My Mother is a Tractor: A Life in Rural Japan [Paperback]

Nicholas Klar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2006

Less than six months after throwing in his management job to take up teaching Nicholas Klar finds himself on the 'JET Program' and a plane to Japan - ending up in the far reaches of rural Niigata prefecture teaching English. Never one to be taken too seriously he spends his time far beyond the beaten tourist path in often carousing encounters with Elvis impersonators, love hotels, toilets, train schedules, cults, hostess girls, freezing weather, the local garbage-man and postal workers, plus an awful lot of drinking and the recording of a bizarre incident where a cow falls out of the sky.

Combining humour, wonder, social commentary and a good deal of eclectic research the author veritably crams his pages chock-full of tales of culture shock, humorous anecdotes and insights, reflections upon his own life and cultural baggage, strange facts, plus cultural incongruities and marvels. He inevitably falls in with a motley crew of acquaintances along the way and revealed are many of the personalities he encounters - both Japanese and foreigners.

My Mother is a Tractor is rollicking, fact-filled ride through the Land of the Rising Sun that will amuse and inform all - from Japanofiles to the merely curious. If you are "signing up" for Japan this book has been rated a "..must read" by Rough Guide Japan and The Crazy Japan Times.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nicholas Klar is a peripatetic teacher and writer originally from Adelaide, Australia. He has lived in four different countries, studied in Australia and the U.S., and has travelled widely through Asia and the Pacific. His most recent incarnation was as Senior Head of House at a private international college in Shanghai, China. His only real claims to recent fame were that he was, 1) the only person in the whole of Shanghai without a mobile phone, and 2) apparently the only non-beer drinking Australian in the whole of Asia.

Previously he was resident in Japan where he was a regular contributor to the JET Journal, Niigata JOHO and other magazines, plus in addition was editor/webmaster of The Joetsu goodo Travel Guide and Welcome to Myoko-kogen.He has had several short stories, travelogues, articles and essays published previously in various media such as The Japan Times, Shanghai Daily, Fukuoka-Now, Jetstreams and Voyage but 'My Mother is a Tractor' is his first full-length book.

At present he is on a writing sabbatical and looking forward to new adventures. His ambition is to be very rich without ever having to actually work for it...and to never hear the words 'Let's climb Mount Fuji' again.

For more information, please visit www.klarbooks.com/mmiat/

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing (July 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1412048974
• ISBN-13: 978-1412048972
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,400,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Disorganized but Quirky and Enjoyable, February 16, 2008

By 

kami no tegami (Louisville,KY, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Mother is a Tractor: A Life in Rural Japan (Paperback)

A friend reccomended this book to me before I begin a study abroad in Japan. I had read alot of "memoir of Japan" type of books and was prepared for something similar to "36 Views of Mt. Fuji" or "Learning to Bow". I quickly learned that Klar prefers to push copious amounts of information all into one fun book. I was taken aback at the lack of organization at first. Klar will launch into a brief, but detailed, talk of perverts in Japan and immediately jump into a Memorial Peach Park opening ceremony. However, the book has a ridiculous amount of (semi) useful information and still remains a memoir of sorts. The book will have you laughing out loud and enjoying Klar's writing style.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Little Different Look at Japan, April 18, 2006

By 

David Roberts (Kansas, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Mother is a Tractor: A Life in Rural Japan (Paperback)

Before I went to Japan to study in October of 2004, I visited the internet and discovered Nicholas Klar's webpage. He told some really entertaining stories about his times in the JET program (or programme). I was not going to be a JET, but I really wanted to discoved some the "people" side of the Japanese. So I read all I could of his adventures and essays online. Then I emailed him. He was kind enough to reply. In fact, when I inquired about buying his future book he nearly fell all over himself with enthusiasm. This was probably the starving author coming out in him. In any case, I was impressed that he would remember me a year later when the book was published and I was also impressed that the book is a fun read.

I think Nicholas's JET kids were fortunate to have him in their schools. His book does indeed show the Japanese to be both quirky and fun, which many people might find unexpected. He can tell a story that brings a tear to the eye, as well as one that brings a chuckle to anyone, familiar with Japan or not.

Buy the book and have a good read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshingly modern take on Japan, July 3, 2009

By 

Matt - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Mother is a Tractor: A Life in Rural Japan (Paperback)

A few years ago I went through literally all 130,447 Results of the nonfiction category of Amazon's Book section under the keyword "Japan". In the struggle I composed a fairly abundant reading list for books on people living in Japan including: Hokkaido Highway, Roads to Sata, Dave Barry Does Japan, Thank You and Ok, Lady and the Monk, 30 views of Mt Fuji, In Search of Wa, Rising Sons and Daughters, Learning to Bow. Klar's adventure is similar to the usual "disoriented foreigner steps into Japan for the first time and tries to use a squat toilet" formula of your typical gaijin memoir but still finds itself able to separate from the pack.

The book consists of Klar's days as a foreign teacher on the JET program. Anyone interested in becoming a JET should be sure to give it a read since the experience is recollected with chapters recounting the living conditions, working conditions, and the endless "enkai" parties. In between Klar dedicates chapters with insight into everyday Japanese society and culture covering the usual topics like love hotels, festivals, toliets, and "gomi" piles, but also reaches out to some primary sources as well with references to bizarre current events in regards to the cultural and political scene of the time.

It was a good read, with a much more relate-able narrator compared to the other authors I knew of that had found themselves in Japan. Klar also includes several pictures from his stay, which are a pleasant addition mostly absent from other Japan diaries. I would have liked to see more chapters dedicated to the experiences of the actual teaching part as a JET participate, relationships with teachers/students etc., but his endless bike adventures were rich enough to forgive that.