Learn Japanese 101: Interview w/ Van Gessel

Today's interview ran a little long. But trust me it is well worth it.
Dr. Van Gessel is a professional Japanese Translator. He has translated novels, taught around the world (including at Columbia, California Berkeley, and Brigham Young Univerisity), been honored by the Foreign Minister of Japan, and even been the main consultant on the Academy Award winning film Silence by Martin Scorsese

Here are a couple of his translated books:

When I Whistle (1974) by Endo Shusaku https://www.amazon.com/Whistle-SHUSAKU-translated-Japanese-GESSEL/dp/0704333406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511060524&sr=8-1&keywords=When+I+Whistle+van+gessel

The Samurai (1980) by Endo Shusaku
https://www.amazon.com/Samurai-New-Directions-Classic/dp/0811213463/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511060560&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Samurai+van+gessel&dpID=41SAIdbj4nL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Scandal (1986) by Endo Shusaku
https://www.amazon.com/Scandal-Peter-Owen-Modern-Classics/dp/0720612411/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511060586&sr=1-1&keywords=Scandal+van+gessel


Stained Glass Elegies (1990) by Endo Shusaku https://www.amazon.com/Stained-Glass-Elegies-Directions-Classics/dp/0811211428/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511060618&sr=1-1&keywords=stained+Glass+Elegies++van+gessel

Deep River (1993) by Endo Shusaku https://www.amazon.com/Deep-River-Shusaku-Endo/dp/081121320X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511060641&sr=1-1&keywords=Deep+River+++van+gessel

The Final Martyrs (1993) by Endo Shusaku https://www.amazon.com/Final-Martyrs-Shusaku-Endo/dp/0811212726/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511060662&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Final+Martyrs+van+gessel&dpID=5150F7QxpKL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Five by Endo(2000) by Endo Shusaku https://www.amazon.com/Five-Endo-New-Directions-Bibelots/dp/0811214397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511060685&sr=1-1&keywords=Five+by+Endo+van+gessel

Kiku's Prayer (2012) by Endo Shusaku https://www.amazon.com/Kikus-Prayer-Novel-Weatherhead-Books/dp/0231162820/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511060702&sr=1-1&keywords=Kiku%27s+Prayer+van+gessel&dpID=51rAXUbVOzL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch