4.24.2017

The Keshiki Collection | Strangers Press

 



Are these not the most beautiful book covers you've ever seen? Behold the wonder that is the complete Keshiki set from Strangers Press, a chapbook collection translating and highlighting "eight of the most exciting writers working in Japan today."

I discovered Strangers Press a few months ago through their Twitter account. They're based in the UNESCO City of Literature Norwich and are all about publishing "the finest literature in translation." I practically jumped with joy when I saw that their current offering was all translations of new voices in Japanese fiction.

As I just received these chapbooks and haven't gotten a chance to crack them open (past admiring their French flaps, of course) yet, I can't really recommend them. However, if you love beautiful books or Japanese literature and you want the full set, I would recommend grabbing one before they are all gone!

I'm actually thinking of doing a video on the entire collection once I've actually read them all, but for now let's just admire the beauty and genius of these cover designs.


Check out the Strangers Press website | Get the full Keshiki set

4.21.2017

#TomeTopple Wrap Up


One day, I will post a readathon wrap up and will actually be pleased with the amount of reading I got done. Unfortunately, that day is not today!

Books Mentioned:
Hawaii / James A. Michener
The Explosion Chronicles / Yan Lianke

4.20.2017

Your Name | 君 の 名 は Film Review



Something I didn't mention in the video for sake of time was that seeing Your Name was actually my first time experiencing anime in theatres and honestly, I can't wait to do it again. It was such an immersive experience what with the incredible soundtrack and it was really nice to watch anime in a group of people who also love anime.

If you can't tell in the video, I absolutely loved Your Name and would highly recommend that you go see it even if you think it's not your kind of anime. And don't forget to check out the soundtrack!

4.14.2017

#TomeTopple Check In | Friday Reads




I probably didn't even need to take a picture of this week's Friday Reads, because it's pretty much the same as last week! I'm still persevering through my #TomeTopple TBR, though I have decided to set aside Our Mutual Friend for now. I'm also partway through Great Expectations and I think that taking on two of Charles Dickens' novels at once is just way too ambitious.

Hawaii / James A. Michener
I've been making rather slow progress through this massive tome, but I'm really surprised at how much I'm enjoying it. So far as I can tell, each "chapter" is actually the length of a decent-sized novel and is set in a different period of time. All chapters, however, center around the Hawaiian islands and the people who've inhabited them over the centuries. It's like getting a bunch of mini novels in one and so far I'm more than happy to keep reading.

The Explosion Chronicles / Yan Lianke
I plan on finally picking this up this weekend and I honestly cannot wait. Despite it's making it to the Man Booker International Prize Longlist, I haven't heard many people talking about The Explosion Chronicles and the few reviews I have found have only intrigued me more.

The Cat Who Walked A Thousand Miles / Kij Johnson
Lately I've really been craving some Kij Johnson, but I have so much reading on my plate right now that I can't commit to reading yet another novel. So instead I thought I'd take a crack at her novella The Cat Who Walked A Thousand Miles, which you can get free on Tor.com. From what I can tell, it sounds fairly similar to Fudoki and this, of course, makes me super excited to finally get to it!


So that's what I'll be reading this Easter weekend. Happy Easter if you practice and happy reading!

4.13.2017

I'm on Patreon!


I am incredibly excited to announce that I am now on Patreon! This means that you can now help make more videos and blog posts possible.

Patreon is a really incredible place for creators, artists, and anyone else with a "nontraditional" career or hobby to gain a monthly income. As someone who freelances and whose monthly earnings can vary quite a bit, I find the idea of any kind of steady monthly income is incredibly appealing.

Of course, I know that it is a lot to ask of you, my viewers and readers. I am already so grateful for the time you're willing to spend watching and reading my content and for the amazing, insightful comments you leave me. So trust me when I say that I have put a lot of time and effort into creating rewards that I think are fun and worth every cent of your pledges.

If you'd like to find out out more, please feel free to head on over to my Patreon page!

4.07.2017

My #TomeTopple TBR | Friday Reads



If you've noticed my slight absence from the blog lately, you probably won't be surprised to hear that I've been struggling through a bit of blogger's-block. To get back into the groove and hopefully on some sort of schedule, I thought I'd start doing Friday Reads posts. And what a better way to kick things off than by sharing my TBR for the #TomeTopple Readathon?

Be sure to check out Sam's announcement video and let me know what you're reading if you decide to participate!

Books Mentioned:
Our Mutual Friend / Charles Dickens
Hawaii / James A. Michener
The Explosion Chronicles / Yan Lianke


The official #TomeTopple announcement video | Check out @Tome_Topple on Twitter

4.06.2017

March Wrap Up



So far, two books a month has become my monthly average in 2017. However, I've recently got the reading bug back in a bad way, so hopefully I'll tackle more than two reads in April!

Books Read:
The Reluctant Fundamentalist / Mohsin Hamid
Post Mortem / Patricia Cornwall

Currently Reading:
Great Expectations / Charles Dickens