Why Filipino reading culture is heavily influenced by our colonial past
Written by Nadine Y. Ramos
Updated Jan 19, 2021 2:42:58 PM
enablePagination: false
endIndex: This reader found it essential to escape the Western literary canon, and instead, take a deep dive into stories offered by literature from all over Asia.
The one Filipino-written book I read last year was “Dwellers” by Eliza Victoria. The book is about two cousins who are “dwellers,” which means that they can reside over another body that they choose. I remember thinking two things while reading: First, what a concept. Second, I would never want to do that.
Jan 2, 2021
This year witnessed plenty of struggle and loss, but there was at least some good news: 2020 was the year the world embraced the considerable talents of Mieko Kawakami. Readers will therefore be delighted to know that her novel, “
Heaven,” will be published in English in May 2021. Translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd, it tells the story of teenage bullying from the point of view of a 14-year-old boy. Kawakami is a writer who doesn’t shy away from hard truths and painful experiences, so this will not be an easy read, but it’s guaranteed to be a rewarding one.
Only halfway through the text is it confirmed that Kazu, the protagonist of Yu Miriâs novel âTokyo Ueno Station,â is, indeed, dead.
In most books, the delay of such a major plot point would be a significant drawback. After all, isnât it a failure on the authorâs part if vital information about her central character is conveyed so late? The delayed revelation, however, exemplifies the subversive power of Yuâs text. If anything, Yu is devastatingly patient. Instead of relying on immediate impact, she bears witness to the minutiae of the mundane, drawing from ordinary moments to illuminate the dizzying panorama of life. Hers is a literary style that pays homage to her protagonist Kazu â dispossessed, lonely, and brimming with longing and quiet intelligence.
Richmond native translates award winning novel richmondregister.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from richmondregister.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Bill Robinson
Register Correspondent
Dec 26, 2020
Morgan Giles holds the book she translated from Japanese. The novel won the National Book Award for Translated Literature this year.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A 2001 community exchange trip to Japan as a middle school student set Richmond native Morgan Giles on a path which led her translating from Japanese the novel that won the National Book Award for Translated Literature this year.
The National Book Awards rank in significance with the Pulitzer Prizes, but the Pulitzers give no prize for translated literature. Thus, the NBA is the highest recognition in that category. The awards were announced Nov. 18 just before Giles flew from her home in London, England, to visit with her parents in Richmond.