Collection: Shop Asian

A FATEFUL MEETING

Hara Manabu is a gay man who feels somewhat adrift in the world. He spends his days teaching at an all-boys school, his nights out on the town. While at a gay bar, he meets a young man named Sorano and feels an instant connection. But things become complicated when he sees Sorano again--as it turns out, the young man is a new student at Hara's school. Can Hara navigate the feelings he has for a student?

In the first book on the subject in English, South Korea's best chef shows readers how to cook with jangs--the sauces that are the essential building blocks of all Korean cuisine. In the 60 home-cook-friendly dishes, he demystifies jangs while showing how they can be used to make both Korean and Western dishes more delicious.

Like butter in French cooking or olive oil in Italian, jangs are the soul of Korean cuisine. These umami sauces are found in every meal, from soups and stews, to salads, marinades, and even desserts, adding depth and complexity to every dish. The foundation of the three main jangs--gochujang, doenjang, or ganjang--is simple. Soybeans, water, and salt are dried, aged, and fermented in earthenware pots, extracting flavor from their environment and slowly blossoming into intensely flavored jangs. Few understand these ingredients better than chef Mingoo Kang, who has dedicated his Seoul restaurant to the exploration of jangs. In his first cookbook, Kang expertly weaves jangs' history and methods into 60 accessible recipes to bring the sauces to life. Dishes like Fish Dumplings and Gang-Doenjang Bibimbap showcase the sauces' traditional Korean roots, while Western-inspired recipes like Doenjang Crème Brulee and Ssamjang Cacio e Pepe reinvent favorite meals. Through artisan profiles, sidebars, and step-by-step photographs, Jang uncovers one of the culinary world's best-hidden secrets.

In this historical middle-grade novel, Gandhi asks for one member of each family to join the fight for independence from the British, and when Anjali's mother is jailed for doing so, Anjali must step out of her comfort zone to take over her mother's work.

In 1942, when Mahatma Gandhi asks Indians to give one family member to the freedom movement, ten-year-old Anjali is devastated to think of her father risking his life for the freedom struggle.

But it turns out he isn't the one joining. Anjali's mother is. And with this change comes many more adjustments designed to improve their country and use "ahimsa"--non-violent resistance--to stand up to the British government. First the family must trade in their fine foreign-made clothes for homespun cotton, so Anjali has to give up her prettiest belongings. Then her mother decides to reach out to the Dalit community, the "untouchables" of society. Anjali is forced to get over her past prejudices as her family becomes increasingly involved in the movement.

When Anjali's mother is jailed, Anjali must step out of her comfort zone to take over her mother's work, ensuring that her little part of the independence movement is completed.

Inspired by her great-grandmother's experience working with Gandhi, New Visions Award winner Supriya Kelkar shines a light on the Indian freedom movement in this poignant debut.

The epic ninja adventure that became a global phenomenon!

Naruto is a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. He's got a wild sense of humor, but Naruto is completely serious about his mission to be the world's greatest ninja!

Naruto realizes he must eventually battle Sasuke one-on-one, but with Sasuke and his dark allies bent on complete destruction and political intrigue in the villages, will the powerful Allied Shinobi Forces allow the two "friends" to meet in battle?! Plus, an important figure from Naruto's past shows up during the struggle to relate the history of his family and village, revealing astonishing new information about Naruto and Nine Tails!

Oz. Leo. Inescapable tragedy assaults and binds the two. He is no more. That simple truth tears their hearts apart like castles of sand caving in . . . But will history repeat itself when, in the midst of their sorrow, the two are pitted against each other in a struggle that could end in catastrophe?

On the night of DWMA's anniversary celebration, every meister and weapon in Death City has gathered at the school for an evening of music and dancing. Little do they know that the witch Medusa is about the crash Shinigama-sama's party. Trapping the meisters inside, the witch makes her way to the chamber where the First Kishin is imprisoned. Will the few meisters who've managed to escape be enough to prevent Medusa from rousing the madness that slumbers far below in the Kishin's domain?

Yoomi wants a yellow belt. But she's afraid to break the board. Grandma to the rescue!

Yoomi and her friends are ready to take on the test for their yellow belts in taekwondo. But Yoomi is afraid to break a board. Meanwhile, Grandma is struggling to learn something new, too.

But Yoomi and Grandma encourage and inspire each other. Yoomi discovers how, with persistence, focus, deep breathing, and above all, a loving Grandma, even the toughest challenges can be overcome.

This companion to No Kimchi for Me emphasizes self-confidence, determination, and the value of family. Backmatter about taekwondo, including some Korean vocabulary, is included.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Manga and anime (illustrated serial novels and animated films) are highly influential Japanese entertainment media that boast tremendous domestic consumption as well as worldwide distribution and an international audience. Drawing on Tradition examines religious aspects of the culture of manga and anime production and consumption through a methodological synthesis of narrative and visual analysis, history, and ethnography. Rather than merely describing the incidence of religions such as Buddhism or Shinto in these media, Jolyon Baraka Thomas shows that authors and audiences create and re-create "religious frames of mind" through their imaginative and ritualized interactions with illustrated worlds. Manga and anime therefore not only contribute to familiarity with traditional religious doctrines and imagery, but also allow authors, directors, and audiences to modify and elaborate upon such traditional tropes, sometimes creating hitherto unforeseen religious ideas and practices.

The book takes play seriously by highlighting these recursive relationships between recreation and religion, emphasizing throughout the double sense of play as entertainment and play as adulteration (i.e., the whimsical or parodic representation of religious figures, doctrines, and imagery). Building on recent developments in academic studies of manga and anime--as well as on recent advances in the study of religion as related to art and film--Thomas demonstrates that the specific aesthetic qualities and industrial dispositions of manga and anime invite practices of rendition and reception that can and do influence the ways that religious institutions and lay authors have attempted to captivate new audiences.

Drawing on Tradition will appeal to both the dilettante and the specialist: Fans and self-professed otaku will find an engaging academic perspective on often overlooked facets of the media and culture of manga and anime, while scholars and students of religion will discover a fresh approach to the complicated relationships between religion and visual media, religion and quotidian practice, and the putative differences between "traditional" and "new" religions.

Now available in a gorgeous hardcover slipcase edition, this "object d'art" will be sure to add grace and elegance to tea shelves, coffee tables and bookshelves. A keepsake enjoyed by tea lovers for over a hundred years, The Book of Tea Classic Edition will enhance your enjoyment and understanding of the seemingly simple act of making and drinking tea.

In 1906 in turn-of-the-century Boston, a small, esoteric book about tea was written with the intention of being read aloud in the famous salon of Isabella Gardner, Boston's most notorious socialite. It was authored by Okakura Kakuzo, a Japanese philosopher, art expert, and curator. Little known at the time, Kakuzo would emerge as one of the great thinkers of the early 20th century, a genius who was insightful, witty--and greatly responsible for bridging Western and Eastern cultures. Okakura had been taught at a young age to speak English and was more than capable of expressing to Westerners the nuances of tea and the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

In The Book of Tea Classic Edition, he discusses such topics as Zen and Taoism, but also the secular aspects of tea and Japanese life. The book emphasizes how Teaism taught the Japanese many things; most importantly, simplicity. Kakuzo argues that tea-induced simplicity affected the culture, art and architecture of Japan.

Nearly a century later, Kakuzo's The Book of Tea Classic Edition is still beloved the world over, making it an essential part of any tea enthusiast's collection. Interwoven with a rich history of Japanese tea and its place in Japanese society is a poignant commentary on Asian culture and our ongoing fascination with it, as well as illuminating essays on art, spirituality, poetry, and more. The Book of Tea Classic Edition is a delightful cup of enlightenment from a man far ahead of his time.

WINNER OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE

"[A] suspense-filled page-turner." --Viet Thanh Nguyen, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for The Sympathizer

"A touching portrait of two families bound together by a split-second decision." --Attica Locke, Edgar-Award winning author of Bluebird, Bluebird

A Best Book of the Year
Wall Street Journal * Chicago Tribune * Buzzfeed * South Florida Sun-Sentinel * Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel * Book Riot * LitHub

A powerful and taut novel about racial tensions in Los Angeles, following two families--one Korean-American, one African-American--grappling with the effects of a decades-old crime

In the wake of the police shooting of a black teenager, Los Angeles is as tense as it's been since the unrest of the early 1990s. But Grace Park and Shawn Matthews have their own problems. Grace is sheltered and largely oblivious, living in the Valley with her Korean-immigrant parents, working long hours at the family pharmacy. She's distraught that her sister hasn't spoken to their mother in two years, for reasons beyond Grace's understanding. Shawn has already had enough of politics and protest after an act of violence shattered his family years ago. He just wants to be left alone to enjoy his quiet life in Palmdale.

But when another shocking crime hits LA, both the Park and Matthews families are forced to face down their history while navigating the tumult of a city on the brink of more violence.

Bloodlust is in the air--and plenty of real blood too! Shalltear is on the hunt, but she may not like what she finds. Ainz sent her out for information, but when Blood Frenzy activates, the time for talk is over. Can anyone, undead or alive, put an end to her reign of terror...?

The untold story of Sherlock Holmes' greatest rival, Moriarty!

Before he was Sherlock's rival, Moriarty fought against the unfair class caste system in London by making sure corrupt nobility got their comeuppance. But even the most well-intentioned plans can spin out of control--will Moriarty's dream of a more just and equal world turn him into a hero...or a monster?

William James Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes meet again on a train back to London, and a dead body is discovered in a locked passenger cabin. With John Watson named as the prime suspect, Sherlock challenges Moriarty to a contest of who can solve the murder first. Will Sherlock be able to clear Watson's name? Back in London, a state secret that only the royal family is privy to has been stolen and MI6 is tasked with retrieving it, lest the whole empire fall into ruin! Meanwhile, Sherlock is visited by the king of Bohemia, who asks him to cover up a recent scandal...

An old pond;
a frog jumps in:
the sound of water
-- Basho

This comprehensive introduction to Japan's best-loved haiku poets is the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn about haiku. Compiled and with commentary by renowned author and translator William Scott Wilson, the book features 26 poets and 550 haiku, exquisitely translated. Wilson takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the works of the major Japanese poets from the fifteenth century up to the present.

The poets include Basho, Shiki, Buson and Issa (the "Great Four") along with other well-known practitioners of the genre such as Ryokan, Kikaku and Chora. Wilson gives his own brand-new renditions of poems that are already known as classics, and also shares with us the delightful work of a number of poets who are rarely found in English translation, such as six female poets including Chiyojo and Hisajo, as well as novelist Natsume Soseki, who, unbeknown to many, also wrote haiku.

The book is divided into sections, each starting with a 2-4 page introduction to each poet, followed by a selection of that poet's haiku, in Japanese script and English translation. Online audio files are available with recordings of the poems in both English and Japanese.

The award-winning manga that inspired the anime My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999

Sometimes love is like an endgame boss.

College student Akane has just been dumped by her boyfriend. Heartbroken, she decides to quit the online RPG they used to play together--but instead of deleting her account, she logs in and battles low-level enemies to relieve her stress and hurt feelings. There she meets Yamada, an elite pro gamer so reclusive that Akane can't decide if he's awkward or alluring.

When Akane encounters her ex at a gaming convention, she makes the snap decision to pretend Yamada is her boyfriend, and soon the two of them are spending time together both in the game and in real life. The problem is, Yamada is only interested in the game. As Akane's feelings grow, will Yamada's focus shift?

Volume 1 includes Chapters 1-9.

Usato and the gang set off on a journey to the deliver King Lloyd's letters to every country on the continent. Their first stop is the wizardry city of Luqvist and its prestigious magic school, which boasts talented students from across the land. What will Usato do when he meets a student who possesses magical sight and a healer who is a victim of bullying?!

Seventeen years after the original Cardcaptor Sakura manga ended, CLAMP returns with more magical clow card adventures!

Tick Tock, Tick Tock...

Yuna D. Kaito can use magic to control time. Does Akiho know? Is she part of his schemes? Sakura isn't sure, but her heart tells her to let Akiho come to her when she's ready. Then things get even more complicated when she and Akiho get cast in the leading roles for the school play! Where will the twin Alices' journeys take them now...?