Customer Reviews

The Great Mirror of Male Love

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I am writing two papers on the novels of Ihara Saikaku this semester and my Japanese history and Japanese literature profs both recommended that I read this book. I found it quite interesting.

Schalow's introduction is very well done, and without it the reader would be at a lost to understand many of the occurences that happen withing the 40 short stories. Also the endnotes are also quite necessary because they enlighten the reader on the locations, bits of poems and literature, and the names of actors that Saikaku alludes to several times in this book. This book should not be looked upon as just being a work of gay literature, Saikaku himself wrote on many other subjects including the lives of merchants, samurai, and womanizers, but one that is important to understanding this period of japanese history, and the personal relationships of samurai and kabuki actors. however, it also should not be used as a stereotypical model.

not for the prurient, this is an entertaining and sometimes funny book relating the ins and outs of boy love in samurai japan. the descriptions of the boys are priceless as are the innovative ways they are chased by their admirers.

Interesting short stories, however there are too many reference/historical notes for each short story. I had to keep flipping pages back and forth constantly - quite a distraction.
This book also contains a 50 page introduction - ten times longer than any of the individual stories contained in the book. However, despite these nuisances, I still enjoyed this book. Only for the serious reader.