Rjúnosuke Akutagawa Knihy

Povídka Obraz pekla japonského prozaika a esejisty zabývajícího se složitostí lidské psychiky, v překladu Vlasty Hilské vychází samostatně v novém kapesním vydání.

Kniha obsahuje celkem deset povídek, které Rjúnosuke Akutagawa napsal v letech 1919–1926. Každá z nich má své osobité kouzlo a předkládá čtenáři s jemnou ironií a melancholickou skepsí nadčasová dramata pocitu viny, pochybností, zrady a hrabivosti, vycházející z osobních zážitků a úvah autora i dávných mystických příběhů, přenesených do autorovy současnosti. Hloubka a originalita pohledu, s jakou se umělec dívá na věci kolem sebe, je nejvtipněji a nejstručněji vyjádřena v titulní povídce "Tělo ženy".... celý text

Akutagawa je považován za nejlepšího japonského spisovatele období po první světové válce. Napsal asi sto čtyřicet povídek prodchnutých humorem a jemnou ironií. Látku čerpal z historického materiálu, zvláště ze sbírek z doby Heian (794–1185). Námět k mnoha povídkám (Rašómon, Nos, V houštině) pochází ze sbírky Kondžaku monogatari z druhé poloviny jedenáctého či z počátku dvanáctého století, v níž jsou příběhy vyprávěny velmi stručně, jsou vlastně jen faktickým záznamem neobyčejné, zajímavé události či děje. Akutagawa do tohoto historického materiálu vložil moderní psychologický rozbor postav, zdůvodnil motivaci jejich jednání a zhuštěnou zkratkou navodil náladu přírody. V Akutagawových povídkách najdeme groteskní a fantastické náměty i témata křesťanských a buddhistických.

From the literary giant of Japan, who is often referred to as the "Godfather of the Japanese short story," and after whom the most coveted literary prize of Japan is named, the Akutagawa Prize, comes this collection of three of his greatest short stories.Akutagawa is probably best known for his story "Rasho ̄mon" which was adapted for the screen by legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. While he died at the young age of 35, the author penned well over 150 short stories, including "Cogwheels" which he wrote just before his suicide in 1927. Accompanied by stunning woodcuts by renowned artists Naoko Matsubara, and expertly translated by Howard Norman, the three stories compiled here reflect the haunting, precise and brilliant style of Akutagawa and offer a superb entry point to his work. Haruki Murakami aptly described Akutagawa's writing when he remarked, "the flow of his language is the best feature of Akutagawa's style. Never stagnant, it moves along like a living thing... His choice of words is intuitive, natural--and beautiful."

Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Celebrating the range and diversity of Penguin Classics, they take us from snowy Japan to springtime Vienna, from haunted New England to a sun-drenched Mediterranean island, and from a game of chess on the ocean to a love story on the moon. Beautifully designed and printed, these collectible editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth and stamped with foil. Akutagawa was one of the towering figures of modern Japanese literature, and is considered the father of the Japanese short story. This paradigmatic selection, which includes the stories that inspired Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film Rashomon, showcases the terrible beauty, cynicism, sublime pain and absurd humour of his writing. 'One never tires of reading and re-reading his best works. The elegantly spare style has a truly spine-tingling brilliance' - Haruki Murakami

From one of the masters of the short story comes an unforgettable collection of haunting and strange tales.

Akutagawa's magical final work is a short novel with a magic spell all its own--poignant, fantastical, wry, melancholic, and witty

'What is the life of a human being - a drop of dew, a flash of lightning? This is so sad, so sad.' Autobiographical stories from one of Japan's masters of modernist story-telling. Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions. Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927). Akutagawa's Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories is also available in Penguin Classics.

'One never tires of reading and re-reading his best works. Akutagawa was a born short-story writer' - Haruki Murakami