Thursday, January 5, 2012

読書の進め - Reading Recommendations, and Welcome to 2012

So, one of my blogging goals of 2012 (aside from actually making a real return to blogging, which is top 2012 priority), I've decided I want to make a concerted effort to blog about book news. I'm regularly reading articles about books that I love, and for some reason, in the past, I've never really blogged about them. No longer.

So, I'm sure that most of you receive the Shelf Awareness newsletter, but if you're anything like myself, you never more than scan it. Which means that you perhaps missed the interesting article I read today. About a small little book store in Tokyo called Dokusho no Susume (you can see the actual Japanese for that in the title), which means Reading Recommendations.

And that's exactly what this little book store is about - reading recommendations. The owner, Katsuyoshi Shimizu, stocks books that he recommends, and all throughout the store, you can find little pieces of paper with the books, saying to whom he would recommend them and when (based on mood, etc. . .). He'll also personally approach you and talk to you while you're browsing, to help you find just what you're looking for. (However, according to the report of one Japanese male, he waited and waited for Shimizu to approach him, but he never did. And when he went back to find Shimizu-san, Shimizu-san had disappeared)

How cool is that? If you'd like to read more about it, check out this article in the Mainichi Daily News.

I adore Japan, and I'm already whole-heartedly looking forward to my return in April, but now I've got yet another reason to be psyched. I'll definitely be taking a trip to Tokyo, and you can bet that, when I do, I'll be visiting this book store.


Since I already mentioned one goal of 2012, I'll end this with yet another. One I'm particularly psyched about. I've got all 3 volumes of the Japanese version of 1Q84 by Murakami Haruki, and now that I'm back in the states, I'v acquired an English copy. Since I'll be away from Japan for nearly four months, I'm going to keep my Japanese up by reading the Japanese version and using the English version as a guide, for places I really have trouble.

What are some exciting goals you have for yourself for 2012?

4 comments:

Blodeuedd said...

That is very very cool! :D What an idea, I mean that is what bookstores should be like

Simcha said...

I loved the idea of that bookstore, with it's strong focus on book recommendations. One of the things that dislike about Israeli bookstores is the proprietors seem to have no real interest in books and they never seem to know anything about the books I ask them about or have any recommendations to make. I have no idea why such people own bookstores.

Nina said...

Oh wow, that bookstore sounds amazing. Good idea from that owner to do that! I would love to see a bookstore like that in Holland. ;)
Good luck with your goals & resolutions.

Heather G. said...

That sounds like the coolest book store ever! Good luck!

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