Japan Took the Jap Out of Me

De: Lisa Cook

Narrado por: Arika Escalona

Six days after an InStyle-worthy wedding in Los Angeles, Lisa Fineberg Cook left behind her little red Jetta, her manicurist of 10 years, and her very best friend for the land of the rising sun. When her husband accepted a job teaching English in Nagoya, Japan, she imagined exotic weekend getaways, fine sushi dinners, and sake sojourns with glamorous expatriate friends. Instead, she's the only Jewish girl on public transportation, and everyone is staring.

Lisa longs for regular mani/pedis, valet parking, and gimlets with her girlfriends, but for the next year, she learns to cook, clean, commute, and shop like the Japanese, all the while adjusting to another foreign concept - marriage. Loneliness and frustration give way to new and unexpected friendships, the evolution of old ones, and a fresh understanding of what it means to feel different - until finally a world she never thought she'd fit into begins to feel home-like, if not exactly like home.

©2009 Lisa Fineberg Cook (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Entitled Valley Girl whining

The story of the quintessential narrow-minded, sheltered, snarky ,entitled twenty-something so prevalent in modern America.

I kept hoping something horrible would happen to the "heroine", in the process teaching her how shallow she is. Alas, I couldn't stomach the pity party long enough to find out of it did.

The narration is the only redeeming quality of this turkey and the only reason I didn't give it a straight one.

Racist - definition of the ugly American

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A story that celebrated the opportunity to live in another culture

What was most disappointing about Lisa Cook’s story?

Her assumption that it is acceptable to disrespect people in other countries ("they all look alike"); that the goal of every culture should be to mirror America; and the assumption that people in other countries spend all their time staring at her. Please!

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Whiny - but that was probably the character rather than the performer

What character would you cut from Japan Took the Jap Out of Me?

The main character should be ashamed of herself

Any additional comments?

The very first Audible in 5+ years that I have absolutely hated