Comments on dolce bellezza: Sunday Salon: Looking To The End of January. And B...

so excited to hear about the upcoming Japanese cha...

2012-01-23T15:02:35.733-06:00

so excited to hear about the upcoming Japanese challenge, with a very nice button, thanks! here are titles I plan to read:
Tale of Genji
Botchan, by Soseki
The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino
“Strangers”/or In Search of A Distant Voice by Taichi Yamada
The Face of Another by Kobe Abe

If I don't wish you on the day, Happy Birthday...

2012-01-23T14:15:45.069-06:00

If I don't wish you on the day, Happy Birthday Bellezza. Hope you have a great year ahead!

I enjoyed JLit 5 challenge tremendously, eventhoug...

2012-01-23T14:14:27.199-06:00

I enjoyed JLit 5 challenge tremendously, eventhough I haven't read as many as I would want to. Only 5. I think this year's read has all been good. here goes:

Confessions of a Mask by Yukio Mishima
Underground by Haruki Murakami
Dance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami
Villain by Shuichi Yoshida
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

I love that Jlit 6 button! it is the most beautiful!! :)

I'm not a very faithful JLC blogger, am I? But...

2012-01-23T09:39:29.451-06:00

I'm not a very faithful JLC blogger, am I? But since I've started 1Q84 (and plan to resume my reading when I fly to Hawaii in early March) and I've had my eye on Out ever since I finished The Devotion of Suspect X, I will definitely join in on JLC6. No, really. :)

And I can't tell you how excited I am for the Venice Challenge. I've got five books in my stacks and can't wait to begin!

I hope your birthday is as lovely as that cake in this post! Did you take the photo? It's stunning!

Bellezza, I'm definitely in for JLC6 - feel ba...

2012-01-22T18:16:10.611-06:00

Bellezza, I'm definitely in for JLC6 - feel badly that I didn't read as much for this current one. I'll definitely read more for this upcoming one :) As for the Venice challenge - sounds like fun! I'm looking forward to reading you posts during it. And I can't wait to read your posts on The Wings of the Dove - I've only seen the film (which I loved!), but I've always wanted to read the bok. This should definitely push me to read it sooner rather than later. Oh, and of course, Happy Birthday!! I know its early, but I do hope you have a wonderful birthday ;)

Thanks, Lu, for the early birthday wishes. I hope ...

2012-01-22T17:01:39.155-06:00

Thanks, Lu, for the early birthday wishes. I hope you do join in the challenge when it fits your schedule. Remember, just one work is "required". ;)

Edgar, the title In Praise of Shadows alone...

2012-01-22T17:00:53.826-06:00

Edgar, the title In Praise of Shadows alone sounds so lovely. One of the things I most enjoy about Japanese literature is the way that the authors can create a mood, can embellish a simple thing in nature to enormous porportions. I don't know anything about A Book of Five Rings so I'm glad you told me about that title as well.

Amanda, that is so fun that our birthdays are all ...

2012-01-22T16:59:13.728-06:00

Amanda, that is so fun that our birthdays are all so close together! My dad's was just on the fifteenth.

I really liked the first Commissario Brunetti mystery, so I can see that I'd like to try more of Donna de Leon's books should there be time. Charles Dickens' Pictures from Italy was lovely, but just a travelogue, really. There was no plot in it, but marelous description. Anyway, I'm sure we'll have a lot of great things to share in February!

Jackie, my friend Les sent me her copy of The Devo...

2012-01-22T16:57:01.606-06:00

Jackie, my friend Les sent me her copy of The Devotion of Suspect X, but I still haven't read it. Thanks for you suggestion; I've heard mixed things about this book, so I can see I'll need to read it to discover what I truly think of it. If you say it's like Out, I'm sure I'll adore it. Thanks for advance birthday wishes, too. ;)

Frances, I have a hard copy (well, actually it'...

2012-01-22T16:54:26.318-06:00

Frances, I have a hard copy (well, actually it's a paperback from Modern Library because I liked that cover the best) and I have an edition from Barnes and Noble Classics on my nook. So, like you, I'm well prepared for any eventuality. I'll be taking it to Naples, FL with me this upcoming weekend, and I'm looking forward to the flight just to open it up! So glad we're reading it together.

Hi Parrish, I know of Kobo Abe, but all of ...

2012-01-22T16:53:03.021-06:00

Hi Parrish, I know of Kobo Abe, but all of the other authors you mentioned here are new to me. Just a small part of why I value your input so much.

Happy early birthday! It looks like you read some ...

2012-01-22T15:03:00.172-06:00

Happy early birthday! It looks like you read some great books for the Japanese Literature Challenge... I've always wanted to join your challenge, but I've never gotten around to it. Maybe this year I will unofficially join :) I never finished 1Q84 unfortunately. Maybe I will go back to it, but for now it sits unfinished on my shelf.

For the Japanese literature-2 non-fictions: In Pra...

2012-01-22T14:29:47.826-06:00

For the Japanese literature-2 non-fictions: In Praise of Shadows by Jun'ichiro Tanizaki
"an essay on Japanese sense of beauty") and A Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. "Musashi was Japanese most renown warrior."

I'll try to remember January 30th.

Hey, your birthday's the day after mine! (And ...

2012-01-22T14:29:40.766-06:00

Hey, your birthday's the day after mine! (And my dad's is today--it's a great month for birthdays.) I'm very excited for a Venetian February. I already have some tentative books picked out and just need to get them from the library. I think the 2nd Commissario Brunetti mystery, and perhaps a Shakespeare or two set in Venice. And maybe something else...

I've just finished The Devotion of Suspect X -...

2012-01-22T11:03:20.862-06:00

I've just finished The Devotion of Suspect X - it is like a faster paced, more twisty version of Out. I think you'll love it!

I hope that you have a wonderful birthday!

What a beautiful cake! And a very happy birthday t...

2012-01-22T10:29:24.527-06:00

What a beautiful cake! And a very happy birthday to you in advance. I am sooo ready for Wings of the Dove. Yesterday I found a copy on my shelves AND loaded on to my tablet so as to always have it at hand. Looks like we might have some good company too. Hope others join in, but always happy with just the two of us also.

Hi Bellezza, some names to add for me would be Hit...

2012-01-22T09:48:20.581-06:00

Hi Bellezza, some names to add for me would be Hitomi Kanehara, Ryu Mitsuse, Kobo Abe, Hoshi Shinichi, Keigo Higashino, probably won't get another one finished by the end of the month, so will join back again in the new one (have set up page area already)

Andi, don't hold your breath. I liked 1Q84, bu...

2012-01-22T09:21:28.117-06:00

Andi, don't hold your breath. I liked 1Q84, but...

We'll talk when you've read it.

Audrey, I'd love it if you could find the time...

2012-01-22T09:20:52.864-06:00

Audrey, I'd love it if you could find the time to read James with us. I'm puzzling over the 'other birthday coming up' and which author you're going with? You have me quite intrigued!

Great job on the challenge! I'll be tackling 1...

2012-01-22T08:48:56.505-06:00

Great job on the challenge! I'll be tackling 1Q84 when it comes available on e-book from the library. Woohoo!

I'm looking forward to Venice! I have a myster...

2012-01-22T08:24:46.552-06:00

I'm looking forward to Venice! I have a mystery on my nook and I would love to join in reading The Wings of the Dove. I'll try! There's another birthday coming up (not mine!) so I might go with that author instead. WIll look forward to your thoughts (and Frances') in any event.

Stu, I'm feeling badly that you can't use ...

2012-01-22T07:49:02.183-06:00

Stu, I'm feeling badly that you can't use your WordPress account with the new comment system. Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts with your old Blogger name. The brighter nights are sweet, but I'm not ready to let winter go. I still need some more snow!

Ally, thanks to you I'm discovering Ven...

2012-01-22T07:48:02.471-06:00

Ally, thanks to you I'm discovering Venice in a whole new way! I'm so looking forward to The Passion which you sent, and I even found Jeannette Winterston's book on 'oranges' (can't remember the title now!) at our library's resale shelf, so I feel covered in riches. Hope school remains manageable for you (and me!).

Yeah, waiting for the pay cheque...or, diverting f...

2012-01-22T07:46:28.961-06:00

Yeah, waiting for the pay cheque...or, diverting funds from the gas bill...always a joy. ;) Glad you're in for the fun, Sam!

Tony, you have been a faithful participant in this...

2012-01-22T07:45:47.096-06:00

Tony, you have been a faithful participant in this challenge, and I appreciate what you've read, and your reviews, so much. It's been a pleasure for me!