January 2022 Reading Roundup
I had a good reading month, including a few books from my trip to a Barbadian bookshop, plus a couple for the Japanese Literary Challenge. Here are the details.
Borges Marathon, Part 6: The Uncivil Teacher of Court Etiquette, Kôtsukéno Suké
The theme of honour runs through many of the fictions of Jorge Luis Borges. But why bother retelling such a well-known story if all you’re going to do is reinforce the standard narrative?
Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami
Ms Ice Sandwich is a beautiful and endearing novella about a young boy's innocent crush on a grocery-store clerk.
The Joy of Bookshops
I recently visited a bookshop for the first time in ages. Browsing the shelves, picking up books at random, reading back covers and ruffling through the pages was a true joy.
Best Books I Read in 2021
In another difficult year, books once again brought me solace. Here's a roundup of my best books of 2021 (these are the best books I read this year, not the best ones that were published this year).
Borges Marathon, Part 5: The Disinterested Killer Bill Harrigan
As with many Borges stories, the line between fact and fiction in this story is unclear. So why does Borges make these alterations?
An Isolated Incident by Emily Maguire
An Isolated Incident by Emily Maguire is an Australian crime novel that throws the crime-writing conventions out of the window. It's more about male violence and sexual aggression than about solving the murder with which it starts.
The American Way: Stories of Invasion
This new short story collection by Comma Press focuses on what the American Way looks like to those at the sharp end of US aggression around the world.
The Truth About Amritsar
Why did British troops massacre hundreds of Indian civilians at Amritsar in 1919? This book explores the whole shocking story.