The name Kawamata Chiaki, right now, doesn't mean much to many American readers. The University of Minnesota Press, having just published "Death Sentences," is trying to change that. The book comes with a William Gibson blurb, "A hardboiled, sharply surreal fable about the power of the written word." This is sci-fi meets police detective meets horror in a traditionally unorthadox Japanese manner.
Chiaki was kind enough to personalize some bookplates for the American audience. In the photos above you can see one of these far from pedestrian items with his script down in fine, black, ink. The note he sent to the press included the modern and ancient characters which mean 'dream' and 'nightmare.' They are very cool.
Thanks go to Erik Anderson at the University of MN Press for sharing this backstory with me and getting us bookplates. We have one inserted in all of our copies and have a few extra if anyone would like one.
Score another win for physical objects and handmade art.
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