Restless Wave, Haru Matsui (pseudonym of Ayako Ishigaki)
First edition, first printing
First printing of the first English-language book written by a Japanese woman. Restless Wave, published in 1940 under Ishigaki's pen name of Haru Matsui, is a semi-autobiographical memoir detailing Ishigaki's coming of age in a privileged Japanese family and her rebellion against strict codes of women's behavior. She also describes her political awakening that led her to flee Japan for the United States and that would lead her to become an internationally renowned activist for social justice, peace and women's rights. Widely praised in the US, the book's strong critiques of Japanese society and militarism also brought Ayako negative attention from the Japanese government. The book also led to a friendship between the author and Pearl S. Buck, who reviewed Restless Wave positively and invited Ayako to contribute to Asia magazine. After her death in 1996, Restless Wave was hailed as a “lost Asian American treasure.”
New York: Modern Age Books, 1940. Near fine. Traces of shelfwear, owner's name to flyleaf else clean. Uncommon.
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