The Essential Akutagawa (9784805317990)

"Akutagawa displays an insightful and keenly creative intelligence in prose so lucid its sophistication is hardly visible." —Chris Power, The Guardian

Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892—1927), often called "the Father of the Japanese short story," wrote more than 150 works during his brief but prolific career. Widely regarded as Japan's master storyteller, he blended modern sensibilities with timeless themes to profound effect.

This new anthology offers the most comprehensive collection of Akutagawa's work ever published in English. It features fresh translations of his most celebrated stories alongside many lesser-known and never-before-translated pieces:

• Rashomon: A destitute servant in old Kyoto faces a moral dilemma—starve or steal to survive
• An Odd Tale: A young woman is haunted by strange encounters with a station porter while her husband fights in World War I
• Shadows: A merchant receives anonymous letters about his wife's infidelity—only to come face-to-face with his own double
• In a Grove: Multiple, conflicting accounts of a samurai's death—this story inspired Kurosawa's legendary film Rashomon
• Hell Screen: A chilling tale of artistic obsession and its devastating cost, adapted from an ancient legend
• Momotaro: In this first-ever English translation, Akutagawa transforms a beloved folk hero into a biting satire of nationalism and war
• Plus 16 other major works by the Japanese master!

An essential volume for every serious reader of Japanese literature—and a captivating introduction to one of the world's great literary voices.


About the Author:
Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) is one of the biggest names in Japanese literature, recognized for his mastery of the short story form. He was a contemporary of Osamu Dazai, Jun'ichiro Tanizaki and Soseki Natsume. In the West, he is best known for his short story In a Grove, adapted by Akira Kurosawa in his award-winning movie Rashomon. Many of his stories highlight a fascination with supernatural and transformational phenomena while others have vivid historical backdrops and display influences from classic Japanese and Western fiction. In 1927, at the age of 35, he killed himself.

Richard Medhurst was born in the UK and lives in Yokohama. His translation of Akutagawa's An Odd Tale was published in Kyoto Journal in 2018, and his translation of Eiji Suzuki's Lingering Fragrance was published in the anthology Strokes of Brush and Blade (Kurodahan Press, 2018). He has worked as a translator, editor and writer for the online magazine Nippon.com for over a decade, specializing in literature and history. He has also written a popular series of articles about studying Japanese which have received tens of thousands of page views. His article on Japan's 72 microseasons helped popularize the concept in the English-speaking world.