PDF Loco in Yokohama Baye McNeil 9780615885117 Books

Product details Paperback 344 pages Publisher Hunterfly Road Publishing (September 30, 2013) Language English ISBN-10 061588511X

Loco in Yokohama Baye McNeil 9780615885117 Books Reviews

• Baye McNeil's first book, "My Name Is Loco And I Am A Racist" was, to me, an attempt to analyse the day to day annoyances of his life in Japan, trying to align them to the environment he lived in, and the one he grew up in. He came to some interesting conclusions, not all of which I agreed with, but his argument was strong and well made.
  
  It was an interesting book to read, and as many others have said, not an easy one His opening, even his title, was confrontational, and he pulled no punches thereafter. Tales of his childhood, his time in the army, and the events of 9/11 lead us to understand the mindset with which he framed Japan; and events while here that caused him to re-evaluate it. Any long term resident of Japan would definitely find some "Me Too!" moments, and some where we would want to take him to one side and say "Hang on a minute!" The only disappointment I found with his first book was that the earthquake and nuclear incident of March 2011 seemed to derail him, both in his own life and in his book's search for a resolution. I was expecting him to bring us to some grand unifying theory of why Life In Japan is the way it is for foreigners, but in the end it was his own life that he sorted out. But I found it poignant that while his eventual response to the 9/11 attacks in his home town was to leave, amid the chaos following the earthquake, his decision was to stay.
  
  His second book is written in a similar style, which continues to be enjoyable. What is different, for me, is the way he describes events around him. His first book was mainly about the impact that his surroundings and upbringing had on him, but in his second volume we see him recount and analyse the impact he has on those with whom he interacts. His students, his co-workers, have more depth; his conversations with them are longer and more diverse. This makes it a much more pleasurable and, well, "human" story to read. We see a warmer side to the characters with whom he interacts, a stronger bond between him and those characters, and a more fulfilling result to many of his endeavours. I laughed a lot reading this book, my eyes teared up quite a few times, and more than once I stabbed the screen of my phone with my finger, declaring "Yes! Yes!", to mark a point where I finally found someone who agrees so perfectly with my own view of a topic.
  
  Many years ago, I would go home about once a year. As my plane rose above Narita and the expanse of the Tokyo plain filled the window beside me, I would look down on the city beneath me, and begin to look back on the year that had passed, my achievements and failures. As Tokyo spread out below me, the faults, the cracks, the blemishes on its skin, all faded into the larger picture of the land that has become home. And while I knew that the day to day annoyances would continue, I would always conclude it had been a good year. I have learned from this, and I think Baye may have also, that if you examine every detail in life like the threads of a fabric, you will find many kinks and holes, but if you step back and view it in its entirety, you will see, and enjoy, the rich tapestry that life can be.
  
  Baye's growth from his first book to his second mirrors in some ways my own experience here, and I am sure many other long timers will feel the same. If you enjoyed his first book, you will enjoy this one too. If you disagreed with its content, you will probably enjoy this one anyway. Give it a try.
  
  After his first book, I was left with the feeling of wanting to debate the author, to argue the points he made until the wee hours, so that we both might learn from the experience. After reading his second book, I wanted to sit down with him, open a bottle of something children aren't allowed to drink, and share good stories till we have had our fill. Some day I hope to do so.
• I recall a few years back seeing another author I like, Elizabeth Strout, here in Portland, Ore. Strout made the point that literature is an antidote to the sea of manufactured, artificial and disingenuous crap that most of us (me included) consume as part of our media/content diet. But Baye! This is nutritious, real stuff -- honest, funny, at times edgy, always real. You can't fake this. I'm getting set to move to Japan in a few months and stumbled on Baye on the Just Japan podcast, also worth a listen. He came across as a gentle soul and actually a bit soft spoken in that format, but there is real passion and occasional spice in his writing, a great part of the appeal, at least to me. If you're curious about life in Japanese public schools, the gaijin experience, or how Japan is totally different and exactly the same as anywhere else, check this out. Bottom line is the reason to read any book is to spend a few hours or more with good company, and Baye is damn good company. And look I was feeling worried about how my own kids' will fare in Japanese schools and even reached out to Baye on Twitter. We had a great DM exchange and he was the same honest, straightforward and reassuring guy I'd gotten to know on the page. Thanks, Baye. I'm looking forward to reading more of your work. When does the next book come out?
• An interesting account of the author’s time teaching in two Junior High Schools in the Yokohama area. Anyone who has visited Japan and/or had to teach others will find this an interesting read. Yes it is a series of vignettes as most blog derived books are but it is definitely worth a read.. As someone whose wife has taught and who goes to Japan frequently I found it enjoyable, entertaining and yes learned a thing or two.
• An engaging and amusing account of what a gaijin teacher's life is like in Japan. Despite some questions about how much emotional and ego baggage he brought to his years in Japan, his outrage at his conflicts with an impenetrable and petty Japanese educational bureaucracy (which undoubtedly deserves the scathing description) careers between amusing and appalling. I read it during a trip to Japan, and it added to my already moderately sophisticated understanding of the culture -- and it is surely a unique one. It made me look at the hoards of uniformed school children in a different way...
• Loco is an intelligent writer and educator. This book represents his experiences teaching in Japanese schools after living there for about a decade. He knows Japan and its people well. Anyone considering taking a job in Japan should first read this book. The insights into Japanese workplace culture are themselves invaluable. Yet, Loco adds his sense of humor to the occasion. His failed attempt to persuade the Japanese staff to include a larger variety of songs to their annual Christmas list will make you laugh out loud.
• I enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend it. The author gives a good feel for what it's like to be an expat in Japan.
• I haven't read Loco's first book, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Baye McNeil is attuned to the peculiarities of a society where rocking the boat is discouraged. I especially like the insight that he brings to the teachers he worked with, especially how the incompetent ones attempt to save face. His frank writing about the subtle backbiting that goes on in the schools that he taught at is a refreshing look at the behind the scenes of Japanese society. Working in a middle school, his writing about the students, especially the out of control ones that he empathizes with, is funny and heartrending at the same time (the english skit exercise is a standout piece).
• Baye McNeil's voice is unique among those writing of their lives as gaijin in Japan. His prose style is very personal, and took me a little time to get used to. But, after not too long I was fully immersed in his story, and enjoyed his up close look at life as a teacher in Yokohama.