A domestic location or a foreign land?👑What would you like to do there🏛?

ミセス・ハリス，ミセス・ハリス、国会へ行く，ポール・ギャリコ，亀山龍樹，遠藤 みえ子,角川文庫．

If you had an opinion about the way society works in your community, what would you do?

I would probably desperately search through all the books and documents to find the answer.

Mrs Harris, as if speaking to a political heavyweight, expresses her opinions to her employer, the lord.

This is where the story begins!
With the support of her peers, So she won the election!
She wants to go to Parliament and get her message across to everyone. 
Will her message be able to reach everyone?

Aren't you feeling excited and thrilled?

I won't go into the details here, so if you're interested, please read on!

Anyway, her next adventure seems to be set in Moscow.
    I'd like to go to Moscow on the Trans-Siberian Railway someday.
       Will my dreams come true! 　Stay tuned!(^^♪

Today in NY 🗽📚Tomorrow maybe inMP🏛??

ミセス・ハリス，ニューヨークへいく，ポール・ギャリコ，亀山龍樹，角川文庫．

Today I'm traveling to New York with Mrs. Harris!

The first time I went to New York was over 20 years ago.

My friend's son was studying abroad in New York at the time,

so I stayed with him for about two weeks, sightseeing and studying music.

I still vividly remember the excitement I felt at that time.

By the way, 

　Mrs. Harris is accompanying the president and his wife of a client who is transferred to New York, 

　and she plots to stow away a boy who is a victim of domestic violence in her apartment next door.

It's full of suspense and heart-pounding moments, 

 but like the previous book, it has a very satisfying ending.

I won't go into the details here, so if you're interested, please read on!

Anyway, her next Adventure seems to be MP 🏛.

    I'd like to head to Parliament with her Next holidays.

        I think I should start study Parliament now(^^♪

Today in Paris✈️📚Tomorrow maybe in New York🗽

ミセス・ハリス，パリへ，ポール・ギャリコ，亀山龍樹，角川文庫．

Now is a just consecutive national holidays in May!

How are you all enjoying yourself?

During the first half of this period,

　I spent it at work,

　　but during the second half, had time to relax at home.

One of my dreams is to travel to Paris!

　I want to sightsee and experience all kinds of new things in Paris.

　　Perhaps it was this feeling that led me to choose this book.

By the way,

Mrs. Harris, a London housekeeper,

　is captivated by a Christian Dior dress and heads to Paris!

She worked hard for her dream,

  and finally left London for Paris.

In Paris, through various encounters,

 she not only found the dress she had aimed for,

　but also had other wonderful encounters.

After a dreamlike and enjoyable time,

  she returned to London in joy,

　　where she had many unexpected experiences.

I won't go into the details here, so if you're interested, please read on!

Anyway, her next trip seems to be New York.
    I'd like to head to New York with her tomorrow.
        I think I should start packing now(^^♪

Summary of what I enjoyed about books📚 and flutes♪ in 2024

I am very satisfied that I was able to spend myself to reading and the flute this year!

I couldn't read one book a week, which was my goal this year, but I was able to read about two books a month.

I'm looking forward to having lots of fun next year!

And, I've also picked up a new hobby that has branched out from reading.

For example, one of them is visiting shrines and collecting ”red ink stamp”.

I feel like I've been able to improve my lack of exercise.

This year, after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was able to participate in a face-to-face フルートアンサンブル夢笛 concert for the first time in a long time.

And I was able to go to many concerts. 
　I wanted to play the songs I heard there, so I bought a lot of sheet music.

I'm also planning a home flute concert next year, so I'd like to practice a lot!

Thank you for all that！

Book and Flute Lover♪ at the end of 2024

No books No life📚I wanna read books anytime, anywhere♪

なぜ働いていると本が読めなくなるのか，三宅香帆，集英社新書．

Why does working make it difficult to read books?
　That is the key question of this book！
　　What is the relationship between work and reading?
　　　And did these relationships already exist in the era when Japanese people could freely choose their jobs?

If I had a little time, I'd probably like to read a book.　
　That's why I couldn't imagine at all that "if you work, you won't be able to read books."

I always carry a book in my bag when commuting to work.
　I often see many commuter passengers, some reading books and others using their smartphones.
　　And some people are often seen enjoying music through earphones.
　　　I think having people enjoy their own ways is a good way to make the most of a long commute.

Thinking about these things, I began to question the idea that "working makes it difficult to read books," and I immediately wanted to know the author's thoughts on the matter.

As the author, Ms. Miyake, pursued the career she chose, it seemed she had less time to do her favorite activity, reading.

So she quit her job and made time to read books, which allowed her to balance work and reading.

Based on these experiences, she has seriously proposed "creating a society where people can read books while working."

I fully agree with her proposal.
　Of course, I don't think all workers should read on the train to work.
　　I think it would be great to see more conversations like ``What books have you read recently?''

Let me tell you a few things about this book.

This book is structured to analyze the reading trends of Japanese people from era to era since the Meiji period.

Therefore, the content can be called a history of modern reading in Japan.

The history of reading also touches on the books and book projects published during that period.

She also discusses the difference between reading a book and browsing a smartphone.
She believes that reading books leads to gaining knowledge, while browsing the smartphone leads to obtaining information.

Furthermore, she states that this knowledge includes ``noise'' in addition to ``information,'' and that this ``noise'' represents context, background, and so-called historical facts. This is why reading is so important.

Finally, in order to continue reading, she suggests that a ``half-body labor society'' is better than a ``full-body labor society.''
A ``half-worker society'' is a sustainable society, and suggests the possibility of various gender-free roles such as reading.

Lately, I've been reading a lot, and I feel like I'm enjoying my full-body work, but after reading this book, I decided I'd like to challenge myself to find a little more time for my own reading.

"Wanna share these feelings with someone!"
　 I think that actually having opportunities like this will help me to read more sustainably.

If this book interests you, please read it and share it with everyone!

Love means watching over those you care about💕 so they can become more free and independent♬

ファーストラヴ，島本 理生，文春文庫．

What memories does your first love have?

For me, it's a very important event that I encountered at various turning points in my life.

The memories of my first love taught me the beauty of romance and the importance of love.

And so I fell in love with someone and loved someone again and again.

Throughout that time,

　I thought that love was something that made me excited,

　　and love was something that you gave.

I thought that by giving love and receiving love,

　you could understand yourself and others.

Well, after reading this book,

　I felt the sadness and difficulty of love.

You should not expect anything in return for the love you give.

You should not be tied down by the love you are given.

And, it is sometimes said that "love is blind."　

　By "loving," you may "turn pockmarks into balm" and lose sight of the truth.

　　By "being loved," you may feel the "preciousness of being recognized by the other person" and the need to "meet the other person's expectations."

However, if "love is watching over,

　" then love may enable each person to "live freely and autonomously.

Another keyword in this book is "now."

　The present does not only refer to the present, but also to the past.
　　This is a very meaningful phrase.

My experiences, or so-called past, are within me now.
　This may be a good opportunity to reflect on yourself.

This book contains very shocking content,
　but it may also serve as an opportunity to reflect on what it means to love, or to be loved.

In particular, it seems to be an opportunity to look back and think about what you love and what it means to be loved.

It is August. In Japan, Obon is a time for reunions with loved ones.
　It may be a good idea to share your thoughts about reading it with your family or loved ones.

If you're interested, please give it a read!📚

A midsummer night trial🌌Experience Vega and Altair's love up close!

彼は彼女の顔が見えない，アリス・フィーニー / 越智睦，東京創元社．

Tomorrow is Tanabata or the Star Festival.

How do you plan to spend tomorrow night?

It”s an ancient love story between Orihime( or Vega)  and Hikoboshi(or Altair), who are only allowed to meet once a year.

In modern times, we admire these stars, entrust our wishes to them, and look up at the starry sky to make our wishes.

Especially loved couples may look at the starry sky together, think of each other, and wish each other happiness above all else.

Well, the work that I will be introducing tonight is one that I would like these two wonderful people to read as well.

The story begins with a couple heading to an old church where they have been invited by "someone."

They are on the road in a raging snowstorm, which makes it impossible to see not only what is ahead but even the road. They finally reach the old church, but the door won't open. When they somehow manage to open it, there is no one in the chapel, only a message. Then, strange things start to happen one after another.

The story begins with a scene like this.

I felt a chill down my spine as I began to read.

It is sure to provide a cool feeling on hot and humid summer nights.

A highly recommended book that will make you feel even cooler in the air-conditioned summer nights.

Adam, the main character, is prosopagnosia.

He can hear the voices and smells of the people in front of him, but he can't tell who they are by looking at their faces.

Even if it's the person he loves.

His beloved wife whispers to him who the person in front of him is.

The two loved each other, respected each other, and held each other's hands, deepening their love each year.

However, somewhere along the line the gears started to shift, and the button ended up being pressed the wrong way.

You will not be able to ignore the thoughts and opinions of the two characters as you read through this book. As the story progresses, you will surely hear the voices in their hearts as a strong desire to confirm their love for each other.

During the hot, humid, sleepless nights of the past week, I have learned about the nature of love and have thoroughly enjoyed discovering how this book ends.

Now, who on earth invited the couple to the old church?

And what is happening to them?

If you are interested,📚

    please give this book a try!