Don't Miss

• Morrison's Gift Picks
• Holiday Catalog 2009
• NYRB Classics: Save 30%
• Paperback Favorites
  for Book Groups
• Springer Math Sale!
• Subscribe to Indiespensable

More at Powell's

• Featured Signed Editions
• Rare and Collectible Books
• eBooks | Audio | DVDs | Blu-ray

---

Interviews | November 19, 2009

Finding John Irving: The Powells.com Interview

1 comment By Dave

[Editor's note: The following is a reprint of our 2005 interview with John Irving, whose new novel, Last Night in Twisted River, has just come out... Continue »

---

1. 
   $19.60 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

   Last Night in Twisted River

   John Irving

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!

Average customer rating based on 1 comment:

Book Dads, November 7, 2009 (view all comments by Book Dads)
In this book, translated from the original Japanese edition, little Yuuta and his mother go to visit Grandpa in his town. He has been living there alone since Grandma died, and they are worried that he is lonely there and want him to come live with them. But Grandpa’s not very interested in the idea, and soon announces he’s off to the public bath and takes Yuuta with him. Along the way and at the bath, Yuuta meets many of Grandpa’s local friends and realizes that his Grandpa isn’t really alone after all.

The illustrations in Grandpa’s Town are in a colorful style reminiscent of wood-block printing and depict daily life in a small Japanese town, a culture that will be largely unfamiliar to Western children. The idea of a public bath in particular is sure to strike children as novel. But the greatest strength of this book is in the relationship between Yuuta and his Grandpa, which is not overly expressive although Yuuta loves his Grandpa and his Grandpa is proud of him. Rather, in the way of many men’s relationships, more is conveyed by the time spent together rather than by the words that are spoken. “Quality time” is important but “Quantity time” is too, especially for boys and their male relatives, and Grandpa’s Town reminds us of this with great eloquence.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)

report this comment

Product Details

ISBN:

9780916291365

Translator:

Nomura, Takaaki

Author:

Stinchecum, Amanda Mayer

Publisher:

Kane/Miller Book Publishers

Location:

Brooklyn, N.Y. :

Subject:

Fiction

Subject:

Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks

Subject:

Family - Multigenerational

Subject:

Ethnic - Other

Subject:

Loneliness

Subject:

Japan

Subject:

Lifestyles - City Life

Subject:

Grandfathers

Subject:

Baths

Subject:

Japan Fiction.

Subject:

Japanese language materials -- Fiction.

Edition Number:

1st American ed.

Edition Description:

American

Series Volume:

101-394

Publication Date:

1991

Binding:

Trade Cloth

Language:

English

Illustrations:

Yes

Pages:

1 v. (unpaged)

Dimensions:

9.79x10.28x.35 in. .81 lbs.

Age Level:

04-08