Re: Need help choosing a novel to read

From: Michael Cash (mikecash_at_buggerallspammers.com)
Date: 01/12/05 

Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 21:03:02 +0900

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 10:38:48 GMT, "Gavin Steyn"
<gavinDOTsteyn@verizon.net> brought down from the Mount tablets
inscribed:

>Since teaching myself Japanese, I've been trying to read some serious
>literature, but there's one big problem--I've got no idea what novels are
>harder than others. So, although I realize this is a subjective thing, I
>was hoping that if I post the list of novels I've read, along with my
>success, someone could point me to others that could build up my reading
>chops a bit, to the point where I could read, say, "Yuki Guni".
>
>"Yuki Guni" (Kawabata)--almost completely incomprehensible to me.
>"Kinkakuji"(--I thought I was getting it, but when I looked at the
>translation I realized I had missed important stuff--the zen, for instance,
>went right over my head.
>"Bottchan" (Soseki)--Hard to say--I think I mostly understood it, didn't
>think it was funny; does that mean I missed the point?
>Various short stories of Akutagawa--no real difficulty, and I really enjoyed
>these.
>"Hako Otoko" (Kobo Abe) -- no real difficulties, except for one tricky
>section (also enjoyed this)
>"Sasame Yuki" (Tanizaki)--Tricky at first, especially the dialect, but then
>I got into the flow and didn't have major problems.
>A few books by Haruki Murakami--easy.
>A few pop-culture novels (Miyuki Miyabe, that sort of thing)--very easy
>
>I'm looking for some recommendations that will push my Japanese boundaries a
>bit, in addition to being good (that is, I enjoy Murakami, for example (and
>plan to read more), but reading his novels isn't going to push my Japanese
>up to a higher level).
>
>Thanks for any help,
> Gavin (Gavin DOT Steyn AT verizon DOT net)

This will be of extremely limited usefulness, but you did say thanks
for *any* help.....

http://www.sunfield.ne.jp/~mike/pulp.htm 

--
Michael Cash
"I am sorry, Mr. Cash, but we are unable to accept your rap *** in lieu of
a high school transcript."
				Dr. Howard Sprague
				Dean of Admissions
				Mount Pilot College
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