Geisha Smackdown: The absurdity and splendor of life in Japan

Arts & Culture Dec. 29, 2012 - 06:49AM JST ( 5 )

Christina Bell’s new book, “Geisha Smackdown,” is an honest, funny, and occasionally disturbing foray into the excitement and frustrations of life abroad. Whether readers have lived abroad or know someone who has, their emotional connection to Bell’s humor and insight is immediate.

“Geisha Smackdown” is a collection of 34 essays that shine a light on what is brilliant and hilarious in everyday life. Bell spent eight years in Japan actively seeking absurdity and splendor, both in the back streets of Tokyo and in her own home. From Japanese daycare to the world’s largest wooden penis, she shows us a side of Japan that can’t be covered in most travel books.

“Geisha Smackdown” isn’t just a memoir of Japan. It’s a memoir of what it means to live, work, and raise children in a world where everything you thought you knew is irrelevant.

Amazon Reviews says: “Christina Bell writes with humility, humor, and sarcasm that draws you into wanting to read more. She has the knack to make us aware of the intriguing and peculiar in situations that most of us would have missed. Most importantly, she teaches us a philosophy of how to live life to its fullest. Even if you don’t ever live overseas, I strongly recommend that you read this book. You may see the world in a whole new way.”

“In a genre lousy with, “How I found my true self on my year abroad,” prosaic drivel, Bell’s expertly written essays take the reader on a fantastically fresh ride that is both hilariously sarcastic and vividly poignant. She’s the travel companion who you wish you had, the one who leads you into the nooks and crannies of society, but has the skewed vision necessary to see what sparkles in the fog.”

“Geisha Smackdown” is available from www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com. Bell’s blog is located at www.cbellabell.blogspot.com.