Thursday, March 28, 2019

Bookin It With Ernia

Let's get back to our friends from Spain, Ernia.

Did you take a minute to get over to BANDCAMP to pick up their latest record?

You totally should, but for right now, let's talk about the printed word.


1. I try to read at least two books per month, and mostly fail, what's your goal and reality?

(Daniel E.) I don’t set goals for myself, so my pace varies according to how much time I have available and if a particular author, saga or genre is interesting to me. The one limit I do set is two weeks to finish reading a book, to avoid going over the library loan time.
(Omar) So far this year I’ve read a total of 75 books/comics and counting. I don’t keep track of what I read online. I read a lot of Japanese poetry and literature in both Japanese and Spanish, and that helps me while I’m learning Japanese. 

Generally I read whatever I feel like or whatever seems interesting, I don’t really have an order or anything. This year I’ve read a lot ofpoem collections specialized in Chinese and Japanese poets, and I’ve also read some Dylan Thomas, William Butler Yeats and John Keats, as well as starting with Korean poetry. 

I read whenever I have time and I always have one or two books on me in case I get bored.

2. Encyclopedia Brown and Choose Your Own Adventure books were a big part of my childhood. What did you read back in Elementary School?

(Daniel E.) I used to read a lot of fantasy literature, Eragon, Forgotten Realms and a Spanish trilogy called Memorias de Idhun. I also read some Stephen King, and of course Harry Potter and those kinds of things. 

Also the Alatriste saga by Arturo Pérez Reverte.
(Omar) I’d say mostly Marvel and DC comics, and also Stephen King novels.

3. It's no secret that I think Harry Potter is an amazing saga, but it wasn't until after the movie for Chamber of Secrets was released that I began reading the books. What was the big thing you were late on?

(Daniel E.) Rafael Chirbes is the clearest example for me, I remember he was recommended to me as one of the most interesting New Spanish authors, but by the time I got around to reading his work he had already passed away.
(Omar) The Dune saga. I wanted to start it when I stayed at Daniel V’s apartment and the WiFi network name was “Arrakis."

I’d heard good things about it before, so I started to look into it every day on the way to class.

4. My local library is amazing and I'm there pretty frequently. What do you like about your library?

(Daniel E.) It has a good lending system, you can ask for digital editions AND there’s a catalog for books available in other nearby libraries.
(Omar) I like the library because it has a very interesting selection of the topics I usually like. And I also take full advantage of a system they have where you can order books and they buy them for the library, it’s amazing to be able to read books I want to without having to invest heavily. 

5.Comic Books. Which ones are you reading?

(Daniel E.) None right now, I think the last one I read was “Cigarette Girl” by Masahiko Matsumoto. Once in a while I try to grab a manga book from the library.
(Omar) Right now I’m reading Berserk, Jojo, Vagabond, Golden Kamuy and Gokushufudou. I’m also reading Yotosubato! entirely in Japanese to get better at kanji reading and comprehension because it’s a pretty simple and lighthearted manga. 

I also started Transmetropolitan and Lucifer a long time ago but still haven’t managed to finish them. I started reading Hajime no Ippo because I really enjoyed the anime, but the manga is over 1000 chapters and counting, so I’m taking it slow.

6. What author can you just read again and again?

(Daniel E.) Probably Almudena Grandes, her review of the Spanish Civil War in the saga “Episodes of an Endless War” fascinates me.
(Omar) I guess Allen Ginsberg. He’s the kind of author I go back to when I’m not inspired to write lyrics and need something to clear my mind. 

When I’m in a sort of inspirational drought, I don’t look for a specific author so much as a specific style, so I usually open up the Hyakunin Isshu (a collection of classic Japanese poems) and tanka, waka and haiku collections. Some of my favorites are Taneda Santoka, Yosa Buson and Matsuo Basho, who were wandering poets that lead very simple and unattached lifestyles. 

I find them inspiring precisely because of the amount of feelings and life experiences that they’re able to describe using so few words.

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