is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 writer. He began his career as a novelist by describing himself as sayoku (left-wing). In his works, he often refers to the Emperor and to the Japanese Royal Family. Recently, he began to write poems.

Biography

Shimada won the Noma Bungei Award for First Novels in 1984 for his Muyu Okoku No Tame No Ongaku (Music for the Kingdom of Somnambulism). He has taught at Columbia University

Columbia University

Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...

.

Yumetsukai or The Dream Messenger is one of his more popular novels. It was written in 1989 and translated to English by Philip Gabriel in 1994. The back reads:
"Mrs. Amino is a kindly rich woman who holds a fallen novelist captive. Maiko Rokujo is a beautiful securities broker hired to play a private detective. And Matthew is a transcontinental 'rental child,' a professional friend whose dreams come into the lives of all those he touches.

In a novel that breaks down barriers in contemporary fiction and races across boundaries of culture and even reality, Masahiko Shimada weaves an erotic, riotous, and consistently entertaining tale of life in the two most fantastic cities in the world. Dream Messenger, at once hip and wise, follows a varied cast of characters—sirens and sinners, outcasts and insiders—bound together by a mother's search for her missing son. Introducing an internationally acclaimed young Japanese writer, Dream Messenger is for those seeking a fresh new voice and exhilarating adventure in the postmodern age."

The English translation has been reviewed by the International Herald Tribune

International Herald Tribune

The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...

, the New York Times Book Review, The Times Literary Supplement

The Times Literary Supplement

The Times Literary Supplement is a weekly literary review published in London by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation.-History:...

, Booklist

Booklist

Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...

, Library Journal

Library Journal

Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...

, and Locus

Locus (magazine)

Locus, subtitled "The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field", is published monthly in Oakland, California. It reports on the science fiction and fantasy publishing field, including comprehensive listings of all new books published in the genre. It is considered the news organ and trade...

.

Dream Messenger deals extensively with themes of love, loss, consciousness/personality, and the state of the modern Japanese culture and how it relates to America and the world as a whole. There are self referential aspects, as well as the inclusion of himself as a minor character.

External links

• Interview with Shimada