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chyde's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was a super fast read. It was very graphic and not for the faint of heart. It was fascinating to learn about the inner workings of the Tokyo Police Department and the local Yakuza from the point of view of a Jewish American reporter from the United States. The first American allowed entry into the exclusive world of Tokyo crime reporting. The work the writer has done for victims of human sex trafficking is quite admirable and heartbreaking, especially when a close friend goes missing. My only real problem with the book was how glib it could be and the added details about his wife's time of the month and other personal anecdata that didn't fit or add anything to the narrative. I'd give this book 3.5 stars if I could. It easily could have been four or more stars, except for the bad was really bad. Still, the good more than made up for it.
melissamilazzo's review against another edition
5.0
A fascinating look at Japan's journalism, vice and organized crime scenes. Adelstein's tone is near noir, but with enough self-depreciating humor to keep himself and the reader grounded.
madameroyale's review against another edition
4.0
Super readable, very nicely told. I really enjoyed this book, though it did get rather egocentric at times and I had to roll my eyes. No one cares about the details of your sex life, my dude. Most of it was thrilling to read, but the last few chapters really dragged. I wish they'd been edited down. By the end, I was more curious about his (hopefully ex??) wife's story than anything else.
marlzipan's review against another edition
5.0
This book is an amazing insight into the life of one ballsy reporter, and gives a fascinating, first-hand overview of the complex machine that is organised crime in Japan. If you're interested in what life in Japan is really like, read this book. Jake's blunt, to-the-point tone gels perfectly with the subject matter of the book. Highly, highly recommended. Inspirational stuff.
ibdillip's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Suicide
iwashappyunhappy's review against another edition
medium-paced
1.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Trafficking
stevelaflamme's review against another edition
3.0
La quatrième de couverture m'a induit en erreur. Je croyais qu'il s'agissait d'une seule histoire, celle du journaliste Jake Adelstein et de son enquête sur les yakuzas. Or le livre est un recueil d'histoires, pas toutes intéressantes, qui retracent le parcours d'Adelstein comme journaliste au Japon : son arrivée au Yomiuri Shinbun, le choc culturel, les premières affectations, etc.
Le livre est intéressant du point de vue culturel : on apprend plusieurs traits caractéristiques des Japonais, l'auteur explique certaines coutumes qui aident à mieux comprendre ce peuple. Toutefois, mon intérêt pour le roman provenait de ce que j'espérais en apprendre plus sur le fonctionnement du crime organisé au Japon, sur les yakuzas, alors que c'est un aspect périphérique dans l'oeuvre.
Je donnerais 3,5 si c'était possible.
Le livre est intéressant du point de vue culturel : on apprend plusieurs traits caractéristiques des Japonais, l'auteur explique certaines coutumes qui aident à mieux comprendre ce peuple. Toutefois, mon intérêt pour le roman provenait de ce que j'espérais en apprendre plus sur le fonctionnement du crime organisé au Japon, sur les yakuzas, alors que c'est un aspect périphérique dans l'oeuvre.
Je donnerais 3,5 si c'était possible.
carmenghia's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty solid balance of insider vs. outsider info working the crime beat of a major Japanese newspaper. It certainly demystifies a lot about Japanese bureaucracy within several industries: news, police, and yakuza.
The author is imperfect, most are, but there are several moments when he talks about himself that I wished he wouldn't. I think that I prefer the David Simon method of reporting (a la [b:Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets|18956|Homicide A Year on the Killing Streets|David Simon|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317793065s/18956.jpg|3187942]) to Adelstein's.
The author is imperfect, most are, but there are several moments when he talks about himself that I wished he wouldn't. I think that I prefer the David Simon method of reporting (a la [b:Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets|18956|Homicide A Year on the Killing Streets|David Simon|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317793065s/18956.jpg|3187942]) to Adelstein's.
speesh's review against another edition
3.0
This is a bit of an odd one. Non-fiction, written by an American newspaper reporter called Jake Adelstein.
No, me neither.
When I say 'American newspaper reporter', I mean, he's American and he was a newspaper reporter, but in Japan. To be honest, it isn't at all clear just how he came to be in Japan, or why he was previously there long enough to have learned enough of the language, to want to consider trying to get a job on one of Tokyo's leading newspapers. He does rather just jump into the 'story' and almost seems to assume you already know why he was in Japan and what his background is. What does come over well is his love of all things Japanese and inner workings of their society. But I could have done with a bit more background there, to try and explain his motivation, I felt.
Anyway, the 'story', what it is, is basically a collection of linked, roughly chronological recollections of his life as a reporter on the 'Yomiuri Shinbun' Newspaper in Tokyo. They lead to (and are book-ended by), the story of his exposure of human trafficking, money laundering, corruption in general and the downfall of Japan's leading organised crime bosses. But note, he had to leave his job as a reported on this newspaper (Japan's leading paper as far as I could grasp), to complete and publish his exposé. The paper and Japanese publishers in general wouldn't touch it. Fearing the 'Yakuza' crime syndicates too much.
The un-written rules on how you greet someone, how you find your place in what is a very animal-kingdom-like pecking order system, and even down to how you present someone with your business card, are fine and interesting and probably something we could learn from. But when they basically don't want to prosecute people for crimes which we take for granted are crimes which demand prosecution - and successful prosecution...I kind of lose interest.
For instance, in the acknowledgements at the end, he thanks an FBI agent friend (not a Japanese law enforcement official, note) “...for his hard work in getting Japan to partially ban child pornography.” Note also 'partially.' And the book is published in 2009. Way to go, Japan!
The interesting part(s) are the insights into Japanese culture and morals. The frenetic working methods of Japanese newspapers, the lengths they are expected to go to, the sacrifices to their health, their lives and their bank balances they are expected to make, are quite extraordinary. Whilst I've no real experience of how Western newspaper journalists work (apart from the recent phone-tapping scandals and a general cynicism), I can appreciate that Japanese journalists are expected to work in a way that is very, very different. The interesting thought proces for me, was to wonder how their society is, if this is considered unremarkably normal. Just the way it is. But that was me thinking, not the book telling me anything. These 'behind the scenes' sections do work really well. Unfortunately, and it could just be me, but what seems to have been his motivation for writing this book, the human trafficking angle and exposing the dirty secrets of Japanese organised crime bosses, while of course perfectly reasonable, isn't really that interesting. It's fine that that was reason for writing the book of course, but without any idea of who the people are or any kind if pre-knowledge of the crime-traditions and culture they represent, it's hard to build up enough righteous indignation to care all that much. I remained too detached and not as involved as I'm sure he would have hoped his reader would be.
The book is all very fine. Perfectly readable, with many interesting insights that will hold your attention. But if you're looking at it from the angle of questioning if it delivers on the premis he presumably had for writing it, then I would have to say, it fails.
(In case you're wondering how I got hold of the book and why I read it, when it's clearly nothing I'm particularly interested in: I got it as an e-book file from a friend's visit earlier on this year and looking at the cover, I clearly expected it to be more of an Elmore Leonard crime noir exposé than it turned out to be).
No, me neither.
When I say 'American newspaper reporter', I mean, he's American and he was a newspaper reporter, but in Japan. To be honest, it isn't at all clear just how he came to be in Japan, or why he was previously there long enough to have learned enough of the language, to want to consider trying to get a job on one of Tokyo's leading newspapers. He does rather just jump into the 'story' and almost seems to assume you already know why he was in Japan and what his background is. What does come over well is his love of all things Japanese and inner workings of their society. But I could have done with a bit more background there, to try and explain his motivation, I felt.
Anyway, the 'story', what it is, is basically a collection of linked, roughly chronological recollections of his life as a reporter on the 'Yomiuri Shinbun' Newspaper in Tokyo. They lead to (and are book-ended by), the story of his exposure of human trafficking, money laundering, corruption in general and the downfall of Japan's leading organised crime bosses. But note, he had to leave his job as a reported on this newspaper (Japan's leading paper as far as I could grasp), to complete and publish his exposé. The paper and Japanese publishers in general wouldn't touch it. Fearing the 'Yakuza' crime syndicates too much.
The un-written rules on how you greet someone, how you find your place in what is a very animal-kingdom-like pecking order system, and even down to how you present someone with your business card, are fine and interesting and probably something we could learn from. But when they basically don't want to prosecute people for crimes which we take for granted are crimes which demand prosecution - and successful prosecution...I kind of lose interest.
For instance, in the acknowledgements at the end, he thanks an FBI agent friend (not a Japanese law enforcement official, note) “...for his hard work in getting Japan to partially ban child pornography.” Note also 'partially.' And the book is published in 2009. Way to go, Japan!
The interesting part(s) are the insights into Japanese culture and morals. The frenetic working methods of Japanese newspapers, the lengths they are expected to go to, the sacrifices to their health, their lives and their bank balances they are expected to make, are quite extraordinary. Whilst I've no real experience of how Western newspaper journalists work (apart from the recent phone-tapping scandals and a general cynicism), I can appreciate that Japanese journalists are expected to work in a way that is very, very different. The interesting thought proces for me, was to wonder how their society is, if this is considered unremarkably normal. Just the way it is. But that was me thinking, not the book telling me anything. These 'behind the scenes' sections do work really well. Unfortunately, and it could just be me, but what seems to have been his motivation for writing this book, the human trafficking angle and exposing the dirty secrets of Japanese organised crime bosses, while of course perfectly reasonable, isn't really that interesting. It's fine that that was reason for writing the book of course, but without any idea of who the people are or any kind if pre-knowledge of the crime-traditions and culture they represent, it's hard to build up enough righteous indignation to care all that much. I remained too detached and not as involved as I'm sure he would have hoped his reader would be.
The book is all very fine. Perfectly readable, with many interesting insights that will hold your attention. But if you're looking at it from the angle of questioning if it delivers on the premis he presumably had for writing it, then I would have to say, it fails.
(In case you're wondering how I got hold of the book and why I read it, when it's clearly nothing I'm particularly interested in: I got it as an e-book file from a friend's visit earlier on this year and looking at the cover, I clearly expected it to be more of an Elmore Leonard crime noir exposé than it turned out to be).
antheasaw's review against another edition
5.0
THIS BOOK WAS SO SO GOOD I AM AWESTRUCK.
I devoured this book. It was so amazing. From the first page till the end was a roller coaster ride. I enjoyed every minute of it and I literally couldn't put it down for two seconds! It was THAT good.
The narrative of the book was really easy to follow through and it gripped the reader and held us captive. The book does not only reveal the "dirty" and corrupted part of Japan but also how the journalism industry work. As well as the relationships among the media and the public and the police force.
Throughout the book, we can see the dedication and passion the author has and the lengths he went to to achieve it. There were some pretty heart-wrenching moments as well when the inevitable happens. The good die young and bad die old sort of thing. I like how the author made this biography personal but not TOO personal that it's clouded his judgment on some things. The facts and information were presented as they were presented.
All in all I really LOVED this book. And it's definitely a must read for every one. It not only uncovers the dark side of the world's safest country but also allows the reader a glimpse of the journalistic world.
I devoured this book. It was so amazing. From the first page till the end was a roller coaster ride. I enjoyed every minute of it and I literally couldn't put it down for two seconds! It was THAT good.
The narrative of the book was really easy to follow through and it gripped the reader and held us captive. The book does not only reveal the "dirty" and corrupted part of Japan but also how the journalism industry work. As well as the relationships among the media and the public and the police force.
Throughout the book, we can see the dedication and passion the author has and the lengths he went to to achieve it. There were some pretty heart-wrenching moments as well when the inevitable happens. The good die young and bad die old sort of thing. I like how the author made this biography personal but not TOO personal that it's clouded his judgment on some things. The facts and information were presented as they were presented.
All in all I really LOVED this book. And it's definitely a must read for every one. It not only uncovers the dark side of the world's safest country but also allows the reader a glimpse of the journalistic world.