Description
Book SynopsisCounting Dreams tells the story of Nomura Boto, a Buddhist nun, writer, poet, and activist who joined the movement to oppose the Tokugawa Shogunate and restore imperial rule. Banished for her political activities, Boto was imprisoned on a remote island until her comrades rescued her in a dramatic jailbreak, spiriting her away under gunfire. Roger K. Thomas examines Boto''s life, writing, and legacy, and provides annotated translations of two of her literary diaries, shedding light on life and society in Japan''s tumultuous bakumatsu period and challenging preconceptions about women''s roles in the era.
Thomas interweaves analysis of Boto''s poetry and diaries with the history of her life and activism, examining their interrelationship and revealing how she brought two worldsthe poetic and the politicaltogether. Counting Dreams illustrates Boto''s significant role in the loyalist movement, depicting the adventurous life of a complex woman in J
Trade Review
Translations of two diaries are included here: one recounts a trip to the capital and encounters with other loyalists; the other was written during her imprisonment. [The translations] provide a clear sense of the daily life of an observant, sensitive, well-educated woman who cared deeply about poetry, politics, and people.
* Choice *
Table of ContentsIntroduction
1. Girlhood to Widowhood
2. Loyalist
3. Imprisonment and Exile
4. In Chōshū
5. Poetry
6. Diaries
7. Legacy
Coclusion
