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tarugani's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Where to start? I should probably admit that I gave this book 5 stars less because it's a perfect book and more because I think it's a book more people should read. It's fascinating, often brutal, and definitely interesting as an inside look at organized crime, human trafficking, and investigative journalism. You will probably come out of it more cynical than you were before you read it.
As a book it seems to jump around a bit, as if the author wasn't quite sure of exactly what he wanted to say or what story he wanted to tell (and yes, I know I know, it's not supposed to be a novel).
As a book it seems to jump around a bit, as if the author wasn't quite sure of exactly what he wanted to say or what story he wanted to tell (and yes, I know I know, it's not supposed to be a novel).
ericbuscemi's review against another edition
4.0
My friend Manny lent me this book knowing I almost never read non-fiction, and had never previously read a "true crime" novel. But as soon as I started reading it, I was glad he thought to pass it on to me. I appreciated it as a fellow journalist, as someone curious about other cultures, and as someone that appreciates a great read.
As for the story, it breaks down into roughly three segments. The first is the story of how a "gaijin," or foreigner, became a reporter with the prestigious Yomiuri newspaper; the second is a number of stand-alone stories relating to various crimes, criminals and underworld enterprises he encounters on the beat; the third, where the book really picks up and becomes a page turner, is a story of human trafficking, prostitution, questionably legal organ transplants, yakuza threats on the author, and perseverance of the author to do the right and honorable thing, despite dangerous consequences for both him and the people around him.
My only lingering question after finishing Tokyo Vice is whether Jake Adelstein's marriage -- mentions of his wife and children and the effects of his job on them are woven through the tale -- survived the toll of his reporting lifestyle and the subsequent fallout of him breaking the stories he did on the yakuza.
As for the story, it breaks down into roughly three segments. The first is the story of how a "gaijin," or foreigner, became a reporter with the prestigious Yomiuri newspaper; the second is a number of stand-alone stories relating to various crimes, criminals and underworld enterprises he encounters on the beat; the third, where the book really picks up and becomes a page turner, is a story of human trafficking, prostitution, questionably legal organ transplants, yakuza threats on the author, and perseverance of the author to do the right and honorable thing, despite dangerous consequences for both him and the people around him.
My only lingering question after finishing Tokyo Vice is whether Jake Adelstein's marriage -- mentions of his wife and children and the effects of his job on them are woven through the tale -- survived the toll of his reporting lifestyle and the subsequent fallout of him breaking the stories he did on the yakuza.
macofalltrades's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is one of the coolest books I’ve ever read! Learned a lot about journalism, Japan, and gang activity. Felt like I was right there along with Jake through this whole book, I fear Helena may haunt me too.
sallywilde's review against another edition
3.0
I picked up this book expecting a good mafia story, the kind that I usually enjoy watching in movies. But even though the book begins and ends with a personal war between Adelstein and a crime boss (and I had forgotten everything about it when the last chapter arrived), this topic is lost in the tale of an American discovering the life and vices of urban Japan. The Yakuzas seem to be everywhere, even in the police and journalits' good books, but in a way that almost dilutes their power. At the end, this book is probably more about the ethic (or lack of it) of Adelstein as a journalist and how far he will embrace the vices he has been intruduced to to get the scoop and a story published. Warning: if, like me, you have no familiarity with the Japanese, it is probably better to keep notes somewhere because there is a LOT of propre nouns in this account.
tiddybat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.5
tron's review against another edition
2.0
A bit of fluff - I was expecting more of the gritty crime stuff, and less of the cutesy "fish out of water" stuff.
katie34442's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting read on the progression of a reporter in Japan in the early 2000’s. Feels like quite a few things were left out (mainly anything negative to do with the author). He’s very forthcoming in some aspects of the book, but avoids others in round-about ways. Not fantastic, but not bad either.
argimiro's review against another edition
5.0
Llego a este reportaje después de ver la primera temporada de la serie.
Me ha gustado mucho.
Obra bien estructurada. Ha mantenido mi interés hasta el final.
Japón, qué raros son estos orientales.
Al leer el libro se resuelven gran parte de las incógnitas que deja pendientes el último capítulo de la primera temporada.
Me ha gustado mucho.
Obra bien estructurada. Ha mantenido mi interés hasta el final.
Japón, qué raros son estos orientales.
Al leer el libro se resuelven gran parte de las incógnitas que deja pendientes el último capítulo de la primera temporada.
spyder_trauma_rose's review against another edition
5.0
Good book. Probably one of the best entries in Neo-Noir in the last two decades, despite being non-fiction.
If you have any sort of interest in Japan as a foreigner, eventually this book is going to be recommended to you. It's decent for that, but as it follows someone entrenched in crime and vice it's scattershot, often pulling random information in. It's less of a straight line in terms of a narrative and more of a scrap book, seemingly pulled from his personal diaries with the opening chapter only followed up on in the last quarter of the book.
The early chapters are at times self indulgent and definitely cocky but as time passes the mistakes and stress begin to pile up. It nominally ends on a victory that is so marred by grief it might as well not be a win at all.
If you have any sort of interest in Japan as a foreigner, eventually this book is going to be recommended to you. It's decent for that, but as it follows someone entrenched in crime and vice it's scattershot, often pulling random information in. It's less of a straight line in terms of a narrative and more of a scrap book, seemingly pulled from his personal diaries with the opening chapter only followed up on in the last quarter of the book.
The early chapters are at times self indulgent and definitely cocky but as time passes the mistakes and stress begin to pile up. It nominally ends on a victory that is so marred by grief it might as well not be a win at all.