First Book Haul of 2018 + Why I Love International Literature So Much

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Check out our first Book Haul of 2018!! I am an avid reader so this haul should be no surprise but I think I may have convinced Charlotte to take reading up as a hobby too.

The First (of many) Book Haul of 2018

Why I Love International Literature So Much

As someone who loves international Cinema and TV Shows I probably watch more foreign language content than I do English. And it’s suffice to say that that has also influenced my reading too as I am a massive fan of Japanese and Korean literature. Murakami fast became a favourite author (Check out Sputnik Sweetheart, Norwegian Wood they were the two books that started my journey into Japanese Lit) as did Han Kang (The Vegetarian is one of the most interesting novels I’ve ever read). And I love the prose of Hiromi Kawakami’s The Nakano Thrift Shop which is a charming slice of life novel.

So it should come as no surprise that Sweet Bean Paste and The Travelling Cat Chronicles were in this haul. While we are on the subject of The Travelling Cat Chronicles, I found out after I bought it that they are doing a film adaptation this year with Sota Fukushi who is one of my favourite Japanese actors since I watched I’m Taking the Day Off (which to this day and after several re-watchings is still one of my favourite dramas). So that has made my interest in this novel increase tenfold and I will probably be picking it up very soon.

My interest in A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary For Lovers came about when I was browsing for books on Goodreads and the premise sounded rather interesting and has unique format and writing style when you consider that the very structure of the writing shows the characters progress with the English language. As I’ve read a whole lot of Korean and Japanese Literature I was intrigued by this book by Chinese author Xiaolu Guo as it’s her first book written in English. So I’m intrigued to read the story as it probably has parallels to the authors own journey as she immigrated to England in her late 20’s. This then gives the story so much more of an authentic feel which I guess is what I love about international literature, you get to be transported into different cultures and explore then from a native’s point of view which is so much more genuine.

Let me know in the comments section whether you’ve read any of the titles we mentioned in the book haul or any of the ones that I mentioned in this mini essay of sorts.

Check out my Goodreads Profile say Hi! and feel free to drop me some book recommendations.