Bøger af Alex Kerr

Japanese homes are refuges of tranquility, crafted in a unique domestic aesthetic of Eastern minimalism. Traditional architecture features alongside cutting-edge contemporary dwellings in this collection of homes, with many never-before-seen photographs. Turn to the rising sun and discover the fluid simplicity of these spaces where Zen...

An enchanting and fascinating insight into Japanese landscape, culture, history and future. Originally written in Japanese, this passionate, vividly personal book draws on the author's experiences in Japan over thirty years. Alex Kerr brings to life the ritualized world of Kabuki, retraces his initiation into Tokyo's boardrooms during the heady Bubble Years, and tells the story of the hidden valley that became his home.But the book is not just a love letter. Haunted throughout by nostalgia for the Japan of old, Kerr's book is part paean to that great country and culture, part epitaph in the face of contemporary Japan's environmental and cultural destruction.Winner of Japan's 1994 Shincho Gakugei Literature Prize.Alex Kerr is an American writer, antiques collector and Japanologist. Lost Japan is his most famous work. He was the first foreigner to be awarded the Shincho Gakugei Literature Prize for the best work of non-fiction published in Japan.

"De to søskende Isobel på 15 og Alex på 13 elsker deres mor overalt på jorden, men den dag de kommer hjem fra skole og finder politi og ambulancer uden for deres hus, forandres deres liv for altid.Politiet vil ikke lade dem komme ind i huset, men de vil heller ikke fortælle de to børn, hvad der foregår. Først da børnene ser deres excentriske, uberegnelige og voldelige far blive ført ud til en af de ventende politibiler, går det op for dem, hvad der er sket: Han har endelig gjort alvor af sin trussel om at dræbe deres mor.Isobel og Alex bliver overladt til de sociale myndigheder, men det system der burde hjælpe de to skræmte børn, sender dem blot fra det ene sted til det andet. Isobel og Alex må derfor selv prøve at finde ud af, hvordan de skal håndtere den frygtelige tragedie, der er overgået dem. "

"A sharp-tongued spokesman for Japan's environment and traditions" --The New York Times In Alex Kerr's critically acclaimed Lost Japan and Dogs and Demons, he documented the decline of the traditional landscapes of Japan, his adopted home of many years. Here, in Hidden Japan he makes a journey of rediscovery to find the wonders that still remain. Originally published in Japanese as a call to preserve disappearing facets of Japan's rich and ancient culture, Hidden Japan records Kerr's travels to various remote and lesser-known places where pockets of traditional culture can still be found. Some are faraway--like Aogashima Island, 200 miles south of Tokyo--while others are easy to reach, such as Mii-dera temple just east of Kyoto. The ten engaging essays in this book describe surprising remnants of Japan's fragile physical and cultural environment, including: Avant-garde Butoh dancing in the remote village of Tashiro in Akita PrefectureHow shochu liquor is distilled from tropical ferns on the Pacific island of AogashimaAn austere but delicious kaiseki meal in rural Tottori Prefecture composed of local herbs and meatsAnecdotes relating to Kerr's childhood growing up in Japan and his passion for restoring old housesThe damage caused by governmental infrastructure and reforestation policies, as well as by tourismPlus many other topics! Kerr's sharp eye for detail and exquisite descriptions of Japanese, arts, architecture and foods will inspire readers who already appreciate his unique look at the "reality" of Japan beyond the romance. His personal involvement and obvious love for his subjects encourage us all to think more carefully about our own traditions and environment, and to challenge ourselves to search for better solutions to preserve what is of value all around us.

When Isobel and Alex came home from school to find their abusive father had brutally murdered their mother, their world was thrown into chaos. Plunged into a care system that neglected them, Isobel and Alex were expected to come to nothing, and had only each other to rely on.

The decades of Western adulation for the Japanese "economic miracle" failed to notice a key point - that in pursuit of this miracle, the Japanese had turned their country into a concrete shambles. This book describes the dazzling nature of Japanese culture and its ruination.