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Kafka On The Shore

Haruki Murakami-"Kafka On The Shore"
Vintage, 512p.,published 2005, hardback. Read in a bookring (courtesy robert-walker)

Kafka Tamura is 15 years old and he runs from home. Nakata is a strange old man who lost his memories and ability to read due to a weird incident during the Second World War.They never meet in the novel but there is something which connects them.There are a lot of weird things in this novel- men conversing with cats and stones,leeches falling from the sky,a lorry driver who becomes addicted to Beethoven.All of this is wonderfully mixed in a unforgetable world of feelings and subconscious ghosts. Kafka runs through a lot of hardships and difficult decisions but at the end of his adventure he is a kind of re-born and ready to face the world again. This makes me view the book as an original rite-of-passage fiction. There are many myths involved here,making the unique mixture of Murakami`s worlds.I enjoyed this novel greatly.

Who should read this book?
You should pick up this book if you are interested in a good mystery with supernatural elements,put together with good psychological skill and the gift of eloquent narration. Some people find Murakami`s novel too weird,so if you tend to like more usual,kind of everyday life fiction,probably you are not going to like it so much.
If you like this,you can read also:
Sputnik Sweetheart" by Haruki Murakami
Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami
In the Country of Last Things
The New York Trilogy (Contemporary American Fiction Series)

"Arthur&George"- an excellent novel!

I was very pleased with reading "Arthur&George". I would qualify it as an excellent and very English, in the best sense of the word, book. It manages to give an unusual glimpse at the personality of the famous writer. All characters are masterly described. George is unique in his own way. I liked very much his honesty, his ordinarliness, his modesty. Sometimes he is so modest and simple that he can be taken for stupid or unactive. But the truth is that he is described as a very straightforward man. It was an interesting idea to see the creator of Sherlock Holmes into the shoes of his character:-)). Conan Doyle and his assistant were shown very much like Holmes and Watson, in some aspects. I admired the passion with which Doyle was defending George`s case. He not only defended him but believed him and respected him.

The spiritual session was a very good ending, in my opinion. The sudden fantasy of George of people walking as lifetime prisoners was striking and shocking.

"Arthur & George"

Picked up "Arthur&George" by Julian Barnes yesterday. Looks intriguing from the start.

Gave an interview via telephone about Bookcrossing on National Radio late at night. Another friend-bookcrosser was present in the studio. It was good.

"Adrian Mole and The Mass Destruction Weapons" by Sue Townsend- started reading it two days before. Funny.

Philippa Gregory, John O`Farrell and other books

Recently my reading goes very well, I came across some nice books and there are more waiting on my desk. First I read "The Queen`s Fool" by Philippa Gregory. It is the story of the battle for the throne between Queen Mary and Elisabeth, seen through the eyes of a Hebrew refugee- an intelligent girl Hannah. She has travelled with her father from Spain through all Europe to seek safety from persecutions. They settle in London and soon after that she is employed as a "fool" in the court of Mary. She has the gift of seeing in the future but she cannot command it. The Sight comes to her whenever it wishes. Hannah has been educated by her father; she has a strong sense of independance and she is more interested in the complicated intrigues of the court than in a decent marriage. She has a wit,a great sense of her own personality and value,a strong feeling for independance; she is loyal and honest. I liked her story with Daniel which started so slow and unpromisingly at the beginning,but thereafter developed into a beautiful love. I understood completely her disappointment and pain when she discovered that Daniel had a child from another woman.She was a little bit too severe with him and I admit that I was a bit disappointed when she left him but it was quite natural,for she was deeply hurt by his lie,especially after the cold reception from her mother and sisters in law.

Mary and Elisabeth were very well portrayed.I enjoyed the way Hannah analysed them with her sharp intelligence. She balanced very luckily between her several masters: Queen Mary,Robert Dudley and Elisabeth. I don`t know how Hannah managed to stay loyal and symphatetic to Queen Mary when the country was set on fanatic religious fire.Perhaps she understood that in her heart Queen Mary was a deeply hurted and disappointed woman and her unhappiness made her so fanatical about religion.
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"May Contain Nuts" by John O`Farrell.

This time John O`Farrell points his humor towards excessive ambitions of parents to get the best for their children even if this means to cheat the examinators and take the exams themselves! Alice competes with another mother, Ffion, whose children are supposed to excel in everything. Although not so funny as "The Best You Can Get", this book is a good comedy on parenting ambitions.
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"Arthur and George" by Julian Barnes

Going tomorrow to borrow it from the British council library.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

I managed to finish yesterday this huge novel. It was the first of Murakami`s books with which that I experienced some problems. The story is multi-dimensional, including politics and Japanese history-something which was not present in other novels. There are many threads, many characters who on a first sight don`t have anything in common. Sometimes I found it difficult to follow everything and keep it in my head as one whole. Perhaps this book needs a second reading to attain the more subtle meaning and connections. Otherwise, it was an intriguing and satisfying reading, as always with Murakami`s writings.

First wild release for 2006

Today was my first wild release for 2006. The book was "Star of The Sea" by Joseph O` Connor. My husband took a picture of me holding the book before releasing it.

Here is a picture of the book in the wild:

Now with my new digital photo-camera I would like to take pictures of my wild releases but probably it will not be an easy task, especially when releasing at places with many people.

Bookrings and bookrays to start 2006:-))

I decided to clean up a bit my TBR pile and let some books travel before their turn to be read by me comes.

UPDATE:

I had participants only for several of my bookrings. I have deleted those who had no
participants and were cancelled.

Here goes the list:

BOOKRINGS

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/2455045/bookmaniac70/book_-The-Good-Earth-Pearl-S.-Buck
Participants:
nyassa-ici (UK or France)
------>back to me

The Real Life of Sebastian Knight by Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1753131/bookmaniac70/book_-The-Real-Life-of-Sebastian-Knight-Vladimir-Vladimirovich-Nabokov
Participants:
1) okyrhoe (Greece, int.)
2) dospescados (US)
------> back to me


Laughter in the Dark by Vladimir Nabokov
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1196566/bookmaniac70/book_-Laughter-in-the-Dark-Vladimir-Nabokov
Participants:
1)safrolistics (UK, Europe only)
2) okyrhoe (Greece, int.)
3)dospescados (US)
-----> back to me


If you are interested in one or more of them, please send a PM (screen name bookmaniac70) with titles, your location and shipping preferences. The rings are international but if there are no European participants for some of them, those rings are going to be cancelled as I`m not able to send overseas anymore (see my profile for details).

Books read in 2006

Here will go the traditional list of all my readings for 2006:-))


1. "The Little Golden Calf" by Ilf and Petrov (excellent)
2. "You Are Not Like Other Mothers" by Angelica Schobsdorff (very good)
3. "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue Monk Kidd (good)
4. "Moon Palace" by Paul Auster (very good)
5. "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles" by Haruki Murakami (in Russian)
6. "The Jane Austen Book Club" by Karen Joy Fawler (average, not bad)
7. "The Queen`s Fool" by Philippa Gregory (very good)
8. "May Contain Nuts" by John O`Farrell (good)
9. "Adrian Mole and Weapons of Mass Destruction" by Sue Townsend (good,very funny)
10. "As Nature Made Him" by John Colapinto (good)
11. "Deep Waters" by Barbara Nadel (very good)
12. "Standing in The Rainbow" by Fannie Flagg (good)
13. "Harem" by Barbara Nadel (good)
14. "Garata na mechtite"(autobiography of Juri Bashmet)
15. "My Name Is Red" by Orhan Pamuk (re-reading, excellent!)
16. "Lyubov i divi krushi" by Kristin Dimitrova
17. "Himalaya" by Michael Palin (very good)
18. "Kafka On The Shore" by Haruki Murakami (great!)
19. "Lila" by Robert Pirsig (re-reading- great!!!)
20. "A Dinner With a Perfect Stranger" by David Gregory (not bad)
21. "Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov (orig.edition,re-reading- great,great,great!)
22. "Isgubenite magareta" ot Valeri Stefanov (average)
23. "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke (great!)
24. So Many Books So Little Time by Sara Nelson (average)
25. This Is Not A Novel by Jeniffer Johnston (good)
26. Two Moons by Jennifer Johnston (good)
27. Africa Trek: 14 000 km on foot by Alexandre and Sonia Poussin (interesting)
28. The Names of Things by Susan Brind Morrow (very good)
29. Grace and Truth by Jennifer Johnston (bad)
30. The Diaries of Jane Somers by Doris Lessing (good)
31.Anne Tyler- Searching for Caleb
32.- Patchwork Planet

33.Linn Ulmann- Before You Sleep
34.Walter Buchigani- Tell No One Who You Are
35.Mark Spragg- An Unfinished Life
36.Marry Higgins Clark- Kitchen Privileges
37.Melissa Bank- A Girl`s Guide to Fishing and Hiking
38.Carol Shields- Republic of Love
39.Marina Levitska- A Short History of tractors in Ukranian
40.Orhan Pamuk-Istanbul:Memories of the city
41.Barbara Nadel- Arabesk
42.-Belhazzar`s Daughter
43.-Petrified
44.Zadie Smith- On Beauty
45.Lauren Weisberger- The Devil Wears Prada
46.Kate Moses- Wintering
47.Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
48.Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory
49.Baltimor by Jelene Lengold
(updated 02/09/2006)
50.Iron&Silk by Mark Salzman
51.Deadly Web by Barbara Nadel
52. Everything is language by Francoise Dolto (bulgarian translation)
(updated 10/20/2006)
53. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
54.History of Reading by Alberto Manguel
(upd.10/22/2006)
55.Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
56. How Life Begins by Christopher Vaughan
57. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
58. Mozart`s Last Year by Robbins Landon
(upd.14/11)
59. Mea Culpa by Anne Holt
60. Everyone Who Is Known by Lauren Weinsberger
61. In Her Shoes by Jane Weiner
62. Death in Venice by Thomas Mann
(updated 07/12/2006)
63, Africa Trek-2- Alexandre and Sonia Poussin
64.The White Masai- by Corine Hoffman
65. Ин@родный артист -by Gidon Kremer (in Russian)
(29/12/2006)

Start of Reading 2006

I met the beginning of 2006 with two books in hand: "The Golden Calf" by Ilf and Petrov (a brilliant satyre of Soviet society in 20s of 20th century) and " You are not like other mothers" by Angelika Schrobsdorff. In the last day of 2005 I received "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue Monk Kidd from a bookring and should start with it soon as well.

Reading Goals for 2006

This year was good for my reading. Many books came through my hands, most of them were really very interesting, some of them even remarkable. I managed to read 77 books, 20 more than in 2004. I kept in time my reading for bookrings and rays, except for two books in the past few months which I retained unusually long.

For 2006 my reading goals will be:

a) Read 100 books
b) Reduce my TBR pile
c) Read more books in Russian
d) Continue to broaden my reading horizon with new writers
e) More wild-release.

Two Murakami books in my mail

Today I got 4 books from the post office, and two of them were by Haruki Murakami:

South of The Border,West of The Sun
Hard-boiled Wonderland and The End of The World

The other books were "Coffee Tea or Me?" by Trudy Baker/Rachel Jones, and "Deafening" by Frances Itani. "Coffee Tea or Me?" is from trade, and the other books are from bookrings.

My reading is not going very well these weeks. I have several books I promised to give to bookcrossers, and I feel pressed by time to read them but I cannot force myself...perhaps this hinders my reading...

A book run away from me!

"Awakenings" by Oliver Sacks showed in action the "karma of the books". It ran away from me through a hole in the plastic bag where I put it while going to the playground with my daughter. I must admit I was not at all happy with this, as I liked the book very much and was yet through the half of it. Let`s hope that it has been picked up by a new reader.

I bought a translation of "Republic of Love" by Carol Shields some days ago. Have not started reading yet...

Yehudi Menuhin`s autobiography received today

http://bookcrossing.com/journal/3366103/bookmaniac70/book_-Unfinished-Journey-Yehudi-Menuhin

Got it as RABCK from Mastulela, UK. I even didn`t know such book existed! It must be awfully interesting and full of great info about outstanding people!

Now reading...

..."Awakenings" by Oliver Sacks. It is my first book by this author. I heard about him from Bookcrossing.com. The story is amazing- it is about a group of patients victims of an epidemy of lethargic illness who subsequently developed Parkinsonian symptoms to various degrees and modes of appearance. Most of them led a primitive and totally reclused existence, shutted from the outer world, from human contact and emotions. In the 60-s they were administered a new medicine called L-DOPA which worked amazing effects on them. The motionless, speechless and dull patients were "awaken", brought to sudden activity and agitation. The book contains the stories of a dozen patients and their fates. I`m amazed by the details about Parkinsonism, the strange receptions of time and space, the infinite depth and mysteries of human conscience and unconscience.

Books reserved for bookcrossers

Books reserved for bookcrossers from relays:

"This Way To The Gas, Ladies and Gentleman"by Tadeusz Borowski----> reserved for DreamSE32 (mailed)

"Samarkand" by Olga Kharitidi----> reserved for tehuti

"I very nomi" by Andrea de Carlo---> reserved for bilbi

Books mailed 10/15:

"Mary Called Magdalene" by Margaret George (bookring)----> to Elestr

"The Stepford Wives" by Ira Levin (Surprise bookrings)----> to benjymouse

"Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress" by Dai Sijie (bookray)---> mirp

Books mailed 10/10:
(from bookrelays)

"Reading Lolita in Tehran"----> to crimson-tide

"Vita di Casa" by Rafaela Sarti"---> to AnglersRest.

Books I owe to other bookcrossers

I owe to send the following books:

Reading Lolita in Tehran>>>>> to crimson-tide (mailing tomorrow)

Three Times Table by Sara Maitland>>>> to cougmax

Paradise by Toni Morrison>>>> to summerbreeze

Vita di Casa by Rafaela Sarti>>>>>to AnglersRest (mailing tomorrow)
--------------------------------------------

Getting better with my reading

Despaired as I was recently with my reading, hope returns, as I am close to finish a book of 860 pages just in a week! The book is "Mary Called Magdalene" by Margaret George. It retolds the story of Jesus through the eyes of Mary from Magdala, a controversial personage and a target for many speculations. It is in fact very close to the original Biblical story but is beautifully told. I have to say, I`m quite impressed with it. It was absorbing and moving. There were some subtle meanings and details which often pass unobserved when one thinks about Jesus. I was very content that Mary Magdalene was shown to be in love with Jesus, as it sounds psychologically true and is in no way uncommon. Somehow the writer has managed to soften the question of Jesus`s celibacy, making it look more as a personal mission than as a God`s commandment or repudiation of the flesh. I liked also the natural feelings of rivalry and occasional jealousy in Jesus`s apostles as they should be very natural in such a community. The book made pounder once again over one of the greatest stories of humanity.

Books received yesterday

Books received in the mail yesterday:

American Pastoral by Philip Roth
The Queen`s Fool by Philippa Gregory
(both books courtesy to LoveTeaAndBooks who sent me "American Pastoral" as surprise book along with "The Queen`s Fool")
The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric

I`m slow with reading these days, as I had much work. I only manage to read about 50 pages every night from "Mary Called Magdalene" by Margaret George. I like it. It creates in you a feeling of those past times and provides an interesting view of Jesus as a historical personality and his mission.

Books received

I received two books two days ago:

"Awakenings "by Oliver Sacks
and
"This Way To The Gas, Ladies and Gentleman" by Tadeusz Borowski

both from relays.

I`m not very good with my reading these days....went back to work this week and I`m still getting used to it, after long holidays:-)).