Book Junky. Japanese/English Translator. Writer.
And this is it; an appropriate tome to close out my year of reading in 2020. Whether it was an effect of the pandemic or not, I have had a remarkable reading journey. I have ventured far out to space with Robert A. Heinlein, Ursula Le Guin, and Cixin Liu. I branched out of my... Continue Reading →
I picked this gem up when I saw the new trailer for what will be its 3rd movie interpretation. Having now read the thriller, I can understand the urge to reproduce it for screen – there is this great sense of downfall, a wonderfully terrifying foreboding of the heroine’s decent into madness. This is even... Continue Reading →
I dove straight into Earthlings, without having read Convenience Store Woman, which I think worked out well for me. I went into the story without any preconceived notions and readily accepted ANYTHING. Or maybe that is the Haruki Murakami effect; I have been trained to take in the outlandish as it comes. It starts off,... Continue Reading →
Having enjoyed reading a few of their titles, I decided I would read all of the Bloomsbury Modern Classic collection, and thus came upon The Kite Runner. It is a book I had avoided; for once I hear anything described as “harrowing,” my stomach turns and will avert my eyes to protect my sensitivity. Yet,... Continue Reading →
I read Siddhartha when I was a teenager, having found a copy in my mother’s bookshelf. We had just read Beneath the Wheel in class and had felt Herman Hesse could perhaps be a friend – like Jane Austen or the Bronte Sisters. But Siddhartha went completely over my head and I haven’t picked up... Continue Reading →
Imagine picking up a mystery book and finding out from the first few pages of the book, it was a Sherlock Holmes story – the ‘DOYLE’ on the spine, registering nothing. That is how far removed the author’s name was for me - from the famous fictional detective, Kindaichi. It was thus a surprise to... Continue Reading →
Science Write Now article: https://www.sciencewritenow.com/essays-craft-memoir/beautifulmathematics A foreword from Amanda— A few months ago I read a novel called The Housekeeper and the Professor, by revered Japanese writer Yoko Ogawa, translated into the English by Stephen Snyder in 2009. A writer friend had recommended it on Facebook and, seeing it dealt with mathematics, I had to... Continue Reading →
It has been a few months of sluggish reading. People say books are an escape; perhaps they are. But I have found it takes an enormous effort to dive into such different tales when your own life needs much attention. Youtube is a much more efficient escape pod…To avoid getting caught up in a story,... Continue Reading →
BBC Article: What the Japanese can teach us about super-ageing gracefully By Johanna Airth 30th March 2020Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world, but some of the country’s elderly aren’t slowing down. Mieko Nagaoka first started swimming in her 80s to help recover from a knee injury sustained while practicing Noh, a... Continue Reading →
BBC Article: Five must-read books from Japanese literature By Johanna Airth 18th December 2019With the translation of Japanese literature into English, new meaning is given to the texts which illuminates our understanding of Japanese culture Understanding Japanese culture has fascinated the Western world ever since the country’s trading doors opened up in the 1800s. Eating... Continue Reading →
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