The style is deft, the stories designed to be savored for their poignancy and calm fatalism.' - Barron, ed., Fantasy and Horror (1999) 5-131. A 'collection of stories, vignettes, and prose poems based on Japanese folklore (the title means ghost stories). iii 3-240 ) is an insert title leaf is conjugate with (1)8 final leaf is a blank], fly leaf precedes credit leaf, two inserted plates with drawings by Keichu Takenouche, text printed throughout in orange and black, original pictorial greenish-black sateen-like cloth, front and spine panels stamped in orange, green and gold, t.e.g. The contents are tight and clean with pencil notes written on the margin of 2 of the pages containing the study of Ants at the end of the book. The case of the book is in very good condition with some shelf wear on the boards and very light bumping to the spine ends. The book is bound in the original blue cloth covered boards with gold titling and Travellers' Library emblem on the spine. There are three insect-studies at the end of the book. The tales in Kwaidan illustrate the wonder-living tendency of the Japanese, with stories of goblins, fairies and sprites, and an adventure into the field of unveiled supernaturalism. His writings offered unprecedented insight into Japanese culture. Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) was a Greek-Irish-Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West. Following the traditional stories are unusual 'insect studies' on butterflies, mosquitoes, and ants.' Contents include: Intro / Note on illustrations / The Story of Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi / Oshidori / The Story of O-Tei / Ubazakura / Diplomacy / Of a Mirror and a Bell / Jikininki / Mujina / Rokuor-Kubi / A Dead Secret / Yuki-Onna / The Story of Aoyagi / Jiu-Roku-Zakura / The Dream of Akinosuke / rike-Baka / Hi-Mawari / Horai / Insect-studies: Butterflies Mosquitoes Ants / The scan you see is the book you get.īlue Cloth Hardback. Several of the pieces here were adapted for the film Kwaidan, directed by Masaki Kobayashi in 1965. Hearn is a natural raconteur and fills his narratives with curious details & asides. Here is an engaging collection of tales, ghosts stories, and observations that capture the enduring folk-spirit & quaint 'exoticism' of a land once thought mysterious & sinister. Large soft cover, clean square and tight, flat uncreased spine, no names, (vii) 142 pages, Near Fine condition.'Most of the following Kwaidan, or weird Tales, have been taken from old Japanese books. 1st Stone Bridge Pr Edition 1st Printing. Interior illustrations by Keishu Takenouchi, (illustrator).

Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn