Of Exile And Excess In Japan - Black Passenger Yellow Cabs

BLACK PASSENGER YELLOW CABS: An Erotic Ethnographic MemoirThis book is worth reading if one would like to understand the psyche of the third world. I read the two reviews which this book has received and realized that they just don't get it. Maybe one has to have seen where Stefhen grew up and understand the incredible, sheer luck it took to crawl out of such a hole and be able to write a memoir of his experiences.First of all, most Jamaican children are so beaten into submission for even showing curiosity about things outside their everyday existance that they never get in touch with their feelings at all. They don't even understand what a feeling is.
That this author could still access his feelings, write about them and eventually overcome his sex adiction, too is laudable.
I feel that the book could have been shorter. There are repetitions that could be edited out and I would have enjoyed more of the back story of how he got through therapy and got from Dunkirk, Kingston to Colorado, California, etc. But as an example of overcoming obstacles in a way that most people in the first world can't even begin to comprehend, it is a shining hope for others. The sexual experiences in the book are simply examples of his addiction, but if one reads through that to the sensitivity he shows in understanding the abuses the women went through to be so available to him and other western men is what makes it interesting. Much more of the world has these underlying abuses as part of their culture. The first world would be smart to pay more attention to what is being said in this book and others like it, which unwrap the brain and emotions of foreign cultures. Then maybe there would be a little understanding and less bumbling in their foreign relations. Some larger, more important countries seem to be totally out of touch on this issue.
Don't read this book for the sexual content, read it for the sensitivity it exhibits to two cultures not your own, but cultures that are valid nonetheless and reflect a large part of the population of the globe.

It's briefly covered in the book's introduction, but "Black Passenger, Yellow Cabs" is as much stories about one man's experiences in Japan as it is an in-depth look into some of the country's current social and political problems; specifically dealing with its treatment of women.

Because of the structure and organization, it's easy to read a couple of the early chapters and write the rest off as misogynistic - no more than a how-to-guide for rampant sex in Japan. However, I think that to do so is to ignore the message that Stefhen F.D. Bryant has about the country's underlying social problems creating an unhealthy living environment for women, one of mistreatment and neglect by government and spouses that enables such examples of sexual rampancy.

Probably there are many people who have negative perspective towards Westerners in Japan, because of men like this author who slept around there. So I assume there are some who want to oppose to this book. But I want to rate his honesty. And thanks to him, I could learn how Westerners view Japan and Japanese.

Certainly, a Westerner like him might be making a bad reputation for Western men in Japan in general. But this author made it clear from the beginning that he was (is?) a sex addict and not seeking a serious relationship. So those who to be blamed are not the author but the Japanese women who slept with him so easily.

As the author notes, there are some serious social issues in Japan. There are some Japanese women who are not satisfied with their current relationship with their Japanese partners. And that is true. But as a Japanese woman, I want to say all the readers that those frustrated women are just a part of us. They are not representing Japanese women as a whole.

Every perspective is develped from experience. And the author's perspective towards Japan and Japanese were developed from "his" (well, as he call himself "sex addict's") experience. That means, if you take a different path, you would develp a different perspective towards Japan and Japanese.

Narrative of the author's experience in Japan is very good. But as his anthropological analysis of Japan needs more development, I rate this book three stars. Anyway,it is worth reading. Very interesting and informative. This book might become an eye opener for Japanese. I recommend my Japanese friends to read it.

So where do I exactly begin? Lets see Bryan makes a point to tell the reader how he was sexually molested at a very young age in his native Jamaica which arguably led him to his sexual disorder later on in his adult life. His fixation with Asian women, particularly of Japanese origin, displays the authors enormous appetite for their genital parts. Somewhat, disturbing considering that the author ends up paying for 13 abortions and continues to brag about his conquest as well as his sexual skills.
I do give the author great kudos for being very informative in regards to the social/politico/economical aspect of Japan. The information certainly enlightened me to a great extent in areas I otherwise was uninformed of.

Living on the edge of self-discovery is painful, but everyone has to take the journey. Stefhan, from the slums of Jamaica, to rural and then urban Japan, takes you on his own journey from self-discovery to enlightenment. Told with courage and brutal honesty, it's a fascinating read. His life, from extremely humble beginnings, keeps evolving. Do give it a read!

And for the respect of all authors including this one, please read the whole tome before writing a review. Honor all those who have the courage and tenacity to publish their very own stories, in their own words and images, as they see fit.

Black Passenger Yellow Cabs. A very befitting title. Stefhan Bryan take you on a cultural journey. From Jamaica to the U.S.,Japan and Korea. It is his life journey and he tells the story brilliantly. The information he shares with his readers is mind-blowing and sometimes hard to digest.

His sexual addition to the yellow female leads him to starling revelations about the yellow culture and how that culture view the yellow female. Even though I came away with a few unanswered questions. I enjoyed reading Black Passenger Yellow Cabs. I recommend this book and is looking forward to his next publication. JULIAN BLOUNT, OAKLAND, CA

Stefan Bryan's book is breathtakingly honest. The titillation of his first-person tales of sexual encounters in Japan is well balanced by a thoughtful analysis of the social idiosyncrasies of that insular nation. Stefan's credibility as a writer is enhanced immeasurably by his unflinching insights into the demons of his own character. From Kingston's ghetto to UCLA to philanderer par excellence in Japan, Mr. Bryan juxtaposes a male-oriented, yet sensitive, erotic memoir against a surprising array of Japanese cultural neuroses.

Michael Ashburne
7/11/10

Anyone who has experienced what Stefan has experienced, specifically being a black foreigner in a foreign land, cannot ignore or refute the inherited tension, mystery, intrigue, fear and arousal that comes with being the first black foreigner to step into the lives of these curious women. For better or worse, like it or not, Stefan I believe fulfilled something in these women's lives that they needed at the time. I for one have had the exact same experience as Stefan, and i'm a little upset that he wrote his memoirs before I could write mine ;-) But seriously, any single foreign man who happened to be in Japan from the late 80's till about 2006 knows that there was something special in the air. Japan has never had a sexual revolution, so maybe this is it. This quiet, subtle, very Japanese sexual revolution that's happening between foreign men and Japanese women. I was glad to be a part of it, and thank God one of us had the brains to step away from the orgy for a moment and write about it, because it was (and in some cases still is) a great place to be for single western men.

The author begins with early childhood experiences while being raised in Jamaica.

He discusses relationships with his family, including his mother's strong religious beliefs.

He talks of living in a commune among 40 women, which was the prelude to his confident gab and healthy libido.

He also discussed reasons for his move to Japan.

He observed foreign culture and, at peace with himself, wrote a diary that evolved into this book.

The author provides invaluable perspective of Japanese sociocultural norms as an "outsider":

The author explains societal roles between Japanese men and women that will never be broadcast in mainstream media.

He also suggested that, despite the American perception of Japan as an advanced country, creative/free thinking is limited in Japan.

He also discusses the acculturation between Japanese and Americans.

He spoke of the Japanese women's curiosity of Black men - and his benefits.

Oh, he also talks about intimacy with Japanese women - which was copious (Playa Playa!).

As a reader, you are both surprised and impressed with the various storylines.

Sometimes, the vocabulary is a bit ostentatious -(steatopygic?) but that's why we have dictionaries.

Nevertheless, this book provides superb "Edutainment".

Stefen Bryan's focus on Japan through his book BPYC, is not merely a subculture issue, but covers in depth the hidden disease of Japanese society, like the inhibition of pleasure, high rate of abortion and sexless couples etc., as such, I find the work to be a new type of journalism that blends communication with entertainment and brutal academism.

Black Passenger Yellow Cabs is an amazing journey. Stefhen Bryan succeeds brilliantly in fusing erotic, reflective, and sociological narratives into one incredible memoir. If you think you know something about Japan, read this book. If you think you know something about addiction, read this book. If you think you know something about psychology, sociology, societal programming and how they really affect people's lives, read this book. And if you want to learn anything about any of the above from one of the most corporeal, first hand, and unique perspectives available, read this book now.

A friend of mine recommended the book, I thought they were joking when they said it exist but sure enough I found the book. Its not often that you find a book that gives so much detail. It was an amazing read.

I found a lot of the issues discussed very informative and quite honest. It has given me another perspective on Japanese culture and some of the problems that are not often discussed or ignored and also reaffirms other beliefs of my own or have heard or read from other sources about Japanese culture. However, these issues are not just exclusive to Japan, as the author discusses the similarities between Japan and Jamaica (where he was born) and his own struggles. I don't know what else to say, except to read the book for yourself. Although the book may come off as a "How to Guide" or "How Easy" it is to picking up Japanese women, it also serves to create awareness or re-assert the problems with Japanese culture that hasn't changed much at all for many centuries.

When you first begin reading you are trusted into the mind of the author, feeling as if you were with him from the start of his travels. Details are provided exactly where you would expect them, and told with words designed to take the reader to the event, and the imagination to a place of wonder.

I feel as if I should have paid more, much more for this masterpiece. It truly entertained me from start to finish. I haven't read a book for pleasure in many years, but I choose an excellent book to start back with. It will be the centerpiece of my new collection. The Organization of the book made reading and stopping very easy. Every topic had its own chapter. Stories were concluded and updates where shown to people mentioned earlier on. If you have any interest in compelling stories, that will ignite the imagination, give this book a try. I assure you, you will not be disappointed and sit there distraught that you have turned the last page.

I downloaded the free Kindle sample of this ethnographic masturbatory brag-fest. Got two pages in and couldn't stop laughing. Got four pages in and wanted to cut my eyes out. Turned two more pages before I realized that it wasn't an assignment and no one was paying me to read this torturous nonsense, so I did in fact not have to suffer it any further.

I deleted it immediately, lest the pretentiousness, awkward phrasing, misogyny and preposterous claims infect other perfectly good books through some mysterious digital osmosis, where books that have none of these qualities would somehow suck them out of this sample, or maybe the sample contained so much self-important bull$#!+ that it would burst forth and bathe every file around it in a slimy coating of ridiculousness.

Skip it, people. Unless you are looking for an example of what never to do when writing anything, of any style, ever. Or you want to hurt your brain. Or you are a woman looking for a prime example of misogyny.

I found a lot of the issues discussed very informative and quite honest. It has given me another perspective on Japanese culture and some of the problems that are not often discussed or ignored and also reaffirms other beliefs of my own or have heard or read from other sources about Japanese culture. However, these issues are not just exclusive to Japan, as the author discusses the similarities between Japan and Jamaica (where he was born) and his own struggles. I don't know what else to say, except to read the book for yourself. Although the book may come off as a "How to Guide" or "How Easy" it is to picking up Japanese women, it also serves to create awareness or re-assert the problems with Japanese culture that hasn't changed much at all for many centuries.

When you first begin reading you are trusted into the mind of the author, feeling as if you were with him from the start of his travels. Details are provided exactly where you would expect them, and told with words designed to take the reader to the event, and the imagination to a place of wonder.

I feel as if I should have paid more, much more for this masterpiece. It truly entertained me from start to finish. I haven't read a book for pleasure in many years, but I choose an excellent book to start back with. It will be the centerpiece of my new collection. The Organization of the book made reading and stopping very easy. Every topic had its own chapter. Stories were concluded and updates where shown to people mentioned earlier on. If you have any interest in compelling stories, that will ignite the imagination, give this book a try. I assure you, you will not be disappointed and sit there distraught that you have turned the last page.

I downloaded the free Kindle sample of this ethnographic masturbatory brag-fest. Got two pages in and couldn't stop laughing. Got four pages in and wanted to cut my eyes out. Turned two more pages before I realized that it wasn't an assignment and no one was paying me to read this torturous nonsense, so I did in fact not have to suffer it any further.

I deleted it immediately, lest the pretentiousness, awkward phrasing, misogyny and preposterous claims infect other perfectly good books through some mysterious digital osmosis, where books that have none of these qualities would somehow suck them out of this sample, or maybe the sample contained so much self-important bull$#!+ that it would burst forth and bathe every file around it in a slimy coating of ridiculousness.

Skip it, people. Unless you are looking for an example of what never to do when writing anything, of any style, ever. Or you want to hurt your brain. Or you are a woman looking for a prime example of misogyny.

This was well worth the money and also well worth reading,this is an excellent book,that deals with sex and culture.The Author has done a very great job expressing his desires in this book!!! all stars from me.

When you first begin reading you are trusted into the mind of the author, feeling as if you were with him from the start of his travels. Details are provided exactly where you would expect them, and told with words designed to take the reader to the event, and the imagination to a place of wonder.

I feel as if I should have paid more, much more for this masterpiece. It truly entertained me from start to finish. I haven't read a book for pleasure in many years, but I choose an excellent book to start back with. It will be the centerpiece of my new collection. The Organization of the book made reading and stopping very easy. Every topic had its own chapter. Stories were concluded and updates where shown to people mentioned earlier on. If you have any interest in compelling stories, that will ignite the imagination, give this book a try. I assure you, you will not be disappointed and sit there distraught that you have turned the last page.

I really enjoyed this unique view of Japan's inner working through the eye of our sex addicted Jamaican author. It was very eye opening and thought provoking.Despite some of the previous negative comments, this book is low on pretense yet high on candor . I highly recommend it!

Potential readers would be well advised to sample this bloated work gratis before spending even $0.99 for the complete edition. Every recounting of poverty and sexual excess is rendered dreary and lifeless by the author's complete incompetence with narrative and dialogue.