Cheap Trash (Book) (Amy Yamada, Sonya L. Johnson) Price

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Customer Reviews of Trash

i agree with mr jimjames above
Definitely read Kneel Down and Lick My Feet. It is short and to the point, and drew me in immediately (you can find it in a short story collection of modern Japanese writers called Monkey Brain Sushi). Unless, of course, you have hours and days to spend lazing on the beach. Not enough to it to keep my interest. Her characters are rather transparent, and though I haven`t read the authors` works in Japanese, she reminds me a bit of Yoshimoto Banana in that they like to bring up big issues but not delve into them. Yamada starts out simply showing us how glamorous Koko`s NYC life is, as if that is the only thing needed to draw us in.

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I disagree.
Although some of what Kirkus Review has to say about "Trash" is true -- Koko and the other characters are pretty shallow, and often do what seem to be inexplicable things -- I venture to disagree.

I think that Yamada's novel, though not (as you can see from my rating) one of the best that I have ever read, brings up some good points. For example, she talks about people's need TO love as well as to BE loved. This shows in some of the discussions that Koko has with her gay friend Buckey and with Rick's son (I forgot his name), as well as in a lot of the actions of the characters. And if the novel doesn't actually assert a certain point of view (is that Yamada's Japanese side coming out?) I think it brings up quite a number of things to think about. And maybe we Americans just aren't subtle enough to pick up some of the things that would be plain as day to a Japanese reader. Another thing to consider is the tendency of Japanese literature to not "go" ANYWHERE. It's often not about "going," but more about the way the language sounds, and what goes on inside the characters -- and a lot of that I know (from experience) is lost in translation.

I wonder if maybe, too, the author of the Kirkus review ever knew people who just couldn't get themselves away from people that are destroying them? In any case, I don't think that this book is as bad as the Kirkus Review thought it was ... and I'd recommend it, though perhaps behind other Japanese novels (Abe Kobo's "Secret Rendezvous" for one)

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Deeply saddened
I was very sad after reading Trash. I thought that it was shallow, and I was amazed at the positive reviews I read about it. It didn't leave me with anything that I felt I could reflect on either cerebrally or emotionally. Through most of the book I wondered why she had written it. I read it several years ago, and after finishing it said that I was going to read Jesse's backbone, but have not yet. While going through my closet I came across trash and also remembered that I'd said that I was going to try to find somethng else that Yamada had written and check it out in an effot to get some idea of who she is as an author and person and why she wrote Trash. Probably the biggest question I have about it is why she chose this subject matter. I plan to read it again. I also now plan to read Kneel down and kiss my feet.