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7 must-read Japan-related books by female authors

9 Comments
By Renae Lucas-Hall

Work is done, Christmas is over and now it’s time to just sit down and relax. And there is no better way to do that but spend the day in your pajamas in the company of hot cocoa and a good paperback.

The following six books, all written by female writers fascinated with Japan, are full of captivating characters and gripping storylines. They’ll propel you, as you read each page, straight from your armchair directly onto the streets of Japan. You may even discover facets of Japan and the Japanese culture you have never experienced or stopped to consider.

These six novels and one work of nonfiction have all been carefully written with such intelligence and emotional maturity, they’ll equally appeal to readers who have never been to Japan, as well as expats who have spent their whole life in the country. So sit back and enjoy!

Click here to read more.

© Savvy Tokyo

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


9 Comments
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Exactly Maria. The crying on this thread by the guys is laughable. More so when they call it sexist.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Of course, a similar list with books by men will just say "7 must-read Japan-related books". The default is still men.

The publishers have to specify that the authors here are all women, since "female" authors are different from "authors". Authors who are women are still niche, a sub-category, like "Women's literature".

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Guys, grow up. You having a hard time that the shoe is on the other foot and that women are being featured? This is what women face all the time when it comes to pretty much everything from movie reviews, book reviews... If you don't want to read about it, why click on the article?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

What I want is a list of the best books, full stop.

Making this a list of female-authored books means that you are missing out on books which are possibly much better.

What a pointless article. Just stupid anti-male sexism.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I am taking this article with a pinch of salt and as a book plug. As opposed to a serious literary review on the subject. If you are after the latter, read Angela Carter's 'Fireworks' published in 1974. Carter is famouse for writing The Company Of Wolves and is a Somerset Maugham Award winner.

In 1969 Carter left her first husband to travel to Japan and live in Tokyo, where she experienced life with a Japanese partner, then a Korean, and even worked in a hostess bar. Real female Japanese literature. Not a book plug.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Agree with you, Dick. The problem is that few Japanese female writers get translated into other languages. I would love to explore this.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

AKA, a list of books written primarily by white women or westernized japanese who want to feel like they have some sort of exclusive look at Japan in a way that no other "outsider" could possibly know.

Would have been cool to see a list of recommended works by Japanese female authors instead.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I thought men and women were supposed to be equal. Seems pretty arbitrary to make a list of only female authors.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Thank you - I shall check these out. I haven't heard of many of these authors, as they are not among the usual established authors, but they all sound very good/ worth reading.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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