http://japanesewriters.com/blog Japanese Writers and Authors Sun, 03 Aug 2008 14:00:16 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Yang Yi won the Akutagawa Prize for her work, Toki Ga Nijimu Asa, which means literally, "A Morning When Time Blurs." I love that translated title – transcendent, imaginative and real; as simple as streak of color on a canvas and as bright. I couldn't find an English translation for this ... http://japanesewriters.com/blog/2008/08/02/the-akutagawa-prize-and-globlization/ As part of the Washington's Cherry Blossom Festival, there is a street fair downtown sponsored by the Japan-America Society. The attendance was large and there was great music, food and things to buy. Here are some photos. Some sandals for sale. I just liked the photo. http://japanesewriters.com/blog/2008/04/19/cherry-blossom-festival-in-washington-dc/ Things I'm reading: Japanese Shift Cash Out of U.S. Investments, reports the New York Times. This doesn't have much to do with fiction, but it is alarming sign that U.S. currency is no longer the world's reserve currency.  The U.S. is now the world's bargain basement. NBC nightly news had a ... http://japanesewriters.com/blog/2007/11/23/dollars-decline-would-make-for-great-manga/ An English translation of Haruki Murakami's latest work, After Dark, was released this month. The work was originally published in 2004. The book has not been widely reviewed but the initial reports indicate it's a departure from his other works. I'll get a copy this weekend and post my review. Here are ... http://japanesewriters.com/blog/2007/05/16/haruki-murakamis-latest-work-after-dark/ I haven't read this yet and just saw the review. The third volume in the English translation, Lairs of the Hidden Gods, Volume 3: Straight to Darkness, has been released. The New York Times has a favorable review here. An excerpt: A well-produced and elegant little book, "Seven Touches" is a set of ... http://japanesewriters.com/blog/2007/04/21/liars-of-the-hidden-gods/   Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the US, by Roland Kelts. A review in The Australian. Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino. I just bought this one. A New York Times review.   In other activites, I plan to join the Japan-America Society in Washington DC. I live near it and I will enroll in its ... http://japanesewriters.com/blog/2007/04/15/new-books-and-plans/ Japanese fiction is popular in Korea, according to a report in e.Snchew-i.com, a Malaysian daily newspaper. Japanese books have 31% of the Korean fiction market. Moreover, of the 4,300 translated titles published last year in Korea, 42% were translations from Japanese to Korean. I wonder how much of that is ... http://japanesewriters.com/blog/2007/04/11/korea-is-a-big-market-for-japanese-fiction/ I enjoy the works of many Japanese writers and this blog will highlight their works. http://japanesewriters.com/blog/2007/03/24/welcome-to-this-blog/