There can be no doubt that [Akutagawa] had more individuality than any other writer of his time and has left in Japanese literature a mass of artistic work, often grotesque and curious, that, while it undoubtedly angers the proletarian experimenters who now hold the stage and fight with lusty pens and a highly developed class consciousness against all that he stood for, will continue to live as long as men go on treasuring the fancies their fellows from time to time set down with care on paper.--Glen W. Shaw
Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Celebrating the range and diversity of Penguin Classics, they take us from snowy Japan to springtime Vienna, from haunted New England to a sun-drenched Mediterranean island, and from a game of chess on the ocean to a love story on the moon. Beautifully designed and printed, these collectible editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth and stamped with foil. Akutagawa was one of the towering figures of modern Japanese literature, and is considered the father of the Japanese short story. This paradigmatic selection, which includes the stories that inspired Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film Rashomon, showcases the terrible beauty, cynicism, sublime pain and absurd humour of his writing. 'One never tires of reading and re-reading his best works. The elegantly spare style has a truly spine-tingling brilliance' - Haruki Murakami
These three stories are experimental works by one of the most important early-twentieth century Japanese authors. Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) is best known for his stories derived from historical incidents or legends; for example, "Rashomon", the basis of the famous film.
"Hell Screen" by Ryunosuke Akutagawa is a dark, psychological short story about an obsessive artist named Yoshihide. Commissioned by a powerful lord to paint a folding screen depicting scenes of hell, Yoshihide demands to witness horrifying events firsthand to capture their essence accurately. The story escalates when the lord, aware of Yoshihide’s obsession, stages the burning of a carriage with the artist's beloved daughter inside. Instead of stopping it, Yoshihide watches in awe, using the scene to complete his masterpiece. The tale explores themes of artistic obsession, cruelty, and moral corruption, highlighting the conflict between creative genius and human compassion. It reflects Akutagawa’s interest in the darker aspects of human nature and the price of artistic perfection. "In a Grove" by Ryunosuke Akutagawa is a groundbreaking short story that presents a mystery through conflicting testimonies. It revolves around the investigation of the murder of a samurai and the rape of his wife, but each witness—including the wife, a bandit, and even the ghost of the samurai—provides a contradictory version of what happened. The story explores themes of subjective truth, deception, and the elusive nature of reality. Each account raises doubts about human honesty, leaving the reader to question whether objective truth is ever attainable. The story's unresolved ending forces readers to confront the ambiguity of truth and morality. "In a Grove" inspired Akira Kurosawa’s famous film "Rashomon" and is considered a classic in modern literature for its innovative narrative structure.
Pulitzer Prize–winning author John Matteson illuminates three harrowing months of the Civil War and their enduring legacy for America. December 1862 drove the United States toward a breaking point. The Battle of Fredericksburg shattered Union forces and Northern confidence. As Abraham Lincoln’s government threatened to fracture, this critical moment also tested five extraordinary individuals whose lives reflect the soul of a nation. The changes they underwent led to profound repercussions in the country’s law, literature, politics, and popular mythology. Taken together, their stories offer a striking restatement of what it means to be American. Guided by patriotism, driven by desire, all five moved toward singular destinies. A young Harvard intellectual steeped in courageous ideals, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. confronted grave challenges to his concept of duty. The one-eyed army chaplain Arthur Fuller pitted his frail body against the evils of slavery. Walt Whitman, a gay Brooklyn poet condemned by the guardians of propriety, and Louisa May Alcott, a struggling writer seeking an authentic voice and her father’s admiration, tended soldiers’ wracked bodies as nurses. On the other side of the national schism, John Pelham, a West Point cadet from Alabama, achieved a unique excellence in artillery tactics as he served a doomed and misbegotten cause. A Worse Place Than Hell brings together the prodigious forces of war with the intimacy of individual lives. Matteson interweaves the historic and the personal in a work as beautiful as it is powerful.
From Lovecraft to Borges to Gaiman, a century of intrepid literary experimentation has created a corpus of dark and strange stories that transcend all known genre boundaries. Together these stories form The Weird, and its practitioners include some of the greatest names in twentieth and twenty-first century literature. Exotic and esoteric, The Weird plunges you into dark domains and brings you face to face with surreal monstrosities. You won't find any elves or wizards here...but you will find the biggest, boldest, and downright most peculiar stories from the last hundred years bound together in the biggest Weird collection ever assembled. The Weird features 110 stories by an all-star cast, from literary legends to international bestsellers to Booker Prize winners: including William Gibson, George R. R. Martin, Stephen King, Angela Carter, Kelly Link, Franz Kafka, China Miéville, Clive Barker, Haruki Murakami, M. R. James, Neil Gaiman, Mervyn Peake, and Michael Chabon. The Weird is the winner of the 2012 World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Madness, murder and obsession: a stylishly original and fantastical collection of stories from an iconic Japanese writer A collection of the 7 essential Akutagawa short stories, in a vivid and elegant translation – the perfect introduction to this master of prose “A born short-story writer. . . one never tires of reading and re-reading his best works” – Haruki Murukami From a nobleman's court, to the garden of paradise, to a lantern festival in Tokyo, these 7 shrot stories offer dazzling glimpses into moments of madness, murder and obsession. A talented yet spiteful painter is given over to depravity in pursuit of artistic brilliance. In the depth of hell, a robber spies a single spider's thread being lowered towards him. When a body is found in an isolated bamboo grove, a kaleidoscopic account of violence and desire begins to unfold. These are short stories from an unparalleled master of the form. Sublimely crafted and stylishly original, Akutagawa's writing is shot through with a fantastical sensibility. This collection, in a vivid translation by Bryan Karetnyk, brings together the most essential works from this iconic Japanese writer. Part of the Pushkin Press Classics series: outstanding classic storytelling from around the world, in a stylishly original series design. From newly rediscovered gems to fresh translations of the world’s greatest authors, this series includes such authors as Stefan Zweig, Hermann Hesse, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and Gaito Gazdanov.
In this thrilling volume, the rabbit ronin teams up with--and faces off against--a multitude of unexpected characters! First, bandits plunder a village threatened by flooding . . . but their reasons for pillaging will surprise even the most steadfast! Then, Usagi must work alongside his natural enemy--a Kappa--to cast out a violent renegade of the same species. Later, a Komori ninja must honor her debts when she and Usagi end up on opposing sides of a trade agreement gone wrong. Finally, Inspector Ishida returns to investigate a ghastly painting known only as the Hell Screen! Collects Usagi Yojimbo issues #152-#158.
A vivid account of the Irish slave trade: the previously untold story of over 50,000 Irish men, women and children who were transported to Barbados and Virginia.
