Katherine Tamiko Arguile in conversation with Simon Marnie | Meshi

In the words of Sarah Sentilles, Meshi is ‘a feast of a book … an intimate meditation on comfort, grief, memory, belonging and love.’

From Katherine Tamiko Arguile, an award-winning Japanese-British-Australian arts journalist and author, Meshi is a personal history of Japanese food. Exploring the meals of her childhood through Japan’s twenty-four sekki (seasons), Katherine untangles the threads of meaning, memory and ritual woven through every glistening bowl of rice, every tender slice of sashimi and each steaming cup of green tea.

On Thursday 28 April, at a Roaring Stories Bookshop event, join Arguile in conversation with Simon Marnie, presenter of ABC Sydney Radio’s Weekend Mornings program.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6.30pm or earlier for a 7pm start upstairs at The Royal Oak Balmain. Seating is unallocated – another reason to arrive early to secure an optimal spot. Why not make a full evening of it, too, by booking a meal at the Royal Oak before or after the event? One of Balmain's oldest and best-known pubs, it serves a delicious range of food and beverages.

Meshi will be available for purchase at the venue through Roaring Stories, with book signings from Arguile following the discussion.

For those who can't get a ticket, you can still watch the event as it is livestreamed from the Roaring Stories Facebook page (accessible on the Home page and from the Live tab). A recording will also be available to view later as an upload on the Roaring Stories YouTube channel.

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ABOUT MESHI

For Katherine Tamiko Arguile, the Japanese food her mother cooked was a portal to a part of her that sometimes felt lost in the past. In Japan, food is never just food: it expresses a complex and fascinating history, and is tied to tradition and spirituality intrinsic to Japanese culture.

Exploring the meals of her childhood through Japan’s twenty-four sekki (seasons), Katherine untangles the threads of meaning, memory and ritual woven through every glistening bowl of rice, every tender slice of sashimi and each steaming cup of green tea.

With rich, visceral prose, vivid insight and searing emotional honesty, Meshi (‘rice’ or ‘meal’) reveals the culture and spirit of one of the world’s most beloved cuisines.

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ABOUT KATHERINE TAMIKO ARGUILE

Born and raised in Tokyo, Katherine Tamiko Arguile is a Japanese-British-Australian arts journalist and author. She migrated from London to Adelaide in 2008, where she now lives beside the sea. A graduate of Cambridge University, she has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Adelaide. Her award-winning short stories have been published in anthologies in the UK and in Australia and her debut novel, The Things She Owned, was published in 2020.

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ABOUT SIMON MARNIE

Simon Marnie is an Australian radio and TV presenter, currently presenting ABC Radio Sydney's Weekend Mornings program. Beginning at Triple J and going on to host NightLife on ABC Radio, he has worked in community and commercial broadcasting, both behind the scenes and in front of the microphone. Beyond radio, he conceived and produced SBS TV's music show, nomad. He lives in Sydney.

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

a) COVID Safety

This is a COVID Safe event. Attendance is conditional on compliance with current and relevant NSW Heath COVID Safe guidelines.

b) Refunds

Please note that tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled or postponed due to extenuating circumstances.

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This event is presented by Roaring Stories Bookshop Balmain and Affirm Press

With thanks to our venue partner The Royal Oak Balmain

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