The Walking Man
by Jiro Taniguchi
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jiro TaniguchiEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); Japanese (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-03-15
ISBN: 8493340995
Number of pages: 160
Publisher: Toptron Ltd T/A Fanfare
Book Reviews of The Walking Man
Book Review: Slow down, we all move too fast
Summary: 5 Stars
A collection of short, mostly wordless graphic stories about walking in the rain, lying down beneath a blossoming cherry tree, returning a sea shell to the beach? You might dismiss them as boring & a waste of time ... but you'd be wrong. In fact, the point they make is about the time we DO waste, living & working & hurrying about so quickly that we miss out on the ordinary but utterly magical moments of life.
Our nameless salaryman goes out of his way to walk, often nowhere in particular, observing & enjoying the world around him. A decision to deviate from a usual path leads him through a narrow alley, breaking routine & becoming an adventure. Every story is about those ephemeral but deeply moving grace notes all around us, if we'd only stop to see them & drink them in.
And the connections he makes aren't only with Nature. Several stories are about brief encounters with people on the street -- an old man who allows our hero to follow along, sensing a kindred spirit ... a woman returning to the cherry tree of her childhood, so that she can sprawl in its fallen blossoms once more ... children who've lost a toy airplane in the branches of a tree.
Our "hero," did I say? Yes, the most mundane acts of everyday life can indeed be heroic, opening wondrous new vistas, if approached with the proper attitude. There's a sense of openness here, a willingness to accept whatever comes next, a relaxed yet focused awareness of the world -- in a way, reading these stories feels like meditation.
And the art is beautiful, with clean, simple lines that often become rich (but never cluttered) detail. Taniguchi knows how to use empty spaces & silence to convey a wealth of feeling. The reader can return to these stories over & over again, drawing a renewed & quiet strength from them each time. Most highly recommended!
Summary of The Walking Man
Who takes the time these days to climb a tree in bare feet? To stop and observe birds? Play in puddles after a storm? Go down to the sea to return a shell? The Walking Man does as he strolls at random through urban Japan - often silent, usually alone - with his vivid dreams that let time stand still.Graphic Novels Books
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