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Made From Scratch
In 1974, young Masahiro Hirai boarded Northwest Orient Airline Flight 58 and said a silent goodbye to his homeland of Japan as watched the Boeing 707 rise far above Haneda International Airport in Tokyo and propels him towards the United States. Shortly after his arrival in the States, Massy gains employment as a house servant for the powerful Ikard family in Washington, DC, and they quickly realize his gift for Japanese-style cooking, which was just beginning to gain popularity in America. Before long, Massy is catering the Ikard's famous dinner parties and rubbing shoulders with high-profile politicians and A-list movie stars.
Suddenly, Massy's future in America becomes uncertain. Although he came to the country under the impression that his citizenship would be secured, his visa is about to expire. His mother and brother beg him to return to fulfill his family duties and rejoin the mundane Japanese workforce: working overtime six days a week, drinking with his employers after work, and having little leisure time. Massy weighs the options and makes the most difficult decision of his life. This heartwarming novel details Massy's adventures as he finds his place among a community of international graduate students at an American university, falls in love with a mysterious Korean popstar and starts a family, and makes the momentous decision to open his own Japanese restaurant in a rural Mid-Atlantic town. Come share in the journey Massy takes as he makes his American dream from scratch.
Suddenly, Massy's future in America becomes uncertain. Although he came to the country under the impression that his citizenship would be secured, his visa is about to expire. His mother and brother beg him to return to fulfill his family duties and rejoin the mundane Japanese workforce: working overtime six days a week, drinking with his employers after work, and having little leisure time. Massy weighs the options and makes the most difficult decision of his life. This heartwarming novel details Massy's adventures as he finds his place among a community of international graduate students at an American university, falls in love with a mysterious Korean popstar and starts a family, and makes the momentous decision to open his own Japanese restaurant in a rural Mid-Atlantic town. Come share in the journey Massy takes as he makes his American dream from scratch.
177 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2022
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February 8, 2025
This is a wonderful story of the trials and triumphs of living the American dream.
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