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Alien Christmas
Japanese literature encompasses innumerable topics and styles, but it excels particularly at probing the depths of the human condition. Masao Yamakawa was a notable author from the mid-20th century who often employed characters struggling with a traumatic incident or some ongoing problem, whether a critical illness or a perceived flaw in their personality. Yamakawa’s work has been published in Life magazine, and his story “The Summer Procession” (available in Volume 1) has been listed in several national Japanese textbooks. He was also nominated for the Naoki and Akutagawa Prizes, two prestigious literary awards.
The highlight of Volume 3 is “Alien Christmas”, a whimsical tale of a man who encounters a tiny woman the size of his finger. A unique mix of science fiction, surrealism, and religious satire, “Alien Christmas” is a memorable story that is hard to categorize. This volume also contains “The Red Notebook”, a touching tale that raises important questions about the place of love in modern society.
Expanding on themes introduced in the first two volumes, these stories are highly recommended to fans of Yamakawa Masao, or readers looking to experiment with fresh Japanese literature off the beaten path.
As with the other volumes, the stories in this collection are listed in both English as well as parallel Japanese/English for students of Japanese.
The highlight of Volume 3 is “Alien Christmas”, a whimsical tale of a man who encounters a tiny woman the size of his finger. A unique mix of science fiction, surrealism, and religious satire, “Alien Christmas” is a memorable story that is hard to categorize. This volume also contains “The Red Notebook”, a touching tale that raises important questions about the place of love in modern society.
Expanding on themes introduced in the first two volumes, these stories are highly recommended to fans of Yamakawa Masao, or readers looking to experiment with fresh Japanese literature off the beaten path.
As with the other volumes, the stories in this collection are listed in both English as well as parallel Japanese/English for students of Japanese.
75 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 11, 2023
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December 27, 2023
Strangers Meet and disappear…
The Red Notebook is the telling of conversations between lovers, like Romeo and Juliet without parental feuding. The man who read the notebook realized passions of love existed yet find it dangerous. Alien Christmas tells of a five centimeter woman who communicates with eyes, having conversations with a giant on Earth. These tales were kinda reminiscent of classic Twilight Zone. May not be for everyone but still recommended.
The Red Notebook is the telling of conversations between lovers, like Romeo and Juliet without parental feuding. The man who read the notebook realized passions of love existed yet find it dangerous. Alien Christmas tells of a five centimeter woman who communicates with eyes, having conversations with a giant on Earth. These tales were kinda reminiscent of classic Twilight Zone. May not be for everyone but still recommended.
Displaying 1 of 1 review