Mailbox Monday
BOOK RECEIVED THIS PAST WEEK
Some Prefer Nettles:
Japanese Classic first published in 1928
I received it as a gift from Lucy, at The Fictional 100 – thank you Lucy!
While you are here, why don’t you have a look at her fantastic reference book on the classics?
Lucy offered it to me, as she knows my love for Japanese Literature and the classics. I have not yet read any book by this author.
Here is the Goodreads synopsis:
Junichiro Tanizaki’s Some Prefer Nettles is an exquisitely nuanced exploration of the allure of ancient Japanese tradition—and the profound disquiet that accompanied its passing.
It is the 1920s in Tokyo, and Kaname and his wife Misako are trapped in a parody of a progressive Western marriage. No longer attracted to one another, they have long since stopped sleeping together and Kaname has sanctioned his wife’s liaisons with another man. But at the heart of their arrangement lies a sadness that impels Kaname to take refuge in the past, in the serene rituals of the classical puppet theater—and in a growing fixation with his father-in-law’s mistress. Some Prefer Nettles is an ethereally suggestive, psychologically complex exploration of the crisis every culture faces as it hurtles headfirst into modernity.
WHAT BOOK(S) DID YOU RECEIVE?
Interesting! I haven’t heard of this book before.
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There are indeed unique Japanese authors that many people have never heard of
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ENJOY your week and your books.
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you too
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I haven’t read a classic in a while. This sounds terrific.
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Yes, Japanese literature is a great way to discover more classics
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The Japanese novel looks good. I loved The Makioka Sisters by that author. I brought 7 books home from the library last week and I bought, as well as read, The Testaments, Margaret Atwood’s sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. Loved it!
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Hmm, I thought I was going to pass on The Testaments, but I may need to rethink! I see our library trips are comparable, lol
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Ooh lovely, another Japanese author to add to my list
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You probably heard of The Makioka Sisters
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I must read this one, I loved his Makioka Sisters, and this reminded me I had to explore other of his titles.
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I’m a bit afraid of The Makioka Sisters, so maybe this will lead me to them!!
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Don’t be afraid, it’s not a difficult read, it’s an amazing classic.
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Ok thanks!
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I like to see the international titles you share. I hope you enjoy it!
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Thanks Martha, yes world literature is so rich!
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