Stupeurs et tremblements | 
pickThis author is quirky AF and I think I love her. Called Fear and Trembling in English, this tells the story of a Belgian young woman working for a year in Japan. It's funny and brutal and very short. There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job might be the only thing I could compare it to.
New train book. I'm devouring these things. Bad pic. Sorry. ❤🚂📖
While many folks on Litsy have many reading goals I have only one. To reach my Goodreads goal. With this story, I have reached it. 80 books read this year. My favorite was the one I finished on January 17th-Fresh Water for Flowers. I feel such a connection to that book.
I‘m delighted to finish the year reading this author. I had only recently found her & have enjoyed her storytelling style. A bit hit or miss but always an interesting concept.
pickThis is a true Amélie Nothomb book. In this autobiographical novel she tells us about her absurd time working for a Japanese company. In her clear and pure language Nothomb tells us about her way down the job ladder. Interestingly, after all she still loves Japan.
@TheAromaofBooks #BookSpinBingo
panWhat started out to be amusing soon turned ridiculously madcap—think Lucy at the chocolate factory madcap—and then jarringly serious. Japan‘s work culture is pretty screwed up, yes, but I ended up hating this holier-than-thou, idiotic gaijin protagonist—seemingly an autobiographical stand-in for the author herself—far more. Just revolting.
I read Fear and Trembling some time ago. It‘s a story of a Belgian woman working at a Japanese company. #augustisatrip #belgium
so-soI approached to this book with fear and trembling, because it was my first book by her, and I saw through the years very mixed reviews about her works ... and I have very mixed feelings about this story. I like her writing style (clear and playful), some parts of prose (especially Amélie‘s inner dialogues) are beautiful, but depiction of difference between cultures are, yes - humorous, but I felt through the whole story quite mocking undertones.
Train from Amsterdam to my quick, one day visit in Brussels (it‘s expensive city🙁).
Reading challenge: #backpackEurope
Current location: in transit from Netherlands to Belgium
Currently reading: A.Nothomb, S strahospoštovanjem
Back home and slowly adjusting to the warm SoCal weather and bright light....
Happy to be able to get back to reading! A colleague gave this book to be for Christmas. Think I will give it a spin.
This is a double first person narrative. The reader is introduced to Amelie san name sake of the author who tells of her return to Japan to work. It's a funny, awkward tale of a woman's love for her adoptive country and the huge gaps between ways of life, between the east and the west. #uncannyOctober #firstpersonnarrator Also Amelie is perfect for 🎃
TOKYO USED BOOKSTORE HAUL - BOOK 11 OF 15
One of my students has been telling me I should read her for years. So, now I have this. One step at a time.
pickLoved this novella about working at Yumimoto Corporation in Tokyo. Amelie Nothomb has a wonderful, wry sense of humour but also a deep understanding of Japanese culture. Her empathy for her Japanese colleagues and ability to laugh at herself make for terrific, laugh-out-loud comedy and an at times poignant study of the constraints of life in Japan working for 'the company'. 👌
panI had to read this after I read Tokyo Fiancée. I am a Japanophile and she didn't really appreciate that she would have to make more of an effort to 'fit in.' She's actually kind of bitchy in my humble opinion.
Too many books #notinEnglish to chose from in my library but Stupeur et Tremblements or Pere Goriot was the first novel I ever read in French. #AmelieNothomb #Balzac #literaturefrancaise #seasonsreadings2016
