Making It & Breaking It in Japan: My True Story of Songs, Sins, and Solitary

by Steven Gan

This book is about my Japanese journey of over 30 years and is a perfect read for all individuals who are interested Believe me when I say that I love Japan and the Japanese people. With that said, I promise you one thing -- this book will open your eyes in many positive and thoughtful ways about Japan and the people with whom I have had a fascination for over thirty years! Steven Gan

196 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2016

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a amazing and eye opening book! We know the author personally having met him when we were living in Japan. I re-read the book because we will be having lunch with Steven in a few weeks and I wanted to reacquaint myself with his story.

[Don MacLaren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Gan’s “Making it & Breaking it in Japan” is a finely-written memoir that is both moving and educational, whether the reader has a connection with Japan or not.

Gan's book takes us from the US Midwest, where the author grew up, to Japan, where it seems he has found his spiritual home. But he discovers that there are diabolical forces beyond his control in Japan, and he has no choice but to wrestle and make a modus vivendi with them in order to survive.

One might wonder whether evil has power over good when Gan writes of being arrested in Japan. In the end, however, because of the narrator's acceptance and love of Japan - and because of the love of his many friends and family members - it is indeed the good that triumphs.

If one examines the book strictly from a business level, it provides invaluable and unique business lessons anyone can learn from – whether working in Japan or not. This is especially true when Gan writes of his experiences running his own debt collection business in Japan (experiences which were also covered by major media outlets in Japan, including the Nihon Keizai Shinbun - equivalent to the Wall Street Journal in the US).

There is much the reader can learn from the trials (both literal and figurative) that amount to psychological torture, which the author details. Indeed, he shows us that business is war.

But there are also important lessons on love in Gan's memoir.

I strongly encourage you to open the book to take a trip through the fascinating story Steven Gan has lived and written for us.

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This guy had an amazing one-of-a-kind experience in Japan. While everyone is out teaching English, Steven Gan did something unique. I would never have thought debt-collection would be interesting, but he has such a passion for people and for how his business can do good in the world, I never felt the book dragged with too much detail. His passion to reach out, go to those izakaya, karaoke joints, join clubs, it was fascinating. Even the little details like Japanese phrases and his favorite songs for karaoke. His troubles with the technicalities of the law brought drama to his story- this guy lives life to the fullest.

[John M Pogue · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to learn more about Japanese culture, read this book
If you want to learn about debt collection, read this book
If you want to learn about networking, read this book
If you want to learn about politics, read this book.

Steven understands “seeing a problem as an opportunity.” He discusses Japanese culture and the shortcomings of debt collection for businesses. Several times in the book, he brings to light a problem that needs fixing, but nobody is doing anything about it. This shows that so many people in this world complain about a problem but don’t do anything to change the situation.

[Donald Nordeng · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a biographical story of the author and his experience of pioneering debt collection in Japan. While it does get a bit personal in spots, as someone who lived in Japan during the same period the story was believable and interesting to read. If you love biography this is a good one if you also like Japan.