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This month’s pick is a fictional story, but fiction can be a great way to look at the world around us. Let it sink in that the narrator is calling the target of constant surveillance more free than herself. Work can steal away our time and make us feel trapped. We need it to survive and yet the majority of us have little say in daily operations and how our lives are impacted. This story is able to explore the narrator’s experience of overwork and burnout, through the seemingly absurd jealousy she has of her surveillance target. It may seem like a silly extreme, but freedom of choice and the ability to create art truly are worth that much so as to make the surveillance almost seem less troubling than the slog of uncaring jobs. When most or all of your time is poured into work, you don’t have time for the parts of life that make it worth living. People do not live to work, we work to live. But when we lose that balance or it’s taken away, all our energy goes with it. 📖There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura “Yamae Yamamoto had more freedom of movement than I did.“ (This book is a work of fiction, but still offers insights to the complexities of labor.) In solidarity, Workers Reading Book Club & Occupational Hazards Book Club. #LaborUnionBookClub #TheresNoSuchThingAsAnEasyJob #KikukoTsumuraBooks #OccupationalHazardsBookClub #WorkersReadingBookClub #CurrentlyReading #BookClub

The bus company attempted to put profits over people by ending the service of a town bus, but residents united to demand continued access to public transportation. The bus was not operating at a loss, but simply was not making a large enough profit in the eyes of the company. Corporate greed will never consider community need unless people organize and fight. “Two years ago, when the Albatross had been doing badly - it had never exactly been in the red, but its profits were negligible - the company had announced that they would be getting rid of it, but were met with such a vehement backlash from local residents that in the end, they decided to keep it going.” 📖There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura (This book is a work of fiction, but still offers insights to the complexities of labor.) In solidarity, Workers Reading Book Club & Occupational Hazards Book Club. #LaborUnionBookClub #TheresNoSuchThingAsAnEasyJob #OccupationalHazardsBookClub #WorkersReadingBookClub #CurrentlyReading #BookClub

Found this baby at the opshop today! Swipe to see the treasure I discovered inside 😍 💕 #foundthings #secondhandbooks #ilovebooks #bibliophile #booksbooksbooks #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #pollybarton #japaneseliterature #readbooks #readersofig #whatareyoureading #readingismagic #weekendreads

Sometimes, even the jobs we like can treat us poorly enough to cause burn out/resignation. As we’ve seen in previous books, exploiting workers is profitable to companies. Increasing the quantity of work employees must handle without compensatory benefits and corresponding freedom/vacation is unsustainable. “I’d found my previous job worthwhile, but had felt chronically betrayed in regards to both the nature and the quantity of the work involved, and it got to a point where I simply couldn’t stand it any more.” 📖There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura (This book is a work of fiction, but still offers insights to the complexities of labor.) In solidarity, Workers Reading Book Club & Occupational Hazards Book Club. #LaborUnionBookClub #TheresNoSuchThingAsAnEasyJob #OccupationalHazardsBookClub #WorkersReadingBookClub #CurrentlyReading #BookClub

✨ Books in Translation ✨ #qotd What's your favourite translated book or do you have a translated book on your tbr? I have this 'soft' goal every year of reading more translated books than the previous year. I always feel like I'm missing out on so many books by only being fluent in English, so I make a conscious effort to find the books that have been translated. Today, I wanted to share five that I've either enjoyed or I'm looking forward. Here are some quotes and one sentence reviews that'll hopefully inspire you to add them to your tbr! 💗💙 There's No Such Thing As An Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura, Translated by Polly Barton "There are pitfalls like that everywhere, lying in wait to trip you up. The more feeling you put into your work or whatever it is you're devoting yourself to, the more of them there are." Starting again when everything has gone wrong, except these aren't so normal jobs, something strange is happening. 🧡 Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori "If they tried it, the memories of the wild rooted in their flesh would come back to them, and they would discover that eating the city like this would connect the earth between the gaps in the concrete and their own body." What even are social norms and why do we follow them? Sometimes you just want to personify a curtain, you know. ❤️ Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica, translated by Susan Moses "After all, since the world began, we’ve been eating each other. If not symbolically, then we’ve been literally gorging on each other. The Transition has enabled us to be less hypocritical." The cannibal book! What makes us human and seperates us from animals? It's a blurry line. 🤍 Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin, Translated by Megan McDowell "How would it feel to be an anonymous actor in someone else's life?" Black mirror esque, the Furby like creatures are watching you and someone is paying to control them and watch your every move. Do any of these sound like something you'd like? See the comments for Lonely Castle in the Mirror On a side note, it's Eurovision time again, so prepare yourself for some upcoming Eurovision posts! Tay 💜

We’re sad to say goodbye to our April 2024 book, but excited to bring you some employment fiction for May! This is an extra exciting month for the club because we’re partnering with Occupational Hazards for the first time. You can join in on the WRBC or @occuhazard.bookclub social media & Fable discussion boards! Occupational Hazards will be reading this book May-June, so you have extra time to engage :) #LaborUnionBookClub #TheresNoSuchThingAsAnEasyJob #WorkersReadingBookClub #OccupationalHazardsBookClub

#wanttoread Hi ✨ 💫 Did you pick some books for this month? Once again I decided to choose 4 books and once again I think its a great mix of different genres ✨ Some Asian (Japanese) literature with „There‘s no such thing as an easy job“. A little bit of crime with „A good girls guide to murder“. A YA story with „Hold still“ And last but definitely not least some poetry with „The anatomy of waves“ Can’t wait to read them all 😍✨ 💫 Have you already read any of the books? How did you like it? TAGS #book #books #bookstagram #read #reading #agoodgirlsguidetomurder #holdstill #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #theanatomyofwaves

Of course there isn't. It's just in our human nature (like this protagonist) to nitpick and complain and find excuses. We want things easy, without working hard. For some, it is to quit and find something else. But in all honesty, we will not be satisfied. But will we return to what we first did? For this protagonist, yes. Took her many different jobs to discover what she truly was passionate about. In reality, at least for me, I don't foresee myself going back into journalism. I wouldn’t say not ever, because God has the tendency to work mysterious ways 🙃 P/S this rarely happens but in the case of life imitating art imitating life, the protagonist (like me) is allergic to pollen (she had hay fever) 🤣 #musings #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #reading

04.25.2024. 2.5⭐/5 ⚯ ͛: շօշկ/27. There's No Such Thing As An Easy Job. .. .. A young woman walks into an employment agency and requests a job that has the following traits: it is close to her home, and it requires no reading, no writing – and ideally, very little thinking. She is sent to a nondescript office building where she is tasked with watching the hidden-camera feed of an author suspected of storing contraband goods. But observing someone for hours on end can be so inconvenient and tiresome. How will she stay awake? When can she take delivery of her favourite brand of tea? And, perhaps more importantly – how did she find herself in this situation in the first place? As she moves from job to job, writing bus adverts for shops that mysteriously disappear, and composing advice for rice cracker wrappers that generate thousands of devoted followers, it becomes increasingly apparent that she's not searching for the easiest job at all, but something altogether more meaningful... ... ... #books #bookstagram #ereader #booklover #booknerd #phreader #phreadersclubromance #selfhelp #selfhelpbooks #romancebooks #romancereaders #booktok #ctto #kindlerefresh #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob

I'm taking a moment to highlight a handful of the books I read last year that didn't quite make my top 10, but that I'm still thinking and talking about (in a positive way!). I'm sure I'm not alone in struggling with ratings and rankings, thinking about books I appreciated vs books I enjoyed, feeling like a 4-star book is a favorite (but then what is a 5-star book)? I still don't have consistent answers to these questions, but here are some books that I read and loved in 2023, didn't highlight in my top 10, and continue to think about. I posted reviews of three of these (starred), but below are some quick thoughts all in one place. I'm a Fan: I don't actively seek out angry, unhinged female MCs, but if that's your thing and you haven't read this, read it now. If it isn't your thing, but you're open to reading one, I'd make it this one. It's raw, funny, short, and - this is probably controversial, but - I thought the ending was amazing. Excellent on audio. Multiple Choice:* this is quite experimental and won't be for everyone, but Alejandro Zambra's (translated by Megan McDowell) book written in the format of a standardized exam was... kind of brilliant? There's no plot and no set of characters to follow throughout the book, but it's playful, delightful, and surprisingly poignant. Shubeik Lubeik: an Egyptian graphic novel set in a world where wishes are real - and commodified. Deena Mohamed’s creative world-building and storytelling really highlight what a skilled creator can do with this format. Light from Uncommon Stars:* my favorite books tend to be on the literary side, but sometimes I just want to read about aliens who run a donut shop and befriend a violin teacher who sold her soul to the devil. This was fun, genre-bending, and moving without being overly sentimental. There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job:* while it shares some themes and concepts with other popular Japanese novels in translation, this is my favorite of the bunch. It's quirky and weird without going full "sad girl" and it's charming but not saccharine. The ending is a bit convenient, but I was here for the slice-of-work-life vibes. What 2023 reads are you still thinking about?

“Nobody’s life was untouched by loneliness; it was just a question of whether or not you were able to accept that loneliness for what it was.” ⭐️💼⭐️ #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #japanesefiction #roses #booksandflowers #bookaesthetic #bookaddict #bookcommunity #bookcover #bookgram #bookish #booklover #booklove #booklovers #booknerd #bookobsessed #bookoftheday #bookphotography #bookphoto #bookquote #bookstagramnorway #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #readmorebooks #ilovebooks #booksofinstagram #bookworm #readersofinstagram #reading #read

Finally In stock. Belgian custom services let this parcel through. But damn: if you ever love to hear a lo-fi/punk anthem, Trendees is your thing. Looking forward to a long bath with a fanzine besides me. What Lies Beneath issue 5 is in as well. Comes with a cdr with, i think, exclusive tracks from Warm Currency, Troth and Ritual Heaps. So much fun. Might play some of these tracks on tomorrow Kneautwilg Studio Néau if don't let it drop into my bathtub. For NZ addicts there are some original nineties cassettes up for sale. I know, i know but a man has to do what a man gotta do,no? Drooling all over it? Let me wipe your face😉😂, or just speak out in pm. #thetrendees #nzpunk #lofipunk #ambianceasinambient #ambientmusic #omitcassette #tradingmusic #callingmrfreeze #onlinecassettes #vinyloftheday #fanzine #whatliesbeneath #donotbend #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob

💻 There's no such thing as an easy job by Kikuko Tsumura This was a really fun read. Perfect when you are a bit tired of work and life. "A woman walks into an employment agency and requests a job that requires no reading, no writing - and ideally, very little thinking. She is sent to an office building where she is tasked with watching the hidden-camera feed of an author suspected of storing contraband goods. But observing someone for hours on end isn't so easy. How will she stay awake? When can she take delivery of her favourite brand of tea? And, perhaps more importantly - how did she find herself in this situation in the first place? As she moves from job to job, writing bus adverts for shops that mysteriously disappear, and composing advice for rice cracker wrappers that generate thousands of devoted followers, it becomes increasingly apparent that she's not searching for the easiest job at all, but something altogether more meaningful..." #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #kikukotsumurabooks #funread #funnybooks #easyread #booksaboutlife #booksaboutwork #booksaboutwomen #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bookreader #bookpeople #booklovers #booksbooksbooks #bookworms #readersarethebest #readersofinstagram #readingismyhappyplace #readingpeople #readingeverywhere #readingalotofbooks #ilovetoread #ilovebooks

Recent books finished ✅️ Have you read any of these? What did you think? . . . #amreading #readingandcoffee☕️📖 #readingandcoffee #readersofinstagram #readersofig #readercommunity #filedontpile #ruleyourday #startyourdayreading #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob

津村記久子著「この世にたやすい仕事はない」(2020) 前職でバーンアウトした女性が職安で「一日中コラーゲンの抽出を見守るような(読み書きが必要ない頭も使わない)仕事はありますか？」と半ば冗談で聞いてみたら紹介された5つのちょっと風変わりな仕事。毎日隠しカメラで撮影した小説家を観察する、巡回バスの広告アナウンスを考える、おかきの個別包装の後ろに書く小ネタを考える…。 燃え尽き症候群で離職した主人公が風変わりな仕事を転々としながら、「はたらく」「生きる」こと、自分にとって大事なのは何なのかを、なんとなくゆっくりと見つけていく連続短編集。ちょっとお仕事に疲れてる時に読んでみたら、説教とか抜きでまあまあ、と優しく背中をさすってもらえるような気持ちになります。 There’s no such thing as an easy job by Kikuko Tsumura. Found an English version first and thought it was a self motivational book then realised it was sitting in the fiction section. A story about a woman in mid 30s and recently left a job after a burnout. She walked into an employment agency and asked for “a simple job - that requires no reading, no writing and ideally very little thinking. Then she tries 5 different jobs, all very unique, and gradually regaining the purpose of life. It makes feel like someone gently rubbing your back without giving you a lecture when you are exhausted from working too hard or overthinking. #この世にたやすに仕事はない #津村記久子 #お仕事小説 #japaneseauthor #kikukotsumura #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #bookstagram #bookworms

💫Two for Tuesday 💫 Took my youngest on a visit to our local library this morning, then to our favourite cafe for a coffee (hot chocolate for 3yo) and cake with a friend ☕️🧁 1️⃣ I picked up my reserved book, There’s No Such Thing as an Easy job by Kikuko Tsumura. This is a book club choice, the theme this time was books not set in the UK or USA. This book follows a young, Japanese woman suffering from burnout who is looking for a low stress job that requires no reading, writing and ideally no thinking. Sounds great…but it’s harder than it seems! 2️⃣ The second book is Scythe by Neil Shusterman. I’ve seen this recommended on here before. Very different from the above book. Scythe is a YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy book, set in a world where disease, war and crime have been eliminated and the only way to die is to be ‘gleaned’ by professional scythes. Two teenagers have been selected to by Scythe apprentices and must learn the art of killing and understand the necessity of what they do despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation. ❓Has anyone read these books? What did you think? #bookstagram #locallibrary #scythe #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #tbr #twofortuesday #newbookstoread #newbooks #bookrecommendations #bookclub #readingmum #bookpost #instabook #instabookstagram #fantasybook #fantasy #youngadultbooks #contemporaryfiction #fictionbooks #bookworm #bookaddict #bookish #literature

Well it’s been almost 2.5 years and I can’t say I read much during that time, but I recently finished There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job and felt like I wanted to say something about it! This book has been one of my favorite reads. I found it delightful, funny, and very creative!! I kept wondering how Kikuko Tsumura came up with each new job for the main character and how each job would inevitably go fantastically sideways. I’m still somewhat mulling over the ending, but I think while not the most exciting or satisfying, it’s realistic. Anyway another reason I’m back on here is to start documenting what I crochet. A big part of adulthood for me seems to be returning to things from childhood that would give me so much joy yet that I felt I gave up on at some point. Hobbies can ebb and flow, but I feel like getting back into crochet has made me feel more like myself, like I have reclaimed something! So here’s a granny square bag that’s been a fave project of mine (baby’s first granny square)!! Plus a scarf made with yarn that reminds me of my cat daughter, Brioche :) 📷: @uffdaallberries #TheresNoSuchThingAsAnEasyJob #KikukoTsumura #Crochet

A woman in her mid-thirties takes on a series of temporary, low-effort jobs after experiencing burnout at her old job of 14 years. Despite her request for an easy job that she won’t care about, she ends up caring and getting deeply involved in each job. As her nature is revealed, it’s clear how she could have burned out at her old job. Using dry humor and a straightforward writing style was a very effective way to tell this story. While a seemingly simple story, it’s really an indictment of capitalism and modern society. I didn’t love the cliché ending, but overall I’m very glad I finally read this. And the audiobook narrator is great! [image description: the square audiobook cover of There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job shows a woman with her head down on a desk. The top half is pink and the bottom half is light blue.]

“After having to leave my old job because of burnout syndrome, I was rationally aware that it wasn’t a good idea to get too emotionally involved in what I was doing, but it was also difficult to prevent myself from taking satisfaction in it. Truthfully, I was happy when people took pleasure in my work, and it made me want to try harder.” • Our unnamed narrator tells her recruiter that she wants a job that requires very little thinking, something “easy” and effortless. Her recruiter recommends a few jobs for her, and she spends some time in each of them before moving on to the next one. One invokes watching the same person on the CCTV camera every day, another involves writing jingles for a bus ride, and another needs her to put up posters. As the title pretty much tells you, none of them are exactly “easy.” Every job will come with its own set of challenges, be it the job scope itself or the people or the pay. Towards the end of each job, the narrator knows when she feels compelled to move onto the next one, whatever it may be. • Fans of Convenience Store Woman would probably like this. While the protagonist in this book wasn’t exactly someone who didn’t “fit in” with other people, both struggle with the need to feel like they are contributing to society in whatever way they can, and yet their approaches to this are on opposite ends of the spectrum. While Convenience Store Woman’s narrator has devoted her entire being to maintaining the convenience store and cannot imagine herself anywhere else, the narrator here just wants a job and would do literally any job so long as the pay is decent enough for her to get by. [cont.]

A beautiful #bookquote from #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob written by #kikukotsumura . #quote #japaneseliterature #lonely #loneliness #bookblogger #bookstagram #book #books #bookworm #booklover #booklove #bookaddict #instabook #currentlyreading #reader

🥰 What this week 🥰 📚 I bought the books in the picture this weekend, and I'm so excited to get through them! What was the last book you bought? 📖 I'm currently reading an ARC of "The Manicurists Daughter" by Susan Lieu. And I'm in the fence about starting a new audiobook right now 📺 I've been binge watching The Amazing Race! ✈️ I need to buy tickets soon for a trip I'm planning with my boyfriend! #ｑｏｔｄ - what are you looking forward to this week?

Kikuko Tsumura - There’s no such thing as an easy job (2015 401 pages) #readmorebooksproject #kikukotsumura #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob

Am about to start There’s No Such Things as an Easy Job. I have been looking forward to doing so for a while. Have you read it? What your favourite recent Japanese read? #books #booksandcoffee #booksandblankets #bookworm #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookphotography #readhappy #bookcommunity #currentlyreading #japanesebooks #japaneselit #japaneseliterature #kikukotsumura #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob

A #pinkstack today for Valentine's Day! Hope you're all having a great day 💕 #books #booksta #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #nzbookstagram #nzbookstagrammer #nzbooksta #pinkbooks #pinkbookstack #onwednesdayswereadpink #onwednesdayswepostpink #valentinesbookstack #happyvalentinesday #kitchen #bananayoshimoto📖 #myyearofrestandrelaxation #ottessamoshfegh #mydarkvanessa #kateelizabethrussell #breastsandeggs #miekokawakami #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #redwhiteandroyalblue #caseymcquiston #doraaheadcase #lidiayuknavich

There’s No Such Thing As An Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura. 📥📥📥📥 A soft melancholy read, it swoops you up like a warm blanket, reminds me of a saying about cats- they just know things are the way they are. This took me a long time to read, and I don’t want to use the word boring- but the book was so calm, so even, even when juicy things were happening they weren’t stressful. It showed the monotony and humdrum of some jobs, the repetitive nature, and how sometimes we can crave that after a burnout. Everything came full circle and it was just such a nice read. #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bookblogger #bookcommunity #readercommunity #readersofinstagram #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #bibliophile #catsandbooks #booksandcats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #bookish #bookishladiesclub #bookbabe #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booksaremagic #booklover

This was such a great book. Not sure if it's because I first read it when I was at my shitty corporate job and feeling major burnout or what. All I know is I really enjoyed reading it. Maybe it helped me feel better about my situation? Maybe it was comforting to know that no matter what your job is it can be 💩? Maybe it reminded me that we are all just doing the best that we can? Whatever it was, it provided me an escape from the hell hole that was my work place. Anyway, if you are looking for a good read that provides you with an escape from your corporate America job or from your own feelings of burnout...read this! Have you read it? What are your thoughts? . . . #bookstagram #books #read #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #libros #librosrecomendados #booksta #burnout #tbr #readingbooks #toberead #reread #paraleer #leer #booksintranslation #leyendolibros #boolsbooksbooks #bookish

There’s no such thing as an easy job. Or wait… Is there? To know the answer to this statement I would suggest you all to read “The Factory” by Hiroko Oyamada (my review in previous post) to know that some jobs can be painfully easy and monotonous but still wouldn’t add much to employer’s life or bring about change in society. . I read this book last year but did not upload the review because I was not in the zone. Lately, I have been thinking a lot in the lines of one’s employment, ease in the job, job satisfaction or how lucrative a job should be. I am in the phase of my life where I have completed my Masters and on the verge of choosing either a job in an industry or studying more. Although I want to do both but in which order I will do is the question. But for now, I am spending my time reading these insightful books which are changing the way my brain perceives the world. I am still making progress day by day. . Anyways, coming to the book. This book as the name suggests answers our question which lives rent free in our head – “Is there anything such as an easy job?” The protagonist of the story is an unnamed woman who changes a series of job to conclude that however simple a job seems it is not that easy to do. In real life we see many people on streets or any other place and make this remark “Oh wow. That looks easy. No challenge at all. I wish I could do the same and live hassle-free life.” How many times a doctor or lawyer may have thought that the hotel receptionist’s job looks easy? He/she doesn’t have to deal with the burden of someone dying in hospital or have to lie in order to win a court case.” . Our protagonist changes five jobs to realise that there is no such thing as an easy job. The jobs were - surveilling a recipient of smuggled goods, writing ads for a bus company, creating trivia and self-help content for rice cracker packages, installing public service posters, and punching exhibition tickets in a hut at a city park. To me this series of odd jobs is what made the book so interesting because we already kind of have an idea what a life of a doctor, engineer, lawyer, or entrepreneur may look like. . Continued in comments

Really love Kikuko Tsumura’s novel There’s No Such Thing As An Easy Job. Here’s the beginning of my Marvelous Paragraph Project piece: “I’ve been rereading Kikuko Tsumura’s weirdly hypnotic There’s No Such Thing As An Easy Job. This book comes back to me often, like a song, where you remember the feeling and bits of the tune more than the words. The novel’s narrator, whose name we never learn, is trying, through her series of jobs, to find a place in the world that she can reasonably inhabit. An “easy job.” A job “practically without substance, a job that sat on the borderline between being a job and not.” One that won’t tear at her heart. The character became completely burnt out in her previous work (we don’t learn what that was or what happened until quite late in the book). She’s been living listlessly with her parents, unable even to read, and when she returns to work, at first all she asks for is a job close to home. The book is funny, weird, and still captures something of what it means to earn a living at these precarious jobs: the mixture of confinement, repetitive tasks, tentative or unexpected companionship, loneliness, and a struggle against pointlessness, which the narrator here manages through a sprightly cheerful thoughtfulness. Her obsessively wandering mind runs underneath and around her helpful daylight self, both insightful and in denial. Her delightful, confiding direct way of talking to the reader offers an apparent intimacy that initially hides anything deeper, not only from us but, it seems, from herself.” (The Marvelous Paragraph Project—more at link in bio). . . . . #reading #literature #fiction #novel #writing #writers #bookstagram #booktalk #KikukoTsumura #TheresNoSuchThingAsAnEasyJob

😩 Nuestra protagonista quedó quemadísima de su anterior trabajo y decidió dejarlo. 📝 Igualmente, como a sus 36 años necesitaba ganarse la vida, se apuntó a una empresa de selección pidiendo un trabajo fácil. No quería responsabilidad, ni preocupaciones. 🤝🏼 Su asesora le ayudó a encontrar un trabajo que se ajustara a sus necesidades, en varias ocasiones: 1️⃣ Revisar el contenido de cámaras de seguridad. Pero uno al final empatiza con la persona que ve por las cámaras día tras día y… 2️⃣ Ayudante a elaborar anuncios para una compañía de autobuses. Pero de ello depende que se elimine una línea con poca afluencia de gente, pero necesaria para el vecindario… 3️⃣ Ayudante para elaborar los envoltorios de galletas de arroz. Pero necesitará mucho ingenio… 4️⃣ Pegar pósters. Qué más fácil que esto? Hasta que llega alguien que te hace la competencia… 5️⃣ Vigilante en un refugio en un Parque Natural. Hasta que empiezan a pasar cosas inexplicables… 😳 5 trabajos en un año y ninguno es lo fácil que parece ser… Al terminar la novela descubriremos cuál fue el trabajo de nuestra protagonista y lo que la motivó a hacer estos cambios. 🔝 Una historia con una variedad de personajes muy amplia y bien trabajados. Se tratan distintos temas a nivel social que vale la pena sacar a la luz, aunque no daré más detalles para no hacer spoiler. 💁🏻‍♀️Una buena combinación de mundo laboral y historias humanas. Muy completo. Me ha sorprendido gratamente. Puntuación: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5) #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #japaneseliterature #kikukotsumura #bloomsbury #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookaddict #literaturajaponesa #japo #japon #englishbooks #books #libro #leer #lecturarecomendada #kikukotsumura #englishpenaward #burnout

🇯🇵January In Japan🇯🇵 Personally, I'm a big fan of Japanese literature. Whatever I've read so far is kind of quirky and funny. But I also know that I've barely read much. So here are a few Japanese literature books that I plan to read this year.. #beforethecoffeegetscold #thehousekeeperandtheprofessor #iamacat #strangeweatherintokyo #kafkaontheshore #kitchen #lonelycastleinthemirror #diaryofavoid #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #thewomaninthepurpleskirt #earthlings #breastsandeggs #japaneseliterature #januaryinjapan

These are some of the Japanese books I’m excited to read. It won’t be in January in Japan but hopefully I’ll get to them soon. Which Japanese novels are on your to read list? #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #libros #japanesebooks #japaneseliterature #breastsandeggs #miekokawakami #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #honeybeesanddistantthunder #rikuonda #japanesenovel #bookcommunity #booksandcoffee #bookworm #bibliophile #readhappy #cosyreading

#JanuaryInJapan #🇯🇵 A woman walks into an employment agency and requests a job that requires no reading, no writing - and ideally, very little thinking. This was translated by Polly Barton - as we all know, I can't be objective when it comes to her because I love her so much and would read anything and everything associated with her - BUT 😅 the deadpan absurdity and surrealism were just too much even for me. The small stresses of working and how they can feel like disasters at the time - very relatable. Everything else was just "what am I even reading?" 🥲 I'm sure this book has its audience and I'm very grateful that it found its way to me via a friend who disliked it (and I will leave it on my shelves because Polly ❤️), but I already remember almost none of it. Could also be because my other "January in Japan" pick is a Mishima, which is just the right kind of unsettling, as always. #bookstagram #kikukotsumura #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #pollybarton

Qotd- What are you planning to read for January in Japan? 🌸Here are few of the books which I'm thinking of picking up to read for 'January in Japan'! 🌸Having been a long-time admirer of Japanese literature, I am continually drawn to its ability to explore a myriad of themes and emotions within its pages. From the poignant beauty of haikus to the intricate narratives of contemporary novels, each piece contributes to the rich tapestry of Japanese storytelling. What captivates me most is the seamless translation of these works into simple English, allowing for a fluid and quick engagement with the stories they hold. 🌸The beauty of Japanese literature lies not only in its exploration of different genres but also in the slow yet heartwarming pace at which the narratives unfold. There's a gentle rhythm to these tales that resonates deeply, inviting readers to savor the nuances of each moment. It's this combination of simplicity, depth, and engaging storytelling that has fostered my enduring love for Japanese literature, making it a cherished companion during the tranquil days of January. 🌸Authors like Meiko Kawakami and Haruki Murakami have seamlessly woven themselves into the fabric of my literary preferences, becoming autobuy authors whose works I eagerly anticipate. Meiko Kawakami's ability to delve into the complexities of human emotions, often in the context of everyday life, strikes a chord with me. Her writing possesses a raw authenticity that captivates, making each novel an emotional journey. 🌸Similarly, Haruki Murakami's distinctive blend of surrealism, philosophy, and the exploration of the human psyche has consistently left me enthralled. His novels are not just stories; they are immersive experiences that linger in the mind long after the last page is turned. 🏷 #bookrecs #januaryinjapan #bookrecommendations #translatedliterature #translatedfiction #womenintranslationmonth #bookaestgetic #currentreads #japaneselit #eastasianliterature #bookstaexplore #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #bookflatlay #bookblog #bookreels #meikokawakami #harukimurakami #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #thewomaninpurpleskirt #strangeweatherintokyo #sweetbeanpaste #heaven

Japońska pisarka Tsumura Kikuko (津村 記久子; ur. 1978) w 2015 roku publikowała serię opowieści pod chwytliwym tytułem „Lekka praca nie istnieje” (この世にたやすい仕事はない). Z niewiadomych przyczyn polski wydawca zdecydował o przekładzie pośrednim, bo z języka angielskiego. A szkoda, gdyż utwór Tsumury poświęcony jest zaangażowaniu w wykonywane obowiązki, które niepostrzeżenie zaczynają rezonować z psychiką pracownika, stają się częścią jego życia prywatnego, wpływają na decyzje, zachowania, emocje. Zastanawiające, na ile owo zaangażowanie jest nadmierne, uzależniające, a na ile właściwe dla określonych typów osobowości, nieświadomie wybierających konkretne profesje, zdają się predysponowani do danych zawodów, czego zobrazowanie odnajdziemy w finałowych scenach (o)powieści Japonki. Pozornie zatem „Lekka praca nie istnieje” jest zbiorem niekiedy zabawnych, kuriozalnych, dziwacznych, nieco absurdalnych sytuacji w pracach uchodzących rzekomo za łatwiejsze, mniej skomplikowane, mniej obciążające psychicznie, emocjonalnie i fizycznie. Dopiero wejście w mikroświat, mikrośrodowisko profesji, doświadczenie jej, poznanie współpracowników i ich zmagań z rozmaitymi problemami wynikającymi z obowiązków (nie tylko) zawodowych, pozwalają na (naj)lepsze zrozumienie często powtarzanej frazy, że wszędzie dobrze, gdzie nas nie ma. (…) 🌸 CAŁOŚĆ NA BLOGU 終わりない夢 ~Owarinai Yume~

📖 There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job (2015) この世にたやすい仕事はない Kikuko Tsumura 津村記久子 Translation: Polly Barton #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #この世にたやすい仕事はない #kikukotsumura #津村記久子 #literaturajaponesa #japaneseliterature #readingwithcats #catsandbooks #booksandcats #catsofinstagram #gatosylibros #猫と本

Recent acquisitions ➡️📚 I know it's the time of year where I shouldn't be buying myself new books...but... Here are three gems I recently added to my bookshelf: 👁 The Faceless Old Woman who secretly lives in your home, Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor, from @suerydercharity (Sherwood). 👖 Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris, from @crukshops (Sherwood) 💻 There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job, Kikuko Tsumura, translated by Polly Barton, from @dormousebelper (purchased two other books on the same visit but they're both gifts, so shhh). I promise that's it now, I've got enough to be reading! 🤓 #books #bookshop #bookshopping #independentbookshop #charityshop #bookish #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #igreads #booklover #bibliophile #booklove #bookworm #welcometonightvale #davidsedaris #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #translatedfiction #bookshelf #shelfie

SOLD There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job Kikuko Tsumura Goodreads ⭐ 3.65 A young woman walks into an employment agency and requests a job that has the following traits: it is close to her home, and it requires no reading, no writing – and ideally, very little thinking. Buku berukuran yang lebih besar dikit dari ukuran paperback pada umumnya, masih sealed akan tetapi ada bagian yang mencokelat di sisi atasnya. Tampaknya karena kebocoran yang diakibatkan oleh seal yang robek. #jualbukubekas #jualbukuimport #jualnovelbekas #jualnovelimport #novelimport #novelbekas #prelovedbook #prelovedimportbook #jualnovelmurah #jualnovelpreloved #bukumurah #novelimportmurah #novelimportbekas #novelimportsecond #bukuimportpreloved #bukuimport #bukuimportmurah #bookishindonesia #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura

#amreading #amlesen #amlesenme #readingoutside #readinginsun #kikukotsumura #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #Konoyonitayasuishigotowanai #この世にたやすい仕事はない

There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura Kalau kalian merasa ingin keluar dari pekerjaan (resign) dan meninggalkan karir kalian, coba baca buku ini, karena tema buku ini menceritakan tentang tokoh yg meninggalkan pekerjaan penting karena dia capek dengan pekerjaannya yg sebelumnya. Dia akhirnya menyadari bahwa tanggung jawab terhadap suatu pekerjaan adalah hal yang tidak dapat dihindari dan sesederhananya suatu pekerjaan, bisa jadi akan menjadi beban terberat yg harus ditanggung. Kita tidak dapat memprediksi apa yg akan terjadi dimasa depan. Menceritakan tentang seorang wanita berusia 32 tahun yang mengambil serangkaian pekerjaan untuk pemula dengan tujuan menghasilkan uang untuk membayar tagihannya, berharap mendapatkan asuransi kesehatan dan tempatnya tidak terlalu jauh dari rumahnya. Pekerjaannya dimulai dengan hal-hal normal, lalu dengan cepat berubah menjadi dimensi yang aneh (surreal) di mana wanita itu mulai meniru sifat orang lain, memutarbalikkan kenyataan dengan membuat iklan, kemudian menjadi target aliran sesat dan bersaing untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan dengan sebuah paket rice cracker yang tiba-tiba hidup dan muncul di kantornya. Setiap bab memiliki cerita tersendiri dan tidak saling terhubung dengan cerita lain, namun ketika selesai membaca, seluruh cerita terasa menjadi satu kesatuan. Di bab terakhir kita diberitahu beberapa hal penting tentang mengapa wanita itu memulai cerita ini. Buku ini secara keseluruhan menyenangkan namun aneh. Dengan tebal 400 halaman, buku ini terlalu panjang untuk setaip babnya sekitar 100 halaman. Lalu ada banyak pengulangan kata dan beberapa cerita yg slow pace namun setiap bab memiliki keunikan yg berbeda. Kalo kalian suka dengan buku-buku surrealism mungkin buku ini cocok untuk kalian. 3.5 of 5 stars to There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura

[Book 32] Kobo: 370 pages | 101k words Reading time: 4.9 hours | 1.4 avg pgs per min 📖💬 #この世にたやすい仕事はない A young woman walks into an employment agency and requests a job that has the following traits: it is close to her home, and it requires no reading, no writing, and ideally, very little thinking. Her first gig--watching the hidden-camera feed of an author suspected of storing contraband goods--turns out to be inconvenient. (When can she go to the bathroom?) Her next gives way to the supernatural: announcing advertisements for shops that mysteriously disappear. As she moves from job to job--writing trivia for rice cracker packages; punching entry tickets to a purportedly haunted public park-- it becomes increasingly apparent that she's not searching for the easiest job at all, but something altogether more meaningful.  // There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job | Kikuko Tsumura (translator Polly Barton) | pub 2021 (orig 2015) #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumara #japaneseliterature #japanesefiction #bookstagram #librarybook #ereader

Autumn leaves for October reads and apparently I’m in my translated fiction era 🍁🍂 Genuinely loved all of these but my favourites would have to be Olga. Since I spend unhealthy amounts of time scrolling booksta I pretty much exclusively pick up books I’ve seen being praised here but this was just something I picked up whilst wandering the library l and it’s easily one of my favourite reads of 2023. Dedicated fans are all too aware of my love of a multi generational saga but I often feel short changed by ones of this length as they lack the capacity for the depth of character development I’ve realised I crave. I had no such grievances here - Olga is beautifully portrayed throughout her life and although at its core this is a love story, it is so much more than a romance. #olga #bernhardschlink #thousandcranes #yasunarikawabata #commondecency #susannahdickey #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #earthlings #learningtoswim #thelovethatdares #brightfear #loveinthebigcity #abolitionfeminismnow #translatedfiction #japanesefiction

The job hunt continues! 😅 . . . . #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #pollybarton #englishpenaward #englishpenawardwinner #translatedfiction #japanesefiction #gigeconomy #tempwork #jobhunt #jobhunting #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookwyrm #bookworm #bookwormproblems #bookhaul #bookwyrm #bookwyrmshoard #thebookwyrmreviews

Finished Reading... "The time had come to embrace the ups and downs again. I had no way of knowing what pitfalls might be lying in wait for me, but what I'd discovered by doing five jobs in such a short span of time was this: The same was true of everything. You never knew what was going to happen, whatever you did. You just had to give it your all, and hope for the best. Hope like anything it would turn out alright." That's how the book ends, and that's what you'll feel true, too, once you finish reading. There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job is a glimpse into five seemingly mundane jobs that the protagonist takes up. She's a Japanese woman in her mid-30s. 36, to be precise. After being burned out of her work, she looks for job that are not demanding. The story starts with the contract position at a surveillance agency, moves on to bus advertising, then cracker packaging, then a poster sticking job, and eats at "The Easy Job in the Hut in the Big Forest." Looking at all those tasks, you can assume it's really an offbeat novel. It's gripping still. The stories have a certain amount of mystery in them that keep you hooked. The story is in the first person. And as you read along, walking in the shoes of the woman, you really feel connected with her thoughts and experiences. The book, although a work of fiction, seems to have an air of reality. It's a mirror to the work culture of Japan. There's nothing explicit, but the thoughts of the protagonist makes you think Japan is as unglamorous as every other modern country when it comes to work. #finishedreading #booksofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #bookreview #japaneseculturebooks #japanesebooks #grippingstories #mysteriesofjapan

#Cześć Misie! Jak myślicie - "Lekka praca nie istnieje"? Uważam, że nie ma pracy, która byłaby wybitnie lekka. Pracuje w handlu, który jak większość wie, rządzi się swoimi prawami. Pracowałam jednak również za biurkiem, w dofinansowaniach europejskich, ot biurówka i tam też nie było lekko - masa przepisów, na wszystko dokument, rozliczenia, tabelki. Autorka przytacza nam historię młodej Japonki, która znużona pracą od lat w jednym miejscu postanawia zmienić zatrudnienie. Dziewczynę w nowe rejony kariery przede wszystkim popycha nieustający stres, wypalenie, czy też zmęczenie, które nie chce ustąpić. Na przestrzeni poszukiwań dochodzi jednak do wniosku, że lekka praca nie istnieje, bo jaka by nie była, potrzebuje krztyny zaangażowania, którego ona nie chce dać. Pod oprawą z humoru i żartu, kryje się przygnębiający obraz tego, co i w naszym kraju się pojawia - zatarcie granicy między pracą, a koleżeństwem; mobbing czy brak różnorodności na rynku pracy. Powieść jest świetna i w pełni można było stworzyć z niej pięć odrębnych opowieści, ale jako całość przedstawia, że czego człowiek by się nie imał - odpowiedzialność, nawet minimalna, jest i będzie. Polecam bardzo, bo nie ukrywam, że pani Tsumura pisze bardzo przystępnym językiem i niesamowicie przy tej historii wypoczęłam ☺️ @glowbook_wydawnictwo #wydawnictwoglowbook #kikukotsumura #booknerd #literaturapiękna #books #lekkapracanieistnieje #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #ovcapoleca #easyjob #ksiazkoholizm #sunday #picoftheday #bookblogger #polishgirl #bluehair #instawoman #japonia #literaturajapońska #literaturaświatowa #czytamnagrodzone

Po wypaleniu zawodowym, porzuceniu pracy i krótkiej przerwie na złapanie oddechu — bohaterka poszukuje miejsca dla siebie. Zależy jej na zawodzie niezbyt wymagającym, a już na pewno nie angażującym na tyle, by nawet po powrocie do domu, myślami wciąż być w miejscu zatrudnienia. I tutaj pojawia się pierwszy problem. Kobieta jest zmęczona, ale ambitna, więc nieważne, czego dotyczy jej praca — zawsze sprawdza się w niej dobrze, zawsze emocjonalnie się angażuje. Monitoruje podejrzanego, tworzy ogłoszenia do autobusu, wymyśla teksty na opakowania krakersów, rozwiesza plakaty i zajmuje się leśniczówką. Skacze między zawodami, zwykle z własnego wyboru, ale nigdzie nie znajduje spokoju. Są momenty, gdy nawet sama zapomina, dlaczego zdecydowała się na dane stanowisko, gdy postanawia zmienić swoje oczekiwania zawodowe, gdy zatraca siebie lub kładzie na siebie zbyt wielką presję. Często miota się między tym, czego chce, choć doskonale wie o tym, czego nie chce. Podobno mieszka z rodzicami i podobno ma przyjaciół, ale nie znajduję się w powieści dla nich miejsce. Jest tylko Ona — kobieta po trzydziestce, która próbuje swoich sił w kolejny miejscu. Bez hobby, bez większych aspiracji. Z osobowością raz uległą, raz asertywną. Fabuła powieści to opisy kolejnych stanowisk, subtelne odbicie społecznych oczekiwań oraz niewinna dawka surrealizmu. Jest to historia spójna, a jednak na tyle powolna i niepozorna, że wiele razy zastanawiałam się, dokąd ona tak właściwie dąży. A jednak wciąż dobrze się ją czytało, nawet jeśli im dalej w lekturze, tym dalej od wniosków innych niż, że lekka praca po prostu nie istnieje. Chciałabym powiedzieć więcej (może coś o szczątkowym czarnym humorze czy hipokryzji głównej bohaterki), ale nadmiar moich słów sprawia, że z powieści Kikuko Tsumura ulatuje mgiełka niewiadomego. Mgiełka, która dodaje uroku. W dodatku odbiory bohaterki są u czytelników tak różne, że wolę nie sugerować własnych wniosków. Dlatego niech wystarczy Wam, że lektura była przyjemna, choć jednocześnie bezcelowa (zero emocji, zero przemyśleń) co tym razem mi nie przeszkadzało. . przekł. (niestety z ang.) Paweł Szadkowski . 🔸 #współpracabarterowa — dziękuję @glowbook_wydawnictwo

September finish.✨ There is no such thing as an easy job, really. And this read, though fictional, has charmingly describe the struggles of seemingly simple jobs. Making it relatable, no matter what the career, occupation.

Book49: 50books/52weeks There's No Such Thing As An Easy Job. By Kikuko Tsumura #bookstagram #bebookishbecrazy #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #kikukotsumurabooks #readersofinstagram #readreadread #readbecauseyoucan #bookishbuddyread #readersgonnaread #book49 #50books52weeks #selfchalenge #bookpost #bookstagrampost #bookishpost #happyreading #instareader #booksclub #bookclubofinstagram #kitabein #booklover #paperbacks #booksandcoffee #bookclubreads #goodvibes #keetabikeeda #instabook

🌟🌟🌟🌟 This reminded me a little of Convenience Store Woman but longer. I found myself very impressed by the author's ability to make an endearing character that doesn’t really do much or even have a name. #booktok #bookstagram #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob

There’s No Such Thing As An Easy Job BOOK REVIEW I chose this one for WIT month after someone recommended it (I think Tamsien @babblingbooks) because I said I loved Convenience Store Woman, and I’m glad I acted on it! It explores similar themes to Convenience Store Woman like conformity, societal expectations, gender roles, mental health and toxic work culture. But it does so in a different way, meaning the structure of the novel and the way the characters are written is different. We follow an unnamed protagonist who we meet just after she left a job that caused her a lot of stress. She is burnt out and just wants to do the simplest possible job that “requires no reading, no writing, and ideally very little thinking”. We see her going through a series of five different jobs that fit this description: surveillance, writing scripts for bus network ads, writing trivia for the backs of rice paper packets, putting up posters and the mysterious job in the forest. In each of these she discovers something new about herself and in a way realises that she can’t disengage completely. Even the most mundane job can challenge her in surprising ways and part of the beauty of that is being able to participate fully and being accountable for her own experience. With each job, there seems to be an element of something weird going on in the background, some kind of mystery that remains unsolved. And that’s not unlike what it is to be human: sometimes we see ourselves and each other at face value, but so much can be overlooked because we’re not looking at and articulating what’s happening beneath the surface. This is truly a wonderful book and I highly recommend it if you’re in the market for something completely different yet very relevant and relatable at the same time. #bookstagramsouthafrica #booksworthreading #bookjournal #readingjournal #vscobooks #bookstagramcommunity #bookstagramfeatures #recommendedbooks #vscoreads #igbooks #sabookstagrammers #readingcommunity #ashleighjadereads #japaneseliterature #womenintranslation #witmonth #translatedfiction #kikukotsumura #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #booksandplants #booksandflatwhites

3/5 Another book club pick. Very interesting. #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #audiobook #librarybook

I have to read more Japanese authors, I know that now for sure. This audiobook was the perfect audiobook to relax, to wind down, to completely get lost in the narrative. It was the title that caught my attention at first, obviously. It must sound appealing to the majority of working people, right? But already half an hour into the first of the five unusual jobs the protagonist goes through, the writing, the voice, the vibe, and Cindy Kay's narration had made me forget the title completely. It was the calmness of the writing and narration that drew me in and made me go through this a lot faster than I had intended. The translator, Polly Barton, received the English PEN Translates award for translating this book and I can totally see why. The writing is superb. So: After quitting her job due to burnout, the protagonist asks the administrator at the employment agency for a simple, easy desk job that does not require much effort or, if possible, not even that much thinking. In the course of the book she works at five completely different jobs, each bordering on what I would argue is surreal, almost magical realism. I loved them all. And I loved how each job came with its own story, its own characters, was set in a new part of the city, and generally felt really different from the one before. They all had their perks as well as flaws, and yes, at some point you begin to wonder what job really does qualify as simple? And does a simple job make you happier than a more challenging one? I'm not sure about the conclusion or the moral of the story (I will not give anything away!) but that may be due to personal reasons and things I struggle with at my current job. I have yet to find a job that I feel able and willing to do for the rest of my life. Do/Did any of you have jobs they like/d or find/found rather simple? Tell me about them! #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #magicalrealism #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #audiobooks #japaneseliterature #womenintranslation #cindykay #pollybukuro

This book was a perfect combination of mundane and absurd. It’s often compared to Convenience Store Woman, a book that I had mixed feelings about - mostly because I really struggled to relate to the protagonist - but regardless, I picked this up for Women in Translation Month, and ended up loving it. I love a “slice of life” novel AND learning about jobs, so this book with its five chapters, each dedicated to a particular (and very niche) temporary job - including researching interesting facts to print on snack packaging, watching surveillance videos of a novelist who may be unintentionally receiving stolen goods, and putting up government posters - was right up my alley. This was quirky and funny in a way that really worked for me, and I found the unnamed protagonist easy to root for as she navigated office politics at her various workplaces and - having suffered burnout in her previous career - tried to avoid getting overly invested in her work. So grateful for WIT Month, which inspired me to pick up this truly charming book. 4.5 stars. Have you read this one? Do you have a favorite novel in translation? #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #witmonth #womenintranslation #bookstagram #translatedfiction #japaneseliterature #bookreview #bookrecs

May the force be with you, Jaylin #starwars #starwarsbutterfly 🦋 #strenghnoweakness💪 #wedontdoweakness #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #give2get #helpinghandchallenge #fastandfurious 🙏🏼 #Black 👨🏾‍✈️ love you with all my heart 💯❤️💯🦋 #blackbutterfly🦋 #rptkids #nocap🧢

Little notes. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS AN EASY JOB By Kikuko Tsumura Translated by Polly Barton 📆bleak statements on employment 👩‍💻the consistently patronising treatment of women in the workplace. Few of the men in this book are awful, but they are unaware and unquestioning of their privilege and not afraid to exploit that privilege. Ignorance is not an excuse. 😬some small, subtle, but still uncomfortable moments where men believe that women owe them attention when they demand it. 📖 reminds me of Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo and 📖 Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata Have you read There’s No Such Thing As An Easy Job? What did you think? #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #womenintranslation2023 #wit2023 #japanesefiction #translatedfiction #bookreview #bookstagram

It's Women in Translation Month! Reading and celebrating women writers across the world this month and every month. This stack has some of my fave authors with Sayaka Murata and Yoko Ogawa along with stories I'm looking forward to. This month, I'm prioritizing Breast and Eggs, There's No Such Thing as An Easy Job, and The Vegetarian. 🧊👸🕵️‍♀️ I started WIT month with an audiobook, the Swedish crime thriller The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg. A thriller it is not, and I now know roo intimately the bingo phase of the lead investigators' blossoming love affair. #bookstagram  #Intersectionalbookstagram  #intersectionalreads  #bipocreads  #diversifybookstagram  #readdiversebooks  #diversifyyourbookshelf  #diversespines  #diversifyyourshelves  #bipocbookstagram #seattlebookstagram #womenintranslation #womenintranslationmonth #womenintranslationbookstack #thevegetarian #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #breastandeggs #KikukoTsumura #MiekoKawakami #hankang

"Maybe it was that my neighbourhood was morphing into a place I didn't know." This was a calm book about a person struggling with burnout from a previous job. The reason for the burnout isn't talked about and it is not necessary as we see her struggels in the other jobs she has we understand some of her reasons for quitting her old job. I would have liked more connections between the jobs that would habe tied the book together a little more but otherwise I liked it. Now I'm off to listen to the @books_unbound bookclub episode about the book and hear their thoughts 😊 /E #booksunboundbookclub #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #bookreview #books #bookstagram

She wasn’t lying — there really is no such thing as an easy job. . . . . . . . . . . #kikukotsumura #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #bookreview #bookrecommendations #goodbooks #booklover

Werbung unbezahlt, keine Kooperation, selbst gekauft Qotd : what's on your TBR for August? Guten Abend meine Lieben 🖤 Ja, ich nehme mir jeden monat ein einziges Buch vor, das ich dann auch wirklich lesen werde. Der Rest ist absolut spontan und chaotisch 😂. Für den August steht dieses Buch an, das eigentlich den perfekten Titel für einen Montag gehabt hätte 😂😂😂. Welches Buch oder welche Bücher wollt ihr denn so im August lesen? #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #bookstagram #reading #lesen #Buch #bookblogger #bookgram #bookgeek #book #books #bookstagramgermany #germanbookstagram #bookstagramdeutschland #toberead #tbr #wanttoread #wtr #somanybookssolittletime #buchliebe #booklover #büchersüchtig #bookaholic #BuchLiebhaber #nextread #paperback

#bookreview  📖𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝑵𝒐 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝑬𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝑱𝒐𝒃, Kikuko Tsumura Literary fiction/Contemporary @minaareads bookclub ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 399 pages #andreeareviews The book follows the mundane life of a 36-year old woman (whose name we never learn) and her struggles to find a job that doesn’t ask much of her, after having burned out in her previous job as a social worker. We accompany her through doing odd jobs (from surveillance, to writing adverts for buses, writing messages for cracker packets, putting up posters, or a lonely job in a hut in a park). Despite the jobs being ordinary, she finds bits and pieces of meaning and satisfaction in each job, and she manages to contribute to the wellbeing of others, despite how unimportant the role seems. Sometimes one might wonder if her work is magical.  I smiled and laughed with this book; it’s a lighthearted, feel-good story, positive and hopeful, despite mentions of mental health issues people suffer from throughout the book (which makes them give up demanding jobs for less paid, but more peaceful ones).  I also appreciated the little nuggets about Japanese culture, communication, relationships, especially between elders and younger people. We also learn about their pain, food, and habits, seen from the perspective of a day-to-day, no drama, existence.  Finally, it took me about 100 pages to connect to the narrator. After, I rooted for her to be successful, no matter the job. After the first 200, I knew she would be ☺️ Read this book if you want a slow-paced, lighthearted story, with not many highs and lows, but sprinkled with magical realism and hope. It’s mesmerizing and left me with a good feeling and trust that people can make the best of whatever situation they are in. It reminded me of Amelie 🩷 Do not read this book if you need something to happen from the first pages, you will not finish it.  #bookreview #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #bookstagram #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammer #japanese  #japaneseliterature #literaryfiction #fiction #contemporary #litfic #reading #books #booksbooksbooks

Last day of my mini break and I treated myself to 5k run and a cheeky trip to my gym spa. Sauna and chill 😎✌️📚 #gym #spa #chilling #holiday #chilledvibes #amreading #currentread #saunaandchill #sauna #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #morningrun #5k #paperback #paperbackbook #booksbooksbooks #bookaddict #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #backtoworkmonday #bookish #bibliophile #reading #readingtime #hardwork

Hi everyone, it is July 2023 already. What is everyone currently reading? Just finished There's No Such Thing As An Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura. It is a story that follows a young woman who suffered from burnout and wanted a job that was "practically without substance, a job that sat on the borderline between being a job and not". Based on the cover of the book, I thought the story was about a young woman and her surveillance job only. But it turns out that the surveillance job was one of the jobs that she accepted while trying to recover from her burnt out. The book is split into five main chapters, each of which is a short story of her experience with the five jobs that she accepted. The book is very monotonous. It didn't require much brain space and there's not much action involved. So not much brain energy is required to read this book, which I think is the genius of this book! That being said, I did struggle to finish this book. But, I thought Tsumara's writing style, especially how she describes the young woman's observations of her jobs was impeccable and that led me rooting for the young woman to find a job that she will like / fits her. In the end, the young woman acknowledged that "The time had come to embrace the ups and downs again. I had no way of knowing what pitfalls might be lying in wait for me, but what I'd discovered by doing five jobs in such a short span of time was this: the same was true of everything. You never knew what was going to happen, whatever you did. You just had to give it your all, and hope for the best. Hope like anything it would turn out alright." This is definitely a unique book and may not be for everyone.

So many cities feel familiar because of our books much before we visit. I was at a convenience store in Tokyo and spotted a pack of sweet red bean buns. So many characters in my books had eaten them. Kikuko Tsumura’s protagonist in There Is No Such Thing As An Easy Job would have them between her work breaks and would feel guilty for spending so much money on them. Sayata Murata’s protagonist in Convenience Store Woman sold them. My mouth would water while reading about them even though I had no idea what they tasted like. The books made them sound divine. When I spotted the pack at the store, I felt a wave of familiarity and happiness. Finally, I get to taste what I’ve been reading about for years. I went back to my room, tore open the packet and took a bite. It was soft and sweet. I then felt a wave of instant disappointment. It tasted better in my books. #conveniencestorewoman #sayatamurata #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #sweetredbean #tokyofood

Birthday books! 📚🩷🥳 It was my birthday a few weeks ago and I received 5 books as birthday presents - I’d actually asked for them from Vinted so they’re all second hand. I can’t get enough of books from vinted recently! If you’re looking for a bargain I’d definitely recommend a browse. 💕 Have you read any of these? Let me know if any are your favourites! 🩵 🏷️: #bookstagram #booklover #booksbooksbooks #bookhaul #bookhauls #bookhaul📚 #ukbookstagrammers #ukbookblogger #ukbookstagram #ukbookstagrammer #ukbookreviewer #ukbookblog #newbook #newbooks #newbookday #reading #readingtime #birthdayhaul #burialrites #burialriteshannahkent #peoplelikeher #thecastaways #cwen #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob

[THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN EASY JOB] me reading authors winning the akutagawa prize: 🙄😧😓 #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #japaneseliterature #akutagawaprize #akutagawaprizewinningauthor #japanesewriter #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #bookishfeatures #bookblog #bookblogger #booksofinstagram

Rachel’s current read 💕 and she’s enjoying it more than she thought she would! Don’t you love when that happens? It’s giving Convenience Store Woman vibes 😌 #booklover #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #currentread #japanesetranslatedfiction #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob

📚📚Currently reading or more like stuck between these books 🥺 Knitting is slowly pacing up more and more 🧶 Getting to last one third of the project - Became a good backdrop 😂 📜Emma - Done till Chapter 27 Loving it so far 🙇🏻‍♀️ - Love Emma 🩵 🩵After I Do - Read till 100 Stopped for a bit will get back to it soon 🫣 👩‍💻There’s no such thing as an easy job - half done Loved it but had to push it off for other books - slowly getting back to it 🕵️‍♀️Thursday Murder Club - Started Interesting so far 👻 🦋Never the Butterfly - in the middle Love it so far - first time want to pace it slow 🙇🏻‍♀️🩵 📱Kindle Unlimited - Getting back to my guilty pleasures 🙇🏻‍♀️🩵😂😂 #bookstagram #bookworm #currentlyreading #emma #janeausten #afterido #taylorjenkinsreid #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #thursdaymurderclub #richardosman #neverthebutterfly #ankurashta #knitting #backtoknitting

It's time for the Gemini Season Reading List!!! Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee Sula by Toni Morrison The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura #witchplease #astrologyreadinglist #geminireadinglist #geminibooks #cafeconleche #emerylee #sula #tonimorrison #thelateamericans #brandontaylor #nightofthelivingrez #morgantalty #quietlyhostile #samanthairby #emergencycontact #maryhkchoi #theresnosuchthingasaneasyjob #kikukotsumura #bookstagram #booklife #readinglist

📚 #この世にたやすい仕事はない #津村記久子 #TsumuraKikuko #KikukoTsumura 2015/10/1 #TheresNoSuchThingasanEasyJob カソウスキ、が面白かったので続けてまた一冊。有名な一冊。 彼女の作品はかなり前に、ブラジル、読んだような読んでないような、図書館で借りたかもしれないけれど内容に覚えがない。その時は自分には響かなかったのだろう。読む時期というものがあるのだな。 #つまらない住宅地のすべての家　がきっかけで再び彼女の本を手に取ってみる。 表紙と各章の扉の絵！人物がわらってるんだかいないのだかわからない黒目がちの目が一度見たら忘られぬ。 お仕事小説、と呼ばれるジャンルが自分にはいまいちしっくりこない。理由を分析するのはめんどくさい。 こんな仕事あったんだ！という、たぶんおおかた人々の想像の範囲に入り込んでこないような、え？というような「仕事」。地味そうで凄腕のハロワ（？）のお仕事紹介してくれる正門さんのアドバイスも手伝って、悩みながらいろんなお仕事をする主人公。正門さんちょこちょこと少しずつしか出てこないのにすごい存在感。 見張っている対象と、だんだんシンクロしていく人、の話を読んでいる私、何重にもシンクロがある。。。のがおかしかった。あ、それ食べたい、とかね。 仕事と愛憎関係にならない。 ことをさらりとフラットに目指したいのだが。。。 仕事に入り込みたくないを貫く主人公が徹頭徹尾一本の線のような流れとなり、周囲でもっともっと仕事に深く関わる人々のそれこそ愛憎関係、を対照的にあぶり出し描き出す。。。 と言うような感覚で読んでいたのだが、実はそうではないのか！？とだんだんなってゆくのが面白い。輪が閉じるようにすっきりと終わる。 アイディアの豊富さ、コメディを描こうとしているのではなさそうなので、笑えるおかしさ、ではないのだけれど、一章に最低一度は読む手をとめてわらっていた。喜劇の笑いじゃなくて、何かもっと、心に刺さる、わらい。 それぞれの「お仕事」みなとても心に残り、忘れられないものになりそう。 こわおもしろいのはポスター貼り替えの仕事の、さみしいのさみしくないの、アレです。今の世相で読むと尚更ドキッとせずにはいられない。今ならではの感想。 孤独に死ね て言葉がすさまじく。いやこれは・・・・ まとまりないけれどこれは色々詰まっていてでも綺麗にまとまってて素敵。 インスタタグのおかげでAmazonなどでも全然出てこない「他の言語に訳されたバージョン」がかなり端的に出てくるのが素晴らしい。網羅的に探すことはできないかもしれないが、これらしき、英語とイタリア語？が目につきます。この文体をどうやって翻訳するんだろう・・・ とっ散らかってますが、図書館に返却済みなのでこの辺で。 Es gibt offensichtlich eine englische Fassung (wie folgt), das würde ich sehr gern empfehlen!