Can you recommend japanese Books??

Himura · Jul 11, 2003, 05:25

Did you ever read a japanese book?

==> which title can you recommend??

POST IT!!!

Himura · Jul 11, 2003, 05:27

My nomination is:

Yoshikawa Eiji - MUSASHI

(this novel is really grate and has a true, historical background)

Maciamo · Jul 11, 2003, 11:57

What kind of book are you loooking for ? Japanese literature, books on Japan (maybe written by non Japanese), mangas ? Do you want them in English, Japanese, German, bilingual ?

You can have a look at my site (Maciamo Japan), in the literature section for literature and books on Japan recommendations.

Himura · Jul 12, 2003, 09:18

Any literature!

Ami · Jul 25, 2003, 07:21

hmmm... well, I do like this one Japanese Author named Banana Yoshimoto. I read a couple of her books like "Kicten" and "Amrita". They're really good too. Oh and you should check out "Lizard". http://abyss.hubbe.net/banana/bio.html

Maciamo · Jul 25, 2003, 13:08

No offece intended, but Banana's book are rather simplish and unexceptional. Kitchen is read in an hour and I found that anybody could have written the same. It lacks the intrigue and plot of a Genji monogatari, but it's of course 2 very different kinds of books (ancient vs modern Japan, long and complex story with hundreds of characters vs short and simple story with 3 or 4 characters).

Himura · Jul 25, 2003, 15:11

Itｴs really interesting that we have to different opinions about this book/s...

===> POST MORE !!!

tasuki · Jul 25, 2003, 16:51

Japanese books translated to English or Japanese books in Japanese?

Ami · Jul 26, 2003, 06:49

Well, I don't really know how it is in Modern Japan so I enjoyed reading how it was like. But I never read any other books by Japanese Authors so I wouldn't know that much about it. I don't know I enjoyed reading Banana Yoshimoto's books.

It was my 1st time reading anything from a Japanese author! o-o

Himura · Jul 27, 2003, 01:13

Post ANY books form ANY autor

Ami · Jul 27, 2003, 06:56

Any author? Well, I am into Harry Potter and Lord of the Ring books.

If that counts... But didn't you want Japanese Book Authors?

Himura · Jul 27, 2003, 10:56

The nation of the autor doesnｴt matter...
Just wanted to mention: I HATE HARRY POTTER!!!

Ami · Jul 28, 2003, 06:50

LOL okay okay

.-. Well, Banana Yoshimoto is the only author i can recommend due to the fact that i don't know any more Japanese Book authors.

Rachel · Aug 9, 2003, 16:05

Try reading "Haruki Murakami". His books have been translated into english and I have to say the guy is a genius.
He writes surrealist fiction and it's brilliant !
I can recommend his books: - "Sputnick Sweethart" and "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle".

thomas · Aug 9, 2003, 16:14

I worship Haruki Murakami too. I'd also recommend to read a few "classic" contemporary authors, such as Yasunari Kawabata, Yukio Mishima, Junichiro Tanizaki, Kenzaburo Oe, Abe Kobo, Shusako Endo (one of my favourites), etc., etc.

Himura · Aug 9, 2003, 21:51

Thanxxx!

MORE plz!

teardrop · Aug 10, 2003, 12:38

well... i've studied Japanese literature before and these are a few of my favorites...

By Mori Ogai -- Maihime ( "The Dancing Girl" ) Hey, this should interest u as it is set in Germany.
-- Sakai Jiken ( "The incident at Sakai" ) This one includes a vivid description of Seppaku or ritual suicide. Pretty gross but an interesting read.

By Kawabata Yasunari -- Snow Country (by the way, this work was being awarded with Nobel Prize)

By Hayashi Fumiko -- Horoki ( "Diary of the vagabound" )
-- Suisen ( "The Late Chrysanthemum" )

By Higuchi Ichiyo -- Takekurabe ( "Growing Up" )

Check out this book as well : The Oxford book of Japanese short stories / edited by Theodore W. Goossen. It contains many short literature works by Japanese writers, including works by Yoshitomo Banana and Haruki Murakami. Highly recommended reads are "Sansho the steward", "The Accordian and the fish town", "The Izu Dancer" and "Toddler Hunting".

Oh... those i have recommended above have English translations if you don't read Japanese. By the way, are u Japanese or is Himura just a nickname?

Enjoy reading!

remuka · Aug 26, 2003, 04:38

Ok, here are few of my favourites, all traduced in english (i guess... but i don't know the english titles, sorry).

- Natsume Seki, "Kokoro"
Trough the description of the relationship between a "disciple" and a "master" , a very sensitive love story, in the beginning of the 20th century.

- Murakami Ry�, "Coin lockers babies"
Nihilistic vision of young people future, life and hopes. I think this one is his best book, quite pessimistic...

- Kobo Abe, "Sunna no onna"
Enthomogist trapped in a pit in the dunes, and forced to live with a woman he doesn't konw... A kind of "huis-clos" on the beach.

- Akutagawa Ryunosuke, "Rashon"
The novel which was adapted by Kurosawa Akira for his famous movie. He wrote many short novels, which are getting darker and darker as he felt into his obessions...

Himura · Aug 26, 2003, 07:46

MORE MORE!!!

ShaShing2069 · Sep 5, 2003, 11:20

I reccomend "Battle Royale," by Koushun Takami. It's been translated from Japanese into English. There is also a manga by the same name, it's based on the book.

Codruta · Sep 18, 2003, 01:05

Since you first asked about Japanese authors, I'll start from there, too. I liked Sei Shonagon's "Pillow Book", because it showed me a remarkable image of ancient Japan. Her sensibility is similar to that of Murasaki Shikibu ("Genji Monogatari"), whom it has been written before.
From the modern times, I would strongly reccomend you Oe Kenzaburo, whose books are really deep. Personally, I don-t really enjoy Haruki Murakami, because I consider his books a bit comercial.
Other authors...non_Japanese...Try Gabriel Garcia Marquez, "A Hundred Years of Solitude", Patrick Suskind, "The Perfume", Mircea Cartarescu, "Nostalgia".
It would be easier for me to reccomend youa book if you told me a book tou enjoyed very much.

ben0a4 · Sep 20, 2003, 02:25

Any of u know some books of edogawa rampo? (ENGLISH TRANSLATION) i've read a small book with some of his collected works , small stories and i'd like to read more of him~~

~~100th post ~~;)

腕白坊主 · Sep 29, 2003, 14:37

I like Endo Shusaku a lot. My favorites are 海と毒薬 (The Sea and Poison) and 沈黙 (Silence). He is kind of under rated but is a great author and west quite well known in the west due to his interest in graham greene and the intersection of catholicism and japanese culture. The Sea and Poison is rather intense, about the vivisection of american soldiers by japanese doctors.

Mishima Yukio is really good. There is a film by Paul Schrader about his life and work that is worth seeing if you can find it.
I enjoy Murakami (Haruki and Ryuu) as well as Banana but they are kind of light weight reading. There is a compilation called Monkey Brain Sushi (i think) that has some good short stories.

ill think some more later im tired

腕白坊主

hamsun · Sep 30, 2003, 02:44

first off...anything by tanizaki junichiro (makioka sisters, quicksand, naomi, diary of a mad old man)....also check out "the sailor who fell from grace with the sea" by mishima yukio...

hamsun · Sep 30, 2003, 02:47

Originally posted by Ami
hmmm... well, I do like this one Japanese Author named Banana Yoshimoto. I read a couple of her books like "Kicten" and "Amrita". They're really good too. Oh and you should check out "Lizard". http://abyss.hubbe.net/banana/bio.html

...but i tried to like her work but it seemed like it was for 14 year old girls...like the brittany spears of writers

try tanizaki, mishima, dazai, akutagawa etc.

Jul 11, 2003, 05:25	#1
Himura Hadoken!!!!! Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Location: German Age: 22 Posts: 278	Can you recommend japanese Books?? Did you ever read a japanese book? ==> which title can you recommend?? POST IT!!! __________________ Sushi & Instant Soups 4 ever!!! -- Miyamoto Musashi rulez!!! -==> Hayabusa & Hayate (DoA3) / Dante (Devil may Cry) <==- ---====> Hiko Seijuro -- The best Swordsman ever <====---

Jul 11, 2003, 11:57	#3
Maciamo Decommissioned ex-admin Join Date: Jul 17, 2002 Location: Austrasia Posts: 6,647	What kind of book are you loooking for ? Japanese literature, books on Japan (maybe written by non Japanese), mangas ? Do you want them in English, Japanese, German, bilingual ? You can have a look at my site (Maciamo Japan), in the literature section for literature and books on Japan recommendations. __________________ Over 100 destinations in the Japan Sightseeing Guide + detailed Tokyo Guide and Kyoto Guide Eupedia : Your Guide to Europe in English Read the "Maciamo FAQ" "What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?", Winston Churchill.

Jul 25, 2003, 16:51	#8
tasuki Regular Member Join Date: Apr 22, 2003 Location: Location: Tokyo. Country: Quebec, Canada Posts: 365	Japanese books translated to English or Japanese books in Japanese? __________________ - His arrogance is matched only by his firepower. - La culture, c'est comme la confiture: moins on en a, plus on l'etend. - TANSTAAFL.

Aug 9, 2003, 16:14	#15
thomas Decommissioned ex-admin Join Date: Mar 14, 2002 Posts: 4,209	I worship Haruki Murakami too. I'd also recommend to read a few "classic" contemporary authors, such as Yasunari Kawabata, Yukio Mishima, Junichiro Tanizaki, Kenzaburo Oe, Abe Kobo, Shusako Endo (one of my favourites), etc., etc. __________________ Remember what the dormouse said, feed your head, feed your head!

Aug 10, 2003, 12:38	#17
teardrop Regular Member Join Date: Jul 28, 2003 Age: 28 Posts: 69	well... i've studied Japanese literature before and these are a few of my favorites... By Mori Ogai -- Maihime ( "The Dancing Girl" ) Hey, this should interest u as it is set in Germany. -- Sakai Jiken ( "The incident at Sakai" ) This one includes a vivid description of Seppaku or ritual suicide. Pretty gross but an interesting read. By Kawabata Yasunari -- Snow Country (by the way, this work was being awarded with Nobel Prize) By Hayashi Fumiko -- Horoki ( "Diary of the vagabound" ) -- Suisen ( "The Late Chrysanthemum" ) By Higuchi Ichiyo -- Takekurabe ( "Growing Up" ) Check out this book as well : The Oxford book of Japanese short stories / edited by Theodore W. Goossen. It contains many short literature works by Japanese writers, including works by Yoshitomo Banana and Haruki Murakami. Highly recommended reads are "Sansho the steward", "The Accordian and the fish town", "The Izu Dancer" and "Toddler Hunting". Oh... those i have recommended above have English translations if you don't read Japanese. By the way, are u Japanese or is Himura just a nickname? Enjoy reading! __________________ "It is hard to tell of happiness. Time goes by and we feel safe too soon". ~ One Stab ( Legends of The Fall) ~

Jul 11, 2003, 05:27	#2
Himura Hadoken!!!!! Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Location: German Age: 22 Posts: 278	My nomination is: Yoshikawa Eiji - MUSASHI (this novel is really grate and has a true, historical background)

Jul 12, 2003, 09:18	#4
Himura Hadoken!!!!! Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Location: German Age: 22 Posts: 278	Any literature!

Jul 25, 2003, 07:21	#5
Ami iami5o4 Join Date: Jul 7, 2003 Location: California Age: 22 Posts: 334	hmmm... well, I do like this one Japanese Author named Banana Yoshimoto. I read a couple of her books like "Kicten" and "Amrita". They're really good too. Oh and you should check out "Lizard". http://abyss.hubbe.net/banana/bio.html

Jul 25, 2003, 13:08	#6
Maciamo Decommissioned ex-admin Join Date: Jul 17, 2002 Location: Austrasia Posts: 6,647	No offece intended, but Banana's book are rather simplish and unexceptional. Kitchen is read in an hour and I found that anybody could have written the same. It lacks the intrigue and plot of a Genji monogatari, but it's of course 2 very different kinds of books (ancient vs modern Japan, long and complex story with hundreds of characters vs short and simple story with 3 or 4 characters).

Jul 25, 2003, 15:11	#7
Himura Hadoken!!!!! Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Location: German Age: 22 Posts: 278	Itｴs really interesting that we have to different opinions about this book/s... ===> POST MORE !!!

Jul 26, 2003, 06:49	#9
Ami iami5o4 Join Date: Jul 7, 2003 Location: California Age: 22 Posts: 334	Well, I don't really know how it is in Modern Japan so I enjoyed reading how it was like. But I never read any other books by Japanese Authors so I wouldn't know that much about it. I don't know I enjoyed reading Banana Yoshimoto's books. It was my 1st time reading anything from a Japanese author! o-o

Jul 27, 2003, 01:13	#10
Himura Hadoken!!!!! Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Location: German Age: 22 Posts: 278	Post ANY books form ANY autor

Jul 27, 2003, 06:56	#11
Ami iami5o4 Join Date: Jul 7, 2003 Location: California Age: 22 Posts: 334	Any author? Well, I am into Harry Potter and Lord of the Ring books. If that counts... But didn't you want Japanese Book Authors?

Jul 27, 2003, 10:56	#12
Himura Hadoken!!!!! Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Location: German Age: 22 Posts: 278	The nation of the autor doesnｴt matter... Just wanted to mention: I HATE HARRY POTTER!!!

Jul 28, 2003, 06:50	#13
Ami iami5o4 Join Date: Jul 7, 2003 Location: California Age: 22 Posts: 334	LOL okay okay .-. Well, Banana Yoshimoto is the only author i can recommend due to the fact that i don't know any more Japanese Book authors.

Aug 9, 2003, 16:05	#14
Rachel Mad Bee Hatch Join Date: Aug 9, 2003 Location: England, worcestershire, worcester. Age: 37 Posts: 136	Try reading "Haruki Murakami". His books have been translated into english and I have to say the guy is a genius. He writes surrealist fiction and it's brilliant ! I can recommend his books: - "Sputnick Sweethart" and "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle".

Aug 9, 2003, 21:51	#16
Himura Hadoken!!!!! Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Location: German Age: 22 Posts: 278	Thanxxx! MORE plz!

Aug 26, 2003, 04:38	#18
remuka Junior Member Join Date: Aug 24, 2003 Location: Tokyo - Suginami ku Age: 31 Posts: 13	A few of my favourites... Ok, here are few of my favourites, all traduced in english (i guess... but i don't know the english titles, sorry). - Natsume Seki, "Kokoro" Trough the description of the relationship between a "disciple" and a "master" , a very sensitive love story, in the beginning of the 20th century. - Murakami Ry�, "Coin lockers babies" Nihilistic vision of young people future, life and hopes. I think this one is his best book, quite pessimistic... - Kobo Abe, "Sunna no onna" Enthomogist trapped in a pit in the dunes, and forced to live with a woman he doesn't konw... A kind of "huis-clos" on the beach. - Akutagawa Ryunosuke, "Rashon" The novel which was adapted by Kurosawa Akira for his famous movie. He wrote many short novels, which are getting darker and darker as he felt into his obessions... __________________ remka Last edited by remuka; Aug 26, 2003 at 22:27.

Aug 26, 2003, 07:46	#19
Himura Hadoken!!!!! Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Location: German Age: 22 Posts: 278	MORE MORE!!!

Sep 5, 2003, 11:20	#20
ShaShing2069 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 5, 2003 Posts: 1	I reccomend "Battle Royale," by Koushun Takami. It's been translated from Japanese into English. There is also a manga by the same name, it's based on the book.

Sep 18, 2003, 01:05	#21
Codruta Junior Member Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: Cluj-Napoca Age: 29 Posts: 1	Since you first asked about Japanese authors, I'll start from there, too. I liked Sei Shonagon's "Pillow Book", because it showed me a remarkable image of ancient Japan. Her sensibility is similar to that of Murasaki Shikibu ("Genji Monogatari"), whom it has been written before. From the modern times, I would strongly reccomend you Oe Kenzaburo, whose books are really deep. Personally, I don-t really enjoy Haruki Murakami, because I consider his books a bit comercial. Other authors...non_Japanese...Try Gabriel Garcia Marquez, "A Hundred Years of Solitude", Patrick Suskind, "The Perfume", Mircea Cartarescu, "Nostalgia". It would be easier for me to reccomend youa book if you told me a book tou enjoyed very much.

Sep 20, 2003, 02:25	#22
ben0a4 Regular Member Join Date: Jan 22, 2003 Age: 23 Posts: 99	~~ Any of u know some books of edogawa rampo? (ENGLISH TRANSLATION) i've read a small book with some of his collected works , small stories and i'd like to read more of him~~ ~~100th post ~~;) __________________ ~KETTOBASE`~

Sep 29, 2003, 14:37	#23
腕白坊主 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 29, 2003 Location: USA Posts: 3	I like Endo Shusaku a lot. My favorites are 海と毒薬 (The Sea and Poison) and 沈黙 (Silence). He is kind of under rated but is a great author and west quite well known in the west due to his interest in graham greene and the intersection of catholicism and japanese culture. The Sea and Poison is rather intense, about the vivisection of american soldiers by japanese doctors. Mishima Yukio is really good. There is a film by Paul Schrader about his life and work that is worth seeing if you can find it. I enjoy Murakami (Haruki and Ryuu) as well as Banana but they are kind of light weight reading. There is a compilation called Monkey Brain Sushi (i think) that has some good short stories. ill think some more later im tired 腕白坊主

Sep 30, 2003, 02:44	#24
hamsun Junior Member Join Date: Sep 30, 2003 Posts: 8	best... first off...anything by tanizaki junichiro (makioka sisters, quicksand, naomi, diary of a mad old man)....also check out "the sailor who fell from grace with the sea" by mishima yukio...

Sep 30, 2003, 02:47	#25
hamsun Junior Member Join Date: Sep 30, 2003 Posts: 8	take no offense... Originally posted by Ami hmmm... well, I do like this one Japanese Author named Banana Yoshimoto. I read a couple of her books like "Kicten" and "Amrita". They're really good too. Oh and you should check out "Lizard". http://abyss.hubbe.net/banana/bio.html ...but i tried to like her work but it seemed like it was for 14 year old girls...like the brittany spears of writers try tanizaki, mishima, dazai, akutagawa etc.

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