derpinsel.com - pixels, stories and texts by angela solis

Kokoro

This is the first novel that I had to read for my Japanese Literature class for this term. Uh, sabi nila required reading daw ang Kokoro sa Japanese high schools so widely-read talaga ‘tong novel na ‘to sa Japan.

If asked what’s my initial impression about this novel, it’s like Tuesdays with Morrie gone wrong, hehe (although it’s not fair to compare both books kasi pangit kaya yung Tuesdays…). I mean, it’s about an optimistic young guy who crossed paths with an old, intelligent but cynical man. Sige, I can tolerate the cynicism though, at marami rin naman akong natutunan. Maganda naman yung narration, but somehow the book didn’t really capture my attention. Para pa ngang nanadya eh, kasi since the narrator (he doesn’t have a name here) is a university student, there are a lot of statements made by the old man (sensei) na seem to refer to education and life, and it just so happened that most of them are pretty pessimist in nature. Tulad na lang nito.

O tulad nito:

It is true that everybody begins his university career cherishing great ambitions, like a man who sets out on a long journey; and that, after a year or two, most students suddenly realize the slowness of their progress and, seeing that graduation is not far off, find themselves in a state of disillusionment. (173)

Paano ka naman gaganahan niyang mabuhay? Ha ha ha!

Anyhow, isa lang sa ayaw ko dito sa book na ‘to ay yung narrator mismo. Makulit kasi siya. Ang dami niyang tanong. Parang pilit na pilit yung pagpasok niya sa buhay ni sensei. At nakakairita siya, kasi ayoko ng ganung klaseng tao. Kaya siguro wala, sa halip na makisimpatiya ako sa mga iniisip at mga angas niya sa buhay ay naging detached lang ako.

On secrets, books, and going out alone

Lumabas akong mag-isa after ng aking Media Anthropology test kaninang hapon. It’s been a while since I last had a “self” time kasi kadalasan lumalabas ako with friends eh. Anyhow, bali kumain lang ako ng lunch sa school pagkatapos ng test ko, tapos eh pumunta na ako sa Winnipeg Art Gallery para puntahan ang installation ng PostSecret. I missed the book signing last January 17th, sayang.

At oo nga pala, bawal ang cameras sa loob ng gallery so walang pictures. Eto na lang, sa labas ‘to ng gallery. More »

Ex Libris 2007

I passed my 50-book mark! I read more books last year, but the thing is, I was worried that I won’t be able to read as many books as I want to because of school and other activities, such as my student org.

Of course, the books I read varied, but I still read manga this year. The thing is that I decided to concentrate on certain titles instead, as I have read most of my manga and sold some of them (because I lost interest on some of the titles I bought before). I guess it helped a lot that my friends gave me books on my birthday and I “discovered” authors whose works caught my attention. Anyways, my list under the cut! More »

The 50th book

I just finished reading my 50th book, Japan Unbound: A Volatile Nation’s Quest for Pride and Purpose by John Nathan. I bought this book after finding it at Aqua Books last week, and just finished it earlier today.

I cannot say that this is the best book I’ve read so far regarding postwar Japan, but it sure did give substantial insights that made my desire to be a professor of Japanese Studies grow further. I might go around and look for more books to read about the same topic.

Genshiken Volume 8

I know that I cannot give a decent commentary right now, but the only comment that I have about this volume is that I find the whole Ogiue-Sasahara arc of this manga really sweet. I find their love story sweeter and better than Oono-Tanaka, for some reason, probably because I like Ogiue.

“What’s in a Name?” Reading Challenge

I just finished three books (one novel, one manga and one very short self-help book) over the course of three weeks. Which is quite a feat, if you ask me, since I’ve been very, very busy now. But anyway, I just went over the list of the books I’ve read for the past months and I’d say that I did quite a good job catching up with my reading materials. Of course, I’ll be starting the next year reading books because one of my classes requires me to read eight books.

Anyway, I just visited Ate Angela’s reading and writing blog and I stumbled upon the 2008 What’s in A Name? Reading Challenge. Basically, you have to read 6 books in the span of a year, and there should be one book for each six categories. I went over some of the participants’ list and their lists are all good.

Since I have a huge stack of unread and unfinished books here, I decided to go over my personal library in order to cut the huge backlog. Besides, since I always make sure that I get to read a book that’s not related to school, this challenge is a best way to squeeze these titles in. And here’s my list!

A. A book with a color in its title.
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Mishima Yukio

B. A book with an animal in its title.
A Wild Sheep Chase, Murakami Haruki FINISHED: 04/2008

C. A book with a first name in its title.
What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew, Daniel Pool FINISHED: 05/2008

D. A book with a place in its title.
Woman in the Dunes, Abe Kobo FINISHED: 03/2008

E. A book with a weather event in its title.
Snow Country, Kawabata Yasunari FINISHED: 03/2008

F. A book with a plant in its title.
Tree, F. Sionil Jose FINISHED: 08/2008

I wonder if any of you guys on my blogroll are into this thing as well…

Something to look forward to

Managed to get a long time off at work (I won’t be working until Friday next week) so I’ll be able to catch up on my academic and non-academic books. FINALLY. It feels so good falling asleep with a book on hand and then waking up and start reading it where I left off.

Currently finishing Murakami’s Sputnik Sweetheart, by the way. I might start reading The Decay of the Angel by Mishima Yukio.

Also, I already got my booklist for my ASIA2670 Modern Japanese Literature in Translation. I am so excited! We’re going to read and discuss these books:

- Woman in the Dunes (Abe Kobo)
- Setting Sun (Dazai Osamu)
- Masks (Enchi Fumiko)
- Snow Country (Kawabata Yasunari)
- Confessions of a Mask (Mishima)
- A Wild Sheep Chase (Murakami Haruki)
- Kokoro (Soseki Natsume)
- Seven Japanese Tales (Tanizaki Jun’ichirō)

This class is a lovely excuse to discover Japanese literature, yes. :3

Stainless Longganisa

Nakakatawa man ang librong ito, para sa akin ay ito na yata ang pinakaseryosong libro ng sikat na Pilipinong manunulat na si Bob Ong. Para kasi sa akin, napaka-intimate ng librong Stainless Longganisa dahil sinulat ni BO ang tungkol sa mga libro niya, at kung paano na rin sinasalamin ng kanyang mga sinulat ang kanyang pagkatao. Nakita ko ang sarili kong tumatango sa mga salitang kanyang binitiwan, pati na rin sa kanyang mga opinyon tungkol sa pagsusulat, sa kadahilanang nagsusulat rin ako.

Kung titignan naman talaga, halo-halo lang ang sinulat no BO, siguro dahil na rin nagsulat na rin siya tungkol sa kanyang mga aklat na may iba-ibang tema. Pero kung ano ang tatanungin, sa tingin ko ang Stainless Longganisa ay isang libro para sagutin ang madaming katanungang inihain (at ang iba’t ibinato) kay BO noon tungkol sa kanyang mga sinusulat. Kumbaga eh parang nagpa-press conference siya in print form. More »

Feynman’s Rainbow

If I am not mistaken, it took me a year and a half to finish the book Feynman’s Rainbow by Leonard Mlodinow. If you don’t know Feynman, go here. If you don’t know the author of this book, go here.

I got my copy for a dollar a couple of years back, during my university library’s annual booksale. What caught my attention was the cover, as it was really clean with its white and simple jacket. And then I read what was it about, and it was about, well, physics. Knowing that I abhor the subject, and given the idea that the book has a different take on the subject, I decided to buy it.

The book is about physics and its applications, but its main content is about the author’s memorable conversations with his fellow physicist, Richard Feynman. I cannot say that I was bombarded with descriptions about how particular physics-related phenomena work, but it was too much for me. I had to put down the book for a while. More »

Half-Moon

I just received my very first photobook - Nakagauchi Masataka’s Half-Moon. I asked Sybil to buy it for me, and I got my book today. I was really surprised to see how big the book is, but it was all worth it. The shots are really pretty (it was taken in Bali, if I’m not mistaken), and Nakagauchi really is photogenic. I’m a little bit apprehensive with one of the photos there (you have to see it for yourself). Nevertheless, it was… really pretty.

I was expecting glossy pages for the photobook, but… not. I don’t know what you call it, but the texture of the pages is more like your typical photo paper.

I like the B/W shots the most, followed by the night shots at the market.