Randy Taguchi has been referred to alternately as “Queen of the e-zine,” “the literary Bjork of Japan” (The Japan Times) and “a hard-drinking country woman” (BBC’s The World News Service). This Spring (March 22-28), Taguchi comes to the New York City area to talk about her first English debut, Outlet, as well as social issues and trends that hit close to home, such as hikikomori, or shut-in syndrome, which took her real-life brother’s life and became the subject of many of her writings. Contact us for details on upcoming appearances.
Joh Sasaki West Coast Tour in March 2005!
Tuesday, January 25th, 2005
Joh Sasaki, author of Zero Over Berlin and Vertical’s resident military history aficionado comes stateside to talk about his work through the Japan Foundation’s new program to introduce Japanese authors. Tentatively, Sasaki’s scheduled appearances are as follows:
1. Seattle Kinokuniya
March 12, Saturday 2:00pm.
525 S. Weller St., Seattle WA 98104, 206-587-2477
2. Mechanics Institute Library
March 15, Tuesday 6:00pm.
57 Post St., San Francisco CA 94104, 415-393-0114
3. Los Angeles appearance TBA.
Get ready to meet him by purchasing the book and checking out our reading guide!
Koji Suzuki comes to North America to unravel Dark Water
Monday, October 18th, 2004
Koji Suzuki, widely thought of as the progenitor of Japanese horror fiction, will be making several appearances throughout New York City and Toronto at the end of October. Don’t miss this truly rare opportunity to listen to and speak with Suzuki, who comes to discuss the release of his Dark Water, a collection of short stories that share the sea as a theme.
Suzuki’s schedule of appearances is as follows:
October 24 (Sun), IFOA, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto.
October 25 (Mon), same.
October 26 (Tue), Borders Books & Music, 32nd St. and 2nd Ave. New York City 7pm.
October 27 (Wed), Barnes & Noble, 22nd St. and 6th Ave. New York City 7pm. Media-open!
Samurai-Grrlz a hit! T-shirts, signed books available!
Monday, October 18th, 2004
The Innocent World promotional appearances of Ami Sakurai and the Samurai-Grrlz were a huge success! Between girls doing somersaults in school-uniform skirts at the Big Apple Con, Sakurai herself ragga-bumpin’ in her punk-courtesan attire at the White Rabbit book launch and the Vertical crew pimpin’ our gear at Washington Square Park to a calligraphy performance, lucky observers and potential fans caught truly a rare glimpse of the innocent world Sakurai lauds and decries.
If you missed any of it, fear not, as pictures evince our travails, and we have tour t-shirts available (sorry people, our very small- and medium-sized adult compatriots in Japan only made small and medium sized t-shirts) for the next dozen or so people who purchase Innocent World directly from us. Note in your purchase order that you’d like a t-shirt and indicate whether you’re a small or medium.
Ami Sakurai and the Samurai-Grrlz in NYC!
Wednesday, September 15th, 2004
Ami Sakurai and her entourage of samurai-grrlz come to New York City this weekend to deliver a message of innocence and wisdom blended up with New York-style edge and Tokyo-style funk. Brave the rain and check out our chic chicas do their thang guerrilla-style.
Sakurai and the Samurai-Grrlz will be closing the costume competition at this year’s Big Apple Con at Penn Plaza on Saturday 1pm with their performance. They will also be doing a few “out of sight” guerrilla-style performances that we can’t list for the record, but please look out for them around St. Marks on Saturday evening and near Union Square on Sunday afternoon.
When you’re done soaking up the Big Apple Con and the “out of sight” performances, you can come to the Launch Party at White Rabbit on Sunday evening—September 19, 6-10pm.
And when you’re done drinking up sake-tinis, you can come to Ami Sakurai’s Innocent World book reading and signing at the legendary Blue Stockings Bookstore on September 23 at 6:30pm (Thursday).
For even more information, drop us a line at info@vertical-inc.com.
Ami Sakurai to tour NYC area for Innocent World
Friday, August 13th, 2004
Ami Sakurai comes to New York City from September 17 to 23 to promote her book Innocent World. With her will be an entourage of sword-wielding samurai-kogyaru (tween girls). There will be performances in Union Square and other New York City locations during the weekend, and book-readings at the famous Blue Stockings and Columbia University. More appearances to be announced. For more information or booking questions, contact Anne at amishii@vertical-inc.com.
Joh Sasaki’s NY tour a huge hit!
Thursday, July 29th, 2004
Joh Sasaki presents; click to see more photos
Joh Sasaki spoke to several crowds of curious readers about the first English release of Zero Over Berlin. Simultaneous to his tour was a signed book promotion in mystery stores nationwide. Vertical has already sent out close to one hundred signed copies of Zero Over Berlin. Check out the photos of our favorite military thriller writer.
Zero Over Berlin hailed by Publishers Weekly
Wednesday, July 7th, 2004Zero Over Berlin by Joh Sasaki makes its way to American readers as Publishers Weekly hails its excellence.
“A major Japanese talent in detective and thriller fiction appears in English with this excellent, compact WWII tale” —Publishers Weekly
“Sasaki layers meticulous detail in [Zero Over Berlin], inviting readers into his world.” —Asahi Shimbun
“Sasaki has crafted a high quality thriller based on a conceit of nonfiction that works—that the Zero fighter actually made it to Berlin.”—Mainichi Shimbun
“[Zero Over Berlin] is adventure fiction that sheds new light on German-Japanese relations on the eve of the war.”—Tokyo Shimbun
Don’t miss Joh Sasaki’s New York City appearances!
Sasaki will be part of a symposium on the two topics of 1) The Middle East, Then and Now, and 2) Japanese Entertainment in the U.S. Fellow discussants include Seiichi Miyake, bureau chief of the Americas for Nikkei Shimbun and Ioannis Mentzas, editorial director of Vertical. This event is taking place at Nippon Club on July 14, 2004 at 6:30 pm (free admission, W. 57th between 6th and 7th). He will also be speaking and signing at Kinokuniya Bookstore at Rockefeller Center on July 16, 2004 at 6:00 pm. See you there!
(All events will be conducted in Japanese only.)
Joh Sasaki to promote Zero Over Berlin in NYC
Friday, April 23rd, 2004Vertical author Joh Sasaki is to visit New York City to promote Zero Over Berlin.
Zero Over Berlin is an adventure tale of World War II as it could have happened. The title plane, a Type Zero Fighter, piloted by a rogue Japanese soldier, makes its way from East Asia on a secret assignment into the heart of Nazi Germany. This phenomenally popular book makes its way to the US along with author Joh Sasaki, who will be signing books throughout the NYC area. Keep checking our website for more details.
Genichiro Takahashi to tour North America
Friday, March 5th, 2004
Vertical author and Japanese premier of PoMo metafiction Genichiro Takahashi is to tour four North American cities.
Princeton, NJ
March 25, 2004 Reading and Introducing Sayonara, Gangsters @Princeton University
http://www.princeton.edu/~eastasia
New York, NY
March 27, 2004 Translation Matters @Columbia University
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ealac/dkc
March 30, 2004 Literary Forum with Meng Jinghui @The Japan Society
http://www.japansociety.org
Toronto, ON, Canada
March 31, 2004 The Harbourfront Reading Series @The Harbourfront Centre
http://www.readings.org
Los Angeles, CA
April 5, 2004 Cinematheque 108 screening and reading with Meng Jinghui @USC
(Stay tuned for further details)