Description
Book Synopsis"The Japanese people are more mysterious than I imagined through Hearn's books." —Albert EinsteinLafcadio Hearn is the most significant early interpreter of Japan and Japanese culture for the West—a man who traveled to Japan when he was thirty-nine, and never left.
Lafcadio Hearn's Japan presents Hearn's most famous stories and essays about his adopted land—recounting his love for its striking natural beauty and the rich character and customs of its people.
The 18 fascinating essays in this book include:
- "In a Japanese Garden" Hearn's classic description of the meditative calm and serenity he experienced when visiting a traditional Zen garden just outside his back door
- "Strangeness and Charm" Expressing his deep love for the richness and beauty of traditional Japanese culture
- "In the Cave of the Children's Ghosts" An account of a journey to an isolated sea cave where the souls of dead children are said to congregate
Lafcadio Hearn's Japan provides an unforgettable look at traditional Japan through the eyes of a sensitive and eloquent foreigner. This new edition features a foreword by Steve Kemme, a leading expert on Hearn and president of the Lafcadio Hearn Society (USA). It also includes 21 color photos showcasing the people and places which Hearn so lovingly describes.
Trade Review"All nations believed in the rebirth of the soul and had probably empirical evidence like that Lafcadio Hearn found among the Japanese." --
William Butler Yeats"In the turbid, shallow flood of the ephemeral books of our time Lafcadio Hearn's contribution to English letters has been partially obscured. But day by day, as these sink unfruitfully into the sands of time, more clearly emerge the stern and exquisite outlines of his patient work." --
Elizabeth Bisland"I invested in a large number of books on Japan and tried to read some of them. I felt rather lost in Japanese history, but I liked the knightly tales and pleasant prose of Lafcadio Hearn." --
Jawaharal Nehru
