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| Hengistbury Head, photo by Lee Sherred |
Cultivating a Fuji (latest edition: January
2023) is the story of a loner and his struggles and successes in life. It’s set mostly in Bournemouth, a picturesque
seaside town on the south coast of England, and partly in London and Japan.
The main character, Martin, grew up in a
London suburb and loves living in Bournemouth. He takes long walks along the coast and
regards the sea as a friend – the only one he has. When he reaches crisis point and considers
putting an end to it all, he climbs to the very top of the cliff at Hengistbury
Head, having walked all the way there, and gazes down at the sea, way below.
Also in the story, Martin is sent to represent his company in Japan. He’s supposed to sell their software project and is ill-equipped to do so. But Japan is poles apart from the West, with features that help him. The strange and wonderful traditions he witnesses, the inherent shyness of the people he meets, and the fuji apple are some of those. When he gives his talk to the company, he has to pause after each sentence so that it can be translated and discussed. This gives him time to recover his wits before he has to deliver the next sentence. Later, he gets drunk on saké, which is more potent than he realises, but the drink helps him to overcome his fears when he’s forced to take part in karaoke. On a second trip to the country, he visits a deer park and sees, for the first time, that deer are not always timid creatures.
For Martin, London represents an unwanted return to the past. His memories of the capital, whether from home or from school, are generally unhappy. On two occasions, at Waterloo Station, he meets up with the past in the form of a particularly nasty former schoolboy. Martin isn’t one to gloat with schadenfreude, but readers might smile at the turn of events. The first of the two meetings is coincidental. The two young men drink coffee in the station and the scene reveals the changes that each has undergone since their school days, one for the better, the other for the worse. At the second meeting, the two now-middle-aged men venture outside the station, where they stop by the river to watch a street performance that must be a hoax. The other man, reflecting his own experiences, says, “Everyone plays tricks in some way.”
I’m lucky to have visited many places in the world, including those I’ve mentioned here. I grew up in London and have paid numerous visits to the city since moving away. I never lived in Bournemouth, but my parents moved there after I left home and I loved visiting them there. In 2013, we toured Japan as part of a group. The wonderful, exciting, packed trip left a lasting impression on me.
Also in the story, Martin is sent to represent his company in Japan. He’s supposed to sell their software project and is ill-equipped to do so. But Japan is poles apart from the West, with features that help him. The strange and wonderful traditions he witnesses, the inherent shyness of the people he meets, and the fuji apple are some of those. When he gives his talk to the company, he has to pause after each sentence so that it can be translated and discussed. This gives him time to recover his wits before he has to deliver the next sentence. Later, he gets drunk on saké, which is more potent than he realises, but the drink helps him to overcome his fears when he’s forced to take part in karaoke. On a second trip to the country, he visits a deer park and sees, for the first time, that deer are not always timid creatures.
For Martin, London represents an unwanted return to the past. His memories of the capital, whether from home or from school, are generally unhappy. On two occasions, at Waterloo Station, he meets up with the past in the form of a particularly nasty former schoolboy. Martin isn’t one to gloat with schadenfreude, but readers might smile at the turn of events. The first of the two meetings is coincidental. The two young men drink coffee in the station and the scene reveals the changes that each has undergone since their school days, one for the better, the other for the worse. At the second meeting, the two now-middle-aged men venture outside the station, where they stop by the river to watch a street performance that must be a hoax. The other man, reflecting his own experiences, says, “Everyone plays tricks in some way.”
I’m lucky to have visited many places in the world, including those I’ve mentioned here. I grew up in London and have paid numerous visits to the city since moving away. I never lived in Bournemouth, but my parents moved there after I left home and I loved visiting them there. In 2013, we toured Japan as part of a group. The wonderful, exciting, packed trip left a lasting impression on me.
about the book … 
Convinced that his imperfect, solitary existence is the best it will
ever be, Martin unexpectedly finds himself being sent to represent his company
in Japan. His colleagues think it’s a
joke; his bosses are certain he will fail. What does Martin think? He simply does what he’s told. That’s how he’s survived up to now – by hiding
his feelings.
Gradually, as you’ll see when Martin looks back from near the end of his journey, life improves. There’s even a woman, Fiona, who brings her own baggage to the relationship, but brightens Martin’s days. And just when you think there can be no more surprises, another one pops up.
Throughout his life, people have laughed at ‘weirdo’ Martin; and you, as you read, will have plenty of opportunity to laugh, too. Go ahead, laugh away, but you’ll find that there’s also a serious side to all this…
Gradually, as you’ll see when Martin looks back from near the end of his journey, life improves. There’s even a woman, Fiona, who brings her own baggage to the relationship, but brightens Martin’s days. And just when you think there can be no more surprises, another one pops up.
Throughout his life, people have laughed at ‘weirdo’ Martin; and you, as you read, will have plenty of opportunity to laugh, too. Go ahead, laugh away, but you’ll find that there’s also a serious side to all this…
about the author … Miriam Drori was born and
brought up in London and now lives with her husband and one of three grown-up
children in Jerusalem.
Social anxiety features in Miriam's latest publications. Social Anxiety Revealed is a non-fiction guide that explores this common but little-known disorder from multiple points of view. The book has been highly recommended by ‘sufferers’ as well as professionals in this field. Cultivating a Fuji is the story of a fictional character who battles against social anxiety before learning to make friends with it. Style and the Solitary, a crime novel, asks an important question: what happens when a suspect can't stick up for himself?
When not writing, Miriam enjoys reading, hiking, dancing and touring.
Social anxiety features in Miriam's latest publications. Social Anxiety Revealed is a non-fiction guide that explores this common but little-known disorder from multiple points of view. The book has been highly recommended by ‘sufferers’ as well as professionals in this field. Cultivating a Fuji is the story of a fictional character who battles against social anxiety before learning to make friends with it. Style and the Solitary, a crime novel, asks an important question: what happens when a suspect can't stick up for himself?
When not writing, Miriam enjoys reading, hiking, dancing and touring.
You can get her books from Amazon
Angela, thank you so much for featuring me and my book on your lovely blog.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. 🙂
DeleteSounds like a story I need to read. Thanks for telling us about it, ladies.
ReplyDelete