Reminder : The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) Library is pleased to announce the upcoming Book Break event.

FCCJ Book Break: "Yukio Mishima"
Speaker : Damian Flanagan
Wednesday, April 11, 2018 from 6:15 pm to 8:30 pm
(The talk will be in English)

Admission: 3,500yen (non-members) / 2,100yen (FCCJ members)
Please sign up by email (front@fccj.or.jp) and pay in advance by Monday, April 9.

Venue:
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan
Yurakucho Denki North Building 20F
Yurakucho 1-7-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006

Damian Flanagan presents: "An Evening with Yukio Mishima."

He's back, for one night only! Join us for a celebration of literary great Yukio Mishima (1925-70) as writer and critic Flanagan discusses his recent Mishima biography and introduces us to some of the more unknown and amusing aspects of Mishima's fascinating personality from his obsession with watches and love of cats to his desire to spectacularly reimagine works of fine art.

Flanagan read English literature at Cambridge University before taking a PhD in Japanese Literature at Kobe University. He has published several books on Japanese literature in both English and Japanese including three books on Meiji era author Natsume Soseki and won the US-Japan Friendship Commission prize for his translation on Soseki in London, "/The Tower of London : And Other Stories/".

He is a well-known book reviewer and cultural critic for /The Japan Times/ and writes on diverse subjects from property investment to James Bond for newspapers around the world including /The Irish Times/, /The Daily Express/ and /The Sydney Morning Herald/, as well as occasional articles for the Japanese language press.

His latest talk starts with the question: If Mishima was to be brought back to life for the evening, how would we introduce him? We may know the portrayal of Mishima as the main in thrall to samurai traditions who died by his own hand in ritual suicide, but how does this connect to the man who went in search of Voodoo in the Caribbean, wrote a sci-fi novel and a ballet, occasionally donned the disguise of a spy and was a fan of Godzilla?

In a talk filled with fascinating anecdotes and psychological insight, he will attempt to show you another side of the seemingly archly-serious Yukio Mishima, a man famous for his high laugh and impish sense of humour, and explain how humour was central to Mishima's life, works, and even death.

The library committee is offering a cocktail party-"Meet the Author"-starting at 6:15 pm, followed by dinner at 6:45 pm (Menu: Grilled Salmon with Herb/ Seasonal Salad/ Bread/ Souffle Swiss Roll/ Coffee or Tea). Drinks can be ordered on a cash basis from the bar in the room. Book Break charges are 2,100yen / 3,500yen (members / non-members) per person. The member price is applicable to members' guests.

*To FCCJ members*: Sign up now at the reception desk (03-3211-3161) or on the FCCJ website. To help us plan proper seating and food preparation, please reserve in advance, preferably by noon of the day of the event. Those without reservations will be turned away once available seats are filled. Reservations cancelled less than 24 hours in advance will be charged in full. **

*To non-members*: Sign up now at the reception desk by email (front@fccj.or.jp). Please reserve and pay in advance *by Monday, April 9*. Those without reservations will be turned away once available seats are filled. No refund is available unless event is cancelled for the reasons on our part.

FCCJ Book Breaks
http://www.fccj.or.jp/events-calendar/book-breaks