Hosted by Dolce Bellezza along with a helpful suggested reading list.
Guidelines: This year, all you have to do is read one work of Japanese origin. It can be literature of course, but don’t feel confined to that. You may choose to read poetry, biographies, short stories or even manga. If you are willing to read one such piece, you’ve met the challenge. If you read more, all the better.
Timeframe: July 30, 2009 to January 30, 2010.
A few months ago I didn’t really know anything of Japanese literature. I had seen Haruki Murakami’s books and I think I knew they were popular but that was all. Earlier in the year I read Murakami’s South of the Border, West of the Sun – I found it intriguing and captivating and the seed was sown.
I’m delighted to join in this challenge and look forward to some elegant and magical reading.
Some ideas:
After Dark – Haruki Murakami
Kitchen – Banana Yoshimoto
Thousand Cranes – Yasunari Kawabata
Snow Country – Yasunari Kawabata
In the Miso Soup – Ryu Murakami
Out – Natsuo Kirino
Strangers – Taichi Yamada
Some Prefer Nettles – Junichiro Tanizaki
The Makioka Sisters – Junichiro Tanizaki
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion – Yukio Mishima
Norweigan Wood – Haruki Murakami
A Book Sanctuary 
I love Japanese literature, so I’m really pleased to see that you are joining this challenge. Out is my favourite thriller, so I really hope that you like it.
I love Murakami and plan to read Norwegian Wood for this challenge soon.
You have a great list – I look forward to finding out what you chose to read.
I’m so glad you’ve decided to join in! I’ve added you to the review site list of participants, and I responded to your comment on my welcome post. It’ll be great to hear your thoughts on whatever you choose to read. Welcome!
Jackie – thank you. Out is one I’m really keen to read, for the RIP challenge as well. As soon as it comes back into the library, I will be sweeping it up and onto the top of my TBR list.
I think Murakami is going to be one of those authors I’ll want to read everything of.
Good luck with the challenge. I will forward to seeing your choices too 0:)
Bellezza, thanks so much for the warm welcome and for hosting such a lovely challenge.
This year is my first chance to join and I’m really looking forward to it 0:)
Great list! I’m planning on reading Out and Strangers for both this challenge and the RIP one and intending to read Norwegian Wood and perhaps In the Miso Soup.
I loved After Dark, enjoyed Kitchen, and was a little disappointed in Some Prefer Nettles (I have a review of it a few months back in archives).
Claire – Thank you! And for your thoughts on those you have read. I’m reading After Dark now and am also loving it.
Good luck with the challenge. I look forward to popping by and seeing your choices 0:)
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This was my first book by this author. I was really pleased with it–different~!
Diane – it is different isn’t it. I’ll pop by and see if you have read any others 0:)
I read Kitchen in January and loved it!!! I wasn’t as big a fan of Snow Country-the writing was elegant, but the treatment of women bothered me.
Eva – Oh that’s good. I have Kitchen out of the library and am trying to find time to read it! Funny you should say that about Snow Country – I am reading Out by Natsuo Kirino at the moment and the treatment of women is definitely an issue in that although they are holding their own!