Kaleidoscope Japan: A nation through the lens of literature

Kaleidoscope Japan takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride through the fascinating, diverse and colourful world of Japanese letters. Whether you are familiar with the influences, movements, and characters behind some of the greatest-and earliest-works in world literature or are taking your first tentative steps into a realm of genius detectives, curmudgeonly drunks, and lecherous princes, there will be something in each of these essays for you.From popular Tokyo literary bars, through cats, dolls and robots, to a nation repeatedly reinventing itself after catastrophe, Kaleidoscope Japan is a new lens through which the storytelling of The Land of the Rising Sun can be read and understood leaving readers with a well-rounded perspective of Japan, its social history and culture, and the nation's finest writers.Kaleidoscope Japan includes 21 engaging and well-researched essays thematically grouped to cover Japanese Literature, Writers and Ruin; Influencers, Dolls and Devices; Robots, Runners and Riders; Cats, Tatts and Christians; and Booze, Books and Bonking. The essays can be read sequentially or in a kaleidoscopic order that mirrors the reader's particular interests, as an immersive experience or a dip-in, dip-out approach.Kaleidoscope Japan is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in Japan, who wants their horizons expanded, or who wants to hear the stories behind the stories. Read more