The Heart of Japan (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781834320212)

Originally from the UK, Lesley Hebert is a retired teacher of English as a second language. She has travelled extensively through Europe, the Americas and Asia, and is fascinated with languages and culture. Her travel articles, poetry and award-winning short stories have appeared online and in print publications including Canadian Stories, Beyond Words, The First Line, Parabola and several anthologies. She lives with her husband Mike and Sheba the cat in New Westminster, British Columbia.

When Lesley Hebert and her husband travel to Japan with their son and his young family, she hopes their shared journey will bring her closer to her reserved Japanese daughter-in-law. She reconnects with old friends in the countryside, travels to Tokyo for a special family celebration, and meets her daughter-in-law's extended family in Fukushima and tours Kyoto, Uji and Nara. She meets fascinating characters and discovers how tradition co-exists with modern Japanese life. But although she journeys into the heart of Japan, its true nature remains as elusive as the heart of her daughter-in-law.

Lesley Hebert's ... memoir hits all the sweet notes with fine cuisine, travel conundrums, and peculiar foreign adventures combined with family dynamics. An excellent read.

• Ric 'Writeric' Perron

The Heart of Japan takes me on an exotic journey around an intriguing country. Hebert puts me right there with family and friends who involve her in authentic Japanese experiences, tasting delicious food, riding crowded trains and seeing beautiful temples. Thanks to Hebert's clear descriptions, I get to know a culture completely different from mine. This book is a gem!

• Susan Lundahl