“These three novellas get right to the heart of what it’s like to live in Tokyo — the search for love, the pressures of work, the confusion of meanings in a city too huge for anyone. In these three compelling novellas, Madeen paints a picture of the hustle-bustle of Tokyo and the inner worlds of its citizens. The complexities of intercultural affairs, difficult workplaces, and the emotional side of the city are all handled with sensitivity and insight, and a good dose of irony and humor. You can’t help but root for the characters and be surprised by how things turn out. These are real tales of Tokyo.” — Michael Pronko, author of the Detective Hiroshi mystery series
“Amazing book! Extremely well-executed! From an American professor falling into a sex trap set by a Chinese female student, to a Japanese career woman plunged into after-work drinking culture to a fascinating love story starring in the end a rarity in the Far East: a woman born in a Fire Horse year!!! All told, Tokyo-ing! is a terrific trio that’ll rock your socks!” — Cami Michaels, Sci/Fi Fantasy author of The Sheffrou Trilogy
“Tokyo-ing is a masterful tour de force of a book, combining three short fast-paced novellas into a compassionate and profound look at life and culture in contemporary Japan. Though author Eric Madeen has taken on serious matters — karoshi (overwork death), alcoholism, Machiavellianism in academia, eroticism, the disruption of traditional male/female work and family roles, old world superstition and new world attempts at life solutions — his tales are told with sly ingenious humor, affection, and happy fable-like endings which reward emotional growth through endurance and struggle. He is a stunning and tricky literary writer, who straddles the roles of both soto (outsider) and uchi (insider), a necessary attribute for any fine writer, but invaluable for unpacking the intricacies of Japanese culture. If you want to be entertained as you learn about the complex underpinnings of modern Japan, I highly recommend Eric Madeen as your virtuoso guide. Trust me, you’ll enjoy the ride.” — Marnie Mueller, author of The Climate in the Country, set in the Tule Lake Japanese American High Security segregation camp during WWII
Tokyo-ing! Three Novellas is available on Amazon as paperback and ebook.
