and speaking of manuscripts...

Welcome... to Fantasy Island!

I received my copy of Shawn Matthews's Meisterwerk, Island of Fantasy, today. When I opened the package, the book was wrapped in simple brown paper with an earnest "Thank you!" noted thereupon. It's even been autographed (and dated, no less).

I've been reading and enjoying Island of Fantasy since I started it this afternoon. Shawn has a great ear for Korean-vs.-expat dialogue: even when the exchanges appear a bit cartoonish, they ring true. Any Western expat who's been in Korea longer than a few months will know exactly what Shawn's talking about.

To his credit, Shawn makes an effort to view his experiences positively; his reminiscences are seen through a filter of good humor. Shawn's a clear writer; his prose is unpretentious and moves the story along nicely. I'm already about halfway through the book, but know enough to recommend it-- highly-- to those of you who haven't purchased a copy yet. Do Shawn a favor and shower him with filthy lucre. He's written a terrific story and deserves your attention.

(You expat teachers in Japan will probably relate to this book, too.)

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