World within walls: Japanese literature of the pre-modern era, 1600-1867

A comprehensive critical and interpretive study of Japanese poetry, fiction, and drama of the Tokugawa period, providing detailed explications of all important works by the major authors of each genre

World Within Walls: Japanese Literature of the Pre-Modern Era, 1600-1867

Literature & Fiction

KEENE, Donald

History & Criticism

Henry Holt Co.

Looks at modern Japanese fiction from the opening of Japan to the West in 1868 to the present and discusses major authors and foreign influences

Dawn to the West: Japanese Literature of the Modern Era: Fiction

Holt; Rinehart; Winston

Looks at modern Japanese fiction from the opening of Japan to the West in 1868 to the present and discusses major authors and foreign influences

Dawn to the West: Japanese Literature of the Modern Era; Poetry, Drama, Criticism

History

Asia

Perhaps no one is more qualified to write about Japanese culture than Donald Keene, considered the leading interpreter of that nation's literature to the Western world. The author, editor, or translator of nearly three dozen books of criticism and works of literature, Keene now offers an enjoyable and beautifully written introduction to traditional Japanese culture for the general reader. The book acquaints the reader with Japanese aesthetics, poetry, fiction, and theater, and offers Keene's appreciations of these topics. Based on lectures given at the New York Public Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the University of California, Los Angeles, the essays -though written by a renowned scholar- presuppose no knowledge of Japanese culture. Keene's deep learning, in fact, enables him to construct an overview as delightful to read as it is informative. His insights often illuminate aspects of traditional Japanese culture that endure today. One of these is the appreciation of "perishability." this appreciation os seen in countless little bits of Japanese life: in temples made of wood instead of durable materials; in the preference for objects -such as pottery- that are worn, broken, or used rather than new; and in the national love of the delicate cherry blossom, which normally falls after a brief three days of flowering. Keene quotes the fourteenth-century Buddhist monk Kenko, who wrote that "the most precious thing about life is its uncertainty." Throughout the volume, Keene demonstrates that the rich artistic and social traditions of Japan can indeed be understood by readers from our culture. This book will enlighten anyone interested in Japanese literature and culture.

The Pleasures of Japanese Literature

Columbia University Press

Donald Keene combines informative works on two forms of classical Japanese theater into a single volume. The No text looks at all aspects of this traditional theater form including its history, its stage and props, the use of music and dance in its performances, the plays as literature, and the aesthetics of No. Also discussed are Kyogen, the comic farces that are typically interspersed with the solemn No dramas.

No and Bunraku

Humor & Entertainment

Columbia Univ. Pr.

Despite the turbulent times in which he lived, the Buddhist priest Kenko met the world with a measured eye. As Emperor Go-Daigo fended off a challenge from the usurping Hojo family, and Japan stood at the brink of a dark political era, Kenko held fast to his Buddhist beliefs and took refuge in the pleasures of solitude. Written between 1330 and 1332, Essays in Idleness reflects the congenial priest's thoughts on a variety of subjects. His brief writings, some no more than a few sentences long and ranging in focus from politics and ethics to nature and mythology, mark the crystallization of a distinct Japanese principle: that beauty is to be celebrated, though it will ultimately perish. Through his appreciation of the world around him and his keen understanding of historical events, Kenko conveys the essence of Buddhist philosophy and its subtle teachings for all readers. Insisting on the uncertainty of this world, Kenk? asks that we waste no time in following the way of Buddha.
In this fresh edition, Donald Keene's critically acclaimed translation is joined by a new preface, in which Keene himself looks back at the ripples created by Kenk?'s musings, especially for modern readers.

Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenko

Essays & Correspondence

Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725) wrote some 130 plays, chiefly for the puppet theater, many of which are still performed today by puppet operators and Kabuki actors. Chikamatsu is thought to have written the first major tragedies about the common man. This edition of four of his most important plays includes three popular domestic dramas and one history play.Chikamatsu's domestic dramas are accurate reflections of Japanese society at the time: his characters are samurai, farmers, merchants, and prostitutes who speak colloquially, and who people the shops, streets, teahouses, and brothels that consituted their daily environment. The heroes and heroines of theses plays gain their tragic stature from their conflict with society. "The Love Suicides at Sonezaki" and "The Love Suicides at Amijima" became so popular that they initiated a vouge for love suicides, both in life and onstage.Donald Keene's translation of the original text is presented here with an introduction and a new preface to aid readers in their comprehension and enjoyment of the plays.

Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu

Dramas & Plays

This is the third book in a multivolume history of modern Japanese literature by the world's authoritative translator and scholar of Japanese culture and literature. The Columbia paperback edition, with Donald Keene's new preface, includes an introduction, an appendix, glossary, index, and a selected list of translations into English. -- New Republic

Dawn to the West: Japanese Literature in the Modern Era (History of Japanese Literature, Vol. 3)

Reference

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Books by KEENE, Donald

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by KEENE, Donald. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

World Within Walls: Japanese Literature of the Pre-Modern Era, 1600-1867

Dawn to the West: Japanese Literature of the Modern Era: Fiction

Dawn to the West: Japanese Literature of the Modern Era; Poetry, Drama, Criticism

The Pleasures of Japanese Literature

The Pleasures of Japanese Literature

No and Bunraku

No and Bunraku

Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenko

Four Major Plays of Chikamatsu

Dawn to the West: Japanese Literature in the Modern Era (History of Japanese Literature, Vol. 3)