Internationalist Business Guide to Mexico Canada and Latin America/1995 Book

Reading this book is like watching an old B&W movie. You know that most of what you see is outdated or obsolete, but you still enjoy it. I got the same vibe while reading this book. There are seven wonderful short stories by different authors that deal with interpersonal relationships within a business setting as their backdrop. They echo the Japanese psyche, their way of thinking, and how they interacted with each other and operated in the business world, primarily during the period from the 50’s to late 80’s.

When I first read the title of the book and saw the cover art, I was not sure what to expect. I soon realized that the stories were referred to as “business” novels because they are rooted in reality and present real life scenarios that you can readily relate to. For example, if you work for a bank, at a trading company overseas, or in a convenience store, you will immediately relate to several of the stories in this book.

This book should appeal to anyone who enjoys short stories, and particularly those interested in the Japanese culture and history from that era. The writing itself feels very modern and fresh, probably because of the excellent translation. If it was not for the printed publication date, I would never have guessed that this English translation was published almost three decades ago.