Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Wit and Wisdom of Japanese Proverbs (Vol 1) [Paperback]

David Galef (Author), Jun HashiPoto (Author), Jun Hashimoto (Illustrator)

Product Details

• Paperback: 226 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; 2nd edition (March 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804832269
• ISBN-13: 978-0804832267
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,559,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Opinion, December 19, 2003

By 

David P Oller (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Wit and Wisdom of Japanese Proverbs (Vol 1) (Paperback)

I just finished going through this book, and I enjoyed it very much. Today I read the other reviews, and I can understand their opinions, but think another perspective should be added. I'm sure my Japanese is not nearly as good as the other reviewer, and I don't live in Japan. Still, here is my opinion.

Translations are difficult in any language. Working on some very simple translations I found them most challenging. For example, the word Kobunboku I translated as Plum Blossom. If you translate the Kanji singularly and literally it would be Nice Prefered Wood. But if you understand the symbolic compounds it reads "The famous tree of Chinese literature" the flower of peace, the plum blossom. Most Japanese people would not recognize this literary compound. In reality no translation is perfect. In the version of one of these proverbs I have: "Fallen blossoms don't return to the branch. . ." It includes: "There is no sense in crying over spilt milk."

As far as testing them on Japanese friends, and average Japanese people having not heard them. . .would this be less common with English idioms? The South has many idioms people in the North have never heard. "He's drunker than Cooter Brown" "Penny wise, Pound foolish" I never heard till I was 40.

I would add I don't think it is a good idea to try and use these proverbs to impress Japanese speakers. Contrivance is rarely respected.

I greatly appreciated the author including the Kanji, Romanji, Hiragana, and English, and I think the book is helpful and a lot of fun to read with some nice thoughts to reflect on their wisdom.

PS: The title "IS" Even Monkeys Fall From Trees :)

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars not useful, January 9, 2004

By 

R Alexander (Moutain View, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Wit and Wisdom of Japanese Proverbs (Vol 1) (Paperback)

I live in Japan and I am here to tell you that these proverbs are rarer than an uncooked steak. 80% of the proverbs my Japanese friends have never heard of, and the rest they are not sure what the proverbs actual mean. My advice is master the easier Japanese first!