October 2022 Wrap-Up & Favorites

Source: personal collection

We're almost at the finish line; or we already have (kind of?). I didn't read much in October for a reason. I finally went on a vacation again. Because of the pandemic, we couldn't really travel anywhere unless it's necessary. The only travel I did was from or to my hometown. So when the travel restriction is lifted, I went ahead and planned my vacation. I still read some books though. I also watched some good anime titles. As for the books I read in October, below is the list of them.

Books read in October

	Diary of a Mad Old Man - Junichiro Tanizaki (★★★)
	Diary of a Mad Old Man is one of Tanizaki's late work. Junichiro Tanizaki himself is a prominent author in Japanese literature. I've read quite a lot of books by Japanese authors. However, this is my first time reading Tanizaki's book. Previously, I read that his works are often provocative and centered on themes like cultural identity since he lived in the time when Japan was modernized and westernized. I totally can see those themes in this book. The premise of this book is it is a diary of Utsugi Tokosuke, an old man, who had stroke. In it he wrote about his days recovering and his unusual desire for his daughter-in-law. Some might find this book disturbing. I find it inappropriate but I still want to finish this book because I have never read a book like this so I find it fascinating. Sure, reading about an old man's sexual desire towards his own daughter-in-law is creepy but the way it's written made me wonder why and what would happen then. The theme of cultural identity in my opinion is present in Utsugi Tokosuke's choice of funeral plan. He wrote a bit about the modernized funeral ceremony and attribute and how he wanted his funeral in Japanese traditional way. Satsuko, his daughter-in-law, is also depicted as a modern Japanese woman in contrast with other women surrounding him. I can safely say that this book is not for every one. In fact, I wouldn't recommend this book to read. Be that as it may, if you're into Tanizaki's writing style, you might want to pick this book up.
	And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer - Fredrik Backman (★★★)
	And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer is a novella about family, love, and loss written by Fredrick Backman. Backman is a beloved writer known for his books A Man Called Ove and Britt-Marie Was Here. However, this is my first time reading his book. Although it's short and sad (you can finish it in one sitting), I think it's still written beautifully. I understand why his works are beloved. This novella is a great introduction to Backman for me. I definitely will read his other books.

October Favorites

Anime

Kimetsu no Yaiba: Demon Slayer

In light of keeping with the latest popular anime, after binge-watched Jujutsu Kaisen last month I decided to just jump right into another also popular anime. I was intimidated at first by how many the total released episodes is. Then again, the anime is so compelling that I flew through the series in no time. The animation is beautiful, the story is surprisingly dark with a sufficient amount of humor. I'm excited to watch season 3 which will be released in 2023.

Spy x Family

The second part of Spy x Family season 1 was actually first released in September. However, I only got the time to start watching it in October. Anya is just as cute as she usually is. I always love her laughter-inducing shenanigans. There's an addition to the Forger family, and I root for Loid and Yor! I hope they end up being a real family. By the time I post this wrap-up, the final episode of the season will be released. I already can't wait for the next season!

Miscellaneous

Turkiye Trip

I went abroad! to Turkiye! I think this is the farthest I've been in my whole life so far. Honestly, I never really thought about going to Turkiye before. My friend asked me to go with her in passing and I thought, why not. Everything went so quickly the next thing I know I was on a plane to Abu Dhabi (because of the transit) and Istanbul. It was so fun and exciting even though there were times when we almost got lost, almost left behind by our bus (lol), and feeling disoriented because none of us ever been to the country and we don't speak the language. I got tired of Cappadocia after two days there and Istanbul has its own charm. If I ever get a chance to visit Turkiye again, I don't mind going to Istanbul again and maybe to Ankara and Pamukkale.

That's all for my October wrap-up and favorites. I will merge my November wrap-up with December wrap-up because lo and behold, I finished zero book in November. Anyway, since this will be the last wrap-up that I will post in 2022 (I will post my November-December in January 2023), I'm going to say Happy Holiday and Happy New Year! Hope you have a wonderful time this holiday season. See you next year!