The American Outsider

by Homa Pourasgari

Overview

"She had gone to Taiji to help save the dolphins; in the end, it was the dolphins who had saved her."

Tessa Walker is a veterinarian with a strong, emotional connection to animals. As a teen, she witnessed the brutal slaughter of dolphins, and as an adult, she decides to do something about it. She leaves her home in Los Angeles and travels to Japan to speak out for them, but little does she know that she is embarking on an adventure that will change her life forever. From the urban metropolis of Tokyo to the historic Kyoto to the culinary city of Osaka, and the seaside town of Taiji, Tessa is determined to help Japanese activists stand up for her beloved mammals.

Along the way, the friendships and bonds that she builds with people in Japan, and the unconditional love of a stranger named Toshiro, open her eyes to a complicated society of conventions and traditions. Yet, her limited knowledge of the language and customs doesn't deter her from taking on a dangerous mission that could land her in jail.

"A charming read with characters who come to life on the page—and who live for a cause whose urgency shines through the story." –Booklife Review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780977978038
Publisher:	Linbrook Press
Publication date:	01/23/2023
Pages:	348
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.78(d)

About the Author

Born in Tehran, Iran, Homa Pourasgari spent hours in her father's home office, writing, reading and letting her imagination carry her to unseen worlds. She moved to United States at a young age. After graduating from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in business, she left for Paris to study literature at the Sorbonne. Her first book, Lemon Curd, was nominated Forward Magazine’s Book of the Year Award finalist. Her second book, The Dawn of Saudi, won Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award. She lives in Los Angeles, California. When she is not writing, she is stumbling, miming and pointing to find her way in a foreign country. Her latest novel, The American Outsider, is based on her travels to Japan.

Editorial Reviews

12/05/2022

Centered on an American animal rights activist, the third novel from Pourasgari (The Dawn of Saudi) is a charming read with characters who come to life on the page—and who live for a cause whose urgency shines through the story. Tessa Walker is a veterinarian on a visit to Japan who wishes to combine her vacation with some activism in support of animals. She meets Toshiro Yokoyama, the lazy son of a rich businessman, and much against her better judgment starts to feel something for him. His willingness to play tour guide ensures they spend some great time together. A skilled scuba diver, Tessa, with the help of Japanese activists, films the slaughter of the dolphins at Taiji to spread awareness of the massacre, risking her life and drawing the attention of the authorities.

Pourasgari retains the interest of the reader till the end, weaving Tessa’s activism and her reluctant love for Toshiro into an interesting narrative while evoking the conflict between the traditional members of Japanese society and those with a more modern and liberal outlook through the relationship between Toshiro and his father. The plot turns on an accident and an instance of short-term memory loss, a familiar justification in romance stories for keeping couples separated, and at times the narrative edges into travelogue, slowing the momentum.

Tessa, of course, is attempting to make changes in a society that’s not her own, and The American Outsider faces the question of why, when her own country allows so much inhumane treatment of animals, this gaijin travels across the world to protest. Throughout the story, as she risks prosecution and even imprisonment, Tessa makes new discoveries about Japan and its culture, while Toshiro likewise learns much that he never expected, about her past, her passion, the depth of feeling of dolphins—and about himself. Tessa’s commitment to the welfare of all of Earth’s creatures will inspire animal lovers.

Takeaway: The engaging story of an animal rights activist bringing her cause to Japan and finding romance.

Great for fans of: Fiona Mountain’s Lady of the Butterflies, Deb Olin Unferth’s Barn 8.

Production grades Cover: A- Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: A Marketing copy: A

BookLife Reviews