Yesterday I finished two, that's right TWO, books! One of them I'd started earlier in the week and the other I read start to finish yesterday. They were both by (very) well known Japanese authors and were translated (by others) into English. I say this because having been translated to another language, one must wonder if any of the original style or charm that make the authors so well-liked is lost.
At least he never walked.
The first book is
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. It was recommended to us by my Ironwoman Aunt Nancy. For anyone who is a runner, or participates in any activity where one spends considerable time alone with their thoughts and is constantly questioned about why they do it, I recommend taking a look at this book. At just 180 pages, it is a relatively quick read. More personal memoir than narrative, it has interesting insights into both the life of the runner and the life of the author. I have to wonder, though, for someone who discusses the art of translating a novel without losing the beauty of the original words, if this translation does an adequate job. Maybe I'll make Jeff read the original and tell me. (For the record, he is playing sudoku on his phone in the background.)
The heart of things.
(Don't judge the 1 a.m. portrait by my husband. He loves me just the way I am - at 1 a.m. or otherwise)
Kokoro (which is best translated as the heart of things, by Soseki Natsume) is the second book I read, the one I read cover-to-cover yesterday. I think maybe it helps to have just a slight familiarity with Japanese culture and customs when reading this book - but really, just a slight familiarity - I was quite comfortable with all of the context required. This book was first published in 1914 and is considered a classic of Japanese literature. It is essentially a story of a friendship between two men - one young, one old - and the differences in how they interact with the world.
Much like Jane Austen, Natsume writes of a time when long entrenched traditions and the established social order meet with an evolving modern world, and the different ways that old and young people relate to the changing cultural context. Sounds heavy, I know, but it was a quick read (250 pages - hence me reading it in one day) and I think a very thought-provoking tale addressing the concepts of friendship, love, jealousy, honor, and loneliness. And the translation (be sure to get the one by Edwin McCellan in 1957) was wonderful.
Check two more books off the list for me. We're headed back to the
library within the next few days and I plan to further my exploration of Japan through its classic literature.
Mata ne,
Melissa
*one sun is one day in Japan
