Modern Japanese Books

[Torigaa Fenikkusu]

I've recently read "Memoirs of a Geisha"
It was a great book, and I learned alot about 30s-50s Japan (yes, I know the book is fiction)

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knows any good books about modern day Japan. Like somthing from insider's point of view.
I know somthing like this probubly doesnt exist, atleast not in english.
It would be nice though..


~namaste

[AssKissinger]

Memoirs of a Geisha is a good book. It's amazing that it was written by a western male. It's very insightful, the characters are well-developed and the plot moves along at a good pace.

My recommendations are going to be fairly obvious but here they are.

Undergound by Haruki Murakami. Non-fiction. It's a series of interviews of people effected by the Aum cult sarin attack on the Tokyo subway. He interviews cult members as well as victims and the family members of victims. This isn't a real masterpiece but it'll give you a certain insight into how Japanese people think.

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Fiction. I know, no surprise about this one but if loving a great book makes me one of the masses so be it. This book deals with suicide and mental illness in Japan. Even though it's fiction I feel I learned more about the modern Japanese psyche through this book than through years of living here. It changed the way I feel about Japanese people.

Kitchen by Yoshimoto Banana. Fiction. This is easy reading popular fiction. I think a lot of people unfairly write-off this great novel because it's very feminine and popular with women. My edition also includes a novella called Moon Shadows. She deals with death, loneliness and sexuality. I think the reason why it's so popular is she captures the feelings of so many Japanese women and by the reading this book you can better understand Japanese women yourself.

Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse. Historic fiction. I mention this book every time the subject of Japanese literature comes up. It's based on actual diaries from survivors of the atomic blast in Hiroshima. I cannot praise this book enough. The subject matter is very brutal. For me reading this book was a much more powerful experience than visiting the museums in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Learning how the Japanese coped with this mammoth disaster is an important step to understanding modern Japan as a whole.

[Caustic Saint]

AK, I've seen some of Haruki Murakami's books in a few bookstores over here, but haven't been certain of which ones to get. Some of them seem to be a series, and others stand on their own. Do you know which ones are connected - and what order they go in?

[bejiita]

Speed Tribes and Dogs and Demons.

[AssKissinger]

The Wind-up Bird Chronicles is a series of three books in Japanese but the English version I read combined the three into one fairly long but fantastic novel. The Japanese are easily intimidated by long books. They're avid readers but they seem to like things in a short burst. Maybe that's why manga is so popular.

Norwegian Wood is a great place to start. Some people prefer Bird Chronicles maybe because it's more abstract, more violent and has a more kind of post modern complicated plot. To me the simple story of Norwegian Wood was even better, however. I'd imagine that it should be a single volume anywhere it's available.

Underground is two volumes in Japanese but one English. The Japanese seperates the victims and the cult members sections (maybe for sensitivity reasons?) I couldn't say about how the English versions are split up in Korea but I imagine it's the same.

I'll link you to the Amazon links Underground

Bird



Wood

I'm not sure about his older stuff but I hope this helps.

[gomichild]

Get any Murakami book you can lay your hands on! He's fabulous.

Re Japan - I enjoyed 36 views odf Mt Fuji, which is an account of one woman's experience of her time in Japan.

Forget Speed Tribes - waste of paper.

[Caustic Saint]

Get any Murakami book you can lay your hands on! He's fabulous.

Forget Speed Tribes - waste of paper.

The Murakami books I've seen here are the international editions (same covers as on amazon.com), so they should be the combined volumes.

The reviews on amazon.com seem to share your opinion of Speed Tribes. Basically that he wrote about Japan as he wished it was, not as it is.

[bejiita]

Yeah, but just like Memoirs of a Geisha, Speed Tribes is a great work of fiction.

[Jack]

All Murakami's books are great. A Wild Sheep Chase; Norwegian Wood; Dance, Dance, Dance; South of the Border, West of the Sun; or whatever.

[kotatsuneko]

only read one murakami, wont read another, as i dont read fiction anymore, havent for a few years now, well, apart from reading the press...

anyhow , read pinball 1973 which was excellent and do indeed agree with certain journalists re: how his writings subliminally affected narrative and themes in many latter day hk movies , mr wong kar wai pls stand up....

[Nagged]

I thought the Taiheiki was rather good. More interesting than some of the chambara shows on television.

[Milla]

It's no surprise most of us know Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto as I love both of them too. Plus, they were probably the first modern writers to get their works translated.
I tried to read Murasaki's Tale of Genji but gave up as I never had enough time and had to return to the library lol
I've recently picked up Junichiro Tanizaki's 'The Makioka Sisters' (Japanese title 'Sasame Yuki') which portrays Japanese life in the first half of the 20th century.
[/b]

[Milla]

Oh, if anyone is interested in another book on the life of a geisha apart from 'Memoirs of a Geisha' then I recommend 'Geisha of Gion' by Mineko Iwasaki. It's an easy read of the true story of Japan's foremost geisha plus there are some nice photos.