In Praise of Shadows - Softcover

Tanizaki, Jun'ichiro

4.03

23,562 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0224028987 ISBN 13: 9780224028981

Publisher: Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1991

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

An essay on aesthetics by the Japanese novelist. The text ranges over architecture, jade, food, toilets and combines an acute sense of the use of space in buildings, as well as descriptions of lacquerware under candlelight and women in the darkness of the house of pleasure. The author also wrote "Some Prefer Nettle". "Arrowroot", "A Portrait of Shunkin", "The Tale of Genji", "The Makioka Sisters", "The Key" and "Diary of a Mad Old Man".

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review:

"An elegant essay on traditional Japanese aesthetics by the great novelist. A delight to read" (Independent on Sunday)

"A highly infectious essay lauding all things shady and subtly hidden" (Guardian)

"The outstanding Japanese novelist of this century" (Edmund White)

"This is a powerfully anti-modernist book, yet contains the most beautiful evocation of the traditional Japanese aesthetic... More like a poem than an essay" (Building Design)

"I am convinced that Tanizaki is one of the few great writers of our time. He is an author of outstanding stature and deserves to be far better known outside Japan than he is" (Ivan Morris)

Book Description:

An intimate reflection on Japanese art and architecture from one of the country's greatest novelists.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.