Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto よしもと ばなな

Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto (1989, 176 pages, translated by Michael Emmerich)


"No small art is it to sleep: it is necessary for that purpose to keep awake all day" - Thus Spoke Zarathustra



Japanese Literature on The Reading Life

Banana Yoshimoto (1964, Tokyo) is one of my favorite contemporary writers.    I have her on my read everything that has been translated list.   I think either her Kitchen (her most popular work among book bloggers) or Goodbye Tsugumi (my personal favorite) would be a good first Japanese novel.  

Asleep consists of three long short stories about young women in love with sleeping and confused about their lives.

Like many of her works, death is at the center of these pieces.    All are unconventional love stories.    One story involves the central character's relationship with a now dead woman with whom she once lived.    The deceased woman had an unconventional job that she admits is kind of like being a prostitute.   She sleeps with people for money but she does not have sex with them and they do not want it from her.    All the people want is not to be alone and have the illusion that someone cares about them.  

All the stories are very interesting and emotionally involving.   Sometimes a good nights sleep can solve a lot of problems.  

Please share with us your experience with Banana Yoshimoto.


Mel u