Chin Music Brushes Back the eBook

If you believe that the pleasures of reading are enhanced when both form and content excel, then check out Seattle’s Chin Music Press: “Our goal is to resurrect some of the best practices of publishing in past centuries in books that tell decidedly modern stories.” Intrigued by this statement, I ordered Kuhaku and Other Accounts From Japan.

Upon receiving the book, I was immediately impressed by the care and attention to detail that went into its construction. From the prose selections to the thread used for the stitching, it was apparent that careful thought went into every decision regarding the book’s presentation. It’s no wonder that Chin Music currently advertises itself as Seattle’s answer to the Kindle, because Kuhaku proves that a well-made book can heighten the reading experience. That they trim their profit margins to keep their hardbound editions price competitive only underscores their commitment to well made books.

The selections in Kuhaku include essays, stories, an illustrated poem, and a whimsical photoessay on vending machine coffee. Whether written by Japanese or visitors, the collection of voices is decidedly different from what one usually finds in books about Japanese society. If I had one mild complaint, it is the tilt toward stories about adultery. There are four in total, and I felt the impact of the first essay was diminished by the inclusion of at least two of the other three.

It is also worth noting the illustrated glossary of Japanese words, which provides a reading experience unto itself. It contains such cheeky definitions as the following:

arubaito アルバイト　Part-time work. Comes from the German word for work arbeit. We wonder if this makes Germans mad.

I was reminded of Chin Music when I read a recent Japan Times review of Todd Shimoda’s new novel Oh! A mystery of mono no aware. The high standards they demonstrated with Kuhaku already have me curious about this novel, but I have to clear the decks on my current reading backlog before I consider making another book purchase. If you have had a chance to read it, let me know if it is worthwhile to shuffle my list to acquire it sooner.

[Edit: I ended up buying and reading Oh! It's an enjoyable novel that also happens to look great on the bookshelf. You can read my quasi-review of it here.]