Customer Reviews

The Bridge Across the Pacific

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bridge Across the Pacific is an entertaining read. It revolves around Marvin, a thoroughly unpleasant young man, whose misadventures form the most humorous aspects of the book. It is funny in a toe-curlingly embarrassing way, but it is also a bit more than that as it gives us insights into the kind of damage that foolish people can do when they are so culturally blinkered and lacking in self awareness that all they can do is blunder from one catastrophe to the next. In Marvin's case, the damage is self inflicted and, as he malevolently throws banana skins into his own path, he is the only person who can't see he is going to fall on his [...]. A funny book.

Mr. Wheeler's book introduces us to Marvin, an insensitive guy that is unable and/or unwilling to adapt to Japanese society. Although adapting to life in Japan isn't easy, Marvin seems to over-react with hostility, arrogance and simple-mindedness to common everyday situations, and we can never have sympathy for him. Mr. Wheeler succeeds in accurately portraying different types of foreigners that come to Japan. The story is based in Sapporo, which is refreshing compared to all the books and stories on Japan in English that are based in Tokyo. This is a good book, filled with dark humor and situations universal to the arriving foreigner in Japan. Looking forward to a sequel. Highly recommended.

The adventures of someone who should have stayed at home.

The previous reviewer's reference to ''The Office'' is quite apt, though, thankfully, Marvin never has any responsibility unlike David Brent. He does share several of Brent's traits however; crass stupidity, an inability to appreciate anyone else apart from himself and a wonderful knack of ''putting his foot in it''. In a country like Japan, where politeness and harmony are an essential part of the culture, this has hilarious results.

It's a good book, which will bring a smile to the face of anyone who has experience of living in Japan. Anyone thinking of doing so should read it and beware. Recommended.

Wheeler provides a humourously vivid account of life inside the English language teaching (Eikaiwa) industry in Japan. Past and present ex-pats who have had the opportunity to work in this field will immediately identify with the varied character sketches portrayed in the novel. Overall...a very entertaining read!

The features depicted as part of the main character made me cringe a number of times, which I believe was the intention of the author. I kept hoping that there was no part of this character which was based on fact. However, having lived in Japan for a number of years, I know these people exist. As a consequence, this is a book which is uncomfortably funny. I think anyone who likes the dark humour, for example, such as portrayed in the British series "The Office", would appreciate this book, especially if they are interested in the sometimes difficult adaptation of a westerner in Japan.