Read along with The Honolulu Advertiser Book Club

By Wanda Adams
Advertiser Books Editor

When Sara Backer was teaching English in Shizuoka, Japan, she would often take her students down to Mr. Donut. The students would stand back and watch as Backer approached the counter with a Japanese student. The American professor would place an order in her correct, scholarly Japanese, and then the counter attendant would look right past Backer and address the reply to the student.

Afterward, Backer would humbly ask the students to correct her pronunciation or advise her as to what she'd done wrong. They would say, 'Oh, sensei, you were perfect.' " And then it would dawn on them that the problem was not language but how gaijin (foreigners) were viewed.

This, along with other experiences in Japan, gave rise to Backer's book, "American Fuji" (Berkley, paper, $14), the first selection of the new Honolulu Advertiser Book Club, an amusing and insightful book about appearances and how they often aren't what they seem. You can find the book in most bookstores, although it's best to phone first. It's also available from booksellers online.

We're looking forward to hearing your comments by July 12. Watch the paper and our Web site for our virtual discussion July 21. Send comments to books editor Wanda Adams, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802, fax 525-8055, or e-mail: wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.