In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays by Tanizaki, Junichiro

In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9784805319352)

Vendor: Junichiro Tanizaki
Product type: Books
Format: Hardcover
$14.99
$14.99
$14.99
Subtotal: $14.99
In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays by Tanizaki, Junichiro

In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays

$14.99
In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays by Tanizaki, Junichiro

In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays

$14.99
Format: Hardcover
Description
Description
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"In Praise of Shadows belongs to that special order of slim, enormously powerful books that enchant the lay reader with an esoteric subject, leaving a lifelong imprint on the imagination" --Maria Popova

This all-new translation of landmark essays by the great Japanese novelist and short-story writer Junichiro Tanizaki brings together his famous meditation on aesthetics and three other fascinating cultural commentaries. Illustrated with atmospheric images by renowned Kyoto photographer John Einarsen, the book will appeal to fans of Japanese literature and anyone with an interest in art and design. The essays in the book include:

  • "In Praise of Shadows," an ode to the subtle, refined aesthetic of traditional Japan and the dangers posed to it by modernization
  • "At Okamoto," a reflection on Tanizaki's nostalgia for the old Tokyo and his humorously inept attempts at writing poetry
  • "Osaka and Osakans as I See Them," an account of Tanizaki's great love for Japan's second city, his adopted home and the setting of his masterpiece, The Makioka Sisters
  • And "On the Lavatory," a tongue-in-cheek treatise on the elements of the ideal bathroom
"Osaka and Osakans as I See Them" and "At Okamoto" appear here for the first time in English; "In Praise of Shadows" and "On the Lavatory" are new translations that reveal these classics in fresh ways. Nearly a century after he wrote them, Tanizaki's essays continue to inspire and provoke readers around the world.

Author: Junichiro Tanizaki
ISBN-10: 4805319356
ISBN-13: 9784805319352
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Language: English
Published: 03/03/2026
Pages: 192
Format: Hardcover
By Junichiro Tanizaki
By Junichiro Tanizaki
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Junichiro Tanizaki (1886-1965), widely considered one of Japan's finest modern authors, was born in the heart of Tokyo. He studied Japanese literature at Tokyo Imperial University and entered the literary scene in 1910 with the much-lauded short story "The Tattoo." After the earthquake of 1923, he moved to the Kyoto-Osaka region, the setting for The Makioka Sisters. Many of his most important novels, stories, essays and translations were written after his move. He received the Imperial Prize for Literature in 1949 and is the namesake of the Tanizaki Prize, one of Japan's most sought-after literary awards.

Michael P. Cronin is a translator, scholar of Japanese literature and cinema, and Associate Professor of Japanese Studies at The College of William & Mary. He is the translator of Junichiro Tanizaki's final novel, The Maids and the author of Osaka Modern.

Bryan Karetnyk is a translator and scholar of Japanese and Russian literature and culture. His translations include Junichiro Tanizaki's The Siren's Lament and Akutagawa Ryunosuke's Murder in the Age of Enlightenment. A Lecturer in the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, he writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement, the Financial Times and the Spectator.

John Einarsen's photography books include Kyoto: The Forest Within the Gate and Small Buildings of Kyoto vol. 1 & II. He is the founding editor and publisher of Kyoto Journal and has lived in Kyoto for over 40 years.

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