japanamerica

Check out the bands for MONKEY's launch tomorrow night We’re thrilled to have two brilliant Japanese bands performing at tomorrow night’s  opening party  for  Monkey Business, Issue 3 .  It will be an evening not to be missed. *Check out NEO BLUES MAKI  here . *And then hang with Japanese female indie rockers THE SUZAN  here . **Catch them both live tomorrow night, May 1st … right  here .

...now sold. And it's all legal! My thanks to the book's US/UK publisher, Macmillan, and to Chinese publisher Beijing Yanziyue Culture & Art Studio for their faith and largesse.  Looking forward to the new cover, and to the end of wasteful and hoary disputes among three great countries.

Here's the initial rundown, as of right now. ----------------- ----------------------------------------------- [EVENT 1] Wednesday, May 1st 2013, 7-8:30pm Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette Street, New York Monkey Business : A Cabaret with A Public Space East meets West Meets Uptown meets Downtown Readings by Gen’ichiro Takahashi, Mina Ishikawa, Kevin Brockmeier, Ted Goossen and Motoyuki Shibata Music by Neo Blues Maki and The Suzan Hosted by Roland Kelts [PEN info] PEN World Voices joins with Asia Society, A Public Space , and Monkey Business International —the acclaimed English-language anthology of newly translated Japanese writing—for a cabaret-style night of readings, conversation, and music. Hosted by Japanamerica author Roland Kelts. Tickets: $15/$12 PEN Members and students with valid ID $12 food minimum or two drink minimum per person 212-967-7555 or www.publictheater.org, or visit The Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street . ...

Find us there,  here .

My new column for The Japan Times on pop culture and new media from Japan.

My conversation with writer Colin Marshall -- one of the most thoughtful and probing interviewers I've yet met -- was recording amid my last visit to Los Angeles and can be heard here . [Illustration by Gant Powell]

Junot, Marjorie, RK, Yuko.  RK, Lisa, Richard, Hiroko, Mio, Jake, Sandra