Service95 Recommends is the home of the books we love and reviews from our contributors. Summer At Mount Asama by Masashi Matsuie, translated by Margaret Mitsutani takes you from the bustling streets of Tokyo to the serenity of Mount Asama.
What We Say: “In 1980s Japan, newly graduated Tōru Sakanishi joins a small, prestigious architecture firm founded by a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright. As the sweltering summer months approach, the team migrates from the bustling centre of Tokyo to Kita-Asama, a mountain village and artists’ colony whose heyday has passed. Over the course of this summer, Sakanishi encounters four remarkable women who change the course of his life. A moving and elegant portrait of the clash of modernity and tradition.” – Maria Padget
What They Say: “[Matsuie’s] passion for writing has coupled effortlessly with his singular style and craftsmanship to give birth to a true masterpiece.” – Yutaka Yukawa
Available on Bookshop.org and Waterstones
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Maria Padget is Book Club Director at Service95
