Five & Why, what Lobos love to read: With Andre Haag

Students must read books. Often they are dry, flavorless textbooks that leave one groaning page after page. Andre Haag, a professor in the East Asian Studies Department, uses cultural artifacts (books) to demonstrate significant historical periods and events. When asked his five favorite novels, Haag said that he did not have any favorites and that the term “favorites” lacks a critical edge. “I don’t believe in the framework of having favorites. I don’t have the stability of preference required. I think it’s artificial to claim that you have a favorite. It changes moment to moment. Frankly, I think favorites are inane. No offense,” Haag said.

He was, however, willing to recommend five novels that were presently on his mind.

“Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World” by Haruki Murakami

“It was the first Murakami Haruki novel that I read, and it introduced me to this new world of contemporary Japanese pop fiction. It refuses to conform to any one genre or any one thing. It doesn’t give you an easy meaning out of it, but it is a humorous and exciting ride along the way. It works with science fiction and history, which seems hard to leave out.”

“Out” by Natsuo Kirino

“I don’t know why I like it. It’s a great glimpse at a seemingly not-so-shiny underside to real things going on in Japan since the late ’90s that’s still going on today. It’s a unique perspective of a female crime writer. One of the first to really explode in Japan but also make it overseas. It sold as many books outside of Japan as inside of Japan, and that’s really impressive.”

“I Am A Cat” by Soseki Natsume

“It’s great early 20th-century satire. It’s the first work of one of the earliest 20th century’s greatest minds or greatest novelists. It’s a view of Meiji society that you can’t find anywhere else, through the eyes of a cat. I won’t say it’s my favorite, but there’s a lot there. It’s a very rich, rich text and a pioneering voice in Japanese literature.”

“Spring Snow” by Yukio Mishima

“A beautiful novel; very problematic with a view of the author’s politics (fascist orientation). But it does give you a very aestheticized view of Japan during the 1910s. I think it’s a great gateway into modern Japan.”

“World War Z” by Max Brooks

“I guess (this) would be a guilty pleasure. It’s an American novel. It’s an apocalyptic zombie story, which is my weakness when it comes to non-Japanese things. But it’s also full of — at the time it came out — really relevant political and social critiques. Also, global politics. And there are sections that are set in Japan, which are my least favorite parts.”

Kevin Haaf is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.