I mean not only is this the first fiction novel ever written, but it was written by a woman. That in it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s own right makes this pre-emptive Heian masterpiece deserving of a place on some kind of to-read list. The story centres on the sexual conquests of an aesthetically perfect, aristocratic fuck boi. Frustrating plotline aside, the langauge of a novel written about a thousand years ago makes for a tough read. I won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t judge you if you skip this one.<\/p>\n
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Natsume Soseki \u00e2\u20ac\u201c published works from 1905-1916<\/strong><\/p>\n Natsume is the granddaddy of modern Japanese literature. His writing has shaped the face of contemporary Japanese literature, and until recently his portrait was on the \u00c2\u00a51000 note. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a big deal.<\/p>\n Must read: Kokoro<\/em> (1914)<\/strong> A na\u00c3\u00afve university student befriends an older man he calls Sensei, who is cynical and depressed. The story of egosim, temptation and guilt is told in three parts. The unnamed student narrates the first two parts, while the compelling final part is told by the sensei in a letter to the student. The melodrama unfolds slowly and somewhat tediously, but you will become more invested than you realise. If you liked Kokoro, <\/em>try Botchan <\/em>(1906) or Sanshiro <\/em>(1908).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ogai Mori \u00e2\u20ac\u201c The Wild Geese <\/em>(1911)<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not all wild geese can fly\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201c <\/em>This is a sad tale of unrequited love and betrayal. In order to care for her ailing father, the poor young heroine becomes a sleazy moneylender\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mistress. This short novel left my heart feeling like a dry and shriveled husk.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ranpo Edogawa \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination <\/em>(1925-1956)<\/strong><\/p>\n This anthology of short stories spans the career of Japan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s answer to Edar Allen Poe. If you need a break from stories about privileged young men in the midst of an existential crisis (I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m looking at you Natsume, Mishima, Abe and Murakami) this is the book for you. These wildly peverse, mysterious and scary stories will suck you in and spit you out feeling scared and dirty, in the best possible way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kawabata Yasunari \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Published works from 1926-1964<\/strong><\/p>\n Kawabata is another big gun in the canon of Japanese literature. In 1968 he became the first Japanese writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.<\/p>\n Must read: Snow Country <\/em>(1948) <\/strong>A melancholy tale of a doomed romance set in the desolate beauty of Western Japan. Read this book in winter, preferably on a train along a snowy mountain pass (I actually did). If you liked Snow Country, <\/em>try Thousand Cranes <\/em>(1952).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Abe Kobo \u00e2\u20ac\u201c published works from 1948-1994<\/strong><\/p>\n Abe Kobo is an avant-garde writer who has often been compared to Kafka for his surreal and nightmarish explorations of individuals in contemporary society.<\/p>\n Must read: The Woman in the Dunes <\/em>(1962) <\/strong>An ameteur entomologist is stranded at a sand dune for the night and seeks refuge with a local woman. When he tries to leave the next day he finds that he is held captive. This story of a man trying to escape the sand is very much like sand itself: it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s gritty, uncomfortable at times and will get under your skin and into your sandwich. If you liked The Woman in the Dunes, <\/em>try The Face of Another <\/em>(1946 – full disclosure: I hated <\/em>this book, but will acknowledge it is cleverly written) or the more contemporary The Ark Sakura <\/em>(1984).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mishima Yukio \u00e2\u20ac\u201c published works from 1949 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 1971<\/strong><\/p>\n Where to begin with Mishima\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 First of all, he is one of the most imoportant Japanese writers of the 20th<\/sup> century and was considered for the same 1968 Nobel Prize for Literature that went to Kawabata. Second of all, he founded his own right wing militia, attempted and failed a coup d\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00c3\u00a9tat of the Japanese SDF, and then commited seppuku. If that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not enough to spark some interest in the guy then I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t help you.<\/p>\n Must read<\/strong>: Sea of Fertility tetralogy <\/em>(1969-1971) <\/strong>Ok sorry, my must read is actually four books. This tetralogy is Mishima\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s magnum opus. The story spans the lifetime of the protagonist, Honda. Each of the novels depicts what Honda comes to belive are successive reincarnations of his high school friend. A gripping tale runs throughout the novels. The ending of the third book notably had me involunarilty yell \u00e2\u20ac\u0153shit!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/em>and slam the book down while I was on the train.<\/p>\n
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