"Watakushi-Ritsu in Ha- Matawa Sekai" (My Rate Is In My Teeth, Or The World) by KAWAKAMI Mieko

Ms. Kawakami is a young Japanese singer and a writer. This year she won the Akutagawa prize which is a famous prize for great novelists in Japan. This book contains two stories. The title's one was also a candidate of last year's prize. Anyway this is my first experience to read her book. But...


* Watakushi-Ritsu in Ha- Matawa Sekai ("My Rate Is In My Teeth, Or The World")
a story of a female stalker who thinks her back teeth are herself

* Knajiru Senmonka Saiyou Shiken ("A Feeling Specialist - Interview For Employment")
a story of a woman who argue back to a pregnant mother - "Do you understand what bearing children is?"


I found many good comments with confusions on various web-sites. But, I'm sorry, these stories are not my taste. From the beginning I cannot understand the meaning of the title at all (^^;;; Probably I will not read the prized book...

(Finished reading on May 5, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* KAWAKAMI Mieko : 川上未映子
* Watakushi-Ritsu in Ha- Matawa Sekai : わたくし率　イン　歯ー、または世界

"Gyofu Maruko-no Mita Yume" (A Dream Of A Fisherman Marco) by SHIONO Nanami and MIZUTA Hideho

This is a picture book written by Ms. Shiono. The illustrations are drawn by Mr. Mizuta. I don't know him, but the pictures are good.

Marco was a 16-year-old fisherman who lives on an island Lido off Venice. Usually he passed the captured fishes to his boss, but one day the boss was inconvenient and Marco had to go to Venice by himself. And he caught a glimpse of the adult world...

(Finished reading on May 3, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* SHIONO Nanami : 塩野七生
* MIZUTA Hideho : 水田秀穂
* Gyofu Maruko-no Mita Yume : 漁夫マルコの見た夢

"Mizu-no Meikyuu" (An Aqua Maze) by ISHIMOCHI Asami

A long mystery written by Mr. Ishimochi.

An mobile phone was delivered to the curator of Haneda aquarium, which is run by Tokyo and local companies. Then someone began to attack the displayed creatures not completely but carefully avoiding the deaths. After the matter an e-mail which suggests the criminality was sent. The aquarium was open, and there were many people there. So the curator decided to delay the report to police to avoid the confusion. But a staff died... His death is a suicide? or an accident? or a murder? And what is the aim of the criminal(s)???

The dream of Mr. Katayama, who died three years ago of this matter, is very nice!

(Finished reading on Apr. 29, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* ISHIMOCHI Asami : 石持浅海
* Mizu-no Meikyuu : 水の迷宮

"Hyouka" (Ice Cream) by YONEZAWA Honobu

Mr. Yonezawa is a Japanese writer, who once has written light novels and recently beginning to write normal novels especially mysteries.

This book is the first book of 'Koten-bu' series. 'Koten-bu' means a group whose members are interested in classical things. In this story it is the group in a senior high school.

A high school student, OREKI Houtarou, has a motto to live with economizing energy. He will not act by himself unless that leads to save energy. His elder sister was completely different from him. She is wondering all around the world. She celebrated his entrance to the high school from far away, and ordered 'Enter the Koten-bu!', because the club will be vanished unless nobody enter on the year. Houtarou decided to enter the group, because it will cost more energy to quarrel with his sister rather than to enter the club. But other person, CHITANDA Eru, also entered the club on the spring...

I have already read the third book of this series. This is very interesting. In particular the character of Houtarou is very good! (^_^)


FYI:
'Koten-bu' series:
* Hyouka [Ice Cream] : 氷菓 <= this book
* Gusya-no Endoro-ru [The End Role of Fools] : 愚者のエンドロール
* Kudoryafuka-no Jyunban [The Order of Kudryavka] : クドリャフカの順番
* Toomawari-suru Hina [Chicks Making a Detour] : 遠まわりする雛

(Finished reading on Apr. 29, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* YONEZAWA Honobu : 米澤穂信
* Hyouka : 氷菓

"Neko-to Hari" (Cat and Needle) by ONDA Riku

The first play written by Ms. Onda. On the way back from a funeral, five men and women gathers and talks...

Though the title is "Neko-to Hari" or "Cat and Needle" in English, the contents has almost no relation with the title. (^_^;;; I was slightly disappointed the contents, but the additional diary is very interesting! We can see the backstage situation very clearly. (^_^)

(Finished reading on Apr. 27, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* ONDA Riku : 恩田陸
* Neko-to Hari : 猫と針

"R-no Tsuku Tsuki-niha Ki-wo Tsukeyou" (Be Careful on the Months Containing R) by ISHIMOCHI Asami

Let's talk over nice alcohols and delicious dishes! During the conversations he will solve small mysteries!

NAGAE Takaaki, KUMAI Nagisa, and YUASA Natsumi are drinking friends since they were students at a university. After start working various guests (one at a time) are welcome to the party to refresh the mood. They eat, drink and talk a lot, and Mr. Nagae, who was called a man who sold his soul to devil to get his brain, solve many small mysteries during the party...


* R-no Tsuku Tsuki-niha Ki-wo Tsukeyou [Be Careful on the Months Containing R]
single malt from Islay island in Scotland & raw oyster with KASHIWAGI Hitoe

* Yume-no Kakera Men-no Kakera [A Fragment of Dream, A Fragment of Noodle]
beer & chicken noodle with TSUKAMOTO

* Yakedo-wo Shinaiyouni [Be Careful not to be Scald]
Oregon wine & cheese fondue with SUDA Asuka

* Nonbiri-to Jikan-wo Kakete [Slowly Taking a Long Time]
Awamori, a Japanese sake in Okinawa, & boiled square pork with AKAO

* Karada-ni Yokutemo Hodohodoni [Do Moderately Even If It Is Good for Health]
Japanese sake at Shizuoka & ginkgo nuts with SHIOTA Ritsuko

* Akuma-no Kisu [Devil's Kiss]
brandy & pancake made from buckwheat flour with FUYUKI Kenta

* Kemuri-ha Bijin-no Hou-he [Smoke Will Flow to the Beauty]
Champagne piper-heidsieck & smoked salmon with FUYUKI Kenta


Honestly speaking, I have little interest in foods and drinks, but this book is very nice and I enjoyed very exciting mysteries!

(Finished reading on Apr. 27, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* ISHIMOCHI Asami : 石持浅海
* R-no Tsuku Tsuki-niha Ki-wo Tsukeyou : Ｒのつく月には気をつけよう
* Yume-no Kakera Men-no Kakera : 夢のかけら　麺のかけら
* Yakedo-wo Shinaiyouni : 火傷をしないように
* Nonbiri-to Jikan-wo Kakete : のんびりと時間をかけて
* Karada-ni Yokutemo Hodohodoni : 身体によくても、ほどほどに
* Akuma-no Kisu : 悪魔のキス
* Kemuri-ha Bijin-no Hou-he : 煙は美人の方へ

"Bunmei-toshiteno Kyouiku" (Education from the View Point of Civilization) by YAMAZAKI Masakazu

Mr. Yamazaki is a professor and a current chief chairman of the Central Educational Council organized by the Japanese Cabinet. In this book he is expressing his personal thinking about many educational problems in Japan, but he also strongly writes that these are not the opinions as a chief chairman.

At first he explains the changes of education from ancient Greek to the modern nations. Based on the changes he predicts the final state, and then explains many educational problems currently occurring.

So far I did not have so much interest in education, and I cannot judge the opinion described in this book is very general or very special. However, the description is very easy to understand and very convincing at least for me, and I could build a skeleton on which I can discuss the education.

(Finished reading on Apr. 25, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* YAMAZAKI Masakazu : 山崎正和
* Bunmei-toshiteno Kyouiku : 文明としての教育

"Ruri-no Tigiri" (Bonds of Lapis Lazuli) by KITAMORI Kou

This is the fourth and currently the latest book of the "Hatashi Toukodou" series by Mr. Kitamori. This book contains four short stories. The titles are:

* Narai-bina Shinjyuu [Separated Dolls for Double Suicide] 倣雛心中
* Nigai Kitsune [Bitter Fox] 苦い狐
* Ruri-no Tigiri [Bonds of Lapis Lazuli] 瑠璃の契り
* Kurokami-no Kupido [Cupid with Black Hair] 黒髪のクピド

The title of the last story contains the word クピド. This was finally found to be meant 'Cupid', but in normal Japanese we spell 'Cupid' as キューピッド. So at first I, and probably most Japanese, couldn't get the meaning.

Anyway again many troubles attacks on Touko... I wonder why only she has to suffer from these many troubles...

(Finished reading on Apr. 24, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* KITAMORI Kou : 北森鴻
* Ruri-no Tigiri : 瑠璃の契り

c.f.
"Kitsune-Wana"
"Kitsune-Yami"
"Hiyuuzen"
"Ruri-no Tigiri" <= this book

"Hebiichigo Sanatoriumu" (Indian Strawberry Sanatorium) by HOSHIO Sanae

Hoshio Sanae is a Japanese poet, but she begins to write mysteries, and this book is the first one.

In a female high school SHIRAHATO-Gakuen, students from 7th to 12th graders are studying, a 12th-grade-student fell down from the rooftop and died. She was a member of the art club, and another member of the club had also fallen down and died about a half years ago. Then stories of her ghost and a rumor spread out, and a teacher of Japanese fell down and died. The officials thought that they killed themselves, but a teacher of mathematics began to investigate the matters again. Also two 9th grade students of the art club began to examine the matters independently. They found some suicides and some keywords - novels on the web, plagiarism in the submitted novels, and so on behind the matters...

The title of this book means "Indian Strawberry Sanatorium", and it seems to be the name of a web site.

This book is the second book of 'Mystery Frontier' series published by Tokyo Sougen-sya. This really is a mystery, but causes very strange feeling - integration with others.

(Finished reading on Apr. 19, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* HOSHIO Sanae : ほしおさなえ
* Hebiichigo Sanatoriumu : ヘビイチゴ・サナトリウム

"Tsuki-no Tobira" (The door of the Moon) by ISHIMOCHI Asami

Ishimochi Asami is a Japanese writer. He seems to be writing mysteries mainly, and this book is also a mystery whose title means "The Door of the Moon". This is the first his writing I have read so far.

Two men and a woman got on the flight No.8 of Ryukyu Airline which departs from Okinawa to Haneda at 8 p.m. on July 16th, (maybe)2000. They hijacked the plane just before the take off by holding three babies in hostages. Their requirement is just taking their leader to the airport... not necessary to release him. And they explained their plan to the passengers, and left them relatively freely.

Before long in front of their watch, a passenger died in a lavatory. Did she kill herself? or someone killed her? The hijackers asked a passenger to solve the mystery...

Very interesting story! The character of Mr. Zamami, named by the hijackers after the shirt he wore, is very nice! I would like to continue reading his books.

(Finished reading on Apr. 16, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* ISHIMOCHI Asami : 石持浅海
* Tsuki-no Tobira : 月の扉

"Kyokumen-no Fushigi" by KOHRI Toshiaki

Mr. Kohri is a professor of mathematics, and he has taught the introduction of topology to students at an art college. The title of this book means "Secrets of surfaces", and this book is a collection of memos of the classes. Because this book treats only 2 dimensional surfaces mainly constructed in 3 dimensional space, so it is easy to imagine rather than the 3 dimensional sphere in "Poankare-no Okurimono" by MINAMI Miyako and NAGASE Teruo.

(Finished reading on Apr. 14, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* KOHRI Toshiaki : 郡敏昭
* Kyokumen-no Fushigi : 曲面の不思議