It is a truth universally acknowledged that a work of literature does not have to be enjoyable to be considered good. Books are written and read for an infinite number of reasons, and with the case of dystopian literature it is often written as a warning of things to come, or things that are already …
Literature
How much do you really know about the history, cuisine, art, and culture of Romania? A country often defined by the legend of Dracula and a handful of medieval castles, Romania is so much more than that. The nation fell under the reigns of communist dictatorship and only broke free in 1989. Romanian cuisine is …
“Let’s face it, manga has always been lame! . . . But it’s okay that it’s lame.” — Inio Asano, “A Tour Through Inio Asano’s Workplace” In one way at least millennials are lucky: we were the first generation in the West for whom imported Japanese culture was completely unremarkable. Though it comes from a …
Japanese authors often enjoy discussing books and writing in their fiction. They enjoy writing, and they also enjoy cats (something we cat lovers can rejoice in). The Travelling Cat Chronicles is no exception. Arikawa certainly isn’t the first Japanese author to celebrate the ways of the feline and follows in the footsteps of writers such as: To …
Paul B. Preciado is a gargantuan figure in so many ways. A Spanish, French, and English-speaking transgender – and rather nomadic – philosopher, essayist, and writer with an enormous scope of expertise in the realms of sexual politics and identity. An Apartment on Uranus is a collection of chronological essays which begin in March 2013 …
Braised Pork is an unusual kind of debut. It’s a novel that’s been finely tuned, elegantly crafted, lovingly polished to a mirror sheen, and yet ultimately comes off feeling a little flat, never reaching the narrative or philosophical heights it hinted at from page one. As a work of literary craftsmanship, it’s a fantastic book …
In so many ways, the women of East Asian literature are the prominent voices of their cultures today. The best East Asian writers are women. In Japan and Korea especially, those writers who have the greatest clarity of mind and creative spirits are insightful, fascinating, and imaginative women. Women who speak for the sidelined and …
Translated from the Korean by Deborah Smith Calling it The White Book feels reductive, almost wrong on purpose. Because The White Book is less a book and more an embracing feeling of familiarity. This book is something you live and feel, and all of this is created by its use of empty space. Han Kang …
In much of his writing, Murakami relentlessly explores the concepts of personal and national identity, wrapped up with themes and motifs of loneliness, isolation, loss, and being lost. The fact that he is so relentless, and the amount of questions he asks, nods to the fact that he has not found an answer. Finding Ourselves …
Strange Weather in Tokyo is a cultural examination of post-war Japan packaged into a touching, life-affirming love story for the ages. The twentieth century, and the end of World War II, saw a global shift in culture, technology, and economics never before experienced. One of the places hit hardest by this was Japan, which previously had …