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  Looking for novel suggestions for modern books pert. to Japanese society, culture ect, by Japanese authors.

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  I enjoy anything Asian, and I love reading and learning new things about Japanese culture. The problem is it's hard for we to find new or modern novels that are any good by Japanese authors about Japan. I would like to get some suggestions of any good novels by modern (anything written after the sixties) or contemporary Japanese authors. I intend to read Yukio Mishima so please don't include novels by him. I thank you for you're help.

  Joshua T Clowers started this discussion 1 year ago. ( reply | permalink )

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  StoryHeart 

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  How about Banana Yoshimoto?

  posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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    Joshua T Clowers (edited)

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    I looked her up. Her book "Kitchen" seems right up my alley. Thanks for the suggestion! Any other authors you think you can suggest?

    posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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    Joshua T Clowers (edited)

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    Again thank you, I'm downloading a sample from Kindle right now, of "The Lake". Unfortunately Kindle does not have "Kitchen" yet, but I will check that one out too.

    posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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    StoryHeart 

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    The only other one I can think of is a collection of short stories called "Monkey Brain Sushi". I read it a long time ago and can't remember who edited it but some of the stories were very good. You might try a google or wiki search on Japan+Contemporary Authors. Let me know if you find anything good.

    posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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  Joshua T Clowers removed this reply 1 year ago.

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  Joshua T Clowers 

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  I found a nice list of authors called "69 contemporary Japanese novels" that was helpful and I will republish to it's onw tread...thanks for your help. I hope you enjoy the list!

  posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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  Michael E 

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  Have you tried any Murakami? But maybe his tales tell you more about alternate universes than Japanese culture. :-)

  I enjoyed Natsuo Kirino's "Out", which is a bizarre mystery.

  I recently enjoy Barrico's "Silk", about a French silk-merchant's captivation with a woman encountered in trips to Japan in 1860's. Not a current writer, but it has modern sensibilities and Zen like flavor.

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    Joshua T Clowers 

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    Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out.

    posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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  Laura L 

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  Masks by Fumiko Enchi. Beautiful book. I read it in a class on the goddess figure in literature. It helps to know something about Japanese culture to truly appreciate this work.

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    Joshua T Clowers 

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    Is it contemporary?

    posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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  Kelly F 

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  these books aren't by Japanese authors, but I've read Geisha and Kimono by Liz Dalby. Kwaidan, by Lafcadio Hearn, and there is a series of mysteries by Sujata Massey that you might want to look into.

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    Joshua T Clowers 

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    Thanks for the ideas, but I'm specifically looking for books by Japanese authors, that is to say, they must live in Japan, but don't have to be ethically Japanese... and they must be contemporary published after the sixties. Again, thank you.

    posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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  Joshua T Clowers 

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  @michael, I did check out Natsuo she is awesome; I'm reading Real World

  posted 1 year ago. ( permalink )

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