Aicha Amano

Before January ends, I want to share with you guys some books that I'm reading lately. It's ironic to note that I'm reading three books, almost juggling them, to use the term lightly. I used to think that  a person should only read a book one at a time, to give the story justice and to give the characters their time to grow on you and to feel the threading of the storyline and one's daily life. But time has been such a commodity lately. It's a currency with a very high trade off so since it's very precious I only trade it off with the most pressing of tasks. Well, anyway, so much for that tired old excuse right? My January reads are pretty diverse, if I do say so myself. I love that all these books were either lent or given to me. It makes it all the more special to end the first month of the new year! It's Like This Cat by Emily Neville Fresh and full of insightful adventures, this story by Emily Neville is an engaging read. It is a YA novel ...

Arriving all the way from USA, I had a tiny traveler plop down right in front of my desk. The moment I held the book, I immediately focused long and hard on the book cover. I've had my small share of contemporary Japanese novels and each had very interesting designs, but not one is as gently arresting as this Schoolgirl by Osamu Dazai published by One Peace Books . Soft yet stark. I'm not one to judge a book by its cover, but it certainly is a good way to hold the interest of the readers. A closer look at the cover would remind one of things that are "beautiful in its simplicity". Everybody knows the Japanese aesthetics, a "set of ancient ideals that include wabi (transient and stark beauty), sabi (the beauty of natural patina and aging), and yûgen (profound grace and subtlety). * " Reflecting at these values, it's wonderful to observe how the cover follows the flow of wabi and yugen, isn't it? But a book should offer more than...