Today's Featured Book:
Kitchen
by Banana Yoshimoto
Genre: Translated Fiction
Published: 1988
Page Count: 164 pages
Why Now? Japanese Literature Challenge
Summary:
Banana Yoshimoto’s Kitchen is an enchantingly original and deeply affecting book that tells about mothers, love, tragedy, and the power of the kitchen and home in the life of a free-spirited young woman in contemporary Japan. Mikage is an orphan raised by her grandmother, who has passed away. Grieving, Mikaga is taken in by her friend Yoichi and his mother Eriko. As the three of them form an improvised family that soon weathers its own tragic losses, Yoshimoto spins a lovely, evocative tale with the kitchen and the comforts of home at its heart.
The place I like best in this world is the kitchen.
Yoshimoto, Banana. Kitchen, p. 1. Kindle Edition.
This novella is a story of grief and found families and the power of relationships and cooking to heal. Like many of the stories I've read that were originally written in Japanese, there is an element of surrealism in the tale, dreams that feel like reality, reality that feels like dreams, and a mysterious power that can be found in good food and people and nature.
THE FRIDAY 56 is hosted by Anne of Head Full of Books. To play, open a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on your e-reader). Find a sentence or two and post them, along with the book title and author. Then link up on Head Full of Books and visit others in the linky.
It looked to me like the kitchen had not been used in quite a while. It was somewhat dirty and dark. I began to clean. I scrubbed the sink with scouring powder, wiped off the burners, washed the dishes, sharpened the knives. I washed and bleached all the dish towels, and while watching them go round and round in the dryer I realized that I had become calmer.
Yoshimoto, Banana. Kitchen, p. 56. Kindle Edition.
The purpose of THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, and befriend other bloggers. THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.
Is there a book or series so precious to you that you wouldn’t want it adapted for screen, fearing it might be ruined? If it did happen, would you still find yourself watching it? (submitted by Mark @ Carstairs Considers)
It's true. And I get there are time limits and constraints they are working against. But I guess I am always a little hopeful that an adaptation might be entertaining and hold true to the story. I mean I love the Harry Potter movies but even they left things out that annoyed me. More so with the later movies, but even the early ones would cut something small and I'd be bummed, but I've come to accept that not everything gets put in.
ReplyDeleteHere's my BBH
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
I know I read this book but it must have been a long time ago, because I can’t find anything about it in my online reviews. Very recent Japanese literature is often kind of quirky, in contrast to the very conventional novels from the earlier part of the 20t century, I think. I like both eras.
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds like a lovely, thoughtful book. Part of me would like the Maisie Dobbs books adapted for a mini-series and, like you, part of me says hands off!
ReplyDeleteI had this one on my TBR list for forever, but never read it, and then forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder! I enjoy these kinds of thoughtful, quiet books.
ReplyDeleteThis novella sounds like it's packed with a good storyline and emotional. Nice review.
ReplyDeleteI read Kitchen when it first came out and remember loving it (so much so that I kept my copy). I don't remember the details of the book (it was 20 years ago, after all) just the positive feeling I had when I read it.
ReplyDeleteAdding to my reading list for Novellas in November.
DeleteThe character who felt calmer after the kitchen could be me. When my kids were little I felt the most calm when my hands were in warm water, washing dishes.
ReplyDeleteThis does sound like a thoughtful book!
ReplyDeleteI'm always tempted by translated Japanese literature, but they never quite hit right for me! I always feel like the translation just doesn't capture what it should.
ReplyDelete"I wish my favorite books would never be adapted for screen. Something is always lost." - SAME!
Books → Movies. For me, some stories belong exactly where they started — in the quiet moments between reader and book. Would I watch -Probably. Curiosity would get the best of me. But I’d be watching with one foot still firmly planted in the book. Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a wonderfully calming book with a lot of heart. :)
ReplyDelete