The Only Gaijin In The Village: Iain Maloney

The Only Gaijin In the Village
Iain Maloney
245pp

All the time in the world, and I just have trouble sitting down and reading, let alone writing. I'll assume that people may be able to follow, but, I sit here, now, healthy, and with so many great books read or to be read, I will try and write between the screams of or at my children about homework.

And so, a book I read a few months ago, and have shared on my Goodreads, but haven't written up a full review yet.

The Only Gaijin In the Village by Iain Maloney is an adaption of Maloney's Gaijinpot blog from a few years ago and is a year in Japan bio, but thankfully, not the overly common first year in Japan bio. This, if memory serves me, is more along the line of a tenth year in Japan, but the first year in a new place.

So, this becomes not really a travel book, but a found a new home in a different world, which though episodic in nature and design builds a through line with the seasons of the year and life and creates a singular vision throughout.


For anyone not familiar, let me assure you that Japan is not Japan is not Japan, and that there are a million different little Japan out there.Tokyo isn't Osaka, and certainly neither of those are anything like a small town in the middle of Nagano. It is a very unique place to be, with a tremendous amount of challenges and rewards. This gives Maloney's work enough difference from some of the other Japan biographies that appear.

Personally I love this genre, (though I know some don't and for those... why would you read this book anyway) and I appreciate any time an experienced writer puts one out, and Maloney, this being his 4th book, has honed his skills and uses them here to expose beauty, and depth often missed in the Japan story.

Additionally, putting this above many other "life in Japan" stories is Maloney's insight, more than just initial reactions to the new and absurd or interesting, but at times far past that to some real meaningful looks at what it means to leave a home and family, and what it means to find, or try an find your new home and family.

I'll throw an additional complement by saying that while Hemingway makes me want wine and Booth makes me want a roadside beer on a Japanese country road, Maloney here makes me want a fire in my yard and enough space to enjoy it. I need an escape from the city, let alone the confines of my house.

Recommend and I hope people pick this up and take your mind off things for a bit.

Illustrated by Justin Wong