An Artist of the Floating World is a nice pleasant read. Although Ishiguro had not lived through this period and lives in England, he evokes the languAn Artist of the Floating World is a nice pleasant read. Although Ishiguro had not lived through this period and lives in England, he evokes the languid rhythms of life in post-war Japan with panache. His protagonist addresses the reader in the second person over the entire book, telling us of his career as a propagandistic artist of pre-war Imperial Japan and his retirement. There is a marked similarity between Oji and the protagonist of The Remains of the Day, in that each had acted in morally ambiguous ways based on belief and their actions indirectly led to the atrocities of WWII in the two different theaters of Europe and Asia.
Ishiguro invokes the Edo period of Tokyo (although the city is never named directly) and the destruction of the pleasure district in rounded, sensual tones just as the art of Ukiyo-E did. The protagonist was, in fact, trained as a traditional painter before being seduced by dreams of "modern" Japan led him to political painting. This had an adverse affect on his life - particularly his relationships after the war. The image on page 77 of the painter seeing his old protege Kuroda in the ruins of the post-war city and how "a truck going by between [them], full of building workers" is symbolic of this vast distance that his political stance put between him and his former master and students.
This is an interesting and well-written book and if you are interested in this period, check out Kafu the Scribbler by Siedensticker which is about a real Japanese writer that would have been similar to Mori-san in the book. ...more
I have mentioned elsewhere that the later Soseki books tend to be darker and more melancholic not to say extremely pessimistic and Kokoro definitely fI have mentioned elsewhere that the later Soseki books tend to be darker and more melancholic not to say extremely pessimistic and Kokoro definitely fits this mold. I am NOT taking anything away from the gorgeous language and descriptions here nor the intimate conversations primarily by writing between the protagonist and his Sensei, but it is not something to read if you are down in the dumps. The narrative devices are original even for Soseki and his mastery of character and betrayal of emotion is unsurpassed here. A must read especially if you have already appreciated the lighter, younger, more optimistic yet always cynical Soseki of Bothan and I am a Cat....more
This is not a book to read when you are feeling down and out. One of Soseki's many masterpieces and a true psychological tour de force, we enter the mThis is not a book to read when you are feeling down and out. One of Soseki's many masterpieces and a true psychological tour de force, we enter the mind of this miner and see the world through his eyes and it is a rough life. It is also extremely Proustian in its analysis of the protagonist's thought process and entirely existentialist in outlook. A beautiful but not uplifting read....more
I don't know whether this book from Brunel was translated into English or not, but it is a nice introduction to Zen philosophy and koans. It is a collI don't know whether this book from Brunel was translated into English or not, but it is a nice introduction to Zen philosophy and koans. It is a collection of stories that are all mental puzzles meant to help with meditation and the emptying of the self. Well worth discovering if you have even a passing interest in Zen buddhism....more
Less interesting than its closest contemporary, The Tale of Genji, this is another interesting book about the intimate life of the Japanese imperial cLess interesting than its closest contemporary, The Tale of Genji, this is another interesting book about the intimate life of the Japanese imperial court during the Heian period (as Genji is as well). It is full of interesting anecdotes and pillow talk (thus the title), but in a less poetic style as Genji which for me remains the reference and the milestone....more
Nagai Kafu's invocation of Edo-period Tokyo is breathtaking and gorgeous. His prose comes off like poetry as he describes the way of life along the SuNagai Kafu's invocation of Edo-period Tokyo is breathtaking and gorgeous. His prose comes off like poetry as he describes the way of life along the Sumida over which the old bridge lead to the pleasure grounds of the Geisha quarter in Tokyo. By the way, there is a spell-binding biography about Kafu and this book that I have also reviewed here on GR....more
This sequel to Ghost in the Machine was OK but not nearly its revolutionary predecessor. It is still worth a read to see where Shirow's imagination taThis sequel to Ghost in the Machine was OK but not nearly its revolutionary predecessor. It is still worth a read to see where Shirow's imagination takes him, but it not a must read like the original....more
AWESOME! I mean seriously, the movie will be coming out soon as I write this in late Feb 2017, but I read the comic in English translation over 20 yeaAWESOME! I mean seriously, the movie will be coming out soon as I write this in late Feb 2017, but I read the comic in English translation over 20 years ago and LOVED it. I also read the sequel and watched the associated anime that it inspired. It is a fantastic universe in a sort of dystopian future that poses the same basic questions as the I Robot series by Asimov - how will artificial intelligence change human kind and at what moment is an android sentient. A MUST READ before the movie comes out - or after you watch it.
This is truly one of the greatest mangas. I have the Kodansha Bilingual version and as much as I find it entertaining that Masamune Shirow leaves a ton of editorial explanations of his drawings and ideas (and excuses sometimes for shortcuts he takes in the story), the type is really really really tiny. That being said, Bantu is a total badass and Major Motoko Kusanagi is an extremely sexy cyborg built over a human body with those human memories buried in her as her "ghost". Her adventures as a super agent are fun and engaging as well as sexy and occasionally quite violent - NSFW and 18+ for the most part. The anime was excellent, let's hope the live action version lives up to the hype as well. They will surely not be able to cover the variety of adventures in this volume so it will be interesting to see whether they use the anime as a basis or go off on a different story altogether. There are many possibilities which is one of the things which is so great about this manga.
The film - like the anime - is a sort of prequel to this volume. But it is absolutely amazing! ...more
Kafu is a little know writer of novellas about the Edo period in Tokyo, particularly near the red light district along the Sumida River (now bulldozedKafu is a little know writer of novellas about the Edo period in Tokyo, particularly near the red light district along the Sumida River (now bulldozed and filled in and nothing but a memory). Seidensticker, who translated a ton of Japanese texts into English and wrote other books about Japan and Japanese culture, explores the interesting life of this recluse who shunned attention but who left us some of the most piquant and vivid, if melancholy, accounts of this period of Japanese history before the calamitous 20th century changed Japan forever. A beautiful biography and a great introduction to Edo for those that are interested in Ukiyo-e and Japan....more
One of my favourite books of all time, I Am a Cat by Natsume Soseki is a comic masterpiece. Set in Tokyo before the WWI, the primary character is the One of my favourite books of all time, I Am a Cat by Natsume Soseki is a comic masterpiece. Set in Tokyo before the WWI, the primary character is the author's cat who wanders around the neighbourhood picking up bits of conversation and making fun of its owner and his relationship with his wife and neighbours and students. Words escape me to describe how incredibly funny and perceptive this book it and what a pure pleasure it is to read. If you read one Soseki book besides Botchan, make it this one!...more
I need to reread this one, but I recall that it had that same air of misty teahouses and of a melancholy ghost story. Mishima's writing at its finest.I need to reread this one, but I recall that it had that same air of misty teahouses and of a melancholy ghost story. Mishima's writing at its finest....more
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