Fiction. Asian American Studies. Winner of the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction selected by Jonis Agee. "Based on dire events in Japanese history and the key of folktale Mariko Nagai has written stories of a stark and unforgettable human landscape. War, imprisonment, hunger, and betrayals are in these timeless narratives. In the last story, drowning land, a young man who has spent his life sleeping and dreaming hears a voice whispering, It is time to wake up. The past has finally counted and enough change has come from his dreaming life to get him to act. Now, there is the possibility of release and change—of body, soul and mercy uniting with what is essential in order to grace communal life. This is a deeply thoughtful and beautifully written work"—Gioia Timpanelli.