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A Giacometti Portrait

author : James Lord

This is the faithful report that was written by James Lord, an American art critic essayist, who spent for the 18 days with Albert Giacometti as his portrait model. It shows how a genius creates his works. It is the greatest report I have ever seen. I lent it to my co-worker, and he said the same thing as me after he finished reading it. I think that everyone would say so. I love it, and I put it into the Hall of Fame. (2005,7,14)　

A Part of Parerga und Paralipomena

Kleine Philosophische Schriften

about reading books

author : Arthur Schopenhauer

Schopenhauer completely says what he wants to say. A forcible irony makes a reader do a burst of laughter. I wonder if such a man used to exist really. It is a surprise itself. Although I would like to be near to him, he died already, and I can just read his works. But Schopenhauer says "If there is spare time which reads a book, think." For me who acknowledge a book reader, this writing was painful. Perfectly, it is put into the Hall of Fame. (2005,7,13)

Twelfth Night

author : William Shakespeare

Kabukiza Theater presents "Twelfth Night" as a kabuki play this month, and that is the reason that I read it again this time. I thought I would like to recall this story before I watch the play. My friend, Chris who lives in Japan, thought the same thing, and he sent e-mail to me that was written that he was reading it. I love this and "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" very much of all Shakespeare's works.　I will go to Kabukiza Theater in 9th July, and I’m looking forward to seeing it very much. It is directed by Ninagawa Yukio, and it made a good reputation already. (2005,7,4)

The Elegant Universe

author : Brian Greene

This is an explanatory of so-called the superstrings theory. It made me recall that the universe, the world, physics, and mathematics are elegant. Although it is difficult, I think that its description does not make interest never lose. It would be the result of the intellect which was excellent in the author. He is surely a great theoretical physicist. An elementary particle is the minimum string, and its vibration can be described as "sound." The universe is like the symphony that a huge number of strings play. It doesn’t say more than that, but I think that “sound” must have “color.” I think that the special theory of relativity is understandable for Japanese, because Japanese elementary school students know about time dilation. And quantum mechanics unites with the general theory of relativity by the superstrings theory. This is great!!! Although I experienced the disgraceful things in many cases recently and it made me disgust, but I recalled what was elegant. The universe is filled in the mystery. Theoretical physics has exceeded Sci-Fi really. This is a wonderful book. (2005,6,27)

I received a postcard from a friend who visited New York on business trip. It had a picture, ‘The Starry Night’ that was Vincent Von Gogh’s work. I love it very much, and when I see it I always remember Sci-Fi ‘Night Fall’ that was written by Isaac Asimov. As I saw the postcard, I became to want to read ‘Night Fall’ again, so I ordered it on the internet, and received it tonight.. After that I was moved as if the first time.  It’s the best Sci-Fi still now. It was made into a long story as collaboration with Robert Silverberg, but I recommend you to read its original short story. Oh, why did Asimov die?   （2005,5,28）

This is Schopenhauer's suicide theory. I have no idea if its readers become to want to commit suicide or not, after they read it. I myself, I haven’t thought about suicide. If you wanted to commit suicide, it said as if you need to kill your self as soon as possible. However, I have read that Schopenhauer would like to say that it was unnecessary to worry about frustration or betrayal from his experience, and he seemed to think that there was no reason to die. Schopenhauer didn’t explain the importance of living directly because of his obstinate, though. I want people who believe reincarnation to read it. He said that it was very pleasant to think that he could carry mastered Greek to the after world. It means that he can speak in Greek at the after world, but I can’t. The life is enough to live once for a mediocre person.

I always take a bus to the office, and I found this book at the secondhand bookseller near the bus stop, but the bus came then, so I had to leave there. The next day, I went to the same secondhand bookseller, and it was there as if it was waiting me. Although I already had it, I purchased. I have a friend who is a troublesome person for a potential reader, because she purchases whenever she finds her favorite books, so she has many volumes of the same book, I have also done the same thing as her. If I do not purchase this book, Finney’s new fan must increase, because this book is so attractive surely. It is a collection of short stories, and every work is interesting, I like "Love Letter." Always I was moved when I read the phrase ‘for the eternal memory . . .’ No matter you may be in what character, what circumstances, age, sex, location, if you read it, you can enjoy a nostalgic fantasy of the US. I’m sure that you become happy. (2005,5,25)

It seems that I have been completely dyed by Schopenhauer. For mediocre me, it was quite difficult work to accept his pessimistic thought, and I felt a kind of the pleasant sensation as if I was shouted "Fool!!!" by him. I feel that this book explained by the author with extraordinary intellect that it was the most important to be humble. It was too severe; nevertheless I would like to recommend if you wanted to ascent to heaven in an uppercut. (2005,5,20)

This is an essay about the abolition of capital punishment that was written by the author well known for an irrational novel. Its absolute persuasive power is based on the author's high culture and high humanity, and the firm belief. It is very sorry that the death penalty continues in Japan, and I always think that it should be abolished. Although it is clear not to become a criminal deterrent, the death penalty continuation is told as a necessary factor of the society in Japan. And President Bush believes that the strong military forces keep peace of the world. The author said that the death penalty was so-called a first-class premeditated murder by law. Sometimes people say that the innocent was murdered, but I think that everyone needs to recognize that nobody should be killed even if the victim was guilty or not guilty. I would like to recommend it to people, especially the death penalty continuation supporters, but it is very sorry that it would be read by people who agree the abolition of the death penalty only. I put it into the Hall of Fame. (2005,5,4)

This is a documentary which introduced experience of the author who went to the small country Republic of Sierra Leone in Africa as a doctor of Medecines Sans Frontieres, Doctors Without Borders. As the civil war continued, the boys were given the gun, the girls were raped, the suckling’s death rate is very high, infectious diseases spread, the life expectancy is only 35years old there. If the doctor was dispatched to such a country, I thought that the doctor would be in charge of the medical treatment of a sick person and a wounded person, but it must be the most important role to make a permanent medical system there. The author’s report shows how severe the state of the professional volunteer of international cooperation is. One of my friends worked in Nigeria before for extermination of tuberculosis, malaria, and poliomyelitis. I always thought that he worked with my mind there, and thanked for and respected all the international volunteers. The international volunteer of active service, please do your best in order that children can live until they feel happy to be born. And, even if it bent the idea of respecting the culture there, I wish the volunteers to appeal people to stop the genital mutilation. (2005,5,2)

This is the exhibition catalog at the Sezon Museum, Tokyo in 1999. There are many abstract paintings, drawings of the furniture and architecture. Also many essays that introduce and explain about neoplasticism are included in it. They were very difficult to understand, because I knew Mondrian only before. The neoplasticism movement seemed very eccentric and excessive, so I felt very interesting. After I said to my co-worker that I went to the Gogh exhibition, he lent it to me because the neoplasticism movement happened in the Nederland. He is the only person who can talk about cubism with me at the office, so far. (2005,4,24)

Luxury car Lexus which a robot produces at a factory expresses globalization directly, and the globalization in a present progressive is explained that the culture which people have protected carefully for many years is an olive tree. Since it is the book published in 1999, although there is already effect near a history book, the present confusion can be seen if you understand correctly the situation of ten years ago. The way to the sound global society which this book suggested was completely disappeared after the simultaneous frequent occurrence terrorism in 2001. If you understand new technology and there is no intelligence corresponding to it, even participation cannot be carried out to society. I’m not foolish and it is good. Although I want to write about this book more, the present condition has already exceeded this book. Even a personal computer does not move like yesterday. My friend Robert recommended it to me, and it was very interesting as usual. (2005,4,23)

'Dekanscho' is the word that was made with three philosophers' name, Descartes, Kant, and Schopenhauer. Knowing this word was thought as the indispensable condition in order to be loved by the women at the Cretaceous in Japan. The era has changed. I didn’t know about Schopenhauer well, but now I would like to know his thought more. It was great. I heard that university students were forbidden to read it under the soviet government in Russia at that time. I think that Japanese government had better stop publishing it, because it was impulsive too much. However, there might be no problem, because it would be read by scholars or strange persons like me. Read it, and change your thought. I’m sure that you would become free more than before. (2005,3,15)

The most dangerous concept of mathematics and physics fear is zero. Although this book has mathematical topics consistently, the concept of ‘zero’ and ‘nothing’ are broadly discussed to the field of philosophy, religion, and art in it. I considered about ‘nothing’ in Western society before. According to ‘Paradise Lost’ of Milton, and ‘Being and Nothingness’ of Sartre, ‘nothing’ was different from the Eastern philosophy. It seems that the author studied this difference very well, and his thought is interesting. I understood what the golden ratio was again with his description in this book. Mathematics is interesting actually. I recommend it to even a person with mathematics weak. I’m sure that the world would become infinite after you read it. (2005,3,2)

A French Canadian who is my e-mail friend recommended me to read it. ‘The tale of Genji’ seems popular the entire world. However, I think that this book doesn’t have so many readers. It is very sorry, because this is so interesting, and I thank for my e-mail friend very much. If he didn’t recommend it to me, I wouldn’t read it in the future. Well, Murasaki Shikibu beats Sei Shonagon and Izumi Shikibu who lived in the same era about 1000 years ago completely. And she criticized a woman who was her elder brother’s sweet hart very severely. I enjoyed her writing very much. It’s really interesting. When I was reading it, I recalled Katsura Imperial Villa that was built with the image of ‘The Tale of Genji'. It was beautiful. If you were interested in it, you should read it. (2005,2,21)