Natsuko Imamura

Lucy North

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

New Jersey

A Novel

“A taut and compelling depiction of loneliness and obsession.” --Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train “[It] will keep you firmly in its grip.” --Oyinkan Braithwaite, bestselling author of My Sister, the Serial Killer “The love child of Eugene Ionesco and Patricia Highsmith.” --Kelly Link, bestselling author of Get in Trouble A bestselling, prizewinning novel by one of Japan's most acclaimed young writers, for fans of Convenience Store Woman, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, and the movies Parasite and Rear Window I think what I'm trying to say is that I've been wanting to become friends with the Woman in the Purple Skirt for a very long time... Almost every afternoon, the Woman in the Purple Skirt sits on the same park bench, where she eats a cream bun while the local children make a game of trying to get her attention. Unbeknownst to her, she is being watched--by the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, who is always perched just out of sight, monitoring which buses she takes, what she eats, whom she speaks to. From a distance, the Woman in the Purple Skirt looks like a schoolgirl, but there are age spots on her face, and her hair is dry and stiff. She is single, she lives in a small apartment, and she is short on money--just like the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, who lures her to a job as a housekeeper at a hotel, where she too is a housekeeper. Soon, the Woman in the Purple Skirt is having an affair with the boss and all eyes are on her. But no one knows or cares about the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan. That's the difference between her and the Woman in the Purple Skirt. Studiously deadpan and chillingly voyeuristic, and with the off-kilter appeal of the novels of Ottessa Moshfegh, The Woman in the Purple Skirt explores envy, loneliness, power dynamics, and the vulnerability of unmarried women in a taut, suspenseful narrative about the sometimes desperate desire to be seen.

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

ceba93c7-7928-4807-b243-18fd48015d95-1

Like new, a few pen marks on back cover, as pictured 

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

West Virginia

"A taut and compelling depiction of loneliness and obsession." --Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train
 
"[It] will keep you firmly in its grip." --Oyinkan Braithwaite, bestselling author of My Sister, the Serial Killer
 
"The love child of Eugene Ionesco and Patricia Highsmith." --Kelly Link, bestselling author of Get in Trouble
 
A bestselling, prizewinning novel by one of Japan's most acclaimed young writers, for fans of Convenience Store Woman, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, and the movies Parasite and Rear Window

I think what I'm trying to say is that I've been wanting to become friends with the Woman in the Purple Skirt for a very long time...

Almost every afternoon, the Woman in the Purple Skirt sits on the same park bench, where she eats a cream bun while the local children make a game of trying to get her attention. Unbeknownst to her, she is being watched--by the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, who is always perched just out of sight, monitoring which buses she takes, what she eats, whom she speaks to.

From a distance, the Woman in the Purple Skirt looks like a schoolgirl, but there are age spots on her face, and her hair is dry and stiff. She is single, she lives in a small apartment, and she is short on money--just like the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan, who lures her to a job as a housekeeper at a hotel, where she too is a housekeeper. Soon, the Woman in the Purple Skirt is having an affair with the boss and all eyes are on her. But no one knows or cares about the Woman in the Yellow Cardigan. That's the difference between her and the Woman in the Purple Skirt.

Studiously deadpan and chillingly voyeuristic, and with the off-kilter appeal of the novels of Ottessa Moshfegh, The Woman in the Purple Skirt explores envy, loneliness, power dynamics, and the vulnerability of unmarried women in a taut, suspenseful narrative about the sometimes desperate desire to be seen.

New York

Illinois

Arizona

Taeko Kono

Washington

Disquieting stories exploring women's freedom & bondage in post-WWII Japan.

Toddler-Hunting and Other Stories

bcdcc61b-e568-407d-ad7a-ff78966a889e-1

Emi Yagi

David Boyd

Unmarked copy, intact pages. Small tear on sleeve as pictured.

"Diary of a Void advances one of the most passionate cases I've ever read for female interiority, for women's creative pulse and rich inner life." ―Katy Waldman, The New Yorker

"Always expect the unexpected when you're not expecting." ―Sloane Crosley

A woman in Tokyo avoids harassment at work by perpetuating, for nine months and beyond, the lie that she's pregnant in this prizewinning, thrillingly subversive debut novel about the mother of all deceptions, for fans of Convenience Store Woman and Breasts and Eggs

When thirty-four-year-old Ms. Shibata gets a new job to escape sexual harassment at her old one, she finds that as the only woman at her new workplace--a manufacturer of cardboard tubes--she is expected to do all the menial tasks. One day she announces that she can't clear away her coworkers' dirty cups--because she's pregnant and the smell nauseates her. The only thing is . . . Ms. Shibata is not pregnant.

Pregnant Ms. Shibata doesn't have to serve coffee to anyone. Pregnant Ms. Shibata isn't forced to work overtime. Pregnant Ms. Shibata rests, watches TV, takes long baths, and even joins an aerobics class for expectant mothers. She's finally being treated by her colleagues as more than a hollow core. But she has a nine-month ruse to keep up. Before long, it becomes all-absorbing, and with the help of towel-stuffed shirts and a diary app that tracks every stage of her "pregnancy," the boundary between her lie and her life begins to dissolve.

Surreal and absurdist, and with a winning matter-of-factness, a light touch, and a refreshing sensitivity to mental health, Diary of a Void will keep you turning the pages to see just how far Ms. Shibata will carry her deception for the sake of women, and especially working mothers, everywhere.

Diary of a Void

8fd4b222-fa5f-48d7-aa32-0ef4c87b294e-1

Maryland

Iowa

California

Florida

A woman in Tokyo avoids harassment at work by perpetuating, for nine months and beyond, the lie that she’s pregnant in this prizewinning, thrillingly subversive debut novel about the mother of all deceptions, for fans of Convenience Store Woman and Breasts and Eggs When thirty-four-year-old Ms. Shibata gets a new job to escape sexual harassment at her old one, she finds that as the only woman at her new workplace—a manufacturer of cardboard tubes—she is expected to do all the menial tasks. One day she announces that she can’t clear away her coworkers’ dirty cups—because she’s pregnant and the smell nauseates her. The only thing is . . . Ms. Shibata is not pregnant. Pregnant Ms. Shibata doesn’t have to serve coffee to anyone. Pregnant Ms. Shibata isn’t forced to work overtime. Pregnant Ms. Shibata rests, watches TV, takes long baths, and even joins an aerobics class for expectant mothers. She’s finally being treated by her colleagues as more than a hollow core. But she has a nine-month ruse to keep up. Before long, it becomes all-absorbing, and with the help of towel-stuffed shirts and a diary app that tracks every stage of her “pregnancy,” the boundary between her lie and her life begins to dissolve. Surreal and absurdist, and with a winning matter-of-factness, a light touch, and a refreshing sensitivity to mental health, Diary of a Void will keep you turning the pages to see just how far Ms. Shibata will carry her deception for the sake of women, and especially working mothers, everywhere.

c63c8e57-bff0-4ade-a7af-005e6278d82d-1

great book, in good condition, no wear on pages, minor wear on front cover.

North Carolina

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

Colorado

Michigan

The book "Diary of a Void" by Emi Yagi immediately captures readers with its thought-provoking premise. The story follows Shibata, the only woman in her workplace who faces discrimination in the form of excessive workload and demeaning tasks. Fed up with this treatment, she decides to fake a pregnancy to escape the burden. The novel keeps readers on edge, questioning the reality of Shibata's actions and the impact of the oppressive system on her sanity.

The book also sheds light on feminist themes, exposing the sexist experiences of the characters. It highlights the absurdity of gender roles and the struggles faced by women in the workplace. Additionally, it challenges the idealized perception of motherhood, portraying the sacrifices and challenges that come with it.

Ultimately, "Diary of a Void" delves into the theme of loneliness, portraying a society that prioritizes collective well-being over individual happiness. Shibata's journey to rediscover herself resonates with readers, leaving a lasting impression long after the book is finished.

The gripping and thought-provoking nature of the novel entices readers to contemplate its themes long after reading. It's a rare gem that deserves high praise and leaves readers eager for more work from Emi Yagi.




Texas

Hiromi Kawakami

In a dreamlike adventure, one woman travels through an apparently unending night with a porcelain girlfriend, mist-monsters and villainous monkeys; a sister mourns her invisible brother whom only she can still see, while the rest of her family welcome his would-be wife into their home; and an accident with a snake leads a shop girl to discover the snake-families everyone else seems to be concealing.

Sensual, yearning, and filled with the tricks of memory and grief, Record of a Night Too Brief is an atmospheric trio of unforgettable tales.


Akutagawa Prize-winning stories about unsettling loss and romance from one of Japan’s most celebrated contemporary writers—for fans of Haruki Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto In a dreamlike adventure, one woman travels through an apparently unending night with a porcelain girlfriend, mist-monsters and villainous monkeys; a sister mourns her invisible brother whom only she can still see, while the rest of her family welcome his would-be wife into their home; and an accident with a snake leads a shop girl to discover the snake-families everyone else seems to be concealing. Sensual, yearning, and filled with the tricks of memory and grief, Record of a Night Too Brief is an atmospheric trio of unforgettable tales. “Talking animals, transformations into trees and horses, and a melancholic mood of loss and love make it easy to see why Kawakami is one of the more exciting voices in contemporary Japanese literature." —Thrillist

Record of a Night Too Brief

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And Other Stories

Toddler-Hunting and Other Stories introduces a startlingly original voice. Winner of Japan's top literary prizes for fiction (among them the Akutagawa, the Tanizaki, the Noma, and the Yomiuri), Taeko Kono writes with a strange beauty, pinpricked with sadomasochistic and disquieting scenes.

In the title story, the protagonist loathes young girls, but compulsively buys expensive clothes for little boys so that she can watch them dress and undress. The impersonal gaze Taeko Kono turns on this behavior transfixes the reader with a fatal question: What are we hunting for? And why?

Multiplying perspectives and refracting light from the strangely facing mirrors of fantasy and reality, pain and pleasure, these ten stories present Kono at her very best.

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Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Taeko Kono; Lucy North

Toddler-Hunting and Other Stories

Emi Yagi; David Boyd; Lucy North

Diary of a Void

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Emi Yagi; David Boyd; Lucy North

Diary of a Void

Emi Yagi; David Boyd; Lucy North

Diary of a Void

Emi Yagi; David Boyd; Lucy North

Diary of a Void

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Emi Yagi; David Boyd; Lucy North

Diary of a Void

Emi Yagi; David Boyd; Lucy North

Diary of a Void

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Natsuko Imamura; Lucy North

The Woman in the Purple Skirt

Emi Yagi; David Boyd; Lucy North

Diary of a Void

Hiromi Kawakami; Lucy North

Record of a Night Too Brief

Taeko Kono; Lucy North (Translator)

Toddler Hunting