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MONKEY New Writing from Japan #2
MONKEY New Writing from Japan: Volume 2: TRAVEL
MONKEY New Writing from Japan is an annual anthology that showcases the best of contemporary Japanese literature. Volume 2 celebrates TRAVEL -- we may not be able to travel much during this second year of the pandemic, but we can travel in our imaginations. MONKEY offers short fiction and poetry by writers such as Mieko Kawakami, Haruki Murakami, Hideo Furukawa, Hiromi Kawakami, Aoko Matsuda, and Kyohei Sakaguchi; new translations of modern classics; a graphic narrative by Satoshi Kitamura; and contributions from American writers such as Brian Evenson and Laird Hunt.
189 pages, Paperback
Published December 21, 2021
12 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Ted Goossen
34 books31 followersTed Goossen is a professor of Japanese literature at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His daughter is actress Jeananne Goossen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 12, 2022
This is the second issue of a literary journal focused on, mostly contemporary, Japanese writing in a variety of genres, all in English translation. It’s an English-language offshoot of the existing Japanese version and a rebrand of the earlier Monkey Business. It’s published annually and this edition features extracts from novels, short stories, essays, poetry and even a Noh play. In some ways this reminded me of magazines like Granta or maybe a New Yorker special issue except there’s a wonderful attention to detail in the layout and overall design: an incredibly pleasing emphasis on the visual as much as the verbal with full page and double-spread illustrations rendered in glorious colours based on acrylics, photographs and pastels. There’s so much packed into this issue, all of which’s loosely connected by the theme of ‘travel’, it’s hard to single out the strongest entries. I was impressed by new translations of work by Yuko Tsushima, Tatsuhiko Shibusawa and Yasunari Kawabata. The Shibusawa’s an excerpt from a fantastical, historical novel I'd love to see issued in its entirety, while the Tsushima is a moving, evocative exploration of a mother’s loss and grief. Other pieces that stood out were: Kikuko Tsumura’s “Hell” a drily humorous account of a novelist’s afterlife in a hell targeting a very particular brand of gluttony, in this case the sin of excessive narrative consumption; a graphic narrative inspired by Gogol, Satoshi Kitamura's “The Overcoat” a delightfully quirky tale of a forlorn coat searching for its missing owner on a wintry night. I also pounced on a new story from Aoko Matsuda; a satisfying feminist fable by Hiromi Kawakami; and a rendering of the classic Noh play Kurozuka featuring a deliciously sinister demon. Monkey’s translators include Jay Rubin, Polly Barton and Sam Bett who also crop up in a later selection of brief thoughts on translating Japanese into other languages. The inclusion of fragmentary narratives by writers like Laird Hunt and Brian Evenson didn’t quite seem to fit with the style or spirit of the rest of the publication but, other than that, this is highly recommended for anyone interested in Japanese fiction and Japanese culture.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Monkey for an arc
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Monkey for an arc
November 25, 2021
Literary magazines are wildly underrated. Don’t sleep on them. This is surely one of the best literary magazines I’ve read in a long while. Brimming with writers and translators that I adore and admire to bits. It was so dreamy to read this. Agonisingly, with some self-control, I savoured it slowly and carefully – taking in every lush sentence that it has to offer. Haven’t read any previous issues because I the design of the covers didn’t appeal to me, but knowing now that this is fucking amazing, I’m tempted to go through all that came before.
If you have only time for one story, let it be for Hiromi Kawakami’s ‘Sea Horse’, gloriously translated by Ted Goossen. No surprise about this being the opening piece. Best thing I’ve ever read from Hiromi Kawakami. She truly peaks when she doesn’t write lengthy novels about young women pining over their elderly sensei(s). Ocean vibes, magical realism alluding to the soul-crushing urban life overwhelming with patriarchal dominance. The most interesting character being the narrator’s daughter who has multiple names (but of which is not revealed to the readers, what a fucking tease). Sofia Coppola could make a good film out of this story.
The entire collection's a lot of fun to read (even though Murakami’s essay was sadly, a let down; I wish it wasn’t, but it truly was). It reminded me of the joys of reading magazines (something I’ve not done much of lately). Adore how it was all so structured/arranged beautifully and carefully – accompanied by fab illustrations. Sam Bett? Polly Barton? It’s hard not to like. The later part of the collection is especially spectacular if you appreciate the art of creative translation. I, for one, am (mostly because I’ve been reading more and more brilliantly translated work; but also, as someone who speaks/understands multiple languages – it truly makes me wonder – to ‘dabble’/even to commit to someday if it suits). Absolutely adore the translators’ notes. I have, of recent, watched (Korean/English translator) Anton Hur’s interview about his work (here) – about how it takes a lot of persistence and ‘energy’. Of how ‘translation’ is done through one’s body – essentially. All of it just makes me even more curious about the creative art of translation. Nothing makes one appreciate ‘good’ translation more than the experience of having read badly translated work. This is something that I’ve inevitably come to realise after a few disappointing reads (of which I will not name; no need for unnecessary cruelty).
In terms of the simple and pure enjoyment of reading Japanese literature, if you crave for more than just Murakami, well, this is certainly the perfect, well-curated selection to indulge in. Poetry, essays, and stories. Whatever you’re in the mood for. I want to read it all over and over again. I will. Might even pass it around. What’s that overused McCandless line from Into the Wild? ‘Happiness is only real, when shared’.
If you have only time for one story, let it be for Hiromi Kawakami’s ‘Sea Horse’, gloriously translated by Ted Goossen. No surprise about this being the opening piece. Best thing I’ve ever read from Hiromi Kawakami. She truly peaks when she doesn’t write lengthy novels about young women pining over their elderly sensei(s). Ocean vibes, magical realism alluding to the soul-crushing urban life overwhelming with patriarchal dominance. The most interesting character being the narrator’s daughter who has multiple names (but of which is not revealed to the readers, what a fucking tease). Sofia Coppola could make a good film out of this story.
‘My fourth child never misses work at the video shop. Even on her off days, she’s always willing to fill in for her colleagues if asked. The shop at night relaxes her, she says. It feels like the night sea…I quietly call her name as I watch her from the darkness. Bathed in the fluorescent lights, she has no idea I am here. Their brightness makes her form blurry, indistinct. There in the cold light, she seems to be melting away.
‘Our house is used to these late-night comings and goings. Small night creatures squeeze in through the tiny holes in the wall…Like the firefly squid of the northern sea, they flash on and off, off and on, always eluding my grasp.’
The entire collection's a lot of fun to read (even though Murakami’s essay was sadly, a let down; I wish it wasn’t, but it truly was). It reminded me of the joys of reading magazines (something I’ve not done much of lately). Adore how it was all so structured/arranged beautifully and carefully – accompanied by fab illustrations. Sam Bett? Polly Barton? It’s hard not to like. The later part of the collection is especially spectacular if you appreciate the art of creative translation. I, for one, am (mostly because I’ve been reading more and more brilliantly translated work; but also, as someone who speaks/understands multiple languages – it truly makes me wonder – to ‘dabble’/even to commit to someday if it suits). Absolutely adore the translators’ notes. I have, of recent, watched (Korean/English translator) Anton Hur’s interview about his work (here) – about how it takes a lot of persistence and ‘energy’. Of how ‘translation’ is done through one’s body – essentially. All of it just makes me even more curious about the creative art of translation. Nothing makes one appreciate ‘good’ translation more than the experience of having read badly translated work. This is something that I’ve inevitably come to realise after a few disappointing reads (of which I will not name; no need for unnecessary cruelty).
In terms of the simple and pure enjoyment of reading Japanese literature, if you crave for more than just Murakami, well, this is certainly the perfect, well-curated selection to indulge in. Poetry, essays, and stories. Whatever you’re in the mood for. I want to read it all over and over again. I will. Might even pass it around. What’s that overused McCandless line from Into the Wild? ‘Happiness is only real, when shared’.
February 28, 2022
My thanks to Stonebridge Press and Netgalley for a review copy of this magazine.
Monkey is a literary magazine that showcases a wide range of Japanese writing translated into English. This, the second volume, edited by Ted Goossen, Motoyuki Shibata, and Meg Taylor focuses on ‘travel’.
What I loved about this was its very wide coverage on many levels. There are pieces from various genres from fantasy and science fiction to stories exploring more real-life themes like war and the bonds one forms, loss, small acts of compassion in daily life. These include both short fiction and excerpts from longer pieces. There is poetry including haiku, a short piece in the graphic-novel format, and some whimsical pieces. There is nonfiction from travel experiences (for instance a piece by Murakami on how going on his daily jog in different countries in Southern Europe was perceived by locals, to different authors reminiscing on their very first journeys—usually as children) to an exploration of what a journey really is to what travel became in pandemic times. The selections are also wide ranging in terms of the time they were written at, from pieces 30 or more years old to those written during the pandemic. And of course, also a number of authors including names both familiar to me like Haruki Murakami, Yasunari Kawabata and Meiko Kawakami to those new to me like Kikuko Tsumura, Hiromi Ito, and Jun'ichi Raima. There is something for every kind of reader to enjoy.
Travel is of course the theme that most of the pieces explore, whether it is journeys that some seem to have made without realising it (like a sea horse in human form in one story, who has lost connect with her home, and faces the lot of human women), or journeys due to circumstances (a woman and her children going to stay with her relative when war breaks), for pleasure, or as a pilgrimage (like a monk-prince travelling to Hindustan where Buddhism came from, or another man’s journey to a hot spring with a friend who is ill which turns out to stand in for a pilgrimage). In the nonfiction pieces too, there are reflections on what the travellers take away from these journeys (inspiration for their music, for instance) or what at the end of the day a journey really means. Yet, within this general theme of travel, various other aspects are explored from women's position in society and problems they face at home or in their careers, to loss and loneliness, relationships (including with friends and family) and everyday dilemmas.
There are far too many pieces in this volume to write about individually but I will write of a few that a particularly enjoyed (broadly speaking I enjoyed the almost all the pieces). There is ‘Hell’ which explores a fun sort (well, at least for the reader) of hell for a glutton who has binged not on food but on books and crime thrillers on TV; ‘The Overcoat’, a heart-rending story in graphic-novel format of a coat looking for its lost owner; and Murakami’s account of jogging in different countries and how people reacted to him. I also loved the whimsical ‘Toad’ which was a deal of fun. The Dugong, an excerpt from a longer novel which follows a monk-prince on his journey to Hindustan in search of the roots of Buddhism was another piece of interest, and with the preceding illustration seemed a Japanese equivalent of the Journey to the West story. I also enjoyed getting an idea of a traditional Noh play. ‘The Trial’ was another quite thought-provoking piece on the more base instincts that might be closer to our surface than we think.
Another interesting feature is a section from the various translators of the volume discussing aspects they struggled with like words and phrases that have no English equivalents, or conveying subtle differences in homophonic names, or sentence endings.
The magazine also has some lovely artwork and illustrations between the different pieces—some were not final in the proof copy I have but I enjoyed them all the same.
While I have read and enjoyed some works of Japanese literature in the past, reading Monkey really gave me a look into the sheer range of writing that I have yet to explore, and left me with a list of authors and genres that I want to explore, as well as some books I’d like to read the rest of. In itself, Monkey is a great way to experience Japanese writing.
4.25 stars
On a personal note, this one ended up taking me a great deal of time to read because I was reading this through Adobe Digital Editions, and between work deadlines and recurrent computer trouble (since October last year) that meant I kept losing my download, I almost thought I’d never get to read this, but am glad I finally did!
Monkey is a literary magazine that showcases a wide range of Japanese writing translated into English. This, the second volume, edited by Ted Goossen, Motoyuki Shibata, and Meg Taylor focuses on ‘travel’.
What I loved about this was its very wide coverage on many levels. There are pieces from various genres from fantasy and science fiction to stories exploring more real-life themes like war and the bonds one forms, loss, small acts of compassion in daily life. These include both short fiction and excerpts from longer pieces. There is poetry including haiku, a short piece in the graphic-novel format, and some whimsical pieces. There is nonfiction from travel experiences (for instance a piece by Murakami on how going on his daily jog in different countries in Southern Europe was perceived by locals, to different authors reminiscing on their very first journeys—usually as children) to an exploration of what a journey really is to what travel became in pandemic times. The selections are also wide ranging in terms of the time they were written at, from pieces 30 or more years old to those written during the pandemic. And of course, also a number of authors including names both familiar to me like Haruki Murakami, Yasunari Kawabata and Meiko Kawakami to those new to me like Kikuko Tsumura, Hiromi Ito, and Jun'ichi Raima. There is something for every kind of reader to enjoy.
Travel is of course the theme that most of the pieces explore, whether it is journeys that some seem to have made without realising it (like a sea horse in human form in one story, who has lost connect with her home, and faces the lot of human women), or journeys due to circumstances (a woman and her children going to stay with her relative when war breaks), for pleasure, or as a pilgrimage (like a monk-prince travelling to Hindustan where Buddhism came from, or another man’s journey to a hot spring with a friend who is ill which turns out to stand in for a pilgrimage). In the nonfiction pieces too, there are reflections on what the travellers take away from these journeys (inspiration for their music, for instance) or what at the end of the day a journey really means. Yet, within this general theme of travel, various other aspects are explored from women's position in society and problems they face at home or in their careers, to loss and loneliness, relationships (including with friends and family) and everyday dilemmas.
There are far too many pieces in this volume to write about individually but I will write of a few that a particularly enjoyed (broadly speaking I enjoyed the almost all the pieces). There is ‘Hell’ which explores a fun sort (well, at least for the reader) of hell for a glutton who has binged not on food but on books and crime thrillers on TV; ‘The Overcoat’, a heart-rending story in graphic-novel format of a coat looking for its lost owner; and Murakami’s account of jogging in different countries and how people reacted to him. I also loved the whimsical ‘Toad’ which was a deal of fun. The Dugong, an excerpt from a longer novel which follows a monk-prince on his journey to Hindustan in search of the roots of Buddhism was another piece of interest, and with the preceding illustration seemed a Japanese equivalent of the Journey to the West story. I also enjoyed getting an idea of a traditional Noh play. ‘The Trial’ was another quite thought-provoking piece on the more base instincts that might be closer to our surface than we think.
Another interesting feature is a section from the various translators of the volume discussing aspects they struggled with like words and phrases that have no English equivalents, or conveying subtle differences in homophonic names, or sentence endings.
The magazine also has some lovely artwork and illustrations between the different pieces—some were not final in the proof copy I have but I enjoyed them all the same.
While I have read and enjoyed some works of Japanese literature in the past, reading Monkey really gave me a look into the sheer range of writing that I have yet to explore, and left me with a list of authors and genres that I want to explore, as well as some books I’d like to read the rest of. In itself, Monkey is a great way to experience Japanese writing.
4.25 stars
On a personal note, this one ended up taking me a great deal of time to read because I was reading this through Adobe Digital Editions, and between work deadlines and recurrent computer trouble (since October last year) that meant I kept losing my download, I almost thought I’d never get to read this, but am glad I finally did!
November 28, 2021
Absolutely fabulous volume of short stories, poems and tidbits of new and well-known Japanese authors and translators. The layout is exceptionally well done and the art and illustrations fit each story perfectly. Of course there’ll always be stories you like more than others but I can’t wait for volume 3. My favourite part was when the translators shared little excerpts on difficult to translate Japanese words. Highly interesting 😁
Thank you very much NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This volume is a gem!
Thank you very much NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This volume is a gem!
January 16, 2022
This is my first time reading this rather interesting literary magazine actually. The thing is, i chanced upon this magazine one day while i was browsing through Kinokuniya Malaysia's website.
That accidental incident was what prompted me to request for this magazine here from NetGalley which otherwise i might not have known its existence. Anyhow,i am glad that i did read this magazine for i find the contents featured to be rather interesting mix of everything!; from short stories to curated poems to colourful strips cartoon to autobiography!. I loved the beautiful and vibrant paintings and illustrations too!.
Through this magazine, i learned of a lot of new and unfamiliar names which i have never known or heard before,from both the past writers to the most recent and contemporary writers.
Each stories gave different kinds of reading experiences for me,conveys different themes and moods and injected a variety of emotions in me. Some stories were weird (unfortunately too weird and quite nonsensical to my liking especially the stories featured at the front/earlier sections of the magazine,which almost causing me to lose a little bit of interest).
Fortunately, i am glad that i persevere and brace through until the end as i find my interest level heighten as i progressed from the middle sections until the end of the magazine where i came across one interesting stories after another. But at some point towards the middle, my attention spans dwindled down a bit as some stories can get pretty boring,whatmore the tiny,microscopic font sizes is among the factors that dampened my reading speed and made me lose my interest at times since i am reading from my phone screen.
Then, came the story of Murakami's funny as hell jogging in Southern Europe to the rescue which brighten my mood and perks up my interest again and then the sudden surge of more interesting stories after another. Some left me laughing, some made me cried and some just left me in total bewilderment and perplexity. There is one story that hits reality,so close to my own current situation where the character is taking care of an elderly family member which is her grandma, and as for me, which is my own aging and disable mother. So i find the situations faced by the character as the sole caregiver to be totally relatable to my own!.
Long story short, i enjoyed reading this magazine. I enjoyed its travel theme so much as it brought me travelling into various places. Some places were historical or based on legends, some were adventurous, some were surreal and imaginative,some were suspenseful and downright scary and some were sad and lonely. So, i recommend this magazine to anyone who wants to experience all of these various emotions.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to access the e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
That accidental incident was what prompted me to request for this magazine here from NetGalley which otherwise i might not have known its existence. Anyhow,i am glad that i did read this magazine for i find the contents featured to be rather interesting mix of everything!; from short stories to curated poems to colourful strips cartoon to autobiography!. I loved the beautiful and vibrant paintings and illustrations too!.
Through this magazine, i learned of a lot of new and unfamiliar names which i have never known or heard before,from both the past writers to the most recent and contemporary writers.
Each stories gave different kinds of reading experiences for me,conveys different themes and moods and injected a variety of emotions in me. Some stories were weird (unfortunately too weird and quite nonsensical to my liking especially the stories featured at the front/earlier sections of the magazine,which almost causing me to lose a little bit of interest).
Fortunately, i am glad that i persevere and brace through until the end as i find my interest level heighten as i progressed from the middle sections until the end of the magazine where i came across one interesting stories after another. But at some point towards the middle, my attention spans dwindled down a bit as some stories can get pretty boring,whatmore the tiny,microscopic font sizes is among the factors that dampened my reading speed and made me lose my interest at times since i am reading from my phone screen.
Then, came the story of Murakami's funny as hell jogging in Southern Europe to the rescue which brighten my mood and perks up my interest again and then the sudden surge of more interesting stories after another. Some left me laughing, some made me cried and some just left me in total bewilderment and perplexity. There is one story that hits reality,so close to my own current situation where the character is taking care of an elderly family member which is her grandma, and as for me, which is my own aging and disable mother. So i find the situations faced by the character as the sole caregiver to be totally relatable to my own!.
Long story short, i enjoyed reading this magazine. I enjoyed its travel theme so much as it brought me travelling into various places. Some places were historical or based on legends, some were adventurous, some were surreal and imaginative,some were suspenseful and downright scary and some were sad and lonely. So, i recommend this magazine to anyone who wants to experience all of these various emotions.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to access the e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 26, 2022
Let me begin my writing by saying how thankful I am to @NetGalley and Stone Bridge Press for allowing me to read this magazine.
One of the parts I like about Monkey volume 2 is the section when it's published the translator's remarks on their experience and struggle to find the best words; easy to understand, not awkward sentence so that it's still attaching the feelings and emotions from the original language and not lost in translation. It's so that readers can get the best experience in reading.
I didn't sure at first whether I'll enjoy or dislike this magazine because I almost give up and already DNF one story after reading it halfway at the beginning after not being able to connect with it – so one way or another I need to construct a backup plan.
I do at times feel like the stories were neverending; I can't force myself to read when I didn't feel like it. Plus the size of the ebook font on the NetGalley app is really small to my eyes. In the end, I read in no particular order – starting from the back and just scrolling until I found a title that entice me. Believe me, there's no harm in doing so, after all, there's always another story waiting for you.
The other good things about this magazine are the number of stories and authors it featured. Some wrote about personal life's experience, grief, while some even wrote stories with hidden meanings. The stories are sometimes weird, does not make sense, relatable, unique, serene, laughable, hilarious in their way, melancholic or to put it simply – it was packed with emotions.
My personal favourite is The Coat by Satoshi Kitamura, Jogging in Southern Europe by Haruki Murakami, Cardboard Boxes and Their Use by Taki Monma, Flying Squirrel by Yuko Tsushima, A Report on Travel by Brian Everson, etc. Some of the stories didn't end just like that as it's an excerpt, so I would love to get my hand on a copy of The Trail by Eric McCormack when it's available.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves to read just about anything and try out new authors.
One of the parts I like about Monkey volume 2 is the section when it's published the translator's remarks on their experience and struggle to find the best words; easy to understand, not awkward sentence so that it's still attaching the feelings and emotions from the original language and not lost in translation. It's so that readers can get the best experience in reading.
I didn't sure at first whether I'll enjoy or dislike this magazine because I almost give up and already DNF one story after reading it halfway at the beginning after not being able to connect with it – so one way or another I need to construct a backup plan.
I do at times feel like the stories were neverending; I can't force myself to read when I didn't feel like it. Plus the size of the ebook font on the NetGalley app is really small to my eyes. In the end, I read in no particular order – starting from the back and just scrolling until I found a title that entice me. Believe me, there's no harm in doing so, after all, there's always another story waiting for you.
The other good things about this magazine are the number of stories and authors it featured. Some wrote about personal life's experience, grief, while some even wrote stories with hidden meanings. The stories are sometimes weird, does not make sense, relatable, unique, serene, laughable, hilarious in their way, melancholic or to put it simply – it was packed with emotions.
My personal favourite is The Coat by Satoshi Kitamura, Jogging in Southern Europe by Haruki Murakami, Cardboard Boxes and Their Use by Taki Monma, Flying Squirrel by Yuko Tsushima, A Report on Travel by Brian Everson, etc. Some of the stories didn't end just like that as it's an excerpt, so I would love to get my hand on a copy of The Trail by Eric McCormack when it's available.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves to read just about anything and try out new authors.
October 26, 2021
MONKEY New Writing from Japan: Volume 2: TRAVEL was a delightful collection of diverse writings that included short stories, a Noh play, a graphic story and poetry. Sea Horse was my favourite short story, but I also really enjoyed many of the other works as well. One nice touch at the end was the notes from the translators on the words they struggled to render in English, which offered great insight into the translation process. If you are a fan of contemporary Japanese literature, this anthology offers a wonderful range of tales, with contributions from a number of leading authors. It gets 4 stars from me.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2021
A fascinating annual collection of artistic works from Japan, including short stories, poetry and wonderful illustrations, with a theme of travel.
Some of the tales are very unusual, such as the first story Sea Horse, where a woman craves to go to the sea. Or the tale of being in hell where a dead boy witnesses the Kennedy assassination and the life of Julius Caesar. Haruki Murakami writes about his experiences of jogging in Mykonos and the dogs there, plus a beautiful painting to accompany it...and a graphic story about an overcoat that has lost its owner. Have you ever wondered what happens to lost coats? This story is expressed in a strip cartoon style.
The imagination in these pieces is truly creative and so there is little indication what the story or poem is likely to contain. The paintings are bright and colourful or detailed and atmospheric, but always truly artistic. My favourite section is Five Modern Poets on Travel, which begins with a poem about a car and then takes us through the cherry blossom trails of traditional Japan.
This is a joyous book that the reader can dip in and out of, a whole host of original ideas and vivid imagination brought to the page. An eclectic collection and a memorable journey. Recommended for those open to something different.
Some of the tales are very unusual, such as the first story Sea Horse, where a woman craves to go to the sea. Or the tale of being in hell where a dead boy witnesses the Kennedy assassination and the life of Julius Caesar. Haruki Murakami writes about his experiences of jogging in Mykonos and the dogs there, plus a beautiful painting to accompany it...and a graphic story about an overcoat that has lost its owner. Have you ever wondered what happens to lost coats? This story is expressed in a strip cartoon style.
The imagination in these pieces is truly creative and so there is little indication what the story or poem is likely to contain. The paintings are bright and colourful or detailed and atmospheric, but always truly artistic. My favourite section is Five Modern Poets on Travel, which begins with a poem about a car and then takes us through the cherry blossom trails of traditional Japan.
This is a joyous book that the reader can dip in and out of, a whole host of original ideas and vivid imagination brought to the page. An eclectic collection and a memorable journey. Recommended for those open to something different.
November 13, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and to Stone Bridge Press for this eARC.
What a lovely, refreshing read. A mix of poetry, non-fiction and short fiction in translation, this was beautifully laid out, with wonderful illustrations. So much eye and brain candy in one volume.
Some of my favourite reads:
Hell, by Kikuko Tsumura
The Overcoat, a graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura
Whale Leg, by Laird Hunt
The Trail, by Eric McCormack (looking forward to reading the novel)
Itō Goes On A Journey, Making a Pilgrimage to Yuda Hot Springs, by Hiromi Itō.
I especially enjoyed the remarks from translators at the end of the volume, about the words and ideas they find hard to translate into English.
Well worth a read.
Rated: 7/10.
What a lovely, refreshing read. A mix of poetry, non-fiction and short fiction in translation, this was beautifully laid out, with wonderful illustrations. So much eye and brain candy in one volume.
Some of my favourite reads:
Hell, by Kikuko Tsumura
The Overcoat, a graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura
Whale Leg, by Laird Hunt
The Trail, by Eric McCormack (looking forward to reading the novel)
Itō Goes On A Journey, Making a Pilgrimage to Yuda Hot Springs, by Hiromi Itō.
I especially enjoyed the remarks from translators at the end of the volume, about the words and ideas they find hard to translate into English.
Well worth a read.
Rated: 7/10.
November 5, 2021
I hadn't heard of this literary magazine before seeing it on Netgalley, and I feel like I've uncovered a treasure trove. There are English translations of works of short fiction by Japanese authors I'd heard of before, such as Hiromi Kawakami and Yasunari Kawabata, a poem by Mieko Kawakami, an essay by Haruki Murakami, and there are also excerpts from longer works by authors that I've been newly introduced to, such as Hideo Furukawa, Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, and Yuko Tsushima. There are also essays, travel pieces, a poignant graphic story about a lost overcoat in search of its owner, and plenty more to read and reread. This volume also contains a section with insight from translators about the often difficult art of translating literature. This is a collection of stories that I will visit again and again on my journey to discover new Japanese literary voices, and I can't wait to see the next volume.
December 30, 2021
A glorious anthology of stories, poems and non-fiction from a selection of famous and lesser-known Japanese writers (and some non-Japanese authors, too), mostly based around the theme of travel. I suspect this would be even better in a physical copy, with its stunning artwork and just a feeling that this is something to return to again and again, to pick a favourite story or picture and just revel in it.
Top marks to Monkey for this, their 2nd annual collection. I'm already chomping at the bit for next year's. 4.5 stars in ebook format, and because this is probably my last review of 2021, let's go out with a bang and give it 5 stars. A must-read, and must-have, for anyone with an interest in Japanese literature and culture.
Top marks to Monkey for this, their 2nd annual collection. I'm already chomping at the bit for next year's. 4.5 stars in ebook format, and because this is probably my last review of 2021, let's go out with a bang and give it 5 stars. A must-read, and must-have, for anyone with an interest in Japanese literature and culture.
June 9, 2022
3 stars
A mix of drama, poetry, short stories, & creative non-fiction, some in translation & some written in English. Visually appealing & great variety of topic & genre, the quality of the pieces unfortunately varies. There were some I liked a lot, some I found a bit tedious, & one in particular I could not finish (see below).
[What I liked:]
•The story “Hell” is delightful! Sort of a Buddhist reimagining of Dante’s Inferno, with much irony and witty writing.
•I also enjoyed the first story, about an immortal mermaid torn between her longing to return to the sea and her desire to remain on land to care for her half-human children. It is wistful and lovely.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•In the story “The Dugong” (actually the first chapter excerpted from the novel Takaoka’s Travels), there is a description of child molestation. The writer says that since the child enjoyed it & felt no “disgust”, surely the abuse was okay & not a bad thing. How the heck did this get published? Not okay.
CW: CSA, r*pe, domestic violence
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
A mix of drama, poetry, short stories, & creative non-fiction, some in translation & some written in English. Visually appealing & great variety of topic & genre, the quality of the pieces unfortunately varies. There were some I liked a lot, some I found a bit tedious, & one in particular I could not finish (see below).
[What I liked:]
•The story “Hell” is delightful! Sort of a Buddhist reimagining of Dante’s Inferno, with much irony and witty writing.
•I also enjoyed the first story, about an immortal mermaid torn between her longing to return to the sea and her desire to remain on land to care for her half-human children. It is wistful and lovely.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•In the story “The Dugong” (actually the first chapter excerpted from the novel Takaoka’s Travels), there is a description of child molestation. The writer says that since the child enjoyed it & felt no “disgust”, surely the abuse was okay & not a bad thing. How the heck did this get published? Not okay.
CW: CSA, r*pe, domestic violence
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
November 12, 2021
"MONKEY - New Writing from Japan" is a deliciously eclectic collection. The authors range from historically famous to modern favorites to relative newcomers. The editors describe this anthology with phrases such as "Contemporary Japanese Fiction in Translation" ... "from innovative Japanese authors and outstanding translators." I found "MONKEY" to be somewhat more than this. It is an inclusive collection of writing that has some connection to Japan including fiction, essays, poetry, etc.. Much of it is translated from Japanese to English, but a reasonable part of the collection was originally written in English about Japanese themes by author's without obviously Japanese names. This level of inclusion is excellent. Works in this collection include chapters from fiction books, essays, fantasy, clear science fiction, historical fantasy, autobiographical pieces, haiku, tanka, a graphical story, and a Noh play. If the theme of this collection is "Japan", then the sub-theme is "travel." which makes this a doubly interesting collection.
My two favorite pieces are (1) "Kurozuka: A Noh Play" which adroitly pulls together separate threads of historical Japanese literature with traditional culture to create an enjoyable adventure tale, and (2) a collection of short essays from the translators of these pieces on what they find hard or impossible to translate from Japanese. Each translator makes excellent and thought provoking observations about phrases and concepts which do not have straight forward equivalents in English. I was particularly impressed with Hitomi Yoshino's essay about the challenges of translating the nuances of politeness and gender conveyed by Japanese sentence endings (and word choice) into English. As Yoshino correctly explains, English does have these concepts, but it is really hard to naturally and fully represent the original Japanese meaning in English. As an example, when I was a student, I had a chance to attend a Noh play at my university in the States. Since I knew that Noh plays often use hard to understand archaic Japanese, I read a copy of the English translation of this play ahead of time. It was unfortunate that our library didn't have a copy in the original Japanese, since I mistakenly assumed that several of the main characters were male. At the play, when I heard the actual Japanese, it was very clear from word choice, sentence ending forms, etc which of the characters where female, and this changed the meaning of the play altogether. As each of the translators entertainingly and accurately explain in their essays, Japanese is quite different from English.
I recommend this collection to those who are interested in Japan and both modern and traditional Japanese literature.
I thank the publishers, editors, authors, and translators for kindly providing an electronic review copy of this collection.
My two favorite pieces are (1) "Kurozuka: A Noh Play" which adroitly pulls together separate threads of historical Japanese literature with traditional culture to create an enjoyable adventure tale, and (2) a collection of short essays from the translators of these pieces on what they find hard or impossible to translate from Japanese. Each translator makes excellent and thought provoking observations about phrases and concepts which do not have straight forward equivalents in English. I was particularly impressed with Hitomi Yoshino's essay about the challenges of translating the nuances of politeness and gender conveyed by Japanese sentence endings (and word choice) into English. As Yoshino correctly explains, English does have these concepts, but it is really hard to naturally and fully represent the original Japanese meaning in English. As an example, when I was a student, I had a chance to attend a Noh play at my university in the States. Since I knew that Noh plays often use hard to understand archaic Japanese, I read a copy of the English translation of this play ahead of time. It was unfortunate that our library didn't have a copy in the original Japanese, since I mistakenly assumed that several of the main characters were male. At the play, when I heard the actual Japanese, it was very clear from word choice, sentence ending forms, etc which of the characters where female, and this changed the meaning of the play altogether. As each of the translators entertainingly and accurately explain in their essays, Japanese is quite different from English.
I recommend this collection to those who are interested in Japan and both modern and traditional Japanese literature.
I thank the publishers, editors, authors, and translators for kindly providing an electronic review copy of this collection.
November 11, 2021
Monkey encapsulates the rich deeply varied landscape and cluture of Japan with 24 different pieces of writing to enjoy in this volume such as short stories, poems, book excerpts, personal essays and even a Noh Play and comic. As someone who is interested in Japan but has read a small amount of Japanese literature, Monkey was a new reading experience for me. Each piece was aesthetically pleasing to look at, accompanied with beautiful art work and I would be happy to read other volumes on different topics.
I did personally prefer the first half of the magazine, which was outside the Monkey's Dozen, focussing on the theme of travel. Standouts being Sea Horse a story by Hiromi Kawakami exploring a "half-human" woman's past, being passed on from husband to husband and exploring the mistreatment she has suffered over the years. The woman can see herself in her daughter, who is different to other humans and the piece jumps between the past and modern, exploring the woman's relationships and longing for the ocean. A impactful, beautifully written story, I will be reading Kawakami's novels now. My other stand out was Hell a story by Kikuko Tsumura, this made me laugh out loud the story follows two female friends who die on a trip as they navigate hell with hell personally designed to their sins. One has the sin of over consumption of stories be that in life, tv or novels and the other has the sin of over talking. The worldbuilding was fun, hell is desrcibed as seperate faculties of a business and the demons face the same trials and tribulations as we do on earth affairs, job dissatisfaction etc.
My main issue, I didn't realise some of the stories were book excerpts till after I had finished reading them which led to me feeling confused and disatisified when they were unconcluded. Although, I soon realised, as I carried on reading this mistake was on my behalf. This magazine will come down to taste with a wide rage of peices, I enjoyed some a lot more than others and as my favourites were closer to the beginning, I did find myself reading pieces which didn't interest me fast or skimming over parts to move on to the next. That being said, each piece has merit and I'm grateful to have been introduced to many new authors, poets and will be carrying out further research and delving into more Japanese literature from reading the magazine.
Overall, I liked trying something new there is something for everyone in this magazine. Even the pieces I enjoyed less, I still learnt new things and was exposed to different styles of writing, there are some real gems in here. Monkey has done a great job in collating the pieces, showcasing a wide varitey and the look of the magazine is a winner for me!
I did personally prefer the first half of the magazine, which was outside the Monkey's Dozen, focussing on the theme of travel. Standouts being Sea Horse a story by Hiromi Kawakami exploring a "half-human" woman's past, being passed on from husband to husband and exploring the mistreatment she has suffered over the years. The woman can see herself in her daughter, who is different to other humans and the piece jumps between the past and modern, exploring the woman's relationships and longing for the ocean. A impactful, beautifully written story, I will be reading Kawakami's novels now. My other stand out was Hell a story by Kikuko Tsumura, this made me laugh out loud the story follows two female friends who die on a trip as they navigate hell with hell personally designed to their sins. One has the sin of over consumption of stories be that in life, tv or novels and the other has the sin of over talking. The worldbuilding was fun, hell is desrcibed as seperate faculties of a business and the demons face the same trials and tribulations as we do on earth affairs, job dissatisfaction etc.
My main issue, I didn't realise some of the stories were book excerpts till after I had finished reading them which led to me feeling confused and disatisified when they were unconcluded. Although, I soon realised, as I carried on reading this mistake was on my behalf. This magazine will come down to taste with a wide rage of peices, I enjoyed some a lot more than others and as my favourites were closer to the beginning, I did find myself reading pieces which didn't interest me fast or skimming over parts to move on to the next. That being said, each piece has merit and I'm grateful to have been introduced to many new authors, poets and will be carrying out further research and delving into more Japanese literature from reading the magazine.
Overall, I liked trying something new there is something for everyone in this magazine. Even the pieces I enjoyed less, I still learnt new things and was exposed to different styles of writing, there are some real gems in here. Monkey has done a great job in collating the pieces, showcasing a wide varitey and the look of the magazine is a winner for me!
December 24, 2021
Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.
An annual anthology that focuses on contemporary Japanese literature, MONKEY New Writing from Japan contains short stories, poetry, essays, novel excerpts, and more that have been translated to English. Paired with these pieces are illustrations created using various mediums, creating a feast for the eyes and mind.
This specific volume of MONKEY focuses on the theme of travel. It kicks off with 'Sea Horse', a gorgeous, magical piece by Hiromi Kawakami whose brilliance shines brighter than ever when she writes short stories. I'm completely in love with the imagery, magical realism, and social commentary woven into the narrative.
Following this strong start is Tomoka Shibasaki's 'A woman hears an announcement on the radio that war has broken out, relatives arrive at her house seeking refuge, when the war ends they leave, then a civil war breaks out'. It's an impressively long title which I admittedly didn't bother reading in its entirely, but the short story has some of the most memorable and thought-provoking lines.
Then, we have 'The Overcoat', a graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura; Kikuko Tsumura's 'Hell' which tells the tale of a women's afterlife; a poem by Mieko Kawakami; excerpts of Hideo Furukawa's novel City of Ears ; and other carefully curated pieces to complete this anthology. Aside from the first two that stood out to me, I greatly enjoyed 'Kurozuka: a Noh Play', 'Five Modern Poets on Travel', Yasunari Kawabata's touching 'From the Northern Sea', and the final section where twelve translators briefly shared their thoughts on words they have difficulties with translating into a different language.
Both the modern rendition of the Noh play and the remarks by the twelve translators were intriguing. I loved the imagery and emotions evoked by the poems in 'Five Modern Poets on Travel' and found the inclusion of the original Japanese poem alongside the translated version a delightful touch that allowed me to enjoy both. As for 'From the Northern Sea', I found it gentle, kind, and empowering. It's a short story I'm sure I will return to constantly to find the strength the narrator did to carry on with her life.
Admittedly, some pieces felt out of place in this anthology, but in overall, MONKEY is an impressive literary journal that any fan of Japanese literature would love to have in their possession.
An annual anthology that focuses on contemporary Japanese literature, MONKEY New Writing from Japan contains short stories, poetry, essays, novel excerpts, and more that have been translated to English. Paired with these pieces are illustrations created using various mediums, creating a feast for the eyes and mind.
This specific volume of MONKEY focuses on the theme of travel. It kicks off with 'Sea Horse', a gorgeous, magical piece by Hiromi Kawakami whose brilliance shines brighter than ever when she writes short stories. I'm completely in love with the imagery, magical realism, and social commentary woven into the narrative.
Following this strong start is Tomoka Shibasaki's 'A woman hears an announcement on the radio that war has broken out, relatives arrive at her house seeking refuge, when the war ends they leave, then a civil war breaks out'. It's an impressively long title which I admittedly didn't bother reading in its entirely, but the short story has some of the most memorable and thought-provoking lines.
Then, we have 'The Overcoat', a graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura; Kikuko Tsumura's 'Hell' which tells the tale of a women's afterlife; a poem by Mieko Kawakami; excerpts of Hideo Furukawa's novel City of Ears ; and other carefully curated pieces to complete this anthology. Aside from the first two that stood out to me, I greatly enjoyed 'Kurozuka: a Noh Play', 'Five Modern Poets on Travel', Yasunari Kawabata's touching 'From the Northern Sea', and the final section where twelve translators briefly shared their thoughts on words they have difficulties with translating into a different language.
Both the modern rendition of the Noh play and the remarks by the twelve translators were intriguing. I loved the imagery and emotions evoked by the poems in 'Five Modern Poets on Travel' and found the inclusion of the original Japanese poem alongside the translated version a delightful touch that allowed me to enjoy both. As for 'From the Northern Sea', I found it gentle, kind, and empowering. It's a short story I'm sure I will return to constantly to find the strength the narrator did to carry on with her life.
Admittedly, some pieces felt out of place in this anthology, but in overall, MONKEY is an impressive literary journal that any fan of Japanese literature would love to have in their possession.
Thank you so much for this ARC, Netgalley and MONKEY! I received this it in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2022
The more I read Literary magazines the more I realize what people lose when they are only into books.
MONKEY - New Writing from Japan Volume 2. is exceptional in every way.
Professionally edited with gorgeous design and art throughout the whole volume.
Short, bite-sized stories keep you company as you travel along because it is supposed to feel like you are on a journey.
It was refreshing and nostalgic to read about travelling in a time when we had to stay home for a long time. I do feel like as long as I am free to think anything I want I am also able to travel and imagine absolutely everything and anything. On the other hand, once you had a taste of physically travelling, to meet the people, to taste their food discover their culture and learn from them (because there is always something to learn anywhere you go on this Blue Marble) you will miss it more than you think in a time when it is impossible to go as a tourist.
This is where this magazine made a beautiful imaginary bridge based on imagination and our memories of going out and experiencing the resonations of the land underneath our feet.
With names like Hideo Furukawa, Hiromi Ito, Seiko Ito, Hiromi Kawakami, Mieko Kawakami, Satoshi Kitamura, Jun’ichi Konuma, Aoko Matsuda, Taki Monma, Haruki Murakami, Hiroko Oyamada, Kyohei Sakaguchi, Tomoka Shibasaki and more you can’t be in better hands.
I truly enjoyed this journey and I also learned a lot. Can’t wait to go and see Japan again after all these years.
I would like to thank Stone Bridge Press for my free copy, you truly made my day.
Note: There are also amazing advertisements in the magazine about international books that don’t get as much hype as they should. I highly recommend it to check it out if you would like to read something that hasn’t been chewed to the bone by social media.
MONKEY - New Writing from Japan Volume 2. is exceptional in every way.
Professionally edited with gorgeous design and art throughout the whole volume.
Short, bite-sized stories keep you company as you travel along because it is supposed to feel like you are on a journey.
It was refreshing and nostalgic to read about travelling in a time when we had to stay home for a long time. I do feel like as long as I am free to think anything I want I am also able to travel and imagine absolutely everything and anything. On the other hand, once you had a taste of physically travelling, to meet the people, to taste their food discover their culture and learn from them (because there is always something to learn anywhere you go on this Blue Marble) you will miss it more than you think in a time when it is impossible to go as a tourist.
This is where this magazine made a beautiful imaginary bridge based on imagination and our memories of going out and experiencing the resonations of the land underneath our feet.
With names like Hideo Furukawa, Hiromi Ito, Seiko Ito, Hiromi Kawakami, Mieko Kawakami, Satoshi Kitamura, Jun’ichi Konuma, Aoko Matsuda, Taki Monma, Haruki Murakami, Hiroko Oyamada, Kyohei Sakaguchi, Tomoka Shibasaki and more you can’t be in better hands.
I truly enjoyed this journey and I also learned a lot. Can’t wait to go and see Japan again after all these years.
I would like to thank Stone Bridge Press for my free copy, you truly made my day.
Note: There are also amazing advertisements in the magazine about international books that don’t get as much hype as they should. I highly recommend it to check it out if you would like to read something that hasn’t been chewed to the bone by social media.
December 13, 2021
This anthology of travel-themed short writings by prominent Japanese authors includes: short stories, essays, poems, excerpts from longer works, and even an illustrated story [i.e. “The Overcoat” by Satoshi Kitamura.] The nature and degree of travel varies considerably with some pieces being travelogues or setting-centric fiction, but other pieces explore travel in a more symbolic sense (e.g. “Hell” by Kikuko Tsumura or “Decline of the Aliens” by Hideo Furukawa.] And one piece, “Cardboard Boxes and Their Uses” by Taki Monma deals more with the topic of being shut in, so it might be considered a study in travel through its absence.
The anthology includes works by literary stars such as Mieko Kawakami, Haruki Murakami, and Yasunari Kawabata, and showcases translation by some of the most well-know translators of Japanese literature. [The edition ends with a dozen brief statements by translators about what they have found particularly daunting to translate -- not necessarily because the literal translation is difficult but because the elegance of the origin language can be lost to clunkiness in the translated language.]
Among my favorite pieces were “The Dugong” (a historical fiction story with a “Journey to the West” feel to it,) Haruki Murakami’s essay entitled “Jogging in Southern Europe” (which anyone who’s ever exercised amid people who don’t exercise will find amusing,) “Five Modern Poets on Travel” [particularly the tanka of Kanoko Okamoto and the haiku of both Hisago Sugita and Dakotsu Iida,] and “Every Reading, Every Sound, Every Sight” by Jun’ichi Konuma. That said, I don’t think there was a clunker in the bunch, each piece was well-composed and translated, and I’d highly recommend reading this book.
The anthology includes works by literary stars such as Mieko Kawakami, Haruki Murakami, and Yasunari Kawabata, and showcases translation by some of the most well-know translators of Japanese literature. [The edition ends with a dozen brief statements by translators about what they have found particularly daunting to translate -- not necessarily because the literal translation is difficult but because the elegance of the origin language can be lost to clunkiness in the translated language.]
Among my favorite pieces were “The Dugong” (a historical fiction story with a “Journey to the West” feel to it,) Haruki Murakami’s essay entitled “Jogging in Southern Europe” (which anyone who’s ever exercised amid people who don’t exercise will find amusing,) “Five Modern Poets on Travel” [particularly the tanka of Kanoko Okamoto and the haiku of both Hisago Sugita and Dakotsu Iida,] and “Every Reading, Every Sound, Every Sight” by Jun’ichi Konuma. That said, I don’t think there was a clunker in the bunch, each piece was well-composed and translated, and I’d highly recommend reading this book.
December 30, 2021
This is the second volume of a literary anthology (a 'zine', as some may call it) with works by celebrated contemporary Japanese writers like Haruki Murakami, Mieko Kawakami (Breasts and Eggs), Hiromi Kawakami (Strange Weather in Tokyo) and Aoko Matsuda (Where the Wild Ladies Are).
The theme of the collection was "travel" in the broadest sense of the word - and the end result delivered on its promise. This was everything I expected and more - short stories glimmering of magical realism, curated haiku and tanka poems as well as a section on untranslatable Japanese words, with contributions by some of the most experienced literary translators lamenting the limitations of the English language. Also, the illustrations really made me wish I had a print copy of this to hold in my hand.
It's clear that a lot of care and attention to detail went into the creation of this magazine, and I would love to check out the next edition. Thanks Netgalley for providing this free copy in exchange for my review!
The theme of the collection was "travel" in the broadest sense of the word - and the end result delivered on its promise. This was everything I expected and more - short stories glimmering of magical realism, curated haiku and tanka poems as well as a section on untranslatable Japanese words, with contributions by some of the most experienced literary translators lamenting the limitations of the English language. Also, the illustrations really made me wish I had a print copy of this to hold in my hand.
It's clear that a lot of care and attention to detail went into the creation of this magazine, and I would love to check out the next edition. Thanks Netgalley for providing this free copy in exchange for my review!
February 11, 2022
I received an ARC of the book from the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
It's my first time coming across this magazine and my god was my mind blown. Not only were the stories engaging and exciting (personal favourite is the fantastical Dugong and the hilarious The Most Boring Red on Earth), the selection was also incredibly diverse (the Noh play was particularly eye-opening). Needless to say, this is perfect for anyone who is interested in Japan and literature but it is also an absolute must-read for anyone who is interested in translation studies. On that note, the topic of 'Travel' really lends itself to this topic as the purpose of a translated text is to after all, move one text from one source culture to another. But as someone who is interested in translation, I thought the use of chapters from a novel as short stories was also particularly illuminating. Of course, the translator notes at the end was also a joy to read as it shed light on the intricacies behind the process.
It's my first time coming across this magazine and my god was my mind blown. Not only were the stories engaging and exciting (personal favourite is the fantastical Dugong and the hilarious The Most Boring Red on Earth), the selection was also incredibly diverse (the Noh play was particularly eye-opening). Needless to say, this is perfect for anyone who is interested in Japan and literature but it is also an absolute must-read for anyone who is interested in translation studies. On that note, the topic of 'Travel' really lends itself to this topic as the purpose of a translated text is to after all, move one text from one source culture to another. But as someone who is interested in translation, I thought the use of chapters from a novel as short stories was also particularly illuminating. Of course, the translator notes at the end was also a joy to read as it shed light on the intricacies behind the process.
October 30, 2024
[Digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Stone Bridge Press. Thank you! -- This is a late review developed and edited from my reading journal.]
This is a translated collection of short stories, poems, essays, excerpts, etc. from Japanese writers/writings based around the subject of "travel." Published annually by Stone Bridge Press, it serves as a glimpse into the culture, climate, environment and history of Japan through contemporary works vetted and chosen by editors who have a clear love of and for the country. The work itself is very well laid out and aesthetically pleasing, even in digital form. Of all the works included in this collection, I'd say my favorite was “Hell” by Kikuko Tsumura, which tells the story of an author's (after)life in a section of hell dedicated to the gluttony of, and I kid you not, reading to much (to put it in the most humorous, basic of terms).
Definitely recommend this series of publications if you're looking to explore a variety of Japanese literary and expository works.
This is a translated collection of short stories, poems, essays, excerpts, etc. from Japanese writers/writings based around the subject of "travel." Published annually by Stone Bridge Press, it serves as a glimpse into the culture, climate, environment and history of Japan through contemporary works vetted and chosen by editors who have a clear love of and for the country. The work itself is very well laid out and aesthetically pleasing, even in digital form. Of all the works included in this collection, I'd say my favorite was “Hell” by Kikuko Tsumura, which tells the story of an author's (after)life in a section of hell dedicated to the gluttony of, and I kid you not, reading to much (to put it in the most humorous, basic of terms).
Definitely recommend this series of publications if you're looking to explore a variety of Japanese literary and expository works.
November 29, 2021
This was my first time reading MONKEY but I've always been intrigued by the idea of a literary magazine. I was expecting a collection of short stories but the mix of essays, comics, non-fiction and other types of writing was a refreshing surprise.
There were some parts I really liked and some that made my eyes glaze over, but I think that just means there will be something for everyone here. The beautiful thing about having such a mix of voices is that you end up reading things that you wouldn't usually pick up - and learning about fresh authors and opinions in the process.
The theme of 'travel' is a very loose one so rather than something to appease your urge to travel, it is more something to keep in your bag or beside table to dip in and out of. However I'd definitely recommend this to someone looking to expand their horizons, even if you have little interest in Japan as a whole.
There were some parts I really liked and some that made my eyes glaze over, but I think that just means there will be something for everyone here. The beautiful thing about having such a mix of voices is that you end up reading things that you wouldn't usually pick up - and learning about fresh authors and opinions in the process.
The theme of 'travel' is a very loose one so rather than something to appease your urge to travel, it is more something to keep in your bag or beside table to dip in and out of. However I'd definitely recommend this to someone looking to expand their horizons, even if you have little interest in Japan as a whole.
December 14, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Monkey/Stone Bridge Press for my DRC.
This was such a bizarre but good collection of stories, poetry, essays, and art. I was honestly surprised at how quickly I got through this collection since there was so much in it. The theme for the collection was "travel" and as someone who has rarely travelled, I really enjoyed it for the most part. I loved that there was work from Haruki Murakami too! Murakami's essay "Jogging in Southern Europe" was interesting...as someone who does not exercise often (I get maybe an hour yoga session in maybe twice a week), I didn't love it necessarily, but I can see why someone else might love it.
I really enjoyed “Decline of the Aliens” by Hideo Furukawa and I think one another that I cannot remember unfortunately. All together, this is a fairly solid collection and would recommend it for sure.
This was such a bizarre but good collection of stories, poetry, essays, and art. I was honestly surprised at how quickly I got through this collection since there was so much in it. The theme for the collection was "travel" and as someone who has rarely travelled, I really enjoyed it for the most part. I loved that there was work from Haruki Murakami too! Murakami's essay "Jogging in Southern Europe" was interesting...as someone who does not exercise often (I get maybe an hour yoga session in maybe twice a week), I didn't love it necessarily, but I can see why someone else might love it.
I really enjoyed “Decline of the Aliens” by Hideo Furukawa and I think one another that I cannot remember unfortunately. All together, this is a fairly solid collection and would recommend it for sure.
January 11, 2022
When this collection of Japanese contemporary writing was good, it was excellent, But when it wasn't, it really felt like a slog. A mixture of fiction set in the real world and some more historical looks back into Japanese myths and legends, I found myself more engaged with the more recent content.
The highlights for me were the the graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura, 'The Overcoat', and the short stories from Kikuko Tsumura ('Hell'), Taki Monma ('Cardboard Boxes and Their Uses) and Aoko Matsuda ('The Most Boring Red on Earth'). Additionally, the illustrations throughout are really stunning.
It almost become a DNF for me, but definitely picked up towards the end, ending with Matsuda's memorably stunning short story about a girl and her period, so I'm glad I stuck with it.
The highlights for me were the the graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura, 'The Overcoat', and the short stories from Kikuko Tsumura ('Hell'), Taki Monma ('Cardboard Boxes and Their Uses) and Aoko Matsuda ('The Most Boring Red on Earth'). Additionally, the illustrations throughout are really stunning.
It almost become a DNF for me, but definitely picked up towards the end, ending with Matsuda's memorably stunning short story about a girl and her period, so I'm glad I stuck with it.
November 16, 2021
Thanks to the editor and NetGalley for the copy.
This was a first read from the Monkey journal for me. I really enjoyed the large variety of texts offered. From a first connection with haiku to the escapism provided by the short stories. Most of all, I enjoyed reading Hiromi Kawakami's Sea Horse and totally loved the setting of Eric McCormack's The Trail. The art featured throughout the magazine was a nice addition and I wish I could have seen it in color instead of black and white on my ebook reader.
3,5/5
This was a first read from the Monkey journal for me. I really enjoyed the large variety of texts offered. From a first connection with haiku to the escapism provided by the short stories. Most of all, I enjoyed reading Hiromi Kawakami's Sea Horse and totally loved the setting of Eric McCormack's The Trail. The art featured throughout the magazine was a nice addition and I wish I could have seen it in color instead of black and white on my ebook reader.
3,5/5
January 5, 2022
This is my first taste of the Monkey catalogue of stories and it was brilliant. There was a wide variety of submissions and I believe something for every palate. It offers a blend of various writing styles which in my opinion is a great way to expose students to world literature and various formats of writing/prose. Absolutely loved reading and re-reading the stories and would highly recommend this title to my peer groups and book club! Thank you for allowing me access, very much enjoyed my time with this collection!! Will be doing an in depth review on my instagram account, thanks again!!
January 17, 2022
I have received this ARC in exchange for an honest review
While I have not read Volume 1, I will be judging this as its own thing. A collection of stories of varying degrees of absorbent and thought-provoking quality - this collection of writings makes for an interesting read featuring the likes of Hiroko Oyamada and the legendary Haruki Murakami. I loved the poetry selection in particular as well as Tomaka Shibasaki’s short story. I recommend if you are looking to brush up on your Japanese literature.
While I have not read Volume 1, I will be judging this as its own thing. A collection of stories of varying degrees of absorbent and thought-provoking quality - this collection of writings makes for an interesting read featuring the likes of Hiroko Oyamada and the legendary Haruki Murakami. I loved the poetry selection in particular as well as Tomaka Shibasaki’s short story. I recommend if you are looking to brush up on your Japanese literature.
April 12, 2024
(3,5 stars)
This is such a high quality magazine, I really loved (almost) all of the illustrations!
The stories/excerpts were (like most anthologies) a hit and miss, but although all writings in the magazine weren’t my cup of tea, I found the selection to be nicely varied.
My favorites from the magazine were ”Sea Horse” by Hiromi Kawakami, ”Itō Goes on a Road Trip, Making a Pilgrimage to Yuda Hot Springs” (from ”The Thorn Puller”) by Hiromi Itō and ”The Most Boring Red on Earth” by Aoko Matsuda.
This is such a high quality magazine, I really loved (almost) all of the illustrations!
The stories/excerpts were (like most anthologies) a hit and miss, but although all writings in the magazine weren’t my cup of tea, I found the selection to be nicely varied.
My favorites from the magazine were ”Sea Horse” by Hiromi Kawakami, ”Itō Goes on a Road Trip, Making a Pilgrimage to Yuda Hot Springs” (from ”The Thorn Puller”) by Hiromi Itō and ”The Most Boring Red on Earth” by Aoko Matsuda.
November 14, 2021
This book is really stunning, I mean the stories and the artwork is just amazing. Although I didn't really understand what all stories are about I still enjoyed it a lot. I really liked most of the stories, they are diverse and deep, all the different writing styles... Have I mentioned the artwork? STUNNING.
December 31, 2021
An entertaining amalgam of essays, poems, and plays to bide one's time when traveling or waiting to get to do so. Some reflect on the current state of the world during the pandemic. Others are timeless pieces that drift between the world of whimsy and reality. This collection has a smattering of just about anyone for whiling away idle hours and at times promote introspection.
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February 20, 2025Picked this up years ago now, and started reading through it, but never finished exploring the pages here. So many wonderful illustrations, and many pieces of writing that have me rethinking the way I approach narrative. A real nice magazine, hoping to stumble upon another edition of this somewhere :)
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