Night and Night's Travelers by Banana Yoshimoto

Night and Night's Travelers

first novella from Asleep
by Banana Yoshimoto

Published: 1989
Translated: 2001
Hardback: 192 pages
Genre: Ghosts

Funny I should choose this in the second half of the read-a-thon. Ha! can barely laugh. Feeling tired. (yawn)

OK, snapping out of it. snap-snap. On to the review...

Banana's stories always have this charming surrealistic feel to them. This novella is no different. I love her style. Thus, I was not disappointed.

This tale dealt with love and death. A gentle sadness is felt throughout the story but by the end the characters start to heal.

An amusing bit about the narrator is that she goes on a shopping spree. She is a woman after my own heart. She blows her wad on books and cds!

Novellas in Asleep:
Night and Night's Travelers - my review
Love Songs - my review
Asleep - my review

*part of my Read-a-thon challenge

*part of my November Novella challenge

*total pages read: 65

Read-a-thon: Honouring Dewey

A Striped Armchair asks that we take a moment:

Dewey of The Hidden Side of the Leaf began the read-a-thons. She passed away quite suddenly (at least suddenly to the book blogging community) last November 2008, which is why the read-a-thon has been renamed in her honour.

While I did not know Dewey, I can see that her book loving spirit has been kept alive through read-a-thons like these. Thanks to Dewey's past efforts the book blogging community comes together twice a year to share in the love of books and blogging.

Read-a-thon: Musical challenge

Fizzy Thoughts Musical challenge is to post a song that reminds you of the read-a-thon, or that you love to read to, or that makes you think of a particular book.

Inspired by what entertainment means in the essay I just read

Trickster in a Suit of Lights:
Thoughts on the Modern Short Story
by Michael Chabon - my review

I present a ditty from one of my top favorite movies:

Spectacular Spectacular

from Moulin Rouge (2001) movie



Zidler:
Spectacular, Spectacular
No words in the vernacular
Can't describe this great event
You'll be dumb with wonderment
Returns are fixed at ten percent
You must agree, that's excellent
And on top of your fee

All:
You'll be involved artisticly....

Chorus:
So exciting
The audience will stomp and cheer
So delighting
It will run for fifty years
So exciting
The audience will stomp and cheer
So delighting
It will run for fifty years

Various:
Elephants!

Bohemians!

Indians!

and courtesans!

Acrobats!

and juggling bears!

exotic girls!

fire eaters!

Muscle men, contortionists
Intrigue, danger,

Tolouse:

and romance

All:

Electric lights, machinery
Oh, the electricity!

So exciting
The audience will stomp and cheer
So delighting
It will run for fifty years
So exciting
The audience will stomp and cheer
So delighting
It will run for fifty... years....

Spectacular, Spectacular
No words in the vernacular
Can describe this great event
You'll be dumb with wonderment

The hills are alive, with the sound of music

So exciting
The audience will stomp and cheer
So delighting
It will run for fifty years
So exciting
The audience will stomp and cheer
So delighting
It will run for fifty years

Duke:
Yes, but what happens in the end?

Christian:

*cough*
The courtesan and sitarman
are pulled apart by an evil plan

Satine:
But in the end she hears his song

Christian:
And their love is just too strong...

Duke:
It's a little bit funny
this feeling inside

All:
So exciting
The audience will stomp and cheer
So delighting
It will run for fifty years

Christian:
The sitar player's secret song
helps flee the evil one
Though the tyrant rants and rails
It is all to no avail.

Zidler:
I am the evil maharaja
You will not escape

Satine:
Oh Harold, no one could play him like you could!

Zidler:
No one's going to.

All:
So exciting
Will make them laugh, will make them cry
So delighting

Duke:
And in the end should someone die?

All:
So exciting
The audience will stomp and cheer
So delighting
It will run for fifty... years...

Duke:
Generally I like it.

*part of my Read-a-thon challenge

*Ewan McGregor ;-D

Trickster in a Suit of Lights by Michael Chabon

Trickster in a Suit of Lights:

Thoughts on the Modern Short Story

by Michael Chabon

I chose to read the first essay in this non-fiction book.

I was pleasantly surprised. The essay tackles the question of what entertainment means to Chabon and to us. Then too, goes into what Chabon thinks has become of short fiction aka short stories.

Primarily a fiction novel reader, I have a new appreciation for short stories after reading this essay and my various short stories read for this current read-a-thon.

I'm toying with the idea of a short story meme feature. Most likely a monthly event.

Steampunk sighting:

The handsome Vintage Internationals edition of Nabokov's Ada, or, Ardor--an extended riff on alternate-world and time theories and a key early example in the retro-futuristic subgenre of science fiction that years later came to be know as steampunk--would look out of place in the science-fiction section, with the blue-foil lettering, the starships, the furry-faced aliens, the electron-starred vistas of cyberspace. Ada, therefore is not science fiction.

Essay from Maps and Legends:

Reading and Writing Along the Borderlands

by Michael Chabon

*part of my Read-a-thon challenge

*image source of short stories

*total pages read: 26

Read-a-thon: Mid-Event Survey

I took a break to take advantage of the sunshine.

I went up these stairs.

The stairs lead to Sutro Park.

But I only went mid-way up the stairs.

I stopped to take a picture of Ocean Beach.

I went back down the stairs

and walked across the street to the beach.

I got a closer shot of Seal Rock which is home to local seals and pelicans.

The Cliff House restaurant is there to the right.

On with the survey...

1. What are you reading right now?

I going to start on an essay in Maps and Legends by Michael Chabon

It's non-fiction. I know. Not usually recommended for a read-a-thon because it could be dry. But I've been itching to start reading this one. Plus the fact that I'm refreshed from a walk outside, I think I can tackle one story.

2. How many books have you read so far?

I've read short stories instead of complete books. I will continue this way except for a graphic novel which I can definitely complete tonight.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Looking forward to reaching the last item on my list, The Awakening by L. J. Smith.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?

Yes, I told the hubby that the day was for me. He was very good about not scheduling anything that required my attendance.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

No interruptions.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

The time seems to fly during the daylight hours, but slows down at dark time. hmmm.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

None so far.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?

Stock up on ready-made meals and snacks.

9. Are you getting tired yet?

Yes, that's why I had to go outside and take a walk. Eyes were getting droopy.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?

Changing the reading location and drinking sips of water now and then.

*part of my Read-a-thon challenge