The Pleasures of Japanese Literature [Paperback]

Donald Keene (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 1993 | Series: Companions to Asian Studies Series

<P>Perhaps no one is more qualified to write about Japanese culture than Donald Keene, considered the leading interpreter of that nation's literature to the Western world. The author, editor, or translator of nearly three dozen books of criticism and works of literature, Keene now offers an enjoyable and beautifully written introduction to traditional Japanese culture for the general reader.</P><P>The book acquaints the reader with Japanese aesthetics, poetry, fiction, and theater, and offers Keene's appreciations of these topics. Based on lectures given at the New York Public Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the University of California, Los Angeles, the essays -though written by a renowned scholar- presuppose no knowledge of Japanese culture. Keene's deep learning, in fact, enables him to construct an overview as delightful to read as it is informative.</P><P>His insights often illuminate aspects of traditional Japanese culture that endure today. One of these is the appreciation of "perishability." this appreciation os seen in countless little bits of Japanese life: in temples made of wood instead of durable materials; in the preference for objects -such as pottery- that are worn, broken, or used rather than new; and in the national love of the delicate cherry blossom, which normally falls after a brief three days of flowering. Keene quotes the fourteenth-century Buddhist monk Kenko, who wrote that "the most precious thing about life is its uncertainty."</P><P>Throughout the volume, Keene demonstrates that the rich artistic and social traditions of Japan can indeed be understood by readers from our culture. This book will enlighten anyone interested in Japanese literature and culture.</P>

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Originating as five lectures, this elegantly written book by one of the West's leading authorities on Japanese culture constitutes a delightful introduction to that country's premodern literature for the general reader. "The most precious thing in life is its uncertainty." Thus a 14th century master of taste from whose essays Keene singles out what are for him the four salient characteristics of the Japanese sense of beauty: suggestion, irregularity, simplicity and perishability. The study deals, respectively, with Japanese poetry, fiction and theaterwhich Keene calls "one of the wonders of the world." Each chapter contains broad knowledge, sound appreciation and interesting insights. The reader learns, for example, why almost of necessity Japanese poems are short, and how Kabuki actors who impersonate women achieve what actresses cannot by aiming for "an abstraction of womanhood." Keene is currently at work on a multivolume history of Japanese literature, of which World Within Walls and Dawn to the West have already appeared.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

This short but delightful disquisition on Japanese literature, pointing toward some of the philosophical and aesthetic bases of Japanese personal and social attitudes, covers Japanese aesthetics generally and also poetry, fiction, and theater. Given Keene's reputation as an interpreter of Japanese literature, readers expect both accuracy and pleasure, and they will not be disappointed. Rewritten from lectures, the book requires no prior expertise and can be taken as an entree into the subject or just as a pleasurable commentary on a little-known literature. A brief list of suggested readings is given. Highly recommended. Donald J. Pearce, Univ. of Minnesota, Duluth Lib.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 133 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (April 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231067372
• ISBN-13: 978-0231067379
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,482,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, February 18, 2011

By 

A. Lindholm - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pleasures of Japanese Literature (Hardcover)

I think this is a delightful little book. It is intended for a general audience and fairly accessible. I enjoyed learning more about such things as Japanese aesthetics, waka, Lady Murasaki, and kabuki.