The book
A symphony of interconnected lives that offers a compelling reflection on life in modern-day metropolises at the intersection of isolation and intimacy.
Set over several nights, between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., in and around Tokyo, this mind-blowingly constructed book is an elaborate, energetic fresco of human nocturnal existence in all its mystery, an enigmatic literary mix of Agatha Christie, Teju Cole, and Heironymous Bosch.
On this journey through the labyrinthine streets and hidden corners of one of the world’s most fascinating cities, everybody is searching for something, and maybe searching in the wrong places. Elements of the fantastical and the surreal abound, as they tend to do in the early pre-dawn hours of the morning, yet the settings, the human stories, and each character’s search are all as real as can be.
Goodnight Tokyo offers readers a unique and intimate take on Tokyo as seen through the eyes of a large cast of colorful characters. Their lives, as disparate and as far apart as they may seem, are in fact intricately interconnected and as their fates converge against the backdrop of the city’s neon-lit streets and quiet alleyways, Yoshida masterfully portrays in captivating, lyrical prose the complexities of human relationships, the mystery of human connection, and the universal quest for meaning.
The author
Atsuhiro Yoshida
Born in Tokyo in 1962, Atsuhiro Yoshida is an award-winning book designer and a renowned author who has published more than 40 books. Goodnight Tokyo has been translated into French and German and was featured in Germany's 2022 Hotlist among the top ten books from independent publishing houses.
Press
- Jul 29 2024
“Tokyo is undoubtedly a city full of wonder, and Goodnight Tokyo is a little window through which to see it.”
— Asian Review of Books - Jul 9 2024
“A portrait of Tokyo, of course, but really humanity.”
— Parade - Jul 8 2024
“A seamless tapestry.”
— Electric Literature - Jul 8 2024
“Rewards are plentiful.”
— Financial Times - Jul 1 2024
★ “A quiet slice-of-night-life novel.”
— Foreword Reviews - Jun 18 2024
“The surprising and mysterious ways we affect each other.”
— Bustle