Showdown at Shinagawa

         Showdown at Shinagawa is a really fun book to read written by film maker Bill Zarchy as he travelled the world trying to communicate and work in many different cultures. I love reading about different cultures so this book was absolutely perfect for me. Each story is presented as if you’re sitting in Mr. Zarchy’s living room and he’s regaling you with everything that has happened during his visits. Each story starts with a few pictures which, unfortunately on my ereader, were too small for me to enjoy a whole lot. Then the author lets loose with all of the fun, insanity and hilarity that probably didn’t seem all that great at the time. The differences in the food seems to be a common thread as is the fact that Mr. Zarchy is far taller than any of people on the Asian continent. He also tells some tales about famous people, one guy a bit prickly and one very hospitable. A pleasant surprise were some of the links provided that led to the actual films that Mr. Zarchy helped make. The book is well formatted and edited for an ereader (except for the small photos which may have just been due to my ereader) and the cover tempted me to buy and delve into this wonderfully fun book. I would love to see a second volume if the author has more stories to tell.