Personnaly, I had like a mind shift when I discovered authors from Africa. They twist English and French, they put their own culture and imagination, it's amazing.
I read also lot of Japanese literature and I like the "silences" in there. I don't why, for me it's a literature of silence. And violence.
It's fascinating also because it's not the same things that fascinate or frighten. It depends where you come from. Once I talked with Japanese and they found that western tales where terrible, which are so common to us 😆
Go read as wide as you can.
Nordic literature is fascinating for it's darkness, eastern european for its absurd and dark humour, russian for its reflection on human soul, korean for its delicacy, south America for its magical realism...
This is a far too long comment 😂 tell me if you want specific title.
By the way, great article :) and happy you to see Spirited away for the first time !
"Nordic literature is fascinating for it's darkness, eastern european for its absurd and dark humour, russian for its reflection on human soul, korean for its delicacy, south America for its magical realism... " OMG - YES!! I completely agree! :)
I really enjoyed Per Petterson's "I Curse the River of Time" and just today I have picked up Knausgaard's "A Man in Love" in a second-hand book store, because I loved parts of his first "struggle" book about the death of his father. In fact, I wrote about that book in a short story (or rant) that just got published. I was pulled in by the opening three pages about the way he writes about death, then got bored for the next almost 200 pages, but glad I carried on reading because I loved the second half of the book. But if you ask me about Nordic films, you are asking for trouble, because I have far too many titles to list! :) Dark humour, brutal honesty and daring stories. My favourite kinds! I'm rarely disappointed with a Scandinavian film.
I haven’t seen any of those! :) but there are so many great ones! Attends, je viens de voir que tu es Française! Et on parle de la culture nordique? Nous sommes tellement cultivées! 😂
After studying Japanese for a few years, I started reading works by Japanese authors in English translation. I think what sets it apart from Western work is that it doesn’t conform to the same ideas of « good » and « evil ». A novel I like is Banana Yoshimoto’s Kitchen. Two short stories are Hiromi Kawakami’s Kamisama- the original version and a short story I read recently on Medium- North Country by Sally Ito. There is an entire untranslated body of work out there. And some great anime too, not only Miyazaki films (which are amazing) but also pieces like Seirei no Moribito and Kado:the Right Answer.
Oh I am about to indulge in all of these suggestions, Natalie. Thanks so much. And such a good point about the good + evil. In my super beginner perspective, that actually rings true, especially when thinking about Spirited Away.
Spirited Away is amazing, but it's just the tip of the Miyazaki (Ghibli) iceberg. I think it was the first one I saw, too, because it was released when I was in high school.
You'd be missing out on some real gems if you didn't also watch, with the same sense of awe: Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro, to name a few. If you're a fan of Ursula K. Le Guin, Tales from Earthsea was also made by Ghibli. There are also more that I haven't seen and some that I didn't find quite as stunning.
This struck me about your essay today: "as readers and writers, we are so heavily influenced by the culture that surrounds us that it shapes the way we’re able to create and consume literature."
I discovered this epiphany about myself and my biases in reading a couple of months ago when one of the members of my book club selected THINGS FALL APART by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe.
I felt confused and frustrated for about two thirds of the book, until I realized I was reading through my Western lens and experience. From that point onward, I was able to read the remainder of the novel with more openness, and I learned a powerful lesson both about myself and about literature in general.
Yes! That was almost my exact experience reading The Emissary, except that it took me watching a Japanese film to get to "open mindedness." And yeah, you definitely learn more about yourself. Interesting how stepping outside yourself allows for so much self-discovery.
As a new author, culture influences what I write and how I write. I am new to writing novels, so I have a set plan, and I follow that plan—the plan of "story." If I were to put a label on myself, then I would be proud to say that I am a storyteller.
I have some Haruki Murakami books.
Nathan Baugh (2/18) on his Substack Site called World Builders wrote this about Murakami: "Japanese author Haruki Murakami has a bizarre writing practice. He drafts each book in English (his second language) before translating the draft to Japanese.
When asked why he does this, Murakami says:
“Every language has its unique rhythm, its own essence. By translating my own work, I get to experience the story from two different perspectives.”
There is much more he writes after this. Check it out.
I'm currently reading books by women from every country in the world. I'm in the B's now but am still in the A's posting on my substack because part of my project is learning about the country and culture too. I love it! Eye opening and invigorating.
this is why literary translation is such an invaluable and growing field, with its own awards and funds. to know of and about other cultures is to learn that there are different valid and viable ways of thinking and creating and that no person or nation can justly be considered central or supreme. we're all just exploring and expanding depending on our environment and circumstances and luck.
I'd like to point out another observation: it is my experience that people often do this with other demographics within the same culture, too, to all our detriment.
How many men have either rolled their eyes at chick lit or gotten more than a little "not all men" mad when reading something written about a woman's personal experience of sexual assault and how she's had c-PTSD since childhood as a result, or a Rebecca Solnit essay (the kind with facts and no coddling)?
How many white people have bristled (putting it way too lightly) at the bottom of white privilege, without bothering to read the definition? How many scream about CRT without knowing what it is and that it's a college-level field of study? And how many of those have taken it so far that they've turned into outright unmentionables by saying, in no uncertain terms, that stealing a cigarette or a candy bar deserves the death penalty without right to a judge or jury?
I think the whole world (but I think people in Western nations are extra guilty of this,) would be a much better (certainly safer and happier) place if people took extra steps every single time to notice and correct a fundamental lack of empathy, or a failure to remove oneself as the focal point from someone else's story.
I'm so glad you made that connection, Elysia. I initially included something like that in this piece, but decided to take it out and give it it's own letter (coming soon). You're absolutely right about everything you said and it is certainly to our detriment.
I started writing this reply and then lost it in the futility that is multitasking on a Pixel, so I may miss some of the points I was originally trying to make... I think this [the ability to expand empathy, to open up new perspectives, and to sometimes necessarily trick readers into defocusing themselves long enough to learn something about other people] is part of the magic and gift of literacy. I think there are other ways to convey similar meanings and themes, for example, visual art, but that can sometimes be inaccessible and too reliant on a viewer's presumed education to be impactful in as widespread a way.
There's something uniquely human about storytelling, something we crave, something that fulfills a need within us and is just as integral to our formation and growth as DNA. I'm fascinated by topics like synchronicity and the collective unconscious (Jung), and pursue a great deal of "esoteric", occult, metaphysical, religious, or spiritual (I guess all depending on perspective), nonfiction books and essays in my own reading. I also use tarot as a storytelling tool in multiple different ways, as a non-woo form of guidance, and more.
When I think about myth, the awesome power of mythmaking, myth as source, gift, and story, I'm overwhelmed by what a rich history we humans have (that which we have recovered and saved from warzonea
(Art is of course important and needed, too, and the Internet helps bridge a lot of the accessibility and class/education divide that still exists. I think this related article might be of interest to you, especially Barbara Walker's piece shown there, End of the Affair. So much of the art chosen for the article gave me chills or tears of fury. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-women-artists-reinventing-myth-leda-swan )
I am just really bad at writing comments on substack on my phone.
I was trying to say that when I think about myth and storytelling throughout the ages, and how some stories have survived so long, I cannot help but feel pride and awe. We are part of a noble tradition of not just truth-tellers, but truth-spinners, as we weave the fabric of history as it will be known tomorrow. The thought that I can one day actually think of myself as *good enough* to merit the title of storyteller is an endless source of inspiration to me.
Stories and their telling (on any medium) are magic, and we must wield that power not only responsibly but also proudly and with dignity. We shape the world around us and everyone who will listen to us.
I understood and understand, Elysia. And wholeheartedly agree! There's so much magic in storytelling and I'm glad we get to participate in so many of its forms.
I have been there too Kern but better late than never. I must say it has been an expansive discovery an enrichment of cultural sorts; story style, themes, structure. There is more than one way to tell a story obviously and it isn't only Western. In fact Western genre though great becomes flat and too predictable for me after awhile. So I started looking at dazzling cultural story styles. But where to begin ? It all started at my local library.
I have been there too Kern but better late than never. I must say it has been an expansive discovery an enrichment of cultural sorts; story style, themes, structure. There is more than one way to tell a story obviously and it isn't only Western. In fact Western genre though great becomes flat and too predictable for me after awhile. So I started looking at dazzling cultural story styles. But where to begin ? It all started at my local library.
Our local librarian who knew my reading tastes causally asked me have I read any translated works ? She told me she loves reading mostly translated works and mentioned a few title she enjoyed. These were mostly Japanese or Korean authors which I hardly heard of except of Murakami, which Like you I read a few of his earlier works. I too read mostly Western authors: English and translated European and South American. I belated saw a gap with cultural reads that my librarian mentioned in my reading habits.
I now have added Chinese, Korean, Vietnam, Indian and more Japanese translated works. It has been great, it feels like it a big world out there and I have become a cosmopolitan -- a citizen of the World.
For example I recently read: Good Night Tokyo by Atushiro Yoshida first English translation, he has written over 40 books and only a handful mostly translated to a few European languages. The book is only about a hundred pages, a slim novel and I loved it. I was amazed. The story structure is sensational. It is a collection of short stories that intersect and later you realize you are reading a Novel. The stories are banal themes, strange, outlandish, intriguing but magnetic. I read it over the festive season and can recall every scene in the ten interconnected stories of the book. How many books I read last year could that ? - must be familiarity and predictability of genres.
I knew I had to change my ways after reading Yoshida, there are worlds out there with great tales to be discovered.
I have devised a personal new acronym FOMOGTR: fear of missing out on great translated reading.
Nicholas, love this! And thank goodness for that librarian. You mentioned a few cultures that you've explored. Anyone you find yourself going back to? Or has been most intriguing?
I must admit that I'm not sure I would have been able to finish a book that I hated, or even wasn't excited about. There is so much good literature I haven't read, and want to read. Including the classics, including more 'obscure' writers. It is tough to compete with the dominance of Western literature, but I think it is good to be aware of the bias and look wider. When I was living in NZ, I loved discovering Maori writers whose writing was so exciting to me. So many interesting cultural references, legends and myths! I devoured it. Interestingly enough, my YA read was Gabriel G. Marquez, and I got completely sucked into his magic realism. I also read Murakami, but I don't always love him. I was really moved by Kōbō Abe's 'The Woman in the Dunes,' which was also made into a beautiful film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kX4h_sEBiI&t=66s
It was definitely hard to keep reading, Imola, I'm not going to lie. But because I liked the writing and at least understood on a surface level what was happening, I pushed through and was obviously glad I did. Maori literature sounds like it might be intriguing for me. Do you remember any of the books you enjoyed?
You will likely come across Witi Ihimaera (The Whale Rider), Alan Duff (Once Were Warriors) and Keri Hulme (The Bone People). They are well known. But personally, I loved the poetry of Arapera Hineira Blank. Unfortunately during my many moves in the world, I have lost my collection of the best of NZ literature :(
Thanks for the book rec, Kern. Appreciate an honest review; it stands out among the crowd of reviews.
As for DNFing and picking up a book a second or third time, personally it depends. I put down Demon Copperhead several times, the character’s high energy voice and circumstances not registering any desire to continue on. But the kid’s desire to survive, to be something came through in the first pages and I tried it again, probably with a more open mind. One of my favorite books ever and to think, I almost missed out.
Some books I put down, never to pick up again, due to the writing or the story or the characters. I’m reading one now, by a well known author, who I’ve enjoyed before and this one isn’t working. It isn’t giving a sense of where the character is going. I’d like to read Sally Rooney, but her lack of quotations to aid readers in digesting dialog is selfish, demanding too much of my time. The roar of the crowd doesn’t do enough to give up other good books.
Glad you hung on, Geoff! It goes like that sometimes. You're right about DNFing though, it does depend. I had to stop reading the fourth novel from one of my favourite authors because I just couldn't get into it...at all. But I was okay with that because I already read several of their novels. It's rare I don't finish a book I start, but it happens.
If you like Miyazaki, you have to watch Shinkai’s films too. “Your Name” is the masterpiece but I personally have a soft spot for the magic of “Weathering with You.”
I’d also recommend reading Kōbō Abe (The Woman in the Dunes, also a film) for more wildness and both Hiromi Kawakami (Strange Weather in Tokyo) and Yasunari Kawabata (The Sound of the Mountain, Snow Country, Dandelions, Thousand Cranes) for masterful emotional depth.
Japan has such a rich literary tradition and so many phenomenal writers that the West is happy to ignore. Mishima (Confessions of a Mask), Tanizaki (The Makioka Sisters), Soseki (Kokoro)…
Ahhh loving this, Jake. I'm so annoyed with myself for not getting into Japanese literature and film earlier, but alas, I'm here now so appreciate the recos. Sounds like you've been consuming Eastern art for a while...
I got really into Japanese literature in…2022? 2023? My reading tends to be cyclical (Japan is always spring and autumn) so I’m eying who to pick up in April :)
Personnaly, I had like a mind shift when I discovered authors from Africa. They twist English and French, they put their own culture and imagination, it's amazing.
I read also lot of Japanese literature and I like the "silences" in there. I don't why, for me it's a literature of silence. And violence.
It's fascinating also because it's not the same things that fascinate or frighten. It depends where you come from. Once I talked with Japanese and they found that western tales where terrible, which are so common to us 😆
Go read as wide as you can.
Nordic literature is fascinating for it's darkness, eastern european for its absurd and dark humour, russian for its reflection on human soul, korean for its delicacy, south America for its magical realism...
This is a far too long comment 😂 tell me if you want specific title.
By the way, great article :) and happy you to see Spirited away for the first time !
Hmm, for some reason, Nordic literature sounds interesting. Any recommendations in that lane?
Hope he is translated in English :
Bergsveinn Birgisson
If theatre doesn't stop you : Jon Fosse
The novels of Tove Jansson (not only Moomins)
Perfect! Thank you. Very much appreciated :)
"Nordic literature is fascinating for it's darkness, eastern european for its absurd and dark humour, russian for its reflection on human soul, korean for its delicacy, south America for its magical realism... " OMG - YES!! I completely agree! :)
So sweet ! Do you have title you particularly love ?
I really enjoyed Per Petterson's "I Curse the River of Time" and just today I have picked up Knausgaard's "A Man in Love" in a second-hand book store, because I loved parts of his first "struggle" book about the death of his father. In fact, I wrote about that book in a short story (or rant) that just got published. I was pulled in by the opening three pages about the way he writes about death, then got bored for the next almost 200 pages, but glad I carried on reading because I loved the second half of the book. But if you ask me about Nordic films, you are asking for trouble, because I have far too many titles to list! :) Dark humour, brutal honesty and daring stories. My favourite kinds! I'm rarely disappointed with a Scandinavian film.
Thank you ! I ll check the recommendations ^^
I ve seen few Scandinavian films : Morse, Ove, Rams, Kiss me fucking morons (maybe there s more I don't remember!)
I haven’t seen any of those! :) but there are so many great ones! Attends, je viens de voir que tu es Française! Et on parle de la culture nordique? Nous sommes tellement cultivées! 😂
After studying Japanese for a few years, I started reading works by Japanese authors in English translation. I think what sets it apart from Western work is that it doesn’t conform to the same ideas of « good » and « evil ». A novel I like is Banana Yoshimoto’s Kitchen. Two short stories are Hiromi Kawakami’s Kamisama- the original version and a short story I read recently on Medium- North Country by Sally Ito. There is an entire untranslated body of work out there. And some great anime too, not only Miyazaki films (which are amazing) but also pieces like Seirei no Moribito and Kado:the Right Answer.
Oh I am about to indulge in all of these suggestions, Natalie. Thanks so much. And such a good point about the good + evil. In my super beginner perspective, that actually rings true, especially when thinking about Spirited Away.
Spirited Away is amazing, but it's just the tip of the Miyazaki (Ghibli) iceberg. I think it was the first one I saw, too, because it was released when I was in high school.
You'd be missing out on some real gems if you didn't also watch, with the same sense of awe: Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro, to name a few. If you're a fan of Ursula K. Le Guin, Tales from Earthsea was also made by Ghibli. There are also more that I haven't seen and some that I didn't find quite as stunning.
Writing down alll of these suggestions!
I’d love to know what you think about them- and about anime- I prefer it with the subtitles and the original actor’s voices.
Definitely prefer subtitles with original voices. I'll let you know how it goes :) Thanks again!
Here are some recent Japanese and Korean.
could they be your cup of tea ? LOL
4 Books Collection by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Before The Coffee Gets Cold,
Tales From The Cafe,
Before Your Memory Fades
Before We Say Goodbye
We'll prescribe you a cat by Syou, Ishida
Han Kang books:
The Vegetarian
The Greek Lessons
looking forward to the release of : We Do Not Part in 2025
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library: by Michiko Aoyama
If Cats Disappeared From the World by Genki Kawamura
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
and the very funny: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Awesome. I love japanese authors and stories and read quite a few you mentionned but I will check out the others. Thanks !!!
Hi Kern,
This struck me about your essay today: "as readers and writers, we are so heavily influenced by the culture that surrounds us that it shapes the way we’re able to create and consume literature."
I discovered this epiphany about myself and my biases in reading a couple of months ago when one of the members of my book club selected THINGS FALL APART by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe.
I felt confused and frustrated for about two thirds of the book, until I realized I was reading through my Western lens and experience. From that point onward, I was able to read the remainder of the novel with more openness, and I learned a powerful lesson both about myself and about literature in general.
Yes! That was almost my exact experience reading The Emissary, except that it took me watching a Japanese film to get to "open mindedness." And yeah, you definitely learn more about yourself. Interesting how stepping outside yourself allows for so much self-discovery.
Hooray for being introduced to the wonderful world of Miyazaki! I recommend Totoro next.
I am officially on board. I'll research Totoro next. Any specific recommendation?
Oh I mean the Miyazaki movie called My Neighbor Totoro. It's delightful!
Done! I’ll let you know how it goes :) thanks!
Kern,
As a new author, culture influences what I write and how I write. I am new to writing novels, so I have a set plan, and I follow that plan—the plan of "story." If I were to put a label on myself, then I would be proud to say that I am a storyteller.
I have some Haruki Murakami books.
Nathan Baugh (2/18) on his Substack Site called World Builders wrote this about Murakami: "Japanese author Haruki Murakami has a bizarre writing practice. He drafts each book in English (his second language) before translating the draft to Japanese.
When asked why he does this, Murakami says:
“Every language has its unique rhythm, its own essence. By translating my own work, I get to experience the story from two different perspectives.”
There is much more he writes after this. Check it out.
Joel
Wow, that's a serious process. And yes, storyteller is a beautiful label; one I think many authors would love to reside.
I'm currently reading books by women from every country in the world. I'm in the B's now but am still in the A's posting on my substack because part of my project is learning about the country and culture too. I love it! Eye opening and invigorating.
Love this, Lilian! So smart.
this is why literary translation is such an invaluable and growing field, with its own awards and funds. to know of and about other cultures is to learn that there are different valid and viable ways of thinking and creating and that no person or nation can justly be considered central or supreme. we're all just exploring and expanding depending on our environment and circumstances and luck.
I'd like to point out another observation: it is my experience that people often do this with other demographics within the same culture, too, to all our detriment.
How many men have either rolled their eyes at chick lit or gotten more than a little "not all men" mad when reading something written about a woman's personal experience of sexual assault and how she's had c-PTSD since childhood as a result, or a Rebecca Solnit essay (the kind with facts and no coddling)?
How many white people have bristled (putting it way too lightly) at the bottom of white privilege, without bothering to read the definition? How many scream about CRT without knowing what it is and that it's a college-level field of study? And how many of those have taken it so far that they've turned into outright unmentionables by saying, in no uncertain terms, that stealing a cigarette or a candy bar deserves the death penalty without right to a judge or jury?
I think the whole world (but I think people in Western nations are extra guilty of this,) would be a much better (certainly safer and happier) place if people took extra steps every single time to notice and correct a fundamental lack of empathy, or a failure to remove oneself as the focal point from someone else's story.
I'm so glad you made that connection, Elysia. I initially included something like that in this piece, but decided to take it out and give it it's own letter (coming soon). You're absolutely right about everything you said and it is certainly to our detriment.
I started writing this reply and then lost it in the futility that is multitasking on a Pixel, so I may miss some of the points I was originally trying to make... I think this [the ability to expand empathy, to open up new perspectives, and to sometimes necessarily trick readers into defocusing themselves long enough to learn something about other people] is part of the magic and gift of literacy. I think there are other ways to convey similar meanings and themes, for example, visual art, but that can sometimes be inaccessible and too reliant on a viewer's presumed education to be impactful in as widespread a way.
There's something uniquely human about storytelling, something we crave, something that fulfills a need within us and is just as integral to our formation and growth as DNA. I'm fascinated by topics like synchronicity and the collective unconscious (Jung), and pursue a great deal of "esoteric", occult, metaphysical, religious, or spiritual (I guess all depending on perspective), nonfiction books and essays in my own reading. I also use tarot as a storytelling tool in multiple different ways, as a non-woo form of guidance, and more.
When I think about myth, the awesome power of mythmaking, myth as source, gift, and story, I'm overwhelmed by what a rich history we humans have (that which we have recovered and saved from warzonea
(Art is of course important and needed, too, and the Internet helps bridge a lot of the accessibility and class/education divide that still exists. I think this related article might be of interest to you, especially Barbara Walker's piece shown there, End of the Affair. So much of the art chosen for the article gave me chills or tears of fury. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-women-artists-reinventing-myth-leda-swan )
I am just really bad at writing comments on substack on my phone.
I was trying to say that when I think about myth and storytelling throughout the ages, and how some stories have survived so long, I cannot help but feel pride and awe. We are part of a noble tradition of not just truth-tellers, but truth-spinners, as we weave the fabric of history as it will be known tomorrow. The thought that I can one day actually think of myself as *good enough* to merit the title of storyteller is an endless source of inspiration to me.
Stories and their telling (on any medium) are magic, and we must wield that power not only responsibly but also proudly and with dignity. We shape the world around us and everyone who will listen to us.
I understood and understand, Elysia. And wholeheartedly agree! There's so much magic in storytelling and I'm glad we get to participate in so many of its forms.
I'm sorry, "bottom of white privilege" was supposed to be notion of. Silly phone.
I have been there too Kern but better late than never. I must say it has been an expansive discovery an enrichment of cultural sorts; story style, themes, structure. There is more than one way to tell a story obviously and it isn't only Western. In fact Western genre though great becomes flat and too predictable for me after awhile. So I started looking at dazzling cultural story styles. But where to begin ? It all started at my local library.
I have been there too Kern but better late than never. I must say it has been an expansive discovery an enrichment of cultural sorts; story style, themes, structure. There is more than one way to tell a story obviously and it isn't only Western. In fact Western genre though great becomes flat and too predictable for me after awhile. So I started looking at dazzling cultural story styles. But where to begin ? It all started at my local library.
Our local librarian who knew my reading tastes causally asked me have I read any translated works ? She told me she loves reading mostly translated works and mentioned a few title she enjoyed. These were mostly Japanese or Korean authors which I hardly heard of except of Murakami, which Like you I read a few of his earlier works. I too read mostly Western authors: English and translated European and South American. I belated saw a gap with cultural reads that my librarian mentioned in my reading habits.
I now have added Chinese, Korean, Vietnam, Indian and more Japanese translated works. It has been great, it feels like it a big world out there and I have become a cosmopolitan -- a citizen of the World.
For example I recently read: Good Night Tokyo by Atushiro Yoshida first English translation, he has written over 40 books and only a handful mostly translated to a few European languages. The book is only about a hundred pages, a slim novel and I loved it. I was amazed. The story structure is sensational. It is a collection of short stories that intersect and later you realize you are reading a Novel. The stories are banal themes, strange, outlandish, intriguing but magnetic. I read it over the festive season and can recall every scene in the ten interconnected stories of the book. How many books I read last year could that ? - must be familiarity and predictability of genres.
I knew I had to change my ways after reading Yoshida, there are worlds out there with great tales to be discovered.
I have devised a personal new acronym FOMOGTR: fear of missing out on great translated reading.
Nicholas, love this! And thank goodness for that librarian. You mentioned a few cultures that you've explored. Anyone you find yourself going back to? Or has been most intriguing?
Great post. I need to watch Spirited Away now. I have read a few Japanese novels which I liked, even admired, but didn't love. I wonder now.
I must admit that I'm not sure I would have been able to finish a book that I hated, or even wasn't excited about. There is so much good literature I haven't read, and want to read. Including the classics, including more 'obscure' writers. It is tough to compete with the dominance of Western literature, but I think it is good to be aware of the bias and look wider. When I was living in NZ, I loved discovering Maori writers whose writing was so exciting to me. So many interesting cultural references, legends and myths! I devoured it. Interestingly enough, my YA read was Gabriel G. Marquez, and I got completely sucked into his magic realism. I also read Murakami, but I don't always love him. I was really moved by Kōbō Abe's 'The Woman in the Dunes,' which was also made into a beautiful film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kX4h_sEBiI&t=66s
It was definitely hard to keep reading, Imola, I'm not going to lie. But because I liked the writing and at least understood on a surface level what was happening, I pushed through and was obviously glad I did. Maori literature sounds like it might be intriguing for me. Do you remember any of the books you enjoyed?
You will likely come across Witi Ihimaera (The Whale Rider), Alan Duff (Once Were Warriors) and Keri Hulme (The Bone People). They are well known. But personally, I loved the poetry of Arapera Hineira Blank. Unfortunately during my many moves in the world, I have lost my collection of the best of NZ literature :(
Thanks for the book rec, Kern. Appreciate an honest review; it stands out among the crowd of reviews.
As for DNFing and picking up a book a second or third time, personally it depends. I put down Demon Copperhead several times, the character’s high energy voice and circumstances not registering any desire to continue on. But the kid’s desire to survive, to be something came through in the first pages and I tried it again, probably with a more open mind. One of my favorite books ever and to think, I almost missed out.
Some books I put down, never to pick up again, due to the writing or the story or the characters. I’m reading one now, by a well known author, who I’ve enjoyed before and this one isn’t working. It isn’t giving a sense of where the character is going. I’d like to read Sally Rooney, but her lack of quotations to aid readers in digesting dialog is selfish, demanding too much of my time. The roar of the crowd doesn’t do enough to give up other good books.
Glad you hung on, Geoff! It goes like that sometimes. You're right about DNFing though, it does depend. I had to stop reading the fourth novel from one of my favourite authors because I just couldn't get into it...at all. But I was okay with that because I already read several of their novels. It's rare I don't finish a book I start, but it happens.
If you like Miyazaki, you have to watch Shinkai’s films too. “Your Name” is the masterpiece but I personally have a soft spot for the magic of “Weathering with You.”
I’d also recommend reading Kōbō Abe (The Woman in the Dunes, also a film) for more wildness and both Hiromi Kawakami (Strange Weather in Tokyo) and Yasunari Kawabata (The Sound of the Mountain, Snow Country, Dandelions, Thousand Cranes) for masterful emotional depth.
Japan has such a rich literary tradition and so many phenomenal writers that the West is happy to ignore. Mishima (Confessions of a Mask), Tanizaki (The Makioka Sisters), Soseki (Kokoro)…
Ahhh loving this, Jake. I'm so annoyed with myself for not getting into Japanese literature and film earlier, but alas, I'm here now so appreciate the recos. Sounds like you've been consuming Eastern art for a while...
I got really into Japanese literature in…2022? 2023? My reading tends to be cyclical (Japan is always spring and autumn) so I’m eying who to pick up in April :)