Hi all. I’m going to try to post regularly on Fridays now. Ha, as soon as I say that I’m doomed, but I will try to make Fridays my post day. We’ll see if it lasts. I hope so. Even if I don’t have a book to discuss, I’ll try to have something to feature and chat about. I’ve always admired other blogs that stick to a schedule, so I’ll give it a go.
I hope everyone’s fall has been nice. This past Monday we had our first snowfall, and it stuck around for two days before melting away. The forecast looks clear now till Halloween when trick-or-treaters might see snowflakes again. It’ll be fun if the spooky night sees snow, though the pumpkins don’t like freezing temps.
My reading lately has been scattered. Part of that is that I’ve got three novels going on and I don’t seem to be making much headway in them, and partly it’s due to the election bearing down on us. We might have turned off the news, but still it’s permeated our brains by now. For many of us, the next 10 days will be a knotted ball of anxiety. The uncertainty is palpable. I have voted early from abroad and I urge you to wherever you are. Will chaos ensue? I really hope not. I’m eager to move forward and not go back. 🙂
Lately in book news, I see that Percival Everett has won the Kirkus Prize for Fiction for his novel James and received $50K. Wow and he’s still up for two more big awards with the Booker and the National Book Award. Will he win either of those? I have read and liked James and I still want to read The Safekeep and other nominees. Speaking of which The New York Times had an interesting story this week about the Dutch author of The Safekeep, which you can see here.
And unfortunately due to snow and not feeling well, I missed seeing Rachel Kushner talk about her nominated novel Creation Lake at the book festival here. But I saw the book talk with Anne Enright and Roddy Doyle and the other event with Holly Gramazio whose time-bending novel The Husbands sounds a bit like a hoot, with different husbands coming out of the attic … like a revolving door. I haven’t read it yet, but I think she must have had one heck of a wacky dream. It was fun attending the book festival and it’s given me more for the TBR. Though lately one weird thing is: the city’s whole library system has been derailed by a cyber-security problem and has been mostly shutdown for over a week. You can’t check out or return books and there’s no indication when it will return. Argh.
And now I’ll leave you with the novel I finished lately.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa /Harper /160 pgs/ 2023
3.7 stars. I enjoyed this one on audio, which takes place in an artsy neighborhood of Tokyo where there are a lot of bookstores. Takako, 25, is in free fall when she gets a call from her uncle Satoru offering for her to come live at his old used bookshop. She’s had a skank of a boyfriend who she’s found out has taken advantage of her and has had to quit her job to avoid him. Now she’s sleeping the days away in a small room above the bookshop and depression has taken over.
But in time her uncle and the cozy bookshop and its customers weasel their way into her life and give her meaning and reason to keep going. She learns to fight back against the skank and begins to read and enjoy Japanese lit. A number of Japanese authors and novels, which I’d like to read, are mentioned throughout the story. I always seem to like translated Japanese lit.
The novel’s second half involves Satoru’s long-lost wife (Momoko) who returns after five years away. She and Takako bond on a girls’ hiking trip, and Momoko confides in her why she left and why she’s returned. It’s a heartwarming tale and though it might have familiar themes of other bookshop kinds of novels about healing and spreading one’s wings, this novel is well told, engaging, and has worthy nuggets of wisdom in it. It might be a bit slight, but I liked the characters and how they evolved and grew closer. Sometime I will pick up the sequel novel that came out this year: More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop!
That’s all for now. What about you have you read this book or bookshop novels like it, and if so, what did you think? Happy Halloween!
I still have “James” and “Creation Lake” on my to-be-read list. I hope to get to them soon. There are so many books I want to read before the end of the year!
Hi Dorothy, I agree I have a lot left to read before the end of the year. I think you’ll find James pretty quick once you start. I’d like to read Creation Lake and The Safekeep and several others. I have Elizabeth Strout’s new one too. And a read-along of My Brilliant Friend … which I know you’ve read that series. Enjoy your books.
Snow already? I hope we don’t have much of that this winter. I think James is going to sweep the awards this year. I have made progress with Creation Lake but life keeps interfering… still, I’m liking it. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop sounds quirky; hope you enjoy the sequel when/if you get to read it.
Hi Carmen, yeah I can’t believe it’s snow time already. It blanketed everything for two days. Sort of disappointing as I’m not ready for it — and I still want to bike. Time will tell in November if James sweeps the awards. Last time the Booker sort of surprised people with its pick of Prophet Song. But we’ll see. I need to find time for The Safekeep but right now I’ve got my hands full. It might be a December book! Hope all is pretty where you are. The color in the East is amazing. Enjoy & good luck with Creation Lake.
Rachel Kushner will be coming to Houston, maybe in December. I’m sorry you missed hearing her speak there.
Yes, yes, yes, I do hope everyone will vote. I have just returned from East Texas, and I’m trying not to fall into despair about the state of the world. I keep wondering if we are in a new Dark Ages.
Hi Deb, I hope you will get to see & hear Kushner’s talk. I was disappointed to miss her here. But I have a copy of her novel and hope to get to it before the end of the year.
I don’t understand the state of the world either or who could vote the other way. I just hope of all hope that the election will turn out for those who value the Constitution, the rule of law, democracy, reproductive rights, human decency, and morality, truth telling, and the peaceful transfer of power. We need to get out the vote. You are a beacon down there in south Texas. Keep fighting.
The volume of misinformation is so enormous. I feel overwhelmed most of the time.
Yes. It’s crazy how people & social media are peddling incorrect information & conspiracies. I’m keeping to my regular news sources.
I remember many Halloweens as a kid where I had to don snow boots and a coat over my costume to go trick-or-treating because the weather was so cold and there was snow on the ground. It’s going to be cold again this year here in Salt Lake. We’ll see if it rains. I’ve sent in my vote, too…we do voting by mail in Utah, which is convenient. Though I sometimes miss heading to the polls on election day. And I thought the first half of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop was very fun; I didn’t enjoy the second half as much. Haven’t read the sequel yet. Let me know if you like it. Have a great week! 😀
Thanks Lark, I hope it’s a nice & spooky Halloween there & not too wet. I think they’ve changed the forecast here — but they never know till like the day before.
It’s great you’ve voted already. I hope everyone does. No one should sit this out!
I agree it was sort of abrupt the two parts of the Morisaki Bookshop and I enjoyed the first part more too … though I liked both in the end. Sometime I will get to the sequel (some like it more). Enjoy your weekend!
My favorite bookshop novel is Mr. Peumbra by Robin Sloan. I once saw the original production of the play “88 Charing Cross Road” in London. There are so many — the one you read sounds good.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hi Mae, thanks. There are so many bookshop books. I liked Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore too … Sloan is talented and I read his Sourdough novel too. I liked both … and I saw the movie of 88 Charing Cross Road. Very good. These are some of the best ones, I agree. Have a great week.
I just heard Percival Everett speak last night at our local university. He was super interesting and explained a number of things about the book that really helped me to understand it better.
Wow Helen, that’s fantastic! Hearing Percival Everett speak in person would be great. I heard him once on the New York Times podcast in early summer perhaps. I liked hearing him talk about the making of James. So interesting you got to hear him. Enjoy your week.
Our library just went through a transition from one catalog system to another, with a week or so of disruption. But not so bad as to be completely nonfunctional. That’s alarming! I hope they get it sorted soon and that other libraries learn from it. So sad that a library would be a target for that sort of thing.
Hi Joy, I’m nervous about when the city’s library system here will return. I think Toronto’s library system had some kind of similar cyber-security problem earlier in the year and it was out for around 5 months!! Yikes. I don’t understand what makes it out for so long. But one can not check out, or return books right now, ugh! I’m glad your library system is back after a week. We will see how long it takes … so far it’s been since Oct. 18. Hmm. Thanks for your concern.
I love that picture with the snowy mountains in the distance.
I voted by mail and got confirmation that my vote was received and counted.
That is bizarre about the library system being shut down! I would need to be locked up, not sure if in jail or an asylum, if that happened to my library system.
Sorry you missed the one bookish event but sounds like you caught some others.
I liked the first half of the bookshop book but had to slam it shut and DNF for the second part.
Hi Jinjer, good to hear. So great you voted & got confirmation. I don’t get a confirmation with Absentee voting, but I wish I did.
The library system being shutdown here is making me bonkers. What could be happening? I heard the Toronto system was once shutdown for around 5 months! This better not happen.
The Morisaki Bookshop had a definite change between Parts 1 & 2 … and I liked Part 1 better. But luckily I was able to keep on and ended up liking it overall. I will read the sequel which I heard others liked perhaps better.
Have a great week.
I used to post on a regular schedule, but now I write pretty much when I have a book review to share. Or my monthly summaries. I need/want to get back to my Friday posts when I would share a review about a book that I read before I started blogging (“Looking Back”). I don’t think I’ve done one of those since our trip to the Tetons. I also used to do a “Wordless Wednesday” but that fell by the wayside, too. Good luck with your Friday posts!
Those snow-capped mountains (the Rockies, right?) look beautiful. Do you recognize any of the peaks?
I plan to start listening to James in a few more weeks. November is always “Nonfiction November” for me, so I’m going to finish up Say Nothing and jump right into Stanley Tucci’s latest book (on audio).
We’re on the road again, and we’ll either be driving or just getting home on Election Day. We’ve already sent in our ballots, but I’d like to be home to watch the returns on TV (although I doubt anything will be decided on the 6th), as well as be home away from whatever craziness might be happening out in the world. I’m very nervous about the state of our country in the coming weeks. I even looked into my dual citizenship with Canada…
Hey Lesley, I hope I can keep to Friday posts. Something always comes up right? But I like how your posts seem regular — when you’re not on a road trip.
I will look for your reviews for the nonfiction books. They usually take me a bit longer to read & think about.
Yeah the election is a worry. My anxiety is high and hopefully no chaos ensues. What did you find out about your citizenship? Do you have it here? We welcome you to be here. It would be great if you could get two passports. I have both but I still worry about the state of the world. I hope you enjoy your road trip! I will check out your recent posts soon. ps. the photo shows the foothills … and those peaks in the background are the start of the Rocky Mountain range … 🙂
Near as I can tell from my research online, I have dual citizenship, which is what I’ve always been told. I should go ahead and get my Canadian passport just to get that out of the way. Then we’ll see what happens in the coming years. We wouldn’t move while my mom is still alive, but you never know what we’ll do further down the road. I would love to live somewhere on Vancouver Island.
Yes that would be great if you got a Canadian passport. It was a bit of a hurdle to get mine – you might need to go to an office here. But Van Isle would be a nice place to live — not sure if it’s as nice as the Cove but some of the places are very nice.
What an amazing landscape! I am currently reading a Japanese detective story. I really enjoy reading stories that take place from different parts of the world. The Morisaki Bookshop sounds good!
Hi Olivia, thanks. Now that we’re more rurally based I seem to take more photos here. Many of the Japanese detective novels are excellent I’ve heard. And I haven’t read a bad Japanese Lit book yet, so I will continue to pick a few up each year. Hope you enjoy the book! Have a great week.
Your photo is stunning… it almost looks like a painting! James seems to be the chosen novel this year and I wonder if it will go on to win everything? Time will tell.
I started reading Days at the Morisaki Bookshop earlier this year, but had to return it to the library. Don’ think I even as far as part two. So far I haven’t made the effort to check it out again… guess I wasn’t really invested in it.
Good luck posting on a regular schedule. I’ve gotten to the point where I just post when I can, but seem to have fallen into a weekend schedule anyway!
Hi JoAnn, thanks, I took the photo earlier this week. We got some new snow on the mountain peaks. But it’s very windy here today.
Wouldn’t it be nice if I could stick to Friday posts? But something always comes up, so I will see. I often see yours on the weekends, which is good to look for.
I guess many readers of the Morisaki Bookshop didn’t like Part 2 as much. But Part 1 & 2 of the audio worked for me, though I liked Part 1 better. It is a slight book and could’ve gone a bit deeper. It’s a bit of a coming of age tale. The girl becomes a better person by the end, thanks to her Uncle I think. I hope you are liking your reads. Have a great week.
That is a gorgeous photo. From what vantage point did you get that? I might say it is my favorite photo on your blog so far, but I really enjoy photos of the dogs.
I read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and my assessment was much like yours. Not the best Japanese novel I have read, but I liked the characters and the journey they take and I will read the second book in the series.
I am feeling anxious about the election. I don’t think it affects my reading, but I have a hard time focusing on anything else. We will take our ballots into a ballot box next week.
Hi Tracy, thanks much. The photo was taken on a hill above where we live, so those homes in the distance are where we are. We’ve enjoyed moving here in 2023. It’s more peaceful to us than where we were in the city.
And that’s good you liked the Morisaki Bookshop story too. I think I will read the sequel sometime as well. I hear some like it better. Hmm.
The election is certainly a worry. It’s great you’ll be voting this week. I don’t know what to think at this point. Cross fingers tightly.& tell everyone to vote.
Enjoy your week. & book escapes.
I have Days at the Morisaki Bookshop on my list to read, hopefully soon. I am enjoying that whole genre this year. And I voted too!
Hi Erin, that’s great. And voting early seems the way to avoid lines.
I hope you like the Morisaki Bookshop … I enjoyed it and I seem to be liking Japanese lit more & more. Have a great week.
Hi Susan,
All fingers crossed as we nervously wait for election results.
I really enjoyed The Husbands! Not exactly a time travel novel, but definitely a unique premise. A fun read for me.
Jillann
Thanks Jillann. Goodness knows we need the right outcome more than ever. We’re on pins & needles here.
Good to know about The Husbands, yay! The author seemed funny and I liked hearing her thoughts at the book festival. The book sounds like fun, glad you thought so! And I might need it soon. I always need to mix those in with the too serious ones, lol.
Hope all is well there. Happy fall & reading to you! thx for the input, great hearing from you.
Hope you are feeling better and that’s ashame you missed Rachel Kushner. Great you did get to see and hear Roddy Doyle and Anne Enright. I have The Safekeep on my library holds right now.
Gorgeous photo you posted, what a lovely area to live. As I am back from Tennessee now I am feeling more relaxed and can read again – yea! Too much going on and I always shot down on my concentration.
Hi Tina, thanks I like when it’s clear to get a glad view of our area. In the 30s today, bahhh. A bit chilly.
Glad you’re back. I’m sure Loki is happier and you can get back in reading mode.
I was bummed to miss Kushner but I have the library audio of her book, so I will check it out. That’s good you have The Safekeep. I look forward to that one. I’m trying to clear the decks a bit so I can crack Ferrante’s book with you next week. We will see what she’s all about. Enjoy your week.
Hi Susan, glad you had a good time at the book festival. My reading is a bit scattered too and I agree it’s probably about the election. I don’t want to go back either. I have already voted and I am hoping for peace.
Days At Morasaki bookshop sounds like a book I need to read. I like the plot idea where a character is at a crossroad in their life and a new setting, the bookshop, gives them new hope.
I hope you will write each Friday and I always look forward to your posts.
Thanks Kathy, that’s nice of you to say. I would like to write each Friday so others can expect it on a certain day. I try to make it readable, lol. I like reading your posts too. 🙂
I guess we’re all a bit scattered now that it’s getting very close to the election. Ugh it’s very anxiety-inducing. Let’s hold out hope! Great you voted early.
And I agree with you about liking books where the protagonist is at a crossroads and needs to find a way. And I rooted for the girl in the Morisaki Bookshop. Her Uncle is a good character that helps her. I will look for the sequel.
Hope you have a great week.
I hope we don’t get our first snow for a while yet, but it has dipped below 32 degrees several nights now. We’ve been having a gorgeous fall this year so I hope it holds for a bit more. Sorry to hear you missed out on that author because you weren’t feeling well! Yeah, I’ll be happy when the election is over. It’s stressful and I hope it doesn’t turn into a prolonged mess. I don’t ever remember things ever being as contentious as it has been since the Trump became a politician. It makes me worry about things like a civil war. It’s nuts.
Hi Rachel, it’s great you’ve had a gorgeous fall there. It makes it nice to prolong things before a rainy winter.
Unfortunately the election didn’t go as hoped and now we have to live with the mess for years to come. What a sad day. Stay well. & happy reading.