Murakami has worked both at UC Berkeley and Princeton College. Here in this excerpt, he tells us which city he prefers living at and why. This text is technical and contains many subtleties, so it is ok to not understand all. Try to guess the main points, and answer to the questions below after listening […]
Tag: Literature
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🇫🇷 Anti-war French Literature: Boris Vian
French author and musician Boris Vian wrote an anti-war song in 1954 against the First Indochina War. The song takes the form of a letter from a draftee to the president, explaining his reasons for deserting. Although it was initially criticized as an anti-patriotic song and banned by the French national radio committee for 8 […]
In today’s excerpt, Murakami is telling what he enjoyed doing after he moved to the US. Author: Murakami Haruki (村上春樹) Title: “やがて哀しき外国語” (やがて かなしき がいこくご) アメリカに来て暮らすようになってから、中古レコード店をまわってジャズの古いレコードを漁ることが、大きな楽しみになってしまった。一番の娯楽と言ってもいいくらいだ。せっかく外国に住んでいるのだから、もう少し有意義で活動的な人生の楽しみかたがあってもいいのにと、ときどき自分でも思うのだけれど。 （アメリカ に きて くらす ように なってから、ちゅうこ レコードてん を まわって ジャズ の ふるい レコード を あさる こと が、おおきな たのしみ に なってしまった。いちばん の ごらく と いっても いい くらいだ。せっかく がいこく に すんでいる のだから、もう すこし ゆういぎで かつどうてきな じんせい の たのしみかた が あっても いいのに と、ときどき じぶん でも おもう のだけれど。） Comments: Murakami tells us that since he has started living in America, his hobby has been to go to used records stores and hunt for (漁る – あさる) […]
Today’s excerpt is where Murakami meets one of his favorite American author’s relative. Author: Murakami Haruki (村上春樹) Title: “やがて哀しき外国語” (Yagate kanashiki gaikokugo) 先日ペンシルヴェニアに住んでいるシンシア・ロスさんという人から、夕食に来ないかと言う招待の手紙をいただいた。その手紙によると、シンシアさんは実はスコット・フィッツジェラルドの孫にあたるということである。(…) 彼女は僕がスコット・フィッツジェラルドの小説の翻訳をしていることを人づてに聞いて、興味を持ってわざわざ招待してくれたのだ。 Senjitu Pensiruvenia ni sundeiru Sinsia Rosu san to iuu hito kara, yuushoku ni konai ka to iuu shoutai no tegami wo itadaita. Sono tegami ni yoruto, Sinsia san wa jituha Sukotto […]
Today’s listening comprehension is from Alphonse Daudet’s autobiographical book “Le Petit Chose” (1868). I recommend listening first, and trying to guess the meaning, or even just catch the words that you know. You can then read the text below for additional help. I am reading the text twice, first time fast and second time slower. […]
Previously, we started to explore the Japanese pronoun “I,” and will continue to review the most common examples and uses. The “I” pronoun provides an indication of the speaker’s identity or personality. It is how we label ourselves and one of the reasons why there are so many options available. 私 (watashi): neutral in both gender and […]
Today’s Japanese listening comprehension is an excerpt where Murakami Haruki explains his first visit to Princeton University and the reason behind it. Hint: it is related to one of his favorite American author. As usual, I am reading first normal speed, and then again more slowly. Try to first listen without looking at the transcript below, […]
Today’s listening comprehension is from the book “やがて哀しき外国語” (yagate kanashiki gaikokugo) by Murakami Haruki (村上春樹). It is an essay about his experience living in the US as an Associate Researcher and Associate Professor at Princeton University, in the 90’s. I am personally not a fan of Murakami’s novels, but I do like his essays very […]
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🇫🇷 French Literature About War
🇺🇸 Today, I’d like to post two excerpts of French classic authors of the 18th and 19th centuries, denouncing the horror and the absurdity of war. 📚« Tant que le caprice de quelques hommes fera loyalement égorger des milliers de nos frères, la partie du genre humain consacrée à l’héroïsme sera ce qu’il y a de […]
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🇫🇷 French literature❤️🌹
« Qu’il est si reposant d’être noués tous deux comme deux arbres de ses forêts. D’être remués par les mêmes grands vents. De recevoir ensemble le soleil et la lune et les oiseaux du soir. Pour toute la vie. » Consuelo de Saint-Exupéry Mémoires de la rose 🇺🇸 Excerpt from the memoir of the last wife of […]