Witchabilly's comments (member since Aug 08, 2008)

Witchabilly's comments from the Japanese Literature group.

I won't argue that Murakami and Yoshimoto are lightweight, but sometimes lightweight is good. I am looking forward to getting into the classics, too. Thank you for the great-looking list of recommendations!

Maybe, but this topic is also to express your thoughts on the books ... I'm also updating the scor..."

Sounds good, Zala! I vote for Sailor...

Would it be easier to make this into a poll so we can all just click on one?

Okay, I have to cast out some nominations:

In Ghostly Japan - Lafcadio Hearn

In Ghostly Japan collects twelve stories from celebrated author Lafcadio Hearn. Some of these stories are ghostly and ghastly, while others are wonderfully benign. Whether he's telling a ghost story or explaining a Buddhist proverb, Hearn's writings are never less than enthralling.


I Haven't Dreamed of Flying in a While - Taichi Yamada

After accident, illness, and the loss of his job and marriage, forty-eight-year-old Taura meets Mutsuko, setting his already derailed life even further off course. Their first encounter is, unseen, in an overcrowded hospital. It later transpires that the mysterious Mutsuko is in her late sixties, but when they next meet she is younger, in her forties, and the two seemingly fall in love. With Mutsuko's age decreasing each time they meet, however, time rapidly starts to run out for these two damaged souls. Short and enigmatic, Yamada's novel is a bold and disturbing exploration of love and loss.

I liked 'Out', haven't read any of her others yet, but I've heard good things.

I also just recently read 'Strangers' by Taichi Yamada. A very good Japanese ghost story, eerie and subtle.

As I've said elsewhere, Ogawa's "The Diving Pool" is a strange and fantastic ride.

Have you found anything interesting since you posted this back in April, Rich?

Aha! Glad I'm not the only one!

I haven't read any Ryu Murakami yet, though I do have "Coin Locker Babies." The first line or so really threw me off the first time I tried to read it, though.

Kathy wrote: "Ryu Murakami's "In the Miso Soup""

What did you love about it?

Sojyung wrote: "Oe."

Which one, and why?

Thanks, Sarah, I'll look into it!

In the interest of breathing some life into this group (I hate to see it so quiet!), can anyone recommend where to start with Kobo Abe? I am interested in reading him but feel a little overwhelmed by his catalogue.

So here is a good generic discussion starter- what book(s) began your interest in Japanese literature?

For me, it was most notably After Dark by Murakami. Before that, I really enjoyed The Floating World by Cynthia Gralla. Most recently, it was The Diving Pool by Yoko Ogawa. (I really wish more of her books were translated and available in the U.S. I've almost considered learning the language so that I can read more untranslated Japanese fiction.)

I also really liked Kirino's Out and Miyabe's The Devil's Whisper. Needless to say, my tastes are pretty contemporary, though I am eager to get a better foundation in older Japanese classics, mysteries, and gothics.

No help in that area, but if you happen to be in the Bay Area, you can hear Murakami speak somewhere around October 11.