I'm ready to start reading novels in Japanese (I hope) but would like to start gently. Can anyone suggest a book that's both good and fairly easy reading.

Thanks,

Mike

Might be worth having a look at the What you reading? thread as well as the List of free audiobooks thread if you haven't already.

Currently I'm reading ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石。Already knowing the story really helps. There are still plenty of words (even whole sentences) I don't get but it's still possible to follow the story.

Studywise, one thing I like about Harry Potter is that there isn't furigana over every single kanji. For some kanji, they never seem to give the readings. But for the ones where the readings are provided, the reading seems to be given the first time the kanji comes up, then you can see it for a page or two without its reading. Then a few pages later it might appear with its reading again.

p.s. how's the ballroom dancing coming on (or should I not ask)?

EDIT: to specifically answer your question, no! For me, it's hard to put easy read + Japanese into the same sentence, unless you want to have a look at some manga. Something for everyone! Detective Conan, you can't go wrong!

If you've read Harry Potter in English, that's a good place to start in Japanese.
These two books are challenging kanji-wise (no furigana on any joyo-kanji), but intended for young people so they're not all that tough. Probably impossible if you try to look up every word you don't know, but doable if you don't:

僕の世界の中心は、君だ。
世界の中心で愛をさけぶ

synewave Wrote:Might be worth having a look at the What you reading? thread as well as the List of free audiobooks thread if you haven't already.

Thanks. That would have been a better place to post, although most of the recommendations there are manga, which I don't want.

synewave Wrote:Currently I'm reading ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石。Already knowing the story really helps. There are still plenty of words (even whole sentences) I don't get but it's still possible to follow the story.

Studywise, one thing I like about Harry Potter is that there isn't furigana over every single kanji. For some kanji, they never seem to give the readings. But for the ones where the readings are provided, the reading seems to be given the first time the kanji comes up, then you can see it for a page or two without its reading. Then a few pages later it might appear with its reading again.

Good suggestion.

synewave Wrote:p.s. how's the ballroom dancing coming on (or should I not ask)?

Fortunately (for my work) or unfortunately (for my Japanese), I got some additional responsibilities at work that have caused me to put it aside for a while. I haven't forgotten about it. I'll probably get back to it early next year, after our release.

synewave Wrote:EDIT: to specifically answer your question, no! For me, it's hard to put easy read + Japanese into the same sentence, unless you want to have a look at some manga. Something for everyone! Detective Conan, you can't go wrong!

:/

イン・ザ・プール by 奥田英郎 (Okuda Hideo) is good fun. Okuda is an established writer who won the Naoki prize in 2004. The book has been translated into English. I hope this will eventually happen too with his two other books in this series: 空中ブランコ and 町長選挙.

Amazon links:

Original Japanese version:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A4%E3%83%...918&sr=8-3

English version:
http://www.amazon.com/Pool-Hideo-Okuda/d...239&sr=1-1

In case it would help with your studies, I *believe* JimmySeal's second recommendation (世界の中心で愛をさけぶ) was made into a film.

Not only that, it was also made into a TV series and was remade in Korea. And... there?s an English translation available: http://www.amazon.com/Socrates-Love-Nove...124&sr=8-2

Now, someone has to find an audiobook for this one.

I was very impressed with two volumes compiled by Giles Murray, "Breaking into Japanese Literature" and "Exploring Japanese Literature".
The format is similar to "Read Real Japanese", which I previously recommended on the "What You Reading" thread, however these are even more user-friendly, with the original Japanese on the left, a full English translation on the facing page, and every kanji word explained in the bottom half of the page.
The stories in "Breaking Into Japanese Literature" are available as free sound files from http://www.speaking-japanese.com
You can listen to Soseki's "Ten Nights of Dreams" as well as Ryunosuke's "In a Grove" and "Rashomon". All absolutely brilliant examples of the art of short story telling.
Graduates of RTK1 will still find plenty of kanji they might not recognise (there is a great one for "sideburns" for example), but this should only provide motivation to do RTK3 one day.
Sound files for "Exploring Japanese Literature" are not currently available unfortunately, but the stories all give a valuable insight into the complexities of the Japanese psyche. I particularly enjoyed Yukio Mishima's "Patriotism". This in turn led me to read his novel, "Kinkakuji" first in English, and then, partly, in Japanese. He was truly a powerful writer as well as a complete nut-case.

watashimo Wrote:Not only that, it was also made into a TV series and was remade in Korea. And... there?s an English translation available: http://www.amazon.com/Socrates-Love-Nove...124&sr=8-2

Now, someone has to find an audiobook for this one.

Not only that, but the first book I listed is a novelization of the Korean movie, which is based on the Japanese movie, which is based on the second book I listed. As a result, their plotlines are very similar, but they are entirely different books if you don't mind knowing how the story ends. (sorta like watching West Side Story after seeing Romeo and Juliet).

Thanks for all the input. I'm going with 親指さがし, which was suggested on the "What are you reading?" thread. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Mike

Can anyone recommend a decent Sci fi Manga. Im reading some sci fi novels and would like to cross train with manga