The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

[Cherie]

Chapter 39 (view spoiler)[Well done, Shiroyama! I didn't expect what he pulled over on the Abbot Enomoto. I expected him to go out and commit harakiri his honorable death, but what happened was even better than I imagined! (hide spoiler)]

Two more chapters, I think I cannot even update my status in the Currently Reading box because the page count in my ebook is different than the book listed. It says that I am done with the book on page 479. I am on page 486 in my ebook, which seems to end on page 499 or 500.

[Janice, Moderator]

No worries, Cherie. I probably didn't explain myself very well.

Re your Chapter 39 spoiler - I felt much the same way.

[Margo]

Cherie wrote: "Chapter 39 [spoilers removed]

Two more chapters, I think I cannot even update my status in the Currently Reading box because the page count in my ebook is different than the book listed. It says t..."

I agree Cherie, I loved chapter 39.

[Cherie]

I'm done. I read the last two chapters last night, but I didn't want to let the book go yet. I just reread them again. I am so happy that I decided to join the buddy read for this book. I really, really enjoyed reading it.

I woke early this morning with a headache and upset stomach today and stayed home from work, sleeping, while my stomach let me. The stomach woes have worked themselves out, but the headache lingers, mostly behind my right eye.

I will catch up the spoilers tomorrow.

[Margo]

Sorry to hear you are poorly Cherie. I am hapoy that you enjoyed the book though. It really was a good read and I learned a lot about Japanese culture.e
e
Hope you are feeling better soon.

[Janice, Moderator]

Feel better soon, Cherie. I think this would be a good book to re-read. I rated it 3 stars, but I don't think I was in the right frame of mind for it either.

[Cherie]

Oh, I hate GR sometimes! I had several paragraphs written and it is all gone. My fault, sigh... I think I can write it again.

[Cherie]

Can I just say that I loved it and I probably would not have read it except for this buddy read? Thank you Janice and Margo and Sarah and Travis!

[Travis]

I think you and I kind of stumbled blindly in to this buddy read Cherie. I love doing that especially when the book turns out good.

[Cherie]

I agree, Travis. I thought it was an exceptional read for me, and I am willing to give Mitchell another try. I think he did a wonderful job with the history and his story tied it all together in an exceptional tale. I felt he did a good job on the Japanese characters from the time frame. It reminded me a lot of the James Clavell's book Shōgun. The Dutch East India Company name was familiar from Patrick O'Brian's novels, but I did not know about their company in Japan.

Last two chapters: (view spoiler)[I thought Mitchell did a great job wrapping up everything at the end of the story. (view spoiler)[I hated to see Dr. Marinus passing on, but it was nice to see that Jacob got to see Miss Abigawa again. I was surprised that he had a son, but glad that he finally was able to have some kind of a life while he was marooned on Dejima. I was surprised and pleased that Mitchell actually gave us a brief story of his a life after Dejima and that he prospered and seemed happy. It made me happy. I was thinking that the boat leaving Jacob looking back on his son in the watch tower was going to be the ending. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

Feel better soon Cherie.

I am really pleased to hear everyone enjoyed the book. Sorry for lunching out on you guys. The audio was great, I just wasn't finding the time to listen to it and then I kept losing where I was. I don't know whether or not a print version would have been better for me. Another time. It is on my "started-come-back-later" as I still want to read it especially as you have all rated it highly.

[Almeta]

I started this in June and only got through Chapter One Part 4, when a baby is born. Then the player died! and I didn't reorder in some other format.

Since I've decided to aim for all of the Survey Says Tasks for the end of this year, I am revisiting this story.

Part 1 Chapter 1 (Chapter One Part 1-4)
I felt so badly for the (view spoiler)[poor Concubine, Kawasemi and of course outraged that the male Dr. Maeno.was not allowed administer to the girl. (hide spoiler)]

Travis sivarT wrote: ".. ..[Chapter. 1 [ that birth. Wow. I was fearing the worst. ... Yes I was also. Very tense introduction. Your experience would have heightened that even more!

I held my breath (view spoiler)[waiting for the baby to breathe. I was sure he would, then too much time went by and I was disappointed that he didn't. When he finally did, I said to myself "I knew it". Now I'm worried that because his death has already been announced that he will not be accepted and that the moth will be considered some kind of spirit demon inhabiting the "dead child". (hide spoiler)]

Not sure of the time frame for this birth.

Part 1, Chapter 2 (Chapter Two Part 1-2)

This is in 1799. Are we going to be time-hoping?

Daniel Snitker (view spoiler)[ isn't a very good is mate of the ship Shenandoah. Finding him guilty of dereliction of duty seems very justified. He does sound like quite a character though! (hide spoiler)]

I have a feeling that Jacob de Zoet (view spoiler)[is going experience a lot of interest adventures. (hide spoiler)]

[Cherie]

You were right about Jacob! :o)

[Almeta]

Cherie wrote: "You were right about Jacob! :o)"

He meets too many scruffy characters not to!☺

[Almeta]

Hmmm, I think my audio is set up differently than the arrangement that everyone else is following!- I am going to try to condense somehow. Maybe find a different Table of Contents reference?

Part 1, Chapter 3 (Chapter Three Part 1-5)

A bit of tension (view spoiler)[about the hidden family Psalter. Did Ogawa Mimasaku recognize it.
Or did he just notice a large number of books in general? (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter 3 (Chapter Three Part 6-10)
I wonder if Jacob (view spoiler)[ can avoid being bleed. I would certainly try! (hide spoiler)]

Arie Grote (view spoiler)[ seems like another scoundrel like Snitker. (hide spoiler)]

Dr. Marinus (view spoiler)[ although cranky, is a sensible doctor! No blood letting for Jacob. (hide spoiler)]

Whew, Ogawa (view spoiler)[ has shown an interest in a totally different book than the book of Psalms from the Bible. (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter 4 (Chapter Four Part 1-9)
I think I like the (view spoiler)[common self-serving scoundrels like Snitker and Grote, far better than the imperial conniving Vorstenbosch . (hide spoiler)]

Wish Jacob had not (view spoiler)[ agreed to be a forger. Now Vorstenbosch knows that he will compromise his principles for his position. (hide spoiler)]

David Mitchell's mainland Nagasaki Japan (view spoiler)[ sites and culture are picturesque and interesting . I am enjoying his writing. (hide spoiler)]

Magistrate Shiroyama's interpreter, Kobayashi (view spoiler)[ has "fear of kill the messenger" syndrome!☺ (hide spoiler)]

Naturally I am curious (view spoiler)[ about the identity of the silent man. Could he be the true power behind these Japanese officilas? (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter 5 (Chapter Five Part 1-7)

The human, William Pitt the Younger (view spoiler)[assisted King George III, who bullied the House of Lords into blocking a bill designed to reform the East India Company. Guess you could say Ptt was his performing monkey. (hide spoiler)]

Isn't Orito Aibagawa, (view spoiler)[ the midwife who assisted in the beginning with Kawasemi's labor? (hide spoiler)]

Is the burn (view spoiler)[ on her face connected to that still (not) birth? (hide spoiler)]

Ogawa is amazed to learn of (view spoiler)[American democracy from Captain Lacy, and of the idea of all citizens being equal. Well, "not slaves, horses or women"!!! (hide spoiler)]

Coincidence, when talk turns (view spoiler)[to Orito Aibagawa, a moth appears? (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter 6 (Chapter Six Part 1-8)

Jacob appears (view spoiler)[ to be the only honest man on the island! At least as far as shady trade deals and the accounting books are concerned. (hide spoiler)]

The arrangement for Jacob and Aibagawa to speak (view spoiler)["privately" is amusing, with Dr. Marinus' oration in the background! (hide spoiler)]

Wasp (view spoiler)[ dies. Butterfly acceptable. Am I obsessing about insects and their significance to the stories? (hide spoiler)]

lol! I can't believe Dr. Marinus (view spoiler)[ actually puts Jacob through this "smoke glister" demonstration. Compliments Jacob on his bravery AND 'Blows smoke up his ass!' (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter 7 (Chapter Seven Part 1-11)

I was hoping that (view spoiler)[ the mysterious silent stranger was someone other than Abbot Enomoto. Or does he really have more power than what it appears? (hide spoiler)]

I liked reading of the (view spoiler)[ folklore of mirrors and the soul. (hide spoiler)]

Funny comments about the measurement (view spoiler)[ of time when using the expression "back in a minute"! It is always more than that which is meant. Unless of course it is a New York minute!

When I use the expression, I often correct myself with an approximation of how long I will REALLY take. (hide spoiler)]

Apparently Abbot Enomoto (view spoiler)[ really is a power to be feared. (hide spoiler)]

Again (view spoiler)[ a wonderful visual of the cultural wonders as seen through the eyes of an isolated man such as Ogawa. (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter 8 (Chapter Eight Part 1-12)

Vorstenbosch 's tirad (view spoiler)[ over a request for peacock feather fans and examples of other "gift" requests, while he goes without amused me! (hide spoiler)]

I am glad Ogawa (view spoiler)[ has become a friendly advisor. Hide his forbidden book. (hide spoiler)]

Enjoyed listening (view spoiler)[ to the stories of the various card players. (hide spoiler)]

Is Jacob going to (view spoiler)[ to keep secret how Dejima illegal trade works? If so won't he be implicating himself? (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter Nine (Chapter Nine Part 1-8)

Marinus also(view spoiler)[ had a difficult childhood. Anyone in this book that hasn't? (hide spoiler)]

Jacob must really be (view spoiler)[ smitten, because he agrees to dig horse manure into beetroot beds in the garden for twelve hours. (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter Ten (Chapter Ten Part 1-9)

Frustrating (view spoiler)[ to listen to the justifications of slavery. The ignorance is uncomfortable but Fischer is thoroughly despicable. He is a very cruel man IMO.. (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter Eleven (Chapter Eleven Part 1-6)

Will the (view spoiler)[ fruit trees even survive the unaccustomed salt water air? (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter Twelve (Chapter Twelve Part 1-7)

Promotions all (view spoiler)[ around? Naturally I don't approve of some of them! (hide spoiler)]

Part 1, Chapter Thirteen (Chapter Thirteen Part 1-8)

(Chapter Fourteen Part 1-6)

(Chapter Fifteen Part 1-9)

(Chapter Sixteen Part 1-7)

(Chapter Seventeen Part 1-11)

(Chapter Eighteen Part 1-8)

(Chapter Nineteen Part 1-8)

(Chapter Twenty Part 1-7)

(Chapter Twenty-One Part 1-12)

(Chapter Twenty-Two Part 1-8)

(Chapter Twenty-Three Part 1-3)