Κυριακή 15 Δεκεμβρίου 2013

What a strange thing! to be alive beneath cherry blossoms.


Hello everyone. 


I was having a very melancholic week because of some health issues. 
But i never allow myself to stay in that situation for a long time.
Being in a good mood counts to me as being
halfway to win and overcome any physical problem  ^-^


I changed my page a little which gave me the idea to make this post. 
I am a big admirer of Asian things. As a child i was sure those countries were from a planet 
far far away. They do have something exotic and mysterious. 
Cities and landscapes i could only see in photographs. China, Iran(Persia) 
Korea, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal places 
i want to visit one day. (Ok i want to go mostly everywhere!!)


Reading their history you can actually see yourself dipping into those very different 
from western cultures. Every country has it's own character and some Asian countries 
will always have a special place in my heart. Japan for example. 
I have read so many articles and stories about Japan, history, books and poems, manga, 
those beautiful ideograms, i have seen countless pictures, anime and video, movies and music! 
But one of their "best feature" as a nation for me, it's their politeness
It will never stop amaze me! 
How you end up not loving this magical place, even from distance?! 


**Yummy noises**


"The time of illusion, then, is the beautiful moment of passion; 
it represents the artistic zone in which the poet or romance writer 
ought to be free to do the very best that he can."


I knew by name the Japanese writer Haruki Murakami 村上 春樹 
for over a year now but i never had the chance to read his work. When finally this summer 
i was able to read Norwegian Wood. The novel is a nostalgic story of loss and sexuality. 
A powerful book even thought at first i was very cautious about the story.
I got a copy for about 5 or 6 euros.



Second book by the same writer is the very famous 1Q84
First published in three volumes in Japan in 2009–10. H. Murakami spent four years writing 
the novel after coming up with the opening sequence and title. The title is a play on the Japanese
 pronunciation of the year 1984 and a reference to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. 
The letter Q and the Japanese number 9 (typically romanized as "kyū", but as "kew" 
on the book's Japanese cover) are homophones, which are often used in Japanese wordplay. 
The novel applies under the alternate history and parallel worlds genre 
and i found the complete trilogy for only 12€.


An other addition to my favourite writers is Patrick Lafcadio Hearn. 

Known by the Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo 小泉 八雲 was an international writer,
known best for his books about Japan, especially his collections of Japanese legends and ghost
 stories. Born in Leukada, Greece he truly had a very traumatic life until he moved
and stayed in Japan. He and his work are very popular in Japan these days.


I was able to find a collective book (from 14€ only 9€)
with some of his stories (plus pages with his life). Melancholic stories of the medieval Japan,
 collected and recreated in travel-stochastic writings about nature, society,
values, religious feeling and the people of the Country of the Rising Sun.
Simply i am in love.

In the introduction says that his favourite writer was Edgar Allan Poe so you can imagine..


Fear and Trembling (original title: Stupeur et tremblements, which means 
"Amazement and trembling") is a novel by Amélie Nothomb, first published in 1999, 
translated into English by Adriana Hunter. According to the novel, in Japan, protocol states that 
in the presence of the Emperor, who until 1947 had been considered a living god, 
a person must demonstrate his or her reverence with fear and trembling, though most 
Japanese citizens today are unaware of this injunction. From 10€ only 3€.


 Any special love towards a country or a culture??
 Many thanks for reading my post and until next time,
take care of yourself!!

16 σχόλια:

  1. I would really like to visit Greece and Italy. I love history and I do study ancient history at the moment, and I really admire the ancient world, how they managed to think so modern! And how much they have inspired the new world in how to think and act, like the greek democracy and the roman senate. <3 So fascinating.

    Hope you are feeling better! <3 You look gorgeous as always, dear!

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    1. That is wonderful! I hope one day to manage to come to Greece my dear, we do have many things to see (apart from all the bad situations) - even more considering you study and enjoy history. Aww and thank you for the wish i will get better with time, thank you <3 Have a wonderful week :*

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  2. Ooh, jelly jelly about the asian foodies you found! And I'm glad you're showing your love towards asian things more now, especially Murakami, since I'm reading third 1Q84 right now and your post gave me a bit of a boost (I get bumbed out a little out of the book when there's too much side-details) to finish it and take another one.
    You're such a nice person :)

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    1. Haha oh gosh you are a sweetheart, i was super lucky because it is very difficult in my town supermarkets to find asian food to cook! I admire asian things since the first anime i watched and had no idea what it was.. slowly we all learn and appreciate things ^-^ Yes, a friend of mine told me the same but it's a book people like us should read! :D Thank you for your words, i truly appreciate them! Have a lovely week and i would love to read your opinion when you get to finish the book!! :)

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  3. What a fantastic post, darling! I had never heard about Koizumi Yakumo before, but your review makes him look like a very interesting writer. I am very fond of literary horror genre, and as if you said Poe is his main influenza, then is going to be my cup of tea. I think I am going to add this author to my reading whitlist.
    In relation to culture crushes, I have to admit that I have a special feeling or preference for England. As a child, I started my literary experience with the great British classics and that was a love that I could never forget. On the top of all it, I travel to the UK several times, I chose to make a degree on Englsih literature and I lived in there in 2010. As a matter of fact, I see this stage of my life as a previous step of my future establishment in London. I don´t think I will be completely happy until I can return to my Alma Mater.

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    1. Awww my, thank you so so much!! So happy you enjoy the post! :D I only had some months i discovered him and i was trilled to find his work to read. And the book i bought had the most amazing short stories i have ever read about this country. More amazing when i read about Poe being his favourite author it was a moment of pure happiness :D He is definitely an amazing worth to read writer. If you find and read works of him, i would be glad to read your opinion!! :D Wow England indeed it is a beautiful country and yes i could say you are a big admirer of her - through what i have read on your posts - and i truly wish one day to be able to stay and work there! ^-^

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  4. Asia is simply a wonder! I would love to visit there some day. I am considering beginning to learn Japanese again soon. Those books look fantastic! I shall have to look into them!

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    1. That is amazing! Good for you ^-^ And thank you i would love if you read any of the books, to write me your opinion! Have a nice week dear <3

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  5. Thank you so much for the reading tips, these authors are really intruiging. I would love to visit Japan some day. but the country (or part of) I'm going to visit soon is Scotland, graveyards, old castles and the tunnels under Edinburgh is on the menu :)

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    1. Aww how sweet, thank you, you are more than welcome! If you manage to read any of the books i would love to read your opinion!! ^-^ Oh gosh, Scotland what a country. Edinburgh is a very "mysterious" city, a place for all goths around the world i believe :)

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  6. I don't even know what to say first! Ok, soo..firstly, I absolutely adore your make up here!!!! I always fear of red eyeshadow but you pulled it off so nicely! Secondly, awesome design :D I too love asian cultures (mainly Japanese and Korean), I would like to go there someday :D As it comes to their politeness and good manners, I don't have that much personal experience, only from ebay and cosmetic shops, but oh God, the rest of the world can only learn from them how it should be done! :D Also, I love such patterns and designs :)
    I have wanted to read something by Murakami for so long that I started to keep forgetting about it :D But my Goodreads wishlist is ridiculously long and I have no time :/ (finals! :D)
    And I wish you to get better with your health :)

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    1. Heey there, thank you for your wish ^-^
      Me too, but i decide to experiment more with make up! True. Born and raised with a certain code of courtesy and politeness! I admire them for that. Oh sweetheart good luck with your finals <3 And dont worry, this list is long for all of us!! It will never finish :P

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  7. Hi Magda, I really love your post. This is a good one and always poetic titles.

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    1. Thank you my dear! <3 I always use quotes for titles since i have a special... addiction to them :P Take care beautiful!

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