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134 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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August 24, 2021
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July 27, 2020
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March 15, 2011
I am being generous with my three stars here; it was probably closer to a 2.5.
The three stories that make up this book are male-dominated tales dealing with brotherhood, fathers and sons relationships, loss, and what its like for a boy to begin his journey toward manhood. As I said, they were okay.
I have not read anything else by this author, nor have I seen any of the many movies he has made. To be honest, with this collection as my standard, I am not going to rush to the videostore or library searching for his work any time soon.
RECOMMENDED (with reservations)
The three stories that make up this book are male-dominated tales dealing with brotherhood, fathers and sons relationships, loss, and what its like for a boy to begin his journey toward manhood. As I said, they were okay.
I have not read anything else by this author, nor have I seen any of the many movies he has made. To be honest, with this collection as my standard, I am not going to rush to the videostore or library searching for his work any time soon.
RECOMMENDED (with reservations)
December 17, 2024
Leyendo el primer cuento me sentí estar escuchando una anécdota, muy bien contada, con detalles simples que construyen una imagen con humor.
Luego de leer la nota final del autor entiendo, que probablemente eso haya sido, una anécdota ficcionada de su ni?ez.
El segundo cuento me enterneció y entristeció por igual, trasmite con simpleza muy bien la soledad y el crecimiento y, el último cuento, me pareció fresco, esos primeros amores adolescentes que no siempre tienen lugar.
Me gustaron de mayor a menor, pero en resumen me parece una antología muy bonita.
Luego de leer la nota final del autor entiendo, que probablemente eso haya sido, una anécdota ficcionada de su ni?ez.
El segundo cuento me enterneció y entristeció por igual, trasmite con simpleza muy bien la soledad y el crecimiento y, el último cuento, me pareció fresco, esos primeros amores adolescentes que no siempre tienen lugar.
Me gustaron de mayor a menor, pero en resumen me parece una antología muy bonita.
November 19, 2011
American fans of Takeshi Kitano know him primarily as a writer/director of and actor in Yakuza films, but in his native Japan, he's a huge presence. He's had a varied career, beginning as a stand-up comedian and moving on to TV and films, and later in life becoming a novelist, poet, and painter. He's most often compared to Quentin Tarantino, who I like well enough, but artistically ... er, no. In his spare time, Kitano writes literary and social criticism; in Tarantino's spare time, he guest-judges on American Idol. Not the same.
Boy is the first of Kitano's books to be translated into English, and fans of his gangster movies may be disappointed. The book contains three short stories, each of them something of a coming-of-age story and all quite melancholy. "The Champion in a Padded Kimono" is about two brothers in their 30s, one who had been a good student and the other a good athlete, reminiscing about a particular grade school Sports Day they both competed in. "Nest of Stars," the strongest of the three stories, is also about two young brothers, whose mother has moved them from Tokyo to Osaka after the death of their father. They each have difficulty making the adjustment and fitting in to their new school, and take solace in their father's hobby of astronomy. "Okamesan" concerns a high school boy who travels from Tokyo to Kyoto by himself to tour the temples and study history and who ends up in a brief relationship with an unhappy high school girl who's been badly used by her biker boyfriend.
Kitano's trademark deadpan humor and bleakly hopeful outlook are present here. The children suffer disappointment and difficulty, which makes them wiser, but also sadder. Kitano demonstrates that as fondly as we remember childhood, it can sometimes be grim business.
Boy is the first of Kitano's books to be translated into English, and fans of his gangster movies may be disappointed. The book contains three short stories, each of them something of a coming-of-age story and all quite melancholy. "The Champion in a Padded Kimono" is about two brothers in their 30s, one who had been a good student and the other a good athlete, reminiscing about a particular grade school Sports Day they both competed in. "Nest of Stars," the strongest of the three stories, is also about two young brothers, whose mother has moved them from Tokyo to Osaka after the death of their father. They each have difficulty making the adjustment and fitting in to their new school, and take solace in their father's hobby of astronomy. "Okamesan" concerns a high school boy who travels from Tokyo to Kyoto by himself to tour the temples and study history and who ends up in a brief relationship with an unhappy high school girl who's been badly used by her biker boyfriend.
Kitano's trademark deadpan humor and bleakly hopeful outlook are present here. The children suffer disappointment and difficulty, which makes them wiser, but also sadder. Kitano demonstrates that as fondly as we remember childhood, it can sometimes be grim business.
Read
August 1, 2011Strange that a book this quiet and tempered is written by the man who made Takeshi's Castle and Zaitoichi. The three stories in Boy are disarmingly quiet; little stories about the male psyche during the precarious years of adolescence. They carry the serene stillness of Japanese narratives that we've known through the stories of Banana Yoshimoto and Haruki Murakami. The stories bear no pretenses, they are just straightforward narratives mapping out fragments of lives; fragments that are substantial parts of what these boys are and what will they become.
It's also amazing how these three stories are intertwined, but not by overt elements. "The Boy in the Padded Kimono" tells the story of two brothers who seem to be vastly different from one another; one is a jock and the other a nerd. A deep link between them unravels one day, with a supposedly miraculous chocolate candy involved.
"Okamesan" is the staple adolescent love of the collection; a stirring in the loins perhaps, as it recalls the strange sensation of discovery in the most unexpected time and the most unusual place.
But it is the middle story "Nest of Stars" that emerges as the strongest tale of the book. Two brothers share a love for constellations and the mysteries of the universe, something that they have inherited from their already deceased father. Their mother traipses off with men, leaving off her sons to fend for their own. "Nest of Stars" culminates at a devastating end, where the promise of uncertainty is the only thing they have that closely resembles hope.
It's also amazing how these three stories are intertwined, but not by overt elements. "The Boy in the Padded Kimono" tells the story of two brothers who seem to be vastly different from one another; one is a jock and the other a nerd. A deep link between them unravels one day, with a supposedly miraculous chocolate candy involved.
"Okamesan" is the staple adolescent love of the collection; a stirring in the loins perhaps, as it recalls the strange sensation of discovery in the most unexpected time and the most unusual place.
But it is the middle story "Nest of Stars" that emerges as the strongest tale of the book. Two brothers share a love for constellations and the mysteries of the universe, something that they have inherited from their already deceased father. Their mother traipses off with men, leaving off her sons to fend for their own. "Nest of Stars" culminates at a devastating end, where the promise of uncertainty is the only thing they have that closely resembles hope.
July 16, 2022
El autor de Ni?o plantea que la ni?ez empieza cuando uno se siente por primera vez en libertad, cuando se atreve con toda su curiosidad y pasión a perseguir una experiencia. En estos 3 cuentos los personajes principales son varoncitos de familias con dinámicas muy distintas, que en su libertad aprenden lecciones para toda la vida, narradas con limpieza y sencillez, como buen Japonés. Leer estás historias ha sido como correr una cortina para echar un vistazo al pasado, a la ni?ez de un hermano o de un mejor amigo y recordar con ternura la emoción inocente e intensa de las experiencias vividas en la infancia.
October 22, 2007
Beat Takeshi's book I am afraid is not that interesting. He's known in the U.S. for his sometimes really good films - but in Japan he's a major TV star. He has a talk show or two and in many ways he is sort of like the Japanese version of David Letterman. He's quite a force in Japanese showbiz and .... everything else.
Nevertheless this collection of three short stories are basically so-what. All of them deal with youth told through the eyes of a young person - and .... so what? Strange choice for his first book in English.
Nevertheless this collection of three short stories are basically so-what. All of them deal with youth told through the eyes of a young person - and .... so what? Strange choice for his first book in English.
December 6, 2019
This is a collection of three short stories, which uses a large font and double spacing to achieve the appearance of being book length. The stories themselves were slight as well, and tended to diminish each other. If one story is about a boy and his brother, perhaps the next story should attempt a different focus. I understand this writer is a TV personality in Japan. That perhaps explains a lot. Celebrity writers are given a lot of slack.
June 3, 2024
three short vignettes with themes of boyhood, connection to yourself and those around you, and the transience of adolescence. the stories were sweet, temperate -something I picked up to read quickly in the park- but ultimately tonally basic, simple language, nothing to write home about.
I liked the "Nest of Stars" more than the other two stories. Could be better suited for an ESL reader.
I liked the "Nest of Stars" more than the other two stories. Could be better suited for an ESL reader.
December 24, 2024
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June 29, 2023
Takeshi Kitano, reconocido actor y cómico japones nos muestra en esta peque?a obra tres relatos sobre el mundo de los infantes, una forma en que viven sus anhelos, sus deseos y su libertad. En 100 páginas disfrutas de tres diferentes relatos protagonizados por infantes y adolescentes que viven sus sue?os y buscan cumplirlos pese a todos los obstáculos que se les puedan poner.
Desde el día de los deportes, conocido como Undokai, pasando por el chico que desea ser historiador y conocer los lugares historicos de Kioto , y por último dos hermanos que quieren ver las estrellas juntos y descubrir las constelaciones. Vemos en si que estos relatos son protagonizados por infantes que van desde primaria hasta el último a?o de secundaria, mostrándonos como exploran su vida, y como enfrentan la misma pese a situaciones complejas del mundo adulto.
En dónde se toparán con rechazo por parte de jóvenes, de los mismos padres y de la sociedad que muchas veces comentaran lo que estos ni?os quieren hacer, y aunque buscan cohartar esos deseos, de una u otra forma lo logran. Dejando claro que un infante es más maduro que un adulto, que han peleado situaciones peligrosas y complejas, y han tomado decisiones que cambian el rumbo de sus vidas.
En si estos tres relatos, marcan el deseo del autor por seguir hablando de su infancia y de como el disfruto esa etapa, el mismo lo muestra en esta obra y con lo cual nos deja claro también que pese a ser un adulto complejo, diferente y con sentimientos y emociones diversas, nunca ha dejado de amar y olvidar a su ni?o interno. !Este libro es un claro ejemplo de lo que un adulto no debe olvidar! (El ser ni?o por mucho tiempo más)
Desde el día de los deportes, conocido como Undokai, pasando por el chico que desea ser historiador y conocer los lugares historicos de Kioto , y por último dos hermanos que quieren ver las estrellas juntos y descubrir las constelaciones. Vemos en si que estos relatos son protagonizados por infantes que van desde primaria hasta el último a?o de secundaria, mostrándonos como exploran su vida, y como enfrentan la misma pese a situaciones complejas del mundo adulto.
En dónde se toparán con rechazo por parte de jóvenes, de los mismos padres y de la sociedad que muchas veces comentaran lo que estos ni?os quieren hacer, y aunque buscan cohartar esos deseos, de una u otra forma lo logran. Dejando claro que un infante es más maduro que un adulto, que han peleado situaciones peligrosas y complejas, y han tomado decisiones que cambian el rumbo de sus vidas.
En si estos tres relatos, marcan el deseo del autor por seguir hablando de su infancia y de como el disfruto esa etapa, el mismo lo muestra en esta obra y con lo cual nos deja claro también que pese a ser un adulto complejo, diferente y con sentimientos y emociones diversas, nunca ha dejado de amar y olvidar a su ni?o interno. !Este libro es un claro ejemplo de lo que un adulto no debe olvidar! (El ser ni?o por mucho tiempo más)
January 8, 2013
Boy is about endurance. It is a collection of three short stories, each told from the point of view of boys coming of age in Japan. Although there are three different lads, they could easily be the same boy as he grows up from primary school to junior high and finally high school student.
The stories are about enduring what must be endured, whether it be a fever in an undokai sports day, the militaristic rituals every Japanese kid must scream and march their way through in elementary school; the difficulties of surviving and moving on from the death of a father; or that first broken heart. The stories are deceptively easy to read and I had to pace myself not to finish them too quickly. You could race through them all in one sitting, but I'm glad I read one a day over three days. It gave the characters a chance to resonate and live a little longer off the page. It would have been a shame to have hurried to the end and missed the depth in the honest depiction of the end of childhood.
Boy left me feeling a little sad, partly sentimental for a time that I can never get back, and partly pitying my own children who must shortly navigate their way to adulthood on their own. But maybe that's just me. It's good stuff.
The stories are about enduring what must be endured, whether it be a fever in an undokai sports day, the militaristic rituals every Japanese kid must scream and march their way through in elementary school; the difficulties of surviving and moving on from the death of a father; or that first broken heart. The stories are deceptively easy to read and I had to pace myself not to finish them too quickly. You could race through them all in one sitting, but I'm glad I read one a day over three days. It gave the characters a chance to resonate and live a little longer off the page. It would have been a shame to have hurried to the end and missed the depth in the honest depiction of the end of childhood.
Boy left me feeling a little sad, partly sentimental for a time that I can never get back, and partly pitying my own children who must shortly navigate their way to adulthood on their own. But maybe that's just me. It's good stuff.
October 17, 2013
La infancia es uno de los momentos clave de la vida de una persona y los tres cuentos incluidos en este libro nos presentan tres momentos de revelación en la vida de tres ni?os japoneses, tres instántaneas tan intensas, como nostálgicas. Dos de los relatos son historias de hermanos y dos de las historias tienen como protagonistas a ni?os que se ven arrancados de un mundo ideal (al menos a sus ojos), para verse enfrentados a una realidad áspera (aunque no menos intensa) y a la transición a otra etapa de su vida. Ya sea el recuerdo de una competencia deportiva escolar, una excursión fatídica para observar el firmamento nocturno, como refugio ante la ausencia del padre y las tribulaciones en una nueva escuela y una nueva ciudad, o el encuentro casi fortuito del primer amor, "Ni?o" nos introduce en el ambiente social y escolar del Japón contemporáneo. Somo testigos de los cambios inevitables de la vida y los breves instantes que encapsulan toda una infancia y se vuelven imborrables para el resto de la vida y descubrimos, en una cultura aparentemente ajena, experiencias que nos resultan a la vez similares y extra?as.
December 25, 2015
Me emocioné mucho al recibir este libro. pues no tenía idea de que uno de mis directores de cine favoritos también escribiera. Las historias son geniales, contrario a su autor, que piensa que tratan del inicio de la infancia, considero que son historias que reflejan ese preciso instante en que la infancia se rompe y comienza la vida adulta (aunque, lo sé, qué puedo opinar yo contra el propio autor). Es lamentable, sin embargo, que lectura tan genial se vea empa?ada por una edición tan descuidada. Cuando se encuentra un "enrrollado" en la página 12, se sabe ya que la edición se puso en manos de alguien sin idea de lo que hacía, o que simplemente la edición no se hizo. Qué lástima.
February 13, 2024
Me encantó. Divertido, conmovedor. Takeshi Kitano es un genio.
June 5, 2025
Resulta hermoso explorar en los recuerdos de la infancia. Aquellos momentos donde los juegos, la amistad, el amor, la curiosidad y los sue?os, se presentan como brillantes episodios de las vidas que se van formando. Una taza de té, un abrazo, una carrera escolar, el primer beso, un telescopio o la compa?ía de hermano mayor, son elementos que en la ni?ez pueden parecer simples, pero se quedan eternamente en la memoria del adulto. El cineasta japonés Takeshi Kitano lo sabe y lo presume a través de los 3 relatos cortos que conforman su libro Ni?o (1992), la tierna mirada a la etapa más bella que experimenta la naturaleza humana, donde el miedo y la incertidumbre se ven superados por la alegría y las sorpresas que aguardan en el entorno. Con el peculiar estilo estático explotado en su filmografía, aquel que mezcla toques de humor con reflexión profunda, Kitano describe relaciones padres e hijos, días escolares y amores fugaces desde la pureza que solo la infancia otorga, sorteando la gloriosa cultura japonesa, en constante disputa entre la tradición y la modernidad. Takeshi Kitano es célebre actor y director, pero su obra literaria se extiende a más de 50 libros entre ficción, crítica y poesía; invariablemente, se aplaude la traducción al espa?ol e inglés de parte de su obra. El campeón del quimono enguantado, Nido de estrellas y Okamesan, son los tres capítulos que componen Ni?o, peque?as crónicas que diseccionan la rivalidad entre hermanos y el bullying, la pérdida paterna y la vastedad del universo, la superación del miedo para descubrir el mundo y la inquietante presencia del amor. Referente cultural japonés, Kitano tiene una filmografía de más de 20 películas y constante presencia en festivales internacionales; acostumbrados a lidiar con yakuzas y mafiosos en el universo del director, en Ni?o sorprende la ternura con la que se abordan los personajes, una suavidad que Kitano exorciza y contrasta con la violencia extrema de Zatōichi (2003) o Brother (2000). En el epílogo del volumen, Takeshi Kitano apunta furioso: “No existe el cielo. Es una idea que creamos cuando nos dimos cuenta de que tan sólo existe el infierno después de la muerte.” Más adelante, confiesa que quizá había bebido demasiado al decir tal cosa, pero hay algo de cierto: decir adiós a la infancia siempre será arduo. En algún momento, el peso irremediable de la realidad adulta golpeará y el único consuelo, será recordar las esponjosas tardes infantiles.
January 14, 2020
"Escribir no es más que revivir episodios de la infancia".
"Creo que la ni?ez empieza realmente en el momento en el que uno descubre y obtiene su peque?a parcela de libertad. Y si la palabra 'libertad' suena exagerada, podría decir que se trata de confianza en uno mismo, de la posibilidad de cumplir un sencillo deseo. Hasta ese momento, uno siempre está bajo control, entre los brazos de sus padres, pero a partir de ahí empezamos a crear poco a poco un mundo aparte hecho a nuestra medida: amigos, juegos, acciones. Descubrimos que nuestras ansias y deseos son la fuerza motriz capaz de crear ese mundo nuevo".
Fragmento: "Epílogo".
"Esa noche mi padre nos habló de lo lejos que estaban las estrellas de la tierra, de lo grandes que eran. Por lo visto, algunas de ellas estaban incluso a millones de a?os luz de distancia. Nos explicó que un a?o luz era la distancia que recorría la luz a lo largo de un a?o. Imaginar el viaje de la luz durante miles de a?os, me hizo pensar en el infinito, un concepto que había aprendido recientemente. Pero era distinto al que se usaba en frases como, por ejemplo: 'Puedes comer infinitas papas fritas.' Pensar en ese otro infinito me causaba cierto dolor, me daba miedo. Lancé los brazos alrededor del cuello de mi padre y apreté fuerte.
Aquel fue mi primer encuentro con las estrellas".
Fragmento: "Nido de estrellas".
"-La vida no consiste únicamente en aprobar exámenes. Ha muchas cosas importantes por hacer y a mí gusta investigar.
-Tenía un amigo como tú cuando iba a la escuela. Ahora ense?a en una universidad cualquiera de no sé qué provincia. Siempre ha sido pobre necesitado. ?Qué gana uno con eso? Sabes de sobra que tus investigaciones no dan dinero.
En realidad lo que su padre, un exitoso y entregado director de departamento en una empresa, quería decir era: 'Mira el poder que tengo'.
-La vida no es sólo cuestión de dinero o poder".
Fragmento: "Okamesan".
"Creo que la ni?ez empieza realmente en el momento en el que uno descubre y obtiene su peque?a parcela de libertad. Y si la palabra 'libertad' suena exagerada, podría decir que se trata de confianza en uno mismo, de la posibilidad de cumplir un sencillo deseo. Hasta ese momento, uno siempre está bajo control, entre los brazos de sus padres, pero a partir de ahí empezamos a crear poco a poco un mundo aparte hecho a nuestra medida: amigos, juegos, acciones. Descubrimos que nuestras ansias y deseos son la fuerza motriz capaz de crear ese mundo nuevo".
Fragmento: "Epílogo".
"Esa noche mi padre nos habló de lo lejos que estaban las estrellas de la tierra, de lo grandes que eran. Por lo visto, algunas de ellas estaban incluso a millones de a?os luz de distancia. Nos explicó que un a?o luz era la distancia que recorría la luz a lo largo de un a?o. Imaginar el viaje de la luz durante miles de a?os, me hizo pensar en el infinito, un concepto que había aprendido recientemente. Pero era distinto al que se usaba en frases como, por ejemplo: 'Puedes comer infinitas papas fritas.' Pensar en ese otro infinito me causaba cierto dolor, me daba miedo. Lancé los brazos alrededor del cuello de mi padre y apreté fuerte.
Aquel fue mi primer encuentro con las estrellas".
Fragmento: "Nido de estrellas".
"-La vida no consiste únicamente en aprobar exámenes. Ha muchas cosas importantes por hacer y a mí gusta investigar.
-Tenía un amigo como tú cuando iba a la escuela. Ahora ense?a en una universidad cualquiera de no sé qué provincia. Siempre ha sido pobre necesitado. ?Qué gana uno con eso? Sabes de sobra que tus investigaciones no dan dinero.
En realidad lo que su padre, un exitoso y entregado director de departamento en una empresa, quería decir era: 'Mira el poder que tengo'.
-La vida no es sólo cuestión de dinero o poder".
Fragmento: "Okamesan".
September 21, 2022
Interesting premises marred by uneven narratives and extraordinary bland and awkward prose. A few resonant moments, but very lacking overall. The translation/editing in the first edition leaving many typos (including in the first story some areas where the perspective switched from first to third for a paragraph without any reason, then right back) doesn’t help either.
March 20, 2022
Tre teneri e nostalgici racconti, diversi tra loro ma accomunati dal tema dell'adolescenza e la paura dell'ingresso nell'età adulta, raccontati con la sensibilità e la complessità del poliedrico Takeshi Kitano.
November 4, 2018
This is so different from the style of his movies, I'm amazed this is the same person.
November 25, 2020
2.5 ?
De las tres historias sólo me agradó una, pero no del todo.
Creo que estoy siendo generosa con las 2.5 estrellas que le he dado.
De las tres historias sólo me agradó una, pero no del todo.
Creo que estoy siendo generosa con las 2.5 estrellas que le he dado.
Read
December 5, 2024The first two stories deserve 4 stars, but I didn’t like the third one
March 2, 2010
I got this book as an ARC a couple of years ago at BookExpo. In the ordinary way, even though it says in big letters on the front of ARCs that they're not to be regarded as final versions, the assumption is that this is as near as dammit the identical text to the one that'll be published. Not so in this instance: the version of the text I was reading is a sort of rough first draft of the translation, complete with obvious errors and clearly sans even the most basic copyediting. Presumably everyone was in a rush to get the ARC out in time for BookExpo.
It all sounds like a recipe for a grim read, and if I'd been told in advance the text was in this state I probably wouldn't have begun this collection of three novelettes about youth -- even though I'm a great admirer of its author, the movie director and writer often referred to as "Beat" Takeshi. Surprisingly, though, the stories survive pretty well; I suspect the polished version of the translation is pretty fine.
For my money, easily the best of the stories is "The Nest of Stars", which focuses on the relationship between the narrator and his elder brother, both of whom are having difficulty adapting to the family's move from Tokyo to Osaka after Dad's death. The boys are bonded by their love of amateur astronomy, inherited from their father; but will that be enough to pull them through? What's poignant about the story is the younger boy's slow, then sudden, realization that his big brother's claim to have settled in just fine is just a facade, assumed out of duty.
(The story is slightly marred by the fact that Takeshi knows less about Sirius than his narrator would. Even though there's an old Arab nickname for the star to the effect that it has a thousand colours, this is a misnomer; quite likely, later interpreters applied the nickname to the wrong star, because Sirius doesn't look like that at all . . . yet our narrator describes it as doing so when seen through his small telescope.)
"The Champion in a Padded Kimono" is again about brotherhood. Now adult, the narrator reminisces about a school sports day, and about his elder brother who, by contrast with himself, was lousy at sports. The story's a great read that leaves one frustrated because two of its plot strands (the school athlete of the title, the supposedly magic chocolate the kids get hold of) peter out into nothing, as if the author forgot them. "Okame-san" is about a much older boy who goes from Tokyo to spend a couple of nights in Kyoto doing historical research, about how he gets ripped off by bikers, and about the gal who makes it all worthwhile. It's a nice coming-of-age story.
All in all, I'm very glad I picked up the ARC. I must keep an eye out for a copy of the final version for my shelves.
It all sounds like a recipe for a grim read, and if I'd been told in advance the text was in this state I probably wouldn't have begun this collection of three novelettes about youth -- even though I'm a great admirer of its author, the movie director and writer often referred to as "Beat" Takeshi. Surprisingly, though, the stories survive pretty well; I suspect the polished version of the translation is pretty fine.
For my money, easily the best of the stories is "The Nest of Stars", which focuses on the relationship between the narrator and his elder brother, both of whom are having difficulty adapting to the family's move from Tokyo to Osaka after Dad's death. The boys are bonded by their love of amateur astronomy, inherited from their father; but will that be enough to pull them through? What's poignant about the story is the younger boy's slow, then sudden, realization that his big brother's claim to have settled in just fine is just a facade, assumed out of duty.
(The story is slightly marred by the fact that Takeshi knows less about Sirius than his narrator would. Even though there's an old Arab nickname for the star to the effect that it has a thousand colours, this is a misnomer; quite likely, later interpreters applied the nickname to the wrong star, because Sirius doesn't look like that at all . . . yet our narrator describes it as doing so when seen through his small telescope.)
"The Champion in a Padded Kimono" is again about brotherhood. Now adult, the narrator reminisces about a school sports day, and about his elder brother who, by contrast with himself, was lousy at sports. The story's a great read that leaves one frustrated because two of its plot strands (the school athlete of the title, the supposedly magic chocolate the kids get hold of) peter out into nothing, as if the author forgot them. "Okame-san" is about a much older boy who goes from Tokyo to spend a couple of nights in Kyoto doing historical research, about how he gets ripped off by bikers, and about the gal who makes it all worthwhile. It's a nice coming-of-age story.
All in all, I'm very glad I picked up the ARC. I must keep an eye out for a copy of the final version for my shelves.
November 14, 2019
Shonen 少年 (1987)
Raccolta di 3 racconti (Il campione dal kimono imbottito, Il nido di stelle, Okamesan) con protagonisti che vivono l'infanzia o la prima adolescenza, che trattano dei rapporti tra fratelli e con genitori poco presenti o attenti, della magia dell'essere bambini, del bullismo.
Sono racconti malinconici, che contengono nostalgia per un'infanzia non idealizzata e per questo autentica. Affine a Kikujiro no Natsu. Tanta stima per Kitano.
Raccolta di 3 racconti (Il campione dal kimono imbottito, Il nido di stelle, Okamesan) con protagonisti che vivono l'infanzia o la prima adolescenza, che trattano dei rapporti tra fratelli e con genitori poco presenti o attenti, della magia dell'essere bambini, del bullismo.
Sono racconti malinconici, che contengono nostalgia per un'infanzia non idealizzata e per questo autentica. Affine a Kikujiro no Natsu. Tanta stima per Kitano.
August 17, 2023
Amo el cine de Takeshi Kitano, y leerlo, fue como sentarnos a tomar un té caliente y conversar, sin prisas. Sus historias son muy bellas.
?Al final, escribir no es más que revivir episodios de la infancia?.
?
@casa__libros
?Al final, escribir no es más que revivir episodios de la infancia?.
?
@casa__libros
June 15, 2011
Each story flows well with the one before it, which causes each story to seem progressively better but actually creates a vivid, more enjoyable whole. Three stories embody a series of vignettes narrated similarly to memories from childhood. The title "Boy" complements and directly speaks to major boyhood themes of adolescence although girls could definitely relate as well. There is a boy protagonist who varies slightly between each story but often has a brother or problems with other family members, especially parents. This boy is slightly socially awkward and vulnerable as most children are. Kitano places these children in social environments where they seem a bit lost and vulnerable to the mysterious and frightening adult world. The way that he displays the interaction between children and these situations is delightful. I especially enjoyed the middle story "Nest of Stars" that deals with adapting to new environments (common thread), childhood trauma and loss, brotherhood and the burgeoning sense of individuality or adult self-centeredness.
Never watched Takeshi Kitano's films before but I'm excited to now. The cover illustration of the hardcover is great, a chaotic never-ending scene of children lost among adults or the reverse.
The stories weren't overwhelmingly good but I can picture them being excellent as film adaptations.
Never watched Takeshi Kitano's films before but I'm excited to now. The cover illustration of the hardcover is great, a chaotic never-ending scene of children lost among adults or the reverse.
The stories weren't overwhelmingly good but I can picture them being excellent as film adaptations.
December 28, 2016
Boy is about endurance. It is a collection of three short stories, each told from the point of view of boys coming of age in Japan. Although there are three different lads, they could easily be the same boy as he grows up from primary school to junior high and finally high school student.
The stories are about enduring what must be endured, whether it be a fever in an undokai sports day, the militaristic rituals every Japanese kid must scream and march their way through in elementary school; the difficulties of surviving and moving on from the death of a father; or that first broken heart. The stories are deceptively easy to read and I had to pace myself not to finish them too quickly. You could race through them all in one sitting, but I'm glad I read one a day over three days. It gave the characters a chance to resonate and live a little longer off the page. It would have been a shame to have hurried to the end and missed the depth in the honest depiction of the end of childhood.
Boy left me feeling a little sad, partly sentimental for a time that I can never get back, and partly pitying my own children who must shortly navigate their way to adulthood on their own. But maybe that's just me. It's good stuff.
Download my starter library for free here -
The stories are about enduring what must be endured, whether it be a fever in an undokai sports day, the militaristic rituals every Japanese kid must scream and march their way through in elementary school; the difficulties of surviving and moving on from the death of a father; or that first broken heart. The stories are deceptively easy to read and I had to pace myself not to finish them too quickly. You could race through them all in one sitting, but I'm glad I read one a day over three days. It gave the characters a chance to resonate and live a little longer off the page. It would have been a shame to have hurried to the end and missed the depth in the honest depiction of the end of childhood.
Boy left me feeling a little sad, partly sentimental for a time that I can never get back, and partly pitying my own children who must shortly navigate their way to adulthood on their own. But maybe that's just me. It's good stuff.
Download my starter library for free here -
June 26, 2011
Довольно удивительно открыть для себя писательское творчество Такеши Китано, и вдвойне удивительнее было начать это знакомство с такой легкой, и, можно сказать, проникновенной его книги.
Три рассказа, три разных персонажа, три совершенно разные истории. Но во всех них есть одно общее, заключающееся в том, что все три истории повествуются от лица молодого подростка. И будь то воспоминания двух взрослых братьев о школьной эстафете из далекого школьного детства, или о двух братьях, помешаных на любви к звездам, или же о поездке в Киото жаждуещего исторических впечатлений паренька, но встретившего там далеко не то, что ожидал. Все эти три истории объединяет то, с какой душой описаны каждые мелочи и нюансы в жизни ребят. Словно Китано пишет о тех моментах в жизни, которые он сам мечтал пережить (или пережил?). Сразу вспоминается "Кикуджиро" - фильм явно намекающий на отца Китано, который в жизни был абсолютной противоположностью главного персонажа. Кто знает - возможно и с этим произведением такая же история..?
Три рассказа, три разных персонажа, три совершенно разные истории. Но во всех них есть одно общее, заключающееся в том, что все три истории повествуются от лица молодого подростка. И будь то воспоминания двух взрослых братьев о школьной эстафете из далекого школьного детства, или о двух братьях, помешаных на любви к звездам, или же о поездке в Киото жаждуещего исторических впечатлений паренька, но встретившего там далеко не то, что ожидал. Все эти три истории объединяет то, с какой душой описаны каждые мелочи и нюансы в жизни ребят. Словно Китано пишет о тех моментах в жизни, которые он сам мечтал пережить (или пережил?). Сразу вспоминается "Кикуджиро" - фильм явно намекающий на отца Китано, который в жизни был абсолютной противоположностью главного персонажа. Кто знает - возможно и с этим произведением такая же история..?
March 19, 2012
Boy est une série de trois nouvelles explorant la thématique de l’enfance.
La première nouvelle met en scène deux frères qui se remémorent un évènement particulier survenu il y a 30 ans. : la Fête du Sport de leur école primaire. La seconde conte l’histoire de deux frères persécutés par leurs camarades de classe et qui se réfugient dans l’observation des étoiles, passe-temps préféré de leur père décédé. Enfin dans la dernière nouvelle, un ado passionné d’Histoire fugue pour aller visiter la ville de Ky?to et se lie d’amitié avec une jeune fille atypique.
Au travers de ces nouvelles Kitano dresse un portraite juste et sensible d’enfants, timides, maltraités ou combatifs. La figure du père est également omniprésente et il est au fil des nouvelles tant?t agressif, aimé et regretté ou autoritaire.
On suit ces histoires, presque banales, de jeunes gar?ons avec intérêt tant l'écriture est fluide et la langue agréable.
Malgré l’impression de douce nostalgie qui se dégage des nouvelles, Kitano présente l’enfance comme une période de la vie violente et cruelle.
La première nouvelle met en scène deux frères qui se remémorent un évènement particulier survenu il y a 30 ans. : la Fête du Sport de leur école primaire. La seconde conte l’histoire de deux frères persécutés par leurs camarades de classe et qui se réfugient dans l’observation des étoiles, passe-temps préféré de leur père décédé. Enfin dans la dernière nouvelle, un ado passionné d’Histoire fugue pour aller visiter la ville de Ky?to et se lie d’amitié avec une jeune fille atypique.
Au travers de ces nouvelles Kitano dresse un portraite juste et sensible d’enfants, timides, maltraités ou combatifs. La figure du père est également omniprésente et il est au fil des nouvelles tant?t agressif, aimé et regretté ou autoritaire.
On suit ces histoires, presque banales, de jeunes gar?ons avec intérêt tant l'écriture est fluide et la langue agréable.
Malgré l’impression de douce nostalgie qui se dégage des nouvelles, Kitano présente l’enfance comme une période de la vie violente et cruelle.
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