Lafcadio Hearn's Japan

by Hearn, Lafcadio; Richie, Donald

• ISBN13: 9780804820967
• ISBN10: 0804820961
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-11-01
• Publisher: Tuttle Pub

Summary

Nearly one hundred years after his death, author, translator, and educator Lafcadio Hearn remains one of the best-known Westerners ever to make Japan his home. His prolific writings on things Japanese helped shape Western views on Japan well into the 20th century. Yet as influential as he was, critical opinion of his work varies widely. To some, he is Japan's greatest interpreter; to others, he is the country's ultimate apologist.
In this new anthology, Donald Richie shows that Hearn was first and foremost a reliable observer, who faithfully recorded a detailed account of the people, customs, and culture of turn-of-the-century Japan. Through his selections, Richie also suggests that Hearn tempered his style and altered his perceptions over time to more accurately reflect the world in which he lived.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 7
Introduction	p. 9
The Land	p. 19
Strangeness and Charm	p. 26
The Chief City of the Province of the Gods	p. 37
In a Japanese Garden	p. 66
Three Popular Ballads	p. 100
In the Cave of the Children's Ghosts	p. 107
A Letter from Japan	p. 123
Horai	p. 139
The People	p. 143
Bits of Life and Death	p. 153
Of Women's Hair	p. 171
A Street Singer	p. 182
Kimiko	p. 187
Yuko: A Reminiscence	p. 198
On a Bridge	p. 205
The Case of O-Dai	p. 209
Drifting	p. 216
Diplomacy	p. 223
A Passional Karma	p. 226
Survivals	p. 248
Notes	p. 257
Chronology	p. 269
Glossary	p. 271
Bibliography	p. 277
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