Book Recommendation

Takeout Sushi

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Today is my stop of the blog tour centered around Takeout Sushi by Christopher Green. I enjoy a good collection of short stories and this one came at a great time. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump and the short stories can often be great during such times as you can enjoy the full narrative in one sitting (especially when time to read is harder to come by).

This collection is engaging and keeps your interest within each narrative. Some are comical, some are mysterious, some are alarming, but nearly all have that unique human quality that allows the reader to contemplate the curious events that happen within a life. My personal favorite is probably “Spinning Wheels” which is a story that imagines a company that implements robots as managers.

Below you will find the full schedule of the blog tour promoting this book, including which bloggers to keep an eye out for, so check out what others are saying as well. Also below is a section about the author and an official blurb with more details about the collection.

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About the Author

A long-time resident of Japan, Christopher lives near Tokyo with his wife and daughter. Christopher writes short stories and children’s stories. His first collection of short stories Takeout Sushi is due for publication by Neem Tree Press in May 2024.

Blurb

Takeout Sushi is a collection of 17 illustrated short stories set mostly in contemporary Japan that explore feelings of belonging, displacement, and the strangeness of everyday human interaction.

In an innovative, fast-paced company, a man’s job comes under threat when a team of robots are brought in to replace the HR department. A husband’s search for shortcuts to his domestic tasks goes painfully wrong. Overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, a foreigner takes a weekend break and discovers something other than solitude in the mountains.

Marking Christopher Green’s debut adult fiction and inspired by his own experiences, these whimsical slice-of-life tales are full of heart and humour—perfect for fans of Convenience Store Woman and Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

50/50

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50_50 Dean KarnazesThe long title is 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days–and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance by Dean Karnazes with Matt Fitzgerald. This books is a memoir about the Endurance 50 event that occurred in 2006 where Dean did in fact run 50 marathons in 50 days in 50 states. That’s right, a marathon each day in a new state. Quite a feat which is why I am recommending this book almost on that premise alone.

This books covers a lot of basics that those new to fitness can greatly benefit from. These are sprinkled among the stories that give some detail into each marathon he ran.

I had no idea who Dean Karnazes was prior to reading, but he is prominent figure in ultra running which has been a growing field for the past several decades. More and more people are running marathons or 5Ks or ultramarathons. The events of this book are nearing 20 years ago, but at the time Dean was already competing in ultramarathons such as the Badwater event which consists of 135 miles partly through Death Valley and partly up Mt. Whitney. So Dean running a marathon could be compared to a marathon runner completing a 10K (just trying to give perspective, not to diminish his incredible feat).

A handful of the marathons he ran were live events where thousands of runners participated, and the rest were recreated events specifically for the Endurance 50. Photos included in the book give some insight into the thrill, and exhaustion, everyone involved experienced during the 50 days. The first marathon was the Lewis & Clark Marathon in St. Charles, Missouri (where I live) and the final marathon was the live New York City Marathon which included 38,000 runners.

Dean’s journey is inspirational to say the least. Reading Dean’s accomplishments will likely encourage you on your own path to better health and fitness through running if you are just getting into running, are interested in starting, a longtime casual runner, or compete in marathons. The story is also fascinating even if you have no interest in running.

Personally, from the perspective offered in the book, I think the travel took more of a toll on Dean than the actual running. Once the 50 crazy days were over, Dean apparently didn’t know what to do next so he just started running going from New York all the way back to St. Charles, Missouri before officially calling his adventure complete. Running for the love of it is at the core of who Dean is, and he does it well.

I signed up for my very first marathon a few months ago which is why I’ve been reading several books about running. I have about 6 months left to train for my event which will be a major feat for me. I’m just hoping to finish. I also signed up for 5K that goes through the St. Louis Zoo next month (I love our zoo here). If I catch the “running bug” that I hear a lot about, I may complete more running events in the future.

My decision to run was to get in better shape and become healthier with the main goal to live as long as possible to spend time with my kids. Having a set goal to work toward has made the training, or exercise, much easier to complete. I encourage everyone to focus on their physical and mental health through nutrition and fitness. I hope this book is another chapter on your own journey or perhaps it could be your first step on a new journey.

Happy Reading.

Quiet

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QuietQuiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain was released in 2012. This book focuses on more than just the differences of Introverts and Extroverts. It provides a history of the vernacular itself (the societal recognition of the dichotomy of interpersonal interactions), the history of these behavioral traits, how much of the world has societal expectations and recognitions suited better for extroverts, and even how parenting can be impacted by recognizing, or failing to recognize, the tendencies of a child’s behavior.

Not only does this book help the reader better understand which behaviors they may lean toward, or have developed over time, but it also encourages the reader to evaluate their communities and the societal structure of nations. This perspective may make it easier understand why others behave the way they do, when they may be outside their comfort zone, or perhaps even understand why they have consistent conflict with certain individuals.

Overall, this book is a great insight into personal behaviors. The focus on the value of introverts is refreshing in a world consumed by technology that encourages constant attention or interaction. I think there will be a societal shift in the upcoming decades away from this and toward the value of personal space and time. I know I do (though I recognize that having a blog is participating, to an extent, in the consumer-type culture, but it’s on my own terms).

It is a large world out there filled with literally billions of people. Knowing yourself will make it easier to survive. Recognizing the tendencies of others will help reduce conflict, improve communication, and possibly even save a life. Make sure you take care of yourself.

Happy Reading.

No Meat Athlete

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No Meat AthleteNo Meat Athlete by Matt Frazier was the latest book I read to help me focus on nutrition and exercise. What I liked most about it was the incorporation of both. The first half of this book focuses on nutrition with the theme of vegetarian or vegan eating. I say theme because Matt doesn’t make any pushy statements to try and turn the reader vegan, he rather discusses his own journey and how his nutrition shift to vegetarian/vegan actually improved his athleticism as he worked toward his goal of qualifying for the Boston marathon.

The expanded edition includes recipes after the nutrition section before moving on toward the exercise/athleticism section. This second part focuses mostly on running, but again Matt doesn’t focus on just one athletic area. He writes from his own experience but incorporates other areas to encourage and promote all forms of exercise. Since his focus is on running, he does provide tips for beginners as well as those who have been running for some time. He includes training schedules to complete a 5K, 10K, and two versions for a half marathon depending on your goal.

I’ve made a few minor adjustments to my own running based on advice in this book that I had heard prior but didn’t incorporate at the time. Though at the time I wasn’t running like I am now. I am glad that I’m building a good habit of running and am actually enjoying it more than I had previously. Not necessarily because of this book, but I think I did read this at the right time.

This book hit the two major areas I wanted to focus on for myself. I’m curious about reducing or eliminating meat from my own diet (though I may keep fish if I do make the adjustment). I am also curious about running more long distances and the physical and mental health improvements that often result from doing so. Matt does mention nutrition within the exercise section as they are intertwined, such as when and what to eat before and after a workout to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs to sustain long bouts of exercise and to recover afterwards, the latter of which can reduce time needed between sessions of physical exertion.

I think this is a great book for beginners or intermediate athletes (or in my case a former athlete who is looking for a way to improve and maintain great health). It is also a great book for anyone thinking about altering their diets to be less meat-focused or if you just want to be more plant-focused. My wish for you is to give this a read to help build or reinforce a habit and work toward a healthier you. I plan on doing so myself.

Happy Reading.

No Time To Spare

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No Time To SpareI think I’ve read more nonfiction than fiction by Ursula K. Le Guin at this point (which is actually great). I need to read the entire Earthsea series since I have the illustrated, one-volume edition that was a gift from my wife. It’s a large tome that I haven’t yet jumped in to. However, the latest read by Le Guin was No Time to Spare which is a collection of essays written toward the end of her life.

The essays, I believe most were blog posts, take place between 2008 and 2015. Le Guin passed in 2018. This collection has a few themes, one of which is about aging, and provides an interesting perspective on all of them. Each of the four sections is padded with The Annals of Pard which are simply discussions about Le Guin’s cat named Pard. This adds to the laid back, every-day feel of what these essays discuss.

Though I think The Language of the Night is one of Le Guin’s best nonfiction collections, this one gives us a more detached, individual glance at the mind of a prolific author and good person. Ironically, my most viewed blog post, and the only essay I’ve published on this site, is a brief analysis about gender and Le Guin’s use of it in The Left Hand of Darkness. So perhaps I provided somewhat of an extension of Le Guin’s reach with my own essay.

I enjoy learning from those who have lived a long, meaningful life. One of the things I love most about books is that you can learn from those who have passed on either recently or thousands of years ago. Having these stories, fiction or nonfiction, help us all gain a better perspective of the world as it was, as it is, and as it could be. Granted, I tend to try and maintain a positive outlook even when realizing certain societal issues have persisted longer than I could have imagined.

I am grateful to continue learning from Le Guin and I look forward to exploring more of the worlds she built. I’m sure I’ll add them to my ever-growing list of the books I recommend.

Happy Reading.