Japanese Literature discussion

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message 451: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments I started an arc of a short story collection: The Lonesome Bodybuilder: Stories by Yukiko Motoya. So far I'm intrigued but not all-in.


message 452: by Alan M (new)

Alan M Carol wrote: "I started an arc of a short story collection: The Lonesome Bodybuilder: Stories by Yukiko Motoya. So far I'm intrigued but not all-in."

Oooh, I have that waiting to be read Carol, as well as the new Higashino I was lucky enough to get. That and Murakami next week it's full-on J-Lit for me :)


message 453: by Carol (last edited Oct 06, 2018 09:56AM) (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Alan wrote: "Carol wrote: "I started an arc of a short story collection: The Lonesome Bodybuilder: Stories by Yukiko Motoya. So far I'm intrigued but not all-in."

Oooh, I have ..."


And isn’t that a delightful state, lol? I’m going to hold off on Higashino for a couple of weeks, but couldn’t be happier to have them both in hand. I’ll be interested to hear what you think of the Motoya when you get to it.


message 454: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments I started The Mystery Train Disappears by Kyōtarō Nishimura, for a toppler I’m doing with another group. It is exactly what I needed. I’m only on page six and loving it.


message 455: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments BTW, I loved The Mystery Train Disappears, and I’m annoyed that it’s Nishimura’s only novel available in English. There’s a 50% chance I’ll draft and post a review.

Currently, I’m reading two debuts:
Dorothy B. HughesThe So Blue Marble, and
Guy Gunaratne’s In Our Mad and Furious City.


message 456: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments I tried to read that a couple of years ago... the used copy I found got lost in the mail ;_;

Hopefully I'll find another one soon.


message 457: by Alan M (new)

Alan M Carol wrote: "Alan wrote: "Carol wrote: "I started an arc of a short story collection: The Lonesome Bodybuilder: Stories by Yukiko Motoya. So far I'm intrigued but not all-in."

..."


So, have now read and pondered The Lonesome Bodybuilder: Stories - what the hell??

Surreal, sometimes disturbing, but it just made sense in a weird way. I know there's probably lots of symbolism stuff that went way over my head (I did find myself digging into what significance the mountain peony might have in Japanese culture, for example...) but I found every story in the collection focused on moments of change or liberation or Kafkaesque metamorphosis. I liked 'Typhoon' and the umbrellas, thought 'An Exotic Marriage' was superb, and found 'The Dogs' - about an unnamed person in an isolated cabin living with a pack of dogs - really atmospheric and unsettling.

Overall I thought it was an excellent collection, well worth a read if you want something a bit different!


message 458: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments I'm looking at a kigo (poetry word meaning) listing for peony, but don't see any "mountain peony" subcategory...

https://worldkigodatabase.blogspot.co...


message 459: by Alan M (new)

Alan M Thanks Bill. I was just going by the translation. In my digging I found that a peony in general is also known as the ‘King of Flowers’ and is used as a symbol of good fortune, bravery, and honour. I'm still wondering how the heck that fits in with that particular story lol!!


message 460: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments I'm halfway through The Friends by Yumoto Kazumi. Three sixth-grade boys spy on a lonely old man because they want to observe someone die.

It's certainly not as grim as that one-line description suggests. It's a slice of life story of the boys' experiences while spying on him over a summer. As one might imagine, they get spotted at some point, and start to get to know the old man. I think the novel does a very good job portraying boys that age, to the point where it reminds me of foolish things I did at that age (and which I won't repeat here).

I think the writing and/or translation was a bit better in Yumoto's The Letters, but I am enjoying this novel as well.


message 461: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments I'm (primarily) reading In Our Mad and Furious City by Guy Gunaratne, and The Colour of Murder by Julian Symons, which together present an interesting contrast of Britain past and current.


message 462: by J (new)

J | 71 comments Started Strange Weather in Tokyo by Kawakami Hiromi. Hmm... already not quite liking the sensei character in the opening few chapters. Maybe this will change further down the road.


message 463: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments Reading Blade of the Courtesans. It's looking good so far, as a young master swordsman arrives in the newly rebuilt redlight district of Edo (Tokyo) in the mid 17th century. Either the original or the translation does a good job of explaining the specialist terms.

I assume our young master swordsman will become the eponymous character, but he hasn't as of 40 pages in.


message 465: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments Blade of the Courtesans started out interesting, but then degenerated (in multiple senses of the word). After that it wasted too much time detailing the events of its alternate history. And then it had a weak ending.

Not recommended.


message 466: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Currently in.a German mood, it seems. I’m reading Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck (with the 21st Century Lit group) and The Black Spider by Jeremias Gotthelf.


message 467: by Alan M (new)

Alan M Currently dipping in and out of Foreign Bodies edited by Martin Edwards - I love a bit of Golden Age crime, so I do, and especially enjoyed the 2 Japanese stories in the collection: Koga Saburo's 'The Spider' and Keikichi Osaka's 'the Cold Night's Clearing', both from the 1930s. I would recommend anyone to seek them out. Now I've added The Ginza Ghost to my TBR pile.

Also enjoying The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories - it's funny, for years I never really bothered with short stories but now I find myself drawn to them. They can be a nice break from a meaty novel - and collections like this mean you can pick it up, read a story, then go and do something useful like the hoovering!


message 468: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments I just finished "The Boy in the Earth". Boy would I have been ticked if I'd paid $24 for it (I paid $4 for it used). This 80-90 page novella is stretched out dubiously and listed at 160 pages. I'm now going to be wary of other books from Soho Crime.

Regardless, I enjoyed the book. I found his descriptions of depression and panic attacks riveting, and how the title character's disfunctional relationship improved over the course of the book. Some might consider his life unrealistically violent for a safe country like Japan, but it can't be uniformly safe for everyone.


message 469: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Bill wrote: "I just finished "The Boy in the Earth". Boy would I have been ticked if I'd paid $24 for it (I paid $4 for it used). This 80-90 page novella is stretched out dubiously and listed at 160 pages. I'm ..."

Wow. I'm generally a fan of Soho Crime, but I agree that's nuts.


message 470: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments I finished The Plotters by Un-su Kim last night. Highly recommended for fans of The Thief. Fairly dark in a great way.


message 471: by Alan M (new)

Alan M Carol wrote: "I finished The Plotters by Un-su Kim last night. Highly recommended for fans of The Thief. Fairly dark in a great way."

I enjoyed The Plotters as well, Carol - there's a lot of good Korean lit being made available now, which is excellent news (even if it does add to the pile of books tbr!!).


message 472: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Alan wrote: "Carol wrote: "I finished The Plotters by Un-su Kim last night. Highly recommended for fans of The Thief. Fairly dark in a great way."

I enjoyed Th..."


My hat's off to Doubleday if they can figure out whom to market The Plotters to, though. Reviewers don't know what to say. I am struggling with that piece, too. It doesn't fit neatly into categories like mystery or LitFic.

It's like an explosion since the two Kang novels hit it big. Very good for us readers. TBRs are meant to be augmented..


message 473: by Zak (new)

Zak | 10 comments The Plotters sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the heads-up, Carol.


message 474: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Zak wrote: "The Plotters sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the heads-up, Carol."

You’re welcome, Zak.


message 475: by Tim (new)

Tim | 152 comments I’m currently reading The Great Passage (Yes, I know it’s a little early, but... eh, why not). Excellent so far. At times it seems a touch simplistic in terms of character development, but it’s a wonderful slice of novel that I’ll be delighted to discuss later. In terms of other books we’ve read, I’d say it’s closest to The Nakano Thrift Shop, but with more of a driving plot.


message 476: by Tim (new)

Tim | 152 comments Carol wrote: "I finished The Plotters by Un-su Kim last night. Highly recommended for fans of The Thief. Fairly dark in a great way."

I got The Thief as a Christmas gift and it’s on my upcoming read list. If I enjoy it, I’ll make note of The Plotters as well!


message 477: by Jeshika (new)

Jeshika Paperdoll (jeshikapaperdoll) | 231 comments I’ve just got finished reading Lord of the Flies. I find it very similar in theme to The Sailor who fell from grace with the sea, which was my previous read and it’s making it difficult to rate and review. :(


message 478: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Tim wrote: "Carol wrote: "I finished The Plotters by Un-su Kim last night. Highly recommended for fans of The Thief. Fairly dark in a great way."

I got The Th..."


The Thief is must-read for a Japanophile who appreciates noir, but it’s not particularly polished. More like a diamond in the rough. The Plotters is more sophisticated, in terms of LitFic, but with that same nihilist perspective, if that makes sense.


message 479: by Tim (new)

Tim | 152 comments Well, I’m a fan of Japanese lit and noir, so I should enjoy it. I’ve actually bumped it up and am starting it tonight!


message 480: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Tim wrote: "Well, I’m a fan of Japanese lit and noir, so I should enjoy it. I’ve actually bumped it up and am starting it tonight!"

You may be staying up late :) it’s a finish-in-one-sitting book. Good luck!


message 481: by Ian (new)

Ian Josh | 273 comments I’m currently reading The Pornographers by Akiyuki Nosaka. I’ll see how it pulls together in the end, but... considering all the children’s books he wrote, this one is especially unsettling.


message 482: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Josh wrote: "I’m currently reading The Pornographers by Akiyuki Nosaka. I’ll see how it pulls together in the end, but... considering all the children’s books he wrote, this one is especially unsettling."

I loved The Cake Tree in the Ruins. Only the whale story, my least favorite, was supposedly for children. If you give The Pornographers the thumbs-up, I’ll go for it.


message 483: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments Thanks, Josh! I saw the Imamura film of The Pornographers, but didn't know it was based on a novel (and translated, no less).


message 484: by Tim (new)

Tim | 152 comments Carol wrote: "You may be staying up late :) it’s a finish-in-one-sitting book...."

Wasn't able to pull that off because of a combination of the nihilistic nature of the story getting to me and a toddler requiring constant attention when I was actually home. But it was excellent!

I'm currently reading Dune... because I'm in the mood for something that's just a long but fun read.


message 485: by Agnetta (last edited Jan 21, 2019 03:15AM) (new)

Agnetta | 307 comments I listened to A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman as a german audiobook, something light to compensate for the Changeling. Then I listened it again. I enjoyed this SO MUCH I think I will start learning Swedish tonight to try and read the original ! it ain't to different from my mothertongue dutch they say so maybe I now know the story so well I can just read it in swedish.

I laughed out loud while cleaning the kitchen with this book on speaker, and despite the story being rather tragic. Really great story.


message 486: by Jeshika (new)

Jeshika Paperdoll (jeshikapaperdoll) | 231 comments Agnetta wrote: "I listened to A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman as a german audiobook, something light to compensate for the Changeling. Then I listened it again. I enjoyed this SO MUCH I think I..."

I've heard so many good things about his books lately. I really want to give them a go. :)


message 487: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Tim wrote: "Carol wrote: "You may be staying up late :) it’s a finish-in-one-sitting book...."

Wasn't able to pull that off because of a combination of the nihilistic nature of the story getting to me and a t..."


What did you think of it, Tim? Yes, it doesn’t go well with parenting, as I recall, lol.


message 488: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments I’m reading Nicolás Obregón’s Sins as Scarlet: An Inspector Iwata Novel, the follow-on to Blue Light Yokohama. It takes place in LA, and I didn’t read Blue Light, but I’m enjoying it.


message 489: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments I'm reading The Showa Anthology. For an anthology published in 1985, when Japanese literature wasn't yet popular and there was lots to choose from for licensing, the first half of the book is quite lackluster. It picks up in the second half, so there's still 200+ pages of quality reading here. If you give it a try and don't like it at first, don't give up!


message 490: by J (new)

J | 71 comments Started Mishima's Spring Snow. Only one chapter in so far, but it looks interesting.


message 491: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments I've got the next four group reads sitting on my bookshelf. Alright, I lie. Great Passage is in my briefcase and I'm on chapter two.

Reading chapter one makes me want to list all the wonderful dictionaries I bought while studying Japanese and that I still use from time to time. But I don't know how many of you study Japanese, and if using paper dictionaries makes me an old fuddy-duddy. People might only use free ones like jisho.org these days.


message 492: by Christian (last edited Jan 26, 2019 05:51AM) (new)

Christian (comeauch) | 230 comments Bill wrote: "Reading chapter one makes me want to list all the wonderful dictionaries I bought while studying Japanese and that I still use from time to time. But I don't know how many of you study Japanese, and if using paper dictionaries makes me an old fuddy-duddy. People might only use free ones like jisho.org these days. "

I love paper dictionaries! Please list them Bill!
I probably use jisho the most. It's convenient, but it definitely has its flaws. Sometimes the kanjis are wrong/non-exhaustive, and the definitions... well they're more translations than definitions. I do use the physical ones sometimes, mostly one that's aimed for Japanese kids (called チャレンジ小学国語辞典). The definitions are simple to understand :P And they have tidbits of info on the bottom of all pages. For kanjis words I have no idea how to pronounce, I have the Nelson 'Modern Reader's' character dictionary. Also, hardly ever useful except as a brick: Kenkyusha's J-E dictionary. Again, it's more aimed for translation work: mostly example sentences.

During the holidays, in anticipation of reading The Great Passage and as a gift to myself, I ordered some second-hand Japanese ones. Older editions of the 広辞苑, the 日本語大辞典 and Kenkyusha's E-J (which will probably be even less often used than the J-E, but maybe they'll feel less lonely together!) I know languages evolve fairly rapidly, but I don't feel the need for anything up to date. I'm guessing that most new words since the 90s are katakana transliterations of English words anyway.


message 493: by Ian (new)

Ian Josh | 273 comments In my opinion, if you can read/understand an older style of Japanese, you understand Japanese.

Japanese changes (as English does, though less politically in my experience) but I would say that it simplifies in many ways. So, older Japanese is more difficult (does everyone agree, or feel free to disagree :)

I read the first chapter of TGP (did anyone finish January’s book?) and it seems like a fun read.

BTW, they just announced that the translators last lesson (retiring as a teacher, not translator) will be open to the public, so if anyone is in Kyoto 2/6 at 2pm, ask me for details.


message 494: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments In kanji dictionaries I have Old Nelson, but some of the pages are falling out with age, so when I found a copy of New Nelson in a used book store a couple of years ago I picked it up. I also got Hadamitzky & Spahn when it came out; it has slightly different usages and allows you to look up words based on any kanji in them. Then there's the specialized O'Neill's Japanese Names, because names are read like nothing else.

There's A Dictionary of Japanese Culture which is more like a little J-E encyclopedia. And a J-E dictionary written for Japanese users, because they're more complete Kenkyuusha Lighthouse College J-E; it's not that exact edition, but it's the same editors. I never did get around to buying a 国語辞典 (a J-J dictionary for Japanese users). A Japanese friend bought me The McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Physics and Mathematics, J-E and E-J, which unfortunately has never seen much use; it was expensive. I also have a J-J haiku term dictionary, which I can't find in the Goodreads database; it's for looking up the implied meanings of words used in traditional poetry.

I guess I can list A Dictionary of Japanese Grammer (3 vols), too. It has "dictionary" in the title :)


message 495: by Christian (new)

Christian (comeauch) | 230 comments Bill wrote: "I guess I can list A Dictionary of Japanese Grammer (3 vols), too. It has "dictionary" in the title :)
"


Oh! I have those too... I rarely use them though, the Basic one is the most useful I found. The others are often more about words than grammar... like just by flipping through the advanced one, I see there's an entry for 思えば = come to think of it... with a bunch of example sentences. Not sure how that counts as grammar lol. They're interesting to browse through!

I guess the same can be said about paper dictionaries in general... they might have lost their former glory, but you can't really browse an electronic dictionary for fun. Plus it's nice to be able to hold an entire language in your (very strong) hand. I was recently reading Shōgun and the main character is an Englishman in Japan. He is given a Japanese-Portuguese dictionary and it's obviously an amazing treasure, but it was funny how he thought he now would be able to understand everything in no time ;P

Interesting about the name dictionary... man is Japanese difficult. You need a dictionary to even just have an idea of the possibilities on how to pronounce someone's name. At least in books it's often given with furigana. Otherwise I'll try the kun reading if I know it and hope for the best lol.


message 496: by Tim (new)

Tim | 152 comments Currently reading Audition... I have mixed feelings thus far.


message 497: by Carol (new)

Carol (carolfromnc) | 1436 comments Tim wrote: "Currently reading Audition... I have mixed feelings thus far."

Oh, man. That’s one wild ride. After you get past your desire to keep yelling at the MC: “bad idea! Run!!!”


message 498: by Bill (new)

Bill | 1257 comments Thanks to a power outage at work, I read half of I Want to Kick You in the Back today. It's a quick read about an anti-social high school girl and the nerdiest guy in the class. I hope for both their sakes that the author doesn't put them together.

It does a good job portraying the boredom, awkwardness, and insecurity of being in high school.


message 499: by Tim (last edited Feb 06, 2019 12:56AM) (new)

Tim | 152 comments Carol wrote: "Tim wrote: "Currently reading Audition... I have mixed feelings thus far."

Oh, man. That’s one wild ride. After you get past your desire to keep yelling at the MC: “bad idea! Run!!!”"


Yeah... finished it tonight. I've written up a review, but for some reason Goodreads won't let me post it, so I've saved it in a word document and will try later. It's certainly one of the most uncomfortable reads I've ever had and the last 20 pages or so were difficult to finish (and I'm a fairly hardened horror fan). Honestly, and I rather hate saying this, but I think it's one of those rare examples where the movie is better than the book... but that's just my opinion.

*Edit* Never mind, my review went up literally right after I posted this. There must have been some sort of sight glitch where there was just a delay in it.


message 500: by Jeshika (new)

Jeshika Paperdoll (jeshikapaperdoll) | 231 comments I have yet to watch the film of Audition, I bought it straight after reading the book as well. I might make a weekend of rereading the book and watching the film, because I honestly can't remember anything about the story at all.


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