Banana

Product Information

Born to a famous poet, philosopher, literary critic Takaaki Yoshimoto, Banana found solace in literature from early childhood, which influenced her desire to become a writer. She is liberal in her views, stands for human rights, and has been an advocate for women rights in Japan. The title of the book made me smile, since a 'banana' was meant to describe a Chinese person with a western up bringing. Yellow outside and white inside. In my country we have the 'coconuts'. It seems as though there will always be confusion and bitterness when second generation immigrants have to adapt to their country while the parents expects them to uphold their old cultures and beliefs. In our country's case it is not immigrants, but indigenous groups adopting the western lifestyle. The Life of a Banana can make people think in intimate and silent reflection. What we are all called to do is essentially understand that there must not be any form of judgment or condemnation of those who look different. We need tolerance and full acceptance without any prejudice, which makes us more human.’ Vanity Fair I really liked her brother, and he made me laugh through his funny antics and his endearing personality. I cared very much about Auntie Mei and she made me think about the stereotypical roles given to Chinese actors, and how very hard it must be to break down those walls.

Grandma's speech. Grandma speaks in broken English. At first, I thought it was because English isn't her native language, but then it's mentioned that she has "tons of brains", and (slight spoiler alert), she has friends who speak excellent English and write in said English with her. And I believe that friend and her grew up together, so why would one have good, standard English, and the other not? Please don't tell me it's just to emphasise the "foreignness", because it doesn't even read like Singapore-accented English to me. Like, even the old ah ma's in Singapore speak better English (those who can speak English, that is). Because Panama disease was permanently making fallow so much of its existing holdings, the fruit companies had a continuous need for new land, according to John Soluri, author of Banana Cultures: Agriculture, Consumption, and Environmental Change in Honduras and the United States.”Banana Yoshimoto is a Japanese contemporary writer famous for her best novel Kitchen that sold more than one million copies worldwide. A Hong Kong film and a TV show also feature this novel’s story. Banana received the 39th edition Best Newcomer Artists award for this novel on Japanese government’s recommendation. There were some truly horrifying moments in this poignant tale. It's hard hitting but nothing ever feels unnecessary or over the top. But my favorite genre is the history micro-history, where a single event spiders out in all directions, often with interesting unintended consequences. The most famous and best-selling of this genre is probably the history of the decades-long race to correctly determine longitude, but there are many historical events that have received a fine treatment, including the sinking of the Lusitania, the assassination of President James Garfield, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, 17th-century Tulip mania, the eruption of Krakatoa, the mad bomber of 1950's Manhattan, murders too numerous to mention individually, and (my sentimental favorite) the Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919. The story focuses on Xing-Li, a teenaged girl, who'd lost her parents, and, with her brother, was forced to go and live with her Mum's family and the super-Chinese granny (old skool).

Thank you @legendpress for sending me a copy of The Life of a Banana to read and review! Although I am quite a bit older than the intended audience for this book (I imagine), I still got a lot from it and think it’s a really good book to be promoting to a YA audience - if you have kids aged 11-15 then I think they could learn a lot from it (there is obviously bad language and racial slurs used but it’s important!) At Books2Door, we believe that reading is a fundamental skill that every child should have to help improve their vocabulary, grammar, and critical thinking skills. The unconventional story of three young women bewitched into a mysterious and spiritual sleepwalking, sleeplessness, and haunted sleep triggered by the death of a loved one. The stories revolve around dead lovers, unrequited love, or unfaithful affairs.Our team is made up of book lovers who are dedicated to sourcing and providing the best books for kids. We work closely with publishers and authors to ensure that we offer the best books on the market for your child. Tsugumi, regarded as the most powerful character of Banana, is the real focus of the novel and drives appreciation from the readers and critics. LoveReading4Kids exists because books change lives, and buying books through LoveReading4Kids means you get to change the lives of future generations, with 25% of the cover price donated to schools in need. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives.