"'Kagakuteki'-tte Nanda!" by MATSUI Takafumi and MINAMI Shinbo

Mr. Masui is a professor studying planetary sciences at Tokyo University, and Mr. Minami is an illustrator. Both two are almost 60 years old, and they talked about science, understanding, education, wants, study on lotus, and so on...

The title means "What is 'scientific'!".

(Finished reading on Feb.24, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* MATSUI Takafumi : 松井孝典
* MINAMI Shinbo : 南伸坊
* 'Kagakuteki'-tte Nanda! : 「科学的」って何だ！

"Romajin-no Monogatari (XIV)" by SHIONO Nanami

This fourteenth book of the "Roma-jin no Monogatari" series contains the history of the Roman Empire between Constantinus and Theodosius, which corresponds to the middle and the later 4th century. Some researchers insist that the Roman Empire was destroyed at the end of Diocletianus, but Shiono continues writing this series until the last people who have Roman spirit was died.

The contents of this book is as follows.

The 1st part: Emperor Constantinus (Reign: 337-361)
The 2nd part: Emperor Julian (Reign: 361-363)
The 3rd part: Saint Ambrose (Reign: 374-397)

As you can see, the 3rd part is not titled 'Emperor Theodosius' but 'Saint Ambrose'. Theodosius declared the Christianity as the Roman national religion, and Bishops had more power than the Emperor! So the subtitle of this book is 'Kirisuto-no Syouri' which means 'The Victory of Christianity'. The end of the Roman Empire will come soon...

(Finished reading on Feb.23, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* SHIONO Nanami : 塩野七生
* Roma-jin no Monogatari : ローマ人の物語
* Kirisuto-no Syouri : キリストの勝利

"Golden Slumber" by ISAKA Koutarou

Mr. Isaka is a popular Japanese writer, who went to Tohoku university in Sendai, and he sometimes writes stories whose main stage is in Sendai. I also went to the same university, and I know much about Sendai than other cities like Tokyo or Osaka. So I like his stories very much! ^^

The new Prime Minister KANEDA paraded in Sendai, his home city. During the event he was killed with a bomb carried with radio-controlled helicopter.

AOYAGI Masaharu was a normal driver who worked in a home-delivery company. One day he caught a robber at a famous pop woman idle's house, and he became well-known to many people. Then he was fitted up for the murder by a huge unknown group... maybe the country or the government. Like this his escape life has begun...

(Finished reading on Feb.21, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* ISAKA Koutarou : 伊坂幸太郎
* Golden Slumber : ゴールデンスランバー

"Holmoo Rokkei" by MAKIME Manabu

This book contains six side-stories of "Kamogawa Holmoo". Yes, that very interesting story is returned again! These side-stories are mostly love stories in old and present times and in the east and the west of Japan. These stories also contains mathematical, Japanese, English, and historical matters. So many students can also enjoy this book! ^^;;;

1. Kamogawa [Syou] Holmoo (The [small] Kamogawa Holmoo)
2. Roma-fuu-no Kyuujitsu (Roman-style Holiday)
3. Mottyan (Mottyan [a person's name])
4. Doushisya-Daigaku Kouryuu-Jin (Yellow Dragon Camp of Doshisya University)
5. Marunouchi Samitto (Summit conference in Marunouchi)
6. Nagamochi-no Koi (Love with an old cloth box)

(Finished reading on Feb.17, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* MAKIME Manabu : 万城目学
* Holmoo Rokkei : ホルモー六景

"99.9 Percent-ha Kasetsu" by TAKENOUCHI Kaoru

Why do airplanes fly? In reality the mechanism that airplanes fly has not been understood yet. As this example shows, science is not perfect.

Then what should we do in our daily life? How should we decide many decisions? At first we should recognize that 'Science is only hypotheses'. That recognition will change the way of thinking, decision, action in our daily life.

(Finished reading on Feb.16, 2008)

I read this book in the book store, too, so I have no picture of this book ^^;;;


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* TAKENOUCHI Kaoru : 竹内薫
* 99.9 Percent-ha Kasetsu : ９９．９％は仮説

"Hankyu Densya" by ARIKAWA Hiro

Hankyu Densya is a private railroad running at Kansai region, the west part of Japan. This district includes large three cities Koube, Osaka, and Kyoto. There run also JR (Japan Railway) and Hanshin Densya. The bodies of Hankyu Densya are chocolate color and run on the mountain side, which is known to be a region rich people are living. So this train is regarded as smart. There is a local line called Imazu-sen in Hankyu Densya lines. Main part of this line has only 8 stations, and it takes about 15 minutes from the end to the other end. But around this line there are many episodes of loves... This book contains such short stories.

(Finished reading on Feb.16, 2008)

I read this book in the book store, so I have no picture of this book ^^;;;


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* ARIKAWA Hiro : 有川浩
* Hankyu Densya : 阪急電車

"Romajin-no Monogatari (XIII)" by SHIONO Nanami

This thirteenth book of the "Roma-jin no Monogatari" series contains the history of the Roman Empire after the crisis of the 3rd century. Diocletianus (Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus) started a system called "Tetrarchy" or "rule of four". He could prevent the entering of northern barbarians with this system, but it failed just after his retirement. Constantinus (Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus) won the following conflicts of Emperors and tried to build a new Roman Empire. He moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople, and allowed the spread of Christianity. But the Christianity was a method for him to control the huge Empire...

(Finished reading on Feb.14, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* SHIONO Nanami : 塩野七生
* Roma-jin no Monogatari : ローマ人の物語
* Saigo-no Doryoku : 最後の努力

"6-jikan-go-ni Kimi-ha Shinu" by TAKANO Kazuaki

Mr. Takano is a Japanese playwright. Though I have not watched any plays written by him, I like his books very much.

This book is a collection of short stories about previsions and the possibility of varying the future. The stories are weakly connected with a psychological graduate student, YAMABA Keishi, who can previse unusual occasions...

* 6-jikan-go-ni Kimi-ha Shinu (You will die in 6 hours)
When Mio was wondering in a downtown, she was talked by a stranger. "You will die in 6 hours!"

* Toki-no Mahoutsukai (Magician who plays with time)
After a long time Mirai went back to her hometown, and she found a girl...

* Koi-wo Shitehaikenai Hi (The day you must not start a love)
Mia had been having boyfriends since she was a junior high school student. But now she became alone, and talked with a so-called fortuneteller. He said her "You must not start a love on next Wednesday"...

* Doll House-no Dancer (A dancer in a doll house)
Miho has been trying to become a professional dancer for long time, but recently she begin to wander...

* 3-jikan-go-ni Boku-ha Shinu (I will die in 3 hours)
Mio began to work in the bridal world after she was helped by Keishi. When she met him after 3 years, he prevised that he will die in 3 hours...

* Epilogue - Mirai-no Nikkityou (Epilogue - a future's diary)
After a disgusting incidents at work, I walked home on a different way to the usual one, and found an antique store. I bought a diary there, and...

(Finished reading on Feb.11, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* TAKANO Kazuaki : 高野和明
* 6-jikan-go-ni Kimi-ha Shinu : ６時間後に君は死ぬ
* Toki-no Mahoutsukai : 時の魔法使い
* Koi-wo Shitehaikenai Hi : 恋をしてはいけない日
* Doll House-no Dancer : ドールハウスのダンサー
* 3-jikan-go-ni Boku-ha Shinu : ３時間後に僕は死ぬ
* Epilogue - Mirai-no Nikkityou : エピローグ　未来の日記帳

"Romajin-no Monogatari (XII)" by SHIONO Nanami

This twelfth book of the "Roma-jin no Monogatari" series contains the history of the Roman Empire between Caracalla and Carinus. During this 87 years in the 3rd century 22 Emperors appeared and disappeared, and it is called 'The crisis in the 3rd century'. The subtitle of this book is 'Meisou-suru Teikoku' or 'The wondering Emperor' which expresses the situation of the Roman Empire in this period.

(Finished reading on Feb.11, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* SHIONO Nanami : 塩野七生
* Roma-jin no Monogatari : ローマ人の物語
* Meisou-suru Teikoku : 迷走する帝国

"Jyoshidaisei Kaikeishi-no Jikenbo 5" by YAMADA Shin'ya

This is the fifth book of 'Jyoshidaisei Kaikeishi (a female college student working as an accountant)' series. The main characters are FUJIWARA Moemi (Moe), the heroin and a female college student working as an accountant, and KAKIMOTO Kazuma (Kakkii), a junior partner of Moe and a male accountant. In this book MURASAKI Yukari, an additional junior partner of them, appears. As a team they audit companies, and approaches to secrets of the companies...

The two new books of this series (No.5 and 6) were published after a blank about three years, and these are the last volumes of this series. And the last two volumes have a continued story, but I have not gotten the sixth book yet... -_-;

Anyway during the last three years the circumstances around audits (at least in Japan) changed very much, and the contents are written in consonance with the new situation - in particular the internal control is emphasized. Of course we can enjoy the story. In addition to this we can also study the audits with reading this book!

(Finished reading on Feb.3, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* YAMADA Shin'ya : 山田真哉
* Jyoshidaisei Kaikeishi-no Jikenbo 5: 女子大生会計士の事件簿５

"1995 Nen-no Smoke on the Water" by IGARASHI Takahisa

This is my first trial to read the book written by Mr. Igarashi.

In 1995 there occurred some unhappy occurrences in Japan: the miserable earthquake at Hanshin-Awaji district in January, and the dirty attack with sarine nerve gas on the Tokyo subways in March, etc. And the Mrs. Iguchi and her family was also involved in some incidents: her son failed the entrance exam to a high school, her husband was moved to an inexperienced department in his company, and herself ... she started to play the guitar in a band which is a gather of householders...

Very good family story! You can enjoy very much! (^_^) The title means "'Smoke on the Water' in 1995", and the 'Smoke on the Water' seems to be a famous rock music, though I don't know...

(Finished reading on Feb.2, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* IGARASHI Takahisa : 五十嵐貴久
* 1995 Nen-no Smoke on the Water : １９９５年のスモーク・オン・ザ・ウォーター

"Kitsune-Yami" by KITAMORI Kou

This is the second book of 'USAMI Touko series'.

The beginning was bidding in two ancient mirrors called 'Kaijyuu Budou Kyou', though one of these were really a devil mirror whose surface has an image of a secret Yata-crow. After Touko got the mirrors she was involved in incomprehensible occurrences...

(Finished reading on Dec.24, 2007)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* KITAMORI Kou : 北森鴻
* Kitsune-Yami : 狐闇

c.f.
"Kitsune-Wana"

"Romajin-no Monogatari (XI)" by SHIONO Nanami

This eleventh book of the "Roma-jin no Monogatari" series starts from the last 'Five Good Emperors' Aurelius Antoninus through the period of civil wars to Septimus Severus.

The subtitle of this book is 'Owari-no Hajimari' which means 'The beginning of the end'. As this subtitle shows, according to the author SHIONO Nanami, the fall of the Roman Empire had begun already during the period of 'Five Good Emperors'. The empire was too safe to gain experience of wars for Marcus Aurelius before he became the emperor.

And another important thing is the change of the Roman military system by Septimius Severus. With this change the military became very comfortable, and this lead to the separation of civilian people and military people. And later this caused the increase of the military budget and it became a reason of the fall of the Roman Empire. Of course Septimius Severus did this system change, thinking of the Roman military and the Roman Emperor...

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (Reigh: 7 Mar.161 - 17 Mar.180)
Lucius Aurelius Commodus Antoninus (Reigh: 18 Mar.180 - 31 Dec.192)
Publius Helvius Pertinax (Reigh: 1 Jan.193 - 28 Mar.193)
Marcus Didius Salvius Julianus Severus (Reigh: 29 Mar.193 - 1 Jun.193)
Lucius Septimius Severus (Reigh: 2 Jun.193 - 4 Feb.211)

(Finished reading on Jan.29, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* SHIONO Nanami : 塩野七生
* Roma-jin no Monogatari : ローマ人の物語
* Owari-no Hajimari : 終わりの始まり