Kokoro

Marc Notes: Reprint. Originally published: 1957.; Gateway editions--Cover. Review Quotes:"One of the honorable ancestors of a brilliant generation of novels." --Donald Barr, "New York Times"Biographical Note: Natsume Soseki (1867-1916) is one of the great writers of the modern world. Educated at Tokyo Imperial University, he was sent to England in 1900 as a government scholar. As one of the first Japanese writers to be influenced by Western culture, his various works are widely read in Japan, and contemporary authors in Japan continue to be influenced by his oeuvre, which also includes "The Gate," "I Am a Cat," "Sanshiro," and "The Three Cornered World." Edwin McClellan is Professor of Japanese Literature at Yale University. His translation of "Kokoro," presented here, has been selected for the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works. Publisher Marketing: Nineteenth-century Japanese novel concerned with man's loneliness in the modern world. Publisher Marketing: "The subject of 'Kokoro, ' which can be translated as 'the heart of things' or as 'feeling, ' is the delicate matter of the contrast between the meanings the various parties of a relationship attach to it. In the course of this exploration, Soseki brilliantly describes different levels of friendship, family relationships, and the devices by which men attempt to escape from their fundamental loneliness. The novel sustains throughout its length something approaching poetry, and it is rich in understanding and insight. The translation, by Edwin McClellan, is extremely good." --Anthony West, "The New Yorker" Review Citations: Booklist 02/15/2010 pg. 37 (EAN 9780143106036, Paperback) - *Starred Review Contributor Bio:  Natsume, Soseki Soseki Natsume was born in Tokyo in 1867, and upon graduating from the prestigious Tokyo University, worked as an English teacher for a time. He was sent to London for three years by the Japanese government in 1900 on the first English literary scholarship, where he developed a love for Shakespeare. Returning to take up a position at Tokyo University, he began his writing career with Botchan. This is one of his most famous works, along with I Am a Cat and Kokoro. Soseki enjoyed tremendous popularity before his death in 1916 and his works are always cited as among the best in Japanese literature. When Japanese readers and critics are asked which authors they admire, SosekiAEs name frequently appears at the top of the list. He is also the only Japanese author referred to by his personal name (Soseki) and not his family name (Natsume), and his image appears on the Japanese 1000 yen note. Dennis Washburn is Professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Literatures and Comparative Literature at Dartmouth College. He is the author of "Translating Mount Fuji: Modern Japanese Fiction" and "The Ethics of Identity" and translator of "Temple of the Wild Geese" and "Bamboo Dolls of Echizen". Contributor Bio:  Soseki, Natsume Soseki Natsume (1867-1916) is widely considered the foremost writer of modern Japan. Well versed in world literature, Natsume spent years studying in London before returning to Japan to establish his own literary career with classics such as I Am a Cat, Botchan, and Kokoro. Now a national treasure, his innovation and style continue to exert influence on generation after generation of modern Japanese writers. Contributor Bio:  McClellan, Edwin Edwin McClellan received his Ph. D. from the University of Chicago, where he was chairman of the Department of Far Eastern Languages and Civilizations. He wrote several articles and translations of Japanese literature.