Got this book, N.P. (North Point), two years ago only because it was P20 during a Powerbooks sale. And only because the author is named "Banana". But I only read it for a day last May, and then this weekend.
True to the Japanese form (author is Banana Yoshimoto), it's very minimalist. Well, it tackled different types of relationships ranging from the simple (sisterhood) to the complex (lesbian, incestuous, high school-old man) but somehow Banana managed to make it look simple.
Some wisdom in the book as follows:
"People are just so weak. Like me, I was raised in a terrible environment and have seen a lot of appalling things in my time, but, in the end, I still believe that people are fundamentally good. And also extremely fragile." (p.68)
"There are people like that, who have no fear of failure and are constantly starting from scratch. They never appear to be at peace with themselves, but then it's no wonder. People like that may claim what they do is right, but you can tell from their faces that they have many regrets, like they've been banished to some dark alley." (P.93)
A documentation of sporadic whims. A repository of random memories. A keeper of fleeting thoughts. As Jessie Wallace puts it, "we are the sum of all moments of our lives."
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