Michael Pronko has lived in Tokyo for twenty years but was born in Kansas City, a very different world. After graduating from Brown University in philosophy, he hit the road, traveling around the world for two years working odd jobs. He went back to school for a Master’s in Education, and then took a teaching position in Beijing. For two years, he taught English, traveled China and wrote.
After more traveling and two more degrees, another M.A. in Comparative Literature in Madison, Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in English at the University of Kent at Canterbury, he finally settled in Tokyo as a professor of American Literature at Meiji Gakuin University. His seminars focus on contemporary novels and film adaptations, and he teaches other classes in American indie film and American music and art.
Pronko has published three award-winning collections of essays: Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo (Raked Gravel Press 2015), Tokyo’s Mystery Deepens (Raked Gravel Press 2014), and Beauty and Chaos: Essays on Tokyo (Raked Gravel Press 2014). He has published books in Japanese and two textbooks in both English and Japanese.
Over the years in Tokyo, he has written regular columns for many publications: The Japan Times, Newsweek Japan, Jazznin, ST Shukan, Jazz Colo[u]rs, and Artscape Japan. He runs his own website Jazz in Japan (www.jazzinjapan.com). He also continues to publish academic articles and helps run a conference on teaching literature.
For more information about Michael Pronko and his work, visit his website at www.michaelpronko.com.
Topics of conversation:"French Kiss" by Steve Bassett
"680 Miles Away" by Tara J. Stone
"TALES OF ASTERRA" by Michael Frank Rizzo
"The Blue Iris" by Rachel Stone
"Welcome to Bellechester" by Margaret Blenkush
Tribal Honor by TG Brown
Havana Hangover by Randy Richardson
Livy Little Honey Bee/Red Pandas Journey to Sikkim by Celia Straus
"Secrets in the Islands" by Lauren de Leeuw
Ms. Alberta: Feline Barn Manager by Diana Tuorto
"Bones in the Alley" by Viterose Van Huis
"My Journal" by Robert O'Toole
”Fiercely ME” by Stephanie Rowe
Happiness and Survival by Bob Gebelein
Looking Inwards for a Better Life by Dalton Dean Blankinship
You Are Still Alive, Now Act Like It! by Ray Catania
Alter Called Witness by Hollis Frances
”Terror Bay” by Lisa Towles
”Contention” by Gary D. McGugan
Cruel Lessons by Randy Overbeck
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