What Are You Reading These Days?

[Jean]

What are you reading these days?

It doesn't have to be about Japan specifically. Anyway, here is a place for idle chit chat about books or discuss a book that you need to post about!

Enjoy and have fun!

[~♡annie♡~]

Riiight now I'm reading: Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America.
Incidentally, it actually has to do with Japan. Judging by the name, you probably know what I mean.

[Jean]

~♡Sushi♡~ wrote: "Riiight now I'm reading: Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America.
Incidentally, it actually has to do with Japan. Judging by the name, you probably know what I mean."

I just added that to my to-read list. I'm really fascinated by the business and cultural end of a lot of the popular franchises. Let us know what you think of the book!

:)

[Jean]

Currently, I'm reading Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche by Haruki Murakami. I've been on a Murakami kick and am enjoy this collection of interviews of the survivors of the sarin attack.

You can feel the frustration and also moral dilemma that the individuals faced and/or observed.

[Erik]

I've been through some of the train stations that were involved in that sarin attack. It's chilling to think how vulnerable Japan's rail network is to terrorism. Imagine if someone set off a bomb in Shinjuku Station (one of the world's busiest train stations) during rush hour... scary stuff.

Anyway, the only Murakami book I've read is Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. I found it to be a bizarre, unsettling, but oddly interesting fantasy. After that I'm kind of afraid to try any other Murakami books. Is he generally that far out or was it only that one book?

[Jean]

Not all of his book are like Hard-Boiled. There are some that do have the magical realism or fantastic elements but not to the degree that Hard-Boiled has.

These particular works are not fantastic but deal with relationships and people and you might like these better: Norwegian Wood,South of the Border, West of the Sun, Sputnik Sweetheart to start.

[Erik]

Thanks for the recommendations Jean. Sputnik Sweetheart looks interesting; I've added it to my to-read shelf.

[Selena]

~♡Sushi♡~ wrote: "Riiight now I'm reading: Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America.
Incidentally, it actually has to do with Japan. Judging by the name, you probably know what I mean."

I saw that book! Is it interesting? I plan to read it sooner or later. XD

[Michaela]

I've read Disparitions from Natsuo Kirino and I really liked it. Do you like books from Natsuo Kirino? I have bought another two her books, so I'm going to read them in these days.

[Jean]

Hi Michaela,

What's Disparitions about?

I've read her other works, Out (which is my favorite of her works so far), Real World and Grotesque.

Which one of her works do you plan on reading next?

[Michaela]

It's about one woman, who is married but also in love with another man. She has two small daughters and one of them get lost when the whole family is on holiday. I liked it a lot. All the time you don't know if she is alive or not. The reader knows the facts through the different characters's points of views. And you can see the mental changes of the main caracters.
I plan to read Grotesque and Out, too. In my mother tongue (Czech) there are only two translated books of her, so I bought them in Italian (as there are more her books).

[Andy]

So, it's been a while. I'm going to try and be a little more active going forward, I really enjoy talking Japan and books with the group.

I finished Shusaku Endo's Final Martyrs a few days ago. It's a collection of short stories. It was ok. I feel about him the way I feel about Kenzaburo Oe, I can't really tell if I love them or hate them sometimes.

I'm starting Myths and Legends of Japan as soon as I get off here.

Everyone in the US have a nice Memorial Day weekend. Everyone from outside the US, have a nice regular weekend.

[Stanley]

~♡Sushi♡~ wrote: "Riiight now I'm reading: Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America.
Incidentally, it actually has to do with Japan. Judging by the name, you probably know what I mean."


I picked up that book yesterday in the library I work at intending to check it out after work. A patron eyed it though so I offered it to him - spread the gospel so to speak. ;)

[Marcus]

Jean wrote: "Currently, I'm reading Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche by Haruki Murakami. I've been on a Murakami kick and am enjoy this collection of interviews of the su..."

I'm reading "The Elephant Vanishes" short story collection right now. Thinking of moving on to something else soon

[Jean]

No worries, Vinicius! I'm glad you chimed in. Have you read other Japanese authors? Come across any that you recommend?

[Jason]

Thanks for the recommendation on 100% Perfect. Never heard of it and loved it.

[Laura]

I am now reading a book related to japan... a classical... GENJI MONOGATARY :P