Name: Claudine's review of The Walking Man by Jiro Taniguchi
Item: The Walking Man
Rating: 5
Author: Claudine

Jiro Taniguchi

The Walking Man is a reprint of Jiro Taniguchi's most cherished title. It is a book in which nothing happens but everything occurs. The Walking Man follows a modern day Japanese business man as he strolls at random through urban Japan - often silent, usually alone - with his vivid dreams that let time stand still. Join him as he climbs a tree in bare feet, takes time out to observe the birds, plays in the puddles after the rain and returns a shell to the sea. It is an ideal way for readers and graphic novel-lovers to relax.

The Walking Man

Claudine

Someone once told me that I reminded them of the lead in this book. It's only now that I got to finish this, and I completely understand the comparison (which makes this an even more cathartic read).

'Quiet is the new loud,' Kings of Convenience once said. :)) While none of the events here are considered 'loud' in the sonic or scale sense, what people consider as uneventful moments are what truly fill up the space of our lives. It's truly odd to think about how milestones are what people use to define a life when it's in these in-between moments where we truly live. I would consider the people who revel in these moments as life's true winners, as it's absolutely easy to just have time pass through us, forgetting how certain moments feel. How easy it is to give our energy to worry, when true mindful living is seeing things as they are, and celebrating them here and now.

While most people say that this book is meditative and quiet (true for the most part), I find the build up of these low-key moments very interesting. I found myself at the edge of my seat for some moments and had me laughing at a few others. Aside from everything else that's been said about this beautiful, down to earth piece of manga, I want you to see how truly funny Taniguchi-san's sense of humor is. 

Filed under: Stuff I Wish I Made, I'll Read This Again and Again

Someone once told me that I reminded them of the lead in this book. It's only now that I got to finish this, and I completely understand the comparison (which makes this an even more cathartic read).

Anyway, onto the book!

'Quiet is the new loud,' Kings of Convenience once said. :)) While none of the events here are considered 'loud' in the sonic or scale sense, what people consider as uneventful moments are what truly fill up the space of our lives. It's truly odd to think about how milestones are what people use to define a life when it's in these in-between moments where we truly live. I would consider the people who revel in these moments as life's true winners, as it's absolutely easy to just have time pass through us, forgetting how certain moments feel. How easy it is to give our energy to worry, when true mindful living is seeing things as they are, and celebrating them here and now.

While most people say that this book is meditative and quiet (true for the most part), I find the build up of these low-key moments very interesting. I found myself at the edge of my seat for some moments and had me laughing at a few others. Aside from everything else that's been said about this beautiful, down to earth piece of manga, I want you to see how truly funny Taniguchi-san's sense of humor is. 

Filed under: Stuff I Wish I Made, I'll Read This Again and Again

Sean Sean

Robin

Pierre

We are delighted to be able to relaunch and enlarge Taniguchi's most cherished title. A book in which nothing happens but everything occurs. The Walking Man follows a modern day Japanese business man as he strolls at random through urban Japan often silent, usually alone with his vivid dreams that let time stand still. Join him as he climbs a tree in bare feet, takes time out to observe the birds, plays in the puddles after the rain and returns a shell to the sea. Contains 4 extra stories and 28 pages in colour. Original sense of reading.

And Other Perambulations

Daniel

Who takes the time these days to climb a tree in bare feet to rescue a child's toy? To stop and observe the birds? To play in the puddles after a storm? To go down to the seato put a shell back? The Walkink Man does as he strolls at random through urban Japan - with his vivid dreams that let time stand still.

Jolin Masson

Brook

Nitin Khanna

@nitinkhanna I’m intrigued :) thanks for the mention, I shall look up the book you mentioned as well!

From the description of the book, it seems sort of like The Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker, where nothing really happens - the narrator returns from lunch to his office on the mezzanine floor. But it fills up an entire book! 

I've added it to my to read pile :) 

Claudine &
The Walking Man by Jiro Taniguchi

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Claudine &The Walking Man by Jiro Taniguchi

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Claudine &
The Walking Man by Jiro Taniguchi