/lit/ - Literature

>>12533781
read that recently. First half is more or less setup for the second, which is extremely painful, but beautiful. I hate to be vague but just know that the payoff is like a knife doing a corkscrew in your chest.

The past couple weeks since I read it, I've paid closer attention to my relationships with my friends and family. Idk if it's shallow to be changed by a book, but being such an alienated and narcissistic autist, I feel more sympathetic and understanding of the people around me.

I'm not very good at describing things and this post is probably worthless. But the book is good.

>>12533826
I felt that way after reading Notes from the underground. Like it made me self-examine and make sure I'm not becoming a bitter resentful beta fuck

Is reading through the first half pretty tough?

>>12533826
I think you've described it pretty well.

>>12533847
The first half is still enjoyable and I think it's a much easier read than Notes.

>>12533826
Based on your description alone, I've added it to my "to-read" list

You should check out 'A Personal Matter' as well.

>>12533781
Post-War Japanese literature is some of my favorite fiction. Really you can't go wrong with anything written by Dazai/Mishima/Endo/Kawabata, as well as many of the works of Kobo Abe

>>12534222
Endo is great, The Samurai and Deep River are two of my favorites by him.

>>12534412
Wonderful Fool is also delightful

>>12534222
>>12534412

I just bought Silence today. What else should I buy by Endo if I wind up liking it a lot? I also need to get more books by Abe since I really loved Woman in the Dunes and Kangaroo Notebook.

>>12534686
Deep River was pretty great. I've never personally read The Samurai, but someone else in the thread liked it so I'm sure it's mad decent.

Anyone read this? I've heard it's better than Anna Karenina- at least in some snobs' opinions.

>>12534199
Highly recommend a personal matter too

>>12535483
its excellent, highest recommendation. I can understand why one would compare it to Anna Karenina on its content, but it's kind of a inane to say one is better than the other.

>>12535610
Thank You.

>>12533826
This is actually a good post. Hope you're doing well Anon.

>>12533826
You just sold me on this book man.

>>12533826
reddit

>>12533781
Soseki is pretty vital to modern Japanese literature, and Kokoro is probably his best book, so it's absolutely worth a read. If you enjoy it, then I'd suggest Sanshiro as a companion piece. It's not quite as emotionally powerful (it has a lot of elements of Soseki's comedic work) but I feel that it provides a sort of mirror to the sensei's time as a young man.

>>12536951
Have you read The Miner, and if so can you tell me what I thought of it? Apparently anti-novels are a thing, but I definitely wasn't expecting it. The beginning had a very cool Studio Ghibli vibe but then I found myself wondering where it was all going, and then it doesn't go anywhere, and apparently that's the point?

>>12537401
I'm afraid I haven't read the miner, though I've been meaning to for a while. I'll make faintly baseless conjecture based on what I expect from it though.

I'll need to read it before I can say for certain, but I'd assume based on what I've read of it that the lack of narrative might be to reinforce the unimportance of the main character fleeing to the mine - a minutiae-laden description of an ultimately meaningless part of a life, told in a way that focuses on the inner life. All this in service of preventing a plot from overshadowing that depiction of the inner life, or perhaps reinforcing the importance of that depiction by going into such detail when it deliberately doesn't serve a plot.

Kokoro is definitely the best Soseki but I personally love And Then.

>>12534199
My favorite book ever.

I found the Banana Yoshimito short novel Kitchen to be particularly enjoyable.

>>12540250
I found Kitchen inferior to Moonlight Shadow but it may need another read for me to decide for sure. Both stories involve men turning to feminity as a reaction to grief but Moonlight's supernatural twists made it more compelling to me. I don't get why either are allegedly so popular. What do you think?

Is there any Japanese lit similar to the Yakuza games (or The Yakuza movie from 1974)?

>>12537401
>The beginning had a very cool Studio Ghibli vibe but then I found myself wondering where it was all going, and then it doesn't go anywhere, and apparently that's the point?
rather than that being the point, a nice thing in asian and especially japanese literature is that there doesn't need to be a point, kinda like a beauty in simplicity theme

After reading a fair few books by Japanese authors I can say with confidence that they can be divided into two categories: Books about cats, and books about being sad.

A large part of me worries how much of Japanese literature is translated well, at least in spirit.
I've never bothered much with much Japanese literature because of this, and my Japanese isn't good enough to read anything outside light novels.

Anyone know some literary criticism regarding japanese literature?

I only know of Karatani

>>12541701
>After reading a fair few books by Japanese authors I can say with confidence that they can be divided into two categories: Books about cats, and books about being sad.

Why are they so perfectly written though?

Favorite low-tier Japanese novels that you love anyway? Out was the first Japanese novel I read and it always has a place on my shelf.

>>12533781
Reading Mishima’s 不道徳教育講座 i don’t know if there’s a translation, but it is based.

Japanese authors make the best short stories

>>12541731
With the same logic you should avoid Russian literature too

>>12541701
Ikenaga Yasunari's paintings are beautiful.

>>12537401
i read a bunch of soseki. the gate and also and then are both similar to how tou describe the miner. i always think of soseki novels like a watercolor painting made by the words in front of your eyes. three cornered world is also a great one to read trying to tie western myth of japanese myth.

>>12533781
I've read snow country and ark sakura. Snow country was good but boring. Ark sakura was a great read. Both were good enough to check out their other publications for both authors.

>>12544871
己惚れとは、一つの楽しい、生きるための幻想であり、己惚れやの長所は、見栄ん坊に比べて、ずっと哀れっぽくないことです。

なんて教育に悪い! Humorously delightful, I can see myself revisiting this in the twilight of my life. Have you read ヨーロッパ退屈日記?

>>12544887
they'd make great book covers

>>12546301

For my money, best living Jap author and peak Jap pomo. Highly Recommended.

>>12540370
Sorry for the late reply. I'm remembering my reading from many years ago, but the opening of Kitchen left an indelible impression on me. I agree with you that Moonlight was a great short story. I'd love to re-read both again.

Are there any novels along the lines of Japanese horror movies?

>>12546159
Not yet, けど次に読む、面白そう。伊丹十三のお葬式とたんぽぽの大ファンだけどエッセイもあると知らんかった。

Thanks. Now I want Ramen.

>>12546361
>I'd love to re-read both again.
Any reason why not?
Kitchen is definitely memorable.

>>12533826
You're a moron. Thinly veiled narcissism, like in your post, is worse than a blatant one, since no one can you help you in that case. RIP Anon....wherever you are.

>>12546342
wat

>>12547271
Sayonara Gangsters, way-out-there pomo novel by TG.

>>12544887
what are some novels to match the tone of this painting?

>>12546374
Koji Suzuki is fine
not as good as the very best jap horror movies, but still good enough. the shorts stories from Dark Water felt a little disappointing though

Where should I start with Mishima?

>>12547509
the consensus says: The Sailor falling from grace with the sea
then I think it depends, I enjoyed Snow Spring a lot but some say The Golden Pavilion or something else, can't remember

>>12547353
Naomi and Norwegian Wood maybe

>>12547509
learn japanese, then read 金閣寺

>>12547357
Of these, I'd go with Ring and maybe Birthday from Suzuki for a horror feel. Loop, Spiral, and S are more science fiction than horror. Though "S" was more similar in tone to Ring than the other sequels. Birthday is short stories, including the one that inspired the atmospheric 'Ring: Birthday' film.

kokoro isn't a good first soseki.

try botchan or sanshiro.

i also really liked kasumakura.
i've seen i am a cat mentioned on this board a few times. it starts out great but is rather disjointed.

i've read most everything available in english.

>>12547947
Yes. Kokoro is good if you’ve read some Japanese lit and didn’t like it. If it’s your first Japanese novel go with Botchan or Sanshiro.

I’ve met people who gave up on Japanese literature because they started with I Am a Cat (“Japanese literature is so light and easy going”)