Monday 25 June 2012

Mailbox Monday



Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at Mailbox Monday and is being hosted all this month by Marie of Burton Book Review.



I'm participating in the Japanese Literature challenge 6, hosted by Dolce Bellezza - and I'm very excited for this nice pile of books (of course I will be reading in English, even though I would have preferred to read the original...):




1Q84, by H. Murakami (Books 1 and 2)

"A parallel existence, 1Q84 —Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question"
Once I was able to shut my mouth (this is a seriously big book...), I started reading the first pages - I think I will be totally submerged in it!


In praise of shadows, by J. Tanizaki

"An essay on aesthetics by the Japanese novelist, this book explores architecture, jade, food, and even toilets, combining an acute sense of the use of space in buildings."
I've always been attracted by Oriental aesthetics in general, but I'm really interested to read how shadows can also provide a sense of beauty.





In a Grove, by R. Akutagawa

"An early modernist short story, it consists of seven varying accounts of the murder of a samurai, Kanazawa no Takehiro, whose corpse has been found in a bamboo forest near Kyoto".
Considered to be among the greatest stories in Japanese Literature, In a Grove was also used by Akira Kurosawa in one of his films - for me, a sure indication of its preciousness...





The Remains of the Day, by K. Ishiguro 

"A tragic, spiritual portrait of a perfect English butler and his reaction to his fading insular world in post-war England"
I must be one of the very few not to have read this book, so I'm really looking forward to it - will I cry? I hope so!






Supermarket, by S. Azuchi

"A novel of the human drama surrounding the management of a supermarket chain at a time when the phenomenon of the supermarket, imported postwar from the US, was just taking hold in Japan" 
From from the subject and the historical point of view, I find this book fascinating!







17 comments:

  1. 1Q84 does look intriguing, but a little daunting. And I loved Remains of the Day, but can't remember if it made me cry.
    Enjoy all your new reads!

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  2. 1Q84 is absolutely on my wishlist, I love Murakami and heard such great things about this one. Great haul!

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  3. These all sound fascinating 1Q84, Remains of the Day and In a Grove in particular.

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  4. The only one of those I'm familiar with is 1Q84 and I'm a little intimidated by it. Have fun with the challenge!

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure I'll enjoy it immensely!

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  5. Remains of the Day is excellent! I've not read any of the other authors. Have a good week and enjoy all your new books!

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  6. Some good choices for the Japanese Challenge. I liked 1Q84, hope you do too.

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  7. Anonymous25/6/12

    Enjoy! your interesting reads!

    http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/06/mailbox-monday_25.html

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  8. Wow, some real emotive books there, I was intrigued most by the description of The Remains of the Day.
    Enjoy!

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  9. Haven't read Remains of the Day but I liked the film version.

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    Replies
    1. I hope the book is just as nice...

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