What are you currently reading?

[Florestan]

Divided, if not totally rejected, figure. His books are in tadem with Hello Kitty, anime, etc., things for export. He often appears to be a celebrity, rather than a serious writer. I don't mean to reject his works, but I am just describing how his works are treated. Westerners may know the quality of his works better than Japanese do as Simon NZ presumes.  He likes Elvis, the Beatles' Sargent P., Zeppelin 4, plus famous albums in Jazz and classics. He was influenced by Burroughs (my fav), Kerouac, etc.

My pesonal view is that his works don't have ambiguity and nuances, which many Japanese readers tend to value. But quite possibly he has something many people like. Thank you for bringing up this interesting writer.

I certainly read two or three books of Murakami but can't even remember the titles, let alone any character or plot. 

[Artem]

People either love him or hate him. I like Haruki Murakami earlier books the most. The Sheep trilogy may be his best. However, I think he's been repeating himself with the few latest novels, but I'm still curious to read whatever new is translated into English.

[SimonNZ]

A few are largely forgettable variations on his familiar themes, but others are very good indeed. It would be a pity if someone started with the former then have up. Only one I've felt was actually bad: After Dark.

His nonfiction writings on Jazz haven't been translated into English yet, but I strongly suspect that like his conversations with Ozawa they will show more diversity and insight than the occasional mention in his novels.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Yukio Mishima. The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea.

[vers la flamme]

Yukio Mishima. The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea.

The guy who committed Seppuku after a failed coup. What a fascinating story. I've been meaning to check out his work.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

The guy who committed Seppuku after a failed coup. What a fascinating story. I've been meaning to check out his work.

I like this novel, and the movie based on the novel, while his Confession of a Mask is more popular. The both are good introductions to his literary works.  I am not sure if you will like them. But I am certain you and most members here will accept that these are great literay works.

Before the literary debut, he was an elite bureaucrat in the Ministry of Finance- the most esteemed admn dept in Japanese gvt.

[vers la flamme]

I like this novel, and the movie based on the novel, while his Confession of a Mask is more popular. The both are good introductions to his literary works.  I am not sure if you will like them. But I am certain you and most members here will accept that these are great literay works.

Before the literary debut, he was an elite bureaucrat in the Ministry of Finance- the most esteemed admn dept in Japanese gvt.

Have you read any of the Sea of Fertility series? I just read the first few pages of the first book, Spring Snow, on Amazon and I liked what I was reading. Ultimately I think it will be some time before I get around to really checking out Mishima, and I'm not sure whether his quasi-fascistic purism and austerity will be my thing, but it's obvious that he is a major artist in Japanese literature. Are you Japanese, DBK? Just curious as you seem to have some insider knowledge of Japan's culture and have alluded to having a primary language that is not English.

I'm fond of the Beats myself, it was through Kerouac and Burroughs (as well as Kurt Vonnegut) that I first really got into reading "serious" literature back in high school. I did pick up on a little bit of that influence in Murakami.

Currently I'm rereading The Great Gatsby. I haven't read this since high school and I seem to be getting somewhat more out of it this time. I was inspired to revisit it after I read references to it in two books I've read and enjoyed recently: the narrator of Murakami's Norwegian Wood cited it as his favorite book, and in Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, the author-narrator describes his view that whatever flaws Fitzgerald has as a person (which are enumerated in humorous detail in that book), they are to be tolerated on account of his ability to write this genius book. 

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Have you read any of the Sea of Fertility series? I just read the first few pages of the first book, Spring Snow, on Amazon and I liked what I was reading. Ultimately I think it will be some time before I get around to really checking out Mishima, and I'm not sure whether his quasi-fascistic purism and austerity will be my thing, but it's obvious that he is a major artist in Japanese literature. Are you Japanese, DBK? Just curious as you seem to have some insider knowledge of Japan's culture and have alluded to having a primary language that is not English.

I'm fond of the Beats myself, it was through Kerouac and Burroughs (as well as Kurt Vonnegut) that I first really got into reading "serious" literature back in high school. I did pick up on a little bit of that influence in Murakami.

Currently I'm rereading The Great Gatsby. I haven't read this since high school and I seem to be getting somewhat more out of it this time. I was inspired to revisit it after I read references to it in two books I've read and enjoyed recently: the narrator of Murakami's Norwegian Wood cited it as his favorite book, and in Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, the author-narrator describes his view that whatever flaws Fitzgerald has as a person (which are enumerated in humorous detail in that book), they are to be tolerated on account of his ability to write this genius book.

Just as most readers do, as for Mishima, I separate his ideology and aesthetics.  While I admire the sophistication and elegance in his works, I dislike, disagree with, and reject his ideology and his view about human and society. Sea of Fertility is a fine, and probably least disturbing, work by M.  The Sailor was one of David Bowie's favorite books.
         I am a big fan of Fitzgerald and I like all of his works including Gatsby. I like the sadness and devastating loneliness in high life described in his works. His deceptively simple writing paradoxically generates the elegant and cool atmosphere. His (deceptively) minimalist and restrained style is similar to Yasunari Kawabata, and diametrically opposite to the opulent and flamboyant style of Mishima.  I would also like to recommend Thousand Cranes, or Snow Country, by Kawabata to see a sharp contrast to Mishima, who admired Kawabata.  I am ashamed to say that I don't know Vonnegut.  I will look for his works.  Thank you for your very insightful reviews on the books in your posts.

[Crudblud]

Jens Malte Fischer's Mahler biography. Bought it for myself as an early birthday present, and was surprised at its heft, a fair bit more of a forearm workout than I'm used to from a paperback, that's for sure.

[vers la flamme]

Just as most readers do, as for Mishima, I separate his ideology and aesthetics.  While I admire the sophistication and elegance in his works, I dislike, disagree with, and reject his ideology and his view about human and society. Sea of Fertility is a fine, and probably least disturbing, work by M.  The Sailor was one of David Bowie's favorite books.
         I am a big fan of Fitzgerald and I like all of his works including Gatsby. I like the sadness and devastating loneliness in high life described in his works. His deceptively simple writing paradoxically generates the elegant and cool atmosphere. His (deceptively) minimalist and restrained style is similar to Yasunari Kawabata, and diametrically opposite to the opulent and flamboyant style of Mishima.  I would also like to recommend Thousand Cranes, or Snow Country, by Kawabata to see a sharp contrast to Mishima, who admired Kawabata.  I am ashamed to say that I don't know Vonnegut.  I will look for his works.  Thank you for your very insightful reviews on the books in your posts.

Not to imply that Vonnegut was anything similar to the Beats, just that I was reading his books around the same time I fell in love with On the Road, Dharma Bums, and Junky, & these early experiences are part of what made me a lifelong reader in the first place. You may or may not enjoy Vonnegut's works, but I'd say they're worth reading either way. I find similarities between his work and that of Murakami, though I find Vonnegut much less romantically inclined.

I need to check out more of Scott Fitzgerald's works. Is there any one that you think is (almost) as good as Gatsby?

Never heard of Kawabata, I'll look into him - thanks.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

His nonfiction writings on Jazz haven't been translated into English yet, but I strongly suspect that like his conversations with Ozawa they will show more diversity and insight than the occasional mention in his novels.

He was an owner of a Jazz cafe (cafe-bar specialised in playing Jazz records) in Tokyo.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Not to imply that Vonnegut was anything similar to the Beats, just that I was reading his books around the same time I fell in love with On the Road, Dharma Bums, and Junky, & these early experiences are part of what made me a lifelong reader in the first place. You may or may not enjoy Vonnegut's works, but I'd say they're worth reading either way. I find similarities between his work and that of Murakami, though I find Vonnegut much less romantically inclined.

I need to check out more of Scott Fitzgerald's works. Is there any one that you think is (almost) as good as Gatsby?

Never heard of Kawabata, I'll look into him - thanks.

I admire Rich Boy, Winter Dreams, and Ice Palace by Fitzgerald.  They all are short stories.  Kawabata is a Nobel laureate, so he maybe as good as Bob Dylan.

[AlberichUndHagen]

I have never read Murakami's books nor any japanese novels for that matter. I am much more acquainted with mangakas. Kentaro Miura is my favorite, he both writes and draws incredibly. Berserk is a masterpiece. It's a shame that the publishing frequency of new chapters is excruciatingly slow (although this year has been one of his most productive in a while).

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I am much more acquainted with mangakas. Kentaro Miura is my favorite,

Bad ass dandy 

[AlberichUndHagen]

I admire Rich Boy, Winter Dreams, and Ice Palace by Fitzgerald.

Haven't read Ice palace yet though I've heard it's one of his most beautifully written ones and that's saying a lot. Fitzgerald is definitely one of the greatest writers of 20th century that I've ever read. It's a shame that only The Great Gatsby is brought frequently up in literary discussions. I love The Great Gatsby but he was extremely productive and had very high writing standards so I feel a bit sad that in some circles he is thought as a "one-hit wonder".

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

The other Murakami. Coin Locker Babies (1980), Ryu Murakami. Ryu's works were considered to be hip/cool among the hipsters in the 80s and early 90s.

[vers la flamme]

I read two short novels over the past three days: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (which I'd never read before, though of course I knew the plot from countless adaptations and retellings), and Kazuo Ishiguro's An Artist of the Floating World. I liked both of these books a lot, and found much to admire in both of these writers and hope to read more from each.

Now, to wrap up the month of December, I'm returning to an anthology of plays by Ibsen that I started in the spring, currently reading Hedda Gabler. She's a great character, like so many of Ibsen's women, and I'm intrigued by the story, which seems to have many complex features.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I read two short novels over the past three days: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (which I'd never read before, though of course I knew the plot from countless adaptations and retellings), and Kazuo Ishiguro's An Artist of the Floating World. I liked both of these books a lot, and found much to admire in both of these writers and hope to read more from each.

Now, to wrap up the month of December, I'm returning to an anthology of plays by Ibsen that I started in the spring, currently reading Hedda Gabler. She's a great character, like so many of Ibsen's women, and I'm intrigued by the story, which seems to have many complex features.

Several North American people recommended the Floating World to me. I must get the book soon. I guess the floating world is a Western translation of Ukiyo, which means like an ephemeral/evanescent world. But I think the original text of the book is English though Ishiguro is legally Japanese. I liked a movie based on another story written by him.

[vers la flamme]

Several North American people recommended the Floating World to me. I must get the book soon. I guess the floating world is a Western translation of Ukiyo, which means like an ephemeral/evanescent world. But I think the original text of the book is English though Ishiguro is legally Japanese. I liked a movie based on another story written by him.

If you do read it, let me know what you think. I believe Ishiguro came to England with his family early on in life, and to watch an interview with him, it shows. His English is flawless with no trace of an accent. I mean, he talks like a Beatle. I believe he's on record having said something along the lines of that when he writes about Japan, what he's really writing about a world of the imagination, informed by memories from early childhood. Anyway, as an English writer, he's damn good. I'm excited to read more of his stuff and will try and get Remains of the Day next. I believe some folks were talking about that book a few pages back in this thread.

As for me, I've finished Ibsen (Hedda Gabler and Master Builder—both were phenomenal!) and now am back to Murakami with Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973, his first two novellas, published in one volume. What can I say; I'm hooked, but I must admit these early works certainly do betray a certain lack of writing experience. But I am enjoying them nonetheless. I've read about 12 novels and plays in December, most of them very short, but I'm reading more than I ever have. It's a great feeling! I hope to take this habit into 2021.

[SimonNZ]

am back to Murakami with Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973, his first two novellas, published in one volume.

I seem to recall enjoying the first one more than the second.

TD: still going with Halberstam's book on war during the Clinton years, but am also getting through this when needing something lighter: