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The Secrets of Mariko: A Year in the Life of a Japanese Woman and Her Family by Elisabeth Bumiller
parchouliprentice's review against another edition
4.0
This book was fascinating to me and as difficult to put down as a novel at times. What genius to one modern, ordinary Japanese woman's life to explore the social fabric of Japan. This book provides a deep glimpse into marriage expectations, familial obligation, benevolent fascism, conformism, and consensus culture that support the structure of Japanese society. It was interesting to hear of the Japanese opinion on Americans as well. Great book to read if you're interested in learning about cross cultural social dynamics.
missapples's review against another edition
5.0
This was great! And it is totally my kind of thing - an anthropological study written in a friendly and engaging manner. The year is 1991. Elizabeth Bumiller is an American journalist living in Tokyo. For an entire year she is interviewing a "typical" Japanese woman to get the glimpse of her "typical" life. I put "typical" in parenthesis because there is no such thing as a typical woman. The author herself acknowledges as much in the beginning. Yet, Mariko, a Japanese housewife who is raising three children, while looking after her husband, the salariman, and playing shamisen in her down time, can be tentatively described as such. Lots of cliches were dispelled here by Mariko herseld and I appreciated how much the author tried to remain neutral. Yes, on the surface the women are still (30+ years later, no less) mostly subservient to the men in Japan, but they the reality is not so simple:
"For all her complaints, Mariko was in charge of her life. She was the authority at home and had her children, her jobs, her friends, her hobbies, her dreams—a life, she said, of real meaning. It was then that I began to see at least some wisdom in the Japanese belief that married women, for all their secondary status, are ultimately more free than men."
Definitely recommend this one to all who enjoy reading about other cultures.
"For all her complaints, Mariko was in charge of her life. She was the authority at home and had her children, her jobs, her friends, her hobbies, her dreams—a life, she said, of real meaning. It was then that I began to see at least some wisdom in the Japanese belief that married women, for all their secondary status, are ultimately more free than men."
Definitely recommend this one to all who enjoy reading about other cultures.
carolyn_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
The life of a Japanese housewife through the eyes of an American journalist. Mariko's honesty allows readers to see the modern world of everyday Tokyo life by following mother of three and wife of a salaryman.
valedeoro's review against another edition
5.0
Mariko is a typical Japanese woman. And her life is just as interesting / boring / challenging as any woman's life. An inspiring novel about shared humanity.
scoutanderin's review
3.0
While a little outdated (by roughly 15 years), I found The Secrets of Mariko to be a nice, easy read with wonderful insight on the Japanese and their culture. The book's subject, Mariko, is no one fancy, she's just as the title suggests: an average Japanese woman taking care of her family. If you're interested in Asian studies, I recommend this book for you.
glyptodonsneeze's review
4.0
This is an interesting book, if slightly dated. I review it on my blog: http://surfeitofbooks.blogspot.com/2013/08/box-of-matches-is-quiet-novel-like-ive.html
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