ALBERY, Nobuko 1940-

(Nobuko Morris)

PERSONAL: Born 1940, in Ashiya, Japan; daughter of Keiji (a company chair) and Sodako (Masutani) Uenishi; married Ivan Morris (an authority on Japan), December, 1967 (marriage ended); married Sir Donald Albery (a theatrical producer), May, 1974 (died of cancer, 1988). Education: Attended Waseda University, 1958-60, and New York University, 1961-63; received M.A.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Global Oriental Ltd., P.O. Box 219, Folkestone, Kent CT18 2WP, England.

CAREER: Toho Company (theater), Tokyo, Japan, representative in New York, NY, beginning 1963; U.S. State Department, interpreter for Protocol Agency, 1963-65; Wyndham Theatres, London, England, producer, 1971-78; Takarazuka (female Japanese revue company), supporter. Amarant Trust (self-help society), founder of Japan branch.

WRITINGS:

(Under name Nobuko Morris; with Ivan Morris and Paul Varley) Samurai (historical study), Weidenfeld & Nicolson (London, England), 1969.

Balloon Top (novel), Pantheon (New York, NY), 1978.

The House of Kanze (novel), Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1985.

Absurd Courage (novel), Century Hutchinson (London, England), 1987.

Oscar (play), produced in Tokyo, Japan, 1994.

Japanese Pride and Prejudice (nonfiction), Global Oriental (Folkestone, England), 2002.

Translator into Japanese the musical plays Miss Saigon and Oliver! Contributor to Mademoiselle.

SIDELIGHTS: Nobuko Albery once wrote: "I have had many wonderful friends, in particular Anais Nin and Robert Payne, who gave me constant and undaunted encouragement."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Antioch Review, winter, 1987, review of The House of Kanze, p. 117.

Booklist, July, 1986, review of The House of Kanze, p. 1582.

British Book News, September, 1987, review of Absurd Courage, p. 609.

English Journal, November, 1979, review of Balloon Top, p. 77.

Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 1986, review of The House of Kanze, p. 646.

Library Journal, August, 1986, David Keymer, review of The House of Kanze, p. 167.

London Review of Books, July 18, 1985, review of The House of Kanze, p. 20; March 31, 1988, review of Absurd Courage, p. 26.

Los Angeles Times Book Review, August 3, 1986, review of The House of Kanze, p. 6.

New Yorker, October 13, 1986, review of The House of Kanze, p. 156.

New York Times Book Review, September 7, 1986, Alida Becker, review of The House of Kanze, p. 22.

Observer (London, England), December 1, 1985, review of The House of Kanze, p. 17; January 5, 1986, review of The House of Kanze, p. 43.

Pacific Affairs, summer, 1979, review of Balloon Top, p. 345.

Publishers Weekly, June 6, 1986, Sybil Steinberg, review of The House of Kanze, p. 56.

Times (London, England), September 28, 1994, Michael Church, "Just a Girl Who Can't Say Noh," p. 32.

Times Literary Supplement, December 13, 1985, review of The House of Kanze, p. 1434; January 1, 1988, Nicole Irving, review of Absurd Courage, p. 14; November 15, 2002, Lesley Downer, review of Japanese Pride and Prejudice, p. 31.

World Literature Today, autumn, 1979, review of Balloon Top, p. 625.*