Since returning to Greece, I have been trying to read every day. I have hardly watched any political or brainrot videos in the last ten days, and it feels good. On a plane, I started to read The Book of Tokyo, which I picked mostly because it contains one of the previously unread stories by Banana Yoshimoto. I finished it today with mixed feelings. Though I quite enjoyed the story by Banana Yoshimoto and a couple of others, most of the author’s picks left me indifferent. I enjoy reading Japanese authors but inevitably compare them to Haruki Murakami, whom I adore the most. The comparison is often in the favor of the latter.
It feels great to read every day. Last year I was reading sporadically, and sometimes it was hard to catch up with a book and remember what it is it all about. Now I feel more connected to the story, and my brain keeps remembering things. The reason that I forgot things was the main one when I started writing diaries 15 years ago. Writing and reading helped me a lot to train my brain in the early years. Eventually, my reading habits declined and writing also became more plain. And I really want these things back.
January 10, 2026