Things Become Other Things

“Mod takes the reader along on an epic, exquisitely detailed journey, on foot, through a rural Japan few of us are likely to experience. Uniquely unforgettable.”—William Gibson, New York Times-bestselling author of Neuromancer“I’ve found it difficult to consider this book as a solitary, singular thing in and of itself. Similarly to a walk in the woods, reading this feels less like a specific narrative and more like an engagement with time and space. I’ve walked with Craig, and his easy grace as a guide to transcendence and the forgotten shows itself repeatedly in these magnificent pages. What a joyful outing!”—Adam Savage, New York Times bestselling author of Every Tool’s a Hammer“While reading his engrossing memoir, I felt like I was in Craig Mod’s head as he ambled around Japan. Along with giving me comfort, his calm and honest voice imparted wisdom. Reading Things Before Other Things made me want to go for a long walk and learn to listen to my own inner voice.”—Alec Soth, photographer and author of Advice for Young Artists“Luminous, poignant, unflinching and kind, Things Become Other Things reads like a future classic of its genre.”—David Mitchell, New York Times bestselling author of Cloud Atlas“From its first pages, this book vibrates with energy—a calm charisma. The steady pad of feet on pavement (and wet dirt, and old stones) becomes a backbeat for histories personal and global, observations tiny and profound.”—Robin Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore“Mod’s highly readable chronicle of a secular pilgrimage through Japan’s vanishing rural towns breathes new life into the travelogue while shining a light on the dire need for solace among all who have suffered through the trauma of American violence and social fracture.”—W. David Marx, author of Ametora and Status and Culture“Mod points his viewfinder at rural Japan, but what develops is a snapshot of the slow, faceless violence that produced so many of us.”—Dexter Thomas, journalist and documentary filmmaker“Things Become Other Things is powered by Craig Mod’s curiosity and thoughtfulness and takes you on a transportive journey through the depths of a rural Japan few of us shall ever see. It’s also an achingly real portrait of friendship in small-town America that will ring true to many.”—Aziz Ansari, author of Modern Romance“Gorgeous … Punctuated with stunning black and white photographs of the villages and landscapes Mod encountered, this tender exploration of fragile ecosystems and vanishing ways of life will encourage readers to look more closely at their own surroundings. It’s a nourishing trek.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review“A meditative travelogue through a part of Japan few outsiders ever see.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Craig Mod is a writer, photographer, and walker living in Tokyo, Japan. He is the author of four books, including Things Become Other Things and Kissa by Kissa. He is also the author of the newsletters Roden and Ridgeline and has contributed to The New York Times, The Atlantic, Wired, and other publications.

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