Natsume S¿seki Books

"Rich in understanding and insight."—The New YorkerWhat is love, and what is friendship? What is the extent of our responsibility to ourselves and to others? Kokoro, signifying "the heart of things," examines these age-old questions in terms of the modern world.A trilogy of stories that explores the very essence of loneliness, Kokoro opens with "Sensei and I," in which the narrator recounts his relationship with an intellectual who dwells in isolation but maintains a sophisticated worldview. "My Parents and I" brings the reader into the narrator's family circle, and "Sensei and His Testament" features the eponymous character's explanation of how he came to live a life of solitude.Natsume Soseki (1867–1916), perhaps the greatest novelist of the Meiji period, remains one of Japan's most widely read authors. He wrote this novel in 1914, at the peak of his career, and it remains an excellent introduction to modern Japanese literature.

The narrative follows a young man's challenging two-month experience as an assistant mathematics teacher in a provincial Japanese middle school during the 1890s. Struggling with the monotony of rural life and the antics of both students and faculty, he embodies impulsiveness and a strong sense of justice. His conflicts with the head teacher, "Red Shirt," lead to escalating tensions, culminating in a dramatic escape alongside his colleague "Porcupine." Ultimately, he returns to the comfort of his emotional anchor, Kiyo, the family retainer.