Decided on My Own! My "100 Shinchosha Bunko Books for 2025"

I've gone and started something reckless again (lol).
I'm Toshio Tsukuda, a poet who loves reading.

Actually, I had planned to deliver a "Guessing the '100 Shinchosha Bunko Books'" piece, where I would predict the 100 books to be announced on July 1st based on 10 clues... but while searching for various things today, I discovered that the 2025 lineup has already been made public.

However, the official website still shows it as a teaser, and it felt like they wanted to keep the lineup a secret. I foolishly thought it might be better not to spread it around too much, so I hastily changed my plan. I would like to present this as "Decided on My Own! My '100 Shinchosha Bunko Books for 2025'."

Once I shifted the perspective to "myself," my thoughts overflowed, and words like "I want to share this, I want to share that" kept spilling out from the well of my heart, resulting in nearly 7,500 characters. I apologize for such a long article.

I hope you can enjoy it while sipping on some cold barley tea or a beer. (I am a participant in the Amazon Associates Program.)

Recommendation 1: This Year's Premium Cover Works

That said, I would like to share the information that has already been made public, so I will introduce it. First, here are this year's premium cover works. By the way, for this cover selection, the following campaign was held on X.

And the following 8 works were decided upon. It's a rich variety, from classic works to ones that make you think, "They chose that?" I believe the 2024 "100 Shinchosha Bunko Books" included Junichiro Tanizaki's "Naomi," and I felt that Nabokov's "Lolita" might have been chosen this time because of that connection.

Recommendation 2: Tsukuda-style Recommendations from X

As the paperback fair approaches, various announcements are being made on the Shinchosha Bunko X account.

For example, there is "Naruse Takes Over the World" by Mina Miyajima. I heard that a pre-release reprint has also been decided. I judged this based on the fact that the work is pictured alongside the stained-glass bookmark, which is a novelty for the paperback fair.

For the same reason, I think Akane Chihaya's "Silver Leaf" is also included. And as for my own "100 Shinchosha Bunko Books" recommendation, I also suggest the food essay "The Two Whose Stomachs Match," co-authored with Mieka Arai. It includes a newly recorded 50-page extra chapter.

Similarly, Kiyoshi Shigematsu's short story collection "The Answer is in the Wind" will likely be included. Also, I want to make sure to include the Naoki Prize-winning work "Vitamin F," which was selected for last year's "100 Shinchosha Bunko Books."

What stood out while looking at X was the announcement for "Itsumade" by Megumi Hatakenaka, the first long-form work in the "Shabake" series in a while. The anime adaptation of the series has been decided for this October, and that is also a book to look forward to.

Also, one I thought "I must choose this" is Hitomi Kanehara's "Unsocial Distance." It is a Tanizaki Junichiro Prize-winning work, and I love the sense of speed that flows through it. Actually, I am currently trying to re-read Kanehara's works starting from the first one, and I deeply regret not having read them properly until now. "Snakes and Earrings" is also a book I would like to recommend in my own "Tsukuda-style" way (from here on, the phrase "Tsukuda-style" will increase little by little 🙇).

Recommendation 3: The 10 Books Selected Every Year

While searching the internet, I arrived at an article like the following. It says that there are 10 books that have been selected every single year for the 49 years from 1976, when Shinchosha Bunko was first published, to 2024. *Thank you very much to the "Fushigi no Kuni no Toshoshitsu" (Library in Wonderland) for the very helpful information. Thank you 🙇

I judged that these are masterpieces that have lasted for 49 years, and I selected the following works based on that standard. Also, while they are classics, I felt upon seeing this lineup that there is a reason they continue to be selected. For example, I believe Manji Ibuse's "Black Rain" is also included because 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the war.

Of the 10 works, "Kokoro" (by Natsume Soseki) and "No Longer Human" (by Osamu Dazai) have been chosen for premium covers, and since "The Restaurant of Many Orders" (by Kenji Miyazawa) was chosen for a premium cover, I judged that "New Edition: Night on the Galactic Railroad" (by Kenji Miyazawa) might take a break this time.

Recommendation 4: Tsukuda-style Selection Based on Last Year's Results

As I continued my search, I found an article about a roundtable discussion introducing the 2024 "100 Shincho Bunko Books." I learned from this article that about 40% of the Shincho Bunko lineup is replaced with new titles every year. This means that if I look at the lineup selected last year, I should be able to get an idea of what will be chosen this year.

So, I pulled out last year's "100 Shincho Bunko Books" booklet. Using this booklet as a reference, I picked out a few titles. From here on, these are all my own personal choices.

First is Haruki Murakami's new work, "The City and Its Uncertain Walls." It is being promoted on the Shincho Bunko website, and I think it must be an exciting work for those who have been waiting for its paperback release. By the way, this year marks 30 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. "after the quake," which is themed around the earthquake, is also a book I want to read this summer.

Furthermore, speaking of major paperback releases, following 2024's "One Hundred Years of Solitude," "The Autumn of the Patriarch" (by Gabriel García Márquez), which has also been released in paperback, seems like a rewarding read.

As an aside, personally, following "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and "The Autumn of the Patriarch," I would be happy if "Love in the Time of Cholera" were released in paperback this year.

Recommendation 5: Digging Deeper into the Shincho Bunko Website

The annual "100 Shincho Bunko Books" fair has been running since 1976. In 2024, the books were categorized into genres such as "Books to Love," "Books that Thrill," "Books that Make You Think," "Dangerous Books," and "Books that Make You Cry."

This year, too, they should have a diverse lineup, including masterpieces loved across generations and classics that have long been awaited in paperback. That said, the Shincho-sha special website is currently only in the teaser announcement stage. So, I looked for clues on the Shincho Bunko website.

Today, the top screen of the Shincho Bunko site is promoting the aforementioned work by Haruki Murakami and the first work by Misumi Kubo since winning the Naoki Prize, "Natsume Kyoso." "A poet and a critic. The choice of an actress loved by two men." Doesn't that just make you want to read it? So, I chose it.

Also introduced on the top screen are non-fiction works. There are 25 works introduced on the site. From among them, I chose three in the sense of knowing the "hidden" and "public" sides of society. First is Kota Ishii's "Yakuza no Ko," which picks up the "voiceless voices" from underground scenes; Kotaro Sawaki's first domestic travel essay, "Tabi no Tsubakuro"; and Yoko Gure's hilarious essay on observing the elderly, "Jijibaba no Rutsubo." All of them seem interesting.

Now, Shincho Bunko develops three series in addition to its main line. The first is the translated "Star Classics New Translation Collection," then the science and history "Science & History Collection," and finally the light literature series "Shincho Bunko nex." I have chosen four books for each.

First, let's choose from the "Star Classics New Translation Collection" series. With the book released yesterday, "The Chronicles of Narnia" is now complete in 7 volumes. And speaking of summer, it's horror. So, I'll choose "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward," a masterpiece by Lovecraft, an author who witnessed sights that humanity should never see. "The Moon and Sixpence," which depicts a genius painter who oscillates between sanity and madness, is my favorite Maugham. Furthermore, I included one from French literature, Sagan's "Bonjour Tristesse" (Brahms Likes You).

Next, from the Science & History Collection, the big-hit medical entertainment book "The Body: A Guide for Occupants," which makes you really wonder, "Why am I born and why can I continue to move unconsciously until the day I die?" is fun, as is the differently intriguing "I Took a Break from Being Human and Became a Goat." And I also want to include "Quantum Revolution," a human drama centered on Einstein and Bohr that you want to know about before quantum computers become a reality. Finally, "The Music of the Primes." Does prime numbers sound difficult? Don't say that. I recall that it was originally released in paperback from the overseas literature label "Crest Books" that Shincho-sha boasts, so its depth can be guaranteed.

Finally, there is the rising star of Shincho Bunko (though it has been 11 years since its launch), Shincho Bunko nex. First, I recommend Edogawa Ranpo's detective novel "The Fiend with Twenty Faces," which is no exaggeration to say is the source of the birth of the light literature genre. There are 5 books in the series, so after warming up with those, try "Detective AI's Future Deep Learning" by Rin Hayasaka. This also has 4 works in the series.

And speaking of light literature, it is also characterized by many heartwarming works. Please feel cozy with Sono Ko Machida's "Convenience Store Brothers" series (currently 4 volumes in total). Now, isekai reincarnation is also a popular genre in light literature, isn't it? Please enjoy the "Pharmacist of the Afterlife" series (currently 9 volumes in total) by Tenryu Konno, which multiplies the best parts: reincarnated pharmacist x shrine maiden x Japanese-style fantasy.

Recommendation 6: Choosing from Amazon's Recommendations

When you search for keywords on Amazon, products are displayed in order of recommendation by default. And when you are logged in, works are displayed in a personalized state. In other words, even if you search for "Shincho Bunko," the recommendations differ depending on the person.

I don't think anyone finds it interesting to see the nakedness of a man in his 50s, but here I will introduce the works that I, Toshio Tsukuda, think Amazon is recommending just for me (excluding books that have not been released yet).

Now, from 1st to 10th place, let the drumroll start all at once!

How was it? I searched for various things while making this list, so there are certainly parts that were influenced by that. The number one, "Can Ornithology Help You?," is exactly that (but it looks interesting, so I want to read it).

Personally, I was surprised by the number of translated mysteries selected. Perhaps someone inside me is searching for a 'mystery.' And then, Hemingway. I love him. 'Across the River and into the Trees' is the last novel he published during his lifetime, depicting Venice after World War II. As a book to look back on the 80 years since the war, it would also be interesting to read it in comparison with Thomas Mann's 'Death in Venice' and Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice'.

Recommendation 7: Anniversary Authors and Deceased Authors

I have selected works by authors who have a memorial anniversary this year—either by birth or death—as well as works by authors who have passed away. It is the 100th anniversary of Yukio Mishima's birth, and the 60th anniversary of the deaths of Jun'ichiro Tanizaki and Ranpo Edogawa. Thomas Mann is celebrating his 150th birthday, and it has been 70 years since his passing.

'Introduction to Hagakure' is one of my favorite works by Yukio Mishima, and reading this book actually led me to write my own commentary on the Hagakure. Also, I recommend these aesthetic works: 'Naomi,' which was in the premium cover selection last year; 'The Edogawa Ranpo Masterpiece Selection,' which includes his debut work 'The Two-Sen Copper Coin'; and 'Death in Venice,' which was also adapted into a film by Luchino Visconti.

And two people passed away last year: Shuntaro Tanikawa and Paul Auster. For Mr. Tanikawa, I chose the poetry collection 'Sayonara wa Kari no Kotoba' (Goodbye is a Temporary Word), and for Paul Auster, I chose his first work, 'City of Glass,' translated by Motoyuki Shibata. I want to continue spending my time savoring these works.

Recommendation 8: Choosing Long Novels Because It's Summer

My self-selected '100 Shincho Bunko Books for 2025' is finally entering its second half. Speaking of summer, it has to be long novels. And I want to sink my teeth into some substantial ones.

Here, I have selected five long novels that I want to finish reading—or reread—this summer. The first is, needless to say, Dostoevsky's masterpiece, 'The Brothers Karamazov'.

I will leave the details to this article, but 'The Brothers Karamazov' changed my life. In fact, it is the book that led me to the job of 'writing' and the job of being an 'editor'.

The only thing I can say about this work is: 'Read this book. You will definitely find the answer.' I would like to recommend it to everyone: those about to enter social life, those who find it difficult to live in society, and those who are thinking about slowing down their pace of life.

The next three books are all stories of love. 'Wuthering Heights' depicts love and hatred born of passion, 'Anna Karenina' depicts the tragedy of love between society and the individual, and 'Nana' depicts the love of a woman fated to ruin men.

Looking back, I realized that perhaps I read Hitomi Kanehara's works to try and peer into the abyss of light and darkness within love. Won't you take a look with me? Something magical is sure to be born there.

For the final long novel, I have prepared 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,' with the intention of calling myself back from the abyss I crossed through reading to the world of the ordinary.

Recommendation 9: Books I Just Plain Love

Finally, as the title suggests, I chose books I just plain love or want to read. It's like an afterword for a book. Please relax and enjoy it, perhaps while eating some watermelon.

I have loved forest plants since I was a child, and Aya Koda's plant essay 'Ki' (Trees) is a book that heals me. My first encounter with it was at a library. I remember leaving the page open and just staring at the words for a while, as if taking a forest bath. It was Rachel Carson's 'The Sense of Wonder' that taught me to call the radiance I found in my heart at that time a 'sense of wonder'.

When I heard about it being published as a paperback, I wondered how they would turn it into a paperback since it was originally a small book with few pages. But editors are amazing; it had transformed into a book that seemed as if it were born breathing in Japan. That was truly a magic that could be called a sense of wonder.

A book is like music born into this world through the combined efforts of many people. And an editor is a tuner who adjusts that music so that it is truly a sense of wonder.

For me, these two books are like charms. Just thinking about their existence calms my heart.

And the stories that pour happiness into my heart are Banana Yoshimoto's 'Kitchen' and Richard Bach's 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The Complete Edition.' Like the previous two books, these are works I occasionally remember and want to read.

The following three books are works that make you think about the weight of life. Fighting against obsession, fighting against greed, and finding strength in the moon that shines even in poverty. They remind me that while the power of stories can sometimes drive people mad, it will never abandon them.

Tanka is a literary form that crystallizes a 'sense of wonder' within the limited count of 31 syllables. While looking for poetry collections among the Shincho Bunko titles, I found the works of Takuboku Ishikawa. Please, read some tanka. And if there is a memory you wish to etch into your heart, try composing a tanka yourself. You might realize that you already possess what is truly important.

Sometimes, illness provides an opportunity to notice the 'sense of wonder' that life inherently possesses. It has been nearly 12 years since I began suffering from depression, and there are many things I would not have realized had I not been struck by this illness. I certainly cannot call it a blessing. However, I feel that these two accounts of battling illness help affirm my own 12-year journey.

The final book is, of course, a book about an editor. It is an essay by Junichiro Shimada of Natsuhasha, a one-person publishing company.

The job of an editor is expanding rapidly, crossing the boundaries of genres. Meanwhile, the pie of the publishing world is shrinking steadily. In such a climate, why do editors continue to make books, and why do authors continue to write? It is because publishing is not just a 'publishing business,' but a way of living while carrying the 'burden' of publishing.

I am no longer a person in the publishing industry. It has been over 15 years since I worked at a publishing house. If I may be allowed one piece of nonsense, I am a person who lives while carrying the 'burden' of 'simply being unable to stop writing, unable to stop creating.'

Those of you who read such a long article are likely people who also carry the 'burden' of 'being unable to stop reading.' I, and the publishing people who carry this 'burden,' will wear ourselves out to meet those expectations.

Not just for glory, but to convey the 'sense of wonder' that shines in those works to all the readers who possess the 'burden' of reading. And I want to create brilliance myself as well.

Isn't that, after all, what it means to engage in work that is both old and new?

Since there are multi-volume sets and series, I think I have surpassed 100 books for now. However, this is strictly a tentative version. If I look at the list tomorrow, I might choose different books, thinking, 'I have to include that work!'

There are books I have read thoroughly and books I have yet to read, but I never imagined that selecting books could be this interesting. I have chosen some quite bold titles, so there will likely be many that are missing from the actual Shincho Bunko list.

But I am truly a lucky person to have encountered stories and essays that made it difficult to choose. And thank you very much for accompanying me through such a long article. I would like to express my gratitude once again. I would be very happy if you could leave a comment, such as 'I like this book.'

I would like to conclude by imitating the famous catchphrase of the late film critic Nagaharu Yodogawa. Oh, books are truly interesting, aren't they?
Well then, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.

【I also write articles like this】

#33DayWritingChallenge