Shusaku Endo's work delves into the intricate relationship between Western Christianity and Japanese culture. His narratives often explore the faith and doubts of characters grappling with the seemingly unfertile soil of their homeland for Christian growth. Endo masterfully captures internal struggles and spiritual searching, frequently employing irony and compassion. His prose is incisive and introspective, offering a unique perspective on the human condition and the quest for meaning.
Exploring themes of love, grief, and maternal longing, this collection features a newly discovered novella alongside five poignant short stories by acclaimed Japanese author Shūsaku Endō. The narratives delve into deep emotional landscapes, revealing the complexities of human relationships and the enduring impact of loss. Through Endō's sensitive storytelling, readers are invited to reflect on the profound connections that shape our lives.
In novels such as Silence, Endo Shusaku examined the persecution of Japanese Christians in different historical eras. Sachiko, set in Nagasaki in the painful years between 1930 and 1945, is the story of two young people trying to find love during yet another period in which Japanese Christians were accused of disloyalty to their country.
"Originally published. New York: Harper & Row: Kodansha International, 1982"--Copyright page.
Shusaku Endo's most disquieting novel and a masterful study of individual and collective moral disintegration. Set in a Japanese hospital during the last days of the Second World War, the story centres on the medical staff who offer to assist in a series of vivisections, experimental operations on live American prisoners of war.
With an introduction by Martin ScorseseBeneath the light of the candle I am sitting with my hands on my knees, staring in front of me. And I keep turning over in my mind the thought that I am at the end of the earth, in a place which you do not know and which your whole lives through you will never visit.It is 1640 and Father Sebastian Rodrigues, an idealistic Jesuit priest, sets sale for Japan determined to help the brutally oppressed Christians there. He is also desperate to discover the truth about his former mentor, rumoured to have renounced his faith under torture. Rodrigues cannot believe the stories about a man he so revered, but as his journey takes him deeper into Japan and then into the hands of those who would crush his faith, he finds himself forced to make an impossible choice: whether to abandon his flock or his God. The recipient of the 1966 Tanizaki Prize, Silence is Shusaku Endo's most highly acclaimed work and has been called one of the twentieth century's finest novels. As empathetic as it is powerful, it is an astonishing exploration of faith and suffering and an award-winning classic. 'One of the finest historical novels written by anyone, anywhere . . . flawless' David Mitchell'A masterpiece. There can be no higher praise' Daily Telegraph
Translated from the Japanese Kuchibue wo fuku toki--Title page verso.
The collection features eleven short stories that blend autobiographical elements with profound spiritual themes. Among them, one narrative explores the 18th-century Shogunate's persecution of Christians in Japan, highlighting the resilience of faith amidst adversity. Each tale offers rich emotional depth, weaving together moments of serendipity and solemn reflection, inviting readers to engage with the complexities of belief and human experience.
Now a major film.With an introduction by Martin ScorseseFather Rodrigues is an idealistic Portuguese Jesuit priest who, in the 1640s, sets sail for Japan on a determined mission to help the brutally oppressed Japanese Christians and to discover the truth behind unthinkable rumours that his famous teacher Ferreira has renounced his faith. Once faced with the realities of religious persecution Rodrigues himself is forced to make an impossible choice: whether to abandon his flock or his God.Winner of the 1966 Tanizaki Prize, Silence is Shusaku Endo's most highly acclaimed novel and a classic of its genre. It caused major controversy in Japan following its publication in 1967.
This title consists of three linked narratives. The first tells the story of a Japanese student in 1950s France. It is a snapshot of a young man feeling adrift in a Western country. The second is about an apostate Catholic in 17th- century Rome and the third about a scholar in 1960s France.
A group of Japanese tourists embarks on a journey that reveals their personal struggles and connections. As they explore a foreign land, the characters confront their pasts, cultural identities, and the complex emotions tied to loss and memory. The narrative intertwines their individual stories, highlighting themes of belonging, nostalgia, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world. Through their experiences, the novel captures the beauty and challenges of human relationships and the impact of travel on self-discovery.
