A reference guide to Japanese literature in English translation, from the ancient to the modern. The revised edition contains 50 essays on Japanese works in English, with two chapters examining works that have appeared since 1988, focusing on Haruki Murakami, Banan Yoshimoto and Ryu Murakami.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"A short guide to help literature aficionados ... My notebook is now filled with book titles on a 'must buy' list." -- David Farnsworth
"An excellent guide for the uninitiated." -- Choice
"An overview of the Japanese literary tradition ... of great help to the general reader interested in exploring its riches." -- Paul McCarthy
"Essential background at a time when translations of modern Japanese command attention." -- The Christian Science Monitor
"Invaluable." -- Donald Richie
"An excellent guide for the uninitiated." -- Choice
"An overview of the Japanese literary tradition ... of great help to the general reader interested in exploring its riches." -- Paul McCarthy
"Essential background at a time when translations of modern Japanese command attention." -- The Christian Science Monitor
"Invaluable." -- Donald Richie
About the Author
J. Thomas Rimer is Professor of Japanese Literature at the University of Pittsburgh. In acknowledgment of his cultural contributions on behalf of Japanese literature, he was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, by the Japanese government.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book to build a reading list,
By
This review is from: A Reader's Guide to Japanese Literature (Paperback)
The book has been indispensible in creating a reading list for Japanese Literature. Where to start in such a foreign genre? Why not a list of classic authors, modern authors and current authors, with recommended translations? The book delivers on it's goal.The only knock - there's a heavy emphasis on poetry, which is not my cup of ocha. But I could spend a dozen years reading the rest of Mr. Rimer's recommendations. No other book like it! Do get the current edition as the state of the art in translations has advanced remarkably since the 1988 original.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
INDISPENSIBLE GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS,
This review is from: A Reader's Guide to Japanese Literature (Paperback)
Afraid to make your first foray into the magical and majestical world of Japanese literature? Then here is a perfect introduction for you. Within this slim volume numerous wonderful recommendations abound, although there is one small oversight -- "Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa isn't mentioned. Ah well. Also look into, "The Pleasures of Japanese Literature," by Donald Keene. And for lovers of poetry, I cannot say enough wonderful things about, "The Ink Dark Moon," translated by Jane Hirshfield, and "Modern Japanese Tanka" by Makoto Ueda.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Inside This Book
(learn more)
First Sentence:
A Record of Ancient Matters, which is the usual translated title of the original Kojiki, was completed in A.D. 712 and is considered to be the first literary work in the history of Japan. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
deep north, snow country Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Columbia University Press, Donald Keene, Kodansha International, Tales of Ise, The Factory Ship, The Tale of Genii, The Anthology of Ten Thousand Leaves, Edward Seidensticker, Hiroaki Sato, Ivan Morris, Some Prefer Nettles, The Pillow Book, Black Rain, Burton Watson, Certain Woman, Dazai Osamu, Grove Press, John Stevens, Kawabata Yasunari, Lady Murasaki, Lady Sarashina, Stanford University Press, The Narrow Road, Arthur Waley, Drifting Clouds New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
A Record of Ancient Matters, which is the usual translated title of the original Kojiki, was completed in A.D. 712 and is considered to be the first literary work in the history of Japan. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
deep north, snow country Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Columbia University Press, Donald Keene, Kodansha International, Tales of Ise, The Factory Ship, The Tale of Genii, The Anthology of Ten Thousand Leaves, Edward Seidensticker, Hiroaki Sato, Ivan Morris, Some Prefer Nettles, The Pillow Book, Black Rain, Burton Watson, Certain Woman, Dazai Osamu, Grove Press, John Stevens, Kawabata Yasunari, Lady Murasaki, Lady Sarashina, Stanford University Press, The Narrow Road, Arthur Waley, Drifting Clouds New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100
books:
See all 100 books this book cites
5
books
cite this book:
- Black Rain: A Novel (Japans Modern Writers) by Masuji Ibuse on 6 pages
- Before the Dawn by Shimazaki Toson on 4 pages
- Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata on 4 pages
- The Silent Cry: A Novel by Kenzaburo Oe on page 189, page 191, and Back Matter
- A Cat, a Man, and Two Women (Japans Modern Writers) by Jun'ichiro Tanizaki in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
See all 100 books this book cites
- Grass For My Pillow by Saiichi Maruya in Front Flap
- A Buddhist Kaleidoscope: Essays on the Lotus Sutra by Nichiko Niwano on page 295
- American Stories by Nagai Kafu in Back Flap
- Eastern Phoenix: Japan Since 1945 by Mikiso Hane in Back Matter
- My Friend Hitler by Yukio Mishima in Back Cover
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
