Wasn't sure whether to restrict it to only Japanese books or not, but I guess it might get some sort of action if the language is not a factor. Could give us some new ideas on what's interesting or good. Have not seen a similar thread on these forums, and for the sake of my reputation I hope this doesn't currently exist, lest you all hate me. For the record, it doesn't have to be just books.

So yesterday I bought the Japanese version of the Magic Tree House series, as you might know from when we were kids. Or at least that I remember. So it's appropriately called マジック・ツリーハウス and this is book #24:「ダ・ビンチ空を飛ぶ」. The main characters are still Jack and Annie, and it of course has the theme of traveling to different time periods and locations.

Very beginner friendly with furigana for all of the kanji. Sure I'm only on page 3, but it's the first book I bought and really want to put effort into. I've been studying Japanese for about 2 years and haven't really gotten anywhere! I NEED PROGRESS!

東野圭吾「予知夢」
ひがしのけいご 「よちむ」


and

Breaking into Japanese Literature

キッチン・吉本ばなな

My first book. Almost finished!

gibosi Wrote:キッチン・吉本ばなな

My first book. Almost finished!

I've read it. Was good.

The manga, Deadman Wonderland.

After I finish that, I might go back to the second book of the 魔女館へようこそ series, or I might start the キノの旅 series.

Samurai Champloo and Inuyasha

..light easy stuff for a train or plane

I'm reading フラグメント超進化生物の島


It was recommended by Hideo Kojima in his podcast

筒井康隆（つついやすたか） 「時をかける少女」

I like to play to the visual novels (PSP or computer), it's like books but with sound and background.

I am currently reading Clannad.

But it's been on and off for so song, as I read in Japanese about as often as I read in English (aka...next to never...) so I'm still only about 100 pages in.

which I have been reading on and off for ages.

and



which I just started yesterday but seems relatively easy to read.

Currently working through 鋼の錬金術師 vol 2 and starting on 狼と香辛料 vol 1 (novel series, not the manga). Which one I read depends on the mood




Probably start on サムライチャンプルー vol 2 after I finish fullmetal

I am reading seven manga series and one light novel right now, but a special mention will go to the series that I haven't previously read in English:





The other series are よつばと!、けいおん!、コードギアス　反逆のルルーシュ、らき☆すた and あずまんが大王 and the novel is 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱. Like Asriel, I've also been reading it on and off for several months now. I don't think that it was a good choice for one's first light novel - the dialogues are okay, but the only reason I can understand much of Kyon's narration and Nagato's monologues is the fact that I have read the novel in English and watched the series three times (En-dub, En-sub, J-sub).

Slowly getting through this.



I'll finish off the オタク文化 parodying ちゆ12歳 next.

I'm reading しあわせは子猫のかたち　by 乙一（おつ・いち） (ISBN 9784046311467)

I enjoyed the title story, which was fairly short and easy, and I enjoyed it a lot. The other (longer) short story in the book is called 失踪ホリデイ and I'm still getting into it... haven't decided if I like it yet or not.

I'm reading a forum nowadays in hungarian, about how to commit....well you know the rest I'm getting some ideas, plus 2 weeks ago, 2 girls did it in a car, with chemicals.... the idea comes from Japan, so there is the connection

Raschaverak Wrote:I'm reading a forum nowadays in hungarian, about how to commit....well you know the rest I'm getting some ideas, plus 2 weeks ago, 2 girls did it in a car, with chemicals.... the idea comes from Japan, so there is the connection

Double suicide?

I am reading "What you reading?"
http://forum.koohii.com/showthread.php?tid=466&page=1

usis35 Wrote:I am reading "What you reading?"
http://forum.koohii.com/showthread.php?tid=466&page=1

Okay, but that thread is from 4 years ago.

I like it... It's interesting with the atmosphere of the book. also it's got some literary value. It would be like 3.5/5 for me or maybe 4/5.

I have a thing against book that is made up of a collection of short stories since they tend to be not that good. like it's either only 1 story is worth reading, only a couple, or they're all medoicre.

Luckily I broke this preconception with a honda takayoshi? 本多 孝好 because all the short stories in his book were interesting and I loved the atmosphere and the way he writes in general. mono no tawomure is a collection of short stories but it's not really stories which is what makes it good? hard to explain.

My only beef is that the sentences are really long like 3-4 lines. I sorta like the long sentences because of the advantage of long sentences but then at the same time I have to pay attention that much more because it's so long. But seriusly this book has some of the longest sentences I've seen and I've read like 20/30 books so far in JApanese.

I have this thing with reading amazon reviews after I finish reading the book (though I also check if the stars are really low or high to check if it's worth reading/finish reading.. etc)

so i'm just going to copy paste parts of reviewsh from amazon that I agree with.

　松浦寿輝の小説はまさに「喫茶・並木」のような味わいである。“ふと人の気配の途絶えた他人の家にするりと入りこみ、束の間の居候のようにして仮の時間を過ごすといった奇妙な快楽”。
　紹介した「並木」のほかにも、“無関係”の関係の居心地のよさ、仮の時間を過ごす快楽を、束の間味わえる魅惑的な短編が詰まっている。夢と現にことさら境界線を引きたがるような人にはまったく向いていない小説ではあるけれど。

一文、一文にこめられた意味と無意味。
読んでいて苦にもならず、頭を重たくすることもなく、
ただただ、読者の胃腸にずんずん入り込んでくるような
文体。
正直、これほどの美文家は、夏目漱石以来だと思っている。
（あまり賛同者は多くはないだろうが）

活字だけを追って、読んでいる自分自身の精神がうねり、
動き出す作品は、そうそう多くない。

oh and I didn't know they sold toki wo kakeru shoujo separately since it's just a short story... like short but it does say it's $2. but anyways when i read o kakeru shoujo when it was in a collection of short stories thing and it was the only story worth reading... the rest were just eh..

Es2Kay Wrote:http://uploadpic.org/storage/2011/NPo6lX...Nydd04.jpg

筒井康隆（つついやすたか） 「時をかける少女」

might get that one

Things I'm currently halfway through:
日本語の奇跡 : ; 永遠の森 : ; 陰翳礼讃 :

(Pop-sci history of the Japanese writing system, which started off easy and has got a little harder in the chapters dealing with the Buddhist history and influence; a Seiun-award winning bit of SF which I can't quite decide whether I like; and a book of essays by Tanizaki which I've found a very difficult but rewarding read.)

Right now the manga I'm reading is うずまき by 伊藤潤二



and the book I'm reading is 宇宙の声 by 星新一.

Also, might be reading this one, just 'cause i like the title 「くたばれ、ジャップ野郎！」

=D