The next book I have decided to read is actually a novel I have read a few times previously, the first occasion being during my first year of university. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami is a nostalgic story of loss and adolescence narrated by the protagonist Tōru Watanabe. The title in Japanese (ノルウェーの森 Noruwei no Mori ) is the Japanese translation of the title of a Beatles song often described in the novel – Norwegian Wood (This Bird has Flown).
To avoid giving away too much of the plot, as I am sure some of you have yet to read this book, let me instead move to tell you why I have decided to re-read this novel and not start a new one. I have not gone into detail about this before, however I am currently putting my focus on learning the Italian language. What does this have to do with Norwegian Wood? I happen to have copies in this novel in English, Japanese, and Italian, and therefore have decided that it would be a fun exercise to read all three simultaneously and to look at vocabulary, grammar, and translation all at once.
Is this too much? Maybe it is. Even so I believe that I will be able to learn new things about all three languages (yes, including English my mother tongue), and enjoy reading at the same time. I will also read some pages aloud in Italian in order to work on my pronunciation and speaking speed.
Although I already included some of the interesting points I found in my last post, I hope to write further ones as I go deeper in the novel. I’ll keep you updated!
Translator in Training 