From Onsen Mishaps to Love Hotel Lessons: Alia Luria’s GERI O SHIMASU Brings Laughs, Cringe, and Cultural Chaos
Strap in, awkward travelers and cultural misfits. Alia Luria’s GERI O SHIMASU: ADVENTURES OF A BAKA GAIJIN ($19.95, ISBN 978-1-963115-54-3) is your hilariously candid passport to 2008 Japan, where the author fumbles through etiquette disasters, language gaps, and the occasional questionable meal—armed only with self-awareness and a willingness to laugh at herself.
In this memoir, Luria captures the weird, wonderful, and sometimes mortifying reality of being a total outsider. From public baths to packed trains, from culinary surprises to the bizarre romance of love hotels, each story blends humor with sharp reflection on belonging, identity, and the universal awkwardness of being human.
"Blunt, occasionally gross, and always self-aware," says the publisher, GERI O SHIMASU is both a travelogue and a self-roast—perfect for readers who believe schadenfreude is best served with a side of sushi.
Early praise for GERI O SHIMASU:
"A wild, irreverent ride through the misadventures of a foreigner navigating life in Japan… brutally honest, often self-deprecating, and hilarious." — Literary Titan
"My favorite parts were misadventures with food etiquette and the quirks of daily life… Luria’s development from a ‘baka gaijin’ to someone with a sense of belonging is inspiring." — Readers’ Favorite
"A must-read for anyone traveling to Japan—learn from her mistakes instead of making them yourself." — LitPick Book Reviews
About the Author:
Alia Luria’s debut novel Compendium won multiple awards, including the National Indie Excellence Award in Fantasy. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and her work has appeared in Northwest Review, Toho Journal, and Wingless Dreamer.
