Banana Yoshimoto (original) (raw)

AAPI Heritage Month

Discover new books on Goodreads

See if your friends have read any of Banana Yoshimoto's books

Banana Yoshimoto

Banana Yoshimoto’s Followers (9,473)

Banana Yoshimoto

in Tokyo, Japan

Banana Yoshimoto (よしもと ばなな or 吉本 ばなな) is the pen name of Mahoko Yoshimoto (吉本 真秀子), a Japanese contemporary writer. She writes her name in hiragana. (See also 吉本芭娜娜 (Chinese).)

Along with having a famous father, poet Takaaki Yoshimoto, Banana's sister, Haruno Yoiko, is a well-known cartoonist in Japan. Growing up in a liberal family, she learned the value of independence from a young age.

She graduated from Nihon University's Art College, majoring in Literature. During that time, she took the pseudonym "Banana" after her love of banana flowers, a name she recognizes as both "cute" and "purposefully androgynous."

Despite her success, Yoshimoto remains a down-to-earth and obscure figure. Whenever she appears in public she eschews make-up and dre

Banana Yoshimoto (よしもと ばなな or 吉本 ばなな) is the pen name of Mahoko Yoshimoto (吉本 真秀子), a Japanese contemporary writer. She writes her name in hiragana. (See also 吉本芭娜娜 (Chinese).)

Along with having a famous father, poet Takaaki Yoshimoto, Banana's sister, Haruno Yoiko, is a well-known cartoonist in Japan. Growing up in a liberal family, she learned the value of independence from a young age.

She graduated from Nihon University's Art College, majoring in Literature. During that time, she took the pseudonym "Banana" after her love of banana flowers, a name she recognizes as both "cute" and "purposefully androgynous."

Despite her success, Yoshimoto remains a down-to-earth and obscure figure. Whenever she appears in public she eschews make-up and dresses simply. She keeps her personal life guarded, and reveals little about her certified Rolfing practitioner, Hiroyoshi Tahata and son (born in 2003). Instead, she talks about her writing. Each day she takes half an hour to write at her computer, and she says, "I tend to feel guilty because I write these stories almost for fun."

...more

Kitchen Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, Megan Backus (Translator), Noguchi Rika 3.89 avg rating — 134,018 ratings — published 1988 —2 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Asleep Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto, Michael Emmerich (Translator) 3.76 avg rating — 16,150 ratings — published 1989 —62 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Goodbye Tsugumi Goodbye Tsugumi 3.77 avg rating — 15,844 ratings — published 1989 —15 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
N.P N.P by Banana Yoshimoto, Ann Sherif (Translator) 3.54 avg rating — 13,025 ratings — published 1990 —8 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Lake The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto, Michael Emmerich (Translator) 3.57 avg rating — 11,694 ratings — published 2005 —47 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Lizard Lizard 3.74 avg rating — 10,870 ratings — published 1993 —7 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Premonition The Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto, Asa Yoneda (Translator) 3.35 avg rating — 12,021 ratings — published 1988 —2 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Dead-End Memories: Stories Dead-End Memories: Stories by Banana Yoshimoto, Asa Yoneda (Translator) 3.89 avg rating — 9,872 ratings — published 2003 Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Moshi Moshi Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto, Gala Maria Follaco (Translator) 3.70 avg rating — 8,232 ratings — published 2010 —29 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Hardboiled & Hard Luck Hardboiled & Hard Luck by Banana Yoshimoto, Michael Emmerich (Translator) 3.74 avg rating — 7,666 ratings — published 1999 —37 editions Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

More books by Banana Yoshimoto…

王国 [Ōkoku] (4 books)
by
3.42 avg rating — 2,830 ratings

吹上奇譚 (4 books)
by
2.82 avg rating — 2,375 ratings

“Sometimes people put up walls, not to keep others out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.”
― Banana Yoshimoto

“As I grow older, much older, I will experience many things, and I will hit rock bottom again and again. Again and again I will suffer; again and again I will get back on my feet. I will not be defeated. I won't let my spirit be destroyed.”
― Banana Yoshimoto, Kitchen

“That's the advantage of insomnia. People who go to be early always complain that the night is too short, but for those of us who stay up all night, it can feel as long as a lifetime. You get a lot done”
― Banana Yoshimoto, N.P

Polls

October 2023 Short Story/Novella Poll

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

Is this you? Let us know. If not, help out and invite Banana to Goodreads.

Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account.

Login animation