In the Empire of Dreams

Book excerpt: In these ten interconnected stories, a group of American, British, and Australian expatriates living in Japan explore the surrounding culture, people, and customs. Each woman searches for happiness, love, fulfillment, and a new identity as their lives intertwine with those of other foreigners and the Japanese among whom--and sometimes with whom--they live. From encounters at "love hotels" and cramped Tokyo apartments, to cherry blossoms and melancholia. these stories construct a graceful picture of alienation, connection, and longing,