Reading GRIT

I'm reading GRIT in Japanese. It's a really  interesting book. In the Chapter 9, the author said that she had a favorite Japanese saying: Fall seven, rise eight, 七転び八起き. She also said "the hope that gritty people have has nothing todo with luck and everything to do with getting up again."

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Next Audiobook

I finished an audiobook "Life if Pi". It was a nice story. I could imagine the scene in the story. The last three chapter was a little bit chilly. Anyway I really recommend the novel. 

My next audiobook is a long story. It's 26-hours-long Haruki Murakami's book called "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle." I read the novel once, but I almost forgot about that. I really look forward to listening to it. 

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Bathroom Reading

Bathroom reading is fun. Not a few people would read books in the hot tub. I'm one of them. 

My book for bath is Flowers for Algernon now. I want to read 10 pages a day, but I couldn't read that much. I'm tired recently, so I feel asleep soon after bathing. I can read only few pages in the bath tub. It'll take five or six month to finish the book. 

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The Great Blue Yonder

I'm listening to "The Great Blue Yonder" with Audible app. I read the young adult novel several years ago and I was really moved. The story was about a beloved dead boy who was accidentally hit by a lorry. He couldn't say farewell to his family and friends. 

When I read the book, I just started extensive reading in English, so it was quite hard to read then. I managed to finish the book. It was a good memory for me. 

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Studying English?

 I decided to study for Eiken 1st grade one year ago. I bought some text books then, but I rarely opened them through the year. I just didn't feel studying English for tests. Time is limited, so I did what I wanted to do. 

I listened to radio and read books in English instead. I simply enjoyed doing these activities. Since last December, I began to listen to audiobooks with Audible. That was really fun. 

I guess I should learn more and more now English words. Lack of vocabulary is the problem for me. I know reading and listening English is not the solution for the problem. 

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Japan's Number One Mystery of the Year

I'm reading an English edition of a mystery novel "The Devotion of Suspect X". The book was written by Higashino Keigo and has been sold over two million copies. One of my Twitter friend gave me the book last year. 

At first, my plan was to read both original version, Japanese, and English one by turns. I thought that helped reading English edition easily. But at the end, I couldn't stop reading in Japanese, the original one because I was really hooked on the story and I finished it far ahead of the English version. 

Now, I'm reading the novel in English. 

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Listening Again

I've finished Never Let Me Go on Audible for the second time. I found lots of new things both storyline and English that I overlooked at the first time. I have to say that the novel is really nice and you can read it in various ways. 

The novel will be dramatized and will broadcast on TV soon. I wonder if the story can transfer completely into tv drama. It won't be easy, but I hope it will be a good one. According to some articles, the author has already read the script and is looking forward to seeing the tv show. 

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Reading

In the beginning of the year, I decided to read two English books every month. Obviously, I'll fail to do so, even ten days left. 

I promise I will do it next year. Don't worry, I have enough English books to read in the bookshelves and kindle. 

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Listening Again

I have listened two audiobooks in English this month. I don't have any available audiobooks until next month if I don't pay extra money. So l began to listen the two novels again. 

I'm able to understand them more than before. I'll continue to do so. 

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Norwegian Wood

I'm reading Norwegian Wood in English. I'm a big fan of Haruki Murakami, so I have read it as soon as it was published. But that was a long time ago and I forgot about the details. I feel it's a new novel for me. 

Thanks to kindle, I can look up unfamiliar words immediately and review these words easily. 

I'm not reading only that book, but some other books. That is because I'm losing interest in books quite easily. That's not bad for English learners. 

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Reading

My younger son likes playing video games. His older brother likes it too, but he also likes reading, so I don't worry about him. Reading has made him mature. 

I often say "you should read books" to my younger son, but he doesn't listen to me. Manga would be great if he doesn't want to read novels. At least, they have Japanes in it. 

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Reading English Novels

Haruki Murakami talked about reading in his new book. Reading was the most important thing when he was a student. He said that the things you could get from reading were more important than what you learn at school and these things last so long in your mind. 

He started to read novels in English when he was a high school student even though he was not good at English as a subject. He said that no students around him in his school could not read an English book. That was because he clearly had an aim for studying English, he wanted to read English novels. 

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Card Reading

A friend of mine from Twitter kindly offered card reading for her followers. I asked her to read my future job directions. The answer was "Courage".

She said that the important thing for me was to have courage for believe in my own thoughts. For having courage, I should make a careful plan in advance. 

She gave me some accurate advice from reading cards several times. Her readings have helped me a lot. I really appreciate the help. She is a great card reader, definitely. 

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Reading

A friend of mine sent me some interesting books. She really likes reading and always highly recommends reading books to English learners not only for study but also for fun.  

One of the books she gave me was a children's book. That was a funny story. Even though the book tries to use plane words for children, I can find many new words and phrases for me. I've learned a lot from the book like, for example, even afternoon can grow. 

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Reading

I tried to read The Great Gatsby as reading with Japanese translation, but now I'm stuck. Later, I'll read it again, perhaps. 

Instead of the book, I'm reading Animal Farm by George Orwell. I listened a BBC radio drama version of the story four or five times before started to read the book. While reading the novel, I feel I became a narrator and that is nice.

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The Great Gatsby

I clicked to get "The Great Gatsby" on kindle store. The novel was placed the second rank of the 20th century best English novel. 

My first encounter with the story was not in the book, but a movie "The Great Gatsby". The starring actor was Robert Readford. I liked his movies especially "The Sting" and "Buch Cassidy and the Sundanece Kid", my favorite was Paul Newman, though. 

After watching the movie, I read the book. And when I was in my twenties, I happened to know Haruki Murakami liked the novel very much. 

The original sentences may be beautiful and gorgeous. But that's quite difficult to read for me. It's still beyond my understanding, though. 

I've been reading the novel with referencing Japanese translation, otherwise I would be lost the story. 

I want to get higher reading skill in English. 

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Sleepy While Reading

I was trying to read two English novels every month from this February, but I don't think I can do it. I've been busy at work and tired, so when I try to read a book I strongly feel sleepy. I even can't read only the first page. Would the book be boring? Or am I just too tired to read it? 

How should I do? Ok. Instead of that, I'll read English news articles on my phone as much as I can. It would not take a long time. It needs just a few minutes. 

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Reading

My younger son doesn't like reading. He seldom read. But he's been reading a book enthusiastic. The book is titled "Eien no Zero". The book describes Japanese military pilots in World War 2. 

He likes old Japanese military plains. That would be one of the reasons he wants to read the book. Anyhow, I'm really glad he began to read books. 

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Read and Study

I didn't read a lot in this week. It was not good. I tried to solve and review some English work books. It was not bad. That helps me to read English sentences, but I should read more than studying. Read more and study more. That's the way. 

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TOEIC Admission Card

I've got an email. It said the 200th TOEIC admission card had sent to me. That was from ETS. I feel a little bit nervous for the mail because I don't like talking a test that much, especially when I don't prepare for the test. Well, I shouldn't make an excuse. 

My main target of the test this time is to read articles and problems carefully. Don't be hurry. I have plenty of time to do that. That's for sure. 

From now on, to prepare for that, I'll try to read every English sentences in great detail. Again, don't be hurry to me, and everyone. 

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