GAIL TSUKIYAMA
Vitals
Born: In San Francisco in 1950 to a Chinese mother and Japanese father
Raised: In the Bay Area
Earned: Her master's degree at San Francisco State University, where she now teaches creative writing
Studied: Poetry with another Bee Book Club author, Frances Mayes
Resides: In El Cerrito
Club selection
"The Samurai's Garden," by Gail Tsukiyama, takes place on the eve of World War II.
Stephen, the son of a Chinese businessman, is sent to his family's home in Japan to recover from tuberculosis. There, he is tended to by Matsu, the caretaker.
Matsu is a quiet man with a samurai's soul who he is devoted to doing good. As he recuperates, Stephen learns Matsu's secrets and his devotion to Sachi, a woman with leprosy.
"The Samurai's Garden" (St. Martin's Griffin, $11.95) was the Bee Book Club selection for September 1998.
"Like a bonsai, this book has been crafted, not written," wrote one reader on Amazon.com. "Enjoy for yourself, and see if you don't pass it on."
Published works
Noteworthy
Word of mouth briefly propelled "The Samurai's Garden" to the Northern California Best Seller's list.
Related links
