Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Tuttle (1986), Edition: 2nd edition, Paperback, 102 pages
Description
A collectible hardcover edition of the best stories by the father of the Japanese short storyincluding the two that inspired Kurosawa's classic samurai film about the subjectivity of truthfeaturing an introduction by Haruki MurakamiA Penguin Vitae EditionRyunosuke Akutagawa is one of Japan's foremost stylistsa modernist master whose short stories
User reviews
LibraryThing member Cecrow
Akutagawa's stories in this collection are largely centered upon issues of morality, exploring their vagaries and some extreme scenarios. Some stories feature Buddhists while others feature Christians, suggesting he was familiar with the tenants of more than one faith and that his interest in
In a Grove - various perspectives on a murder, with inherent contradictions. A reminder that our justice system is rarely confronted with black-and-white cases.
Rashomon - in which the central character undergoes a morality shift that allows an action he could not previously countenance. Changed circumstances create thinner walls between good and evil.
Yam Gruel - a man may bear much in life, so long as he has some dream to cling to. It is best to avoid losing that crutch, if one can help it.
The Martyr - a Japanese Jesuit harbours more than one secret. Appears to be based on a true story that would naturally appeal to this author.
Kesa and Morito - another clashing perspectives story, with a stronger ending. This and the last are my favourites in this collection.
The Dragon - a very timely story about false news, but with a twist that still has me turning it over in my mind hours later.
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questions of morality was of a general nature.In a Grove - various perspectives on a murder, with inherent contradictions. A reminder that our justice system is rarely confronted with black-and-white cases.
Rashomon - in which the central character undergoes a morality shift that allows an action he could not previously countenance. Changed circumstances create thinner walls between good and evil.
Yam Gruel - a man may bear much in life, so long as he has some dream to cling to. It is best to avoid losing that crutch, if one can help it.
The Martyr - a Japanese Jesuit harbours more than one secret. Appears to be based on a true story that would naturally appeal to this author.
Kesa and Morito - another clashing perspectives story, with a stronger ending. This and the last are my favourites in this collection.
The Dragon - a very timely story about false news, but with a twist that still has me turning it over in my mind hours later.
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LibraryThing member poetontheone
As far as one can gleam from these translations, the prose of Akutagawa is driven less by narrative and imagery and more by subtle examinations of character. The prose is always evident as the work as a careful yet detached observer, even when writing from first person which seldom occurs. In this
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regard, Akutagawa seems to resemble O. Henry or Maupassant more than Mori Ogai or any of his Japanese contemporaries. The writing seems a little dry, though this may be the fault of the translator more than anything. From the little of it that I've read, I don't think it would hurt to suggest the more extensive volume of selections translated by Jay Rubin over this one. The writing seems much more descriptive and lively than it does here. Show Less
LibraryThing member amerynth
Thoroughly enjoyed both "Rashomon" and "Into the Grove" by Ryunosuke Akutagawa. I'd seen the movie "Rashomon" many years ago and it was fun to read the source material.
These short stories have a really modern feel and manage to say a lot in just a few words.
These short stories have a really modern feel and manage to say a lot in just a few words.
LibraryThing member greeniezona
I needed a couple of books by Japanese authors for book bingo, and as much as I love Mishima, I also know how long it takes me to make it through one of his books, so I picked up this slim copy of short stories a while ago.
Once I started reading it, it felt so intensely familiar, I wondered if I'd
These stories are short, but searing. They are stories of murder and suffering and feeling caught -- like you have no choice but to do this thing that is wrong and will also make you terribly unhappy. No fluffy foxes here. More shame. But they are not heavy with darkness, but calculated.
Left me chewing on how society shapes identity, and how our perceptions shape reality.
Once I started reading it, it felt so intensely familiar, I wondered if I'd
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read it before. After a while I decided that it was only familiar from the movie Rashomon, which is based off of the first story in this collection, "In a Grove."These stories are short, but searing. They are stories of murder and suffering and feeling caught -- like you have no choice but to do this thing that is wrong and will also make you terribly unhappy. No fluffy foxes here. More shame. But they are not heavy with darkness, but calculated.
Left me chewing on how society shapes identity, and how our perceptions shape reality.
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LibraryThing member g026r
Classic though this may be, I found that the 6 stories in my volume did nothing for me. The translation, by Takashi Kojima, probably didn't help as I found the style of the prose to be uninspiring, which meant that all I was left with were the stories themselves — and those I found to be
That said, it's just odd to read a book that includes footnotes explaining what sushi is.
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tiresome, mean-spirited, and somewhat on the trite side. (For some inexplicable reason I was reminded of O. Henry while reading. I have no idea why.)That said, it's just odd to read a book that includes footnotes explaining what sushi is.
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LibraryThing member Stbalbach
Rashomon, And Other Stories, translated by Takashi Kojima, 1952. This short collection of six stories includes the famous "In a Grove" (popularly called "Rashomon"), which I have seen on film countless times and is one of my all time favorites. If I had never seen the film, the story in print would
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not have left much of an impression, it is so brief and lacking detail, but with the images of the film in memory, it was like re-watching the movie again in the minds eye. It's remarkable that such a modern story was written in 1914, it still seems modern to this day, one of the shortest masterpieces of world literature. The other five stories cross multiple genres and I found them to be ok but nothing great like "Rashomon". Show Less
LibraryThing member iftyzaidi
A collection of short stories by Japanese author Akutagawa which include two stories that the Akira Kurosawa-directed classic 'Rashomon' was based on: (The Grove and Rashomon). Interesting and worth a look, but a bit bare, given there are only a handful of stories here.
LibraryThing member withlightandlove
I read the book that had 6 short stories in it and read it book in 1 day because it was so interesting, granted it is a short book.
Each story was interesting with each story having a moral to the story. I particularly enjoyed the story Martyr which was about a young boy accused of having
I highly recommend this book - 4.5 stars
Each story was interesting with each story having a moral to the story. I particularly enjoyed the story Martyr which was about a young boy accused of having
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intercourse with a young woman and impregnating her. The moral is to love and forgive, even when people do wrong by you.I highly recommend this book - 4.5 stars
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Rashomon by Ryunosuke Akutagawa is a small collection of short stories that have been translated into English. This version was an inexpensive copy for the Kindle so there were a few problems with the set up and editing but I was still very impressed with this author’s writing. Rashomon, is
All six stories in this collection were interesting but I particularly liked the first four. The opening story, The Grove was a fascinating murder story that was exposed through conflicting eyewitness accounts. This was followed by Rashomon which is a dark story that raises questions about violence, power and desperation. I then enjoyed Yam Gruel which was based on an old Japanese myth. This story seemed to be an example of being careful what you wish for. This was a slightly funny, slightly melancholy story of a lowly samurai who dreams of someday having a feast of yam gruel. I found The Martyr, a story about an orphan boy who lived by the words of Jesus and suffered like him both strange and tragic. The twist at the end of the story makes it rather unforgettable. I wasn’t quite as taken by the other two stories, “Kesa and Morito” about an extra-marital affair and finally “The Dragon” which sees a practical joke go awry
Over all this was an insightful collection from a master storyteller and, it was well worth reading these absorbing and thought-provoking tales.
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probably best known as a film by the well-known Japanese director Kurosawa. I believe the film is actually a combination of the first two stories in the book. All six stories in this collection were interesting but I particularly liked the first four. The opening story, The Grove was a fascinating murder story that was exposed through conflicting eyewitness accounts. This was followed by Rashomon which is a dark story that raises questions about violence, power and desperation. I then enjoyed Yam Gruel which was based on an old Japanese myth. This story seemed to be an example of being careful what you wish for. This was a slightly funny, slightly melancholy story of a lowly samurai who dreams of someday having a feast of yam gruel. I found The Martyr, a story about an orphan boy who lived by the words of Jesus and suffered like him both strange and tragic. The twist at the end of the story makes it rather unforgettable. I wasn’t quite as taken by the other two stories, “Kesa and Morito” about an extra-marital affair and finally “The Dragon” which sees a practical joke go awry
Over all this was an insightful collection from a master storyteller and, it was well worth reading these absorbing and thought-provoking tales.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
Japanese
Original publication date
1915
Physical description
102 p.; 7.18 inches
ISBN
0804814570 / 9780804814577