Book review: The Summer House by Masashi Matsuie is a quiet ode to Japanese architecture
Masashi Matsuie's debut novel The Summer House won the prestigious Yomiuri Prize for Literature, an honour typically reserved for veterans. PHOTOS: OTHER PRESS LLC, TARO TERASAWA
The Summer House
By Masashi Matsuie, translated by Margaret Mitsutani
Other Press/Fiction/400 pages/$29.98
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Russian culture minister in North Korea praises ‘unprecedented' cooperation
Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova arrived in North Korea on June 28 with a 125-strong delegation of performers. PHOTO: REUTERS Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova arrived in North Korea on June 28 with a 125-strong delegation of performers and praised cultural cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang for achieving "unprecedented heights". Ms Lyubimova, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said a series of concerts and lectures would take place in the North Korean capital in the coming days. Among those in the delegation were performers from the Pyatnitsky Choir and the Gzhel dance troupe. Ms Lyubimova said that thanks to agreements clinched between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un "cooperation in the cultural sphere between our countries has reached unprecedented heights". Since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow and Pyongyang have drawn closer together, with the two leaders signing a treaty, including a mutual defence pact. After months of silence, North Korea and Russia have disclosed the deployment of North Korean troops and the role they played in Moscow's offensive to evict Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Russian culture minister in North Korea praises 'unprecedented' cooperation
FILE PHOTO: Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova attends a ceremony of awarding India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia July 9, 2024. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/File Photo Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova arrived in North Korea on Saturday with a 125-strong delegation of performers and praised cultural cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang for achieving "unprecedented heights". Lyubimova, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said a series of concerts and lectures would take place in the North Korean capital in the coming days. Among those in the delegation were performers from the Pyatnitsky Choir and the Gzhel dance troupe. Lyubimova said that thanks to agreements clinched between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un "cooperation in the cultural sphere between our countries has reached unprecedented heights". Since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow and Pyongyang have drawn closer together, with the two leaders signing a treaty, including a mutual defence pact. After months of silence, North Korea and Russia have disclosed the deployment of North Korean troops and the role they played in Moscow's offensive to evict Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Straits Times
Labubu mania: Japanese snack-themed launch draws queue at Ion Orchard from 5.30am
The company declined to say how much stock of The Monsters Wacky Mart series is available in stores here. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG Seasoned Labubu fans came prepared with foldable chairs and portable fans as they waited for doors to open at 10am. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG Pop Mart Singapore announced that the "THE MONSTERS Wacky Mart Series" launches in Singapore on June 28. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG SINGAPORE – The launch of snack-themed Labubu dolls drew a queue of some 160 fans at retailer Pop Mart's Ion Orchard store on June 28, with the earliest arrivals reaching before dawn. First in line was microbiology studen t Sarah C who took her spot at 5.30am. The 25-year-old, who declined to give her last name, said she had made the effort 'because it's Labubu, it's going to be popular'. The long-time collector, who owns over 30 of the sharp-toothed, fluffy-eared dolls, added: 'It's not so bad today. (Arrving at) 5.30am is considered late for the more popular series.' The queue for the last Labubu release at the same store in April began at 2am, a Pop Mart part-timer told The Straits Times. This latest range, called The Monsters Wacky Mart series, launched on the Pop Mart global online store on June 13 and landed in Singapore on June 28. It turns the viral plushies into Japanese convenience store grub – fried shrimp, corn on the cob, a sandwich. Figurines come in 12 designs, plus a 13th rare edition shaped like a microwave oven that buyers have a 1 in 144 chance of getting. The dolls, sold in blind boxes in which the exact figurine inside is a surprise, are priced at $15.90 each or $190.80 for the full set of 12. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG The dolls, sold in blind boxes in which the exact figurine inside is a surprise, are priced at $15.90 each or $190.80 for the full set of 12. Seasoned Labubu fans came prepared with foldable chairs and portable fans as they waited for doors to open at 10am. The 100th ticket to enter the store was issued at 8.45am. The launch of a snack-themed Labubu doll drew a queue of some 160 fans at retailer Pop Mart's Ion Orchard store. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG Some, like Ms Marife Barria, were there to help others get the goods. The 26-year-old domestic worker said she often queued for Labubu dolls on behalf of her employer, a 47-year-old woman, and had reached around 6am this time. A woman in her 60s said she was helping her 27-year-old son snag a full set for his girlfriend. Hype was highest among the mostly adult crowd for a fluffy AirPods case, shaped like shrimp tempura, which can hold Apple's line of wireless earphones. Priced at $34.90, it was the first product in the range to sell out around 11.30am. First to sell out was a fluffy AirPods case, shaped like shrimp tempura. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG Since the launch of the range, the earphones case has been listed on resale websites, with sellers on Chinese platform Taobao asking between $80 and $90 for it. The limited quantity releases of Labubu dolls has been known to drive up prices on the resale market and even spark brawls. In May, Pop Mart paused sales of the toy in its stores in Britain after some fans came to blows over them. The company declined to say how much stock of The Monsters Wacky Mart series is available in stores here. All those in the queue were let into the store before 11.30am and most left clutching bags of merchandise. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG Still, there was enough to go around this time. All those in the queue were let into the store before 11.30am. Most left clutching bags of merchandise. Ms Cindy Tan, a teacher, left the store with her hands full and her 18-year-old son in tow, who helped with the load. She said: 'Labubu makes me feel special.' All figurines were snapped up by 2.20pm. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
