Mas Masumoto Literary Timeline
1974-75: Mas writes extensive journals while in Japan. Bad writing
but beginning of writing journey.
1976 First rejection of magazine article
1976-77 Sports editor and feature writer at small rural town weekly newspaper,
the Sanger Herald
1980’s Writers workshop and writing classes. One instructor ruthlessly writes
in red: “Who cares?” on a manuscript.
1984 Book published - Silent Strength - New Currents International, Tokyo, Japan.
Collection of short stories for students studying English in Japan.
1985 Oped article published in LA Times and syndicated – essay entitled “Epitaph
for a Peach”
1987 Book published - Country Voices, An Oral History of a Japanese American
Family Farm Community, self published with community supporters and patrons.
1995 Book published - Epitaph for a Peach, Four Seasons on My Family Farm – Harper
Collins/Harper SF. (paperback, 1996)
1996 Epitaph for a Peach wins Julia Child Cookbook award and is a finalist for
James Beard award in the category best book, literary food writing. Wins S.F.
Chronicle Critics Choice award.
1998 Book published - Harvest Son, Planting Roots in American Soil - W.W.
Norton (paperback 1998).
1998 Harvest Son wins California Commonwealth Club silver medal award for best
book in the “Californiana” category.
2002 Mas begins as columnist for the Fresno Bee
2003 Book published – Four Seasons in Five Senses, Things Worth Savoring – W.W.
Norton (paperback 2004).
2004 Book published – Letters To the Valley, A Harvest of Memories – Heyday Books (paperback
2005)
2006 Article published in New York Times Magazine, “Family Heirlooms”
2007 Book published – Heirlooms, Letters from a Peach Farmer – Heyday Books
2009 Book published – Wisdom of the Last Farmer, Harvesting
Legacies from the Land – Free Press/Simon and Schuster