Japanese Authors – S.B. Howell

Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine

Jul 23, 2024

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by

in 4 Star Books, Asian Authors, Black Comedy, Graphic Novel, Japanese Authors, Race

Shortcomings is a graphic novel about cranky 30-something Japanese-American man (Ben) whose relationship with an idealistic 30-something Japanese-American woman (Miko) is strained by his constant negativity and his undeniable interest in white women.

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

May 17, 2019

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by

sbhowell

in 4 Star Books, Asian Authors, Classics, General Fiction, Japanese Authors, Literature, Memoir, Mental Health

Rating: 4/5, good I originally read this on a plane, quickly, without much thought. I tried to sit down and review it a few weeks ago, but I felt like I didn’t understand it well enough. I looked up Osamu Dazai’s biography and then reread No Longer Human, and it seemed to come into place.…

Diverse Reading Challenge

Feb 16, 2019

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by

sbhowell

in Asian Authors, Black Authors, Japanese Authors, Literature, Race

In my last post, I talked about how writers should read more books by minorities and PoC, and I got inspired to make my own list of books I want to read. I’ve read a couple of books by women and PoC on this blog, but I want to read more, so I’m making a…

Tales of Moonlight and Rain by Ueda Akinari

Jan 19, 2019

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by

sbhowell

in Asian Authors, Classics, History, Horror, Japanese Authors, Literature, Philosophy, Short Stories, Surreal

Rating: 3/5, average (note: I’m rating my experience of reading this, not the quality, which is phenomenal because it’s a Japanese classic. It is beautifully written and painstakingly translated, but quite dry.) Tales of Moonlight and Rain in a nutshell: Ghosts of thwarted noblemen and mistreated women Decrepit thatched-roof houses Lovers undeterred by death Sages,…

My Solo Exchange Diary by Nagata Kabi

Jul 29, 2018

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by

sbhowell

in Asian Authors, Graphic Novel, Japanese Authors, Memoir, Mental Health, Sexuality

Rating: 3/5, average The art in this sequel to My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is even better than that in the first one, but this book seems to be struggling to find more content to talk about. Kabi actually says at the beginning that she couldn’t think of what to draw for a month after she…

The Bride was a Boy by Chii

Jul 22, 2018

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by

sbhowell

in Gender, Graphic Novel, Japanese Authors, Sexuality

Rating: 3/5, average This book is in the same vein as My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness, in fact, Amazon recommended it to me right after I added that book to my cart, so I got this as well. My spouse is undergoing gender transition right now and I thought it might have some helpful tips…

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi

Jul 14, 2018

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by

sbhowell

in 4 Star Books, Asian Authors, Gender, Graphic Novel, Humor, Japanese Authors, Literature, Mental Health, Sexuality

Rating: 4/5 Warning: This review contains spoilers. Warning: This book may trigger those with depression and other mental illnesses. My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is a graphic novel memoir about a woman in her late 20s whose life is stymied by clinical depression, sexual repression, and her parents’ and society’s expectations. Driven to the end…

Japanese Language Review: 「魔女の侘急便」

Jan 26, 2015

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by

sbhowell

in Adventure, Children’s Lit, Classics, Fantasy, Japanese Authors

「魔女の侘急便」が1985年に角野栄子から書いた児童書です。若い魔女のキキの話で、色々面白い瞬間があります。キキは気の強く、おてんばぽい少女ですので、おかしいキャラクタです。でも、私はキキと心が通じる感じがあります。彼女は暖かい性格の少女ですから、彼女の冒険と日常生活について読むことが楽しいです。 1989年にスタジオジブリは「魔女の侘急便」をアニメかにしました。英語で「Kiki’s Delivery Service」と名づけました。アニメバージョンは本と少し違う点があります。諸説には、キキは割りと楽な生活をしている、でも映画でキキは魔法力を失う事である。宮﨑駿は角野栄子に脚本を見せた時、角野さんが断りました。原典と違うすぎるとおもいました。宮﨑駿は角野の家に訪問して、スタジオジブリ。結局、角野さんは賛成して「魔女の侘急便」はアニメにしました。

Category: Japanese Authors