Overdue Apologies

by Noriko Nakada

In Overdue Apologies, the follow-up to her early childhood memoir, Through Eyes Like Mine, Noriko Nakada explores the world of middle school where an adolescent Nori continues the story of her evolving family. She enters a new world where teenage friendships and coming of age shift her developing sense of identity. Nori's sharp perspective captures universal teen moments and takes the reader back to the excitement and challenges of growing up.

196 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 2012

About the author

Noriko Nakada writes, blogs, tweets, parents, and teaches middle school in Los Angeles. She is committed to writing thought-provoking creative non-fiction, fiction, and poetry.

Publications include her memoir series: Through Eyes Like Mine. Through Eyes like mine was shortlisted for the 2040 Book Award. Overdue Apologies: a middle school memoir and I Tried: Tales from an Emerging High School Feminist complete the trilogy. Excerpts, essays, and poetry have appeared in Catapult, Meridian, Kartika, Hippocampus, Compose, Linden Avenue and others.

She completed her mfa at Antioch University Los Angeles in 2005. She continues to write, blog, tweet, and facebook about life, food, education, and sports.

She is a member of the leadership team for Women Who Submit, an organization empowering women and non-binary writers to submit their work for publication.

Works in progress include Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop: One Family's Struggle with Mental Illness, and Ricepaper Superheroes, a historical novel about a Japanese American family during World War II.

Reviews

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Through Eyes Like Mine, I felt a strong connection to the author. I had many of my own found memories as I read. Overdue Apologies felt a lot like middle school. I saw my connection to this other person change. We were headed to different parts of the school.

The clarity and honesty of Noriko's middle school story is at times funny, painful, and tough to read. I was amazed at the details surrounding each event, the setting, players, and 12 year old motivations. No matter if your middle school memories are rose colored, raw, or the salad days. Check out Overdue Apologies.

[Thea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The littlest Nakada begins to find herself, and lose herself time and again as she attempts to navigate junior high and her role in her family. Noriko captured the push/pull of adolescence so well. The first book in this series was a slow read. It captured the languorousness of childhood (when summer seemed never-ending and everything took forever), and this book captures the frenetic speed of attempting to navigate junior high. Is she a jock? Is she popular? Is she a good daughter? Is she a horrible person? Will she stay popular? Once again a well-crafted story that keeps the reader committed to the painful journey of adolescence.

[Ruth Yamamoto greenwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Noriko's adventures in middle school. It starts off with my mother's funeral and how this was her first encounter with a family member passing away. I enjoy her middle school adventures! I look forward to her next book about her high school days!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because I think that people can learn a lot from it. The main character of the story (Noriko Nakada) explains that she made many mistakes during her middle school experience. I think that people can learn from her. The biggest thing that I learned from her is that Life Goes On. She refrences a lot to this phrase when she feels sad about things or guilty about her mistakes. I recommend this book to anyone in general because i think that everyone should know that being hung up on things wont allow you to move on in life.