Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Book Description

This collection features a brilliant new translation of the Japanese master's stories, from the source for the movie Rashomon to his later, more autobiographical writings.

Customer Reviews:

This is an excellent edition.......2007-07-20

With 17 other stories, and alot of extras. The preface is well written, in how the translation has changed some over the years, and explaining the era, pronounceation of certain words, etc. I really don't need to go into this book as enough good reviews have said alot. The book stands the test of time as brilliant.

Wonderfully written and highly entertaining.......2007-07-16

I was expecting a lot when I first opened Rashomon and 17 other stories, and I was not let down. Ryunosuke Akutagawa has an amazing style, and also led an interesting and difficult life. I recommend that anyone considering this product get it, whether it be from a used book store or a new copy. You won't be let down.

JAY RUBIN'S TRANSLATION: BE NOT DECEIVED BY EXCELLENT COVER!.......2006-11-21

Please, this refers to the Jay Rubin translation with the Barefoot Gen style graphic cover. Do not be deceived: This is not a "graphic novel" representation of the seventeen Akutagawa short stories in the style of the excellent and important historical Barefoot Gen series. You cannot tell from the Search Inside feature generously provided, which refers to another edition and another translator. This I refer to to is the Jay Rubin translation published by Penguin in 2006, and already available very economically. It is not a graphic novelization like Gen; it is the straight presentation of an excellent translation highly recommended to the thoughtful reader of advanced short stories.

Other reviewers have mentioned Kafka. I would add the early symbolist stories of James Joyce presented in cold realist style. But please do not categorize nor pigeon hole these profound presentations of reality from a meditative, Asian perspective. Enter this world without fear and ready to learn. Come with your cup emptied, ready to fill and to fill it up again.

Other reviewers have adequately explicated this excellent and generous collection which arrives to my grateful hands today. Finally perhaps something will release Mr. Joyce long enough from my hands to consider another author, having studied so long and frequently the film of Rashomon. Criterion's excellent restoration and commentary are well worth acquisition and stand up under repeated viewing of their DVD (as they choose among HDTV formats). Please notice here the orignal stories (also included in the Criterion package with different translator- a crucial point of departure) and the transfer of titles.

A great book for a quiet day. A great book for mass transport if you can focus in silence. I cannot destroy the tales by a clumsy attempt at summary. REpeated reading is rewarded by more profound understanding, just as walking through a village every day for a year will finally grant some slight perception of its realities and rhythms. I wish these were available on audio book as my over-worn eyes fade in to the gloom.

Rashomon and Other Stories.......2006-11-16

Early 20th century prose that feels more like poems.
A collection of stories, one of which is a base for Kurosawa's "Rashomon", which has much more nuances and ideas.
Yet the neat style of this author leaves a feeling of calmness in the heart.

Rashōmon.......2006-05-18

I bought the new Penguin Classic, Rashōmon and Seventeen Other Stories by Japanese author, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927), with the intention of furthering my knowledge of Japanese fiction and its writers beyond Mishima and the spaghetti obsessed Murakami. What I found in this collection is an interesting mix of stories providing an adequate introduction to Akutagawa, but not enough, perhaps, to interest me further.

Preceded by a foreward by the aforementioned Haruki Murakami, the collection is split into four parts by translator Jay Rubin. This division is to differentiate the works between different parts of the author's short life much like Picasso's output can be pigeonholed into such periods as blue and rose. So, we have his early retelling of Japanese legends and anecdotes through to conflicts between native religion and Christianity missionaries, on to modern works highlighting both tragic and comic circumstances, before reaching his biographical work in which he showcased his own madness.

For me, the earlier stories of Akutagawa proved more interesting. Rashōmon, which provided the title for Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film, is followed by In A Bamboo Grove, the story upon which the film was based. The Nose, a comic tale of vanity, is followed by the great Dragon: A Potter's Tale, which in turn is followed by the wonderful, albeit predictable, Hell Screen, a story about an artist who requires to see his subject matter so that he may capture it on canvas; thus, when commissioned to paint Hell, he sets about having his vision of Hell recreated before him so that he may recreate it with measured strokes.

Of the later stories there are few standouts, although that may just be my preference for stories set in a highly romanticised medieval Japan than in a period (the 1920s) in which I know little of the nation. The stereotypical legends of samurai, peasants, and overlords sit far more comfortably with me than a beautiful history deeply influenced by western imports. One of the better stories is Horse Legs, a Kafkaesque tale in which a Japanese Gregor Samsa wakes to find that he has equine legs, complete with hooves, and there follows comic situations as he attempts to hide his secret from everyone, notably the wife whom he shares his bed. The Writer's Craft was another story that sat well with me, a tale about how the appreciation of an author's work is not determined by the time put in but by how others interpret it within their own lives.

The collection gathers together a blend of Akutagawa's well known short pieces in addition to a bunch of stories translated to English for the first time. While some of these freshly translated stories appealed, I couldn't help feel it was a cynical attempt to force a few new tales on those already initiated with the author's work: one story, for example, is just a fragment of a longer unfinished piece.

Akutagawa's writing, at least in translation, is certainly vibrant and his stories come at you from all manner of narrators, the most common seeming to be told from the point of view of someone who witnessed the events but was not integral to the plot. Later stories, such as The Life Of A Stupid Man, show interesting attempts at style but the narrative (a series of numbered paragraphs with individual titles) is so personal that it would seem to be only of interest to friends and family of the author, in addition to Akutagawa scholars.

All in, this book serves to give me an introduction to the author and, with the extensive footnotes, a further understanding of different periods in Japan's history. But, given my indifference to many of the stories, especially Akutagawa's more personal pieces, I doubt I'll go in search of his previously translated works, although the occasional retelling of previous Japanese tales may be enough to pique my interest in much the same way a cookie may keep me satisfied until teatime.

Average customer rating:

Good historical writing, but some flaws in the plot
I prefer the Judge Dee stories
Decent Mystery Read
Impossible To Put Down!
Superb, even better than its predecessor.

Rashomon Gate
I. J. Parker
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143035606

Book Description

A riveting historical mystery—the second in the Akitada series—set amid the exquisite ritual and refined treachery of eleventh century Japan

From the author of The Dragon Scroll comes an ingenious new novel of murder and malfeasance in ancient Japan, featuring the detective Sugawara Akitada. The son of reduced nobility forced to toil in the Ministry of Justice, Akitada is relieved when an old friend, Professor Hirata, asks him to investigate a friend's blackmail. Taking a post at the Imperial University, he is soon sidetracked from his primary case by the murder of a young girl and the mysterious disappearance of an old man—a disappearance that the Emperor himself declares a miracle. Rashomon Gate is a mystery of magnificent complexity and historical detail that will leave readers yearning for more.

Customer Reviews:

Good historical writing, but some flaws in the plot .......2007-06-05

Like several other readers, I picked RASHOMON GATE because I have been a longtime fan of Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro series. I've always been interested in Japanese history, and especially the Heian period. So, I thought this book would be perfect for me. In many ways, I was absolutely satisfied. The author manages to keep the story feeling fresh while still adhering to the customs and mannerisms of the time. Also, unlike Rowland's series, Akitada is "average"--not to say he's not an interesting person and a good character, but rather that he mingles with common people and he experiences more aspects of everyday life. I think outside of the actual plot, the details that the author adds into the story were what made this reading experience enjoyable for me.

The actual mysteries (three of them) were not quite as good as I expected. I did like the plot line about the girl in the park, especially Tora's sleuthing in the underworld. I felt it was wrapped up too quickly so that Akitada's cases (which were more dull) could get more attention. The university scandal interested me at first, but the actually killer wasn't too surprising. Also, the prince's killing was basically solved the whole time. Akitada knew who did it, and it was only a matter of finding out how. So there really wasn't a lot of suspense there.

I was also somewhat confused because I thought RASHOMON GATE was the first book in the series. This is not correct. The first book is THE DRAGON SCROLL, and it was published after RASHOMON GATE.

Lastly, I enjoyed all of the characters, especially Tora. However, I felt that Tamako wasn't given much of a personality. And the author constantly described her as "slender." I mean, there are other adjectives out there... slim? Svelte? I don't know, but that constant repetition bothered me, as did her one-dimensional personality. I think the whole reasoning behind her refusal to marry Akitada was a big let-down... it could have been a lot better than it was.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in historical mysteries. I've already bought THE DRAGON SCHOOL and I'm hoping this series will become another one of my favorites.

I prefer the Judge Dee stories.......2007-02-11

I think this author borrowed heavily from Robert van Gulik's famous Judge Dee mysteries, but she lacks that author's ability to make the past seem real. For some reason, I didnt find this story believable, mostly due to the dialog, which seemed very contemporary and Western. The story unfolds oddly, and one wonders how the main character could know so much so quickly. If I werent already familiar with Judge Dee, and if I were a young person in junior high or high school, I'd probably enjoy this book much more. It reads like a romance story.

Decent Mystery Read.......2006-12-07

Below is somewhat a similar review I gave for the Dragon's Scroll because both books are consistently similar.

Cutting to the chase, this is simply a good quick read, nothing more. It is the perfect book to read at the beach or on a plane. The writing is not very deep, vivid or profound. Despite how this book is promoted, do not expect to learn a lot about ancient Japan nor culture. Do not expect this to be a book about samurais since the period portrayed is before the age of the samurai. Do not even expect a classic intense mystery thriller since it becomes obvious early on who did the crime. Instead expect a book that goes out of its way to explain the class differences between nobility and peasants.

Despite all of this, I found it enjoyable only because the setting was interesting. However as in Dragon Scroll, if it wasn't for the sexual references, I still feel the writing of this book would be more appropriate for young adults.

Still, its good quick read.

Impossible To Put Down! .......2006-09-06

[Note: Correction w/minor spoiler below...]

I'm roughly halfway into Rashomon Gate and feel like I've stumbled onto buried treasure. It was a link on a page for one of Laura Joh Rowland's novels that turned me onto Parker's work (hats off to Amazon,) and fortunately I decided to take a stab at an unfamiliar (to me) author.

I've been reading Rowland's Sano Ichiro novels slavishy for years and will continue to despite their virtual carbon-copy formulaic nature and some other gripes - but Ingrid Parker's "Rashomon Gate" has put me in a state of angst throughout this daily period we commonly call "work." I love my work, seriously, but I've become a clock-watcher, anticipating the moment I can get back to the grand and wonderful place Parker creates in her prose.

Aside from that unwillingness to put a book down, the litmus test I have for the value of both literature and cinema is the simple question: "Do I find myself thinking about the people and events in this story even when I'm far removed from them?" Rashomon Gate succeeds in spades. It's not just a great, refreshing escape from an increasingly ominous modern world, it's an incredibly well-crafted plot (so far,) traversed by a hero who is genuinely admirable and likable. "Rashomon Gate" seems less like reading about a detective of ancient Japan than spending a fortnight with a dear old friend.

The tone of this novel too is a pleasant surprise. Where Rowland's books are fairly dripping with a bizarre contempt for Japan, never missing an opportunity to rub the reader's nose in every puddle of sewage imaginable (see my review of Rowland's "Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria",) Parker, like Clavell and to a degree Yoshikawa, succeeds in maintaining a sense of respect and wonder for ancient Japan even as she illuminates negative aspects of that period. There is indeed a strong resemblance to Yoshikawa's "Musashi" here in Parker's subtle but powerful mood of benevolence, but where the former was fable-like and episodic, Rashomon Gate's refreshing lightheartedness is counterbalanced nicely by the weight of evil deeds, hidden motives and the expertly-crafted plot into which they're woven. The result is an irresistible brew, one of which I hope to imbibe long and deeply.

The only negative I can think of is that the characters come at you a bit more rapidly than can be integrated into memory for later reference, but that may have more to do with this reader's mental limitations than the book itself. The character glossary at the front of the book takes care of that handily in any case.

[Late correction: I had originally assumed "Rashomon Gate" to have been the second in the Sugawara series and the Booklist review by Carrie Bissey, above, to have erroneously described it as Parker's debut. 'Turns out Bissey is right and I am wrong, with copious thanks to reviewer Mary Whipple's clarification in her review of "The Dragon Scroll." As Ms. Whipple points out, "Dragon Scroll" was indeed published third but takes place prior to both "Rashomon Gate" and "Hell Screen" in the stories' chronology - note that Akitada is still single in "Dragon Scroll," marries by the end of "Rashomon Gate" and is a father by the beginning of "Hell Screen." Hence my confusion ~ groan ~]

So next it's "The Dragon Scroll," which takes place earlier and which I expect will be every bit as enthralling. I'm hoping Parker will become as prolific a mystery writer as Nora Roberts - this is excellent, can't-put-it-down reading from a talented writer with a refreshingly benevolent sense of life.

Superb, even better than its predecessor........2006-08-26

Historical mysteries are like comedy -- either they work or they don't, and there is no middle ground. This mystery, the sequel to the admirable THE DRAGON SCROLL, is the second of what I hope will be a long series. Like its predecessor, it works wonderfully well. It says nothing to diminish THE DRAGON SCROLL to say that this book is, in its own way, even better than that fine mystery. Like that book, RASHOMON GATE is thoroughly grounded in the world of early medieval Japan, and it carries its immense learning and scholarship so lightly that only if you've read Japanese history for this period will you realize just how sound its view of Sugawara Akitada and his world is. The writing is always clear, amusing when it wants to be, and deeply moving at the right times. The plotting is sure and sensible, and the mystery unfolds at just the right pace. In particular, the author -- who I gather is a veteran academic -- recreates an ancient Japanese university that eerily echoes the academic infighting of modern institutions of higher learning and yet is totally true to its period. Also, the author took a bold risk in using the word RASHOMON and the locale of the Rashomon gate, the setting of one of the most famous Japanese movies of all time -- but, again, the risk paid off. A joy to read, and I have now ordered the third and can't wait for the fourth to be published.

A Hazardous Inquiry: The
<i>Rashomon</i> Effect at Love Canal

Average customer rating:

Good read, good analysis
outstanding, balanced account of the events at Love Canal

A Hazardous Inquiry: The Rashomon Effect at Love Canal
Allan Mazur
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674748336

Book Description

Love Canal. We hear these words and quickly recoil, remembering a community poisoned by toxic waste. Twenty years after the incident, Allan Mazur reexamines the circumstances that made this upstate New York neighborhood synonymous with ecological catastrophe and triggered federal "Superfund" legislation to clean up the nation's thousands of hazardous waste sites.

But is there only one true story of Love Canal? Borrowing the multi-viewpoint technique of the classic Japanese film Rashomon, Mazur's book reveals that there are many--often conflicting versions of what occurred at Love Canal. Hooker Chemical Company, which deposited the toxic wastes, explains why it subsequently donated the dump as the site for a new school. Lois Gibbs, whose son attended the school, tells of organizing the community to fight both the chemical threat and the uncaring state bureaucracy. Then there is the story of David Axelrod, New York's embattled commissioner of health, at odds with the homeowners over their assessment of the hazards and the proper extent of the state's response. We also hear from Michael Brown, the young reporter who developed the story in the Niagara Gazette and eventually brought the problem of toxic waste to national attention.

If A Hazardous Inquiry succeeded only in making us understand why one version of the events at Love Canal gained precedence over all others, it would be invaluable to policy makers, journalists, scientists, environmentalists, lawyers, and to citizens caught up in technical controversies that get played out (for better or worse) in the public arena. But the book moves beyond that to evaluate and reconcile the conflicting accounts of Love Canal, giving us a fuller, if more complex, picture than ever before. Through gripping personal tales, A Hazardous Inquiry tells how politics and journalism and epidemiology sometimes mesh, but often clash, when confronting a potential community disaster.

Customer Reviews:

Good read, good analysis.......2003-03-24

The book is divided into two parts. The first part tells the "story" of Love Canal five times, each from the perspective of a different interest group: the chemical company that produced the wastes, the homeowners affected, the New York Health Department, etc. These stories are different, often inconsistent. The second part reconciles, so far as is reasonable, the conflicting claims. Like peeling the layers of an onion to finally get to the core, we get an unusually cogent view of what really happened at Love Canal -- and what did not happen.

outstanding, balanced account of the events at Love Canal.......1998-12-17

This book provides a systematic, balanced account of the history of Love Canal as it concerns various interested groups--Hooker Chemical, Love Canal Homeowner's Association, Niagara Falls School Board, press, etc. It is unique in that it does not lean toward any one side in its recounting of the various sides of the story. Its analysis of the impact of the events and the where the responsibilities might rest is certainly one of the best I've read. Also a terrific book on EPA response to a policy crisis--it provides a springboard to further discussion of the media's role in public policy as it concerns environmental issues.

Rashomon,: And other stories. Translated by Takashi Kojima; introd. by Howard Hibbet

Average customer rating:

Rashomon,: And other stories. Translated by Takashi Kojima; introd. by Howard Hibbet
Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Manufacturer: C. E. Tuttle Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006AWQLK

Average customer rating:

Rashomon and Other Stories
Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Manufacturer: Liveright Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000G3FSEO

Average customer rating:

Rashomon (Favorite Broadway Dramas)
Fay Kanin , and Michael Kanin
Manufacturer: Samuel French, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 057361492X

Average customer rating:

Loads of Valuable Information About an Important Movie
A handsome volume

Rashomon (Rutgers Films in Print)
Akira Kurosawa , and Donald Richie
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0813511801

Customer Reviews:

Loads of Valuable Information About an Important Movie .......2004-09-25

Rashomon is one of the greatest films of all time, as evidenced by: (a) its placement in the top 250 movies ever (currently #57) at the Internet Movie Database; (b) its current rank of #2 among all foreign movies at a Web site of an "online community of foreign film buffs"; (c) a current grade of A- with Yahoo! Users (which is fairly rare for any movie); (d) tens of thousands of "hits" if you use any Web search engine; (e) a Tomatometer rating of 100% (i.e., all positive critics' reviews) at the Rotten Tomatoes Web site; (f) its selection in a 1996 Movieline Magazine article as one of the 100 Greatest Foreign Films; (g) its inclusion in the 2002 book "The A List: The National Society of Film Critics' 100 Essential Films"; (h) its listing in the 2004 book "The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made"; (i) its placement as #10 in the Village Voice "100 Best Films of the [20th] Century" based on a 1999 poll of critics; (j) the movie's influence on later ones such as "The Usual Suspects," "Courage Under Fire," "Wicker Park," and "Hero"; and (k) its #9 rank in the British Film Institute's Sight and Sound Directors' Top Ten Poll 2002.

This book gives a great deal of info about this 1950 motion picture masterpiece. It's similar to the book "Focus on Rashomon" published in 1972 by Prentice-Hall and also edited by Donald Richie. Both contain a 20+ page essay by Richie originally from "The Films of Akira Kurosawa," as well as the short stories by Akutagawa ("Rashomon" and "In a Grove") that form the basis of the film. Also in both books are various reviews and commentaries, including "Rashomon and the Japanese Cinema" by Curtis Harrington; "Rashomon and the Fifth Witness" by George Barbarow; "Rashomon as Modern Art" by Parker Tyler; "Memory of Defeat in Japan: a Reappraisal of Rashomon" by James Davidson; and "Rashomon" by Tadao Sato. (Some reviews and commentaries - by Farber, Gadi, Ghelli, Iwasaki, Mercier, Time Magazine, Young, and Zunser - are in the 1972 book but not this one. I didn't feel that any of these were crucial.)

Improving upon the 1972 compilation, however, this 1987 Rutgers volume contains: (1) An essay by Audie Bock, "Kurosawa: His Life and Art." (2) A 57-page continuity script. This is similar to pages 11-169 of the book "Rashomon; a film by Akira Kurosawa from the filmscript by Akira Kurosawa and Shinobu Hashimoto" published in 1969 by Grove Press, except that there are fewer stills and the duration of each of the 407 shots is not given. (3) An excerpt from Kurosawa's 1982 "Something Like an Autobiography." (4) High-quality 1970s-1980s commentaries by Kauffman, Mellen, and McDonald. Buy this book from Amazon.com!

A handsome volume.......1999-03-16

This looks like an interesting and handsome volume, containing commentary by a number of persons about the film and its antecedents. To be honest, I have not read it yet.

I was hoping against hope that it would contain the screenplay for the film; it does not. It contains the usual transcript of the film printed in screenplay format instead.

Average customer rating:
Charles Ginnever: Rashomon
Charles Ginnever
Manufacturer: Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Stanford University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 0937031186

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Rashomon (Film Focus)

Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0137529724

Average customer rating:

Excellent for what's out there

The best collection of Akutagawa that I've come upon

Poor, poor Akutagawa

Contemporary Themes in a Beautiful Book

The Essential Akutagawa: Rashomon, Hell Screen, Cogwheels, A Fool's Life and Other Short Fiction
Ryunosuke Akutagawa , and Jorge Luis Borges
Manufacturer: Marsilio Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1568860617

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for what's out there.......2006-09-14

Akutagawa, while popular in the 70's is near impossible to find good collections of his works nowadays. This collection has some of his more well known pieces as well as my favorites, "Cogwheels" and "A Fool's Life." These two gems are worth their weight in gold. I highly suggest this book for these two masterfully written "suicide letters."

The best collection of Akutagawa that I've come upon.......2006-05-16

The translation is not as bad as some of the reviews make it out to be. At times (I can count them on my hand)sentences may seem a little awkward but by no means does this hinder the story telling in any way. Akutagawa's use of language is not full of rhetoric that would be hard to translate. That's the beauty of his work: each line has it's own energy and he doesn't bog it down with flowering up the language. It's subtle, strong and poetic.

This book is by far one of the best collections of Akutagawa's work. There are hard to find stories in here and his range as a writer are displayed to the reader. All the stories are great here, and the classics such as Rashomon and In a Grove are included, but the treasures are the visceral "Hell Screen," the cultural investigations of "The Ball" and "The Faint Smiles of the Gods," the surreal "San Sebastian," the horrific view inside the mind of Akutagawa in "Cogwheels" and the poetic "A Fool's Life"

plus, all the rest included in the volume are greatly executed pieces literature as well.

If you are interested in Akutagawa and would like read more and get closer to the mind of this amazing Japanese writer, definately pick it up. If can find this book, get it. And usually they aren't expensive.

I only wish they would issue out new printings so that it was easier for people to get a hold of and share.

Poor, poor Akutagawa.......2003-11-18

Akutagawa Ryunosuke is regarded as one of Japan's most significant 20th century authors, and although his work might seem a bit dated to the savvy 21st century reader, there is no denying the fact that he was a master of the short story form. Chief among his strengths were a remarkable ability to build atmosphere and a knack for tightly-constructed narrative. At his best, he could even be a gifted raconteur, capable of turning an otherwise heavy-handed moral parable into a humorous reflection on modernity and the human condition. Akutagawa was also a tragic figure-- bleak cynicism and bitter irony run throughout his stories, and he eventually committed suicide.

Sadly, Akutagawa's stories were among the first translated when Japanese literature became an academic field in America. Not that his stories aren't worthy of translation. After all, who hasn't at least heard of the film 'Rashomon,' the very title of which has entered the English language? The unfortunate aspect of this is that Akutagawa's stories have often been translated by individuals who are far from proficient in the Japanese language. And these decades-old translations are still the only ones available in English, in spite of their shortcomings.

Sadly, this recently-published collection of Akutagawa's stories is not the sorely-needed volume of new and skilled translations that the author deserves. Instead, it is a repackaging of the same old versions that have been making the rounds in various volumes of Japanese literature for decades. Granted, there have been a small number of editorial updates. Even so, countless egregious errors in translation still stare forth from the pages of this book ('Cogwheels' is quite literally unrecognizable when compared to the original, and nothing short of incompetent). And far from being an "essential" volume of the stories of Akutagawa, this could more accurately be described as a rogue's gallery of well-intended misfires in the history of Japanese literature in translation.

Contemporary Themes in a Beautiful Book.......2000-04-13

A collections of Akutagawa's work that truly is "essential." Akutagawa breaks down conventional narrative boundaries with such classics as "Cogwheels" and "Hell Screen." "Rashomon" is a chilling tale of a traveler's encounter with an old thief. What the thief is stealing is what is shocking, and the morals and ethics that Akutagawa explores are extremely interesting. This book is a must have for fans of Japanese Literature.

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