Yakuza Moon（極道な月）by Tendo Shoko
A book that made me cry at the last chapter. Something that don't usually happens. Shoko Tendo's Yakuza Moon is a memoir of herself growing up under a yazuka household and her strings of ill-encounters of life (dealing with drugs, thinner, physical abuse, bad lovers) that most only see or hear on newspaper.
I can't put the hardcover book down upon reading it and easily finished the 181 pages within 6 hours or so.
This translation is based on the Japanese version of the book under the title, Yakuzana Tsuki (2004). Louise Heal has done a good job in translating this and the hardcover design is amazing. Also, I really like the little thing from publisher Kodansha International to include a simple black bookmark to accompany the book. The paper quality of the book makes reading more pleasurable.
This memoirs of a gangster's daughter is thoroughly worth it and it will give you a glimpse of Shoko's turbulent ex-life. The reader as well as the author came out stronger. Thank you, Shoko !
This is the hardcover book without jacket. Black and white design is the tattoo on Shoko's back. This is Jigoku Dayu, the number one courtesan in the Muromachi era.
