Drifting Clouds is the first modern Japanese novel. I’ve started the book and now see what that means – it’s the first Japanese novel to incorporate up-to-date Western ideas of novelistic structure and psychological realism. But it still feels Japanese, so it’s not just imitative.

It’s pretty good so far.

I haven’t the slightest idea if it’s actually any good, but I’ll give it a try and report back.

I love how many different kinds of readers there are. You prefer nonfiction, I far prefer fiction. Together we make a world, encouraging and teaching one another.

It would be great if you tried Murakami, but be prepared: he’s REALLY fiction…like, into magical realism/fantasy sometimes.

Yakuza Moon will be one of the prizes, so I’m sure participants will be really excited to read your review.

I can be so slow sometimes ~ I’ve been trying to figure out how to do this challenge properly.

I’ve chosen a book – Yakuza Moon – but am uncertain… Do I post my choice, then read and review, or are we to choose and then add our name to the list when we’ve read and written the review? I think the latter’s the case, but just wanted to check.

I’ll actually be reading two books. Before reading Yakuza Moon I’ll be reading Yakuza by David Kaplan and Alec Dubro, which apparently has quite a reputation as a definitive work on the Yakuza.

I’ve smiled at the comments I’ve seen sprnkled through from folks who say “I don’t read non-fiction”. I’m the other end of the spectrum – I rarely read fiction (unless you count certain newspapers and op-ed pages). So, I’m backing my way into the literature challenge, and may give Murakami or Ishiguro a try after that.

I was glad to see Yakuza Moon on the list!

Thank-you so very much for the book mark.

I was able to buy a few Japanese novels through amazon market place

SUPERMARKET: A NOVEL
THE HOUSEKEEPER AND THE PROFESSOR: A NOVEL
COIN LOCKER BABIES
IN THE MISO SOUP