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The Push Man and Other Stories (Hardcover)

by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
RRP: £12.99
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Product details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly; 1st Hard Cover Ed edition (1 Jan 2006)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1896597858
  • ISBN-13: 978-1896597850
  • Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 16.5 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 48,522 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Review
"What a revelation this book is. I'd no idea that long before writers like Haruki Murakami and Kenzo Kitakata, the work of Yoshihiro Tatsumi had so expertly peeled away the lacquered layers of Japanese social and sexual surfaces to reveal the elemental heart beneath, and with such fearless depth of feeling. Decades ahead of its time and long overdue for U.S. publication." --Chip Kidd

Synopsis
A lone man travels the country, projecting pornographic films for private individuals while attempting to maintain a normal home life. A medical student lives a secret life as a sperm donor, and finds his world turned upside down when his donations are rejected by the fertility clinic. A young couple's marriage is irrevocably affected when a sewer rat takes up residence in their home. The lives of two men become intertwined when one hires the other to observe his sexual escapades through a telescope. An auto mechanic's obsession with a female TV personality turns fatal after a chance meeting between the two.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Push Man and Other Stories
58% buy the item featured on this page:
The Push Man and Other Stories 4.5 out of 5 stars (2)
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13% buy
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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars "I myself am a very normal person", 30 May 2006
By A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
"I myself am a very normal person. Please do not interpret these stories as representative of the author's personality." This plea to the reader appears on the very last page of this book, and upon coming across it, most readers will probably think the disclaimer belongs at the front of the book. Because by the end of these 16 short graphic stories, which represent a "best of" anthology of Tatsumi's work from 1969 (the plan is to continue releasing a "best of" for each year), it's very hard not to suspect the author of having some major dysfunctions with both society at large, and especially with women. According to the introduction by Adrian Tomine, Tatsumi is considered "the grandfather of Japanese alternative comics", and coined the term "gekiga" to distinguish naturalistic, more adult comics from the popular "manga" fare for kids. The material in this collection certainly falls into the "gekiga" category, as it encompasses very adult material. Not "adult" in the sexual sense (although there is sexual explicit material), but in the more metaphysical sense that is brought on by feelings of urban alienation

The stories are set in late '60s Japan, in what is presumably Tokyo, and Tatsumi writes that he found inspiration in newspaper human interest stories and the police blotter. If that's the case, it seems he was drawn to tragic stories about men who just couldn't cope with their lot. In every story, the protagonist is a kind-faced everyman figure (visually, he is the same in almost every story), who works some kind of menial job either on his own or with men who don't respect him. He either lives alone or at home with a wife or girlfriend who either works as a bar hostess or openly cheats on him. Stripped of his manhood on all fronts, he either lashes out in violence, takes cold-blooded revenge, or commits suicide. Indeed, it's impossible not to notice the misogyny that pervades the stories -- literally every woman is either wanton, scheming, drunk, greedy, or somehow tainted. The urban setting, dominant theme of alienation, outbursts of violence and disgust, and sexual disgust are perhaps best compared to the film "Taxi Driver" in terms of tone, and yet are ones that seem to crop up over and over in modern Japanese fiction and film.

in contrast to the gritty subject matter, the artwork tends to be very clean and crisp, and as with everything published by Drawn & Quarterly, the book is beautifully produced. The panels haven't simply been "flopped" from the original Japanese layout, but have been rearranged for Western formatting, and the results are spectacular. Fans of Adrian Tomine's work will appreciate both the visual style, and the use of silence throughout the stories. However, this is a book that should be read not only by comics aficionados, but by anyone interested in the literature of modern Japan. It will be interesting to see if Tatsumi's stories change tone and theme over time, and I look forward to the 1970 volume.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Great storytelling and glimpses of the Japanese society, 3 Jul 2009
By Parka (Singapore) - See all my reviews
Before I read the book, I had no idea who Yoshihiro Tatsumi is. He has been called "the grandfather of Japanese alternative comics" and he certainly deserves it.

The Push Man and Other Stories is a collection of short stories previously published in Japanese, now translated and reformatted for the western audience by Adrain Tomine.

In each story, Yoshihiro Tatsumi looks at a different facet of Japanese society. The main character is always a man filled with restrained angst, going about their daily jobs, ending with a solemn note. Every tale is filled with some form of sexuality -- sex, abortion, prostitution, etc.

In the story "The Push Man", we're introduced to the pusher, whose job is to get commuters into packed trains by pushing them in. One day, he helped a lady whose clothes were torn from the pushing. They spent the night together and she invited him to her place the next day. The story ends with her sisters pushing each other away to get him. In "Telescope", a disabled guy committed suicide after being paid to watch someone else have sex. In "Test Tube", a sperm donor can't stop thinking about his recipient and eventually forced himself onto her. You can see that there are no happy endings here.

The storytelling is masterly. Every story is told in a darkly comic style, short dialogues and cleanly laid out panels. Even without text, the stories will be easy to understand. Yoshihiro Tatsumi has a way of dissecting his characters, providing a very raw look at their hard and unforgiving life.

The 16 stories are short. I like short if it means leaving the reader wanting more* at the end.

It's highly recommended but certainly not for everyone.

There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.
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