Essential Akutagawa

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Twenty-Two Short Stories by Japan's Master Storyteller

Häftad, Engelska, 2025

Av Ryunosuke Akutagawa

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"Akutagawa displays an insightful and keenly creative intelligence in prose so lucid its sophistication is hardly visible." —Chris Power, The GuardianJapan's master storyteller Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892 - 1927) wrote more than 150 short stories. Widely regarded as "the Father of the Japanese short story," he blended modern sensibilities with timeless themes to profound effect.This new anthology offers the most comprehensive collection of Akutagawa's work ever published in English. It features fresh translations of his most celebrated stories alongside many lesser-known and never-before-translated pieces:Rashomon: A destitute servant in old Kyoto faces a moral dilemma—starve or steal to surviveAn Odd Tale: A young woman is haunted by strange encounters with a station porter while her husband fights in World War IShadows: A merchant receives anonymous letters about his wife's infidelity—only to come face-to-face with his own doubleIn a Grove: Multiple, conflicting accounts of a samurai's death—this story inspired Kurosawa's legendary film RashomonHell Screen: A chilling tale of artistic obsession and its devastating cost, adapted from an ancient legendMomotaro: In this first-ever English translation, Akutagawa transforms a beloved folk hero into a biting satire of nationalism and warPlus 16 other major works by the Japanese master!An essential volume for every serious reader of Japanese literature—and a captivating introduction to one of the world's great literary voices.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2025-09-23
Mått130 x 203 x 23 mm
Vikt295 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor256
FörlagTuttle Publishing
ISBN9784805317990
ÖversättareMedhurst, Richard

Tillhör följande kategorier

Klassiska romaner/Klassiker inom Skonlitteratur
Noveller inom Skonlitteratur
Romaner inom Skonlitteratur

Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) is one of the biggest names in Japanese literature, recognized for his mastery of the short story form. He was a contemporary of Osamu Dazai, Jun'ichiro Tanizaki and Soseki Natsume. In the West, he is best known for his short story In a Grove, adapted by Akira Kurosawa in his award-winning movie Rashomon. Many of his stories highlight a fascination with supernatural and transformational phenomena while others have vivid historical backdrops and display influences from classic Japanese and Western fiction. In 1927, at the age of 35, he killed himself.Richard Medhurst was born in the UK and lives in Yokohama. His translation of Akutagawa's An Odd Tale was published in Kyoto Journal in 2018, and his translation of Eiji Suzuki's Lingering Fragrance was published in the anthology Strokes of Brush and Blade (Kurodahan Press, 2018). He has worked as a translator, editor and writer for the online magazine Nippon.com for over a decade, specializing in literature and history. He has also written a popular series of articles about studying Japanese which have received tens of thousands of page views. His article on Japan's 72 microseasons helped popularize the concept in the English-speaking world.

"Akutagawa wrote in the 1910s and 1920s, a period of rapid change in Japan with the influx of capitalist ideas and industrialization. "His work reflects the time's dread, sense of moral decay, and struggle for truth and meaning," Taylor says. "These themes are all really modern." She recommends Akutagawa for fans of Dostoevsky, Murakami, Kafka, and Flannery O'Connor." —Library Journal interviews Cathy Taylor on "The most comprehensive anthology of short stories by Japanese master Ryunosuke Akutagawa ever published in English," The Essential Akutagawa