Book Junky. Japanese/English Translator. Writer.
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 →
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 →
The narrator’s sister comes to visit Tokyo for a breast implant consultation. Travelling with her is her pubescent daughter, who has stopped talking, and instead writes her thoughts on a notebook. The older sister is on a mission to change both colour and size of her breasts. The younger two – the narrator, still single,... Continue Reading →
We know from the title that a mathematician has died. And she -a Jewish-Polish émigré, was one of the greatest minds of this century. A group of world renown mathematicians then descend upon the grieving family in Madison Wisconsin during winter – a place purposely chosen by the genius (she believed cold weather made the mind... Continue Reading →
The ‘Jeanette’ in the novel was adopted so that her mother can fulfil her destiny as the second Virgin Mary. And while she is happy serving her religious calling, Jeanette comes to an impasse when her priest, mother, and congregation make her choose between God and the woman she loves. The over-zealous characters are at... Continue Reading →
I saved reading this book until pools re-opened here in Singapore. My last training for Master’s club I attended was December, even prior to Covid. Previously, with each swim I was pushing myself harder - to be faster, more efficient. The fun wore off and I started hitting ‘dismiss’ on the alarm more often. The... Continue Reading →
An amazing read, on a scale of unimaginable creation. The novel flips from reality, virtual reality, then across the Universe to another planet. It reflects not only on the history of China, but of Earth’s scientific progress. And then, the most mind-blowing; Cixin Liu walks us through the gate of future scientific breakthroughs – the... Continue Reading →
JohannaAirth 