small hardcover.

from the inside jacket:
According to ancient Japanese protocol, foreigners deigning to approach the emperor were to adopt a tone of fear and trembling. Terror and self-abasement conveyed respect. Amelie, our well-intentioned and eager young Western heroine in this new novel by Amelie Nothomb, goes to Japan to spend a year working at the Yumimoto Corporation. Returning to the land where she was born is the fulfillment of a dream for Amelie; working there turns into a comic nightmare. Poor Amelie can do nothing right. She starts at the bottom of the corporate ladder and immediately reveals a genius for working her way down. She delivers mail, serves tea, updates calendars, photocopies the same pages a thousand times; her job description, fluid at best, runs relentlessly downstream. But of Amelie's many failings and ill-advised breaches of protocol, the worst by far is becoming infatuated with her immediate superior, the beautiful, impeccable, and implacable Miss Mori.

*~*~*~*~*
A quick read - 132 pages. Similarities with The Devil Wears Prada (though published several years before Prada) - impossible-to-complete tasks asked by demanding and unreasonable bosses, constant demeaning behavior, and the trying to make the best of the situations, complete with a girl goes on to a writing career ending. Throw in a Japan vs Western world environment.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Added to ivylibra224's 3rd 1001 Books box.

I pulled this out of the bookbox and finished it in a couple of hours. A very amusing book. The author who is from Belgium makes the point that the office problems are due to the Japanese culture in general and their attitudes about women. I haven't read The Devil Wears Prada (I do have copy, it will be interesting to compare the 2 books.

Put back in ivylibra224's 3rd 1001 Books box.

Took out of Ivylibra224 1001 Book Box. Thanks for pitching it in waterfalling!

Very funny and quick read. I enjoyed the insight into Japanese culture. The poignancy of a woman of European heritage, born in Japan, but treated like an outsider by all, also comes through. There was a lot of humor, but also some heartbreak. I'm passing it on to my Japanese-obsessed daughter. When she's through, I'll offer it up for a ray.

2009 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE
2009 REDUCE MT. TBR CHALLENGE
#5 2009 KEEP THEM MOVING CHALLENGE

This one is going on a journey. Because it's so short, I'm asking that you keep it no more than 2 weeks. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. The line up so far is:

1. Goddess-Of-Fire - US
2. jaenelle - US (skipped)
3. flossie771 - US
4. mrsboknows - US
5. katrinat - UK
6. Wigglywoods - UK
7. lucy-lemon - UK
8. Danielle23 - UK
9. OnlyLiana - UK (skipped)
10. DryKid - UK <--STALLED HERE - my apologies to the rest of the list
11. Caroley - UK
12. Rosella05 - UK
13. Soffita1 - Portugal
14. Vilda - Sweden
15. Pellu - Finland
16. bearyfriend - Singapore (as last person in the ray, I hope you choose to donate the book to the 1001 library)

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This book is on the first leg of its journey as a ray. Hope you enjoy it!

This came this morning, and since it was so short I went ahead and read it. Though funny in some parts, most of the time I just felt kind of sorry for Amelie, and was rather irritated at the way she was treated. I admire Amelie's ability to take everything so well, I know I never would have never lasted a whole year.
Thanks for sharing! :)

-Update: PMed jaenelle twice with no response-- noticed that she has a note asking to be skipped on her shelf. PMing flossie771. 4-24-09

Book arrived safely....adding to my tbr. I will try to get to it soon.

I finished this book yesterday. I read the entire book in one sitting. It was a short read, but held my interest.
Thanks for sharing with me.
I've pmed the next in line for address.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed this book out today.

Arrived today. It is 4th in line TBR.

While parts of this book were funny, I found myself wondering what the point was. Had the book been much longer, I probably would have given up on it. Definitely not one of my favorites.

THank you, MarysGirl for sharing. I'll have the book moving to katrinat within the week.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to katrinat in UK. Thanks again for sharing!

Arrived Saturday, thanks for sending

Arrived Saturday, thanks for sending

What a strange little book, certainly unlike anything I have ever read not sure if I enjoyed it or not...hmmm?
Will be sent to Wigglywoods tomorrow

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sorry for keeping so long

I am late making this journal entry - huge apologies. This book arrived safely last week, I have a few rings to finish off before I get to it but will do so as soon as possible.

Short but interesting read, posting off to Lucy Lemon today.

Nothomb's novels are SO strange. But I really like them :-) This one I thought was really good, although possibly the strangest book I've read in the past couple of months. I thought the relationship between Amelie and Fubuki was really interesting too.

Thanks for sharing, I will send it on to Danielle as soon as possible.

Arrived safely today and as I have literally just finished thother bookray in my possession I will begin reading this immediately.

Thanks Lucy, I hope it's not too weird as it seems every book I've been reading lately has been weird xx

A really quick read that I enjoyed reading and it was quite funny in parts. It wasn't as weird as I thought either but I did feel really sorry for Amelie. I hope I never have to work in a place like that. Thanks for sharing and I hope to post this on in the next few days xx

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

As I have been unable to get in contact with OnlyLiana via PM and a message left in the forum, this book is now travelling to Drykid, the next in line for this book. I hope you enjoy it Tom xx