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sapuche's review
5.0
I was pleasantly surprised by this book, though I really had no reason to be since Kafu’s life was by all accounts “colorful,” Edward Seidensticker wrote the book, and his various translations of Kafu’s work are exceptional. Seidensticker was sometimes uncomplimentary of Kafu’s work in the biographical sections of this book, but the translations he included here were in all cases wonderful. Of course, Kafu wrote at a time when fiction was judged by different standards, but what I read here, and in other book-length works of his, was impactful. Then again, I like “quiet” stories with strong descriptive and atmospheric elements. This was perfect for me.
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