Furikake

by Stephen Black

Furikake is the Japanese word for the spices and flavorings which are sprinkled over rice. In this collection are nine short stories in which furikake somehow is involved. The stories are humorous, dark,sad and universal-sometimes all at once.

83 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2009

About the author

Stephen Black's distinctive writing style reflects his extensive background in fine art, TV, movies, and 3D game production. An American who has lived in Asia most of his life, he tackles universal themes with a personal voice. His artworks and photographs have appeared in galleries, museums, books and magazines worldwide.

After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Photographic Illustration from the Rochester Institute of Technology, he moved to Manhattan's Lower East Side where he worked for Film/Video Arts. Two years of exciting Manhattan madness concluded with a two-week trip to Tokyo. This marked the start of a lifelong Asian journey with extended stays in Hong Kong and Japan. He's been based in Singapore since 2002. Along the way, he has worked on projects with such diverse talented individuals as the legendary Japanese actress Kumiko Akiyoshi, photographer Annie Liebowitz, musician Amith Narayan, artist-curator Michael Lee, dancer Kazuo Ono, musician David Sylvian, poet Cyril Wong and hundreds of other people who amused him, made him work, made him laugh or scared the heck out of him.

Reviews

[Maria Beltran · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Furikake" is a Japanese condiment which is a mixture of seasonings normally sprinkled on rice to enhance its taste. It is also the title of a book that contains nine stories and essays seemingly united by this Japanese word. The stories are 'Yumoto Near Clementi', 'Writing Furikake', 'Two K,L.s', 'The Eye of Flesh', 'Variety is the Spice of Life', 'Furikake on Facebook', 'Puccini Liked it on Ham', 'Who Will Bite My Head?' and 'Furikake and Rojak'.

'Yumoto' is actually a touching love story that is told simultaneously with a review of four Japanese restaurants. 'Writing Furikake' is a hilarious, apologetic letter to the reader explaining the author's obsession with the word itself. 'Two K.L.s' is another witty essay that plays on the various meanings of the initials KL. 'The Eye of Flesh' is a take on camera, food, as well as dreams. 'Variety is the Spice of Life' is a story told by transcribing an audio recording that ends in a disturbing note while 'Furikake on Facebook' is an essay told through various posts on Facebook that extols Furikake, its origin and its many uses. In 'Puccini Liked It on Ham', we learn that Furikake had a crucial influence on the tragic Japanese opera 'Madame Butterfly'. The story told in 'Who Will Bite My Head' traces the trail of a photocopy from Tokyo to Singapore with some nostalgia for hotel Mitre.

The rest of the stories and essays in this book are just as hilarious and witty. The author, Stephen Black, writes in the first person singular so that when I read his work, I got the feeling that he is talking directly to me. On the other hand, he seems to go into an interior monologue with his stream of consciousness spilling all over my head like a broken dam. Reading him carefully, I realized that at the beginning and the end of his work, there is an apparent attempt at organizing and summarizing and this is perhaps where the thoughts of the narrator are actually revealed. Living in many countries and finally settling in Singapore, the American writer gives us a glimpse of the city state that is both honest and unique. His flow of impressions and perceptions can be overwhelming but they are always witty, humorous and laden with a good dose of irony. The author's consciousness may seem disorganized at first but his book is actually an organized presentation of his rational thoughts on the culture of life, love, death and Furikake, of course.