Customer Reviews

Some Prefer Nettles

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Written in 1929, Some Prefer Nettles is as relevant and fresh today as it was more than seventy years ago. Illuminating the conflict between the old, traditional ways of Japan and western, "modern" influences, obvious in Tokyo even in the 1920's, this story of an unsuccessful marriage could be contemporary, except in the details. The social unacceptability of divorce in Japanese culture and the resulting tensions felt by three generations of a Japanese family allow the western reader to enter an emotional world, a world of conflict rarely shared with outsiders and almost never understood.

Kaname and his wife Misako "do not excite each other," but they are stuck, perhaps permanently, in their loveless marriage. If Misako leaves Kaname, she will have to return to her father's home, a social outcast, without her son, who will stay with his father. Kaname will also suffer--he has failed as a husband. Considering himself "modern," Kaname has allowed Misako to take a lover, while he finds satisfaction in geisha houses and with prostitutes. As we follow this unhappy couple, we watch Kaname come increasingly under the influence of his conservative, traditional father-in-law, becoming more and more fascinated with old traditions--wearing the kimono, visiting the Bunraku puppet theatre, and appreciating the behavior of O-hisa, his father-in-law's doll-like mistress--while Misako relentlessly pursues materialistic and selfish goals, presumably western.

Tanazaki creates beautifully realized domestic scenes, and his subtle dialogue reveals character by what is not said as much by what is said. Kaname is a sympathetic character torn by his culture and loyalties, a man at the mercy of a cultural tradition which he also embraces. The culture itself is presented lucidly, allowing the reader to admire both the depth of its traditions and the forms, artistic and otherwise, through which it is expressed. This fascinating novel offers a westerner much to contemplate as we see how our emphasis on the individual engenders inevitable conflicts with societies valuing tradition and cultural uniformity. Mary Whipple

I use this book where I teach in conjunction with Tanizaki's essay on Japanese aesthetics, "On Praise of Shadows." Read together, they rate a "10." Some Prefer Nettles is rich in understatement and irony, most of which is appreciated having read the essay. Kaname's struggle is not local to the time and place of Japan c. 1930; it is a human struggle to understand one's relationship to one's community, regardless of the culture. It's so resonant perhaps because it is autobiographical. Missing in broad strokes are Tanizaki's characteristic fetishes; however, the book is wonderfully written and contains interesting anthropological insights for the non-Japanese reader. Again, with "Shadows..." a highly recommended novel.

This is one of my all-time favorite novels, and I have read it about once a year for the last ten. It is a beautiful illustration of cultural struggle, as well as the personal frustrations of a marriage falling apart. It ends in classic Japanese style-- uncertainly-- allowing the reader to wonder and imagine what happens next.

I was accustomed to thinking all Japanese literature was the same after I read Mishima and Murakami but it seems I was mistaken. As the summary puts it, the story revolves around an impending divorce, a very normal situation, nothing close to Murakami and Mishima's fantasy worlds. Indeed it is a very slow book, something most people mistake to be a terrible thing in a book. The slowness I believe is intentional. Tanizaki's work is similar to modernist works that I have read in its emphasis on daily life and personal thoughts without any reference, or any rush to some actual plot. Without a plot to advance, Tanizaki chooses a different route. There is no beginning nor ending. It's simply a "photograph" of a particular episode. I haven't had much exposure to plotless fiction so I can't adhere to any standard.

The themes in the book are fairly obvious. The difficulty resides mainly in the Westerner, who is essentially looking through a small window into Japanese culture. It's akin to staring into an empty dark house, vaguely recognizing the silhouettes of furniture. What is the the Tokyo "natural reserve"? The Osaka "openness"? Why does it matter that Osaka puppets are superior to Awaji puppets? It's all very interesting, but it bears no personal significance to an outsider. Tanizaki has preserved cultures and behaviors that probably no longer exist in Japan. It's partially depressing because one can longer experience Tanizaki's world, but on the other hand, it's a relief because the oppressive aspects of the culture have long disappeared.

This work centers around a married couple who have been very distant from each other for some time. Divorce is always being thought of & talked about, but is never carried out. The wife has been having an affair with another man for quite some time. Their son is caught in the middle, suspecting what's going on, but never being filled in by his parents. A relative takes care of that, telling the boy about their troubles on an out-of-town trip. The book has an ending that's familiar to Japanese literature....it bewilders the reader. The story isn't wrapped up & the reader is left with possible endings swirling in his imagination. A brilliant work of art.

This was a fantastic book. I had never read anything else by this author and so started this book with absolutely no expectations. I had picked it up at a used book shop (I love those stores!) and was so taken with the book I finished it in one sitting. It seems that most of the books I've been reading recently have concerned themselves with the conflict between modernity and tradition and none have done so so adeptly as this one. Five stars for Some Prefer Nettles and recommended to anyone who can read.

Kaname and Misako are a couple who have grown apart emotionally and have decided to divorce. However, Kaname and Misako are both very passive, each deferring to the other on what to do at any given point, derailing any real action from happening. As their inaction goes on and on, things change and Kaname finds himself drawn more and more into a traditional way of thinking, and Misako gets more and more modern in her way of thinking as she is rather forced by the situation to get more involved with her lover. Finally a decision is forced when Misako's father is told what is going on and he insists on talking to both of them.

This book was rather tedious to read and I had to force myself to finish it. There was a lot of internal and external dialogue as to what to do, divorce, not to divorce, and so on. It goes on and on, back and forth, and I found my mind wondering. Then there was the constant discussion about the differences between Tokyo vs. Osaka vs. Kyoto "ites" stereotypical attributes and sense of aesthetics in the arts, especially Puppet Theater, as well as much internal dialogue by Kaname about modern vs. traditional ideas as he finds himself drawn more and more to the traditional as he ages.

I lived in Japan for many years and as of the mid 90's much of the ideas and way of thinking represented in this book still lives on, except for divorce, which no longer carries the stigma it did in those days. Differences between prefectures and people of those places are important to and brought up often by the Japanese themselves and so I found this book extremely interesting on that level alone as this book could have easily been written recently. It's a very in depth representation of Japanese culture and worth reading for that alone.

Kaname and Misako are considering divorce. Misako has already taken a lover. Misako's father believes they are too attracted to being modern and reminds Kaname of the pleasures of tradition. TANIZAKI Junichiro's novel richly evokes 1920s Japan as well as the struggles of marriage.

SOME PREFER NETTLES is a quiet work. Things are said subtly, ironically, or not stated at all. It sometimes makes the novel hard to approach. But while it may seem too esoteric, it reinforces the domesticity of the setting. It's a very nice translation too, which keeps the language beautiful instead of ridiculous.

Generational conflict is universal. But rarely does culture change so rapidly as when Japan westernized. Kaname and his wife listen to jazz. Kaname and his father-in-law go to the bunraku theatre. The old versus new conflict is expressed by a culture few Americans are familiar with. I feel like Tanizaki does a good job of explaining the various arts in the novel, so that those who have no idea what bunraku is can still enjoy the story.

I enjoyed SOME PREFER NETTLES, although I'm sure by enjoyment was influenced by my interest in Japanese music and performing arts. But I think people truly enjoy Tanizaki's novel due to the rich emotions. While SOME PREFER NETTLES is quiet, it's never spare. It's full of lush imagery and harsh dilemmas.

From In Bed With Books

This was the first Tanizaki novel I read and I still like it better than "The Key" or "Diary of a Mad Old Man," both good books and seemingly more popular in the US. The best theme in modern Japanese literature, in my opinion, is the conflict between traditional and modern (i.e. Western) cultures, and this book explores that theme well. The smug protagonist who begins to question what he considers to be modern thinking makes for interesting reading, and is a good illustration for studying modern Japanese culture.

Other reviews will give you the plot. I just want to warn readers new to this author that his novels move slowly and invariably concern the struggle between "old" Japanese traditions and the explosion of "Westernism" thrust upon Japan after WW II. Be aware that classic Japanese (and Chinese) novels are flavored with many references to nature, art, dance and poetry plus social mores that sound strange to a western ear. For example, in The Key, a husband has been married to his wife for many years and yet never seen her totally naked. He adores her feet, but she constantly covers them up!

To really appreciate his writing you should read, as a minimum, The Key, The Makioka Sisters and Some Prefer Nettles. All are outstanding.