A review by hollowspine
Polite Lies: On Being a Woman Caught Between Cultures by Kyoko Mori

4.0

This is a very interesting book, it brings up some interesting views on both Japanese and Midwestern culture. Coming from the Midwest I found her points on the culture spot on, she seems to see into the heart and mind of the Midwesterner! I was also glad to find her debunking the myths of the superiority of the Japanese school system (in comparison to Western, mainly American systems) and revealing the reason behind the American attraction to Eastern Philosophy (such as Buddhism or Zen). Though she doesn't go into the fact that it's completely contradictory that American's should want to follow a philosophy that tries to distance itself from the tangible world and embrace the next. For a culture that values self-importance and material possessions so much it seems strange. I also greatly enjoyed her insights on the many difficulties women who want to maintain strength and independence face in both cultures.