Origins of Modern Japanese Literature

by Kōjin Karatani and Devrim Çetin Güven

Book Overview

Since its publication in Japan ten years ago, Origins of Modern Japanese Literature has become a landmark book, playing a pivotal role in defining discussions of modernity in that country. Against a history of relative inattention on the part of Western translators to modern Asian critical theory, this first English publication is sure to have a profound effect on current cultural criticism in the West. It is both the boldest critique of modern...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822313235
• ISBN13: 9780822313236
• Release Date: May 1993
• Publisher: Duke University Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A view in Japanese culture

This book is a perfect introduction in modern Japanese literature, how to understand the contamporary culture and view of the japanese society.

Rare

Karatani Kojin, probably one of Japan's most important contemporary theoretician/philosophers gives a great introduction to Modern (with a capital M) Japanese literary theory. He clearly explains the Modernization of Japanese artistic philosophy, and illustrates each with references to some classic Japanese literature.Of course, a book on this subject wouldn't be complete without reference to Natsume Soseki. Karatani discusses much of Soseki's literary and theoritical work, nicely putting it into perspective against the overall backdrop of Modern trends in Japanese literature.This book should definitely be on the bookshelf of every serious student of Japanese Modern literature.