In Praise of Shadows and Other Essays

"In Praise of Shadows belongs to that special order of slim, enormously powerful books that enchant the lay reader with an esoteric subject, leaving a lifelong imprint on the imagination" --Maria Popova This all-new translation of landmark essays by the great Japanese novelist and short-story writer Junichiro Tanizaki brings together his famous meditation on aesthetics and three other fascinating cultural commentaries. Illustrated with atmospheric images by renowned Kyoto photographer John Einarsen, the book will appeal to fans of Japanese literature and anyone with an interest in art and design. The essays in the book include:

"In Praise of Shadows," an ode to the subtle, refined aesthetic of traditional Japan and the dangers posed to it by modernization "At Okamoto," a reflection on Tanizaki's nostalgia for the old Tokyo and his humorously inept attempts at writing poetry "Osaka and Osakans as I See Them," an account of Tanizaki's great love for Japan's second city, his adopted home and the setting of his masterpiece, The Makioka Sisters And "On the Lavatory," a tongue-in-cheek treatise on the elements of the ideal bathroom

"Osaka and Osakans as I See Them" and "At Okamoto" appear here for the first time in English; "In Praise of Shadows" and "On the Lavatory" are new translations that reveal these classics in fresh ways. Nearly a century after he wrote them, Tanizaki's essays continue to inspire and provoke readers around the world.