Summary of Books I've Read Recently
This article is simply a summary of books I've read recently, with roughly three-sentence reviews added for each. Let's get right into it.
The Three-Body Problem
A Chinese science fiction novel that has become a major topic of discussion. It was interesting with its momentum, scale, and level of detail. This is the first of a trilogy, and the others haven't been translated into Japanese yet, so I'm looking forward to the continuation.
Exploring Tokyo's High-Class Residential Areas
A book that analyzes the history of high-class residential areas in the western part of Tokyo that have continued since the post-war period. After reading, you'll want to go observe the townscape for yourself. I'll go to Den-en-chofu, Seijo, and Okusawa soon since they're close by.
Chronicle of a Death Foretold
A historical suspense novel that won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Perhaps due to a lack of cultural empathy, I couldn't quite understand what made it interesting. Also, I couldn't remember the characters' names...
The Culture Map
A work that categorizes the cultural characteristics of various countries, providing specific examples and responses. The classifications are convincing and easy to understand.
The Demon Girl Next Door
A highly recommended work from Manga Time Kirara Carat. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's good about it, but it's excellent. The quality is high no matter where you look.
As of early 2020, five volumes of the paperback have been released, and the continuation is from the August 2019 issue below.
The Last and First Idol
It's like science fiction or something. I quite like it for its momentum. It's a quick read but it gives you indigestion.
From Star Strings
A short manga by Akihito Tsukushi, the creator of Made in Abyss. It's packed with the essence of adventure. It's not gory (in terms of expression)!
By the way, the Made in Abyss movie was wonderful, wasn't it? I felt blessed.
HinaBitter Official Guidebook
A book that summarizes the story of HinaBitter, which is included in most KONAMI rhythm games except IIDX. Even if you play the game itself, you might not notice, but there's an extensive story behind the songs. Seasons 1-3 are summarized on the official website, so start here first!
Philosophy as a Weapon
A book that picks up philosophers and famous sayings and describes how they can be applied in modern times. Philosophy might seem difficult, but this book makes good selections that are relevant to modern life. It's written like tips, so it's very easy to read and recommended even if you're not interested in philosophy.
Introduction to Philosophy
This is a slightly heavier introduction to philosophy. The author is Russell, famous for "Russell's Paradox". While the content itself is quite complex, the conciseness of the logic, the frequency of repetition, and the excellent examples make it a wonderful literary work as well.
