私が読むのはほぼエッセイ｜上半期読んでよかった本

私が読むのはほぼエッセイ｜上半期読んでよかった本

subtitles available in CC.
You can select the language from the “Automatic translation” icon. Today, I’ll be sharing the books I’m glad I picked up in the first half of 2025. Here’s everything I read in the first half of the year. When I say “first half,” I actually mean from January through July—so seven months. I read a total of 22 books. I love essays, so most of them are essays. On the right are essays, and on the left are stories and novels. These three here might count as essays too, but they’re more like books that introduce other works. Books that feature a lot of different works inside. So I divided them into loose categories. Today, I’ll introduce eight books from here that I especially loved. These are the eight I’ll be talking about. First up is this one. MIDNIGHT PIZZA CLUB. This was my top recommendation from everything I read in the first half of the year. It’s a book I know I’ll keep loving for years. One I want to treasure. I found it in the travel section of Village Vanguard in Shimokitazawa. I like the actor Taiga Nakano, and the bright yellow cover caught my eye, so I decided to buy it. It’s written by Ryohei Kamide, a former TV Tokyo producer who worked on shows like Hyper Hardboiled Gourmet Report. The book is filled with photos between the essays. The photos are by photographer Yusuke Abe, and it seems like Nakano also took some during the trip. So maybe both of their photos are included. The three of them traveled through Nepal’s Langtang Valley. This book is their record of that journey, and the first thing I want to say is— “Thank you for preserving such a precious experience.” Reading it, you get a sense of what matters to the people living in the valley, what kind of time they spend, and how they live. It comes through in the conversations they had. You can really feel it through their encounters. It’s hard to know where to start because I recommend it so much. First off, the design is simply beautiful. The cover is this warm amber color, and inside are gorgeous photographs. When you take off the cover, there’s a black-and-white photo of the Himalayas. It has a slight sheen, and the contrast with the amber is stunning.
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continuation = “”” That photo makes you feel like you’re traveling with the three of them. It’s just so beautiful. Every single picture is stunning, and I found myself slowly turning each page. It really lets you relive their journey. There’s even a scene where the three discuss what direction to take for the book. They talk about making their own version of a travel guide. But as Kamide says, it’s nothing like that at all—
in a good way, it’s a brand-new kind of travel book. You can really feel the fun, lively energy between these three guys. They each have their own personality, and it makes group travel look so fun. Mountain climbing is probably dangerous, but it makes me want to try. Partway through, they meet a 21-year-old guy named Pasang. They meet him by chance, and he ends up guiding them. In a country where life has its challenges, he shares why he chose to live there. That story really stuck with me. They also meet a 90-year-old man. Their conversation with him was deeply moving. Since I have no trekking experience, their adventure felt so nerve-racking and thrilling. And Kamide’s writing is just so good. He’s great at capturing the lovable sides of people. So you get a clear picture of each of the three just from his words. Even though it’s their journey, because they actively interact with locals, you also get a glimpse into the values and lifestyles of the people there. After reading this book, you’ll probably want to try a dish called Apple Momo. If you’ve read it, you’ll know exactly what I mean—it’s such a great book. Apparently there’s going to be a second volume. No release date yet—maybe by the end of the year? Of course I’ll be buying it. Next up, another travel-related book. I read this pretty recently—Yutaro Furutachi’s *Blown Away to Kathmandu*. The author, Yutaro Furutachi, is both a musician and an actor. He was told by Sakanaction’s Ichiro Yamaguchi to go on a trip, and ended up traveling through ten Asian countries in two months. It’s a record of that journey. If the previous book was a travelogue by seasoned travelers, this one is a travelogue by someone who’d never traveled before—and didn’t even like traveling. That makes it surprisingly fresh. The book’s obi even says, in big letters, “I hate traveling!” And he’s a bit of a germaphobe. But traveling through Asia meant having to stay in some pretty rough places, taking sleeper trains packed with people, and long bus rides. Some parts made me scrunch up my face just reading about them. You can really feel the hardship. But you end up laughing anyway. What he sees, what he experiences— his reactions are just so honest. The situations aren’t funny at all, but they’re so human you can’t help but laugh. There are also little snapshots he took with his phone along the way. Honestly, some of the stories are so extreme you’d think he was exaggerating— but then you see the photos and realize, “Oh, that really happened.” Some of them are that intense. You keep reading, wondering what crazy thing will happen next. It’s addictive. And as the journey goes on, you see him gradually adapting to each country. It makes you admire him a bit. It’s kind of cool. It also makes you think—maybe the trips that don’t go smoothly are the most interesting. The third book is *Eating Steam* by Rein Kudō. I also mentioned this author in my “Best Books of 2024” video. Last year, I became completely hooked on Kudō’s work. I collected almost everything she’d written, and I keep buying each new release. This year alone, she’s published these three books. I still have one I’m partway through… The obi on this one says: “It’s not that I cook because I have an easy life. It’s that in a life without ease, cooking is how I make peace with myself.” That’s the theme. It’s a collection of 48 essays— some from her popular series in *Orange Page* magazine, some from her column in the Kahoku Shimpo, and many newly written pieces. It’s simply a book that makes you want to cook. It reminds you that cooking is one of life’s joys. It makes you want to savor each meal. Not because she tells you to— it just naturally makes you feel that way. It’s full of stories that make you think, “Cooking is nice. Eating is nice.” I’m a fan of Kudō’s writing style. Her rhythm just feels good to read—smooth and effortless. I can fly through the pages. It’s relaxing—but not in a fluffy way. My favorite essays were about Fukuoka’s udon, hot pot soup, potato chips, cod roe with milt, tamago-don, steamed bread, and one called “Wanted to Say Nuts.” It might be perfect for when you’re feeling tired. Staying on the food theme—next is *I’ll Miss This Taste Someday* by Moegara. Moegara is a writer I read for the first time this year. I also read another essay of his called *May the Night Not End*. If I had to recommend one, I’d choose this one—but both are great. It probably just comes down to preference. The obi says: “A certain dish can instantly bring back memories of a day or a person.” “For a non-foodie like me, this is about the tastes I miss.” But this isn’t a restaurant guide. It’s an essay about memorable flavors from his life and the stories tied to them. It’s technically a food essay, but without being too heavy on description. It’s easy to read and never boring. Moegara has had some pretty unique life experiences. The episodes are vivid—often involving colorful people he’s met. He’s good at capturing the fun in everyday encounters. The table of contents lists the episode titles along with the foods they’re about— like “Seafood Doria” and “Pizza Toast.” Two I remember most are “The Sex Worker’s Bento” and “Choco Monaka Jumbo.” The last three episodes almost made me cry. Overall, there are moments that make you smile, some that shock you, and some that really touch your heart. It’s amazing how a book about food can stir so many emotions. The fifth book is *Sentences That Make a Good Sound* by Kumiko Takahashi. I was drawn in by the title. I wondered, “What does that mean?” and had to buy it. It’s a book that introduces all kinds of works under that theme. The design is playful—different colors, fonts, and paper textures on different pages. It even includes Heian-era literature, and classics by authors like Natsume Sōseki and Osamu Dazai, alongside modern J-pop lyrics. It’s impressive how much she fits in under the single theme of “good-sounding sentences.” She explains things like the origins of the 7-5 rhythm, quotes from familiar textbooks, and even children’s songs. The author, Kumiko Takahashi, was Chatmonchy’s drummer and also wrote lyrics for their songs. She writes about the differences between writing lyrics and prose. One memorable chapter is about why “Ue o Muite Arukou” moves people’s hearts. Because she’s done both songwriting and prose, she can explain the different kinds of power words have in music versus literature. Music lovers will enjoy all the song references, and literature lovers will appreciate the classic works she includes. It’s both nostalgic and enlightening—a book that makes you think about why certain sentences sound so good when read aloud. The sixth book is a novel. It’s a famous one, I think— *Momo* by Michael Ende, translated by Kaori Ōshima. I bought it at Village Vanguard in Shimokitazawa. I’d never heard of it before. But lately I’d been seeing it a lot in bookstores, so I got curious and picked it up. The blurb reads: “A mysterious girl named Momo wanders into the ruins of an old amphitheater.” “The townspeople feel happy just by talking to her.” “But then the sinister ‘Men in Grey’—the time thieves—appear.” “A masterpiece that asks, ‘What is time?’” It’s amazing how it explains perspectives on time and differences in values to a young audience. I think it’s doing something incredible for an elementary school–level reader. But there are so many lines that adults will really feel deeply. In Chapter 4, “The Silent Old Man and the Talkative Young Man,” there’s a gentle street sweeper named Beppo. His words hit me hard. The book came out in 1973—over 50 years ago— yet it hasn’t aged a bit. It makes me wonder if people were always this busy, even back then. It’s almost satirical in parts—reminding me of the information overload we have today. Ende grew up in Munich, Germany. Even though we were born in different countries and eras, I was shocked at how much I could relate. It makes you realize that our sense of time might not be so different from people across the world. In the afterword, translator Kaori Ōshima writes: “When people’s time is stolen, their ability to truly live is stolen too.” “Their hearts become poor and desolate.” “This story might not be about the past—it could be about what’s to come.” It’s a little chilling, but maybe that’s the point. It makes you sit up straighter and think about your own sense of time. It’s one of those books that stays with you. That leaves two more books. These might be self-published—they don’t seem to have been commercially released. First is *Dropp Poroporo* by Yuka Nakamae. Last year I read her essay *I Love You, Corn*, which I loved. So I bought this new self-published work—and it’s just as good. We’re probably around the same age. Even though our childhoods weren’t identical, a lot felt familiar. It’s full of warm, nostalgic episodes. I especially loved “That Morning and the Bacon Hamburger” and “Chirorin Village.” The first is about the time before she got married, when she was learning to care for herself. She writes, “Living alone was really a two-person life—with myself.” “Every decision was made in full agreement with myself.” The “Chirorin Village” story is about her aunt, who always doted on her. It reminded me of my own aunt and made me feel warm inside. Nakamae’s stories just warm your heart—and sometimes make your nose sting. I really want more people to read this. The last one is *In Search of My Lost ‘Home’* by Daiki Iimura. I found it at my favorite bookstore in Shibuya, SPBS. It’s not a light read. The preface says: “It’s been over ten years since I properly spoke to my parents.” “My parents were never on good terms. I have no memory of them talking happily.” “This book is an attempt to reexamine what my home was by interviewing them.” He interviews his sister, mother, and father—recording the conversations. It doesn’t sound like he’s close with his parents even now. What’s amazing is being able to turn those family interviews into a book. They talk about why the family became distant, each sharing their own perspective. It’s striking how the same event can be remembered so differently. His parents’ answers seem calm on the page, but his father’s perspective often clashed with his own. It’s a reminder of how many things are hard to understand without actually talking them through. It’s a courageous project, and it felt like reading a documentary. Last year I read about 22–23 books in total, but this year I’ve already read 22 in just the first half. So I think I’m off to a good start. I’m looking forward to reading even more in the second half of 2025.

⚙️動画の字幕は、「CC」ボタンでON・OFFの切り替えができます。設定の「自動翻訳」から多言語に変更もできます。
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東京でフリーランスとして働く30代のkekeです。
週末1回UPを目標に、日々の記録を投稿しています🕊️
Instagram :
https://www.instagram.com/keke_editorial_room

読書家というほどではないけど本が好きな私が、上半期に読んだ本22冊の中からおすすめしたい8作品を紹介しています。中途半端な数ですが、とにかく読んでほしい作品を厳選してみました！「こんな22冊を読んだ人のおすすめはこの8冊なのね」と、自然と好みがあぶり出されていると思います笑
相変わらずエッセイが好きなのでラインナップがほぼエッセイ🙌

【読書vlog】読んでよかった本20冊｜私の本棚おもにエッセイ｜booktok

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＿BOOK LIST＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
✴︎Amazon.co.jpアソシエイトリンクを含みます
『MIDNIGHT PIZZA CLUB』仲野太賀/上出遼平/阿部祐介
https://amzn.to/3WpFoEj

『カトマンズに飛ばされて』古舘佑太郎
https://amzn.to/4kAgCe6

『湯気を食べる』くどうれいん
https://amzn.to/4kjSv3f

『この味もまたいつか恋しくなる』燃え殻
https://amzn.to/40CWiBr

『いい音がする文章』高橋久美子
https://amzn.to/43hv6dT

『モモ』ミヒャエル•エンデ
https://amzn.to/40DnReg

『ドロップぽろぽろ』中前結花
x.com/merumae_yuka/status/1881678315918152187?s=46&t=P22GoHtkyp-QNveynYyD-Q

『失われた「実家」を求めて』飯村大樹　
https://rice-village.stores.jp/items/67552f9f00d7d55b3290e883
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