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Fish Town
"For years my life had been a string of temporary work in factories and call centres or unemployed. Approaching 30 and disillusioned with life in Glasgow, I sold everything I had and left for a new life in a remote fishing village in Japan. I knew nothing of the language or the strange new land that I would call home for the next seven years. Fish Town is an eye-opening true story that paints the reality of living in Japan as an outsider."
John's debut memoir, written entirely on his phone, reads like a book of poetry or perhaps a long text message. This gifted writer captures the experience of a Scottish man living in Japan - with humor, wit, honesty, and by all means without an ounce of political correctness.
John's debut memoir, written entirely on his phone, reads like a book of poetry or perhaps a long text message. This gifted writer captures the experience of a Scottish man living in Japan - with humor, wit, honesty, and by all means without an ounce of political correctness.
- GenresNonfiction
214 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2021
About the author
John Gerard Fagan
2 books5 followersJohn Gerard Fagan is a Scottish writer from Muirhead. He has published almost 100 short stories, poems, essays, and articles in Scots, Scottish Gaelic and English.
Fish Town is his debut memoir, released on April 28th 2021 by Guts Publishing, about leaving everything behind to start a new life in a fishing port in Japan.
Fish Town is his debut memoir, released on April 28th 2021 by Guts Publishing, about leaving everything behind to start a new life in a fishing port in Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 25, 2022
This debut from Glaswegian writer (and former classmate of mine) is an insightful and unique mixture of evocative prose-poems and autobiography. Fagan manages to distil a momentous period—leaving Glasgow to teach English in a small Japanese fishing village—into short, meaningful pieces, and captures a strong sense of sadness and alienation. There are parallels here with the Japanese haiku, the art of packing meaningful imagery into the teensiest of syllables, and vibrant portraits of nature. The experience of utterly uprooting yourself and surviving in a completely alien culture for so long is a fascinating one, and this gentle, unflinchingly honest, and original anti-memoir brings the goods.
June 11, 2021
Fish Town by John Gerard Fagan is a unique and experimental memoir structured in the form of short poetic snapshots that make it easily digestible, succinct, and unputdownable. Fagan reflects on his time living in Japan, and the initial culture shock he felt as a Scotsman integrating into Japanese society whilst trying to find stability in his life. He centres his narrative around estrangement, loneliness and a feeling of displacement; articulately depicting how most feel in their 20s and 30s when searching for a sense of belonging.
Amidst the realities of finding a purpose and stable employment in the face of a recession, Fish Town has it’s humorous moments too (often stemming from language barriers and culture differences), providing a lift of tone which replicates the ups and downs of Fagan’s time in Japan. A particularly funny instance is when Fagan is roped into dressing up as Santa for a group of Japanese children, where he finds himself having to dance and perform magic tricks.
The idiosyncrasy of Fish Town’s structure lends itself to Fagan’s poignant and observant writing. As a reader we are provided with an overview of his timeline in Japan, whilst simultaneously dipping into specific moments that are written with such careful detail that we see, feel, and experience everything Fagan did with acute vividness.
A thought-provoking, devastating and yet simultaneously heart-warming read that is definitely worth picking up!
Amidst the realities of finding a purpose and stable employment in the face of a recession, Fish Town has it’s humorous moments too (often stemming from language barriers and culture differences), providing a lift of tone which replicates the ups and downs of Fagan’s time in Japan. A particularly funny instance is when Fagan is roped into dressing up as Santa for a group of Japanese children, where he finds himself having to dance and perform magic tricks.
The idiosyncrasy of Fish Town’s structure lends itself to Fagan’s poignant and observant writing. As a reader we are provided with an overview of his timeline in Japan, whilst simultaneously dipping into specific moments that are written with such careful detail that we see, feel, and experience everything Fagan did with acute vividness.
A thought-provoking, devastating and yet simultaneously heart-warming read that is definitely worth picking up!
June 10, 2021
was discussing epistemology stories with an author the other day and this is a great example. Essentially a short autobiographical novella, based on a diary format but without dates. The entries were written on a phone. I don't know whether this is a planned literary sleight of hand or just happened that way, either way it works with this content. This leads to very minimalist, writing style that packs a punch in a straightforward manner. Unlike a lot of autobiographical books there is no embellishment or purple prose.
The narrative is stripped back to its soul, which reflects the author's experience of being a stranger, in a strange land. Not a word is wasted but you really feel the emotion behind the limited narrative.
Feeling a little lost in his native Scotland, the author sells up and decides to "go on an adventure!". He ends up as a TEFL teacher in a decaying fish-town in Japan However, unlike The Hobbit, there was no magical, thrilling escapade. The author endured, and I think endured is the correct word loneliness, isolation, mental ill health and an increasing drinking issue in a country that looks down on foreigners. You are in his shoes and it is a fascinating insight into an culture most of us will never see. A culture that holds "respect" and "honour" in high regard but can be extremely cruel.
Heart-breaking at times, sometimes funny, often surreal but never self pitying, you find yourself rooting for him and hoping that every turn of the page will see him turn the corner and find a place where he is happy. If you have a friend or relative who is considering moving lock, stock and barrel to a foreign culture with a foreign language, do them a huge favour and buy them this book. It is an eye opener.
I'm not going to tell whether our hero finds a place/person where his soul is happy and content. You'll have to read it for yourself and it is very, quick, easy read well worth it, whether or not you are thinking of travelling to the land of the rising sun.
The narrative is stripped back to its soul, which reflects the author's experience of being a stranger, in a strange land. Not a word is wasted but you really feel the emotion behind the limited narrative.
Feeling a little lost in his native Scotland, the author sells up and decides to "go on an adventure!". He ends up as a TEFL teacher in a decaying fish-town in Japan However, unlike The Hobbit, there was no magical, thrilling escapade. The author endured, and I think endured is the correct word loneliness, isolation, mental ill health and an increasing drinking issue in a country that looks down on foreigners. You are in his shoes and it is a fascinating insight into an culture most of us will never see. A culture that holds "respect" and "honour" in high regard but can be extremely cruel.
Heart-breaking at times, sometimes funny, often surreal but never self pitying, you find yourself rooting for him and hoping that every turn of the page will see him turn the corner and find a place where he is happy. If you have a friend or relative who is considering moving lock, stock and barrel to a foreign culture with a foreign language, do them a huge favour and buy them this book. It is an eye opener.
I'm not going to tell whether our hero finds a place/person where his soul is happy and content. You'll have to read it for yourself and it is very, quick, easy read well worth it, whether or not you are thinking of travelling to the land of the rising sun.
June 9, 2021
At first approach, what hits you about this book is its layout. It is a book of poetry, a memoir narrated through a series of episodes in free-verse, which – as I was reading – sounded not unlike prose. I say it sounded like prose because, for my own personal limitations, I always feel lost in a maze when reading poetry. I am glad it did not happen. I knew exactly what the author was trying to convey at all times, I felt never lost, never as if language was swamping me, not helping understand what was happening. Of course, this is something which I absolutely adored. I could understand the depth of the emotions he was trying to convey with no difficulties, language was not a barrier in between me and the narrative. Experimental memoir is an apt description for a book that plays with genre and language. Also, as the annoying English Lit student I am, I love the thrill of experimentation and reading something which looks new.
The story is quite simple, as it is a memoir of the author’s six years living in Japan, tackling very complex themes. Among these we find depression, loneliness, heartbreak, homesickness, fear as you try to make sense of your life in your late 20s/early 30s, as you try to create a space for yourself. This is all even more difficult when you are miles and miles away from your loved ones, in a place that is completely different from where you grew up, and which is taking from you and giving back to you at the same time.
Some of the snippets had me laughing until I teared up, such as when the narrator found himself having to double in as Santa in a way-too-small costume, making magic tricks and dancing for an audience of children. Some built up a certain exhilaration, that feeling of confidence that everything is going brilliantly, until you are dramatically brought back to earth, leaving you feeling the depth of his disappointment. Such as when you are absolutely acing a game of football, to then be taken out of the pitch. At the far end of the spectrum there are those episodes which had me stop reading, taking a break, coming back to them because it was hard to take distance from the way the author felt. However – no matter how sad – beautiful words always get you in a very special way. Loneliness is a thread throughout the whole narrative, having to celebrate your birthday on your own in your room, seeing the people who visit you hop on a plane and go back home, being betrayed by those whom you loved, waking up feeling awful and regretting a previous night’s decision. Despite this being a memoir, the very personal and subjective genre per excellence, I felt that it could speak – alas – to myself and so many people I know in a very specific and beautiful way.
And I am glad to say this because it is ultimately a ray of hope, which gets better and worse, better and worse, until it gets finally way better. It does not end on a sour note, it ends in a way that makes you understand that the bumpy road is bringing you somewhere, that there is hope that it will get better. I was told to put this book on top of my reading list, and I am begging you to do the same.
The story is quite simple, as it is a memoir of the author’s six years living in Japan, tackling very complex themes. Among these we find depression, loneliness, heartbreak, homesickness, fear as you try to make sense of your life in your late 20s/early 30s, as you try to create a space for yourself. This is all even more difficult when you are miles and miles away from your loved ones, in a place that is completely different from where you grew up, and which is taking from you and giving back to you at the same time.
Some of the snippets had me laughing until I teared up, such as when the narrator found himself having to double in as Santa in a way-too-small costume, making magic tricks and dancing for an audience of children. Some built up a certain exhilaration, that feeling of confidence that everything is going brilliantly, until you are dramatically brought back to earth, leaving you feeling the depth of his disappointment. Such as when you are absolutely acing a game of football, to then be taken out of the pitch. At the far end of the spectrum there are those episodes which had me stop reading, taking a break, coming back to them because it was hard to take distance from the way the author felt. However – no matter how sad – beautiful words always get you in a very special way. Loneliness is a thread throughout the whole narrative, having to celebrate your birthday on your own in your room, seeing the people who visit you hop on a plane and go back home, being betrayed by those whom you loved, waking up feeling awful and regretting a previous night’s decision. Despite this being a memoir, the very personal and subjective genre per excellence, I felt that it could speak – alas – to myself and so many people I know in a very specific and beautiful way.
And I am glad to say this because it is ultimately a ray of hope, which gets better and worse, better and worse, until it gets finally way better. It does not end on a sour note, it ends in a way that makes you understand that the bumpy road is bringing you somewhere, that there is hope that it will get better. I was told to put this book on top of my reading list, and I am begging you to do the same.
May 6, 2021
Review to follow…
June 28, 2021
A big thanks to all of you who have read Fish Town and taken time to give it a wee review. And same to those who are currently reading it or marked it as to-read. Much appreciated.
August 15, 2021
I have enjoyed this unique memoir, the prose lives somewhere between poetry and random thoughts/memories that have been written down on scraps of paper. The whole book was actually written on a phone….imagine to size of his thumb muscles after this impressive feat. John Gerard Fagan (JGF) had got all the qualifications you are told you need to succeed in life and finds himself at a crossroads in his life, unable to get a job, factory work and call centres seem to be the only options he decides to go for the extreme option by moving to Japan to teach English….without knowing any Japanese.
JGF shares the culture shock he goes through, the mistakes he makes, the creepy perverts he notices, the utter $@!^”‘s he meets that try to get him in trouble at the schools and the wide range of alcohol he consumes. He meets a lot of fellow travellers trying to do the same thing as him, some hang in there and some are unable to cut it and head off home. This has to be one of the loneliest memoirs I’ve read, he is at his lowest when trapped in a town with nobody to talk to and the poems are full of that angst, but just when it starts to get you down JGF meets a friend and life is good, his humour kicks back in and even his accent starts to appear again.
I liked the balance of life in Japan that JGF shows us in this collection, so many books I’ve read only seem to share the polite and generous side of the people, JGF see’s the darker side of life, suicide, drunkenness, perverts, racism and the stressful lives of the salarymen, it was a bit of an eye opener for me. One of the most interesting subjects covered was home-sickness, I liked how it seamlessly moves from pining for Scotland to missing Japan once JGF decides to return home, you almost don’t realise that transition has happened.
Highlight of the collection was right near the end of the book “everyone else hasn’t a chance” a wonderful uplifting poem to finish off the book. Brilliant.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...
JGF shares the culture shock he goes through, the mistakes he makes, the creepy perverts he notices, the utter $@!^”‘s he meets that try to get him in trouble at the schools and the wide range of alcohol he consumes. He meets a lot of fellow travellers trying to do the same thing as him, some hang in there and some are unable to cut it and head off home. This has to be one of the loneliest memoirs I’ve read, he is at his lowest when trapped in a town with nobody to talk to and the poems are full of that angst, but just when it starts to get you down JGF meets a friend and life is good, his humour kicks back in and even his accent starts to appear again.
I liked the balance of life in Japan that JGF shows us in this collection, so many books I’ve read only seem to share the polite and generous side of the people, JGF see’s the darker side of life, suicide, drunkenness, perverts, racism and the stressful lives of the salarymen, it was a bit of an eye opener for me. One of the most interesting subjects covered was home-sickness, I liked how it seamlessly moves from pining for Scotland to missing Japan once JGF decides to return home, you almost don’t realise that transition has happened.
Highlight of the collection was right near the end of the book “everyone else hasn’t a chance” a wonderful uplifting poem to finish off the book. Brilliant.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...
June 10, 2021
A fascinating story that takes you somewhere you really don't anticipate going.
Really experimental form that after a couple of pages you easily immerse to and then realize and get amazed as its wonder.
Surprising, clever and intriguing.
Really experimental form that after a couple of pages you easily immerse to and then realize and get amazed as its wonder.
Surprising, clever and intriguing.
October 19, 2021
I flew through this in one day (and I'm not that kind of reader, generally.) The writing is stark, sparing, and often cuts to the bone. The author vividly captures the travails of isolation in an alien land. Friends of mine followed the author's path of TEFL in Japan and this book helped me to better understand their experiences. I myself could profoundly relate to the author's aimlessness at this time in his life - his search for meaning and for a sense of belonging.
This is a book I will long remember - candid, thought-provoking, and impactful.
This is a book I will long remember - candid, thought-provoking, and impactful.
December 31, 2021
I binge-read Fish Town in one morning. It's a brilliant prose poem / flash fiction-y memoir about a young Scotsman's experience scratching out a life in backwater Japan as an English teacher. Back in the 90s I was also a young Scotsman teaching English in post-Soviet Lithuania, so the book had a very personal resonance for me - the cultural dislocation, the alien education system, the alcohol-fuelled chaos on the weekends, and the rocky road to personal growth that comes from the mistakes that twentysomethings inevitably make. Easy to read in one go, or dip into when you have a spare moment, it's a unique, scathingly honest and memorable book. Highly recommended.
November 5, 2021
I really enjoyed John's book. Very entertaining. I particularly like the style it's written in perfect for reading on your phone on the way to work. Without giving anything away I think many people will relate to his struggles working in a foreign country. I know I did. Fish Town is funny and sad and entertaining. Get it downloaded on your personal electronic device and start reading it now. You'll thank me later. Highly recommended.
November 3, 2021
The wonder of this book is how such sparse prose paints such a huge technicolour picture.
This isn't a book to be read as much as it is to be absorbed by all the senses .
The writing is minimalist in the extreme and all the more powerful for it .
Like poetry it had a flow and rythym to it that was mesmerising .
I read it in one sitting , I was that absorbed .
I really don't have the vocabulary to describe how good this is so a) read some of the other more succinct reviews and b) read the book itself !
This isn't a book to be read as much as it is to be absorbed by all the senses .
The writing is minimalist in the extreme and all the more powerful for it .
Like poetry it had a flow and rythym to it that was mesmerising .
I read it in one sitting , I was that absorbed .
I really don't have the vocabulary to describe how good this is so a) read some of the other more succinct reviews and b) read the book itself !
April 22, 2023
Rounded down from 2.5 stars. Read this for my book club - and based on the description, I knew it wouldn't be my thing. I had read about half of the book when we had our meeting to discuss it. Hearing everyone else talk about it nearly convinced me that I liked it more than I initially thought, for instance since the style fit well as fleeting snapshots of memories. But once I got back to finishing this I still wasn't a fan and just finished it for the sake of it.
June 23, 2022
This is such an interesting and fresh book. To see Japan through the eyes of a young Scottish man is intriguing. The book has pace and also depth and quirkiness that kept me with the voice to the very end.
May 5, 2024
Probably not the best poetry I've ever read, but certainly entertaining. Simple prose in poetry format tells the story of a somewhat lost lad dealing with the mundane adventure of living abroad. A story in which I relate. Inspired me to pick the pen up again. Cheers!
August 4, 2022
Loved the style in which this book was written. Very personal and emotional. Didn’t want it to end.
April 11, 2023
Nice book, very quick read. Interesting writing style that captivated me, just wished it was a bit more detailed or longer - it's incredibly short & can be read in just a few hours.
June 21, 2024
I loved the style, easy and intense reading of a real-life experience from Glasgow to the middle of nowhere in Japan. John Gerard Fagan knows to bring us into the essence of true life situations.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews