Sushi Daze

by Rob Payne

JAMIE SCHMIDT IS WORRIED that he’s already jumped the shark. Like the show Happy Days, which went progressively downhill after the episode in which the Fonz water-skied over a shark enclosure, Jamie feels his life has passed its best-before date. After a semi-epiphanic moment with a cop and a car hood, Jamie decides to move to Japan to become a teacher at the BIGSUN English School, drawn by their fractured-English ad and the promise of a life-altering experience. Once there, Jamie quickly feels not altered but alienated in this new culture of Hello Kitty breast pumps and neurotic roommates. 
    As a gaijin (foreigner), he struggles to find his way in a land where he doesn’t speak the language and can’t interpret the culture. What’s worse, Jamie’s students are more interested in learning dialogue from Pulp Fiction and Deliverance than building their conversation skills. Enter Cassandra—blond, charismatic and technically his boss—who makes Jamie see that there are worse things than being young and free in one of the world’s most energetic cities. 
    Sushi Daze is a hip, smart and funny coming-of-age story that perfectly captures the Lost in Translation Zeitgeist. A cultural road trip through a seldom seen side of Japan, it races through karaoke bars and (almost) to the top of Mt. Fuji. Rob Payne is once again the king of the quick-witted comeback, his irreverent style tempered by a talent for recognizing the inner truths that all of us are searching for.

Genres: Japan, Fiction

Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

Reviews

[Ekar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just finished this book today and I can't say I really liked it. I didn't like the central character. I found him overly sarcastic and generally annoying. While his experiences in Japan gave me insight into the ESL teacher experience(and were interesting), I kept waiting for something to happen.I must say that I liked him more at the end of the book than at the beginning but it wasn't a fantastic read.

[Claude · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incredibly stupid and cliché, does this author think his experiences are anything out of the ordinary? A million backpackers have the exact same story yet some how think they are unique and original. The book made me angry and thoroughly disappointed. A good book for prototype humans who don't think much; aka the majority.

[Anakin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Payne gives interesting insight on the culture and what he sees as a foreigner. There were many parts where I chuckled when familiar settings, objects or situations appeared in the novel. However I don't think the plot of the story was as dynamic as it could have been as well it was predictable.

[Kyla]

funny

[Em · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was such hard work to read. Totally pretentious and trying way to hard to be witty.

[Lilly [Hiatus due to School] · Rating 2 out of 5]

This to be honest was a terrible read. It just gave off white man who has a fetish for asia feelings.