Membroicepatton(he, his, him)

Sobre Minha Biblioteca

A lot of my time reading has been spent lamenting the fact that my education wasn't grounded in the classics of the so-called Western World. I read a bit of Shakespeare in high school and Bible verses on Sundays, but that was about all the exposure I had to my own WASP tradition. I dabbled in a lot of fantasy fiction and postmodern literature going into college, so I will always have a soft spot for writers like Thomas Pynchon and David Mitchell.

I remember doing research on languages and reading the works of Nobel Prize winners to try to compensate for the fact that, by the time I got to college, I was practically unread in foundational texts like the Odyssey or even the Bible. There are still many classics I know I have to read at some point, owing to the testimonies of contemporary authors whose works are usually more accessible, but who have drawn timely connections to the past as journalists, teachers, and philosophers.

I am on the spectrum, so the work of autistic writers is always important to me. I discovered Daniel Tammet not long after my diagnosis in high school, and Born on a Blue Day is still one of my favorites in the autism catalog. I also struggle with anxiety and depression, so I'm interested to read the works of authors who share in the struggle.

These days, I'm mostly into non-fiction. I'm interested in Japanese history and culture to an extent. I gave up on postmodern literature a while back because it lost its shine for me. I think moving to Japan had something to do with it. I still might read fiction from time to time, but recently I've invested more in learning about the histories of places I have traveled, or of parts of the world that concern me as someone dealing with the likelihood of societal collapse in my lifetime.

I tend to be very picky about what I read, but I'm sure there are much more seasoned readers on here with insight on things I remain ignorant about, namely other religions, women, people of color, and non-binary people. For the sake of being a better human, even a better Christian, I know I ought to include these voices. I also mean to journey further into things I already have a basic knowledge of, such as Christian and Buddhist histories, deep ecology, and autism.

About Me

I'm an autistic white middle-class American non-denominational Christian living in Japan. I grew up in North Carolina but somehow didn't pick up a southern accent. I earned a bachelor's and master's degree in English at NCSU. I moved to Japan shortly after graduating with my master's, having no clear idea of where my life was headed.

I started out with an entry-level position at one of those ALT companies that don't seem to treat their workers very well, but my work assignments at various Japanese public schools in the Kansai region brought me some of the happiest moments of my life. I wouldn't trade the time I spent with the students and teachers at these schools with anything else I could have had in the States.

I've been able to learn a lot about myself by living and working in another country, which is something I believe makes an education in the humanities more fulfilling. I've always been interested in Japan and Japanese culture, but learning about Japan from afar and actually going there to live are two different things. I've gone through my share of anguish and grief over being separated from family and friends, but one way I have been able to endure is by seeking the wisdom of authors with similar experiences.

I'm always looking for new books to read, so I hope I can use this website to connect meaningfully with other readers and have a conversation.

Localização

Osaka, Japan

Currently Reading

The Question of Palestine de Edward W. Said

A Modest Proposal and Other Writings (Penguin Classics) de Jonathan Swift

John Keats: Selected Poems (Penguin Classics: Poetry) de John Keats

Member Connections

Amigos

trrpatton

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