Hiromi Kawakami is a Japanese author celebrated for her distinctive and often off-beat fiction. Her prose delves into unconventional themes and relationships, imbued with a unique, slightly surreal quality. She explores human connections and solitude, frequently employing subtle humor and a profound understanding of the human condition. Kawakami's writing style is understated, inviting readers to ponder the ordinary facets of existence.
Set in a near-future world facing human extinction, this inventive speculative novel explores themes of survival and resilience. The narrative delves into the intricacies of human relationships and the impact of societal collapse, all crafted with the author's signature immersive storytelling. Readers can expect a thought-provoking journey that challenges perceptions of humanity's fate and the bonds that hold us together in times of crisis.
From the bestselling author of Strange Weather in Tokyo, a novel that moves between Japan past and present to tell a time-bending story about desire and destiny.
Hiromi Kawakamiis well known for her many novels and microfiction in translation, and Dragon Palace is her first story collection to be published in English. These eight stories are masterpieces of metamorphosis and transformation, infused with Kawakami's unique brand of humor and beauty. Moles, octopuses, and hippopotamuses interact with humans in a revelatory dance.
"A parable about memory, mythic characters, and confessional regrets . . . An ethereal, resonating literary gift" (Booklist, starred review) from the internationally bestselling author of Strange Weather in Tokyo. "On a summer afternoon, Tsukiko and her former high school teacher have prepared and eaten somen noodles together. “Tell me a story from long ago,” Sensei says. “I wasn’t alive long ago,” Tsukiko says, “but should I tell you a story from when I was little?” “Please do,” Sensei replies, and so Tsukiko tells him that, when she was a child, she awakened one day to find something with a pale red face and something with a dark red face in her room, arguing with each other. They had human bodies, long noses, and wings. They were tengu, creatures that appear in Japanese folktales. The tengu attach themselves to Tsukiko and begin to follow her everywhere. Where did they come from and why are they here? And what other invisible and unacknowledged forces are acting upon Tsukiko’s seemingly peaceful world?"
Over the course of his life, Mr Nishino falls hopelessly in love again and again. One woman is a colleague, another a chance encounter; one is the girlfriend of a classmate, another the best friend of Nishino's latest conquest. Some are entranced by Nishino, others care more for their freedom, their children (or their cats). As we come to learn of the torments, desires and delights of each woman, a portrait emerges of a complicated man whose great capacity for love may well be the cause of his downfall.
Exploring themes of memory and fleeting moments, this novel delves into the complexities of human emotions and relationships. Set against a backdrop of introspection, it captures the essence of a brief night that leaves a lasting impact on the characters involved. The narrative weaves together personal reflections and vivid imagery, inviting readers to ponder the significance of transient experiences. Originally published in 1996 as Hebi o Fumu, it offers a poignant exploration of life's ephemeral nature.
Tsukiko is in her late thirties and living alone when one night she happens to meet one of her former high school teachers, Sensei, in a bar. After this initial encounter, the pair continue to meet occasionally to share food and drink sake and come to develop a hesitant intimacy which tilts awkwardly into love.
A dual-language edition of Japanese stories—many appearing in English for the first time This volume of eight short stories, with parallel translations, offers students at all levels the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of contemporary literature without having constantly to refer back to a dictionary. The stories—many of which appear here in English for the first time—are by well-known writers like Haruki Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto, as well as emerging voices like Abe Kazushige, Ishii Shinji, and Kawakami Hiromi. From the orthodox to the cutting-edge, they represent a range of styles and themes, showcasing the diversity of Japanese fiction over the past few decades in a collection that is equally rewarding for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students of English or Japanese. Complete with notes, the stories make excellent reading in either language.
