Stories From The East

Fülszöveg

The present anthology brings together a selection of stories published in THE EAST magaziné from 1965 through 1997. The Japanese word for magaziné, zasshi, is written with two Chinese characters that together mean "miscellany of writings," and this collection reflects its origin in the periodical formát. The stories here do not present any sort of cross section of Japanese literature; rather they are examples of the best of modern Japanese short fiction. Still, there is something for everyone. Izumi Kyőka's masterful "Operating Room" is a story of love at first sight, and death upon second encounter. Mori Ogai's "Sakai Incident" is closely based on a historical incident, the ritual disembowelment of Japanese soldiers who had murdered French sailors near Osaka in 1868. The soldiers had been sentenced to death at the behest of French authorities, but demanded, and were granted, samurai rank and the right to commit hara-kiri. Kikuchi Kan explores another samurai custom, the vendetta,... Tovább

Fülszöveg

The present anthology brings together a selection of stories published in THE EAST magaziné from 1965 through 1997. The Japanese word for magaziné, zasshi, is written with two Chinese characters that together mean "miscellany of writings," and this collection reflects its origin in the periodical formát. The stories here do not present any sort of cross section of Japanese literature; rather they are examples of the best of modern Japanese short fiction. Still, there is something for everyone. Izumi Kyőka's masterful "Operating Room" is a story of love at first sight, and death upon second encounter. Mori Ogai's "Sakai Incident" is closely based on a historical incident, the ritual disembowelment of Japanese soldiers who had murdered French sailors near Osaka in 1868. The soldiers had been sentenced to death at the behest of French authorities, but demanded, and were granted, samurai rank and the right to commit hara-kiri. Kikuchi Kan explores another samurai custom, the vendetta, in his fTale of Revenge." Miyazawa Kenji's and Sakaguchi Ango's stories are fantasies of different sorts. Kenji's ffBears of Mt. Nametoko" is a children's story with Buddhist overtones. Sakaguchi's "Under the Grove of Cherry Trees in Full Bloom" is a combination of folk tale and horror story reflecting the malaise of the years directly after the Second World War. Akutagawa Ryünosuke and Yasuoka Shőtarő draw on childhood memories in their stories anthologized here. Akutagawa s "Father" is a poignant vignette in which a Vissza