tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-296525482024-03-19T03:46:29.493-05:00Dolce Bellezza~for literature Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-65125814188578315802024-03-18T10:18:00.002-05:002024-03-18T10:21:04.484-05:00Mailbox Monday: Oh, the joy of the International Booker Prize!<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every time the longlist for the <a href="https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/international/2024">International Booker Prize</a> is released, my reading pleasure is exponentially increased. Some years, it is better than others to be sure, but this year looks most promising. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are a few of the works I have already acquired, sent to me by the most gracious publishers:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4B16BOWbFVjZhoGPR4hWTi402MY9VXxQUKEHwG4lIcT_bj1tHTMTdzGjYLN2UWDjFlfC6N8w49-X6u365vCEDZnKywQ-12iJ8n8RhKpWYmyn0hJBAf59zynVkCNjLylXf69BIMURBWXq5LiCn5b2idcjIqP3WQehIN7LGAAR8F03xG5HLzbcDA/s3024/IMG_1052.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4B16BOWbFVjZhoGPR4hWTi402MY9VXxQUKEHwG4lIcT_bj1tHTMTdzGjYLN2UWDjFlfC6N8w49-X6u365vCEDZnKywQ-12iJ8n8RhKpWYmyn0hJBAf59zynVkCNjLylXf69BIMURBWXq5LiCn5b2idcjIqP3WQehIN7LGAAR8F03xG5HLzbcDA/s320/IMG_1052.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="https://www.graywolfpress.org/books/not-river">Not A River</a> </i>by Selve Almada, translated from the Spanish by Annie McDermott, was sent to me from <a href="http://Graywolfpress.org">Graywolf Press</a> in Minnesota. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> It’s not a river, it’s <i>this </i>river.</span><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A hot, motionless afternoon. Energy and El Negro are fishing with Tilo, their dead friend’s teenage son. After hours of struggling with a hooked stingray, Enero aims his revolver into the water and shoots it. They hang the ray’s enormous corpse from a tree at their campsite and let it go to rot, drawing the attention of some local islanders and igniting a long-simmering fury toward outsiders and their carelessness. It’s only the two sister - teenage nieces of one of the locals, Aguirre - with their hair black as cowbird feathers and giving offa scent of green grass, who are curious about the trio and invite them to dance. But the girls are not quite as they seem. As night approaches and tensions arise, Enero and El Negro return to the charged memories of their friend who years ago drowned in the same river.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As uneasy and saturated as a prophetic dream, <i>Not a River </i>is another extraordinary novel by Selva Almada about masculinity, guilt, and irrepressible desire, written in a style that is spare and timeless.</span></p><blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div><span face="freight-text-pro, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(46, 42, 37); color: #2e2a25; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20px;"></span></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div><span face="freight-text-pro, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(46, 42, 37); color: #2e2a25; font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></div></blockquote><blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXdlncdtjdHIDcu2j_GriGzGJn2OXTZjfP-2Rc-ESuj4K4JEISbFN_ASpRjwSAEVktXr2Hj7D9-PT9j9FtRk8T7JtkjYbkLeXaWZ8mbPdMjwefJORrKq6e7QZDctWyBxavksBgIuj9lOgKNMt3X5RHDnrQ6DvUDOQMvoKRmgolkD9hs4dRsTQKw/s3024/IMG_1053.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXdlncdtjdHIDcu2j_GriGzGJn2OXTZjfP-2Rc-ESuj4K4JEISbFN_ASpRjwSAEVktXr2Hj7D9-PT9j9FtRk8T7JtkjYbkLeXaWZ8mbPdMjwefJORrKq6e7QZDctWyBxavksBgIuj9lOgKNMt3X5RHDnrQ6DvUDOQMvoKRmgolkD9hs4dRsTQKw/s320/IMG_1053.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div></blockquote></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="https://scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/books/what-iad-rather-not-think-about-9781922585806#:~:text=%27What%20I%27d%20Rather%20Not,subjects%20of%20frank%2C%20empathetic%20consideration.">What I’d Rather Not Think About</a> </i>by Jente Posthuma, translated from the Dutch by Sarah Timmer Harvey, was sent to me by <a href="http://scribepublications.com.au">Scribe</a>.</span></p><blockquote><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What if one half of a pair of twins no longer wants to live? What if the other can’t live without them?</span></strong></p><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This question lies at the heart of Jente Posthuma’s deceptively simple <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">What I’d Rather Not Think About</em>. The narrator is a twin whose brother has recently taken his own life. She looks back on their childhood, and tells of their adult lives: how her brother tried to find happiness, but lost himself in various men and the Bhagwan movement, though never completely.</span></p><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In brief, precise vignettes, full of gentle melancholy and surprising humour, Posthuma tells the story of a depressive brother, viewed from the perspective of the sister who both loves and resents her twin, struggles to understand him, and misses him terribly.</span></p></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXdlncdtjdHIDcu2j_GriGzGJn2OXTZjfP-2Rc-ESuj4K4JEISbFN_ASpRjwSAEVktXr2Hj7D9-PT9j9FtRk8T7JtkjYbkLeXaWZ8mbPdMjwefJORrKq6e7QZDctWyBxavksBgIuj9lOgKNMt3X5RHDnrQ6DvUDOQMvoKRmgolkD9hs4dRsTQKw/s3024/IMG_1053.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGZogdmZ2xSpv_Tu8x6yIlJyPb-1TPzpc-ZuP7zdBE-HR7LdO7u0PQL-B-hvYE4nM4vB73r3hfxa1verxPP7WKY90C3lXYW9RoGWYOOosij_NpkbXHYJF5gPSRzYy0E2Uk6erTOghblw0mEQgvJBLO-xSU3PDLAkcG-QLLL5MxuRzb4e98qMPDQ/s3024/IMG_1054.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGZogdmZ2xSpv_Tu8x6yIlJyPb-1TPzpc-ZuP7zdBE-HR7LdO7u0PQL-B-hvYE4nM4vB73r3hfxa1verxPP7WKY90C3lXYW9RoGWYOOosij_NpkbXHYJF5gPSRzYy0E2Uk6erTOghblw0mEQgvJBLO-xSU3PDLAkcG-QLLL5MxuRzb4e98qMPDQ/s320/IMG_1054.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-details-ia-genberg?variant=40971347492898">The Details</a> </i>by Ia Genberg, translated from the Swedish by Kira Josefsson, was sent to me by <a href="http://HarperCollins.com">HarperCollins</a>.</span></p><blockquote><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41); color: #212529; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An intoxicating novel in the vein of Rachel Cusk and Sheila Heti, about a woman in the throes of a fever remembering the important people in her past, her memories laid bare in vivid detail as her body temperature rises.</span></em></p><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41); color: #212529; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A woman lies bedridden from a high fever. Suddenly she is struck with an urge to revisit a novel from her past. Inside the book is an inscription: a get-well-soon message from Johanna, an ex-girlfriend who is now a famous television host. As she flips through the book, pages from the woman’s own past begin to come alive, scenes of events and people she cannot forget.</span></p><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41); color: #212529; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are moments with Johanna, and Niki, the friend who disappeared years ago without a phone number or an address and with no online footprint. There is Alejandro, who appears like a storm in precisely the right moment. And Brigitte, whose elusive qualities mask a painful secret.</span></p><p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41); color: #212529; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Details</em> is a novel built around four portraits; the small details that, pieced together, comprise a life. Can a loved one really disappear? Who is the real subject of the portrait, the person being painted or the one holding the brush? Do we fully become ourselves through our connections to others? This exhilarating, provocative tale raises profound questions about the nature of relationships, and how we tell our stories. The result is an intimate and illuminating study of what it means to be human.</span> </span></p></blockquote><p><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41); color: #212529; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;">Don’t these look fabulous?! I hardly know where to begin, for each of the titles in the International Booker Prize longlist give me a glimpse into a world that is not my own, while expanding my understanding of those who inhabit it with me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41); color: #212529; font-size: 16px;">Find other Mailbox Monday posts </span><a href="https://mailboxmonday.wordpress.com/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41); font-size: 16px;">here</a><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41); color: #212529; font-size: 16px;">.</span></span></p><p> </p></div>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-80616766916809302272024-03-17T05:00:00.000-05:002024-03-18T13:23:53.005-05:00Enchanted With Blogger Once Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator">I wonder what it is that keeps drawing me back to Blogger. Perhaps it is nostalgia, using the platform with which I began my blog in 2006. But, it isn’t as if we can go back to those days. The early days of blogging were nothing short of miraculous: acquiring a voice, finding other bibliophiles with whom I could the love of literature, embarking upon works far beyond my regular fare. (It wasn’t until I began blogging that I truly found translated literature.)</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps it is longing for a fresh “beginning.” The Japanese have <a href="https://www.1101.com/store/techo/en/magazine/2024/y24_spring/">April start planner</a>s, when I always think the year begins in September. I know, for most of you it begins in January, but it has always begun with the start of the school year for me. Since I began blogging in the Spring, eighteen years ago, it seems an appropriate season to revisit my first foray.</div><div><br /></div><div>Readers who first found me on Blogger had to visit me several years later on Wordpress, as I switched my domain to that platform. And now, Wordpress disappoints me as much as Blogger did then. They have retired most of their old themes, they use JetPack, and it all feels terribly cold. </div><div><br /></div><div>My Wordpress friends still have Dolce Bellezza linked to my Wordpress blog. But, I like it here. It has none of my previous work; I’d deleted all my reviews here years ago. That’s like a clean closet…no mothballs here. Only a clean, white page, and a fresh start. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sounds like Spring to me. <br /></div></div><br />Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-85836711149604784702023-11-03T17:59:00.026-05:002023-11-04T10:00:27.438-05:00I think the last time we spoke was in May…<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisevho73Dg6gmGEqwOK9AbjudEVCzlhhyNuA6W9eoCUgWpoDwpo9716iSOKJFv2GeqWVfd36ge5VmphFZUikkSI1f-iVBuoxb1UL2cS-wye2zdYRM4NEefPpOJ5BW12nwiYTrfih9Kkc3oHplIYff8zXq-RndMqjjH2xfmDx2-ikiRPS0hPNNCjQ/s4032/IMG_3162.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisevho73Dg6gmGEqwOK9AbjudEVCzlhhyNuA6W9eoCUgWpoDwpo9716iSOKJFv2GeqWVfd36ge5VmphFZUikkSI1f-iVBuoxb1UL2cS-wye2zdYRM4NEefPpOJ5BW12nwiYTrfih9Kkc3oHplIYff8zXq-RndMqjjH2xfmDx2-ikiRPS0hPNNCjQ/w300-h400/IMG_3162.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herrick Lake<br /><br /><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table>Well, it has been a long time since I turned this thing on. I think I said I was going to be here at Blogger, and then I went back to Wordpress, and now here I am again.<br /><p></p><p>Wordpress took away all the themes I like and replaced them with templates for professional businesses. I never thought I’d say a platform from Google was cozier, but here we are.</p><p>It has been a long Summer. My husband was very, very sick. He lost over 30 pounds, and we have seen cardiologists, pulmonologists, internists, and finally gastroenterologists. It seems he has some gastro thing which is making it difficult for him to eat, so our world has turned around. Going out to eat has never been more appealing to me…</p><p>My father has been quite ill with his heart, too, and he faces a cardio version on Wednesday. “Just one push of a button,” said the doctor, “and your heart returns to its normal rhythm.” It's so simple for a professional to say.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBsDghyHxf-bszOYrBrzZrjm3tCjWg6S4bGTOPl0jeeu58BmsNu8C1ER9s15InUL7K4FaT0DP3DkqKTXvQgvNL5PNb-eum3ubjDhaKCGe7AJFj_AdnkWkxL15fjsA9fQfk_hSTt7orpHVl3GYIMo8-r56ipnj7G1uL1RKOfQA2e4LUg6Deeg3fg/s4032/IMG_3159.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBsDghyHxf-bszOYrBrzZrjm3tCjWg6S4bGTOPl0jeeu58BmsNu8C1ER9s15InUL7K4FaT0DP3DkqKTXvQgvNL5PNb-eum3ubjDhaKCGe7AJFj_AdnkWkxL15fjsA9fQfk_hSTt7orpHVl3GYIMo8-r56ipnj7G1uL1RKOfQA2e4LUg6Deeg3fg/w300-h400/IMG_3159.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>But, I have been walking every Monday and Friday with my mother, and these days have been absolutely glorious. They make my heart sing, as I absorb the “wind and sunshine.” Don’t you love this fabulous phrase? I heard it once from a man who was telling how bonsai trees should look like they’ve been outside in the wind and sunshine.</p><p>I’ve been reading, too, but not so much. Mostly, I’m looking to get back in the groove, as it is November and with that, I know we embark on <a href="https://lizzysiddal2.wordpress.com/2023/11/01/welcome-to-german-literature-month-xiii/">German Literature Month</a> as well as <a href="https://bookishbeck.com/2023/11/01/novellas-in-november-week-1-my-year-in-novellas-novnov23/">Novellas in November</a>. We’ll see what I can uncover from my shelves to fit these categories. And, while I’m at it, I may as well complete the list of Twenty Books of Summer, for which, in fact, I did read.</p><p>Also, I am spending <i>way </i>too much time playing Word Wars on my iPad. Who knew that using one’s vocabulary could be such a fun tool? </p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-58681273689797508452023-05-13T14:47:00.007-05:002023-05-16T10:12:25.280-05:00“We came to Manderley in early May…”<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlw5qZ7_6rh-P1xpGGtnocXaL4Nqn7NX7JdpjILDCyJmJpwkcn2b6B-38GZ3VE2hMdT86ZC05X2ZPlb7k6uk9PtyiLeT6anfx9RrGBGvepniregTWBma51z_sWnRzDMCcf-UjffwhAeeop3l25Z6LGH6BXDQ-0an8redmKgX2sN5rLtNcQZ4/s2708/0C4D1C82-7DDC-4449-A861-99A6E3E99286.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2708" data-original-width="2616" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlw5qZ7_6rh-P1xpGGtnocXaL4Nqn7NX7JdpjILDCyJmJpwkcn2b6B-38GZ3VE2hMdT86ZC05X2ZPlb7k6uk9PtyiLeT6anfx9RrGBGvepniregTWBma51z_sWnRzDMCcf-UjffwhAeeop3l25Z6LGH6BXDQ-0an8redmKgX2sN5rLtNcQZ4/w386-h400/0C4D1C82-7DDC-4449-A861-99A6E3E99286.jpeg" width="386" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><blockquote><p>I had not realized how closely the trees grew together here, their roots stretching across the path like tendrils ready to trip one…there is no sense or beauty in this undergrowth. That tangle of shrubs there should be cut down to bring light to the path. It was dark, much too dark. That naked eucalyptus tree stifled by brambles looked like the bleached limb of a skeleton, and there was a black earthy stream running beneath it, choked with the muddied rains of years, trickling silently to the beach below. (p. 155) </p></blockquote>It has not been apparent to me before, how much the flora contributed to the sense of menace Daphne du Maurier creates so exquisitely. This is the best part about rereading a favorite novel, and reading it again: the atmosphere never gets old.<div><br /></div><div>At every turn, Rebecca is lifted up. Admired. Adored. Almost idolized. Mrs. Danvers, of course, keeps Rebeca’s rooms in the west wing in perfect order, as if Rebecca might come back at any moment. Her apricot nightdress, creased from when she last wore it, is in its case; the costly china ornaments are freshly dusted each day, and flowers adorn every surface.</div><div><br /></div><div>The new Mrs. de Winter is taken by her sister-in-law, Beatrice, to visit Gran. At first, their meeting is quite pleasant, with water-cress sandwiches, freshly cut, laid before the old woman. Then, Gran’s memory clouds. “I want Rebecca!” she says. “Where is Rebecca? Why did not Maxim come and bring Rebecca?” They quickly leave her to the nurse, both deeply embarrassed.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the greatest horrors in the novel is the fancy dress ball. Lady Crowan suggested it should be hosted at Manderley once again this year, and as it was practically forced down their throats, Maxim agreed. When Mrs. Danvers slyly suggests a painting of Catherine de Winter for the Mrs. de Winter to copy, the new bride promises her husband the “surprise of his life.” She doesn’t realize how true this will be, for she dresses exactly as Rebecca did at the last fancy dress ball. Mrs. Danvers knew. Mrs. Danvers manipulated the whole charade.</div><div><br /></div><div>What does she care if Maxim is wounded by her deed? “What do I care for his suffering?” she said, he’s never cared about mine. How do you think I’ve liked it, seeing you sit in her place, walk in her footsteps, touch the things that were hers?…She’s still mistress here, even if she is dead. She’s the real Mrs. de Winter, not you. It’s you that’s the shadow and the ghost.” (p. 246)</div><div><br /></div><div>All along, we’re led to believe that Rebecca is the one who is loved. Rebecca is the one with the power. That Maxim paces the floor in grief over the loss of his wife.</div><div><br /></div><div>I shall not spoil the ending. I shall not uncover what du Maurier has carefully built up. But, every time I read it, I am astonished anew. When critics have said Daphne du Maurier is the master of suspense they weren’t kidding, and everyone else pales in comparison. Just as we think the new Mrs. de Winter pales next to Rebecca.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Thanks to <a href="http://heavenali.Wordpress.com">Heavenali</a> for hosting Daphne du Maurier reading week. Every year it gives me a chance to enjoy her work all over again.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><p></p><p><br /></p></div>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-12121733672106263772023-05-02T15:48:00.002-05:002023-05-02T15:53:50.690-05:00Twenty Books of Summer: The First Ten<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://746books.com/2023/05/02/announcing-20-books-of-summer-23-add-your-links-here/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvamXzci0PSd7d5wdd7V_djXDyBU4UKKBUqYhQqqdP_tSmQM4FyNB2QHFYrNjvsSZtB-bUghXX7YzpYi9lUiW0lPnOXqLithUcnPh4_juNvLVpOR2CGipvVWbHHr4EkTw2X8wYXaMFq9DEjHdtHjydnfLCTWhsAj0csg9_bxpdCZ14bUxdAQQ/s320/IMG_0170.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I so eagerly left a comment to participate in Cathy’s <a href="https://746books.com/2023/05/02/announcing-20-books-of-summer-23-add-your-links-here/">20 Books of Summer</a>, I hadn’t yet compiled my list! So, here it is (the first ten, anyway):</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://otherpress.com/product/the-suicide-museum-9781635423891/">Suicide Museum</a></i> by Ariel Dorfman (published September 5, 2023)</li><li><i><a href="https://pushkinpress.com/books/service/">Service</a> b</i>y Sarah Gilmartin (published May 4, 2023)</li><li><i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/204649/i-am-homeless-if-this-is-not-my-home-by-lorrie-moore/">I Am Homeless If This is Not My Home</a> b</i>y Lorrie Moore (published June 20, 2023)</li><li><i><a href="https://groveatlantic.com/book/foster/">Foster</a> </i>by Claire Keegan</li><li><i><a href="https://pushkinpress.com/books/forbidden-notebook/">Forbidden Notebook</a> </i>by Alba de Cespedes</li><li><i><a href="https://www.counterpointpress.com/books/dead-end-memories/">Dead-End Memories</a> </i>by Banana Yoshimoto</li><li><i><a href="https://scribepublications.com/books-authors/books/mater-2-10-9781957363318">Mater 2-10</a> </i>by Hwang Sok-yong (published June 12, 2023)</li><li><i><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Watership-Down/Richard-Adams/Scribner-Classics/9780743277709">Watership Down</a> </i>by Richard Adams (reread)</li><li><i><a href="https://pushkinpress.com/books/the-mill-house-murders/">The Mill House Murders</a> </i>by Yukito Ayatsujo </li><li><i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/705718/the-quiet-tenant-by-clemence-michallon/">The Quiet Tenant</a> </i>by <span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clémence Michallon (published June 20, 2023)</span></span></li></ol><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">(Several of this titles are Advanced Reader Copies which I have been sent to review. In those cases, I have added the publication date above.)</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://otherpress.com/product/the-suicide-museum-9781635423891/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtJSWIwb4dH1LP-t6-i26NxnSruSZf-8xDIZaRxhnnuW8JYqS8bu1xbbKLJ_yC3zL8-zB8918meVgx97J6Z0SH1c6VwBbqXARIknoI3Pca2v5hydD9FldlXwocwRxQj_0fkh56Craa_MEnk6mzRVKL9GZ3vlMpFLEUtJ3BFXbevTThNeT4Dk/s320/IMG_0171.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgln0rcou8ZWZHfB44LL12nmJ8LRG3iUEOcjD6hVAfkyvMuE-jbLn4uveC6R7djk63bw2lh-7dCOT-JJ3cSoPui0Lax8bSLvl6264jgaGHHKaFZWJsT9qrkUBiFCjxpFgG754uCPvcLtfLIk6BkziZzjgzGzdRlRitglWGoe-bQX7oGIBuvPRk/s2560/IMG_0172.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgln0rcou8ZWZHfB44LL12nmJ8LRG3iUEOcjD6hVAfkyvMuE-jbLn4uveC6R7djk63bw2lh-7dCOT-JJ3cSoPui0Lax8bSLvl6264jgaGHHKaFZWJsT9qrkUBiFCjxpFgG754uCPvcLtfLIk6BkziZzjgzGzdRlRitglWGoe-bQX7oGIBuvPRk/s320/IMG_0172.jpeg" width="199" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuxhyFjbDG2G9EN6Oaiq833-FKn8X2xzVZ91OBuJv3VkVKMDyGXftWmVehA_XVjDL7BrRvBhaGLNErvQpz9MfxqOEUfLct1hXGFzjT_Fe2x_w31oJQSUnKCozidIXJ2n-Abx1YyMfmMN4tyU7WdoFEDlYArgUdPAiBUOd0pBO9WCPAPuvtLY/s450/IMG_0173.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuxhyFjbDG2G9EN6Oaiq833-FKn8X2xzVZ91OBuJv3VkVKMDyGXftWmVehA_XVjDL7BrRvBhaGLNErvQpz9MfxqOEUfLct1hXGFzjT_Fe2x_w31oJQSUnKCozidIXJ2n-Abx1YyMfmMN4tyU7WdoFEDlYArgUdPAiBUOd0pBO9WCPAPuvtLY/s320/IMG_0173.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2I60DYjYnB7UDAxKVSrqQjPtIqCP1XXlroXon_-CcX4gJrQHBdvT733hsIoxw-4oAUBcTlzCEfXxHcE7T_heQSd5SMpsB42rTmZhC5gUealnKRvRZgAO2RMurCYpghNFNsw_sXCVvOqF2lbXRAvpSv--qht3pGdZ3gjzEITv6BdiL3OsVWs/s320/IMG_0175.jpeg" width="199" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5nMAWqhMzgLaAfbUX3xxDQkKMUjDbRVSABkYHh4U4PZJJ0hCRoBbPP9tycQzY0iPHtcDfGJ-VLHkVaQggxtAmeAGhieAOyGZsnpVlgdCA-lmBl_8EY9XWsD2ZLu6Xmq_VUssmzhnBky0GMutfC1l79ACbabjNxFKYzjKQP5kBz1hO_mSBgU/s2142/IMG_0176.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2142" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5nMAWqhMzgLaAfbUX3xxDQkKMUjDbRVSABkYHh4U4PZJJ0hCRoBbPP9tycQzY0iPHtcDfGJ-VLHkVaQggxtAmeAGhieAOyGZsnpVlgdCA-lmBl_8EY9XWsD2ZLu6Xmq_VUssmzhnBky0GMutfC1l79ACbabjNxFKYzjKQP5kBz1hO_mSBgU/s320/IMG_0176.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKVp_N2jI8mFpYTSKwTp4CKP3eYtedNxqbB7LAs5ib9NUL1li1vHB6JL7ufQocgrFjJ6-_Zqnhx0Yx6YzhkDBPBNadKsIMGdZeVFHPHHDELzatfqR13Jp7Om1z_N62ZQvozQi8nNt13ByAHILTLjhUrZp10dA8-qRAKSfVJnlu11fKAHiSGg/s320/IMG_0181.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WcV50n96Od68VjayT5eqAkSeMaka7zUrQLMWQ7R8POjxPNX3Jzi93N-oCibc4OrNXacwFvU0M8Qsh3HjYB2G0TbBtBFAClPYPoJCR6XSbSpvOf3eflC77s7xOUn01ZLn_iSJaoJbJLyVSH3GiCUvDtsMz-RphnBq--jpSzC35LqArO5XA9s/s277/IMG_0182.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="182" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WcV50n96Od68VjayT5eqAkSeMaka7zUrQLMWQ7R8POjxPNX3Jzi93N-oCibc4OrNXacwFvU0M8Qsh3HjYB2G0TbBtBFAClPYPoJCR6XSbSpvOf3eflC77s7xOUn01ZLn_iSJaoJbJLyVSH3GiCUvDtsMz-RphnBq--jpSzC35LqArO5XA9s/s1600/IMG_0182.jpeg" width="182" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsiVIvspVqDSPUa_KJm85deCgOmL7d5omPPPeztCwoRZ6hXImbNBkyPBh3qUdxG9hE8pZFz4hhr8BFF4fyu4mIEyCP5kjkZKLX4QONXtQgYzkoHgZ1uFp1JvIJBscd99Mnjxdkox1jXbRmzKMNwkeRIqDjfDUhNfSZy45_Fid0QFs173SVVo/s450/IMG_0183.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsiVIvspVqDSPUa_KJm85deCgOmL7d5omPPPeztCwoRZ6hXImbNBkyPBh3qUdxG9hE8pZFz4hhr8BFF4fyu4mIEyCP5kjkZKLX4QONXtQgYzkoHgZ1uFp1JvIJBscd99Mnjxdkox1jXbRmzKMNwkeRIqDjfDUhNfSZy45_Fid0QFs173SVVo/s320/IMG_0183.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-74757563146557284262023-05-02T13:00:00.004-05:002023-05-02T14:25:35.819-05:00Tina, Mafia Soldier by Maria Rosa Cutrufelli (translated from the Italian by Robin Pickering-Iazzi) “On this island, fear is lasting and tenacious.”<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgGgF1rMPP1f1PRtinw6u5iFLZGMSAgiqlefN5-l1KJLqwR5gOnOUp5XM2EiEI52snpxHUgS-5YVIC2B4yMoaGQYr5rtD9MbGhYzejkM787yNYmhgj28ghaewk6w_9CjxnBEN0S71m0cU4r_91XZIW_mEZDLym8wEYcvpi3ntKZFPp993hn0/s600/IMG_0169.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="397" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgGgF1rMPP1f1PRtinw6u5iFLZGMSAgiqlefN5-l1KJLqwR5gOnOUp5XM2EiEI52snpxHUgS-5YVIC2B4yMoaGQYr5rtD9MbGhYzejkM787yNYmhgj28ghaewk6w_9CjxnBEN0S71m0cU4r_91XZIW_mEZDLym8wEYcvpi3ntKZFPp993hn0/s320/IMG_0169.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <p></p><blockquote><p>Tina replied, anger flaring, “And what am I like? Exactly like everybody. A normal person. Like everyone else. That’s how I want to be. Normal.” p. 209</p></blockquote><p>How can anyone who has seen her father shot in the face, when she was just eight years old, be normal? The life of a family whose father was in the mafia is anything but normal, especially for Tina who determines to be tougher than ever imagined. </p><p>She takes his weapons (a twelve gauge hunting rifle with sawed-off barrels and a nine-caliber Beretta with a thirteen round magazine) from the drawer where they were carefully wrapped, and sticks the handgun down the back of her shirt, just like her father did. “<i>From now on, </i>she promised herself, “<i>no one can call me Cettina again.” </i>Her aim, now, is for revenge.</p><blockquote><p>Tina isn’t like everyone else…Tina is a unique figure, with a strong, complex personality. What’s more, she’s internalized the image of herself that the mafia offered. So part of her is an act, and part is her real will to break out of the pack, to prevail, to affirm herself at any cost. A vicious circle has been triggered. And now it’s impossible for her to back down. </p></blockquote><p>We learn about Tina through the eyes of the narrator, who relentlessly pursues Tina through the pages of the novel. We are introduced to her sister, Saveria, and her brother, Francesco; her grandmother and friend, Giovanna. Little by little, Tina becomes known, for she has an almost obsessive hold on the narrator’s life: her imagination and her time. </p><blockquote><p>For what other reason would I be here digging into a story that’s so desperately Sicilian? For what else if not for this unutterable fantasy, for this perverse, romantic obstinacy of mine to consider myself in a land of exile wherever I am? A heartfelt myth that only the “exiled” can recognize, unknown to the “Sicilians of Sicily” as the captain says. For those who escaped the diaspora, belonging is a given, not a choice. </p></blockquote><p><i><a href="https://sohopress.com/books/tina-mafia-soldier/">Tina, Mafia Soldier</a></i> is about a girl who has turned into a <i>mafiosa. </i>It is about the narrator who boldly pursues her. But, it also encompasses a Sicily I will never know. One that contains “small-time murders and monumental crimes - on this island that is open to every invasion and closed around its secret pain.” </p><p></p><blockquote>Tina has learned this truth: that I alone can take my life in my hands. I alone.</blockquote><p></p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-39369767966496662242023-05-01T15:16:00.000-05:002023-05-01T15:16:12.028-05:00Mailbox Monday: Some lovely Acquisitions <p>There have been several books I’ve purchased lately, from Javier Marias’ <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/705668/tomas-nevinson-by-javier-marias/"><i>Tomas</i><i> Nevinson</i></a> to <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/710441/collected-works-by-lydia-sandgren/">Collected Works</a> </i>by Lydia Sandgren. But, a few which have come to my mailbox from publishers are these:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN69aEG6VILqnkc72Hvsm3amZwirArYuqLMhtQlVMAt9rrf26mNlzhhfVEg2aOKqjl9EaPNllSR2SJPITfEFFbbc4AwQDZAV2otZdrbuRS6ACnwONEhYxTsp-qMPhDw_tMEE_INwW8bqmYwQCF_f6J8mC-gp1ifEWjU7MQQ-6cdqbTtEFF-a4/s3024/IMG_0165.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN69aEG6VILqnkc72Hvsm3amZwirArYuqLMhtQlVMAt9rrf26mNlzhhfVEg2aOKqjl9EaPNllSR2SJPITfEFFbbc4AwQDZAV2otZdrbuRS6ACnwONEhYxTsp-qMPhDw_tMEE_INwW8bqmYwQCF_f6J8mC-gp1ifEWjU7MQQ-6cdqbTtEFF-a4/s320/IMG_0165.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><a href="https://sohopress.com/books/killingly/">Killingly</a> </i>is a novel by Katherine Beutner, which comes to me from SoHo Press. “Edmund White Award-winning author Katherine Beutner crafts a real-life unsolved mystery into an immersive, unforgettable work of literary crime fiction - a beautifully drawn historical portrait of queerness, family trauma, and the risks faced by women who dared to pursue unconventional paths at the end of the 19th century.”</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lh41zwXWt8W6DHCoAIqODch_-EdAe9d2-VVkM3WRP3w5slR378WW98_L7qukox5FFOt0hKMcXtmbM0Br9r1_lCC_PlgP3mzJcdB6IGaZK4i2yV2VT_jtn_zk-q0yOCKo1zm17AWHl0BtKCBYYl4wYIUFLF3vTLjDutXHV5rmdrB6BUuS6Qc/s3024/IMG_0166.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lh41zwXWt8W6DHCoAIqODch_-EdAe9d2-VVkM3WRP3w5slR378WW98_L7qukox5FFOt0hKMcXtmbM0Br9r1_lCC_PlgP3mzJcdB6IGaZK4i2yV2VT_jtn_zk-q0yOCKo1zm17AWHl0BtKCBYYl4wYIUFLF3vTLjDutXHV5rmdrB6BUuS6Qc/s320/IMG_0166.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/713074/alien-worlds-by-kerby-rosanes/">Alien Worlds</a> </i>is the latest coloring book by Kerry Rosanes. “<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-shadow: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From the internationally bestselling artist Kerby Rosanes, this essential coloring book includes ninety-six double-sided pages of pure imagination and is the latest entry in Kerby’s astounding Worlds series.”</span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLcq_bB-Ii028XHMFqWDT4QvS1w2vGNBjKoeqvZf5luzUDp6BWuAusZzquEChFsmTC_983tH3p23EUP6HXq4vePs5qgHn_UQ3C3dRU0zQPPogaF-LjKfdgguBO-UTXGFEqUNEHoguzqfutBxYDPi0cXHa71PTwGhZm6fC_jZfeHhQbmdmEPo/s3024/IMG_0167.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLcq_bB-Ii028XHMFqWDT4QvS1w2vGNBjKoeqvZf5luzUDp6BWuAusZzquEChFsmTC_983tH3p23EUP6HXq4vePs5qgHn_UQ3C3dRU0zQPPogaF-LjKfdgguBO-UTXGFEqUNEHoguzqfutBxYDPi0cXHa71PTwGhZm6fC_jZfeHhQbmdmEPo/s320/IMG_0167.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><a href="https://scribepublications.com/books-authors/books/mater-2-10-9781957363318">Mater 2-10</a> </i>is another work by Hwang Sok-yong. “<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: ff-scala-web-pro; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">International Booker–nominated virtuoso Hwang Sok-yong is back with another powerful story—an epic tale that threads together a century of Korean history.” I am eager to read this, as I thoroughly enjoyed the last book of his I read, entitled <i>At Dusk.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: ff-scala-web-pro; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: ff-scala-web-pro;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">So, from the 19th century, to coloring an imaginative world, to finding out more about Korea, I look forward to what each of these books will bring. Do any of them especially appeal to you?</span></span></div><div><br /></div><i>Find more books which have come to the mailboxes of fellow bibliophiles at <a href="https://mailboxmonday.wordpress.com/">Mailbox Monday</a>.</i><br /><p><br /></p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-76159978828069385632023-04-30T00:00:00.000-05:002023-04-30T12:39:46.819-05:00Sunday Salon: Fresh Beginnings<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALl6bNy8F-bHRX2NhqAnzq_QjgG6ZBjz1dvC2WXg9caHIt1xSIKZeo88Ta7w7zVkyEQ4bWL8w3NzSvha06AjgoDZ9xGRTUHDVbAj5gEzV42XK_YVnqJ0t__qf3UIoLbwRUE9A0NyVpsYcsLFf6mjzEfMD3pY8bej7JF_UR1a33GWM0A4JJhU/s4032/IMG_2532.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALl6bNy8F-bHRX2NhqAnzq_QjgG6ZBjz1dvC2WXg9caHIt1xSIKZeo88Ta7w7zVkyEQ4bWL8w3NzSvha06AjgoDZ9xGRTUHDVbAj5gEzV42XK_YVnqJ0t__qf3UIoLbwRUE9A0NyVpsYcsLFf6mjzEfMD3pY8bej7JF_UR1a33GWM0A4JJhU/w400-h300/IMG_2532.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” -Leo Tolstoy</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">I’ve been longing for the past lately. Days when I wrote in my journal with a Bic and a spiral, instead of a fountain pen and <a href="https://www.travelers-factory.com/about-us/english/">Traveler’s Factory Notebook</a> imported from Japan. Days when I began with the Blogger platform, and I discussed things more than books. I’ve been missing simplicity. And, you.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">So I wonder, is it too annoying to revert my blog to Blogger? Without importing seventeen years of posts? That would be a fresh beginning, for sure.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">Meanwhile, International Booker Prize 2023 Shadow Jury, of which I am a part, has been reading and discussing the long list for this year. While several of my fellow jurists felt that this year’s list was less superior than previous year’s, there were many for which we will advocate when we forge our own list for May 2. I, personally, am a great fan of <i><a href="https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/while-we-were-dreaming-extract-by-clemens-meyer-translated-by-katy-derbyshire">While We Were Dreaming</a> </i>by Clemens Meyer, translated by Katy Derbyshire. I was also deeply struck by the power of <i><a href="https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/boulder-extract-by-eva-baltasar-translated-by-julia-sanches">Boulder</a> </i>by Eva Balthasar, translated by Julia Sanches, and the imagination of <i><a href="https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/whale-extract-by-cheon-myeong-kwan-translated-by-chi-young-young">Whale</a> </i>by Cheon Myeong-Kwan, translated by Chi-Yong Kim.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">The redbud tree (pictured above) is in my parents’ front yard. It is a glorious specimen of the Spring trees which still linger in their glory in this part of Illinois. I relish their beauty before Illinois weather turns into the likes of Hell’s front porch.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">So, I will link to Readerbuzz’ <a href="https://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/?m=1">Sunday Salon</a> and come around to visit you, as I used to do. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><br /></p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-84048279051732714662023-04-15T12:02:00.001-05:002023-05-06T12:06:40.730-05:00Boulder by Eva Baltasar, translated from Catalan by Julia Sanches International Booker Prize 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYUzeCs2EJ38kBwGQ0zr6aYyO-8T3TsAzIncncEKVddbfJfQyJ63d_9VQWDux9Q5rZ2Oehtc5LY61X9MI2iz21pPlqFQLiz_tUFPTDvAXT9qJUI0ygB0Jvn0k1_-UuvUOoUr3aC7xm7UUNNwBcJg_mzalu5JbGcUQrhXrSoXyOC_Q8cMGs0k/s1023/IMG_0207.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="667" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYUzeCs2EJ38kBwGQ0zr6aYyO-8T3TsAzIncncEKVddbfJfQyJ63d_9VQWDux9Q5rZ2Oehtc5LY61X9MI2iz21pPlqFQLiz_tUFPTDvAXT9qJUI0ygB0Jvn0k1_-UuvUOoUr3aC7xm7UUNNwBcJg_mzalu5JbGcUQrhXrSoXyOC_Q8cMGs0k/w261-h400/IMG_0207.webp" width="261" /></a></div><br /><p></p><figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex" data-carousel-extra="{"blog_id":10944744,"permalink":"https:\/\/dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com\/2023\/04\/15\/boulder-by-eva-baltasar-translated-from-catalan-by-julia-sanches-international-booker-prize-longlist-2023\/"}" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; align-items: normal; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; gap: var( --wp--style--gallery-gap-default, var( --gallery-block--gutter-size, var( --wp--style--block-gap, 0.5em ) ) ); margin: 1em 0px;"></figure><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Baltasar’s writing is lyrical. While finding no point at which I could identify with the narrator, neither could I put this novel down. The images, the emotions, the lifestyles are so intimately portrayed I felt myself living with these women: the narrator, her lover, Samsa, and even the baby, Tinna.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Samsa gives her lover the nickname Boulder, and I wonder why. She is not a rock on which to depend. She is adventurous, and untethered, a cook who travels on boats and finds it hard to settle in one place. When Samsa buys a house, her lover has this reaction:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Sometimes I think she doesn’t quite get me. Quaint little houses like hers eat away at you, bit by bit. They bore deep into you and strike the most delicate nerve. By the time you notice it’s too late. You’ve already been killed by the kind of devastating energy that can only come from pain.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 25</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">But, Boulder does come to live in the little yellow house with Samsa, adjusting the best she can while she spends the days in her food truck, cooking empanadas, serving coffee. She reluctantly agrees with Samsa’s desire to become a mother, although it is not a desire of her own.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">I’m not into kids. I find them annoying. They’re unpredictable variables that come crashing into my coastal shelf with the gale force of their natural madness. They’re craggy, out of control, scattered. They’re drawn to me the same way cats zero in on people who are allergic to them.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 26</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">They smoke, seemingly endlessly, they are intimate, they forge a life together from which Samsa desires more: a child of her own. And so Boulder gives in, and here I find the most ironic line in the whole book:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">I have the sense I am buying her a kid and that the approach I’ve taken is deceitful.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 41</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">You think?! That’s exactly what you <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">are</em> doing: buying a child for artificial insemination, an entirely unnatural procedure which would seem more than a little deceitful to me, too.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">But, I will cast my judgment aside, and give another quote which is the only portion of the book for which my heart also burned:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">The baby has fetal macrosomia. If only you could set fire to every word that evokes an illness…I age all at once. I’ve just learned that a child’s diagnosis can kill you too.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 63</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Boulder </em>is a most fascinating look at parenting, motherhood, relationships. It is not up to me to agree with it. It <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">is</em>up to me to attest to its power.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-66124193337020153472023-04-13T12:01:00.001-05:002023-05-06T12:02:34.097-05:00While We Were Dreaming by Clemens Meyer, translated from the German by Katy Derbyshire International Booker Prize 2023<p style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="" class="wp-image-22746" data-attachment-id="22746" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPad Pro (10.5-inch)","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1681387517","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.99","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg?w=739" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg" data-orig-size="4032,3024" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/04/13/while-we-were-dreaming-by-clemens-meyer-translated-by-katy-derbyshire-the-streetsthe-streets-like-theyre-my-school-international-booker-prize-2023-long/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file/" height="300" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg?w=1024" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg?w=2048 2048w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg?w=150 150w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg?w=300 300w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/c6771444-295f-4adf-96f3-573433f738e0-19776-00001fc80167e446_file.jpg?w=768 768w" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="400" /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Mark and Walter. Pitbull. But, mostly Danny and Rico. These are the mates who grow up in Leipzig, Germany, after the Zone. We see them as Pioneers; we see them as young men. But, we always see them as rebellious and daring, stubborn and wounded.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Their fathers drink, or beat them, or both. Their mothers cry, with their heads lowered on the kitchen table. Their teachers admonish, but never make any difference in these boys’ lives.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">While We Were Dreaming</em> takes us back and forth, from their ages of eleven to eighteen, never quickly revealing why they are suddenly locked up or at a funeral. We keep reading to find out who has died. Who has been burned in a stolen car driven too fast. Whose father threw his beloved dog out the window where it died in the street.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I would have thought it would be too troubling to keep on reading, but I was mesmerized. Just as I experienced while reading <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">The Birthday Party</em>, I could not tear myself away from the intensity of what was happening. Nor did I want to. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://fitzcarraldoeditions.com/books/while-we-were-dreaming" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">While We Were Dreaming</a> </em>is definitely in my top three for winning the <a href="https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/international/2023" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">International Booker Prize 2023</a>.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-29752891508856379302023-03-30T11:59:00.001-05:002023-05-06T12:01:03.465-05:00The Gospel According to The New World by Maryse Conde, translated from the French by her husband, Richard Philcox International Booker Prize 2023<p style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="" class="wp-image-22706" data-attachment-id="22706" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPad Pro (10.5-inch)","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1680196572","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.99","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_0069" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg?w=739" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg" data-orig-size="4032,3024" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/03/30/the-gospel-according-to-the-new-world-by-maryse-conde-translated-from-the-french-by-her-husband-richard-philcox-international-booker-prize-2023-longlist/img_0069/" height="300" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg?w=1024" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg?w=2048 2048w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg?w=150 150w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg?w=300 300w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0069.jpg?w=768 768w" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="400" /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">This will not come as a surprise to anyone who knows me: if I had not committed to reading the International Booker Prize 2023 long list, I wouldn’t have read more than 50 pages of <em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.worldeditions.org/product/the-gospel-according-to-the-new-world/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">The Gospel According to the New World.</a></em></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Condé does a marvelous job of giving us the Caribbean in the cadence of a skilled storyteller. But, she does an abysmal job in creating a Christ figure who is independent from the one I’ve read about in the Bible. Why does His story need to be rewritten?</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">She draws parallels between Jesus Christ, and her lead character, Pascal (Easter), as if they both comprised the essence of the New Testament. Pascal is born of a Spaniard, who has disappeared from the cruise ship in which he bed Pascal’s mother, Maya…she leaves the baby in a shed between the hooves of a donkey for warmth. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Many other “parallels” between Jesus and Pascal occur, such as finding twelve fishermen, multiplying the braided loaves, turning the Rialto into a den of thieves, raising Lazare from the dead…</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Yet, there is also a strong representation of today’s issues. Condé addresses prejudice, wealth, and gender in her novel, for who could leave those alone in 2023? </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">An unknown visitor arrives for Pascal’s christening. He brings a flower, in an earthen vase, that Pascal’s mother had never seen before. “This flower’s name is Tete Negresse,” the new arrival explained. “It is designed to erase the Song of Solomon from our memory. You recall those shocking words, I am Black but I am beautiful. These words must never be pronounced again.” (p. 32)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">The bride in the Song of Solomon has no case for Black or White; the girl laments that she has been darkened by the sun, mistreated by her brothers:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">5 </span>Dark am I, yet lovely,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />daughters of Jerusalem,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />dark like the tents of Kedar,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />like the tent curtains of Solomon.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">6 </span>Do not stare at me because I am dark,<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />because I am darkened by the sun.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />My mother’s sons were angry with me<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />and made me take care of the vineyards;<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />my own vineyard I had to neglect</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">Song of Solomon 1:5-6 (NIV)</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I never took this passage to mean anything racial, or prejudicial; more than anything, it points to the cruelty of her siblings, as well as her hard work under the sun.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Then there is the statement against the middle class, as if it is despicable. “He (Pascal) argued that he was going to be twenty and was perfectly capable of deciding his future on his own. Moreover, they knew full well that he had never liked the bourgeois milieu they had forced him to accept, particularly its arrogance and selfish indifference towards everything that didn’t concern it directly.” (p. 44)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Shall we take care about whom we lump together? Not all poor are lazy. Not all middle class are indifferent to others. Not all rich are unlawful…</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I found myself becoming more troubled with each page that I read. My interpretation is that Maryse Condé speaks with great irreverence about God’s Son, in whom I believe with all my heart. Quite possibly this is a book which many will enjoy, but for me, I could not accept the scornful way she seemed to mock the Word made flesh in her characterization of Pascal. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">The Gospel According to the New World </em>is not for me, and it will be near the bottom of my list for the International Booker Prize this year.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Find a review from my fellow Shadow Panel Jurist, David, <a href="http://www.davidsbookworld.com/2023/03/21/internationalbooker2023-the-gospel-according-to-the-new-world-by-maryse-conde-tr-richard-philcox/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">here</a>.</em></p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-72191864123165905482023-03-29T11:57:00.001-05:002023-05-06T11:58:39.782-05:00Is Mother Dead by Vigdis Hjorth, translated from the Norwegian by Charlotte Barslund “I yearn for something unobtainable.” International Booker Prize 2023<p style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="" class="wp-image-22725" data-attachment-id="22725" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPad Pro (10.5-inch)","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1680169341","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.99","iso":"80","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_0067" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg?w=739" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg" data-orig-size="4032,3024" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/03/29/is-mother-dead-by-vigdis-hjorth-translated-from-the-norwegian-by-charlotte-barslund-i-yearn-for-something-unobtainable-international-booker-prize-2023-longlist/img_0067-2/" height="300" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg?w=1024" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg?w=2048 2048w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg?w=150 150w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg?w=300 300w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_0067.jpg?w=768 768w" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="400" /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">The story starts out as perhaps many parent-child relationships do. Johanna is disgruntled with her mother, and feels shunned for the choices she made which were contrary to her parents’ wishes: leaving her husband, moving from Norway to Utah, changing from a career in law to become an artist. Even though I was a child who sought to make her parents proud, I can understand a child’s rebellion as well as desire to forge her own separate path. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">But, then her behavior gets weird.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Johanna returns to Oslo, and starts stalking her mother. Her paranoid thoughts escalate with an alarming rate, as she wonders about her mother’s well being, and spends days watching her mother’s home in Arne Bruns gate 22 from within her parked car; then she makes a hiding place for herself in the cedar hedge which borders the neighboring building so she can watch more closely.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">I find a suitable spot and set up camp, I spread out my rug and curl up on it. I can’t unlock the silence, I have to unlock the silence, I can’t attack it, I have to attack it. I belong in these bushes, I can smell childhood and the earth, I have found the best place to hide and no one will ever find me, I hibernate and experience time like someone in the process of leaving this world, behind me time is suspended and I lie homeless in my home, rooted in a state of stagnation.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 129</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Well, this doesn’t sound normal. I am worried that I am reading the voice of someone who is not mentally well, for she sounds almost delusional.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">And then, we wonder who is the emotionally unstable one? For when Johanna summons the courage to knock on her mother’s door, her mother opens it with terrorized eyes, and then it is shut in Johanna’s face. Later, her sister texts her that she must not try to contact their mother again, or there will be consequences.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I found this novel to be a painful reflection on what it means to be a child, and what it means to be a parent. Johanna looks at herself, looks at her mother, and then looks at her own son, John, with bewilderment and yearning.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">From when I was very young I had an open wound and an open door over which I had no control, and Mum entered and infected me with her misery, and don’t all children have that and don’t all mothers do that, myself included?</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 254</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">What a powerful, exquisitely written book this is. It holds universal questions, and truths, for all of us have been children. All of us have searched for what only perfect people could give us, and must come to accept the parents we have been given: flawed, as we ourselves are flawed.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-15133497722588831892023-03-28T11:53:00.002-05:002023-05-06T11:55:53.216-05:00Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov, translated by Angela Rodel “When you have no future, you vote for the past.” International Booker Prize 2023 <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5myec1-4Qnp-30gGxU14Wz37YSHbRVh1D4ppI1QgsA-xmYHIj9WHzitRBbXn7rGVC5OhLnnSK0yfHCYyCZzVtcg-95DfMRA4LISOxmqt93UkDmw3FoqX2ApIFhzZPibRvUwWzfJdcoHJdoMFwnkJJmG4BWrpVASILqcCRl63bB6DKVN0YQ4/s768/IMG_0206.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5myec1-4Qnp-30gGxU14Wz37YSHbRVh1D4ppI1QgsA-xmYHIj9WHzitRBbXn7rGVC5OhLnnSK0yfHCYyCZzVtcg-95DfMRA4LISOxmqt93UkDmw3FoqX2ApIFhzZPibRvUwWzfJdcoHJdoMFwnkJJmG4BWrpVASILqcCRl63bB6DKVN0YQ4/w400-h300/IMG_0206.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">Gaustine, officially named Augustine-Garibaldi, is an imagined psychotherapist, a specialist in memory disorders, who was “ one of the first to introduce clinics of the past.” We meet him through the unnamed narrator, who uses extraordinary irony, and memory, to grab my attention and pause my reading…</span></p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">The time is coming when more and more people will want to hide in the cave of the past, to turn back. And not for happy reasons, by the way. We need to be ready with the bomb shelter of the past. Call it the time shelter, if you will.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 44</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Georgi Gospodinov, and his translator, Angela Rodel, take us through a glorious recall of the decades; the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s come alive once again to me, as I relive the scents, the scenes, and even the products that were around in my youth. (I, too, drove an Opel Rekord when I lived in West Germany in the ‘80s.)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">And while they do this, there are sentences, paragraphs even, which pierce me to the quick:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">There is one monster that stalks every one of us. Death, you’ll say, yes, of course, death is his brother, but old age is the monster.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 58</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">and</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">…the past is full of side streets, ground-floor rooms, chalked-up patterns, and corridors. And notes in the margins about things that seemed unimportant to us – only later do we suddenly realize that the goose of the past has made her nest and laid her eggs exactly there, in the unimportant.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 168</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">The second half of the novel focuses on Bulgaria in particular and Europe in general. There is a demonstration which is a historical re-enactment of one that took place during socialism, complete with accurate details such as the crackling loudspeakers and an appearance from Dimitrov.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">The May twilight was delicately trying to conceal the remnants of the rebellious afternoon, the scraps of flag on the chestnuts in Boris’s Garden, empty bottles, newspapers, wrappers…I don’t know who cleans up after every revolution.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 186</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">It seems that no reference is left out of this book; from Biblical stories, to political events, from childhood memories to those of a man remembering his marriage, I was caught up in Gospodinov’s revelations on every page. Consider this view of Lot and his wife, fleeing Sodom and Gomorrah:</p><div class="wp-block-image" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"><figure class="aligncenter size-large" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: table; margin: 0px auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22686" data-attachment-id="22686" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_2465" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_2465.jpg?w=240" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_2465.jpg?w=225" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_2465.jpg" data-orig-size="240,320" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/time-shelter-by-georgi-gospodinov-translated-by-angela-rodel-when-you-have-no-future-you-vote-for-the-past-international-booker-prize-longlist-2023/img_2465/" sizes="(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_2465.jpg?w=240" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_2465.jpg 240w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/img_2465.jpg?w=113 113w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption" style="box-sizing: inherit; caption-side: bottom; display: table-caption; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Angelus Novus by Paul Klee</em></figcaption></figure></div><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Could the Angel of History (drawn by Klee as <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Angelus Novus</em>) actually be Lot’s wife?</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Why does she stop and look back?</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Because it is human to do so.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">What did she leave there?</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">A past.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Why salt, exactly?</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Because salt has no memory. Nothing grows on salt.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 278</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">What are we without our memories? And, what about the important dates which we must not forget, such as September 1, 1939, when Hitler began WWII? <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Time Shelter </em>both begins, and ends, with that date, for with it “came the end of human time.”</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Loved this book.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-75343108200505264632023-03-17T11:49:00.003-05:002023-05-06T11:52:13.612-05:00Pyre by Perumal Murugan, translated by Anriuddhan Vasudevan “No one has to teach you to raise a dirge!” International Booker Prize 2023 longlist<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrjL2WiSh40NnpbxGlCNlHWd9RHNcEVxocHKFuizObq5Z17jkDQHzkIQNzajP8GjLbFcbvvzf5gtpt7Zim79W52eQ-E4qR91VJTFg-cUyjjd7U97JTMd9H27pCyfdHxtZCZ4KuiWSAnIYjxg9_jt-9DsUd0wmNVYCEGrssW73i4_rAghAv1E/s1024/IMG_0205.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrjL2WiSh40NnpbxGlCNlHWd9RHNcEVxocHKFuizObq5Z17jkDQHzkIQNzajP8GjLbFcbvvzf5gtpt7Zim79W52eQ-E4qR91VJTFg-cUyjjd7U97JTMd9H27pCyfdHxtZCZ4KuiWSAnIYjxg9_jt-9DsUd0wmNVYCEGrssW73i4_rAghAv1E/w300-h400/IMG_0205.webp" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">Kumaresan and Saroja believe their love can hurdle over any obstacle. I used to feel that way, too, when I was young. But, youth learns, whether it is overcoming a class difference in the U. S., or a caste difference in India, some foes are indomitable.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">There are sentences in the beginning of <em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://groveatlantic.com/book/pyre/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Pyre</a> </em>which resonated deeply with me, sentences that I identified with such as these:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">His very words embraced her and carried her along.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 6</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">and</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Whatever it was, he’d say, ‘We can do it.’ It was, of course, a different matter whether he actually did or not. But just those words seemed enough, didn’t they?</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 13</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">and</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">She’d come placing all her trust in him.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 24</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">and</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">The thought that he was all she had left increased her affection for him. Who else could she bare her heart to?</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 79</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">But, the fact that Kumaresan has married a woman from a completely different caste is intolerable to the people in his village. Even worse, his mother cannot, will not, stand for it. She stands outside of her son’s hut, with his bride inside, and hurls admonishments at them day and night.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">‘You will have respect as long as you stay with the crowd. You will lose it as soon as you start going your own way,’ she shouted.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 141</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">It is the people of the village who ultimately decide the young couple’s fate. One of them who says to the gathered crowd:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">The point is that he has brought a girl here about whom we know nothing. The entire village bears a mark of impurity if there is a woman here whose caste or family are unknown. And if we start the festival here with this defilement in our midst, we might incur the wrath of Goddess Mariyatha…</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 130</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">It is always fascinating to me to read of other countries, other cultures. But, I was struck with how similar my American culture has become to the one about which I was reading. We do not have a caste system but surely there is a level of intolerance, particularly since the COVID pandemic, which divides people. I am intrigued with how Perumal Murugan wrote about prejudice. Exclusion. And, ultimately, hatred which led to murder.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-75983059907710178722023-02-20T11:46:00.001-06:002023-05-06T11:48:29.507-05:00Diary of A Void by Emi Yagi, translated from the Japanese by David Boyd and Lucy North<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVc3g085TqlwTtwiBtJrtP_-CZQqfo43AHYkX-h2zBcb29RHqcZ5Rdhwt5CaHTsM8M9WIRH3hvjRLtyV4T3tKaa5uAgMI-34qzwMQf12iu65RbvMDjNtmMPL7BPfpwH3OuWbErKUIQNbtxm2uveM_OHfu4wh5DblX_kbYjjRKfskksjK7eDA/s1024/IMG_0203.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVc3g085TqlwTtwiBtJrtP_-CZQqfo43AHYkX-h2zBcb29RHqcZ5Rdhwt5CaHTsM8M9WIRH3hvjRLtyV4T3tKaa5uAgMI-34qzwMQf12iu65RbvMDjNtmMPL7BPfpwH3OuWbErKUIQNbtxm2uveM_OHfu4wh5DblX_kbYjjRKfskksjK7eDA/w300-h400/IMG_0203.webp" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">It’s so hard to wrap my head around it. It’s so weird to think of you being pregnant. I mean, I’ve never heard you say anything about love or marriage. That’s why it was such a surprise to find out that you’ve been…getting out there, you know? Having a life.</span></p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 74</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">A void can mean so many things. An emptiness. A longing. A life. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">It could also mean “avoid.” Like what Shibata does to keep from cleaning up the coffee cups which have gone cold, and are filled with cigarette butts smashed into the liquid, so that they smell terrible. It is expected that a woman should clean up the mess, and so she says she can’t because she’s pregnant.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">At first, Shibata stuffs her clothing with padding to carry on her ruse. But, as the story progresses, so does her pregnancy, such that near the end, even the doctor is pointing out the baby at the ultra sound. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Of course, there <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">is </em>no baby. And so, the novel raises many questions, like: what is the role of women in society; do doctors even know what they are doing; how does what we tell ourselves effect what we believe?</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Shibata tours the factory where she works, which makes hollow cores to be used as paper toweling tubes, for example. As she watches them turn out, we read this paragraph:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Words summoning more words, making space for a new story to come into the world. Solemnly, modestly, reverently. And inside the core a void. Ready for whatever story was going to fill it.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 160</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Again: a void. Again: what story will fill it?</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">This was a fascinating novel, and even though it has few pages, it has many themes. None of which are easily answered.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I am hoping to see it on the International Booker Prize longlist this year.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-67595812526252081772023-02-19T11:44:00.001-06:002023-05-06T11:46:22.513-05:00The International Booker Prize Shadow Jury Gathers Again for 2023: An Introduction, and A Few Predictions<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">Here we have half a month to go before the Japanese Literature Challenge 16 officially ends, and I find myself peeking eagerly into the realm of the</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><a href="https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/international/2023" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">International Booker Prize</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">for 2023. The Shadow Jury is assembled again, prepared to read the longlist which is revealed on March 14 and to determine which books we would choose to be on the shortlist (revealed on April 18).</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Before I introduce the Shadow Jury, let me give you six predictions I have for the official longlist:</p><figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex" data-carousel-extra="{"blog_id":10944744,"permalink":"https:\/\/dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com\/2023\/02\/19\/the-international-booker-prize-shadow-jury-gathers-again-for-2023-an-introduction-and-a-few-predictions\/"}" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; align-items: normal; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; gap: var( --wp--style--gallery-gap-default, var( --gallery-block--gutter-size, var( --wp--style--block-gap, 0.5em ) ) ); margin: 1em 0px;"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="align-self: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: calc(50% - var(--wp--style--unstable-gallery-gap,16px)/2);"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22609" data-attachment-id="22609" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="22609" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_0012" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0012.jpg?w=680" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0012.jpg?w=240" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0012.jpg" data-orig-size="680,850" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/the-international-booker-prize-shadow-jury-gathers-again-for-2023-an-introduction-and-a-few-predictions/img_0012/" sizes="(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0012.jpg?w=680" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0012.jpg 680w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0012.jpg?w=120 120w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0012.jpg?w=240 240w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; flex: 1 0 0%; height: 207.1875px; max-width: 100%; object-fit: cover; vertical-align: bottom; width: 128px;" /></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="align-self: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: calc(50% - var(--wp--style--unstable-gallery-gap,16px)/2);"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22610" data-attachment-id="22610" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="22610" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_0013" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0013.jpg?w=278" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0013.jpg?w=185" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0013.jpg" data-orig-size="278,450" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/the-international-booker-prize-shadow-jury-gathers-again-for-2023-an-introduction-and-a-few-predictions/img_0013/" sizes="(max-width: 278px) 100vw, 278px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0013.jpg?w=278" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0013.jpg 278w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0013.jpg?w=93 93w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; flex: 1 0 0%; height: 207.1875px; max-width: 100%; object-fit: cover; vertical-align: bottom; width: 128px;" /></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="align-self: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: calc(50% - var(--wp--style--unstable-gallery-gap,16px)/2);"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22612" data-attachment-id="22612" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="22612" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_0014" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0014.jpg?w=397" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0014.jpg?w=199" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0014.jpg" data-orig-size="397,600" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/the-international-booker-prize-shadow-jury-gathers-again-for-2023-an-introduction-and-a-few-predictions/img_0014/" sizes="(max-width: 397px) 100vw, 397px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0014.jpg?w=397" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0014.jpg 397w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0014.jpg?w=99 99w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0014.jpg?w=199 199w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; flex: 1 0 0%; height: 193.4375px; max-width: 100%; object-fit: cover; vertical-align: bottom; width: 128px;" /></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="align-self: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: calc(50% - var(--wp--style--unstable-gallery-gap,16px)/2);"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22611" data-attachment-id="22611" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="22611" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_0015" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0015.jpg?w=340" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0015.jpg?w=201" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0015.jpg" data-orig-size="340,508" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/the-international-booker-prize-shadow-jury-gathers-again-for-2023-an-introduction-and-a-few-predictions/img_0015/" sizes="(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0015.jpg?w=340" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0015.jpg 340w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0015.jpg?w=100 100w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0015.jpg?w=201 201w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; flex: 1 0 0%; height: 193.4375px; max-width: 100%; object-fit: cover; vertical-align: bottom; width: 128px;" /></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="align-self: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: calc(50% - var(--wp--style--unstable-gallery-gap,16px)/2);"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22614" data-attachment-id="22614" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="22614" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_0016" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg?w=739" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg?w=250" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg" data-orig-size="1280,1536" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/the-international-booker-prize-shadow-jury-gathers-again-for-2023-an-introduction-and-a-few-predictions/img_0016/" sizes="(max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg?w=853" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg?w=853 853w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg?w=125 125w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg?w=250 250w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg?w=768 768w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0016.jpg 1280w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; flex: 1 0 0%; height: 202.125px; max-width: 100%; object-fit: cover; vertical-align: bottom; width: 128px;" /></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="align-self: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; position: relative; width: calc(50% - var(--wp--style--unstable-gallery-gap,16px)/2);"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22613" data-attachment-id="22613" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="22613" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_0017" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0017.jpg?w=480" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0017.jpg?w=190" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0017.jpg" data-orig-size="480,758" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/the-international-booker-prize-shadow-jury-gathers-again-for-2023-an-introduction-and-a-few-predictions/img_0017/" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0017.jpg?w=480" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0017.jpg 480w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0017.jpg?w=95 95w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/img_0017.jpg?w=190 190w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; flex: 1 0 0%; height: 202.125px; max-width: 100%; object-fit: cover; vertical-align: bottom; width: 128px;" /></figure></figure><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://fitzcarraldoeditions.com/books/aliss-at-the-fire" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Aliss at the Fire</a> </em>by Jon Fosse (translated by Damion Searls)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678228/diary-of-a-void-by-emi-yagi-translated-by-david-boyd-and-lucy-north/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Diary of a Void</a> </em>by Emi Yagi <em style="box-sizing: inherit;"></em>(translated by David Boyd and Lucy North)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://sohopress.com/books/lady-joker-vol-2/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Lady Joker, Volume 2</a> </em>(by Kaoru Takamura (translated by Allison Markin Powell and Marie Iida)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://pushkinpress.com/books/animal-life/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Animal Life</a> </em>by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir (translated by Brian FitzGibbon)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://archipelagobooks.org/book/eastbound/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Eastbound</a> </em>by Maylis de Kerangal (translated by Jessica Moore)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.europaeditions.com/book/9781609456993/all-the-lovers-in-the-night" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">All The Lovers In The Night</a> </em>by Mieko Kawakami (translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd)</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Perhaps it is no surprise to you that three of the six are Japanese. And now, for the Shadow Jury. They are as follows:</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Tony Malone (Twitter: @tony_malone) is an occasional ESL teacher and full-time reader who has been publishing his half-baked thoughts on literature in translation at the <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Tony’s Reading List</a> blog for just over fourteen years now. One unexpected consequence of all this reading in translation has been the crafting of a few translations of his own, with English versions of works by classic German writers such as Eduard von Keyserling and Ricarda Huch <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/tonys-translations/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">appearing at his site</a>. As always, he’s looking forward to seeing what the judges have selected, and then rolling his eyes at them…</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Meredith Smith (Twitter: <a class="__p2-hovercard mention mention-current-user" data-type="fragment-mention" data-username="bellezzamjs" href="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/mentions/bellezzamjs/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;"><span class="mentions-prefix" style="box-sizing: inherit;">@</span>bellezzamjs</a>) has been writing about books at her site, <a href="https://dolcebellezza.net/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Dolce Bellezza</a>, since 2006. Now that she has retired from teaching, she has much more time to devote to her passion of reading translated literature. She has hosted the Japanese Literature Challenge for sixteen years and been a member of the Shadow Jury for nine. It is her great joy to read and discuss books from around the world with both the panel and fellow readers.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">David Hebblethwaite (@David_Heb) is a reader and reviewer originally from Yorkshire, UK. He started reading translated fiction seriously a few years ago, and now couldn’t imagine a bookish life without it. He writes about books at <a href="http://www.davidsbookworld.com/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">David’s Book World</a>, and is also on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2104529-david-hebblethwaite" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Goodreads</a>, and Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/davidsworldofbooks/?hl=en" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">@davidsworldofbooks</a>. This is his tenth year on the Shadow Jury, and it has become a highlight of his reading year. There are always interesting books to read, and illuminating discussions to be had.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Oisin Harris (@literaryty), based in Canterbury in the UK, reviews books at the <a href="https://literaryty.home.blog/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Literaryty</a> blog. He earned an English degree from Sussex University and an MA in Publishing from Kingston University. He is a librarian at the University of Kent and a co-editor and contributor for The Publishing Post’s Books in Translation Team, as well as the creator of the Translator Spotlight series where prominent translators are interviewed to demystify the craft of translation. His work on Women in Translation was published in the 2020 research eBook of the Institute for Translation and Interpreting, entitled Translating Women: Activism in Action (edited by Olga Castro and Helen Vassallo).</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Frances Evangelista (@nonsuchbook) works as an educator in Washington DC. She elected a career in teaching because she assumed it would provide her with lots of reading time. This was an incorrect assumption. However, she loves her work and still manages to read widely, remember the years she blogged about books fondly, chat up books on Twitter, and participate in lots of great shared reading experiences. This is her fifth year as a shadow panelist for the International Booker Prize.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Vivek Tejuja (@vivekisms) is a book blogger and reviewer from India, based in Mumbai. He loves to read books in Indian languages and translated editions of languages around the world (well, essentially world fiction, if that’s a thing). He is Culture Editor at Verve Magazine and blogs at <a href="https://thehungryreader.wordpress.com/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">The Hungry Reader</a>. He is also the author of So Now You Know, a memoir of growing up gay in Mumbai in the 90s, published by Harper Collins India. His second book, Strange Bedfellows is out in September 2023, by Harper Collins India. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Areeb Ahmad (@Broke_Bookworm) currently works in the social and development sector. He moonlights as Books Editor at <a href="https://inklettemagazine.com/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Inklette</a> and Editor-at-Large for India at <a href="https://www.asymptotejournal.com/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Asymptote</a>. Although he is an eclectic bookworm, he swears by all things SFF. He goes out of his way to consume queer literatures, experimental writing, translated books, and contemporary poetry collections. You can find him either desperately hunting for book deals to supplement his overflowing TBR pile or trying to figure out the best angle for his next <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bankrupt_bookworm/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">#bookstagram</a> photo as he scrambles to write reviews. He impulsively began book blogging in 2019 and hasn’t looked back since.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Paul Fulcher (@fulcherpaul) is a Wimbledon, UK based fan of translated fiction, who is active on Goodreads, where he contributes to a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/305620?group_id=186163" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">MBI readers’ group</a>. He is a Trustee of the Republic of Consciousness Foundation, which runs the Republic of Consciousness Prize (@prizeRofC), which rewards innovative fiction, including in translation, from small independent presses. His reviews can be found on his <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/fulcherkim" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Goodreads</a> page.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Jeremy Koenig (@KoenigRMHS) is a high school English teacher outside Washington DC. Over the years, he’s become a fierce champion of translated literature and small presses, both making up the bulk of his Best of the Year lists. His reading life has been greatly enriched by the other members of this shadow panel, to whom he’s deeply grateful. He’s also a current student of Norwegian who aspires to reading Jon Fosse’s work in the original (“på Norsk”). This is his first year as a shadow panelist.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Do follow along as we read, and review, the books for the International Booker Prize 2023. We promise to highlight the very best. At least, in our opinion.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-38933509411758820172023-01-28T11:41:00.001-06:002023-05-06T11:43:52.211-05:00The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBkTuHn7S0JVcOox4BPccmXMSQQgsz-v8s77GjigIx0WGXZsfkYNtVnhUhlkSLE3qqECYjQJDZTekEl8kcYphiMawVP6juAFqdiJ8AZEaUIZUpdyaOAXmHZvoTJUVCUMlXaxRvOAYZ_86DBQUAeKuQ-GOLGSGUAcbpO5N8v9rgSLPjaprFVE/s757/IMG_0201.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="479" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBkTuHn7S0JVcOox4BPccmXMSQQgsz-v8s77GjigIx0WGXZsfkYNtVnhUhlkSLE3qqECYjQJDZTekEl8kcYphiMawVP6juAFqdiJ8AZEaUIZUpdyaOAXmHZvoTJUVCUMlXaxRvOAYZ_86DBQUAeKuQ-GOLGSGUAcbpO5N8v9rgSLPjaprFVE/w253-h400/IMG_0201.jpeg" width="253" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>I <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">remember how as a young bride I enjoyed staying at home and caring for my husband. We lived in Germany at the time, and I would walk to the</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><em style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">Konditorei </em><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">for bread to make us lunch which I would then carry to where he worked.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">It was an idyllic time, yet I eagerly grabbed the opportunity to teach when the new school year came. Could I have been happy being a homemaker forever? It is something I’ll never know, for I taught until I retired, occasionally yearning for the privilege of “only” caring for the home; having one job, instead of two.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Maybe it is as simple as wanting what we cannot have, for when Asahi’s husband is transferred to a small village, she, too, gives up her job in Tokyo. Which is not something she loved in the first place, being a part time employee. Yet she and a colleague fantasize about the prospect of not having to go to work any more. Until it becomes a reality for her.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">I’d wake up a little before six, pack my husband’s lunches, make his breakfast, see him off, go shopping, clean the house, or maybe run the laundry – but, after that, I didn’t have anything to do. Living the dream? Really?</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 17</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">One day, her mother-in-law calls from her work to ask Asa if she will make a deposit at the bank for her. The bills and deposit slip are waiting on the counter, where she forgot them that morning. So Asa sets off in palpable Summer heat, I can <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">feel </em>it through the description on the pages, and suddenly falls into a hole. </p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">The hole felt as though it was exactly my size – a trap made just for me.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p, 23</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">It is a hole she did not see, could not anticipate, and therefore could not avoid falling into. A metaphor for the life she is now living in a remote village, with no job, no friends, no entertainment, and a husband who is only described as either sleeping or scrolling though his cell phone.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">I knew what I was getting into. But that doesn’t mean I knew everything.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 40</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">When do we know everything? We blindly go forward, making the best choices we can, and some of us pray for wisdom along the way to guide us. But now, added to this “simple” story, Asa begins seeing strange animals. Meeting strange people, like the <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Sensei </em>at the 7 Eleven, and children flipping through comics who don’t look at her. She encounters her husband’s brother, whom she didn’t even know existed, and he warns her of a sleeping animal’s fangs when he points it out at the bottom of another hole.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">“Fangs? That kind of animal had fangs? Then again, how would I know? I didn’t know anything.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 41</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">And so we encounter a discouraged wife who also seems to be seeing things, or at least imagining them, and reality is mixed with a bit of surrealism. Still, I found plenty to ponder in this slim volume packed with powerful observations.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">People always fail to notice things. Animals, cicadas, puddles of melted ice cream on the ground, the neighborhood shut-in. But what would you expect? It seems like most folks don’t see what they don’t want to see. The same goes for you. There just be plenty you don’t see.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 46</cite></blockquote><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">“It takes a writer of great talent to mold the banality of the everyday into the stuff of art, and to build an entire world around a metaphor other writers might quickly deploy and cast aside, but Oyamada is in complete control of her talent. “<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">Japan Times</cite></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.ndbooks.com/book/the-hole-1/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;"></a></em></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRuxVvh7d-_BpNu9jCTymiugZxcRer8Fns0esoXtRptTxz-n1niakOi-lrnLtyTfb18VWQg6rsyn_pHbuqywY3MXeclJm7s6VKmEkGmmPUZm3ISsv82fdCFceQ6NaPhNGjpoKy7qlhW7T-_QJMS4B8rh5JQw8s1S0UrljRN0DyeT1K_DRtn5I/s1024/IMG_0202.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRuxVvh7d-_BpNu9jCTymiugZxcRer8Fns0esoXtRptTxz-n1niakOi-lrnLtyTfb18VWQg6rsyn_pHbuqywY3MXeclJm7s6VKmEkGmmPUZm3ISsv82fdCFceQ6NaPhNGjpoKy7qlhW7T-_QJMS4B8rh5JQw8s1S0UrljRN0DyeT1K_DRtn5I/w133-h200/IMG_0202.webp" width="133" /></a></em></div><p></p></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.ndbooks.com/book/the-hole-1/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;"><br />The Hole</a> </em>by Hiroko Okayama, translated by David Boyd, won the Akutagawa Prize. It is a short book, which I read in one afternoon and highly recommend.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-40898454377931716142023-01-26T11:38:00.000-06:002023-05-06T11:40:14.702-05:00Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riki Onda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xFpFJiw8_AK-5fD60uWIK-jPdJZAFgdOZBMiYRQxweHDFV5rULbyfCYGRqwti6LlpgTyKu5bYN7nXEWQlrBMZVpJiIAQmnSc9g3D4kpqQGSfe-uhinpHbCcpIM7QEIa0yzqIM_PAQ_4NrUrO-eEW9I1FY7vVlM5HIoimIva50tdH8m64Z7c/s858/IMG_0199.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xFpFJiw8_AK-5fD60uWIK-jPdJZAFgdOZBMiYRQxweHDFV5rULbyfCYGRqwti6LlpgTyKu5bYN7nXEWQlrBMZVpJiIAQmnSc9g3D4kpqQGSfe-uhinpHbCcpIM7QEIa0yzqIM_PAQ_4NrUrO-eEW9I1FY7vVlM5HIoimIva50tdH8m64Z7c/w358-h400/IMG_0199.webp" width="358" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">must admit to feeling equivocated about this book. I loved the cover, as if that matters, and the concept of two people struggling over the course of one night to discover why their guide died during a mountain trek they had taken. They each suspect the other of murder, as neither was in the other’s line of sight when he fell to his death.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">But, it took me almost a week to read 204 pages because I just couldn’t engage with it.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Actually, the story ended up being more about these two, Aki and Hiro, than about the death of their guide. We don’t even know how he died, exactly, other than Aki’s suppositions at the end. What we are embroiled in is the relationship between Aki and Hiro, their combined memories, and what they mean to each other.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">It was a little confusing, at first, as they both speak in the first person, and I wondered who it was that was telling me their perspective. The chapters alternate between each voice, so after awhile it became clearer. But, as far as Japanese literature goes, and especially a book from Riku Onda, I felt it far from thrilling.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I am going on now to <em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.ndbooks.com/book/the-hole-1/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">The Hole</a> </em>by Hiroko Oyamada, translated by David Boyd, which won the Akutagawa Prize.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-61233970949889265612023-01-08T11:29:00.001-06:002023-05-06T11:31:37.779-05:00Moominland Midwinter by Tone Jansson (Nordic Finds Challenge)<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;">When I was in third grade, there was a girl I greatly admired in my class who checked out a Moomin book from the library. Wanting to be like her, I also checked one out.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I hated it. I didn’t get it, I thought it was boring and so I returned it. And I haven’t picked up a Moomin book since.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Some of you may know of my passion with Traveler’s Factory Notebooks. I have begun a small collection of them, since 2016, and when I saw the special collaboration I hungered after one of these:</p><div class="wp-block-image" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px;"><figure class="aligncenter size-large" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: table; margin: 0px auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22515" data-attachment-id="22515" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_3541" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_3541.jpg?w=739" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_3541.jpg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_3541.jpg" data-orig-size="800,800" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/01/08/moominland-midwinter-by-tove-jansson-nordic-finds-challenge/img_3541-2/" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_3541.jpg?w=800" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_3541.jpg 800w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_3541.jpg?w=150 150w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_3541.jpg?w=300 300w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_3541.jpg?w=768 768w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="400" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption" style="box-sizing: inherit; caption-side: bottom; display: table-caption; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><a href="https://www.travelers-company.com/topicsinfo/topics-2022/moomin-little-my" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Traveler’s Factory Company </a></figcaption></figure></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">It is a brown passport size traveler’s notebook with an embossed picture of Little My on the front, and it is only sold in Japan. “Well,” I thought, “at least I have access to the book.”</p><div class="wp-block-image" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><figure class="aligncenter size-large" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: table; margin: 0px auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-22506" data-attachment-id="22506" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone SE (2nd generation)","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1673082718","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.99","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_2313" data-large-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_2313.jpg?w=739" data-medium-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_2313.jpg?w=225" data-orig-file="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_2313.jpg" data-orig-size="3024,4032" data-permalink="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/01/08/moominland-midwinter-by-tove-jansson-nordic-finds-challenge/img_2313/" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" src="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_2313.jpg?w=768" srcset="https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_2313.jpg?w=768 768w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_2313.jpg?w=1536 1536w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_2313.jpg?w=113 113w, https://dolcebellezza2.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/img_2313.jpg?w=225 225w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="300" /></figure></div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">And so, I began reading <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Moominland Midwinter </em>last night, and this time I am utterly entranced. It is one of those books, in my opinion, which is written for children but is really better suited to adults. For the sentences and phrases are powerful when you know enough to appreciate them.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Consider the descriptions of snow: </p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">At dawn the snowdrift on the roof began to move. It went slithering down a bit, then it resolutely coasted over the roof edge and sat down with a soft thump.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 5</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Or:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">The valley was enveloped in a kind of grey twilight. It also wasn’t green any longer, it was white. Everything that had once moved had become immobile. There were no living sounds. Everything angular was now rounded.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 9</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Moomintroll awakes when a bit of moonlight shines right in his face, and he cannot fall asleep again. He feels terribly lonely, where, “in the drawing room also, grouped around the biggest porcelain stove of the house, the Moomin family lay sleeping their long winter sleep.” And so, he goes out to find Snufkin who went to the South in October.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Of course, Moontroll doesn’t make it, for how could the story continue without his interactions with Little My, Too-ticky, or the Groke? Each character is so charming and so original, that I read this book with great delight.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Favorite quotes:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">And suddenly Sorry-oo (the dog) knew that he had made a mistake. They weren’t his brethren at all, and one couldn’t have any fun with them (the wolves). One could only be eaten up, and possibly have the time to regret that one had behaved like an ass. He stopped his tail, which was wagging from pure habit, and thought, “What a pity, I could have slept all those nights instead of sitting here and longing myself silly…”</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 109</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">and:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Little My had always had the gift of having fun on her own, and whatever she might have been thinking about spring, she felt no need to talk about it.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 117</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">and:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">“Why didn’t you talk like that in the winter?”said Moomintroll, “It’d have been such a comfort. Remember I said once: ‘There were a lot of apples here,’ and you just replied: ‘But now there’s a lot of snow.’ Didn’t you understand that I was melancholy?”</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Too-tricky shrugged her shoulders. “One has to discover everything for oneself,” she replied. “And get over it all alone.”</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 118</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">and:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">“I must get up before the others next spring,” Moominmamma said. “How nice to be on your own for a bit and do what you like.”</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 130</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Read this for Anna Book Bel’s <em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://annabookbel.net/nordic-finds-returns-nordicfinds23" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">Nordic Finds Challenge 2023</a></em> as, of course, Tove Jansson is from Finland.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-87012164215433039482023-01-04T11:26:00.001-06:002023-05-06T11:28:52.169-05:00A Death in Tokyo by Keigo Higashino<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6U9qCVBpFyUMLwWEOtkSs-wqBIN_82zCs8c-AxfQHrYZfmqv5UCCIDGSnDPSS6lKU99K_KSsHaqZB4qh9EE5XC_Raa1XM5syanzsishY4dTkfHgflrzvP7K30W3KrNpRQTThxCJjQ-WwS1uq9vaMVsOT8hXZstkmIkGt1C6ZC9WTHHYjU4Q/s1024/IMG_0196.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6U9qCVBpFyUMLwWEOtkSs-wqBIN_82zCs8c-AxfQHrYZfmqv5UCCIDGSnDPSS6lKU99K_KSsHaqZB4qh9EE5XC_Raa1XM5syanzsishY4dTkfHgflrzvP7K30W3KrNpRQTThxCJjQ-WwS1uq9vaMVsOT8hXZstkmIkGt1C6ZC9WTHHYjU4Q/w300-h400/IMG_0196.webp" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Ever so slowly, Keigo Higoshino leads us precisely through the murder investigation which begins with a man named Takeaki Aoyagi stumbling down the sidewalk as though drunk, and then dying at the foot of a <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">kirin </em>statue on the Nihonbashi Bridge.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">When a young man in possession of Aoyagi’s wallet is struck by a car as he’s running away, it is assumed he was the killer. After all, he had called his girlfriend before he was struck to leave this message:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">“I’ve done something awful…Something terrible’s happened. I don’t know what to do.” Those were his exact words…He sounded hysterical.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 176</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">But, that would’ve been too simple. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Instead we learn that these two have the same workplace, Kanaseki Metals, and that terrible accidents have been covered up. Is this the cause for murder? One major headline in the news reads:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">Did Aoyagi order the cover-up of workplace accidents? Factory manager reveals all. </p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 137</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">But then, why are hundreds of folded origami cranes left at shrines, most particularly the Suitengu Shrine which is where people pray for the safety of babies as well as protection from drowning…?</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">We have reason to believe that Mr. Aoyagi was a regular visitor to Suitengu Shrine. Offering up origami cranes one hundred at a time. Does that ring any bells…</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;">p. 300</cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">The pieces of the puzzle seem obscure, and unrelated, but Detectives Kyoichiro Kaga and his cousin Shuhei Matsumiya are brilliant sleuths, able to find the cause and resolution of a most heartbreaking death.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">This was a fascinating thriller, pleasing in more ways than having an interesting plot. Like all of my favorite novels, there is much deeper meaning, and application, to the lives of the father, Aoyagi, and his family than a typical American mystery provides. It proves once again why Kiego Higoshino is my favorite Japanese crime writer.</p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-56361903471452220802023-01-03T11:23:00.002-06:002023-05-06T11:26:30.756-05:00City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdxTYEtL_AnPEl74_jZ8wxqTqRsXCL3QgC3yF2c4CN8UCfmbWgHHetDbDGL3Lu9a_a862iCbXNt431Yyqg5r83RQGvYsin5VItUXjKdOTxAcRpF7fTN2X6x_OIc0uSmEUYQSGWRZoGECcdV2b2J3C_IqBFjsp6vhYG_3OzSTj2C5wqZVD3wI/s2048/IMG_0195.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdxTYEtL_AnPEl74_jZ8wxqTqRsXCL3QgC3yF2c4CN8UCfmbWgHHetDbDGL3Lu9a_a862iCbXNt431Yyqg5r83RQGvYsin5VItUXjKdOTxAcRpF7fTN2X6x_OIc0uSmEUYQSGWRZoGECcdV2b2J3C_IqBFjsp6vhYG_3OzSTj2C5wqZVD3wI/w400-h400/IMG_0195.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 1.75em 1.75em 2.25em; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; quotes: "" "";"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px;">The City was the nickname they gave the Walcott Building, because back in the sixties, when Point Mettier was an army port, they used to refer to it as “the City Under One Roof.” The City was where all the good stuff was when the military was there, but now it was just an abandoned building.</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673427/city-under-one-roof-by-iris-yamashita/" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #404040; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.2s;">City Under One Roof</a></cite></blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I don’t know if I enjoyed this book more for the setting, characters, or the plot. All of it is written with a mesmerizing style; I felt I lived in Alaska trapped by a snowstorm which rendered the tunnel inoperable. I felt that I, myself, was surrounded by an assorted bunch of rather odd people: Amy and her mother who ran Star Asian Food; the police consisting of J.B. and Chief Sipley; Mrs. Blackmon and her two sons: Spenser and Troy; Lonnie, who muttered nursery rhymes to herself and cared for her pet moose, Denny, while fretting that she would be sent back to the Institute. Worst of all was the arrival of a band of men with tattoos and weapons, brought by a particularly cruel leader named Wolf.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">When Amy finds a foot, still encased in a boot, washed up on the beach, Detective Cara brings herself from Anchorage to this remote village. It is a village which dries up in the Winter when the tourists are gone, for it has none of the ice fishing, or skiing, or snowmobiling which would attract them. And so Cara finds herself staying with a group of rather odd people living in one building. One of them has killed the person whose foot, and hand, and later on, head, are discovered piecemeal. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Cara has brought herself into the investigation because she has lost her husband and son a year ago; by finding the killer, she hopes to find an answer to what has happened to her family. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">I found this to be an exceptional thriller, both unique and literary. I recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers such as I do, and who can envision themselves in a remote Alaskan village surrounded by snow and a killer.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">(<em style="box-sizing: inherit;">City Under One Roof will be available for sale on January 10, 2023. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group of Penguin Random House for the advanced copy.)</em></p>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29652548.post-2887734320588421742023-01-01T10:09:00.001-06:002023-05-06T11:20:51.107-05:00Japanese Literature Challenge 16<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBp-EGUIJJmw-0qyEfY8-dtl9ZgyEKkRb1FRDsuvBHGAjRPnlqrOUqiRj-FDZEdsYxXJP9sxNhvo7cU1OaKrGHdqJyjE5JaFfjPiGhLqWEaMTuKXY9Tpt3A6NwAp4tAEvhEhccuescSeFTiP2_pAL75vC24ughR9PqmoR0NIU-OHViFaOtQM/s1668/IMG_0194.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1668" data-original-width="1139" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBp-EGUIJJmw-0qyEfY8-dtl9ZgyEKkRb1FRDsuvBHGAjRPnlqrOUqiRj-FDZEdsYxXJP9sxNhvo7cU1OaKrGHdqJyjE5JaFfjPiGhLqWEaMTuKXY9Tpt3A6NwAp4tAEvhEhccuescSeFTiP2_pAL75vC24ughR9PqmoR0NIU-OHViFaOtQM/w274-h400/IMG_0194.jpeg" width="274" /></a></div><br /><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Welcome to the Japanese Literature Challenge 16! </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">During January and February of 2023, we will read Japanese novels, short stories, mysteries, thrillers, or even poetry if you so choose. </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.75em; margin-top: 0px;">Please leave a link to that which you have read by clicking on the Mr. Linky widget below. That way, we can all have a chance to enjoy what you chose.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I so look forward on sharing this virtual trip to Japan with you!</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); color: #404040; font-family: "Gentium Book Basic", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></p><br /><p></p><div><table class="blenza-table" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px !important; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-variant-caps: normal; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr style="border: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;"><td align="left" class="blenza-td" style="border: 0px !important; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" valign="top" width="28%"></td><td align="left" class="blenza-td" style="border: 0px !important; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td align="left" class="blenza-td" style="border: 0px !important; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" valign="top" width="28%"></td><td align="left" class="blenza-td" style="border: 0px !important; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td align="left" class="blenza-td" style="border: 0px !important; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" valign="top" width="28%"></td></tr></tbody></table>1. <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/theres-no-such-thing-as-an-easy-job/kikuko-tsumura/9781526622259">Nick</a></div><div>2. <a href="https://afondnessforreading.com/2023/01/03/snow-country/">Robin @ A Fondness for Reading (Snow Country)</a></div><div>3. <a href="http://www.bookgirl.net/japanese-literature-challenge-3/">Iliana @ Bookgirl’s Nightstand</a> </div><div>4. <a href="https://nottoobrainy.wordpress.com/">Nick</a></div><div>5. <a href="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/01/04/a-death-in-tokyo-by-keigo-higashino-japanese-literature-challenge-16/">Bellezza (A Death in Tokyo by Keith Higoshino)</a></div><div>6. <a href="https://afondnessforreading.com/2023/01/07/sumokitty/">Robin @ A Fondness for Reading (Sumo Kitty)</a></div><div>7. <a href="https://tinyurl.com/4tbt38e4">Lisa of Hopewell (Before Your Memory Fades)</a></div><div>8. <a href="https://heavenali.wordpress.com/2023/01/10/heaven-mieko-kawakami-2009/">HeavenAli (Heaven by Meiko Kawakami)</a></div><div>9. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/07/one-hundred-poets-one-poem-each-edited-by-fujiwara-no-teika-review/">Tony’s Reading List (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each)</a></div><div>10. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/thirst-for-love-by-yukio-mishima-review/">Tony’s Reading List (Thirst for Love any Yukito Mishima</a></div><div>11. <a href="https://bookertalk.com/people-from-my-neighbourhood-by-hiromi-kawakami/">Bookertalk (People From My Neighborhood by Hinoki Kawakami)</a></div><div>12<a href="https://bookertalk.com/people-from-my-neighbourhood-by-hiromi-kawakami/">. Silvia Cachia (Convenience Store Woman))</a></div><div>13. <a href="https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2023/01/11/januaryinjapan-two-crime-novels/">Marina Sofia (Tokyo Express and Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight)</a></div><div>14. <a href="https://bronasbooks.com/2023/01/13/tokyo-express-seicho-matsumoto-jpncrimefiction/">Brona (Tokyo Express)</a></div><div>15. <a href="https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/01/13/japanese-literature-challenge-16/">Emma @ Words and Peace (Hell Screen by Ryunosuke Akutuagawa)</a></div><div>16. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/11/the-saga-of-dazai-osamu-by-phyllis-i-lyons-review/">Tony’s Reading List (The Saga of Davao Osamu by Phyllis I. Lyons)</a></div><div>17. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/13/choses-dont-je-me-souviens-recollections-by-natsume-soseki-review/">Tony’s Reading List (Chose dont je me souviens by Nateume Soseki)</a></div><div>18. <a href="https://afondnessforreading.com/2023/01/15/the-strange-library/">Robin @ A Fondness for Reading (The Strange Library)</a></div><div>19. <a href="https://reallifereading.com/2023/01/12/3-manga-series/">Sharlene @ Real Life Reading (A Man and His Cat)</a></div><div>20. <a href="https://kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2023/01/16/is-there-no-way-we-can-come-to-an-understanding-japaneselitchallenge16-tanizaki-thekey/">Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings </a></div><div>21. <a href="https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2023/01/16/januaryinjapan-loneliness-and-finding-your-passion/">Marina Sofia (Meiko Kawakami, Shion Miura, Natsu Miyashita)</a></div><div>22. <a href="https://bronasbooks.com/2023/01/19/the-color-of-the-sky-is-the-shape-of-the-heart-chesil-jpnfiction/">Brona (The Color of the Sky is The Shape of The Heart)</a></div><div>23. <a href="https://clairemcalpine.com/2023/01/19/child-of-fortune-by-yuko-tsushima-tr-geraldine-harcourt/">Claire McAlpine (Child of Fortune by Yukio Mishima)</a></div><div>24. <a href="https://beautyisasleepingcat.com/2023/01/23/the-wild-geese-by-ogai-mori/">Beauty is a Sleeping Cat (The Wild Geese by Ogai Mori)</a></div><div>25. <a href="https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2023/01/25/januaryinjapan-dazai-osamu-rewriting-fairytales/">Marina Sofia (Dasani Osamu - Fairytales)</a></div><div>26. <a href="https://indextrious.blogspot.com/2023/01/dead-end-memories.html">Melanie@ Indextrious Reader (Dead -End Memories)</a></div><div>27. <a href="https://bronasbooks.com/2023/01/26/the-woman-in-the-purple-skirt-natsuko-imamura-jpnfiction/">Brona (The Woman In The Purple Skirt)</a></div><div>28. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/16/scattered-all-over-the-earth-by-yoko-tawada-review/">Tony’s Reading List (Scattered All Over the Earth by Yoko Tawada)</a></div><div>29. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/19/the-lake-by-yasunari-kawabata-review/">Tony’s Reading List (The Lake by Yasunari Kawabata)</a></div><div>30. <a href="https://bitterteaandmystery.blogspot.com/2023/01/japanese-literature-challenge.html">Tracy K @ Bitter Tea and Mystery (A Midsummer’s Education by Keigo Higashino)</a></div><div>31. <a href="https://indextrious.blogspot.com/2023/01/scattered-all-over-earth.html">Melanie @ Indextrious Reader </a><a href="https://indextrious.blogspot.com/2023/01/scattered-all-over-earth.html">(Scattered All Over the Earth)</a></div><div>32. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5275700400">Emma @ Words and Peace (Sauna’s Journey by Miyazaki)</a></div><div>33. <a href="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/01/26/fish-swimming-in-dappled-sunlight-by-riku-onda-japanese-literature-challenge-16/">Bellezza (Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight)</a></div><div>34. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/23/scandal-by-shusaku-endo-review/">Tony’s Reading List (Scandal by Shusaku Endo)</a></div><div>35. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/26/rouse-up-o-young-men-of-the-new-age-by-kenzaburo-oe-review/">Tony’s Reading List (Rouse Up, O Young Men of the New Age! by Kenzaburo Oe </a></div><div>36. <a href="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/01/28/the-hole-by-hiroko-oyamada-japanese-literature-challenge-16/">Bellezza (The Hole by Hiroki Oyamada)</a></div><div>37. <a href="https://afondnessforreading.com/2023/01/29/four-seasons-in-kyoto-and-the-makanai/">Robin @ A Fondness For Reading (The Lady and the Monk)</a></div><div>38. <a href="https://bronasbooks.com/2023/01/30/dead-end-memories-banana-yoshimoro-jpnshortstories/">Brona (Dead-End Memories)</a></div><div>39. <a href="https://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2023/01/at-end-of-matinee-by-keiichiro-hirano.html">The Reading Life (At The End of The Matinee)</a></div><div>40. <a href="https://readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2023/01/30/the-waiting-years-fumiko-enchi-tr-john-bester/">Radhika’s Reading Retreat (The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi)</a></div><div>41. <a href="https://wutheringexpectations.blogspot.com/2023/02/sosekis-kokoro-and-two-tanizaki-genre.html">Wuthering Expectations (Kokoro by Soseki, and two Tanizaki novellas)</a></div><div>42. <a href="https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/2023/02/sunday-salon-two-japanese-novels-with.html">Harvee Book Dilettante </a></div><div>43. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/29/the-broken-commandment-by-shimazaki-toson-review/">Tony’s Reading List (The Broken Commandment by Toson)</a></div><div>44. <a href="https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/01/31/inhabitation-by-teru-miyamoto-review/">Tony’s Reading List (Inhabitation by Teru Miyamoto)</a></div><div>45. <a href="https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/2023/02/book-review-fractured-soul-by-akira.html">Harvee Dilettante (Fractured Soul)</a></div><div>46. <a href="https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/02/08/book-review-okamoto-kido-master-of-the-uncanny/">Emma @ Words and Peace (Master of the Uncanny by Okamoto Kido)</a></div><div>47. <a href="https://classicsconsidered.com/2023/02/13/convenience-store-woman/">Marian @ Classics Considered (Convenience Store Woman)</a></div><div>48. <a href="https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-boy-and-dog-by-seishu-hase-japanese.html">Harvee @ Book Dilettante (The Boy and His Dog)</a></div><div>49. <a href="https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/02/19/sunday-post-79-02-19-2023/">Emma @ Words and Peace (Mangas by Nadatani and Shinohara)</a></div><div>50. <a href="https://rippleeffects.reviews/2023/02/22/jlc-16-the-swan-and-the-bat-by-keigo-higashino/">Arti @ Ripple Effects (The Swan and the Bat by Keigo Higashino)</a></div><div>51. <a href="https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/02/24/book-review-and-friday-face-off-the-hunting-gun/">Emma @ Words and Peace (The Hunting Gun by Yasushi Inoue)</a></div><div>52. <a href="https://bitterteaandmystery.blogspot.com/2023/02/bullet-train-kotaro-isaka.html">Tracy K @ Bitter Tea and Mystery (Bullet Train)</a></div><div>53. <a href="https://dolcebellezza2.wordpress.com/2023/02/20/diary-of-a-void-by-emi-yagi/">Bellezza (Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi)</a></div><div>54. <a href="https://nishitak.com/2023/02/28/breasts-and-eggs/">Mishima (Breasts and Eggs by Meiko Kawakami)</a></div><div>55. <a href="https://wordsandpeace.com/2023/01/13/japanese-literature-challenge-16/">Emma @ Words and Peace (Recap and link to last manga)</a></div><div>56. <a href="https://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2023/01/at-end-of-matinee-by-keiichiro-hirano.html">The Reading Life (In Memorium to Kenzaburo Oe)</a></div><div>57. <a href="http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2023/03/tokyo-ueno-station-novel-by-yu-miri.html">The Reading Life (Tokyo Ueno Station by Yumiri)</a></div><div>58. <a href="http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2023/03/ivy-gates-by-kanoko-okamoto-1936.html">The Reading Life (Ivy Gates by Kamako Okomolo)</a></div><div>59. <a href="https://bitterteaandmystery.blogspot.com/2023/03/a-man-and-his-cat-vol-1-3.html">Tracy K @ Bitter Tea and Mystery (A Man and His Cat Vol. 1-3)</a></div>Bellezza http://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.com0