The Izu Dancer and Other Stories (The Counterfeiter; Obasute; The Full Moon)

This Japanese literature collection contains four translated stories from two of Japan's most beloved and acclaimed fiction writers. The Izu Dancer , Yasunari Kawabata's first work to bring him recognition as a writer, is a novella about six Izu Peninsula travelers. As the six travelers journey together, intimacy develops and friendship overcomes class differences. Capturing the shy eroticism of adolescence, The Izu Dancer is a charming picture of the times. Yasushi Inoue's The Counterfeiter , although set in modern times, poses universal questions that transcend culture an era. Abasute and The Full Moon both explore themes of separation, loneliness, and isolation. Through the gloomy tales, Inoue's compassion shines, revealing yet another aspect of an author known for his vivid precision and economy of words. Inoue's stories are at least partially autobiographical, and Inoue's attitudes toward human destiny and fatalism are strongly influenced by his separation from his parents at an early age—yet all of his stories reveal his great compassion for his fellow human being. Originally published in The Atlantic Monthly , in 1958, The Izu Dancer , a story about a young man's travels through the Izu Peninsula, introduced Kawabata's prodigious talent to the West. Since its first printing, Kawabata, winner of the 1968 Nobel Prize, has been recognized as one of Japan's most distinguished writers. Also included in this collection are three stories by the prolific author Yasushi Inoue, the recipient of every major prize in Japanese literature: The Counterfeiter , Obasute , and The Full Moon . Inoue's stories, each of which are at least partially autobiographical, all reveal his great compassion for his fellow human being. Four stories from two of Japan's most beloved and acclaimed fiction writers. The Izu Dancer was the story that first introduced Kawabata's prodigious talent to the West. This story was originally published in The Atlantic Monthly, in 1958. Stories by Inoue include, "The Counterfeiter," "Obasute," and "The Full Moon." Inoue's stories are at least partially autobiographical, and Inoue's attitudes toward human destiny and fatalism are strongly influenced by his separation from his parents at an early age--yet all of his stories reveal his great compassion for his fellow human being A SHOWER swept toward me from the foot of the mountain, touching the cedar forests white, as the road began to wind up into the pass. Kawabata, Y. The Izu Dancer.--inoue, Y. The Counterfeiter.--inoue, Y. Obasute.--inoue, Y. The Full Moon. Kawabata, Y. The Izu dancer. Inoue, Y. The counterfeiter. Inoue, Y. Obasute. Inoue, Y. The full moon.