Nazi

German-Soviet War: The Soviet Union and the Nazis' War of Extermination

S. McKay, "The Bombing of Dresden 1945: From the Tragedy of the Air Raid to the Rebirth of the City" - What a tragic bombing that annihilated a beautiful old German city.

Dresden was billed as the jewel box on the banks of the Elbe. This book tells in detail about the bombing of that ancient city.

The conflict between the British and American leaders, the mental state of the soldiers, and the lives of the people who lived in Dresden before the bombing of Dresden. And the inferno that ensued after the bombing began...

This is a terrific piece of work.

Frankly, I am scared. The more I learn about history, the more I fear. I felt fear again after reading this book about what will happen to the world we live in in the future.

The issues raised in this book may also be important for Japan, which experienced the atomic bombings and air raids.
Don Quixote, the beloved itinerant knight.

Thomas Mann, "Crossing the Sea with Don Quixote" - A gem of a book about "travel and books" for all readers!

In "Crossing the Sea with Don Quixote," we learn about Mann's thoughts on "Don Quixote," which he read during the boat trip.

This is a very enjoyable travelogue and I was excited to read this piece. After all, travelogues are great, aren't they? And since it is a travelogue written by the great writer Thomas Mann, I am even more pleased.

As mentioned in the title, this work is a gem for all those who love "travel and books".
Kafka's City of Prague and Czech Literature

Chapek's "The Macropoulos Prescription" Synopsis and Comments - Is immortality happiness? A masterpiece that asks the fundamental question of humanity!

Wonderful wonderful wonderful!

This is Chapek!

The significance of this book being published now must be tremendous!

What a feeling after reading this! Ah!

It is just amazing. I would highly recommend this as a Buddhist book. Read it and you will understand. It is a tremendous work.

I love Kafka, but to be honest, Chapek just amazed me. I was so astonished that I said to myself, "Who is this amazing person in the Czech Republic? I was so astonished. I hope you will enjoy the wonderful works of this great writer.
Notice

Shinran Shonin Shinran Shonin Shinran Shonin's New Year Memorial Service at Nishikiori-ji Temple, the head temple of the Shinshu Kibe sect of Shin Buddhism

On June 16, 2022, I gave a talk at the Shinshu Kibe sect head temple Nishikiori-ji in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, for the Shinran Shonin Shinran Shonin New Year Memorial Service.

It was my first visit to the head temple in two years. Moreover, this time I was very nervous to visit the temple because I was a missionary.

We will continue to devote ourselves to this project and look forward to working with you in the future.
Modern Russia and the Russo-Ukrainian War

R. Vanagaitė, E. Zuroff, "Compatriots Lithuanian Holocaust: The Hidden History" - A shocking book that makes you think about historical revisionism.

About 200,000 Jews in Lithuania, 90%-95% of whom died in the Holocaust...

These are shocking numbers...

This book will be a sharp scalpel on why such a Holocaust in Lithuania happened, what the mechanism was, and the current state of the history of the country.

This work, a book about Lithuanian complicity in the Holocaust, caused great controversy among the Lithuanian public.

The work also provides a very serious insight into what historical revisionism is.
Modern Russia and the Russo-Ukrainian War

M. Laruelle, "Fascism and Russia" - Why is the discourse of fascist and non-Nazification repeated? What is Russia rebelling against in Europe?

I decided to read this book because of President Putin's statement to the effect that "we are fighting to de-Nazify" Ukraine. To be honest, when I first heard those words, I had no idea what they meant. For the life of me, I could not understand why, for Putin, fighting Ukraine was de-Nazification.

This is why I picked up this book, which I found quite interesting and full of things I could "see".
Kafka's City of Prague and Czech Literature

Ten recommended reference books to learn what the "Prague Spring" is all about - and to consider the Russian and Ukrainian invasions.

In this article, we recommend some reference books to learn about the 1968 "Prague Spring" Soviet military invasion (Czech Incident), which we have previously discussed in this blog.

Although the Russian invasion of Ukraine is currently at a critical juncture, the "Prague Spring" incident is also very important for understanding the history of the Soviet Union, Russia, and Eastern Europe.

I think it is very meaningful for us Japanese to learn about the Czech Republic, a country that has spun out a proud culture and history despite being surrounded by major powers.
Contemporary Society through Dystopian Science Fiction Novels

List of 16 Recommended Science Fiction and Dystopian Novels - Modern Society from Science Fiction and Dystopia

Science fiction novels are not only interesting in their own right, but they also pose big questions for those of us living in the present.

You may read for pleasure.

You can read it while carefully considering the world today.

I think the beauty of science fiction novels is that they can be enjoyed in many different ways.

In this article I recommend 15 such novels.