Kokoro (Penguin Classics)

From Starred Review Kokoro is the great Japanese modern novel. The last its author completed, published in 1914, two years before his death at 48, it voices the spiritual desolation of a society that had deliberately transformed itself from quasi-feudal isolation to determinedly modern player on the world stage in little more than 50 years. The never-named narrator-hero of the novel’s first half is a provincial student in Tokyo who befriends a man some 20 years older whom he meets on a beach that is a favorite student getaway site. Well-mannered, educated, comfortable, ostensibly happily married though childless, the man, whom the narrator regularly visits once they’re both back in the city, yet exudes sadness. In the book’s second half, narrated by Sensei (i.e., mentor), as the student calls him, we learn why: he feels he betrayed a friend by first pressing his suit for the woman both love. Translator McKinney, who makes a completely stylistically modern—verbally and syntactically plain, realistic, personally voiced, intimate in tone—English-language novel of this quietly profound masterpiece, imparts in her introduction all that non-Japanese need to know to appreciate why the book is considered a national treasure. It is an international modernist treasure through sharing the aching, regretful sensibility of such works as Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and Ingmar Bergman’s arguably greatest film, Winter Light. --Ray Olson Review "This elegant novel...suffuses the reader with a sense of old Japan." -_Los Angeles Times_ "Soseki is the representative modern Japanese novelist, a figure of truly national stature." -Haruki Murakami “Soseki is the representative modern Japanese novelist, a figure of truly national stature.”—Haruki MurakamiThe father of modern Japanese literature's best-loved novel, in its first new English translation in half a century No collection of Japanese literature is complete without Natsume Soseki's Kokoro, his most famous novel and the last he completed before his death. Published here in the first new translation in more than fifty years, Kokoro—meaning'heart'—is the story of a subtle and poignant friendship between two unnamed characters, a young man and an enigmatic elder whom he calls'Sensei.'Haunted by tragic secrets that have cast a long shadow over his life, Sensei slowly opens up to his young disciple, confessing indiscretions from his own student days that have left him reeling with guilt, and revealing, in the seemingly unbridgeable chasm between his moral anguish and his student's struggle to understand it, the profound cultural shift from one generation to the next that characterized Japan in the early twentieth century. No Collection Of Japanese Literature Is Complete Without Kokoro, The Last Novel Natsume Soseki Complete Before His Death In 1916. Published Here In The First New Translation In More Than Fifty Years, Kokoro--meaning Heart--is The Story Of A Subtle And Poignant Friendship Between Two Unnamed Characters, A Young Man And An Enigmatic Elder Whom He Calls Sensei. Haunted By Tragic Secrets That Have Cast A Long Shadow Over His Life, Sensei Slowly Opens Up To His Young Disciple, Confessing Indiscretions From His Own Student Days That Have Left Him Reeling With Guilt, And Revealing, In The Seemingly Unbridgeable Chasm Between His Moral Anguish And His Student's Struggle To Understand It, The Profound Cultural Shift From One Generation To The Next That Characterized Japan In The Early Twentieth Century--cover Page 4. Natsume Sōseki ; Translated With An Introduction And Notes By Meredith Mckinney. Translated From The Japanese. New Translation -- Cover. Includes Bibliographical References. The great Japanese author’s most famous novel, in its first new English translation in half a century No collection of Japanese literature is complete without Natsume Soseki's Kokoro, his most famous novel and the last he completed before his death. Published here in the first new translation in more than fifty years, Kokoro—meaning "heart"—is the story of a subtle and poignant friendship between two unnamed characters, a young man and an enigmatic elder whom he calls "Sensei." Haunted by tragic secrets that have cast a long shadow over his life, Sensei slowly opens up to his young disciple, confessing indiscretions from his own student days that have left him reeling with guilt, and revealing, in the seemingly unbridgeable chasm between his moral anguish and his student's struggle to understand it, the profound cultural shift from one generation to the next that characterized Japan in the early twentieth century. "No collection of Japanese literature is complete without Kokoro, the last novel Natsume Soseki complete before his death in 1916. Published here in the first new translation in more than fifty years, Kokoro--meaning "heart"--Is the story of a subtle and poignant friendship between two unnamed characters, a young man and an enigmatic elder whom he calls "Sensei". Haunted by tragic secrets that have cast a long shadow over his life, Sensei slowly opens up to his young disciple, confessing indiscretions from his own student days that have left him reeling with guilt, and revealing, in the seemingly unbridgeable chasm between his moral anguish and his student's struggle to understand it, the profound cultural shift from one generation to the next that characterized Japan in the early twentieth century"--Page [4] of wrappers