The Resource Library

Here is a list of materials available to anyone in the group who would like to borrow them. To start with, it's just stuff from the Comstocks, but we're open to having anyone who wants to make any of their books, CDs, videos, etc. available adding to the list.

If you are interested in borrowing any of these, just email or call the owner and arrange to pick them up. Or arrange an exchange at one of our monthly meetings.

Be aware that some of the music samples are kinda' large, so if you click on "Sample" it may take a while to download, depending on your Internet connection speed.

Movies / Videos / DVDs
Title Publisher / Producer Owner Notes Status
Departures Yoojiroo Takita Netflix et al. 2009 Academy award winner, best foreign film Available
Shall We Dance Miramax (VHS) Comstocks The original, in Japanese with subtitles. Available
Dream World: Reflections on the Japanese Garden Smithsonian (VHS) Comstocks Quiet, reflective insights into the design of Japanese gardens. Available

CDs
Title Artist Owner Notes Status
Lapis Lazul Iruka Comstocks Kinda' folky, hippie, jazzy, rock-y collection
Sample
Available
Iruka Hits Iruka Comstocks More orchestral; mellow, pleasant
Sample
Available
Best Selection 16 Iruka Comstocks Wide variety of styles.
Sample
Available
Koto Junko Shigeta Comstocks Terrific instrumental work by Denver artists
Sample
Available
Innocent Satoko Ishimine Comstocks One of my favorite J-pop singers, pretty accessible
Sample
Available
Closet Satoko Ishimine Comstocks Very rock-y, wail-ing, edgy collection of songs. An
aquired taste, not for everyone. Sample
Available
Imagination Satoko Ishimine Comstocks Overall a lighter collection of music.
Sample
Available

Books and other publications - Fiction
Title Author Owner Notes Status
Gai-Jin James Clavell Comstocks Historical novel: merchants in Japan in the 1860's. Available
All She Was Worth Miyuki Miyabe Comstocks A young woman disappears; her fiance asks his uncle, a
retired detective, to track her down; but is she who she says she is?
Available
Audrey Hepburn's Neck Alan Brown Comstocks A rural Japenese young man moves to Tokyo and becomes
involved with two American ex-pats in surprising ways.
Available
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle Haruki Murakami Comstocks Book cover: "a detective story, an account of a disintegrating marriage,
and an excavation of the buried secrets of World War II"
Available
Memoirs of a Geisha Arthur Golden Comstocks Fiction, supposedly based on accounts from an actual Geisha,
the provenance is somewhat controversial; made into a movie.
Available
American Fuji Sara Backer Comstocks An American man comes to Japan to find out about his son's death.
He teams up with an American ex-pat woman as they unravel a story of illicit organ donation and the local yakuza.
Available
The Concubine's Tattoo Laura Joh Rowland Comstocks Detective story set in 1690 in Japan.
A bit of a bodice-ripper, but an interesting who-dun-it.
Available

Books and other publications - Japanese Language, Culture, and Travel
Title Author Owner Notes Status
Japanese in Action Jack Seward Comstocks Insights by an American ex-pat who has lived in Japan over 40 years
Heavy on language intricacies, but some perceptive insights into culture.
Available
The Donald Richie Reader Donald Richie Comstocks Insights by an American ex-pat who has lived in Japan over 50 years
Skip the longish introduction and get to the meat of the book.
Available
Confessions of a Yakuza Junichi Saga Comstocks Non-Fiction; Yakuza are the Japanese version of the mafia
Published in 1991
Available
Confucius Lives Next Door T. R. Reid Comstocks Non-Fiction; Life in Japan for a Washington Post bureau chief; he now lives here and has visited our church several times! Available
The Dolls of Japan The Japan Foundation Comstocks Stunning pictures with brief descriptions of various dolls and doll styles (16 pages) Available
Dave Barry Does Japan Dave Barry Comstocks Dave Barry travels to Japan; although a humor book, he hits the nail
on the head in a number of areas.
Available