| Title | : | Japanese Legends and Folklore: Samurai Tales, Ghost Stories, Legends, Fairy Tales, Myths and Historical Accounts |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1462920713 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781462920716 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 322 |
| Publication | : | Published March 26, 2019 |
This book features 30 fascinating Japanese stories, including: The Forty-Seven Ronin—the famous, epic tale of a loyal band of Samurai warriors who pay the ultimate price for avenging the honor of their fallen master. The Tongue-Cut Sparrow—a good-hearted old man is richly rewarded when he begs forgiveness from a sparrow who is injured by his spiteful, greedy wife. The Adventures of Little Peach Boy—a tale familiar to generations of Japanese children, a small boy born from a peach is adopted by a kindly childless couple. Japanese Sermons—a selection of sermons written by a priest belonging to the Shingaku sect, which combines Buddhist, Shinto and Confucian teachings. An Account of Hara-Kiri—Mitford's dramatic first person account of a ritual Samurai suicide, the first time it had been reported in English. Thirty-one reproductions of woodblock prints bring the classic tales and essays to life. These influential stories helped shape the West's understanding of Japanese culture. A new foreword by Professor Michael Dylan Foster sheds light on the book's importance as a groundbreaking work of Japanese folklore, literature and history.
Japanese Legends and Folklore: Samurai Tales, Ghost Stories, Legends, Fairy Tales, Myths and Historical Accounts Reviews
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with traditional japanese styled illustrations(monochrome) and original japanese kanji titles and thorough footnotes, nice!
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Rich and dense
For all Japan enthusiasts, I can't recommend this book enough.
The approach is different, first and foremost in terms of the themes covered: far from the modern stories of the country or the ghost stories, this book allows you to dive into the myths and folklore of Japan like you've never read before. Second, because I've never read such stories!
Admittedly, the book is very dense. It takes a long time to read, and I'm not sure that a linear, uninterrupted read would be best. The stories are interesting, but the style could be described as old-fashioned and tires quickly.
Still, it's a good discovery read that opens up the values, stories and myths of a country that isn't often explained. -
It's written in an old anthropologic style that can take some getting used too. Some stories I enjoyed but often I felt like the writer was getting in his way. I hope to find a more modern version of this that will help me learn about Japanese folklore through a more modern lense.
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It was good having some background in the stories being told, but given the era it was written in, it does not make for a quick read.
