For the first time, English readers have access to Soseki’s _Spring
Miscellany_. Originally published as _Eijitu Shohin_ in serial form in
the Asahi newspaper in 1909, before appearing in book form, _Spring
Miscellany_ is an pastiche of twenty-five sketches, referred to as
shohin (little items), heir to the great zuihitsu tradition of
discursive prose. These personal vignettes are clearly
autobiographical and reveal Soseki’s kaleidoscopic view of his
private world and his interest in authentic, unadorned
self-expression.
The stories range from from episodes from his youth to his adult
musings. Of special interest are the accounts of Soseki’s stay in
England between 1900 and 1902, where he attended University College,
studied privately with W. J. Craig, editor of the Arden Shakespeare,
and immersed himself in studying eighteenth-century literature. It was
not a happy time for Soseki--he described his stay as like a poor dog
that had wandered into the company of wolves”--but, as with all
great writers, he managed to turn adversity into raw material for his
art and to give us insight today into the life of an expatriate
Japanese scholar at the turn of the century.
In his Introduction to the work, Sammy Tsunematsu, founder and curator
of the Soseki Museum in London, provides a fresh perspective on Soseki
as a man and a writer, as well as an insightful commentary on the work
itself.
Les mer
And London Essays
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781462901265
Publisert
2014
Utgiver
Vendor
Tuttle Publishing
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter