Synopsis:
外黒人 is a spiritual rag, to riches adventure. I have been blessed to live a ‘storybook life’ but not in any glamorous way. Writing this book has allowed me to examine my role as a person of color—which I refer to as ‘melanin-rich’—in a society which has proven itself to be hostile toward non-Caucasian people. Because this is part memoir, part historical treatise, and part survivor’s guide, it is my intention to stretch the parameters of a conventional novel.
In Japanese, the word Gai-koku-jin, literally meaning outside-country-person; i.e. the foreigner, is traditionally written as「外国人」. I, however, am coining terminology by replacing the middle character with「黒」, which is pronounced identically but means ‘black’ instead of country. Not only does this symbolize my own cultural perspective, but it also represents a set of circumstances which is not limited to any race or country.
Book 1 of this trilogy is told through the eyes of a confused child. A stranger in my own home, like so many neglected children, I found a surrogate family in the street—mainly at our neighborhood basketball courts. After learning how to ‘make a dollar out of fifteen cents,’ I was headed down a tried-and-true path for disaster until, ironically, a Beast and a Serpent came to my rescue.
Rating: 5 stars
Review:
Gaikokujin-The Story by Taknan Amarn is one powerfully yet captivating story. A novel like this is a must read. Taknan Amarn gives his readers a story rich in culture, history, and philosophy. His characters give readers a show not tell, version of life and how society operates. Society doesn’t always operate in a way to benefit all people. Those of color and gender were mistreated in ways none of us can expect. That and the issues of poverty didn’t help these groups much either.
Gaikokujin – The Story is told by the Taknan Amarn’s point of view. His fictional world allows readers to see a side of the world most of us choose to ignore. Society’s norms take control of us like the Devil having complete control over what we say or do. Readers will follow a survivor’s journey through these troubling times. A refreshing and symbolic novel that readers will enjoy reading. I look forward to reading more by this talented writer and highly recommend his novel to readers worldwide. Gaikokujin – The Story is the story readers won’t want to miss. Absolutely inspiring…and suspenseful.
Urban Book Reviews 