BOOKS & MORE BOOKS - DAYS AT THE MORISAKI BOOKSHOP: FINDING HOME AMONG BOOKS

Some books arrive not with a bang but with the gentle rustle of turning pages. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa is one of them.

Set in Jimbocho, Tokyo's famous book district, this charming little novel tells the story of Takako, a young woman whose life is thrown off course when her boyfriend unexpectedly leaves her for another woman. Adrift and uncertain about her future, she reluctantly accepts an invitation from her eccentric uncle Satoru to move into the small room above the family's second-hand bookshop.

GROWING UP IN AN AGE THAT FEARS ADULTHOOD

 

 

As a teacher, the end of the school year always brings the buzz of the Esame di Maturità. While I wasn’t directly involved in the exam commissions this year, I couldn't resist checking the exam papers assigned on the first day for the Italian essay. Among the several different options available to the students, the B3 task immediately caught my eye.

Ironically, I found myself thinking that the prompt—centered on the boundaries of maturity—was actually far more suitable for an adult to reflect on than a teenager! Yet, if I had been sitting at one of those desks taking the exam myself, that is absolutely the task I would have chosen. The prompt was based on Frank Furedi's book I confini contano (Boundaries Matter), which references Julie Beck's article in The Atlantic, "When Are You Really an Adult?", to show how contemporary culture portrays adulthood as a nuisance where independence becomes loneliness and responsibility turns into stress.

KDRAMA REVIEW: WE ARE ALL TRYING HERE

 

 

Some dramas entertain you. Some make you cry. And then, once in a blue moon, a drama comes along that seems to look directly into your soul.

We Are All Trying Here is one of those rare experiences.

Heart-wrenching, healing, hilarious, and profoundly human, JTBC's latest drama explores a simple but painful truth: everyone is fighting battles we cannot see. Its Korean title translates roughly to "Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness," and that theme runs through every moment of the series.

BOOKS & MORE BOOKS: IF YOU LIVE TO 100, YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE HAPPY

 

"Life is a story that deserves to be read until the very last page. No one knows what the universe has in store for us. Happiness can be found in the most unexpected corners of everyday life."

Some books arrive in our lives exactly when we need them. I believe this was one of them.

I did not read If You Live to 100, You Might As Well Be Happy by Rhee Kun Hoo quickly. It was a book to be sipped slowly, one chapter at a time, allowing its reflections to settle in my mind.

I am at a stage of life that often leaves me restless. Time seems to have accelerated beyond measure. Retirement, once a distant concept, is slowly approaching. I find myself confronting the uncomfortable realization that I am no longer young and wondering what lies ahead. When a friend handed me this book after reading it herself, she must have sensed that I needed its wisdom.

WHEN SUMMER ENDS ... AND A NEW DREAM BEGINS

 

There are some posts that almost write themselves.

This is one of them.

Those of you who have been following Fly High for a while know that I write about many things that make life richer: books, travel, languages, beautiful places, inspiring people... and music.

BOOKS & MORE BOOKS: GREEK LESSONS BY HAN KANG

 

In the wake of her acclaimed work, The Vegetarian, Han Kang delivers another powerful novel, Greek Lessons, hailed as the Book of the Year 2023 by The New Yorker, TIME magazine, and Kirkus. This poignant tale explores the redemptive power of language and human connection.

Set in a classroom in Seoul, Greek Lessons follows the story of a young woman who has lost her voice, metaphorically and literally. As she watches her Greek language teacher at the blackboard, she grapples with the silence that surrounds her. Her teacher, gradually losing his sight, finds himself drawn to her enigmatic presence.

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF ITALO CALVINO: FINDING LIGHTNESS IN THE INFERNO

 

This year marks the centennial celebration of the remarkable Italian writer Italo Calvino. As an Italian and a devoted reader of his works, I find myself compelled to share the profound impact that his words and ideas have had on me. While my blog, FLY HIGH, primarily caters to an English-speaking audience, including many Americans and native English speakers, the universal themes in Calvino's literature make this tribute a perfect opportunity to engage with an international audience.

DISCOVERING THE HEALING POWER OF KDRAMAS: MY PERSONAL JOURNEY

 Today, I want to take you on a journey through the captivating world of Korean dramas and share how they became my ultimate source of joy, inspiration, and personal growth during the challenging days of the Covid-19 era and after.

USEFUL OR USELESS KNOWLEDGE: A DEBATE ON EDUCATION

Should schools primarily teach practical, useful skills for the real world, or is there value in cultivating knowledge that some might consider as useless? Recently, I had a thought-provoking discussion with my students on this very topic, and I shared a compelling quote by philosopher Agnes Heller with them: "If someone were to ask me, as a philosopher, what one should learn in high school, I would answer: first of all, only useless things - ancient Greek, Latin, pure mathematics, and philosophy. Everything that is useless in life. The beauty is that in this way, at the age of 18, you have a baggage of useless knowledge with which you can do anything. While with useful knowledge, you can only do small things." In this blog post, I’d like to point out the key moments of our debate about useless versus useful knowledge, exploring the merits of both sides while ultimately standing alongside Agnes Heller's perspective.

WHY I CONTINUE TO CHERISH TEACHING: A TEACHER'S REFLECTION

Teaching, undoubtedly one of the most demanding professions, is often associated with burnout and health concerns. While I acknowledge the inherent stress that comes with the job, I can't help but wonder why I still hold such a deep love for it, even as retirement approaches, casting a shadow over my career. Admittedly, I'm aware that my days of being as effective and active as required to engage with energetic teenage students are numbered. However, instead of succumbing to sadness about the inevitable transition, I'm working on embracing this new phase of life with acceptance. Here's why I still adore my teaching profession...