The Leisure of Running Through Time

When reading, there are moments when you find yourself captivated by the sheer power of the writing. Whether it’s the grandeur or the sense of momentum, anything will do. Carried along by the force the prose gives off, you keep turning the pages in a frenzy, until suddenly the moment comes when you can see the end of the book. And then, feeling a pang of regret, you start wanting to write something like this yourself. Ryo Asai’s “The Leisure of Running Through Time” is exactly that kind of book. This cheerful fellow, a little scatterbrained and at times almost absurd, seems to be sitting right in front of you, spraying spit as he tells you a hilarious story. Naturally, before I knew it, I found myself nodding along countless times, wanting to tell my own story too, and in just as entertaining a way. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel good.

The Leisure of Running Through Time, Saenggakui Jip, 2017, Ryo Asai, translated by Oh Seung-min