Sayaka Murata’s Spectacularly Strange ‘Vanishing World’
In Sayaka Murata’s eagerly awaited novel Vanishing World, our conventional understanding of love and sex has all but disappeared.
japanese literature
Mieko Kawakami’s ‘Breasts and Eggs’ Is a Feminist Masterpiece
Fearless in its demand for accountability, transcendent in its honesty, Mieko Kawakami's Breasts and Eggs breathes life into feminist literature and throws down a gauntlet for other writers to aspire toward.
Newly Translated Mishima Work, ‘Star’, Offers Insight into His Pop Culture Persona
Posthumous work by celebrated Japanese author Yukio Mishima, Star, explores how celebrities struggle with their own lack of authenticity.
Small Books for Big Brains: Red Circle Minis’ Pocket-sized Japanese Fiction
Why must I tote around a book the size of a '90s-era laptop computer, carried in a bag slung over aching shoulders and twisted back, while my friends in Japan can enjoy the same book slipped near weightlessly into their pants pocket?
Haruki Murakami’s ‘Killing Commendatore’ Is Yet Another Turn Around the Tired Fantasy Carousel
Disturbing pedophilia and time-consuming repetition drag down Haruki Murakami’s Killing Commendatore.
‘The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories’ Is a Perfect Balance of Classic and Modern
The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories is not merely another college lit anthology, but a fascinating collection of short stories from all periods and from several authors who all too rarely make it into English translation.
Sayaka Murata on Convenience Store Virtues
Sayaka Murata’s award-winning debut, Convenience Store Woman, finds that when social life becomes too much, even a convenience store can be a welcome refuge.