''My Year of Meats'' is the 1998 debut novel by

Ruth Ozeki Ruth Ozeki is an American-Canadian author, filmmaker and Zen Buddhist priest. Her books and films, including the novels '' My Year of Meats'' (1998), '' All Over Creation'' (2003), '' A Tale for the Time Being'' (2013), and '' The Book of Form ...

. The book takes advantage of the differences between Japanese and

American culture The culture of the United States of America is primarily of Western, and European origin, yet its influences includes the cultures of Asian American, African American, Latin American, and Native American peoples and their cultures. The U ...

to comment on both.

Overview

Jane Takagi-Little is a Japanese-American documentary filmmaker who is hired to work for a Japanese production company, where she uncovers some unsavory truths about love, fertility, and a dangerous hormone called DES. The company works with BEEF-EX to promote the use of American beef in Japan by creating a Japanese television show called ''My American Wife!''. Parallel to Jane's story is the life of Akiko Ueno, a former manga artist who specialized in horror scenes and is reluctantly married to Joichi "John" Ueno, who works for BEEF-EX. John cares only that Akiko has a baby and forces her to watch ''My American Wife'' and cook the recipes, believing that it will allow her to conceive. However, as Akiko's independence and sense of self grows from watching the show and cooking for John, her relationship with John becomes violent. The book switches point of view from Jane Takagi-Little and Akiko Ueno.

Awards

Kiriyama Prize The Kiriyama Prize was an international literary award awarded to books about the Pacific Rim and South Asia. Its goal was to encourage greater understanding among the peoples and nations of the region. Established in 1996, the prize was last awa ...

*Imus/Barnes and Noble American Book Award

Reviews

Newsweek

* ttp://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-10835526_ITM Publishers Weekly

References

{{Reflist 1998 American novels Novels by Ruth Ozeki Novels set in Japan 1998 debut novels Japan in non-Japanese culture Novels set in the United States