, and he’s taken to eating ramen and sleeping on a futon, just like a native.
Still, there is plenty of wonderfully strange behaviour to remark upon in Tokyo, like the ‘gifts’ that come with most purchases, the bewildering English slogans that show up on T-shirts, and the ‘super-convenience’ kiosks where one can buy just about anything, so that forgetting something essential as you catch the morning train is never a problem. Recycling policies are so stringent that one has to separate various plastics, chiefly burnable vs. non-burnable types, and rubbish collectors will leave a sign and refuse to take the bag if it’s done wrong.
In a hypermodern city so defined by plastic, technology, constant construction and fashion, Pronko nostalgically looks for traces of the true, ancient Tokyo – a slower, simpler ‘world of wood, ceramic, cloth and paper.’ It might be found at tucked-away shrines or jazz clubs; it is more evident during the summer months, when the heat forces people to linger and indulge their ‘inner child’ (the subject of ‘The Summer Slowing,’ one of the best individual essays). The thing to remember, Pronko emphasises, is that Tokyo is never just one thing: generalisations don’t work perfectly; it’s a city of multiple layers, both literally and metaphorically.
The stand-out section is Part Four, a series of five dated essays reflecting on the city’s recent earthquakes, particularly the one followed by a tsunami in March 2011. The final piece in the set is from June 2015, after several smaller quakes brought back the emotions of years before. I was reminded of some of the literature that came out after 9/11 – the fear, the uncertainty, the sense of everyone pulling together and preparing for the next crisis.
Cramped, bureaucratic, clinical and terribly busy as it might often be, it’s clear that Pronko loves Tokyo. This is another eloquent tribute to a city full of contradictions and wonders. I didn’t like this collection quite as much as the first one, but there’s not much in it at all. Both books are about the title’s ‘moments’, those glints of connection and significance that can be found in everyday life:
Most of my days in Tokyo are suffused with the white light of daily experience. But from time to time, it hits the prism at the right angles and explodes into meanings, ideas, associations, directions. With a slight tilt, Tokyo diffracts wild spectrums of meanings. … These essays are less mirror [autobiography] and more prism.
