Japanese Literature: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #728

by Alan M. Tansman

With a history stretching back nearly 1,500 years, Japanese literature is infused from its beginnings with written traditions from around the globe, while ever evolving in its own particular expressive modes and vision. This Very Short Introduction traverses this vast and varied canon, ranging from the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji, to pre-modern and modern narrative fiction (including such writers as Natsume S?seki, Yukio Mishima and Murakami Haruki); from the foundational works of women's literature to the rich genres of poetry, performance art, and erotica; and from the literary treatise to the precursors of contemporary Japan's most successful cultural manga.

Genres: Japan, Nonfiction, Literature, Audiobook, Japanese Literature, Literary Criticism, Art

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 24, 2023

Reviews

[Ivy-Mabel Fling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very short introduction focuses to a large extent on the origins of Japanese literature and the role which language plays (or does not play) in it. Certain chapters concentrate on the view that the real meaning of much of the literature goes beyond words to a transcendental understanding of life, whereas others suggest that its brilliance arises from its down-to-earth quality. What you should not expect from the book is an analysis of modern writing - certain contemporary authors are mentioned but not in any detail and many names I have seen on websites are ignored, which I regret as I had hoped to gain a greater understanding of the contemporary scene.

[carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

bought this because im obsessed with japanese literature. i was worried that it would be a bit too technical but its very easy to follow (even the author of this essay-like book writes beautiful prose), though its definitely more enjoyable if youve read some of the classics and have given some thought to the things that make japanese literature unique. though too short to be "academic", the writer has a way of putting just the right words to vague feelings or impressions you might have about japanese literature. its definitely very introductory, but i liked that it was constructed by theme (or characteristics of japanese lit) rather than chronologically, and i definitely learnt some new things and got to write down some new titles to read (mainly the tale of genji which i became obsessed with just as i was reading). i would surely recommend it to someone who has a special interest in japanese authors!!

[Sexy BooRadley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good reference book to Japanese literature

[Tinkerreise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seeing as this was the most recently written crash course to JP lit I could get my hand on, I read it thinking it'd have more focus on modern (read: still living) authors, and so be more relevant to my interests (learning Japanese and Japanese literature in parallel). Couldn't have been further from the truth: this introduction is overwhelmingly about pre-1800s texts.

There's a clear focus on pre-WWII Japanese authorship, even to the expense of "modern" authors, who are snubbed in exchange for a quite girthy Genji / ancient matters section. Miyazawa Kenji and Takashi Nagai are nowhere to be found. Yoshimoto Banana is missing too, to my surprise. No mention of the Crab Cannery Ship, despite it apparently having made a comeback in recent years (though to be fair, that may have been after this book went to print). There is actually a mention, if only a mention, of modern online literature, games, and other modern multimedia literature, though a sentence alone feels sparse. Clearly, the hundred-or-so page limit imposed on this series of books is harsh, real harsh. I recognize the valiant effort to cover such a huge field in ~110 pages, but I can't help but feel like a Short Introduction instead of a Very Short Introduction would be better...

I did appreciate the section on Sei Shonagon a great deal though due to the way her lists where presented. It reminded me of Borges' Chinese Encyclopedia and, consequently, Foucault's Order of Things. Interesting links, if imaginary.

Also: the flurry of authors ends up a bit disorienting when they're not necessarily in chronological order. The progression Nagai Kafu -> Higuchi Ichiyo caught me off-guard to be honest. I think some topics are brought up and explained twice too, like renga.

Feels a bit bizarre that the other texts I deliberated between - books written before I was born - likely takes up more modern authors than this does.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The American-born professor of Japanese Studies, Alan Tansman, wrote the book Japanese Literature: A Very Short Introduction, published in 2023. The book has illustrations. The book includes a reference section. The book has a section entitled “further reading” (Tansman 124-130). The book has an index. The book has a section entitled “A Note on Japanese Names” (Tansman xx). The first chapter examines the importance of the beauty of language in Japanese literature and in Japanese writing historically. The first chapter covers a lot of poetry. The second chapter is on The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. Tansman writes, “In the first decade of the eleventh century, Murasaki Shikibu, a lady-in-waiting at the imperial court, began writing that was to become the most influential work in the Japanese tradition and, to some, the world’s first novel” (Tansman 25). The third chapter was on realism in Japanese literary tradition. The fourth chapter was on how Japanese writers wrote about violence. The fifth chapter is on popular literature in Japan's history. This chapter also covers the long history in Japan of word play in Japanese literature. The last chapter is Tansman's final thoughts on defining Japanese literature. The book is an excellent introduction to Japanese Literature.

[Smith Easton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for Place Studies Japan. Hard to consume as all theory, but still interesting and I’m glad I read it. I enjoyed the chapter on detective novels as I learned more about the name origin of a character from Bungo Stray Dogs.

[Taylor Swift Scholar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful very short introduction. I particularly enjoyed the opening chapter on Japanese Poetry and how it plays with language and intertextuality. It made me feel both excited and daunted by the prospect of reading Japanese poetry (in translation).

[Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

Pretty thorough and informative in comparison to some other VSIs I’ve read

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brand new sentence
The many children's books in Japanese written by blind Russian Esperantist Vasili Eroshenko