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A review by vdarcangelo
Salmonella Men on Planet Porno by Yasutaka Tsutsui
3.0
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/27/salmonella-men-on-planet-porno/
This review originally appeared in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
Salmonella Men on Planet Porno
By Vince Darcangelo, Special to the Rocky
Published November 27, 2008 at 7 p.m.
Salmonella Men on Planet Porno
* Fiction. By Yasutaka Tsutsui. Pantheon, $21.95. Grade: B+
Book in a nutshell: In a career that has spanned more than four decades, science-fiction writer Yasutaka Tsutsui has become one of Japan's most esteemed authors, winning the Tanizki and Kawabata prizes. The French government has even named him a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
But good luck finding him in America. While some of Tsutsui's work has been translated into English, until now it's been available only in Europe.
This month, he makes his American debut with a translation of his 2005 short-story collection, Salmonella Men on Planet Porno, which has been available in the United Kingdom since 2006. The collection contains 13 tales of alternate reality, absurdism and magical realism that are often funny and sometimes pack major satirical bite.
Rumors About Me best illustrates this balance of the serious and the silly. Tsutomu Morishita is a humdrum office worker who can't get a date with a comely co-worker, then suddenly finds himself the subject of media scrutiny. Every mundane aspect of his life becomes a headline. News helicopters follow his every move. He becomes famous for being a "nobody" or, as we say in America, "famous for being famous."
His newfound celebrity changes everything about his life. He finally lands a date with that co-worker and receives favors when recognized in public, and his behavior becomes erratic as the pressure of the constant scrutiny becomes too much.
Once you get past the absurdity, Rumors About Me is an interesting parable about the media, celebrity and a culture obsessed with reality television in which "nobodies" become famous not for their actions but for being on TV.
Sample of prose: "'Therefore, if you persist in asserting your own sanity, it proves, conversely, that your environment is in fact normal, but that you alone are abnormal. If you consider your environment to be abnormal, then by all means lose your mind!"
Pros: When Tsutsui sharpens his satirical knife, this book is insightful and funny.
Cons: At other times, the absurdity is too much to overcome.
Final word: Tsutsui's introduction to America is witty and sometimes wise. He may not supplant Haruki Murakami any time soon, but his dark satire should find a loyal audience in the states.
This review originally appeared in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
Salmonella Men on Planet Porno
By Vince Darcangelo, Special to the Rocky
Published November 27, 2008 at 7 p.m.
Salmonella Men on Planet Porno
* Fiction. By Yasutaka Tsutsui. Pantheon, $21.95. Grade: B+
Book in a nutshell: In a career that has spanned more than four decades, science-fiction writer Yasutaka Tsutsui has become one of Japan's most esteemed authors, winning the Tanizki and Kawabata prizes. The French government has even named him a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
But good luck finding him in America. While some of Tsutsui's work has been translated into English, until now it's been available only in Europe.
This month, he makes his American debut with a translation of his 2005 short-story collection, Salmonella Men on Planet Porno, which has been available in the United Kingdom since 2006. The collection contains 13 tales of alternate reality, absurdism and magical realism that are often funny and sometimes pack major satirical bite.
Rumors About Me best illustrates this balance of the serious and the silly. Tsutomu Morishita is a humdrum office worker who can't get a date with a comely co-worker, then suddenly finds himself the subject of media scrutiny. Every mundane aspect of his life becomes a headline. News helicopters follow his every move. He becomes famous for being a "nobody" or, as we say in America, "famous for being famous."
His newfound celebrity changes everything about his life. He finally lands a date with that co-worker and receives favors when recognized in public, and his behavior becomes erratic as the pressure of the constant scrutiny becomes too much.
Once you get past the absurdity, Rumors About Me is an interesting parable about the media, celebrity and a culture obsessed with reality television in which "nobodies" become famous not for their actions but for being on TV.
Sample of prose: "'Therefore, if you persist in asserting your own sanity, it proves, conversely, that your environment is in fact normal, but that you alone are abnormal. If you consider your environment to be abnormal, then by all means lose your mind!"
Pros: When Tsutsui sharpens his satirical knife, this book is insightful and funny.
Cons: At other times, the absurdity is too much to overcome.
Final word: Tsutsui's introduction to America is witty and sometimes wise. He may not supplant Haruki Murakami any time soon, but his dark satire should find a loyal audience in the states.