Bookshelf Recommendations

[Jean]

We're in the process of populating the bookshelf for the group.

Updated:

Please post your recommendations that you would like to share with the group.

If the work is fiction, please include a little information about the work and your opinion why this work should be included on the bookshelf. This will make the deliberating process go much faster.

Note to authors: if you wish to promote your work, please feel free to post a discussion in the appropriate book folder or in the self-promotion folder. We wish to be supportive yet also respectful to the readers as well.

Thank you.

[Jean]

Hi Everyone,

I've posted a few books to get things started and tried to cover all different genres the best I could.

Classic Japanese Literature
Kokoro by Natsume Soseki

Contemporary Japanese Literature
Out by Natsuo Kirino
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Learning Japanese
I posted two books that were recommended by fellow group members and had great reviews.

The Kodansha Kanji Learners Dictionary by Jack Halpern
Remembering the Kanji, Volume I: A Complete Course on How Not to Forget the Meaning and Writing of Japanese Characters by James W. Heisig

Japanese History
Japan by James L. McClain

Japanese Culture or Current Events
Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein
Japanamerica by Roland Kelts
Shutting Out the Sun by Michael Zielenziger


These are a smattering of books that I've read that I found really interesting even if I didn't necessarily agree with the author. As well as some interesting fiction that has reached the mainstream.

I hope this inspires suggestions of your own. Thanks!

[Malcolm]

Very interesting list :D!
I need to finish my first few chunky books, then I will start suggesting the books with reviews and ratings ^^

The bookshelf is already coming together, good job!
Will you be categorizing them as you did in this thread, is that even possible even?

[Jean]

Okay, I had to add one more book to even out the bookshelf. I know, I know... my OCD is showing.

I added a book that examined the whole Pokemon phenomenon and its business model and cultural effects.

Pikachu's Global Adventure by Joseph Tobin

[Jean]

Malcolm wrote: "Will you be categorizing them as you did in this thread, is that even possible even?
"

I would like to but not sure. I'll have to play around a bit first to see what works. I should be able to create shelves. I'll work on this later in the week. :)

[Erik]

I'd like to recommend that you add The Roads to Sata. I already mentioned this book in the Travelogues section, so won't bother repeating my description of it here.

Also, I'm an author myself and wrote a short book about my experiences in the Great East Japan Earthquake a couple years back. Would you mind terribly much if I recommend it for addition to the group bookshelf? I promise not to be one of those annoying authors that spams advertisements; just thought it might be a good fit. :-)

[Jean]

Hi Erik,
I'll add Road to Sata to the bookshelf when I'm back at my desk (currently on my mobile).

You are more than welcome to promote your book in the books discussion folder as other members have.

I do have some reservations about putting it on the bookshelf at the moment and will have to think about this some more.

If it would be agreeable to others, I can create a folder for self promotion of your work as we would like to be writer friendly. Otherwise, we'll keep it as posted topics in the appropriate book category.

[Erik]

Okay Jean, that sounds fair, thanks.

[Andy]

So many good ones to add:

History
A History of Japan to 1334
A History of Japan, 1334-1615
A History of Japan, 1615-1867
These are the best Japanese history books. I love them.

Modern Japanese Fiction
Spring Snow
Runaway Horses
The Temple of Dawn
The Decay of the Angel
I love Yukio Mishima, these books constitute his magnum opus, The Sea of Fertility. This is the order they are supposed to be read in as well.

Reference
The New Nelson Japanese-English Character Dictionary
The gold standard in English-Japanese dictionaries, it's big and bulky, but it is user friendly and exhaustive.

[Jean]

WOW! Thanks, Andy. I'll get working on these.

[Julia]

Some I can come up with...

History
A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower
very good overview from the myths to modern Japan on comparably not too many pages ^^
Musashi

Historical Fiction
Shōgun
classic I'd say, my dad even recommended me this

Modern Japanese Fiction
The Devotion of Suspect X
Salvation of a Saint
very popular crime novels

I don't know how to sort this, lol...
A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

[Jean]

Hi Julia. Thank you for the great recommendations. I've added them to the bookshelf.

Keigo Higashino is one of my favorites especially Salvation of a Saint!

Thank you again for your contribution!!!

[Imogen]

Hi! I'd love to add my two books to the group:

http://www.amazon.com/Portal-Japanese...

and

http://www.amazon.com/Initiation-Bonf...

[Jean]

Imogen wrote: "Hi! I'd love to add my two books to the group

Hi Imogen,

Thank you for posting your recommendation.

I'm a little leery about one's own work on the group bookshelf as discussed with Erik in a previous post (Message 7) but welcome you to promote your books in the book discussion folders.

I will also create a self-promotion folder to give you an avenue to highlight your works.

Best wishes.

[Benjamin]

Might I suggest:

Modern History
Haruko's World: A Japanese Farm Woman and Her Community: with a 1996 Epilogue
Isami's House: Three Centuries of a Japanese Family

YA
Gadget Girl: The Art of Being Invisible

[Mary]

Manga

Kamisama Hajimemashite
A girl is evicted from her house due to her fathers gambling debts and after saving a man from a dog, she is given his house...only it turns out to be a shrine. Tomoe, the servant of the shrine was abandoned by the man Nanami rescued for 20 years and does NOT like her at all. The two have to deal with each other as well as many characters popular from folklore. Tengu, Taro the fisherman, kitsune, to name a few.
I like this series because there is so much to enjoy. The romance isn't the focus and unfolds smartly, and for anyone who has interest in Japanese culture and folklore, this is a must. This is the only shoujo I have been able to enjoy immensely:)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

[Jean]

Mary wrote: "Manga

Kamisama Hajimemashite
A girl is evicted from her house due to her fathers gambling debts and after saving a man from a dog, she is given his house...only it turns out to be a shrine. Tomoe,..."


I agree that it is one of the better shoujou manga. How far along are you in the series? I confess that I read it off and on. I read it to find out what's going on with Nanami but I'm not a fan of Tomoe. He rubs me the wrong way for some reason.

Thanks for the recommendation.

[Mary]

Jean wrote: "Mary wrote: "Manga

Kamisama Hajimemashite
A girl is evicted from her house due to her fathers gambling debts and after saving a man from a dog, she is given his house...only it turns out to be a s..."

Aww you are welcome:) I agree, I don't like Tomoe too much but he has started to grow on me. I just preordered volumes 14 and 15. I would go so far as to say the series is at its best and is wrapping up.

[Jean]

Since our bookshelf is well populated now, I'll be closing this folder down. It is also a bit hard to research all recommendations thoroughly.

But, don't worry. Additions can be made when we have groups reads and the like.

Thank you again for your participation.