#WITMonth: Sayaka Murata

Today’s post comes to you from Anisha Wilmink Our weird and not-so-wonderful world as seen by Sayaka Murata Sayaka Murata, who works with translator Ginny Tapley Takemori, is known for her short novels that confront and challenge our expectations of social norms and the “right” way to lead a life. I first came across Murata when … Continue reading #WITMonth: Sayaka Murata

#WITMonth: “Sympathy Tower Tokyo”

Today’s post comes to you from Erin えりん The curation of reality through language in Rie Qudan’s "Sympathy Tower Tokyo" August 11 is Mountain Day (Yama no Hi) in Japan, celebrated annually in appreciation of the country's mountainous regions. The choice of date is related to the Kanji character for the number 8 (八), which visually … Continue reading #WITMonth: “Sympathy Tower Tokyo”

Strong Women, Soft Power — by Ginny Tapley Takemori

May GLLI Blog Series:  Japan in Translation, No. 24 Photo courtesy of Jonathan Armstrong, for the Documentist Photography   In 2016, I and my colleagues Allison Markin Powell and Lucy North realized we would all be attending the London Book Fair. We decided to take advantage of this to organize a reading at the Society … Continue reading Strong Women, Soft Power — by Ginny Tapley Takemori

Anglophoned Fiction Favorites — by Smithsonian BookDragon Terry Hong, part 1

May GLLI Blog Series:  Japan in Translation, No. 12 My two unfinished almost-ABD*-PhDs still makes my mother cringe. I know, I know: even in middle age, my tiger mother looms, not to mention I still have occasional nightmares about missing seminar with my beloved, last advisor. His passing remains my excuse for academic desertion, but … Continue reading Anglophoned Fiction Favorites — by Smithsonian BookDragon Terry Hong, part 1