Shadow Family

This is a book by Miyuki Miyabe. I am turning into quite a fan of this author. This novel is the 3rd that i am reading of this author. Its an english translation done by Juliet Winters Carpenter of its Japanese original.

This story was amazing. Gave me a feeling akin to what i had after watching sixth sense.

The entire story revolves around a police interrogation to catch a murderer. A concept that is explored here is the increasing tendency of people to take to the internet. People in this story seemed to have formed a virtual family with a dad, mom and two children. All the characters doing a role-play of their part.

This makes one wonder about the psychology of such a person. Circumstances that have brought one to do something like this. Why is there an increasing tendency to take to the internet? Internet seems to be a place to give vent to your darkest thoughts & actions. I thought it was popular in the western countries because of the cultural emphasis on individualism. The popularity of the same in Japan or any asian culture is a bit perplexing considering that the cultural emphasis is on "family". But then why would someone try to draw an equivalent in a fantasy world?

It reminds me of a link Tushara sent sometime back about IBM employees conducting a strike in Second life. Now, Second Life is apparently a cyber city. Check out this link for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

This is a translation of an old Japanese tale. The translation has been done by Kawabata Yasunari & Donald Keene.

It is an interesting story of a young, beautiful girl-Kaguya-Hime setting unachievable tasks for five of her suitors. Their failure automatically excludes them from the race to marry her. The emperor also gets interested and tries unsuccessfully to abduct her. Finally, it ends with the young girl returning to her kingdom in the moon leaving behind her parents (who had brought her up). It is known that she is on earth as a punishment for some misdeeds done on the moon.

What is interesting in the story, are the 5 tasks and how failure in these tasks leads to the origin of certain words. I feel that the fact that these words have a corresponding origin in English is a bit far-fetched.

1^st task:

To obtain the stone begging bowl of Buddha from India (this begging bowl is supposed to emit light). It goes without saying that an imitation is exposed and the bowl is thrown away. The suitor, however, is still diligent in his pursuit of Kaguya-hime. So, people have ever since spoken of surprise at a shameless action as “bowled over”

2^nd task:

To obtain a branch of a tree that grows on a mountain called Horai. This mountain exists in the eastern sea. The tree supposedly has roots of silver, a trunk of gold and bears fruits that are of pearl. Well, another imitation gets caught (the craftsmen betray the owner). People begin to speak of someone as being “stone hearted” if he astonishes others by trying to pass off genuine as a false stone.

3^rd task

To bring a robe made of fur of Chinese fire-rats (this supposedly does not burn in fire). Another imitation-another embarrassment. The word here is “abeyance”. When a plan is not carried out it falls into abeyance.

4^th task

To bring a jewel that shines five colors and is found on a dragon’s neck. The suitor here makes a sincere attempt at obtaining something like this. It ends in a failure. He ends up with eyes that look like plums and a engorged stomach. People speak of any ill-starred venture as being “plumb foolish”

5^th task:

To obtain the easy delivery charms of a swallow (that aids in easy delivery of eggs). This venture ends in the death of the suitor. This rather touched Kaguya-hime. So, something slightly pleasurable has been said to have a modicum of charm.

Unbeaten Tracks in Japan - Isabella L Bird

This book is a compilation of a set of letters that were written by Isabella to her sister. Isabella was one of the first woman adventurers. Check her out. Seems a very interesting personality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_Bird

This book is an account of her travels in Japan in the closing years of the 19th century. This was the era of the Meiji Restoration. This book captures the emotions, the beliefs (through Ito, her guide), the perceptions that Japanese have towards Foreigners at large. This book is also a perception of Japan through the eyes of the foreigner. What i respect about this book is the fact that she has brought out both the good and the bad about Japan. She is equivocal about this country. She attests to certain good elements that i have come to see in Japan such as the safety for women, the prevalent politeness in the society, the congenial behavior of the people, the fairness in their transactions, their accomodative nature and the generally observed industriousness in the people.

She has managed to explore territories in Japan, like the northern part where even regular officials from Tokyo were not requent travellers, that too, at a time when there was minimum information available about those regions. She talks about the inherent lack of information even in areas villages hardly a few kilometres from one another.

Some points that amazed me were the efficiency of the newly introduced railway system that operated in Yokohama & Tokyo and the very well organized cargo system comprising of mules/horses with rates fixed and adhered to by the traders/transporters.

Her travels start with landing in Yokohama. She then takes the train to Tokyo and lands in Shinagawa. God!! this gives me goosebumps as i have travelled in this route quite often and i presently stay in Shinagawa. She has gone into detail of almost every aspect of her trip for e.g: how people are dressed, the food they eat, customs, the description of nature, the ainos and quite a lot more.

This book is full of information for a Nihongophile. There was this section on Nikko and its temples. I was in Nikko last week and was kind of filled with deja-vu looking at the same places which were described by Isabella more than a century ago.

She spent time from May 21st till Dec 18th in Japan. Keep wondering how she was managing her finances. Moreover, she was doing this travel when she was 49. Quite amazing. I wonder how healthy will i be at that age.

Now.. keeping aside all the ga-ga, the only thing i found a bit boring is that after sometime, it kind of gets repetitive till some new experience comes up. The section on nature was getting repetitive till it took a different turn with the floods, the volcanoes and the landslides. Similarly, the section on the people in different villages seemed to be falling in a pattern till she reached the Ainos(who according to her are very european in their features)

It is a good book. A recommended read for anyone who is visiting japan and would like to spend sometime here.

Kwaidan - Stories & Studies of strange things by Lafcadio Hearn

This is quite an interesting collection of short stories on the tales/folklore/folk stories in Japan.

It took me back to similar stories of kandarasami and other such tales i had heard in Chertala & Munnar during my college years. There are interesting stories of Kijins (Goblins), Jikininki - Human Flesh Eaters & ghosts. The Buddhist priests are a revered lot who have solutions to these supernatural beings/phenomenon. I remember a story that happened in the mundakayam to kumily upper stretches. Something similar to a human flesh eating woman eating a child. There was another story of a similar woman walking alongside a bus speeding at around 60kmph.

There were stories of butterflies. People here have a special affection for butterflies. There was an interesting story on ants.

All in all, the book was wholesome entertainment.

The author has a very interesting history. He settled in japan in his final years. He fell in love with this country. I know it is hard not to. :))

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn

White Doves at morning

This is a novel by James Lee Burke. From a brief of his works, i found that he is known for his detective series called Dave Robicheaux series.

This falls outside his regular genre.

It was a nice book. Good reading. Nice to read at a leisurely pace. It takes us through the lives of 4 people (Willie Burke, Robert Perry, Abigail Downing & Flower Jamison) through the civil war in the 1860s. It shows how the war impacted different people differently. It captures the sounds, sights & smell of the time, place, nature and history as it happens.

Good for history buffs. I feel there is a class of people who like reading about people, events and life .. the way it changes over a period of time.. over a lifetime or several lifetimes.. its like seeing my life and that of my ancestors & successors in fast forward.. :).. I seem to fall in that class..

This was a good read.

A Sparrow Falls

Another Wilbur Smith novel. I kind of like his novels as it captures a time way in the past and a place which is a melting pot for culture - Africa. This captures South Africa from the boer time till before the second world war.

The story is fast paced. It is interesting in every page. it captures the political atmosphere, the animosity of the Boers & the English, Communism seeping into South Africa, the first outsourcing outrage, the beauty of africa, zulu trackers and a time that is quite enchanting.

Worth reading. It can be quite ecstatic for a history buff and enthralling for someone who know about Africa and its history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbur_Smith

The Cassandra Compact

Written by Robert Ludlum & Philip Shelby

It is a fast paced book that is gripping right from the beginning till the end. Typical cloak and dagger spy story with a bi-chemical twist. Good time pass.

If one is to think in retrospect - what would my memories be?

-> My first exposure to Bio-chemical weapons and its monstrosities.

-> The extent of impact that one person or a set of individuals can haveif he/she/they is/are determined. In this case, the impact was negative.

-> Also a reminder that negativity & evil go solo. There is rarely a goal or a commitment that all would associate with. In evil, everyone follows his/her own vice.

-> Bullets/armor/machinery mean nothing when compared to bio-chemical weapons. The impact is higher, long lasting and hard to control. What other crazy designs can man come up with for his own extinction?

The plot - a bio-chemical weapon is stolen from russia and smuggled into the US. For it to be potent and come into effect fast, it needs to be activated in space. So, this is stolen into a manned space vehicle. The weapon is unleashed by the head of research killing all but one of his colleagues. The hero tries to stop this at every point starting from Russia to US. His sister-in-law (surprising??.. another family of bright people.??) is the colleague who survives in space. Well, big players are behind this to bring about misunderstanding between the 2 big nations (reminds me the movie - "The Package"). However, finally.. all is well and that ends well.. :)