3 . Literature reflects life. So in ageing Japan there are a large number of hit books by aged authors. “Age 90: what’s so great about it?” is a humorous essay on the difficulties of the elderly, by Aiko Sato, who is 95. It sold one million copies in 2017, making it Japan’s bestselling book that year.
In 2018 the Akutagawa literary prize went to Chisako Wakatake, 63 at the time, for her first novel “Live by Myself”. The books talk about how to live in old age. “Going to Die Soon”, also by Ms Uchidate, features 78-year-old Hana, a former alcohol-shop owner trying to make the most of her remaining years. The novel has been called a book for shukatsu, or preparing for death, making readers think more deeply about what it means to age.
Japan’s population has the world’s highest percentage of over-65s. People are living longer, so many have at least 20-30 years of retirement, for much of which they are energetic.
And although the Japanese have been spending less on books, that is least true for the over-60s. Lawson, a convenience-store chain, recently decided to stock books with the older generation in mind.
But the wrinkly writers’ books are attracting younger readers, too. Some are preparing for their own old age or want to understand the increasing number of old people they see around them. Others find relevance in the themes explored, such as loneliness, a problem that stretches well beyond the silver-haired.
The most notable feature of the new trend is that the vast majority of authors, and main characters, are women. Especially popular, are the ara-hun (“around-hundred” years-old) writers like Ms Sato, whose book, readers say, helps them be more positive. Their popularity also reflects support for strong women who are passionate about their work, a phenomenon that is all too rare in Japan today.
1. “Going to Die Soon” is a book ________.
| A．about how to stay positive in old age |
| B．which won the Akutagawa literary prize in 2018 |
| C．which helps people live the rest of the life to the fullest |
| D．written by a 78-year-old Hana, an alcohol-shop owner |
2. The books by aged authors are popular with younger readers because ________.
| A．young readers now have more elder relatives |
| B．young readers face similar problems as the elderly |
| C．young readers are worried about becoming old |
| D．young readers are as lonely as the elderly |
3. What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Aged writers might be more successful than younger writers. |
| B．An aging society brings more chances for women writers. |
| C．People have to work after their retirement in an aging society. |
| D．Ambitious career women might not be popular with the Japanese. |
