Lavishly opulent stories of sensual obsession, cultural heritage, and
mythological creatures--translated into English for the first time--from
a classic Japanese writer
Featuring "The Qilin," "The Siren's Lament," and the novella Killing
O-Tsuya, this gorgeous new edition of 3 classic works translated by
Bryan Karetnyk distills the essence of Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's shorter
fiction: the co-mingling of Japanese and Chinese mythologies, the
chillingly dark side of desire, and the paper-thin line between the
sublime and the depraved.
-
"The Qilin" The sage Confucius travels to a kingdom ruled by a
struggling duke, whose pursuit of virtue is threatened by his
consort's obsession desire for pleasure.
-
Killing O-Tsuya A naïve servant elopes with his master's daughter,
only to be plunged headlong into a world of murder and corruption.
-
"The Siren's Lament" Exhausted by a lifestyle of never-ending
debauchery, a young prince finds himself in possession of a dazzling,
beguiling mermaid.
The essential short works of one of the most important and widely-read
figured in modern Japanese literature, author of hugely popular works
including In Praise of Shadows, The Makioka Sisters, and Naomi;
renowned for his investigations of family dynamics, eroticism, and
cultural identity.
