BGM: XTC "Red"
A day off. In the morning, I started listening to "English Settlement" by XTC, a treasure of British rock. When I started listening to British rock, it was the period when Britpop was hot and Blur and Oasis were popular. So XTC was already a kind of legend and I might try to 'respect and keep distance' from them. I have not listened to them passionately. But now, I can feel that their tricky melodies are attractive. Even if I believe that Blur and Oasis are great, I should listen to XTC with them. That makes me understand the richness of British rock.
I went to a library and borrowed Keiichiro Hirano's "About the executions". Once I had written that I support the executions negatively. Hirano's this book is written with the attitude of 'stopping' executions, and tells how 'forgiving' the criminals can be crucial. And also he says that the 'death penalty' can be a murder by our nation critically. Before we say that this might be an ordinary discussion, we have to follow Hirano's serious style and face the intimate people's death's sadness and try to think about the possibility of 'forgiving' someone. Also, I should think about the execution by following Hirano's great humanism.
I read some comments by a Chinese woman in America on bookmeter. Indeed, her comments have some strange Japanese expressions but they are really interesting. Probably my weird English gives the readers that kind of taste. Certainly, I felt certain jealousy of her smart talent of language (in the past I would be down with my dumbness), but now I can say "Good Job!" to her. It might come from the attitude that I try to compare with the past in my life, not with other people, and think about a priority. But it must come from the 'danshu' meetings and other friendships.
I read a text of Obama's speech (in English) for an offline meeting on studying English on next Sunday. After that, I read some of Suzumi Suzuki's "The bookshelf of a prostitute" and Minae Mizumura's "Shi-Shosetsu From Left to Right". Suzuki's book can work as a good book guide, and this book says about Osamu Hashimoto's "Peach Hip Girl" which gives me interest. Once I had not read Hashimoto's novels well, but been attracted by his thoughts on the Gulf War and Religion. So I might have to try to read his 'evergreen' youth novel.
