Category: kindle
A fun and enjoyable read explaining many elements of Japanese culture from A to Z. Lots of interesting popular concepts explained from folklore, pop culture and the arts of Japan. I think it is a book that would encourage further studies.
Being a collector of Fountain pens the section on Maki-e and Urushi interested me as an owner of Japanese pens made from those crafts.
The book is beautifully illustrated.
A book I started a year or two ago but returned to recently. I started it afresh and it was a difficult reason for me. Not due to the subjects of mental health and relationships but how the book is structured as a conversation between a mother and her daughters boyfriend.
I expected more from the novel and it seemed to be disjointed and all over the place with the conversations, and it just ended abruptly, it was unfinished at the authors death but I don’t think it should have been published.
As a character I didn’t like Kuno and how he asserted himself to Ineko and her Mother, saying the mother is wrong to commit her to treatment and how marriage is the only way to fix her. Rubbed me up the wrong way.
I think a lot to do with the issues were the death of Ineko’s father and that was the trigger of her ailment. I also think that if the novel was finished the end may be that they both (Ineko & Kuno) are afflicted with mental health issues with him seeing a white rat and white dandelion. Possibly even the mother with her seeing a Sprite.
All in all I am glad to have read it but I wouldn’t come back to it.
I have been eternally curious about the non Sherlock Holmes works of Arthur Conan Doyle and finally got around to reading this, the first in his Professor Challenger series of books.
What an enjoyable romp in the jungle it was, a fun and enjoyable reading, following the party on their exploration of the new undiscovered lands. There was lots to take in and enjoy and it was enjoyable, especially as I went in blind not knowing the plot or being familiar with the adaptations. The scientific nature of the book and some attitudes and words to describe the minorities are of its time. I do find the Professors to be a pair of pricks though.
I would be curious to eventually read the rest of the series once I am able to source copies of the books. I do think it is a book I will enjoy reading again.
A great companion piece to The Penguin Classics Book. This book features on the Penguin Modern Classics series in its forms from its inception to today. I didn’t know the series has gone from several iterations and finally all brought together as ‘Modern Classics’ ‘Penguin Modern Classics’ ‘Twentieth Century Classics’ and finally back to Penguin Modern Classics. Same with how the covers have changed over the years with several re-designs.
Its a nice flick through the history and catalogue, I didn’t find it as enjoyable as the Classics book, but found several books of interest. The book does cover a vast scope of books and every continent is represented with selections, obviously this is a more European/English centred book. It also is only accurate to 2021 when it was published so naturally the series is even more comprehensive than the book represents so it is out of date.
Valley Reviews 