Lush green fields, mountains in the backdrop, excitedly screaming when passing through long tunnels, chugging along a bridge over a huge river, watching birds flying across the vast expanse of sky, passing lakes, rivulets, and waterfalls. The sudden change in the landscape; suddenly from an expanse of barren land we are passing through rocky areas, it is only us; the train and its passengers between the rocky hills. When was the last time you stopped whatever you were doing and admired a beautiful flower? I strongly believe that the human beings’ tendency to observe quietly and admire the resplendent nature around us is diminishing.

If you are a nature lover and would love to read about it, I suggest you read Snow Country. The heart of the novel is set in North Japan, and the finely delineated sceneries in the novel will seem real to the reader. It felt as though I was near those snow-clad mountains and could imagine myself walking through thick snow.

Snow Country is a novel by NOBEL LAUREATE, Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata.

I finished reading Snow Country two days back. I first regurgitated the events in the book, then I sat ruminating about it for these two days.

It's no fun reading such books alone. I find buddy reading very enjoyable in such situations. What situations you may wonder?

I initially thought the story was quite simple. It is about this rich guy Shimamura who visits these hot springs to meet a geisha named Komako thrice and the whole story happens during these three visits. The story does not give a detailed description of the life of Shimamura or Komako, but the brief account of her life is poignant. Her dream of leading a good, happy life is rendered vague and left ambiguous. I hated Shimamura for being indifferent and lacking empathy.

The allegorical description of the making of Chijimi linen and the hard work involved is very brilliant. What is Beauty? - is it eternal or ephemeral?
There are so many descriptions in the book that I would like to read out to everybody. A passage at the beginning of the book describes how the reflection of the beautiful girl was very impressive and how Shimamura was staring at her reflection without her knowledge.

A few years ago, I read a book called the Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, which describes the life of a geisha from the beginning to the end.

The ending made me contemplate the meaning and its essence. Its relevance is profound!
The book is sensitive, haunting, impactful, lyrical, and a love story? It is allegorical and symbolic, and the author has taken pains to give vivid descriptions.  The writing is so fluid that I could visualise every scene described. Many parts of the book are dreamlike.

Have you read any books written by a Japanese author?