The fall colours this year have been beautiful with cold nights. Great weather for reading books. I have finished two books this week. I’ll mention them here:
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.
Pachinko is a novel by Min Jin Lee, published in 2017. It’s a sweeping historical saga that follows four generations of a Korean family living in Japan, starting in the early 20th century.
The story begins in a small fishing village in Korea with a young woman named Sunja, who becomes pregnant by a wealthy married man. To save her honor, she marries a gentle minister who offers to take her to Japan. Once there, Sunja and her descendants struggle with poverty, discrimination, and questions of identity, as Koreans were (and often still are) treated as second-class citizens in Japan.
The title Pachinko refers to a type of Japanese pinball game — many Koreans in Japan ended up working in pachinko parlors because they were barred from other kinds of employment. The game also symbolizes chance, survival, and the unpredictability of life, all major themes in the novel.
Thoughts- I really enjoyed the first half of this book but by the second half I thought it became a bit repetitious and waffly. Everything was then nicely tied up at the end. What I did enjoy was learning about more history of Koreans escaping into Japan during the 40s and 50s. I don’t know much Korean History and this was just enough to put events into perspective. I also was interested in the Pachinko business of which I had no idea about.
Would I recommend it? I think so. If one wanted a quick, easy history of Korea and Japan during the mid 20th century without blood and gore of wars it is an interesting read. The stories within of the Pachinko business and the ways the Korean refugees in Japan survived was interesting too.
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The second book I finished was much lighter. No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy by Mark Hodkinson.
It is a memoir of a working class family. It is a deeply personal and reflective story that explores the author’s journey from a bookless childhood in Rochdale, England, to becoming a passionate reader, journalist, and publisher. Published in February 2022, the book delves into themes of class, culture, and the transformative power of literature.
Growing up in a working-class household during the 1970s and 1980s, Hodkinson’s family owned just one book: Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain, which was kept atop a wardrobe alongside other prized possessions. Despite this limited exposure, Hodkinson developed an insatiable appetite for reading, eventually amassing a personal library of over 3,500 books. His memoir recounts this evolution, highlighting how literature became both a refuge and a means of understanding the world around him.
Thoughts- I liked the personal aspects of this book especially as to his relationship with his bi-polar grandfather who has dementia. Their conversations were fun. I also felt how much he covets books and his desire to be a writer.
There are parts of the book that go on for too long. I think tighter editing would have made me happy but overall I enjoyed it.
Would I recommend it? Yes, if you enjoy books about books and bookish people. There is a lot to enjoy and when it gets over waffly you can skim a bit.
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Photography event
Members of our photo club went into the Derwent valley for autumn photos one day. Only an hour or so southwest of Hobart had us trolling the fields for colours of fall. Here are three of my favourite photos. We then went to a small town, more like a village of Westerway to my favourite little restaurant, The Possum Shed for hot coffee and toasted sandwiches. It is situated on the river and the staff are very lovely.
We are going again to Mr Field National Park this coming week which is also in this area about 90 minutes away. Stay tuned.
Travellin' Penguin 