Bicycle Days
Bicycle Days by John Burnham Schwartz, published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on April 27, 1999, is a literary fiction novel that explores the life of Alec Stern as he navigates his new surroundings in Japan. Fresh out of college, Alec finds a job and a new family in Tokyo, a city that offers him opportunities and attention as a Japanese-speaking foreigner. However, he is also haunted by memories of his past, particularly the disintegration of his parents’ marriage, which adds depth to his experiences in this vibrant yet complex society.
In this edition, readers will encounter a richly detailed narrative that captures the nuances of Alec’s journey. The novel features a variety of vividly imagined scenes, from serene fishing trips to the bustling atmosphere of Tokyo’s nightlife, and introduces a cast of characters that shape Alec’s understanding of love and belonging. With 272 pages, this first Vintage contemporaries edition invites readers to reflect on themes of identity and connection within the framework of a foreign culture.
Official synopsis Publisher
When Alec Stern arrives in Japan, he discovers a land of opportunity. For only in Tokyo could an impressionable young man fresh out of college find, in one stroke, a new job, a new family, and a society that lavishes attention on Japanese-speaking gaijin. Yet, even as Alec claims a place in this new world, he is haunted by memories of the one he left behind—a world once infinitely secure but which disintegrated with the breakup of his parents’ marriage.
In this incandescently observed novel, John Burnham Schwartz introduces readers to one of the most appealing protagonists in contemporary fiction while enchanting them with the keenness of his eye and the aptness of his voice. Through its exquisitely rendered scenes—a fishing trip of Zen-like serenity; a night at a sex club where giggling businessmen dive into the action—and vividly imagined characters—the laughing mother who taught Alec to ride a bicycle; the beautiful sad Japanese woman who teaches him how to love—Bicycle Days surprises, moves, and enlightens us as very few books do.
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