Synopses & Reviews
This hilarious masterpiece of Japanese literature recounts the adventures of a disdainful cat accidentally cohabiting with a group of grotesque characters, all members of Tokyos sanctimonious middle class during the Meiji era. THese characters include the dyspeptic professor Kushami and his family, who are theoretical owners of the house where the cat lives; the teachers best friend; the irritating charlatan Meite; and the young scholar Kangetsu. A satire with acerbic wit and sardonic perspective, this novel runs through the vicissitudes of a fickle cat philosopher who never tires of making the most incisive comments on the disparate band of human beings with whom he lives.
Esta hilarante obra maestra de la literatura japonesa relata las aventuras de un gato desdeñoso que cohabita por casualidad con un grupo de personajes grotescos, todos miembros de la clase media tradicional de Tokío durante la era Meiji. Estos personajes incluyen el descontento profesor Kushami y su familia, quienes son los propietarios teóricos de la casa donde vive el gato; el mejor amigo del maestro; el charlatán irritante Meite y el estudioso jóven Kangetsu. Una sátira con un ingenio mordaz y un punto de vista sarcástico, esta novela cubre las vicisitudes de un gato filósofo voluble que no se cansa de hacer los comentarios más incisivos sobre la banda dispar de seres humanos con los que vive.
Review
"Soseki's characters offer us a new definition of what Humanism is." Kenzaburo Oé, author and Nobel Prize winner
Synopsis
This hilarious masterpiece of Japanese literature recounts the adventures of a disdainful cat accidentally cohabiting with a group of grotesque characters, all members of Tokyo's sanctimonious middle class during the Meiji era. THese characters include the dyspeptic professor Kushami and his family, who are theoretical owners of the house where the cat lives; the teacher's best friend; the irritating charlatan Meite; and the young scholar Kangetsu. A satire with acerbic wit and sardonic perspective, this novel runs through the vicissitudes of a fickle cat philosopher who never tires of making the most incisive comments on the disparate band of human beings with whom he lives.
Esta hilarante obra maestra de la literatura japonesa relata las aventuras de un gato desde oso que cohabita por casualidad con un grupo de personajes grotescos, todos miembros de la clase media tradicional de Tok o
durante la era Meiji. Estos personajes incluyen el descontento profesor Kushami y su familia, quienes son los propietarios te ricos de la casa donde vive el gato; el mejor amigo del maestro; el charlat n irritante Meite y el estudioso j ven Kangetsu. Una s tira con un ingenio mordaz y un punto de vista sarc stico, esta novela cubre las vicisitudes de un gato fil sofo voluble que no se cansa de hacer los comentarios m s incisivos sobre la banda dispar de seres humanos con los que vive.
About the Author
Natsume Soseki is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji period (18681912). His novels include Botchan and Kokoro. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, Chinese-style poetry, and fairy tales. Yoko Ogihara and Ferenando Cordobés are translators.