Ern's Monthly Page Turners (November 2009)

*一部日本語で書かれてます

November has ended and there is only one month left this year. Which means it’s time once again for my monthly book and movie reviews. This month I will start off with the books I’ve read. Hmm, it seems I didn’t read anything that I could in conscience recommend to anyone. Well, perhaps the all new adventures of Winnie-the Pooh. One title, I can’t believe I read it in its entirety. Another title was turned into a screenplay and will be playing at local theaters soon. This month, I even managed to read a couple of books that were written entirely in Japanese. A self-help book (I didn’t realize it until I started reading it and almost gave up, but it kept my interest). The other was written by one of my favorite J-pop artists – Nanase Aikawa.


AN EDUCATION by Lynn Barber – The screenplay for this title was written by Nick Hornby – the author who wrote “Fever Pitch”, “Hi Infidelity”, and a few other books as well. The previously mentioned titles were also made into films as well. But instead of reading the screenplay, I opted to read the original memoir written by Barber. The movie is based all around with Barber’s relationship with an older man when she was still in high school, who turned out to be a con-man and was married as well. I wasn’t really planning on watching the film and I think the book as a whole is probably more interesting as Barber works for Vogue when it first started up, in London, for those of you who thought it was an entirely American publication.

SEPTIMUS HEAP BOOK ONE MAGYK by Angie Sage – I’m sorry, but for anyone who’s a big fan of fantasy and science-fiction you can’t help but compare this to the Harry Potter series. It was a fun read but there wasn’t much originality to the story itself. Septimus Heap is the seventh son of a seventh son…let us start with that, long before Septimus Heap came along, there was Alvin Maker. The series written by Orson Scott Card with the first title in the series being “Seventh Son” with Alvin being the seventh son of a seventh son. Well, there is no Hogwarts in this story, but there is magic, wizards, creatures good and bad. But hey, Septimus Heap is an apprentice to a wizard – imagine that. He has to learn how to use and control magic (haven’t I read this story elsewhere?). There’s an evil wizard called DomDaniel that wants to use Septimus Heap for his own good (doesn’t that sound like Voldemort?). But wait, there’s also a ring involved…Still, if you enjoyed Harry and Frodo and Company, then you will make new friends as you read this series.

RETURN TO THE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD by David Benedictus – It’s been 80 years since there’s been a new Winnie-the-Pooh adventure but with the approval of the Trustees of the Pooh Properties, it has come to fruition. This isn’t the made for television who most kids have grown up with. The illustrations by Mark Burgess are done in the style of E. H. Shepard. Along with Winnie and Piglet, you will all your friendly Hundred Acre Wood friends like Kanga and Roo, Eeyore, Tigger, and Christopher Robin as well. It might even make you want to read “Winnie-the-Pooh” and “The House at Pooh Corner”.

SEPTIMUS HEAP BOOK TWO FLYTE by Angie Sage – I’m not sure what is about this second volume in the Septimus Heap series, but it seems the author has made her main characters less intelligent and more annoying as well. In this story, Septimus Heap is learning to keep his magic under control. DomDaniel slowly regains power. Brother of Septimus, who is jealous because he was not chosen as the apprentice to the Extraordinary Wizard runs away from home to become DomDaniel’s apprentice. Oh, and here there be dragons.

I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL by Tucker Max – I cannot believe I read this book in its entirety. Last month when I got fed up with Kevin Smith and his pals talking about dicks, sex, and getting off and whatnot, I didn’t think I would be able to stomach another piece of trash that has been praised and condemned as much as this title. But you gotta give Tucker Max credit, he mentions right at the start of his book, “I am an Asshole” and once you start reading his blurbs you will agree with him. Not only is he an asshole, he doesn’t deserve to have his blog published into a book (which is what this is). He talks about his sexual triumphs and relationships with women (if you can even call them relationships). Apparently, he also made a film of his exploits, but the film flopped – as well as it should.



軽くなる生き方 by 松浦弥太郎- As there is no translation of this book in English, I shall review it only in Japanese. 日本語をもっと勉強する為、ふりがな無しの本選んで、自分の実力といつも持っている電気漢字辞書と共に読んでみました。最初は自分が好きの日本人作家高橋歩と同じ様な本と思いましたが、段々進んでるうちに、あれっ、これもしかしてセルフヘルプの本？書いた人は「暮らしの手帳」の編集長。自分に経験と体験したことを読者にもっと軽く生きる秘訣を教えてあげる様なことを書き込んでる。半分読んで、やめようと思ったが、もう半分くらい読んでたので、頑張って最後まで読むことにした。結構当たり前の事を書いてるけど、彼が他の人に役に立つなら、それで良いと言ってました。また彼の別の本も読みたくなった気分になりました。




ダリアby 相川七瀬 – This title also has no translation in English so once again the review will be written only in Japanese. ロックボカリスト以外に絵本作家、カラーセラピストで活躍してる相川七瀬が十年を掛けて、完成した恋愛諸説。泉はどこでも居る普通の女子高生。友達ユウナと隆弘でいつも湘南の海に遊ぶ三人。ある日、湘南に行った時、泉が運命の人礼仁と出会う。胸が痛くなるほど切ない気持いになって、なぜか分からない。自分の頭の中にまた別の人の声が聞こえてくる。で、その相手は「ダリア」。前世の思い出や出来事が分かる様になって、、どちが夢か現実か苦しんでいる泉。泉が好きな隆弘も助けられないし、泉の心は礼仁に夢中。それで、泉が好きな隆弘に、彼が知らずに、片思いを抱いてるユウナがいる。ま、相川七瀬が書いた為、一生懸命読みました。やっぱ好きなアーティストが新たな事に挑戦すると応援したくなるね。

And so ends another month of my reading. Now that I'm back working on a book floor, I see so many titles that I want to read, yet I do not have enough space at home to create the library of my dream - ah, this is one of those times when I envy the people who are actual home owners, but I digress. The other day I had the pleasure of meeting an author, Christopher Johnson, who was trying to find a distributor for his book in Japan. Out of this impromptu meeting, he gave me one of his books to read (which I'm in the middle of right now). I also received a sample copy of Jody Picoult's novel "Nineteen Minutes" which I intend to read after finishing Johnson's book. Who's title by the way is "Siamese Dreams". Oh, and in case you were not familiar with Jodi Picoult, the movie "My Sister's Keeper" was written by her.