ブログ

“Unmarriageable” Soniah Kamal, (2019) Review | Refreshing and lovely

★★★★☆ What it says on the tin. Refreshing to read the comic side of Pakistani girls, the real Pakistan written by a woman born in Pakistan an it’s lovely.

🔽 log 🔽
Unmarriageable
Soniah Kamal, 2019
384 pages
Read in 2020.03

🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Pakistani Pride and Prejudice.
It's what it says in the tin.

I haven't read Pride and Prejudice (at this point), so can't judge on the similarities or references but even so it's entertaining.

It talks about the culture and of course the food of Pakistan, so purely for that it's fun. 
It could look too caricaturistic, so it sounds too much like it's written for the West, but still it's refreshing to read the comic side of Pakistani girls, and this is the real Pakistan written by a woman born in Pakistan an it's lovely, no doubt it's a pleasant read.

The chatty girls are definitely a homage to the original.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Unmarriageable: A Novel

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Unmarriageable 

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Unmarriageable: A Novel (English)

2026-01-28

“Crime and Punishment” Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1866) Review | Intolerable pride

★★★★★ Raskolnikov is a problem, not because he causes problems, because he whispers to us to be free to be selfish and problematic to the society. Youth is not beautiful, it’s painful, but growing up with a lot of pride is intolerable. Masterpiece, as always.

🔽 log 🔽
Crime and Punishment
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 1866
Преступление и наказание
Фёдор Миха́йлович Достое́вский
720 pages
Read in 2023.12


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

I had just finished The Karamazov Brothers recently, and I admit it's been following me around like a ghost, wanting something as grand.
So here it is, Crime and Punishment.

This one is less lengthy and the story is rather "easy" to follow, simply because it's about one person.
It's easier to follow but it's not easy to read.
But, there is not much to say about the story from my part, it's a masterpiece, everyone knows it.

The protagonist, Raskolnikov, is a problem, not merely because he causes problems, because he whispers to us, especially youths, to be free to be selfish and problematic to the society.
Such a provocative book.
"I'm special, I am allowed to be special, why do they treat me unfairly" this is the hatred and anger everyone can related to, anywhere in the world any time.

Youth is not beautiful, it's painful, but growing up with a bit of intelligence and a lot of pride (but without confidence) is intolerable. His innocence and delusion face the reality that is, life.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Crime and Punishment (Penguin Classics)

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Crime and Punishment (Penguin Classics)

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Delitto e castigo (Italian Edition)

2026-01-28

“Anglo-Gurkha Relations” GL Rai-Zimmdar (2007) Review | Britain and Nepal

★★★☆☆ An interesting and original view on the matter of Nepal, its position between Britain and India. Make you realise how important Nepal has been in our history and how it’s been neglected.

🔽 log 🔽
Anglo-Gurkha Relations
Historical Account of how the Gurkhas Bestowed upon Queen Victoria the Gift of Indian Empire
GL Rai-Zimmdar, 2007
211 pages
Read in 2023.12


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Probably a self published book, but has an interesting and original view on the matter of Nepal, its position between Britain and India.
The author seems to feel it a mission to correct previous historians' fake stories, or misunderstandings, so I should have known the general or previous understanding of Anglo-Gurkha relations to appreciate this book.

This doesn't really teach you the general history Anglo-Gurkha Relations, but it does make you realise how important Nepal has been in our history and how it's been neglected.
It claims that the world has been misled because of the strong Indian and British influences.
I must find a regular history book on Nepal first.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Anglo-Gurkha Relations, New Edition: Historical Accounts of how the Gurkhas bestowed upon Queen Victoria the Gift of Indian Empire

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Anglo-Gurkha Relations: Historical Account of how the Gurkhas Bestowed upon Queen Victoria the Gift of Indian Empire

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
--

2026-01-28

『わたしが・棄てた・女』遠藤周作, 1972年感想 | 彼女の信じる愛

★★★★☆ 辛いだろうとおもって読んだけどやっぱり辛い。鈍くて可愛くもない棄てられた田舎娘は、純粋に他人のためだけに、彼女の信じる愛のためだけに、短い人生を生き抜く。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
わたしが・棄てた・女
遠藤周作, 1972年
352 ページ
2020.04 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

辛いだろうとおもって読んだけどやっぱり辛い。
これも作者の永遠のテーマ、宗教が入り込んでくるけれど、健気を通り越して正直言って頭が鈍い女の子の徹底した一筋の博愛というか、言ってみればそれが宗教というか。

簡単に言えば他人の苦しみがわかるということだけど、自分を切り離して他人を苦しみから解き放そうとする彼女の宗教、彼女の愛。

一時的な衝動、男の方もだけど、女の方も騙されたとは言え可哀想という衝動で、二人は別の人生を歩みつつも正に運命によって嫌でも繋がっている。

そして、最後。

鈍くて可愛くもない棄てられた田舎娘は、純粋に他人のためだけに、彼女の信じる愛のためだけに、短い人生を生き抜く。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
English review “The Girl I Left Behind” Shusaku Endo (1972) Review | The love she believes in
タグ: 恋愛

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

新装版 わたしが・棄てた・女 (講談社文庫 え 1-47)

●●● 楽天 ●●●
新装版　わたしが・棄てた・女 （講談社文庫） [ 遠藤 周作 ]
価格：814円（税込、送料無料) (2026/1/26時点)

2026-01-27

『Unmarriageable』ソニア・カマル, 2019年感想 | パキスタン版高慢と偏見

★★★★☆ まさにパキスタン版「高慢と偏見」リアルなパキスタンの若い人たちの様子、口うるさい年寄りにうんざりしながらも元気でおしゃべりなパキスタンの女子の様子が新鮮。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
Unmarriageable
Soniah Kamal, 2019
ソニア・カマル
384 ページ
2020.03 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

パキスタン版「高慢と偏見」。まさに。

（この時点では）まだジェーン・オースティンのオリジナルを読んでいなかったので似ている点については詳しくわからないけど、あ違いなくエンターテイメントな一冊。

パキスタン生まれでアメリカ人の著者の作品。
もうパキスタンは独立はしているけれど、まだ大英帝国の影響は消え去ってはいない2000年頃の社会で英語の先生である若い女性が主人公。
パキスタンの当時の様子、新旧の文化や食文化が次々と描かれそれだけでも楽しい。
出版はアメリカだし、欧米を意識していた感じは否めないけど、欧米メディアを通さないリアルのパキスタンの若い人たちの様子、口うるさい年寄りにうんざりしながらも元気でおしゃべりなパキスタンの女子の様子が新鮮。
きっとその辺はオリジナルと同じ感じなんだと思う。

日本語版はないですが、英語はそんなに難しくないし、コミカルなパキスタンの様子なんてなかなか簡単に読めないので頑張る価値ありです。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
English review “Unmarriageable” Soniah Kamal, (2019) Review | Pakistani Pride and Prejudice
オリジナル「高慢と偏見」ジェーン•オースティン

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

Unmarriageable: Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan (English Edition) 

●●● 楽天 ●●●
Unmarriageable Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan【電子書籍】[ Soniah Kamal ]
価格：960円 (2026/1/24時点)

2026-01-27

『疑惑』松本清張, 1982年感想 | 人間社会って怖い

★★★★☆ ｢疑惑｣｢不運な名前｣の二本立て。どちらも実は不運な名前から生まれた世間一般の思い込みからどう深く知りしていくかというのが鍵。人間社会って怖い。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
疑惑
松本清張, 1982年
212 ページ
2020.04 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

｢疑惑｣｢不運な名前｣の二本立て。

｢疑惑｣の方は起こってしまった事件について、鬼嫁が殺したのかしてないのか、というミステリー。
と思っていると、段々とこのタイトル｢疑惑｣の本当の意味がわかってくる。

｢不運な名前｣は歴史上のとある偽札事件の謎を解く、ちょっと細かい所では小難しい作品。

どちらも、実は不運な名前から生まれた世間一般の思い込みからどう深く知りしていくかというのが鍵。
人間社会って怖い。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
tag 松本清張

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

新装版 疑惑 (文春文庫) 

●●● 楽天 ●●●
疑惑 （文春文庫） [ 松本 清張 ]
価格：704円（税込、送料無料) (2026/1/24時点)

2026-01-27

“Frankenstein” Mary Shelley (1818) Review | A lonely unwanted creature

★★★★★ Mary Shelley had a bet with 2 men to see who’d write the best horror story, thus this world famous horror story written by a 18 year old girl. But it is not about how evil the monster is, it’s more a sad story about this lonely unwanted creature.

🔽 log 🔽
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley, 1818
Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus
224 pages
Read in 2020.12


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

One of the most famous horror stories is not only about horror.
And it must be specified, written by an 18 year old, a teenage girl, Mary Shelley.
While on a holiday, she had a bet with 2 men, a poet Byron and a writer Polidori, to see who would write the best horror story - what a luxurious game.

It's poetic, it's sad, it's I'd even say beautiful, painfully beautiful.
It's about two men, who both regret the monster's existence - one is the creator and the other the monster himself.
The monster is monstrous simply because that's his nature, not his willing. 

If you are only used to the movie or cartoon versions of it, it's definitely not as you fancy the story of Frankenstein to be.
It's not pure evil, it's not that simple and it's not really about how monstrous he is either.; it's more a sad story about this lonely unwanted creature.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Frankenstein

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus (Penguin Clothbound Classics)

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Frankenstein (italiano)

2026-01-26

“The Diary of a Nobody” George and Weedon Grossmith (1892) Review | Very awkward

★★★★☆ Comedy written 100+ years ago but still very British, the awkwardness, pretentiousness, and he really tries to show his dignity but everything goes wrong, so awkward.

🔽 log 🔽
The Diary of a Nobody
George and Weedon Grossmith, 1892
176 pages
Read in 2022.01


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

One of the books I randomly picked up, and it turned out to be a book of British comedy of a man who lived in Holloway, where I also lived for a while, though it was written over 130 years ago.

It's very British, the awkwardness, pretentiousness, and he really tries to show his dignity but everything goes wrong, so awkward.
You can't help but feel sorry for Mr. Pooter, the Mr. Nobody, and be charmed by his gentleness.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Diary of a Nobody (Wordsworth Classics) 

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Diary of a Nobody

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
The Diary of a Nobody (English)

2026-01-26

“It’s Okay Not to Look for the Meaning of Life” Jikisai Minami (2017) Review | Live YOUR life

★★★★★ It teaches you how to live without suffering unnecessarily, by a Zen monk who’s eccentric strict yet humane. “If you think that you can decide anything by yourself, you are wrong. If conditions change, your decision becomes invalid”

🔽 log 🔽
It's Okay Not to Look for the Meaning of Life: A Zen Monk's Guide to Living Stress-Free One Day at a Time
Jikisai Minami, 2017
284 pages
Read in 2025.10


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

A book that teaches you how to live without suffering unnecessarily.
Don't struggle unnecessarily, don't believe unnecessarily, just accept as things are.

Don't have too much pride or be too conscious, we were born by chance, and we'll die eventually.
Don't try to overcome sadness or struggles.
Yes it all sounds too easy, easier said than done, but I guess if you keep telling yourself it becomes a part of you and it becomes natural - I hope.

I heard him on a podcast and I was completely shocked how eccentric he was, so honest (he says he accepted to write this book because by chance his wife needed a car!) so strict (Darth Vader of the zen monastery) yet so humane, and very funny.

Some of the lines I liked (it's probably different from the original English translation!)

"If you think that you can decide anything by yourself, you are wrong and childish. You as a being only exist under certain conditions. If the conditions change, your decision becomes invalid"

"I think you can live with regrets. Then one day you will find a meaning in your regrets"

"If you can't overcome sadness, then don't try, it's okay"

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

It's Okay Not to Look for the Meaning of Life: A Zen Monk's Guide to Living Stress-Free One Day at a Time

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
It's Okay Not to Look for the Meaning of Life: A Zen Monk's Guide to Living Stress-Free One Day at a Time

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
It's Okay Not to Look for the Meaning of Life: A Zen Monk's Guide to Living Stress-free One Day at a Time (English)

2026-01-26

“100 Nasty Women of History” Hannah Jewell (2019) Review | 100 kick-a** women

★★★★☆ Brief history of 100 unapologetic badass women. These great women are not less. As the author says, before we go and read in depth about them, it is first of all important to know they existed.

🔽 log 🔽
100 Nasty Women of History: 
Brilliant, badass and completely fearless women everyone should know
Hannah Jewell, 2019
376 pages
2022.03


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Brief history of 100 individuals - 100 unapologetic badass women.
As the writer says, before we go and read in depth about these women, it is first of all important to know they existed.

It's amazing how these brave women are buried away in history.
They are equally important to any of the male in history. But no, women are always less. 
Less important. Or they managed to make a difference "by chance" or they're not heroes they are just, "nasty"
Easy and exciting to read, it's entertaining and the writer jokes and swears a lot, but not too much. 
Definitely makes you want to do further reading.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

100 Nasty Women of History: Brilliant, badass and completely fearless women everyone should know

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
100 Nasty Women of History: Brilliant, badass and completely fearless women everyone should know

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
--

2026-01-26

“Darjeeling: A History of the World’s Greatest Tea” Jeff Koehler (2015) Review | Colonial history and Darjeeling

★★★★★ This book talks about Darjeeling tea – history, the people, the owners and workers, the soil; its problems are as iconic as its taste. Darjeeling tea is iconic, that no other place could recreate, yet it’s stuck in its colonial history.

🔽 log 🔽
Darjeeling: A History of the World’s Greatest Tea
Jeff Koehler, 2015
286 pages
Read in 2022.04


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽
All about Darjeeling tea, in details. Extensively in details. 

It talks about all the background - history, the people (the owners and workers), the soil; the problems are as iconic as the taste.
Darjeeling tea is iconic, that no other place could recreate, yet it's stuck in its colonial history. 
And it's entirely based on the exploitation.  
A painful fact is, a cup of Darjeeling tea could cost more than a day's wage of the plucker. It's located in such a unique bit of the planet, that living there alone is a hard job (access to water, heating). 
And also uniquely, unlike other iconic drinks like champagne or whiskey or even matcha, Darjeeling tea is not as appreciated in its own country, India.

With all the problems, will people continue to drink Darjeeling tea? 
Will people continue to make Darjeeling tea?

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Darjeeling: The Colorful History and Precarious Fate of the World's Greatest Tea

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Darjeeling: A History of the World’s Greatest Tea

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
--

2026-01-25

“No path in Darjeeling is straight” Parimal Bhattacharya (2017) Review | Complicated history

★★★★☆ A memoir, a nostalgia, of how this Bengali teacher who spent a few years in Darjeeling in the 1990. Their politics and sentiments are complicated, and he carefully observes them as an outsider.

🔽 log 🔽
No path in Darjeeling is straight
Memories of a Hill Town
Parimal Bhattacharya, 2017
200 pages
Read in 2022.02


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽
A memoir, a nostalgia, of how this Bengali teacher who spent a few years in Darjeeling in the 1990.

I read quite a lot of books on the history of this area but this is more personal.
Their politics and sentiments are complicated, and he carefully observes them as an outsider.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

No Path in Darjeeling Is Straight: Memories of a Hill Town

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
No Path in Darjeeling Is Straight: Memories of a Hill Town

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
No Path in Darjeeling is Straight: Memories of a Hill Town (English)

2026-01-25

“The Reason I Jump” Naoki Higashida (2016) Review | Revealing

★★★★☆ It’s revealing, beautiful and almost magical. His love for nature, his strong wish with to be with other people and be understood – these are refreshing and optimistic, but how it’s written as a book feels too “comforting” for others

🔽 log 🔽
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism
Naoki Higashida, 2016
自閉症の僕が跳びはねる理由～会話のできない中学生がつづる内なる心～東田直樹208 pages
Read in 2022.03


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

It's revealing, beautiful and almost magical.
Not only that, his love for nature and being with others, his strong wish to be with other people and be understood - these are refreshing and revealing but also optimistic, and I must say, comforting.

It's comforting for people who know little about children with autism.
This book will make you feel moved instantly and I cannot help but think that it's carefully crafted by savvy adults.

We should not forget that it's a book from this particular and talented 13 year old boy. 
He's articulate, even if he doesn't speak in a conventional way and that's great and that's a big hope for parents, but this is one person on the spectrum. 

Definitely need to read in Japanese, which should be closer to how it was originally written by him (and not involving a famous writer) and I'd like to read more of his books, how he is progressing with his writing.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
The Reason I Jump: one boy's voice from the silence of autism

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Il motivo per cui salto (Italiano)

2026-01-25

“Convenience Store Woman” Sayaka Murata (2016) Review | Ordinary yet mad

★★★★☆ Something so painfully normal and boring yet full of madness. Then she realises, she didn’t just end up being a convenience store woman, this is her true self.

🔽 log 🔽
Convenience Store Woman 
Sayaka Murata, 2016
コンビニ人間
村田沙耶香
Read in 2020.03

🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

I always saw the book in bookshops in London but of course I wanted to read it in Japanese so I wanted a bit.
Completely unpredictable.

Somehow I thought it was a love story about a girl working in a convenience store, but of course it was everything but.
It was about no-love-story, it was about something so painfully normal and boring yet full of madness.
It's a pleasant surprise that people not living in Japan get this.

She's getting close to 40 years old, not married, not doing a "grown up's job", no kids, no boyfriend.
It's the "other side" that anyone, I mean everyone, could end up on, but then she realises, she didn't just end up being a convenience store woman, this is her true self.

She doesn't give a sh*t, she is clever and quick.
She can actually defeat the loser guy in arguments, and you just cannot predict the next step, anything can happen.
It's short, and in a way a feel-good book, and for me ends with a happy ending.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Convenience Store Woman: A Novel 

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Convenience Store Woman: Sayaka Murata

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
La ragazza del convenience store (italiano)

2026-01-25

“Unfinished Portrait” Agatha Christie (1962) Review | Christie without mystery

★★★★☆ Her wish to go outside, into the unknown world – that’s something she must suppress because she’s a wife, a mother. A wonderful storytelling, a story of her mind, by one of the greatest.

🔽 log 🔽
Unfinished Portrait
Agatha Christie, 1962
Read in 2022.05


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽
Agatha Christy that doesn't involve murders or crimes - in fact she used her pseudonym, Mary Westmacott.

The book is about about the inner emotions of the sensitive protagonist who is now thinking to commit suicide.
After a happy childhood with her family, she was supposed to have a happy family life with her husband.
Her wish to go outside, into the unknown world - that's something she must suppress because she's a wife, a mother.

A wonderful storytelling, a story of her mind, by one of the greatest.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Unfinished Portrait

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Unfinished Portrait

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Ritratto incompiuto (italiano)

2026-01-25

『コンビニ人間』村田沙耶香, 2016年感想 | 平凡にも狂気あり >>

★★★★☆ 平凡であり狂気に満ちている。予測不能。全てがどうでもいい古倉さんのテンポが気持ちいい。そうだ、わたしはコンビニ人間であって、コンビニ人間でないとダメなんだ。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
コンビニ人間
村田沙耶香, 2016
176 ページ
2020.03 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

ロンドンの本屋でずっと売り上げ上位で並んでるのを見てて、やっと。
でも例によって全く予備知識ないままだったのでちょっとびっくり。いい意味で。

ただ単にコンビニ店員の恋愛ものと思ったら、確かにそれじゃあイギリスでバカ売れしない。

平凡であり狂気に満ちている。

結婚もせず、まともな就職もせず、子供も生まず、恋愛もせず。
誰もが足を踏み入れそうになる、もしくは踏み入れてしまう「あちら側」の世界。
彼女の前に正真正銘ダメ男が現れて、マニュアルを取り上げられてやっとわかる。
そうだ、わたしはコンビニ人間であって、コンビニ人間でないとダメなんだ。

全てがどうでもいい古倉さんのテンポが気持ちいい。
切り返しが早く、ダメ男のダラダラな理論とのコントラストが明確で、次のページの展開が予測不可能。

短いのでさっぱりスッキリ読める。私にとってはハッピーエンド。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
English review “Convenience Store Woman” Sayaka Murata (2016) Review | Ordinary yet mad
tag 女性主体

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

コンビニ人間 (文春文庫 む 16-1) 

●●● 楽天 ●●●
コンビニ人間 （文春文庫） [ 村田 沙耶香 ]
価格：693円（税込、送料無料) (2026/1/24時点)

2026-01-24

“The Book of Tea” Kakuzo Okakura (1906) Review | Tea and philosophy

★★★★☆ It is the most famous book on tea and Japan for the last 120 years. But it is much more, it’s about what is tea for Japanese people in a very philosophical way – delicate yet strong message to the West.

🔽 log 🔽
The Book of Tea
Kakuzo Okakura, 1906
128 pages
Read in 2022.06


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

It is the most famous book on tea and Japan for the last 120 years or so.
But it is much more, it's about what is tea for Japanese people in a very philosophical way - delicate yet strong message to the West.

This collection of writings were written for the West who looked down on Japan and the East.
It spends lot of time speaking about flowers and the sentiments around flower and it tries to communicate the Eastern aesthetics with the West, ending it with the death of the tea master. 
It doesn't necessarily teach you about the tea ceremonies etc, it's more about the spirits of Japan via tea.
The afterword is also interesting.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

The Book of Tea Classic Edition

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
The Book of Tea: The Book of Oz (Penguin Little Black Classics)

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Il libro del tè (Italiano)

2026-01-24

“This Monk Wears Heels” Kodo Nishimura (2022) Review | Make-up and Buddhism

★★★★☆ Make-up is to enhance the beauty, not to hide behind it, and Buddhism is to find truth, by being true. So his purposes are not as contradictory. Such a unique person, a person with a mission.

🔽 log 🔽
This Monk Wears Heels: Be Who You Are
Kodo Nishimura, 2022
224 pages
Read in 2022.09


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Such a unique person, a person with a mission.
Saw him on Netflix and love the fact that he is a monk and a make-up artist, at the same time, with the same purposes - though they seem completely the opposite, they are not.

This book would be a perfect self-help book for a young person who is struggling to find true self, (whether they are gay or not, I'm not gay and this is inspiring) and his message is clear; be proud. 

Make-up is there to enhance the beauty, not to hide behind it, and Buddhism is there to find truth, by being true. So his purposes are not as contradictory as it might seem.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

This Monk Wears Heels: Be Who You Are

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
This Monk Wears Heels: Be Who You Are

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
ーー

2026-01-24

“Nine Lives” William Dalrymple (2013) Review | Being holy in India today

★★★★★ It’s a travel journal, except that the focus is not on the places but the people these places “created”. These traditions are disappearing. As India is now going for a national holy story, as they call it Rama-fication, how long will these very local faiths last.

🔽 log 🔽
Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India
William Dalrymple, 2013
304 pages
Read in 2025.11


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

A slightly different touch to other books I've read from Mr. Dalrymple.
It's a travel journal, except that the focus is not on the places but the people these places "created".

The book focuses on the 9 people who are admired as holy and sacred, because they have been "decided" to be as holy being by the society, or sometimes they chose to, or maybe they have great skills like creating the religious art.

As always Dalrymple is all about embracing as things are, he's not here to judge, he's just here to pass on their stories and traditions to a wider world.
As he says, and indeed as he saw, these traditions are disappearing. 
They are not necessarily less religious but the modern India is now going for a national, standardised holy story, the nationalistic Hinduism, as Dalrymple calls it Rama-fication, rather than 1000s of very local stories.

India is lucky to have Dalrymple as their historian today, his curious eyes will record everything and with passion he shares with us.

The book focuses on;
A devoted Jain nun, dancer in Kannur Kerala, daughters dedicated to a goddess, but actually working as prostitutes, singers in Rajasthan, devotee of Sufi that embraces Hindu and Islam, Tibetan monk who was a soldier, idol maker in Tamil, devotee in Tarapith for a fearful goddess, and a blind singer in Bengal.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India (Vintage Departures)

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Nove vite (Italiano)

2026-01-23

“BUTTER” Asako Yuzuki (2017) Review | Her life her food her body

★★★★★ For a woman to eat oily food, gain a few kilo and have a fun life is a shameful thing. She must give up a lot, including her sanity, to go beyond. Then, there is a place where she can eat what she wants, a life of rich and luxurious butter.

🔽 log 🔽
Butter
Asako Yuzuki, 2017
Read in 2025.11

🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Finally read Butter, the book everyone is talking about, in Japan, in the UK and beyond.

The power of Kajimana is the core, a pale chubby middle aged woman with an undeniable attraction, who is a suspect of murdering her lovers - she hates two things, margarine and feminist.
The book is about the power struggle between the two women; Kajimana and Rika a journalist.
Well actually no, it is always Kajimana who has the control over everything Rika does, including when she sleeps with her boyfriend and what she should eat afterwards when and where, as if her pale chubby arms is grabbing the life of Rika.
It's a struggle to escape the chubby arm of control.

It's a bestseller worldwide, but this is very Japan.
You'd enjoy it more if you know how horrible Japanese society is to women, even today (and if you know how expensive butter is there)
It's a very normal thing to criticise or joke about the weight of a woman in public, and a woman is expected to worry about her appearance constantly and forever.
For a woman to eat oily food, gain a few kilo, have a fun life is a shameful thing. God forbit.
So especially in Japan, for a woman, to have a good life for herself requires more energy.
You must give up a lot, including your sanity, in order to get there.
But as you get there, there is a place where you can eat what you want, a life of rich and luxurious butter.

This book is not merely a feminist book, that'd be an easy observation.
As women become free from the society's cruel and unrealistic expectations, men are also freed from the unreasonable expectation of manliness.

The novel is based on a real life crime in Japan, but before you know it it becomes less about the crime and the mystery but more about you and me and the society we live in.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Butter: The Cult Japanese Bestseller about a Serial Killer Cook (Food and Murder) 

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Butter: THE No. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING SENSATION

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Butter (italiano)

2026-01-23

“The Woman Dies” Aoko Matsuda (2021) Review | She flies away, she throws up, or dies. Whatever she wants.

★★★★★ What did I just read. It’s about strong women, but it’s not only that it’s full of female rage. She flies to wherever she wants as a modern Tinker Bell, and she throws up whatever she wants in the toilet. Fabulous.

🔽 log 🔽
女が死ぬ
松田青子, 2021
The Woman Dies
Aoko Matsuda
Read in 2025.11


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

What did I just read.
My first time reading Aoko Matsuda, and as you can see from the title it's about strong women, but it's not only that it's full of female rage (also feminine rage).
It's not explosive anger though, it's the anger that's slowly simmering.

"I hate the girl you like" or "a male sensitivity" these are the things she hates and she tells you in your face with "the woman dies" and "demonstration of misogynies demolished".
It might be surprising for some but in Japan it's still normal to say "typically female" or "it talks to the female sensitivity" in advertisement or magazines.

She won't give in.
Whatever the others say, she flies to wherever she wants as a modern Tinker Bell, and she throws up whatever she wants in the toilet.
Fabulous.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

The Woman Dies

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
The Woman Dies

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
The Woman Dies (English)

2026-01-23

“A Sense of Direction” Gideon Lewis-Kraus, (2012) Review | Pilgrimages to yourself

★★★★☆Travel journal of a 30 year old writer, while living in Berlin constantly whining he decides to go on pilgrimages. It’s a fun read about pilgrimages, he has no sense of spirituality. It’s also about him trying to connect with his father, a rabbi who now lives with his boyfriend.

🔽 log 🔽
A Sense of Direction: Pilgrimage for the Restless and the Hopeful
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, 2012
352 pages
Read in 2025.11


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

When you start reading this book, it's about this guy, 30 year old writer, whining while living in a liberal cheap and bare concrete yet artistic Berlin and decides to go on pilgrimages, to Christian Camino de Santiago in Spain, Buddhist Shikoku 88 temples in Japan and Jewish holiday in Uman in Ukraine.
But as you read through you realise it's a book about a guy who is trying to connect with, or forgive, his father that he loves.

So yes in a way it's typical, you travel around the world to find out that what you need was always at home, but we also know that it was necessary to do all the painful journeys, hardship and solitude. 
If forgiving is somehow obnoxious, then not holding grudges, to find peace.

Apart from that, it's a good read about pilgrimages, he has no sense of spirituality let alone  religion, but that's what most of us are today, and yet there's still a meaning to go on pilgrimages. 
He did Camino with a friend and manages to stay friends, and Shikoku alone, and Ukraine with his brother and father.

His Jewish humour shines whenever he whines, about whatever.
Reading his description of destroyed feet and cold rainy miserable nights might not encourage us but it's a fun read.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

A Sense of Direction: Pilgrimage for the Restless and the Hopeful

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
A Sense of Direction: Pilgrimage for the Restless and the Hopeful

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
A Sense of Direction: Pilgrimage for the Restless and the Hopeful [Lingua Inglese]

2026-01-23

“The Darjeeling Distinction” Sarah Besky (2014) Review | Dark side of the posh tea

★★★★☆ Darjeeling is the most expensive tea in the world, most well marketed and iconic – how is it that the workers remain so poor? A cup of Darjeeling costs more than a plucker’s daily wage, but not known because it’s always linked to luxury.

🔽 log 🔽
The Darjeeling Distinction: Labor and Justice on Fair-Trade Tea Plantations in India (California Studies in Food and Culture Book 47)
Sarah Besky, 2014
258 pages
Read in 2022.11


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Exactly the topic I was interested in about the Darjeeling tea, its industry and its workers.

Darjeeling tea is the most expensive tea in the world, most well marketed and iconic - how is it that the workers remain so poor?
Uncomfortably, a cup of Darjeeling costs a lot more than a plucker's daily wage, but not known enough because the tea is always linked to luxury.

Darjeeling and Sikkim area not like the rest of India, indeed the majority of the people are ethnically Nepali. 
India would do anything to keep Darjeeling tea Indian, it's the most iconic single product and one of the most famous from India.
Gorkhas don't own anything, not even their history. 
Speaking of Fair Trade, since it's been forced on the locals, ironically, their lives became harder.

So iconic yet so exploited.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

The Darjeeling Distinction: Labor and Justice on Fair-Trade Tea Plantations in India

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
The Darjeeling Distinction: Labor and Justice on Fair-Trade Tea Plantations in India (California Studies in Food and Culture Book 47)

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
--

2026-01-22

“The Bangalore Detective Club” Harini Nagendra (2022) Review | Nice mystery for India lovers

★★★★☆ Set in 1920 Bangalore, a freshly married housewife goes around the city to solve mysteries. Nice locations and food – a nice little crime novel for India lovers.

🔽 log 🔽
The Bangalore Detective Club
Harini Nagendra, 2022
292 pages
Read in 2022.12


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Set in 1920 Bangalore, Kaveri only recently married to a doctor and was expecting a quiet life, instead she goes around the city to solve a murder. 
A bit of tension with British is always a good pinch of spice.
There are some treats, of famous locations in Bangalore and food - a nice little crime novel for anyone who's interested in India.

What's a bit unusual is that the author is an ecologist, so with her background like that I'm more looking forward to reading her other books.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

The Bangalore Detectives Club (The Kaveri and Ramu Murder Mystery Series)

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
The Bangalore Detectives Club (The Bangalore Detectives Club Series)

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
The Bangalore Detectives Club (English)

2026-01-22

“The Midwich Cuckoos” John Wyndham, (1957) Review | Uncomfortable

★★★★☆ In a quiet town all women got pregnant, but the babies only like each other, with their bright eyes and unusual senses. Uncomfortable, feels too real.

🔽 log 🔽
The Midwich Cuckoos
John Wyndham, 1957
240 pages
Read in 2022.12


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Recommended by a friend, so no knowledge of the story or the author, and it was subtly weird.
Maybe I've never really read sci-fi books consciously, so I can't really compare with other books in the genre but it is a mild but certainly worrying sci-fi.

In a quiet town, one day they all fell unconscious, when they woke up women were pregnant, all at the same time.
Soon the babies are born, not looking like their parents but like each other, with their bright eyes and they become worryingly strong, smart and connected to each other.
Who, or what are they? 
What do we do? What is the right thing to do? How do we stop?

It's uncomfortable and definitely worrying because it feels too real.

Once upon a time, our enemies were aliens or some obvious external factors.
Good ol' days.
Now we need to he scared of us humans.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

The Midwich Cuckoos

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
The Midwich Cuckoos

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Il villaggio dei dannati (italiano)

2026-01-21

『ダイイング・アイ』東野圭吾, 2007年感想 | ちょっと怖い東野圭吾 >>

★★★★☆ ちょっとホラーな感じ。ちょっとSFで、じわじわとした狂気に溢れている。ハードボイルドなキーワードもたくさん。とにかく事故は怖い。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
ダイイング・アイ
東野圭吾, 2007
416 ページ
2020.02 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

ちょっとホラーな感じ。
ホラーと言えば「人魚の住む家」のようなちょっとサイエンスフィクションで、じわじわとした狂気に溢れている。

一部の記憶がなくなった主人公が今自分の身に起きている秘密と過去の秘密を同時に謎解きしていくというストーリーで、バーやカクテル、高級マンションなど、ハードボイルドなキーワードもたくさん。
エンターテイメント性も忘れずに入れてくれる。

でも、何故、という部分の解決がされてない箇所もあるような。

とにかく事故は怖い。
交通違反の取り締まりなどに読ませれば効果あるかも。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
タグ: 東野圭吾

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

ダイイング・アイ (光文社文庫 ひ 6-11) 

●●● 楽天 ●●●
ダイイング・アイ （光文社文庫　ひー6-11） [ 東野　圭吾 ]
価格：880円（税込、送料無料) (2026/1/21時点)

2026-01-21

『陰陽師付喪神ノ巻』夢枕獏, 2000 感想 | 古代日本的な包容力 >>

★★★★☆ 死んでも死にきれない、死んでからも祟ってやる、そういう強い思いを主人公の陰陽師は消し去らないことだってあるのがなんとも人間らしく古代の日本人的な包容力。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
陰陽師 付喪神ノ巻
夢枕獏, 2000
352 ページ
2026.01 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

シリーズ第三弾。
短編集なので一つ一つのストーリーについて書くのもなんだけど、女性の恨み系が多いのはやっぱりそうなんだよね、女性の恨みはそう簡単に払えないよということなんだろう。
ただちょっと長めの「ものや思ふと」は男の恨みでこっちだって容易く解決はしない。

いや、そういう観点でいうと、多くのストーリーに置いて問題が解決されないのも特徴かも。
死んでも死にきれない、死んでからも祟ってやる、そういう強い思いを主人公の陰陽師は消し去らないことだってあるのがなんとも人間らしく古代の日本人的な優しさというか暗闇もオッケーだと思う包容力。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
シリーズ 『陰陽師』 夢枕獏, 1988 感想 | なに本当に面白い
tag 日本史
tag 怪談

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

陰陽師 付喪神ノ巻 (文春文庫 ゆ 2-5)

●●● 楽天 ●●●
陰陽師　付喪神（つくもがみ）ノ巻【電子書籍】[ 夢枕獏 ]
価格：780円 (2026/1/19時点)

2026-01-21

“Sweet Bean Paste” Durien Sukegawa (2015) Review | sweetness of life

★★★★★ It’s often said that being useful for others is the meaning of life, but maybe, the meaning of life, the meaning itself, is simply to feel “ah this is good”. The happiness that the humble sweet beans can bring will give you that feeling.

🔽 log 🔽
Sweet Bean Paste
Durien Sukegawa, 2015
Read in 2025.12


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

It's so warm, like a hug, you feel the warmth that's probably happiness.

It's often said that being useful for others is the meaning of life, but I'm not sure, isn't it more like a feeling of significance living in a society, and that's a great thing.
But maybe, the meaning of life, the meaning itself, is simply to feel "ah this is good"

Here the main characters had all suffered, and they met, and they shared the same sweet beans.
Tokue suffered from leprosy the disease, and after recovering, she suffered from the society's prejudice and ignorance.
I myself also didn't know that there were facilities until the 90s in Japan, and that is the horror of ignorance and I'm part of it.

By chance, I made my first sweet beans last year, and I also made dorayaki several times after that.
I found a "quick and easy recipe" online, "quick" but you'd still need to soak the beans from the night before and cook for several hours.
I'd love writing about my first delicious, slightly hard, sweet beans I made all day here, but I instead I tell you the feeling was definitely the happiness.
The happiness that the humble sweet beans can bring, something that takes hours to make but needs 2 seconds to eat, to say, ah this is good.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Sweet Bean Paste: The International Bestseller

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Sweet Bean Paste: The International Bestseller

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
—

2026-01-21

“Caledonian Road” Andrew O’Hagan (2024) Review | Dark reality of London today

★★★★☆ People come with hope for a better life, and soon enough realise there is no such thing. London is a place for rich to rule. The money, the power, the evil. And what is the shared feeling? the loneliness.

🔽 log 🔽
Caledonian Road
Andrew O'Hagan, 2024
657 pages
Read in 2025.11


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

If anyone asks what today's London is like, I'd say read this book.
It has all the problems the city is experiencing in the last few years.

People come with hope for a better life, and soon enough realise there is no such thing.
London is a place for rich to rule, it's something we ordinary people have difficulty seeing, but it's always in the background. 
The money, the power, the evil.
And what is the shared feeling? the loneliness.

This sense of "us" vs "them".
We the people, they the evil things.

An exciting book that contains a lot of aspects of today, traditional rich, Russian rich, rich kids, rich kids who are Eco warriors, young gangs, illegal immigration, the class struggles - it depicts different points of view from different class and communities.

Lastly it was nice to read a story about Islington where I lived for more than 10 years, it's a big borough with all the essences of London.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Caledonian Road: The Sunday Times bestseller

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Caledonian Road: The Sunday Times bestseller

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Caledonian Road (English)

2026-01-21

“The White Tiger” Aravind Adiga (2008) Review | Energy of young India

★★★★★ Exciting as I expected. So raw, so angry, seem so nonchalant but has full of energy, just like today’s India and their youths. It’s so easy to dismiss India merely as a place to get enlightenment and exotic etc, but this is also the reality.

🔽 log 🔽
The White Tiger
Aravind Adiga, 2008
336 pages
Read in 2021.04


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Netflix was starting the film, so I had to get the book first.

This was as exciting as I expected. 
So raw, so angry, seem so nonchalant but has full of energy, just like today's India the world imagine.
It's so easy to dismiss India merely as a place to get enlightenment and exotic, but this is also the reality, it's where people live and try to go further than what their parents achieved, just like any other place in the world.

While it's raw and its people all tangled up, they know their places, like caste, it's in their skin.
It's similar to Japan in a sense that this is Asia, just that Japan doesn't have that big proportion of poor or extremely poor which makes this story more exciting and energetic.

As our protagonist predicts here, in his lifetime all white men die out and brown and yellow men rule the world - might not be that far from truth.

The Netflix film was also good, with Priyanka Chopra, as great as ever, of course it doesn't have the Bollywood dance or music but it has the energy, power and the different music to pump up the story.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

The White Tiger: WINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2008

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
The White Tiger: WINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2008

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
La tigre bianca (italiano)

2026-01-20

『陰陽師飛天ノ巻』夢枕獏, 1995年感想 | 二人のいい漢ぶり >>

★★★★★ やっぱり面白い安倍晴明と源博雅シリーズ第二弾。この二人の「いい漢」ぶりはもちろん、彼ら二人の会話のテンポといつも同じように「そういうことになった」となる様子がいい。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
陰陽師 飛天ノ巻
夢枕獏, 1995
304 ページ
2026.01 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

やっぱり面白い安倍晴明と源博雅シリーズ第二弾。
この二人の「いい漢」ぶりはもちろん、彼ら二人の会話のテンポと結局いつも同じように「そういうことになった」と連なって出ていく様子がいい。

それぞれの妖怪や霊のストーリー自体はもちろんユニークなのは当然。
でもそこにある背景の草花や樹木などの豊かな自然の様子、特に晴明の庭のエピソードごと、季節ごとの描写はほんわりと静かな気持ちにさせてくれて、そうかこれほど美しい自然が身近なんだから魔物くらいでてくるよな、という不思議な感覚に陥ってしまう。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
シリーズ 『陰陽師』 夢枕獏, 1988 感想 | なに本当に面白い
tag 日本史
tag 怪談

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

陰陽師 飛天ノ巻 (文春文庫 ゆ 2-4)

●●● 楽天 ●●●
陰陽師 飛天ノ巻 （文春文庫） [ 夢枕 獏 ]
価格：748円（税込、送料無料) (2026/1/19時点)

2026-01-20

“Chokher Bali” Rabindranath Tagore, (1903) Review | Tragedy from India

★★★★☆ A beautiful widow. She cannot give up her pursuit for happiness. Chokher Bali, the sand in the eye, she disturbs everything she touches and disappears. A strong sense of un-happiness.

🔽 log 🔽
Chokher Bali
Rabindranath Tagore, 1903
298 pages
Read in 2022.03


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

My first Tagore.
This is actually popular that it's made into film and TV series in India.
The sentiment is close to what they have in Japan: husband-wife relation, mother-son, or even mother-in-law and wife, it's something many in Asia can easily understand, and cannot avoid.

Then comes the beautiful widow.
Despote "her place" as a widow, she cannot give up her pursuit for affection and happiness.
Chokher Bali, the sand in the eye, the annoying thing, she arrives and disturbs everything she touches.
And like an eyesore, before you know it it goes away and the life is back to normal, the witch is punished.

Her happiness was taken away because she's a widow, she brings bad things.
Could they ever blame her?
A strong sense of un-happiness.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Chokher Bali

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Chokher Bali

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Choker Bali (English)

2026-01-20

“Pachinko” Min Jin Lee (2017) Review | Korean female epic

★★★★★ Life of a Korean woman who survived all the difficulties the life threw at her. And about her beloved ones, Korean or Japanese. Life is a Pachinko. It’s not fair. You’re bound to lose. But you keep playing. An epic.

🔽 log 🔽
Pachinko
Min Jin Lee, 2017
512 pages
Read in 2021.10


🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Life of a Korean woman who survived all the difficulties the life threw at her. 
And about her beloved ones, Korean or Japanese.

By narrowing down the novel to one woman's life, it tells about real struggles, somehow making it universal. 
The history of Japan and Korea, or Japanese and Koreans, is not an easy one to fully grasp - because it's still alive. 
The war is partly to be blamed but it's not that simple.
The book is rich, depicts how little luck or timing could change your life, it is probably difficult to understand if you're not Asian beyond it being "fascinating". 

Again Koreans do better in storytelling. 
It's dramatic, but that's how it was in Japan up to the early 90s. 

Life is a party, Fellini says. But here this novel tells you, life is a Pachinko. It's not fair. You're bound to lose, but you keep playing.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Pachinko (National Book Award Finalist)

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Pachinko: The New York Times Bestseller 

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Pachinko. La moglie coreana (italiano)

2026-01-19

“Fires on the plain” Shohei Ooka (1952) Review | Crossing the line as a human

★★★★★ Isolated at the war on the field, he questions everything. It’s haunting, but not merely because the plot is shocking, it’s because, even people like me, who never had the experience, can recognise his internal struggles.

🔽 log 🔽
Fires on the plain
Shohei Ooka, 1952
Read in 2021.10

🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

I had always wanted to read it, but hadn't, and when I finally started reading it, I just wanted to get it done with and delete it from my memory. 
Too painful.
It's so daunting and it haunts you, it's about a man who's completely isolated during the war and he questions his survival, moral, humanity, everything outside of him as well as inside.

You're on the edge and a step away from the death. Do you trust or not, and what do you trust, yourself? others? Can he trust himself to stay a human or will he cross the line?

The book is haunting, but not merely because the plot or its description is shocking, it's because, even people like me, who never had the same experience or anything remotely close, can recognise his internal struggles.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Fires on the Plain (Tuttle Classics) 

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Fires on the Plain (Tuttle Classics) 

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
--

2026-01-19

“Silent Parade” Keigo Higashino (2018) Review | Stay silent

★★★★★ A classic Galileo where it’s all about people, their lives and love and hatred, with tricks that’s seemingly impossible. This time the keyword is “silence”; if you stay silent, you cannot be guilty. Perfect entertainment.


🔽 log 🔽
Silent Parade
Keigo Higashino
Read in 2020.01

🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

There are a few of Detective Galileo Series translated into English - and do read them all!
Yukawa is a professor of Physics and he tackles "impossible' mysteries with his friend, Inspector Kusanagi.
This one, I'd say, is a classic Galileo where it's all about people, their lives and love and hatred, with tricks that's seemingly impossible.

This time the keyword is "silence"; if you stay silent, you cannot be guilty.
And maybe "generation gap", some are so patient for their own revenge, or can carry the burden for decades, while others might give up instantly, or couldn't wait just a moment longer.

Though it's always clever, Galileo series always insist on human drama, a perfect entertainment.


🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Silent Parade (Detective Galileo Series, 4)

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Silent Parade: A DETECTIVE GALILEO NOVEL (Detective Galileo Series)

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Silent Parade: A DETECTIVE GALILEO NOVEL (English)

2026-01-19

『火花』又吉直樹, 2015年感想 | 上下関係の危うさ >>

★★★★☆ 師匠と仰ぐ男と主人公の曖昧でギリギリバランスが取れていて実は取れていない関係。どこまで愛情をもって寄り添えるか。上下関係を基礎とした関係の危うさを暖かく描く。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
火花
又吉直樹, 2015
192 ページ
2026.01 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

誰もが知っている一冊。
芸人でありながらも小説を書き、芥川賞を取る。
その意外さ通りのストーリー。

芸人としての10年を描くんだけど、それはあくまで背景であり、メインは師匠と仰ぐ男と主人公の曖昧でギリギリバランスが取れていて実は取れていない関係にある。

そこまで尊敬できる人に会えることは羨ましいことであり、その関係が10年近く続くことも微笑ましくも見える。
しかし尊敬できるほどに高い位置に持ち上げた人間の人間らしい弱さ、愚かさいつまで見ないようにできるか。
関係のバランスは崩れるか。
どこまで愛情をもって寄り添えるか。
恋愛感情でもない、同等の立場にある友情でもない、上下関係を基礎とした関係の危うさを暖かく描く。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
tag 友情

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

火花 (文春文庫 ま 38-1) 

●●● 楽天 ●●●
火花 （文春文庫） [ 又吉 直樹 ]
価格：715円（税込、送料無料) (2026/1/19時点)

2026-01-19

『ジェーン・エア』シャーロット・ブロンテ, 1847年感想 | ノーという女性 >>

★★★★★ 一人の女性の惨めな子供時代を経て自らの手で這い上がる成長物語であり、当時のイギリスにとっての社会的なテーマが盛り沢山。狂気の女の象徴するところもとっても気になる。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
ジェーン•エア
シャーロット・ブロンテ,  1847
Jane Eyre
Charlotte Bronte
2026.01 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

古典って避けてしまう傾向にあるけど、実はエンターテイメント性が高いものが多いんですよね。
まあ、だからこそ何世紀も愛されるわけですが。

この本もそう。
ドロドロのメロドラマもあればロマンスもある。
強い女性像のイメージがあったのでロマンス要素に関しては想像以上だった。
一人の女性の惨めな子供時代を経て自らの手で這い上がる成長物語であり、フェミニズム満載であり、宗教の問題も、ちょっと怖めのゴシックでもあり、階級社会、人種、植民地主義などなど当時のイギリスにとっての社会的なテーマが盛り沢山。

そして当時の批判は目に浮かぶよう。
家父長制に服従しない女？男にノーという女？地位もなく地味な見た目のくせに？なんということでしょう。

もちろん今日の社会では見方は変わる(といってもいまだに女のくせにという意見は無きにしも非ず)。
彼女は男性にただ単に宝石やきれいな服を浴びるように与えられる人生は送りたくない。
自分も対等に貢献できると確信できる日まで彼女は愛する人をも拒否し続ける。

あと「屋根裏部屋の狂気の女」もとっても興味深い。
当時の差別主義が隠さずに描かれており、混血の人間、黒人であるこの女は理性がなく暴力的で、高貴な白人の文明から遠ざけなければいけない。
そしてジェーン本人はあまり怖がっても憎んでもいないというところも気になる。
この辺りは本が出ているそうなので、いつか。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
English review “Jane Eyre” Charlotte Bronte (1847) Review | A woman who says no
tag 女性主体
tag フェミニズム

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

ジェーン・エア（上） (新潮文庫)

●●● 楽天 ●●●
ジェイン・エア（上） （光文社古典新訳文庫） [ シャーロット・ブロンテ ]
価格：924円（税込、送料無料) (2026/1/19時点)

2026-01-19

“Jane Eyre” Charlotte Bronte (1847) Review | A woman who says no

★★★★★ Has all the juicy stuff, mainly romance, but it has the themes of coming-of-age, feminism, religion, gothic, class, race/colonialism, anything. She’s a woman who says no. How dare.

🔽 log 🔽
Jane Eyre
Charlotte Bronte, 1847
624 pages
Read in 2026.01

🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

It's always pleasantly surprising to find many of the classics are entertaining, but then, it does make sense, if it was boring or merely difficult, it couldn't have been loved for centuries. 

Jane Eyre has all the juicy stuff, mainly romance, more romance-y than I had imagined, but it has the themes of coming-of-age, feminism, religion, gothic, class, race/colonialism, anything that reflects the life in the north of England in early 1800s.

You can easily imagine why there was a huge criticism when it came out - a woman who doesn't obey? A woman who says no? All with her plain childish looks? How dare.

But today we of course see it differently. 
She's a cool independent woman, she doesn't want her man to shower her with expensive stuff, she wants an equal relationship, only when she's sure that she can also be helpful, does she accept.
She knows how to forgive, she knows how to be useful in practical ways, and she grows and glows.

The matter of the madwoman in the attic is also an interesting point. 
Pretty clearly a typical racist view of the time; indicating her to be of the mixed race, thus a black woman, therefore she is irrational and violent, must be kept away from the white civilisation. 
Also the madwoman haunts Jane, but Jane doesn't seem particularly to hate her, despite everything she represents and does?

Gripping, and surprisingly entertaining with difficult themes tangled up.

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Jane Eyre (Penguin Classics) 

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Jane Eyre: Charlotte Bronte (Penguin Classics) 

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Jane Eyre (italiano)

2026-01-19

『密やかな炎』セレステ•イング, 2017年感想 | 女たちの内側の怒り >>

★★★★☆ 二つの家族、二つの逆の生き方。フェミニズムを語るときそこには常に人種や貧富の差、社会的地位、イデオロギーの違いなどが確実に存在している。

🔽 基本情報 🔽
密やかな炎
セレステ•イング, 2017
Little Fires Everywhere 
Celeste Ng, 2017
2020.03 読了

🔽🔽 読書記録 🔽🔽

この映像化プロジェクトに関わったので同僚から借りた本。

静かにゆっくりと始まる、まさにこの原題のように小さな炎があちらこちらで生まれていく。
二つの家族、二つの逆の生き方、異なる母親像に、異なる娘像、そして異なる運命。


登場人物はほの女性で彼女たちの内側の怒りを描くんだけど、ここで重要なのは女性と言っても一つの存在ではなく、社会的地位と貧富の差が女性を分け隔てるということ。
フェミニズムを語るときに重要なことは、そこには常に人種や貧富の差、社会的地位、イデオロギーの違いなどが確実に存在しているという事実。
フェミニズムの一言でまとめられる問題じゃない。

女性同士の問題を、なんというか心持ち分かりやすくしすぎている気がしてそこがちょっと気になるけど、でも私のいつもの屁理屈なだと思う。

もうちょっと壊れていく感じを出していたら私の好みにもっと近づくのではと密かに思う。

🔽 関連ページ 🔽
English review “Little Fires Everywhere” Celeste Ng (2017) Review | Women’s inner anger
tag フェミニズム
tag 女性主体

🔽 買えるところ / あらすじ、詳細 🔽

●●● アマゾン ●●●

密やかな炎

●●● 楽天 ●●●
密やかな炎 [ セレステ・イング ]
価格：2,750円（税込、送料無料) (2026/1/19時点)

2026-01-19

“Little Fires Everywhere” Celeste Ng (2017) Review | Women’s inner anger

★★★★☆ Women and their inner angers, and how the social class divides women. Their little angers start everywhere.

🔽 log 🔽
Little Fires Everywhere
Celeste Ng, 2017
400 pages
Read in 2020.03

🔽 Book review and notes 🔽

Borrowed from a colleague as I was working on this project.
It starts slowly and as the title suggest little fires start in everyone. 2 families, opposite ideals, and different mothers different daughters with different fates.

The story goes around women and their inner angers, and how the social class divides women. 
Like when you talk about feminism you must also remember the class and the race, it's more complicated than we'd hope.

It might be a bit too obviously girlie buddie book, but maybe I'm too harsh.
Mia is great, she's the cool one, everything is all nicely done, but in this kind of books I always want characters to break down and go insane to be happy.

🔽 Related pages 🔽
tag

🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽

●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●

Little Fires Everywhere: A Novel

●●● Amazon.co.uk (UK) ●●●
Little Fires Everywhere: 'Outstanding' Matt Haig

●●● Amazon.it (Italy) ●●●
Tanti piccoli fuochi (italiano)

2026-01-19