Salamander and Other Stories

by Masuji Ibuse

Book Overview

This collection of short stories displays Masuji Ibuse's style of satire to wry lyricism. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0870114581
• ISBN13: 9780870114588
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Kodansha
• Length: 136 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.5" x 7.2"

Customer Reviews

Of Stuck Salamanders and Sacrilegious Settlers

A thin, unassuming little book, "Salamander" contains nine superb short stories masterfully written by Ibuse Masuji. The stories, mostly dating from the 1920's to the 1950's, are subtle, deceptively simple and carefully crafted to make their points quietly but surely, often with gently ironic humor. Several of the stories are suffused with a slight, understated symbolic quality not quite surreal but not quite straightforward either, and this is counterbalanced with a sure eye for concrete detail and an earthy, almost rustic sensibility...in fact, most of the stories are set in Japan's rural areas generally around southwest Honshu (I found this especially refreshing since so much Japanese fiction, especially of the time in question, is overly fixated on Tokyo). Even so, each story is somewhat different too, and one gets a pretty good sense of Ibuse's versatility as a writer. In the world of English translation, Ibuse is perhaps better known for his classic novel "Black Rain" (full-length novels seem to get more attention in such an environment), which is all fine and well, but these excellent short stories are equally deserving of attention and will give the reader a fuller appreciation of the author's literary talents and skills. And speaking of translation, John Bester's work here is of high literary quality, managing to seem natural and at home in English without sacrificing accuracy or Japanese specificity. Highly recommended whether you are particularly interested in Japanese literature or are just generally looking for some good short stories. By the way, the nine stories are: "Plum Blossom by Night", "Lieutenant Lookeast", "Pilgrims' Inn", "Salamander", "Old Usitora", "Carp", "Life at Mr. Tange's", "Yosaku the Settler", and "Savan on the Roof". Also, this book was apparently once published under a different title, "Lieutenant Lookeast and Other Stories" so if you already have that one you may want to double-check before getting "Salamander and Other Stories" here.

precious short stories...

When I first heard Masuji Ibuse's name, it was in association with his best known work, _Black Rain_, regarding the Hiroshima bombing and aftermath.This _Salamander and other Stories_ is a collection of short stories, and it is well worthwhile. The stories here are about ordinary people doing everyday things; Ibuse's craftsman's touch and his personal insight into everyday behaviours are what make this collection so special.One story concerns a rural elderly man's obsession with his prize-winning bulls, and what happens when they disappear. Another regards a bizarre military tragedy, and the title story is about a salamander who becomes too large to leave his cave. All the stories are significantly different and special to make them memorable to me; the place names and character names are Japanese, but the style itself doesn't have "Japanese" stamped all over it. The stories strike a universal chord. Anyone who loves short stories, be they contemporary Japanese, contemporary American, or by one of Europe's masters of Modernism (think Joyce's _Dubliners_, the stories of Kafka, or the stories of Thomas Mann), should at least give Ibuse's _Salamander and other Stories_ a try. I think it's well worth it...