The cat with no name in this tome, is a self-taught intellectual that inwardly laughs at human folly and social convention. While his master, an English teacher, can be quite tiresome, his tiffs with his wife, and debates between his dysfunctional friends are hilarious. The book, wisen with poignant truths, can be frustratingly circumvent (ironically,... Continue Reading →

A saga of an old Osaka family, declining in prestige and fortune, as they try to marry off two of the younger four sisters. Much like a Jane Austen story of scandal, prejudice and happy endings set in Japan.The sisters' very virtues are used against them in the post Meiji-era society, leaving them decidedly “old... Continue Reading →

Taking a break from the recent immersing in Japanese writers, I revisited an all time favourite. Right off the first page, I was reminded again of his standing in my esteem. His writing flows with cheeky charm, which renders all of his stories, tragic and otherwise, simply as the comedy of life. A wonderful novella... Continue Reading →

A tale of internal turmoil, suggestive of the author’s own struggles of reconciling his violent homosexual passions and social ‘normals’ of the time. The book, as the title implies, is a demasking; an invitation to view a man and his ‘habit,’ to fantasize naked lithe youths wriggling in agony after being pierced with imaginary spears.... Continue Reading →

A book that can boast equal parts of being humours and horrific. Aside from the Japanese names, the writing style (although translated) flows as if it were always written in English. Starting from the titbit of the origins of his name mentioned in the forward, (say Edgar Allen Poe fast enough and you get Edogawa... Continue Reading →

I am struggling to describe the book's essence. And although I read it a few months back from writing this entry, time seems an irrelevant excuse: I am not sure I ever got it. The book is somehow reminiscent of Celine’s “Journey to the end of the night,” in which the protagonist finds living a... Continue Reading →

An imaginative tale of the magic of kindness. People seek advice from the Namiya General Store for their personal problems. Although each ‘nayami’ is unique, their problems stem from familiar social and cultural tendencies in Japan, unveiling a look into an ordinary life outside of the stereotypical hyped up techno-glamour. The advice given is rarely... Continue Reading →

Another excellent and thorough collection of 25 short stories with a great forward on the history of Japanese literature by Ivan Morris.Some stories are quite simple in plot, provoking the reader to stop and reflect. “The Camellia” by Ton Satomi, is one such tale of economy: two sisters lie close in bed in their new... Continue Reading →

“Kokoro” literally means “heart,” but as a sentiment, the phrase, “in the heart of things,” is its closest resemblance. The narrator writes of his relationship with his sensei (a highly regarded person) who is a modern intellectual with a hidden secret, and of his relationship with his parents, simple-minded country folk who still uphold old... Continue Reading →