BEST AUTHOR BEST : BANANA YOSHIMOTO

 

The author whose new novel is '' The Premonition, '' wants books to give her insomnia : '' I love it when I don't have any plans the next day and end up reading until daybreak comes because I can't sleep.

.- What books are on your night stand?

I read most of my books on the Kindle, but as far as the paper books go, I have:

''Elemental : Critical Essays,'' by Keijiro Suga; Monkey, a literary journal edited by Motoyuki Shibata; and ''Kuishinbo no Onayami Sodan'' [ ''Dilemma of a Glutton''], by Shunsuke Inada. They're all very satisfying to read, and I've read each of them repeatedly.

.- What's the last great book you read?

That would be ''Elemental : Critical Essays,'' by Keijiro Suga. It reads like a beautiful novel. I thought the preface, in which he addresses the young people, was also brilliant. I feel blessed to be alive at the same time as someone as amazing as he is.

.- Are there any classic novels that you only recently read for the first time?

I recently finished '' Orlando : A Biography,'' by Virginia Woolf. I have tried reading it multiple times before, but always threw in the towel right around when the setting for the time period she is living in changes drastically.

I finally finished reading it though, and I'm really glad I did, it made me feel as though I'd transcended time and space, and found myself a new friend.

.- Describe your ideal reading experience [when, where, what, how].

I would say at night, in my bed, reading a long Stephen King novel in one go, and concentrating so much that find myself holding my breath. I love it when I don't have any plans the next day and end up reading until daybreak because I can't sleep. It's the best.

.- What's your favorite book no one else has heard of?

'' The Dance of Reality,'' by Alejandro Jodorowsky. Maybe it's actually pretty well known, but I think it's a true masterpiece. It goes beyond simply being the original text  on which the movie was based, and feels like a book that helps you understand what art really is.

.-  Which writers - novelists, playwrights, critics, journalists - working today do you admire most?

I am always astounded by Yuji Sakamoto, the screenwriter, any time I watch any of his works.

.- Are there any Japanese writers you wish had a wider readership outside Japan?

I think she has a pretty good readership already, but I would say Hiromi Kawakami. Her short stories in particular are brilliant, and the way they are written feels very representative of the Japanese style.

.- Has a book ever brought you closer to another person, or come between you?

Books have been a deeply integral part of my daily life, so there's never been a case when they came between myself and anyone, nor have they ever been the cause of something like that.

That said, books are very important and precious to me, so I had a very difficult time as a child when people wouldn't return the books they had borrowed. 

.- What moves you the most in a work of literature?

" I'm moved the most when people use words in a way that only they can to write definitively about freedom.

.- What's the most interesting thing you learned from a book recently?

I read ''Hatarakanai Putari''. [ '' The Jobless Siblings ''], by Satoru Yoshida. It's actually a Japanese comic book series, but it taught me that people can live nobly and with honor toward society, even if they don't work.

.- Which subjects do you wish more authors would write about?

I would love to see more chefs write on the topic of cooking and cuisine. There are so few chefs in the world with a talent for writing, which is why I'm very thankful for Shunsuke Inada, whom I mentioned earlier.

.- How have your reading tastes changed over time?

I've gotten more tenacious, so I'm able to get to the end of the books one step at a time, slowly but surely. Thanks to that, I can now journey into lengthy books without being intimidated.

.- You're organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?

Haruki Murakami, Amy Yamada and Hiromi Kawakami.

 .- What are you planning on reading next?

I am planning to read ''Old Terrorist,'' by Ryu Murakami. I recently realized I've never read it, so the plan is to sit down and finish it in one go during a vacation.

The World Students Society thanks The New York Times.