Review: First Person Singular: Stories

First Person Singular: Stories by Haruki Murakami
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book probably doesn't contain the best story ever written by Murakami, but it is still a solid collection that allows you to enter into Murakami's realistic-yet-slightly-off-kilter worlds. The tone can range from memoir-style to obvious fantasy. Still, I enjoyed every story here. I can't complain at all. 

Rather than picking my favorite(s), it's easier to say that "The Yakult Swallows Poetry Collection" was probably my least favorite. Although I'd still re-read it. 

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Review: The Complete Essays

The Complete Essays by Michel de Montaigne

This collection, which gave us the term "essay", is a fun collection to read through in one's spare time. The topics vary, sometimes repeat, but are always quite interesting and relevant, even today. 

Some of my notes:

His chapter on Animal intelligence is very interesting, not least because we are still having that argument today. When a bird can memorize hundreds of locations, or a mouse can learn to press a certain lever, we still call it instinct, while when a human can we call it intelligence. 

Appollonius: Slaves lie. Freemen tell the truth. 

Cesar was a great general, but spent more time discussing his engineering achievements because he wanted to be known as a great engineer

"Let him shun this childish ambition of trying to seem more clever by being different"

"Oh stranger you say what you should. But otherwise than you should."

"I would rather follow facts than reason"

But wow. His views on women seem crazy, even for his time. Unless he was being facetious, which I admit was usually difficult to tell. Especially in sections where he admonishes people for quoting famous personages, and says he'd just as soon quote his local villagers, while all his essays (including that one) are interspersed with quotes from famous people. 

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Review: The Journal of Socho

The Journal of Socho by H. Mack Horton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a pleasure to sit back and read Socho's musings and poems as a way to unwind. I do wish he had included more detail about his travel rather than travails, but I enjoyed the overall feel of the book.

Interestingly, I had bookmarked several of his poems and hokkus, but upon re-reading them I can't say they did much for me, until I re-read the circumstances under which they were written. They really reflect what he had been going through, and his feelings at the time.

I also found myself reading more of the notes, which comprise about 50% of the book, than I usually do.

If you don't expect too much from this book other than a pleasurable read from one of history's greatest linked-verse poets, then it won't disappoint.

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Review: People From My Neighbourhood

People From My Neighbourhood by Hiromi Kawakami
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun collection of short stories. Kawakami never disappoints. I must say they started getting a bit too surreal for me around halfway through the book, but I appreciate how it all ended in world peace.

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Review: Korean Works & Days

Korean Works & Days by Richard Rutt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Richard Rutt was a Catholic (and Anglican: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rutt) priest who lived in Anjung, Korea, and in this book he recorded the village life he witnessed and which, unbeknownst to him (or maybe he had an inkling), would pretty much disappear within a few decades. 

This book, written in 1964, is choc full of many little tidbits about old Korean traditions and ways of life. Like how the older men would grow their pinky fingernails out, witnessing the exchange of poetry and wordplay (using Chinese characters). 

It also seems pretty critical of the "kye" rotating credit system, which is interesting since the last book I read about it (Yogong: Factory Girl) seemed to be in favor of it. 

Some other interesting points:

Hearing how Suwon was back then

"This is the kind of village where they understand all twelve flavours in an ox's head"

"On the 7th day of the 7th moon they celebrate the star Vega under the name of the Spinning Maiden" (this must be the Qixi festival)

"Chuseok's Korean name is Han-gawi" (I Never knew this)

"Like most Korean villages, ours has a chop-house run by a family of Shantung Chinese"

The festivals were fascinating, and probably don't exist anymore ("dance and wrestling festival")

No mentions of Taekwondo, but it mentions traditional Korean wrestling, which reminded me of Sumo wrestling (or more like Schwingen, as we had back in Switzerland)

He mentions a memorial for Sin Suk-chu, who I had never heard of before (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Suk-ju)

"Korea knows no tea" - Interesting statement (p. 144)

The naming conventions are fascinating, and I don't remember encountering nearly this many issues in the 1990s (then again, I was in Seoul)

"I know a high school boy who did not even know his mother's surname until I told him" (p. 149)

One man refused to pronounce a certain character correctly because it was the personal name of the first King of the Joseon dynasty. 

Some books he mentions that I would like to read in the future:

J.R. Moose: "Village life in Korea" (1909)

J.S. Gale: "Korean sketches" (1899)

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Review: The Taipei Chinese PEN—A Quarterly Journal of Contemporary Chinese Literature from Taiwan《中華民國筆會英文季刊─台灣文譯》 Winter/2022 - No. 203

The Taipei Chinese PEN—A Quarterly Journal of Contemporary Chinese Literature from Taiwan《中華民國筆會英文季刊─台灣文譯》 Winter/2022 - No. 203 by Taipei Chinese PEN
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again, this edition of the Chinese Taipei Pen is an interesting collection of Taiwanese poetry, short stories and artists.

"Preface to Temperature from a Bachelor", by Wang Ting-chun (王鼎鈞) had some interesting insight into how/why the names of publications can change, and the overall effects. 

"Tea from Hong Kong", by Hung Ai-zhu, was a sort of memoir. It felt like an outsider's glimpse into the memories and childhood of a Taiwanese girl running a tea shop with ties to Hong Kong. It was excellent. She has a collection of essays out, which I'd be interested in reading. 

Living Apart, by Chen Shu-Yao, seemed to jump around between characters and was very hard to follow for not much reward. It's too bad because I thinks he's the only author I know from Penghu.

The Fates, by Claire Pei, was an interesting, if troublesome, story about a Chinese in Alaska, why she was there and her situation while living there, as well as why she doesn't want to leave. This was my favorite short story of the book. The story also has an interesting addendum, although I admit I felt like she added it so the story would seem less autobiographical(?)

This edition's featured artist was Sun Ta-chuan (Paelabang Danapan) and indigenous writer of Chinese calligraphy and sayings, as well as a sketch artist.

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Review: El enigma de la habitación 622

El enigma de la habitación 622 by Joël Dicker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you're looking forward to reading a book by a Swiss author about Geneva (and Verbier), then this is great. However, I'm not sure you can expect much more. 

The story kept jumping around in time, which started confusing me. I did like how the author placed himself writing the book as part of the book (although this sort of confused me as well), and how apparently the tribute to his recently deceased publisher and mentor was for a real person (I figured it had to be, since otherwise it was just the main character droning on and on about how he admired some random publisher who had nothing to do with the story, and in fact broke up the pace considerably). 

However, some of these characters were incredibly one-sided. For example, one of the main stars is "Strikingly handsome", a banking genius who managed, without a background in banking, to rise to the top of the banking world quickly, speaks 10 languages, is super nice, is coveted by the main female character, etc. etc. Later, things do get a bit more complicated, but thanks to the deus-ex-machina way in which things turn out, I can't really say I appreciated it very much. 

I get the feeling the author doesn't have a good idea as to how banking works. Just a thought. 

But, I did stick through it all and wanted to know how it ended (I can't say I was satisfied, but it did keep me entertained). I also liked how we find out many aspects of the book had to do with the author's personal life. 

I'm giving it a generous 3 stars. 

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Review: Yogong: Factory Girl

Yogong: Factory Girl by Robert F. Spencer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I knew this book was out of date when I started reading it. In fact, I guess it was out of date when it was published, since the study was conducted from 1972-1978 and the book only came out in 1988. Still, I thought it would be interesting to look at it from a historical point of view. And I was surprised at how different Korea seemed as compared to when I first went there (in the late 90s). It was very much still a developing, factory-based country, while in the 90s it was already becoming knowledge-based and technology-oriented. 

I thought I would end up skimming or skipping a great deal of this, but I ended up reading the entire thing (typos and all, of which there are plenty, unfortunately). I'm guessing this might be the first study done on Korean women during this time. In fact it may be the only one. Either way, the Korea from this book is a far cry from the technologically advanced K-pop country of today, but it shows how it was transitioning from the Korean war to get where it is. And, more than that, it shows the plight women were going through working in the factories during this time. 

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Review: Morgan: American Financier

Morgan: American Financier by Jean Strouse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I see some complaints that this book doesn't concentrate enough on finance and discusses Morgan the person too much. I wonder what a biography is supposed to do, if not discuss the person. My background is in finance and economics, but learning about the person shows me the why behind many of his decisions and statements.

Having said that, the economics and finance of the time were super interesting, and the financial world was obviously very different back then. 

This book is a massive endeavor, and I found some parts more interesting than others (I confess the list of artworks, and how and why he bought them, didn't interest me as much). But overall it was an extremely informative look into the life of a man who, beyond being rich, was extremely influential during his time. Pretty much single-handedly reversing the financial panic of 1907 (we probably could've used someone like him in 1929, or 2008 for that matter). 

Incredible to think it took 15 years to research/write this book. Although I can't help wondering how much the "House of Morgan" coming out in 1999 had to do with that. 

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Review: The Last Of Hanako

The Last Of Hanako by Ch'oe Yun
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed both these stories quite a bit. I almost feel like it's a view of Korean society from the outside looking in, if that makes any sense.

UPDATE:

After re-reading the book, I can confirm that both stories are still enjoyable. The first story is more poignant than I remember it, while the second was pretty much as I remembered. I'm still amazed this is the same author as "Mannequin", which I didn't really enjoy at all. These stories are a very different style. 

Since Goodreads doesn't specify it, the translation is by Ju-chan Fulton.          

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Review: Beginning with My Streets: Essays and Recollections

Beginning with My Streets: Essays and Recollections by Czesław Miłosz

I thought I would find the first part, discussing Vilnius and Lithuania, the least interesting, since I know so little about that region. But it turned out to be enthralling. Especially his back and forth with Tomas Venclova. I confess the other sections then didn't retain my interest all that long, and this book probably should've been a dnf for me. This is mainly because I think Milosz is too poetic and philosophical for me, and I just found it hard to keep up. For this reason I won't give a rating, but I'd rate the first part 4.5 stars. 

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Review: My Innocent Uncle

My Innocent Uncle by Ch'ae Man-Sik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very pleasant surprise. These stories seemed quite nuanced in their critique. Yes, obviously the Japanese occupiers were extremely bad, but the government prior to it also took advantage of the people rather than look out for them. And quite possibly the government after as well. Also, the people who went along with the Japanese during occupation didn't necessarily get what they bargained for. 

These are three stories: My Innocent Uncle, about a (pretty brainwashed) pro-Japanese laborer complaining about his leftist Uncle who is against Japanese rule. "A Ready-Made Life" is about an "educated" man not being able to build a life during the time of occupation. And "Once upon a Paddy" was probably my favorite, describing how life for the poor was corrupt before Japanese occupation, with nothing much changing after (and the confusion reigning in the interim). 

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Review: Botchan

Botchan by Natsume Sōseki
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This may have been my favorite Soseki book so far. Botchan, over time, becomes semi-relatable and likeable. Overall an enteraining series of occurrences as Botchan goes to a small town to become a teacher, and becomes involved in the goings on about town. 

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Review: The Chronicle of Manchwidang

The Chronicle of Manchwidang by Moon Soo Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Whenever I get the feeling a book has ended mid-story, I can only assume I missed something, whether plotwise or symbolic (usually symbolic). This was what happened here. The story was quite interesting, building up gradually as the son makes his journey South, leading to a culmination toward the end, only to conclude... I'm not sure how. Oddly, I guess. With a sort of whimper. Which is why I assume I'm missing something. Probably some of the symbolism of "Manchwidang" itself. 

But this might also be due to my reading in translation. If the Hangul, or even the Hanja of Manchwidang were shown it might help. Am I right in thinking one version was "滿醉" (very drunk), while the 'official' one was "萬歲" (10,000 years)? 

Still, an enjoyable short story. 

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Review: The Origins of You: How Childhood Shapes Later Life

The Origins of You: How Childhood Shapes Later Life by Jay Belsky

I was reading this purely from a practical, personal point of view (I have a 4 year old and we're trying to raise her well). I confess that, although this was created for the layperson, I found myself skipping to the conclusion of the chapter for several of these, since I wasn't all that interested in the nitty gritty of the study methodology (I'm in no position to reject or accept any of their findings, regardless). 

Some of the most interesting takeaways have to do with self-control of the child, and how important this is later in life, and has more on a bearing on their life than raw intelligence. 

The findings on daycare were interesting too (possibly one of the few positives of Covid, then, may be that our daughter didn't have nearly as much daycare as she would have otherwise). While quality of daycare matters somewhat, pure quantity is much more important (broadly put, the more the worse). 

I'm not really in a position to give it a rating, but I found it mildly to just a little useful, and moderately interesting. 

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Review: Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenkō

Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenkō by Yoshida Kenkō
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Perfect for night-time reading. Relaxing, enlightening and interesting thoughts by a 14th century Japanese monk. 

Some of my notes:

"They call liquor the chief of all medicines, but it is, in fact, the origin of all sicknesses. [...] As for the future life, liquor deprives a man of his wisdom and consumes his good actions like fire; he therefore increases the burden of sin, violates many commandments and, in the end, drops into hell. [...]. Though Liquor is as loathsome as I have described it, there naturally are some occasions when it is hard to dispense with. On a moonlit night, a morning after snowfall, or under the cherry blossoms, it adds to our pleasure if, while chatting at our ease, we bring forth the wine cups. Liquor is cheering on days when we are bored, or when a friend pays an unexpected visit"

(No. 175)

"Oshiki corresponds to the tonic note A. Interesting that this tone was used in both East and West for tuning" 

(Note on No. 220)

No. 79. 

The story about the monk getting his head trapped in a pot (No. 53) was pretty wild. 

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Review: Weasels in the Attic

Weasels in the Attic by Hiroko Oyamada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nothing at all like "Factory". These are 3 short stories, which tie together, and deal with family, having children, and friends. The opposite of action-packed, but in a good way. I thoroughly enjoyed this. 

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Review: In the Café of Lost Youth

In the Café of Lost Youth by Patrick Modiano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I can never resist a book taking place in the cafés of Paris, whether fiction or non, and this was no exception. In fact, the café spills over into the streets and we witness a bit of the lives of the people in the café. 

Anyway, I found the ambience and general feel much more appealing than the story itself, so I'm not really sure if I'm a Modiano fan or not. 

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Review: The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power

The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Deirdre Mask
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We never stop to think about the importance addresses have in our everyday lives. Without addresses we cannot receive (or apply for) official documents, benefits, jobs, etc. Even if we're not homeless, we need an address. And yet addresses aren't as ubiquitous as we'd think. West Virginia barely had any outside cities prior to 1991. 

Also, did you know you can buy any old address in New York for 11,000 dollars? Which is why Trump was able to open a building on "1, Central Park West" (he had the address changed from 15, Columbus Circle), and then he got mad when Time Warner also got the address "1, Central Park" (rather than 25, Columbus Circle). 

And What3Words seems like a fascinating idea. 

I have to say, however, that the idea brought up for creating an address for homeless people using houses that aren't in use at the moment seems a tad flawed. In theory it sounds good, but I could see these rich people with empty real estate protesting that they plan on moving back any time now, so the address can't be used. or something. 

However, I do think someone enterprising could come up with a solution. At first I thought just providing PO Boxes, like some coworking spaces do, would work. But I could see places of employment figuring that out and discriminating against these. Otherwise maybe something like choosing a place that shows up on Google maps, but with a different number. For example, my building has 7 floors, but there would be floors 8 through 12, say, which are addresses used for homeless people. They don't really exist, which is ok, since house calls aren't needed. But the post office will have an automatic trigger whenever any one of these addresses is used, to hold onto them in a PO box, which the homeless person can check. 

I'm sure I'm missing something in the details. Still, a very interesting and seemingly surmountable problem, which gets you thinking. 

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Review: The Student

The Student by Anton Chekhov
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This seemed incredibly short, but it's one of my favorite of his short stories (along with 'The Black Monk'). A chance conversation sparks a connection that fills a student with joy, while showing a complete lack of empathy. Although I'm sure I'm missing something. Still, I enjoyed it. 

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Review: Betrothed

Betrothed by Anton Chekhov
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chekhov seems better at conveying the human thought process, inner feelings and general condition in his short stories than many modern authors are with much longer books. This story was no exception. This might have been my favorite story of his so far. 

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Review: The Black Monk

The Black Monk by Anton Chekhov
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quite a haunting story. I couldn't help wondering if his being smart and happy, but then convinced to turn unintelligent and sad is an allegory for growing into adulthood. But maybe I'm projecting. 

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Review: The Membranes

The Membranes by Chi Ta-wei
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think this is the first piece of Taiwanese queer literature I've read, which seems odd since I try to read any Taiwanese book I can get my hands on, and I'm sure there's plenty of it. 

Regardless, this is intense Scifi from the mid-nineties and, although it has a slow start, once it gets going it's quite original, especially considering this was pre-AI, pre Matrix and pretty much pre-internet. 

As someone who barely reads any queer literature and generally doesn't enjoy Scifi, I did enjoy this. Although I think I've had enough scifi for now. 

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Review: How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain

How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For some reason I thought this would be some book about raising your EQ, but it turned out to be quite interesting. It sounds like it could be quite revolutionary in psychology/neuroscientific circles, but I'm not really in a position to comment one way or the other. Still, very interesting to see how what we see as very basic emotions might be culturally learned, rather than innate. 

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Review: I'm Waiting for You and Other Stories

I'm Waiting for You and Other Stories by Bo-Young Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Definitely read the afterwords to these stories. But only after the stories. Well, at least after the first and last story. I confess I absolutely, positively definitively did NOT follow the second story(ies). At one point one of the characters comments how their situation is more complicated than a 3-body problem, and I think that might be the upper limit of complication I can deal with. At least when it comes to sci-fi. 

However, the first and last story were excellent, and end up tying with each other. And in the afterword you find out that (spoiler?) the first story was written for a friend of the author's who was about to propose to his fiancée. 

I loved how the afterwords also included letters by the translators, as well as letters by the couple for whom the 1st and last stories were written. 

Regardless, I usually don't enjoy Sci-fi that much, but these (2) stories were a lot of fun. The middle one, not so much, but it probably is more my fault than the story's. 

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Review: Troy

Troy by Stephen Fry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every time I read another book about Troy or the Illiad I'm always struck by how Diomedes got a raw deal. He features throughout the tale, is one of the most fierce warriors, is sent with Odysseus on two other trips, survives until the end with honor, and yet he's never remembered. 

It's probably because he doesn't have a schtick, like Odysseus's craftiness, Helen's looks, or Achilles's heel. 

Basically, his lack of an Achilles heel is his Achilles heel. 

Anyway, having gotten that off my chest, this book was truly excellent. And the Audiobook is read by Stephen Fry, so it's definitely worth the listen. It brings the story and characters alive, and shows how they are intertwined in ways you don't get from just reading the Illiad and Odyssey. 

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Review: Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand: A Novel of Adam and Eve

Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand: A Novel of Adam and Eve by Gioconda Belli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A retelling of the Adam and Eve story, but from Adam and Eve's point of view. From the decision to eat the forbidden fruit (I was very happy the author didn't make it an apple). It covers the whole "Why create this Chekhov's gun of a tree in the first place if you don't want anyone to partake of its fruit?" issue, but takes it further. As in, God actually wanted humanity to have consciousness, but couldn't do it himself, so he had to create humans with the need for knowledge. 

Regardless, it is interesting to see how they react to animals being hostile, different seasons, whether to kill animals in order to eat, pregnancy, etc., as well as the memory of the Garden of Eden while dealing with real life. 

As for children, it seems to follow a version similar to the Quran (I think), where they have two sets of twins, Cain, Abel, and their sisters (Luluwa and Aklia). There also seems to be a tie into naming Cain after Adam's beloved pet dog. It's difficult to tell in translation, but I'm guessing it's a play on the Latin Canis.

I can't say I liked the ending. There was no mention of Seth. And I didn't really understand what happened to Aklia. Still, definitely an original and pleasurable read. 

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Review: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

#books #bookreview

These fantasy books are always a waste of time. The authors can just make up any new law of physics/miracle/world/alien being to suit their needs, which is why the genre never really attracted me. 

So I have no idea why I had this in my wishlist, and then proceeded to buy it, and then decided to read it. Then I stuck with it (over 1,000 pages) for some reason. 

Anyway, I probably still won't admit it to my friends, but I really enjoyed this. I actually opted for the audiobook, which probably helped with all the footnotes. I imagine turning pages every time there was a new footnote would've been a huge pain (the footnotes are pretty intrinsical to the story). 

It is by no means a quick read. But if you feel like diving into a slightly-fantastical Britain (and Europe) during the Napoleonic Wars, then this is probably the book for you. 

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Review: Honeymoon to Nowhere

Honeymoon to Nowhere by Akimitsu Takagi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#books #bookreview

For the first 90 pages or so I thought I had bought a romance novel by mistake. But it was still intriguing. It definitely isn't a fast-paced Harlan Coben style mystery, but this was a good thing. It seemed more like what it is: a classic Japanese noir. 

This is the third novel I read by this author, and unfortunately I think it is the last one in English translation. It's too bad because I really enjoyed all his books. 

I highly recommend reading any of his books if you come across them. 

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Review: Another Man's City

Another Man's City by In-ho Choi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

#books #bookreview

Part Living in a simulation, part Truman Show, part Glitch in the Matrix. This book is definitely not what I expected. Also I think it's the earliest Korean "sci-fi" that I've read. 

4.5 stars. I look forward to reading more by this author. 

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Review: The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I can't remember when I read this last, but it was definitely more than 10 years ago. Regardless, it definitely holds up. It is actually quite interesting to read after having read "A Moveable Feast", and seeing what Hemingway had to say about Fitzgerald. 

Also interesting to read after having read Frank Costello's biography, since there is a theory that Jay Gatsby was based on him. Although I'm not convinced about this (Costello never threw lavish parties), there are definite similarities, and Costello certainly would've been the big gangster of New York during the time of writing. 

Regardless, a good read. I wonder if I should watch the movie now. 

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Review: Il fascismo eterno

Il fascismo eterno by Umberto Eco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent essay on fascism in all its guises. Particularly handy was the list of 14 points that all Fascist states will have in common (available here: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Il_fascismo_eterno). 

Now read through that list and see which countries you think they apply to (these days, definitely to Russia, and I can think of a couple others). 

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Review: Words on the Move: Why English Won't—and Can't—Sit Still

Words on the Move: Why English Won't—and Can't—Sit Still by John McWhorter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great entertaining book by John Mcwhorter, narrated by the author. 

As always, I enjoy listening to his books/lectures, especially when they have to do with the English language (sometimes I find his conclusions re: other languages a bit of a stretch). 

In essence, unless you speak in a way others don't understand you, there is no "incorrect" way of speaking. 

e.g.:

In defense of "Irregardless":

It might seem like it's a redundancy to say "Ir-regardless", but "overwhelm" is a redundancy too. 

Does the word "whelm" exist? Well, it did (you can find it in Moby Dick). And it meant overwhelm.  "Overwhelm" was the irregardless of its day. 

Rise up, sink down, enter into. These are also redundant, but people don't have a problem with them. 

Of course, how you speak says something about you. So one should know how to speak in a manner society perceives as "proper". Just as you tuck in your shirt for a job interview, you should 'tuck in'  your double negatives and 'irregardless's as well. 

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Review: The Old Woman with the Knife

The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

#books #bookreview

While this was entertaining, I can't say it was my favorite book. I thought the premise was quite interesting (an aging female assassin, and the problems that arise). But I couldn't help feeling something was missing. For example, she didn't want to retire, but was she planning on doing so one day? Obviously someone in that line of work cannot keep performing it into their 80s, but she seemed to have no plan. Maybe she was expecting (hoping?) she would die on the job, but still. 

Secondly, without giving away too much, her ultimate nemesis seems to make quite a few mistakes himself, while only her mistakes seem to cause any attention. Also, there is no real closure (she never finds out who her nemesis really is, although we do). 

Anyway, maybe it just wasn't my style. Still, as I mentioned, it kept me entertained. 

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Review: The Golden Cage

The Golden Cage by Camilla Läckberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Macabre, intense, and pretty satisfying ending. Still, some pretty odd things, like the heroine finding it extraordinarily easy to make millions quite quickly. Plus she does some pretty bad stuff to some innocent people (no spoilers). 

Regardless, I'll probably check out the next book in this series at some point. 

#books #bookreview #bookreviews

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Review: Revenge

Revenge by Yōko Ogawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#books #booktwt #bookreview

I enjoyed this a lot.

These are all somewhat eerie stories, slightly intertwined with each other. And why was there a sort of Paul Auster feel to it? 

It would be excellent if someone created a diagram showing how the characters/locations from the various stories are all connected. 

I confess I almost took a star off due to the title. Revenge was definitely not a recurring theme (it featured a bit, off and on), and I saw how the original Japanese title had nothing to do with revenge. I'm not sure why they came up with that title in English. Am I missing something? 

Still, great collection (I'm still a bit lost by the weird off-connection between the last and first stories, but I guess it would include spoilers, so I'll keep it to myself). 

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Review: Bricchiche fiorentine - Parte seconda

Bricchiche fiorentine - Parte seconda by Foresto Niccolai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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Another excellent book detailing many places. This also covers the mainstays (Duomo, Piazza della Repubblica, etc. etc.). I basically saved a bunch of spots on google maps with interesting tidbits in the notes for each. 

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Review: Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power

Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power by Pekka Hämäläinen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely excellent. A history of the Lakota, but told from their perspective more than an outside one discussing different people. This is all-encompassing, at least as far as it can be with the knowledge we have. Highly recommended.

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Review: Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power

Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power by Pekka Hämäläinen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely excellent. A history of the Lakota, but told from their perspective more than an outside one discussing different people. This is all-encompassing, at least as far as it can be with the knowledge we have. Highly recommended. 

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Review: Walmart in China

Walmart in China by Anita Chan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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I actually thought this would be the story of Walmart in China, i.e. how it entered, who was involved, how it is structured, who is in charge, how it has changed over time, etc. Basically like a biography of the company in China. It isn't that at all. It is a collection of essays grouped by subject matter. The first section discusses factories in China used by Walmart USA, and the subsequent ones discuss various aspects of Walmart China.

There were some interesting tidbits, such as how many parallels there seemed to be between Walmart's culture/ethos and Mao's communist ethos. Things such as trying to get rid of hierarchies, the slogans, the cult of personality, putting the masses at the top, and the infringements on it.

Also there was an interesting aside on the origin of the term "sweatshop" (p. 72)

Some notes I took:

""Walt Disney's large retail business has its headquarters, not in Los Angeles, but in Rogers, Arkansas, right next door to Bentonville." (p. 14)

"between 2001 and 2006 Walmart accounted for 9.3 percent of total US imports from China" (p. 29)



"Today, 80 percent of its thousands of global suppliers are based in China and 70 percent of the merchandise sold in Walmart stores is assembled from China" (p. 36)

"The inverted pyramid - putting the masses at the top - is strikingly evocative of the revolutionary class hierarchy of Maoist Socialism" (p. 122)

All-in-all I can't say I recommend it, despite the interesting points. It would have been nice to at least include a precursory history of the company in China, or describe what impact is has on the Chinese economy, what difference it has made, what difference its unionization has made, etc. etc.

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Review: Walmart in China

Walmart in China by Anita Chan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I actually thought this would be the story of Walmart in China, i.e. how it entered, who was involved, how it is structured, who is in charge, how it has changed over time, etc. Basically like a biography of the company in China. It isn't that at all. It is a collection of essays grouped by subject matter. The first section discusses factories in China used by Walmart USA, and the subsequent ones discuss various aspects of Walmart China. 

There were some interesting tidbits, such as how many parallels there seemed to be between Walmart's culture/ethos and Mao's communist ethos. Things such as trying to get rid of hierarchies, the slogans, the cult of personality, putting the masses at the top, and the infringements upon it. 

Also there was an interesting aside on the origin of the term "sweatshop" (p. 72)

Some notes I took:

"Walt Disney's large retail business has its headquarters, not in Los Angeles, but in Rogers, Arkansas, right next door to Bentonville." (p. 14)

"between 2001 and 2006 Walmart accounted for 9.3 percent of total US imports from China" (p. 29)

"Today, 80 percent of its thousands of global suppliers are based in China and 70 percent of the merchandise sold in Walmart stores is assembled from China" (p. 36)

"The inverted pyramid - putting the masses at the top - is strikingly evocative of the revolutionary class hierarchy of Maoist Socialism" (p. 122)

All-in-all I can't say I recommend it, despite the interesting points. It would have been nice to at least include a precursory history of the company in China, or describe what impact it has on the Chinese economy, what difference it has made, what difference its unionization has made, etc. etc.

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Review: Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO

Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO by Satoru Iwata
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some great nuggets here, but otherwise maybe you need to be more familiar with Iwata. Still, a quick, easy read. 

Some of my notes:

"The trouble is that people feel better when they have their hands full, so until they find the bottlenecks, they tend to sweat over whatever issues they encounter. Before taking any action, you should identify the most problematic areas and figure out what you, and only you, can do to fix them." (p. 29)

"If you rely on what we might call a short-sighted cleverness, making decisions solely by comparing options and deciding "This one's better", you're bound to wind up on the road more often traveled. A major reason why this hasn't happened at Nintendo is that we've maintained clear objectives" (p. 32)

"Anything a computer can do for you should be left to a computer" (p. 138)

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Review: The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Mutiny, Shipwreck, and Discovery

The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Mutiny, Shipwreck, and Discovery by Martin Dugard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Quite an interesting find. This focuses on Columbus's last voyage, which is probably his most interesting (maybe aside from his second), but it is hardly ever mentioned, since it isn't where he "discovered the new world". However, it is where he was arrested and thrown in jail for possible death, where he convinced some Native Americans he had supernatural powers by "causing" a lunar eclipse, and was his last trip and last attempt at being a governor in the Americas. 

Plenty of background information is given as well, obviously, including quite a bit of interesting information about indigenous peoples you don't often read about. 

All in all, a great read. 

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Review: The Third and Final Continent

The Third and Final Continent by Jhumpa Lahiri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a re-read, and I have to say I still enjoyed it. In fact, reading it on its own (without the other short stories in the collection) might have made it stand out more. 

I keep telling myself to read more Lahiri. I really need to make that one of my new year's resolutions. 

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Review: Blue Highways

Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I waited until I was in the US to read this, and I'm glad I did. It's an excellent re-introduction to life in the US off the beaten track.

It was also great to follow his travels on Google Maps, from Shelbyville, KY, to Selma, AL, to Wanchese, NC (oftentimes using Streetview to see what has changed). 

Reading about places like Noname, TN, and Frenchman, NV was very interesting. As were so many of the stories and people he encountered. And stories like how Othello, NJ got its name. 

For some reason I also made note of some of the Books he mentioned when talking to people: 

Through Missouri on a mule (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8654504-through-missouri-on-a-mule)

The town that died laughing (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9862753-the-town-that-died-laughing)

Maryland's Right, Tight Isle (not on GR, but about Smith Island)

I really liked his style of writing, which made it a pleasure to read through this book. 

I thought it would be interesting to revisit some of the places he went to, and figured someone must have done so already. And sure enough, I found this: http://www.bluehighwaysrevisited.net/About-Us.html

Apparently they also wrote a book, with side by side photos. Anyway, not sure if I'll check it out, but interesting nonetheless. 

Also, just for my notes, here is his Calendar rating for finding places to get “honest food at just prices.”  

   No calendar: Same as an interstate pit stop.

   One calendar: Preprocessed food assembled in New Jersey

   Two calendars: Only if fish trophies present.

   Three calendars: Can't miss on the farm-boy breakfasts.

   Four calendars: Try the ho-made pie too.

   Five calendars: Keep it under your hat, or they'll franchise. 

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Review: Bricchiche Fiorentine

Bricchiche Fiorentine by Foresto Niccolai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great tidbits about Florence and its history. I ended up bookmarking a bunch of places on Google Maps, and I look forward to checking them out next time I go there. 

Some of my notes:

Festa della Rifocolona

Fiera degli uccelli

Fiera dell'Impruneta (and a lot about Impruneta, like its Madonna)

The piano was invented in Florence in 1700 by a Padovano called Bartolomeo Cristofori). 

Glasses were invented by Salvino D'armato, from Florence. 

The story "Un amore segreto" (p. 206) was interesting:

in 1300 Ippolito Buontalenti secretly loved Dianora dei Bardi. He was caught trying to sneak into her house (Palazzo Bardi), and rather than implicate her, said he was trying to rob it. While being conducted to his execution, Dianora rushed out and publicly admitted to their secret rendez-vous. So the story goes the parents were touched and approved of the match. 

Another story (Una giovane sposa ritenuta morta, p. 224) was also nice. Ginevra degli Almieri married Francesco Angolanti, but was in love with another man. After 4 years she got sick and was presumed dead and put in a coffin. She woke up, had the strength to open the casket, and went back home, where her husband thought she was a ghost. As did her parents. So she ran to her lover who took her in and they married. The ex-husband sued, but the courts said "che per essere stato disciolto il primo matrimonio dalla morte, poteva la donna legittimamente passare ad un altro marito". 

The origins of Vinsanto are excellent. Nothing holy about it, but when trying to reconcile with the Greek church it was invented (to be similar to the Greek wine), and people proclaimed that it was "Di Xantos". 

Also, the Florentines apparently called the French "I Nuvoloni", since when they were issuing edicts they all started with "nous voulons". 

I may have to check out the other books in this series

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Review: The Club: Johnson, Boswell, and the Friends Who Shaped an Age

The Club: Johnson, Boswell, and the Friends Who Shaped an Age by Leo Damrosch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A club that included Edward Gibbon, Adam Smith, Samuel Johnson, James Boswell, Edmund Burke, David Hume, and many other recognizable names, most of them before they were famous.

This book is more a story of Samuel Johnson and James Boswell, as well as a brief biography of some of the main founding members, without mentioning other members over the years (the club apparently still exists now). Just the final part talked of the club throughout the years). 

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Review: Quell'estate di sangue e di luna

Quell'estate di sangue e di luna by Eraldo Baldini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent book. The suspense lasted a while, in a crescendo, and when the action hit, at first I thought it was weird and far-fetched, but in the end it turned out quite good. A juxtaposition of people doing well in a completely unknown location (the moon and space), while others are having disaster occur on land they've known for generations. 

I look forward to reading more by Baldini (and Fabbri).

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Review: A Moveable Feast: The Restored Edition

A Moveable Feast: The Restored Edition by Ernest Hemingway
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is sort of in the style of "Memoirs of Montparnasse", and in fact there is quite a bit of overlap in terms of people mentioned. In fact, this can tie into Giacometti biography (although no overlap of people as far as I can tell), or even Sue Roe's "In Montmarte". Regardless, it's always fun to read about Paris during this era, so much more so when written by Hemingway.

There are many curious parts, like how he keeps repeatings that Ernest Walsh was "marked for death". I'm not sure what that meant. Curious also to see how nice he finds Ezra Pound (although Gertrude Stein seems to hate him), but how much he seems to hate Ford Maddox Ford (always complaining about his breath). Also, the digs at F. Scott Fitzgerald didn't seem very becoming (even more so the digs at his wife). But then again, Hemingway never claims to be the nicest person, and seems quite unapologetic about it.

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Review: Hemingway's Paris

Hemingway's Paris by Robert E. Gajdusek


A collection of quotes by and about Hemingway, grouped together based on various topics. Also with some photos, mostly of locations frequented by Hemingway, but taken in the 1970s. Nice to look through, especially if you've read "A Moveable Feast" or any biography of Hemingway. 

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