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A newly acquired 1958 Folio Society edition of short stories originally published in 1686, in which Ihara is credited with creating the Ukiyo "Floating World" genre of Edo Period Japanese literature.
Folio covers are often difficult to photograph: this one is bound in a beautiful watchet-tinted silk ?
The end papers and title pages are beneath, and a detail of one of the woodcut illustrations to the left ❤️

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

1/ always fun putting up the decorations

2/ Tale of Genji, not a snowflake in sight but I'm really looking forward to it as I've been on the waiting list on Libby for, something like over a year, and it just delivered it, a wonderful surprise

3 Stars • The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea is about Noboru Kuroda, a 13-year-old boy in a nihilistic gang, and his mother Fusako, who starts an affair with Ryuji Tsukazaki, a sailor. Initially, Noboru idolizes Ryuji for his adventurous life at sea. Ryuji's decision to settle down and marry Fusako is seen by Noboru and his friends as a betrayal of the sea's romantic ideal. The gang plots against Ryuji, leading to his murder by boys.

Sosuke and his wife Oyone lead a quiet, monotonous life in a shabby rented house in Tokyo. Although they live isolated due to past events, they are still relatively happy. However, when the events of the past gradually catch up with them, Sosuke is faced with a dilemma. How much obedience do you owe to those around you and what are the consequences when you choose to listen to yourself?

#WeeklyForecast 46/24

I‘ve found my escape in another John Marrs, and am halfway through now. Next will be this Japanese #NYRB book, also comfort reading!

3.5/5 🌟

This Japanese novel is anything but cozy. It follows a young woman, pregnant out of wedlock, facing her parents' disapproval and surviving an abusive, alcoholic father. Her journey through childbirth, work struggles, and finding childcare is raw and challenging.

It started strong, but by the end, my interest had faded.

From today‘s Outdoor Reading With Schnauzers session. I think novella-length is my sweet spot with Yukio Mishima. I got tired of SPRING SNOW, a novel, a fair ways before it ended and none of the shorter pieces in this collection wowed me, but I really enjoyed both the novellas included here.

Ah, friends, I‘ve just endured a spotty reading week where I got stuck on a sports romance, then fought my way through to the end of SPRING SNOW. It was good enough that I wanted to finish it, but not so gripping that I wanted to read it straight through, so I read another chunk every time I finished something else. I‘d say it‘s worth reading on the whole, but the last 75 pages were a real slog and I dunno if I‘ll continue the quartet.

I‘m doing the get-book-read-book thing with SPRING SNOW, which I found in a Little Free Library yesterday. It‘s off to a great start. Lots of immersive emotions and subtle details that bring this moment in time to life.

I bought the beer because I loved another rice lager earlier this year, but alas, it‘s WAY too mint-forward. Oh well. Someday, somehow, I‘ll find another rice lager to adore

This 1949 Japanese classic locked room mystery is finally translated into English! If you love Agatha Christie - you‘ll appreciate the twist at the end. It‘s short, a little traditional in parts, but overall a fun quick read.