In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays - Hardcover

by Junichiro Tanizaki (Author), Michael P. Cronin (Translator)

"In Praise of Shadows belongs to that special order of slim, enormously powerful books that enchant the lay reader with an esoteric subject, leaving a lifelong imprint on the imagination." --Maria Popova

Illustrated with artful images by renowned Kyoto-based photographer John Einarsen, this book is a "must-have" for all fans of Japanese literature and anyone interested in Japanese art and design.

These all-new translations of four landmark essays by Junichiro Tanizaki bring fresh insights to the work of one of Japan's most acclaimed writers. The translations by Michael P. Cronin bring together Tanizaki's famous meditation on Japanese aesthetics with three other fascinating cultural commentaries that appear here in English for the first time:

• "In Praise of Shadows" Tanizaki's best-known work--an ode to the subtle, refined aesthetic of Japan and the dangers posed to it by rapid modernization
• "At Okamoto" A reflection on Tanizaki's nostalgia for old Tokyo and his humorous attempts at writing poetry
• "Hanshin Observations" An early essay revealing Tanizaki's initial disdain for the Osaka region, where he moved following the 1923 earthquake that destroyed Tokyo
• "Osaka and Osakans as I See Them" An account of Tanizaki's nuanced love for Japan's second city, his adopted home and the setting for his masterpiece, The Makioka Sisters

Author Biography

Junichiro Tanizaki (1886-1965), widely considered one of Japan's finest modern authors, was born in the heart of Tokyo at a time when the city was just beginning to modernize. He studied Japanese literature at Tokyo Imperial University and entered the literary scene in 1910 with the much-lauded short story "The Tattoo." After the earthquake of 1923, he moved to the Kyoto-Osaka region, the setting for his later masterpiece, The Makioka Sisters. Many of his most important novels, stories, essays and translations were written after this move. He received the Order of Culture in 1949 and Japan's prestigious Tanizaki Prize is given in his name.

Michael P. Cronin is a translator, scholar of Japanese literature and cinema, and Associate Professor of Japanese Studies at The College of William & Mary. He is the translator of Junichiro Tanizaki's final novel, The Maids and the author of Osaka Modern.

John Einarsen's photography books include Kyoto: The Forest Within the Gate and Small Buildings of Kyoto vol. 1 & II. He is the founding editor and publisher of Kyoto Journal and has lived in Kyoto for over 40 years.