What I’m Reading : Episode 53, August 2023
What I just finished reading
Yesterday I finished Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa which was a substitute for one of the books on my #20booksofsummer list . It’s a sweet tale about a young woman who finds a sanctuary in her uncle’s second-hand bookshop. It had me yearning to visit Jimbōchō, a district of Tokyo full of second-hand bookshops.
I’m a few pages from the end of Other People Manage by Ellen Hawley which is the book club choice for this month. The theme of grief is handled really well but I’m not convinced about other elements of the book. It will be interesting to see what other book club members think when we meet up on Sunday.
What I’m reading now
My current read is another title that wasn’t on my #20booksofsummer list: Nora by Nuala O’Connor. This is a re-imagining of the relationship between James Joyce and the woman who eventually becomes his wife, Nora Barnacle. They lead a nomadic life as Joyce hops from one job to another across Europe and spends what little money they have on drink. It’s a joy to read.
What I’ll read next
I’m currently one book shy of my goal to read 10 books from my 20booksof summer list so I imagine my next book will be something from the list. I’m leaning towards Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac but that could change because I’ve just bought one of the books from the Booker Prize longlist (Pearl by Siân Hughes ). Though I don’t follow the prize as closely as I did a few years ago, I’d still like to read one or two of the longlisted books befoe the shortlist is announced in September.
What I’m Reading is in support of WWW Wednesday hosted by Sam at Taking On a World of Words. WWW Wednesday is actually a weekly meme but I choose to do it just once a month.
Oooh Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is high on my wish-list right now! Can’t wait to read it! And Jimbōchō sounds like heaven
I wish I’d known about that district when I visited Tokyo. Sadly it was never mentioned by any of my work colleagues ….
Nice!
I need to read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
It’s a sweet little tale