Carte

Traducere din limba japoneza si note de Magda Ciubancan Aparut initial in foileton, Jurnalul unui batrin nebun este una dintre scrierile tirzii ale lui Junichiro Tanizaki. Conceput sub forma unui caiet de insemnari al batrinului Utsugi, in care acesta isi inregistreaza minutios gindurile si trairile, dar si lucrurile marunte din viata de zi cu zi, romanul este strabatut in acelasi timp de un fior de erotism nascut din obsesia ciudatului personaj pentru nora sa, Satsuko, o fosta dansatoare cu trecut indoielnic. Umbra de tristete si nostalgie care pluteste deasupra intregii scriituri se impleteste cu umorul fin, construind o opera in care citim atit transformarea inevitabila a fiintei umane odata cu scurgerea timpului, cit si schimbarile sociale prin care trece Japonia acelor vremuri.

So rich and unique is traditional Japanese architecture that it’s hard to improve upon. Yet contemporary Japanese designers and architects keep finding new ways to refurbish and take inspiration from the ways of old. Whether it’s a pristinely preserved traditional house or a cutting-edge apartment, the best Japanese homes share a love of cleverly designed spaces and warm materials such as wood, bricks, and bamboo. From a thatched roof farmhouse occupied by a Zen priest to Tadao Ando’s experimental 4x4 House, Shigeru Ban’s conceptual Shutter House, and a beautiful homage to bamboo in the form of a home, this book traverses the multifaceted landscape of Japanese living today. Also included is a list of addresses and a glossary of terms, such as tatami. Text in English, French, and German

Originally written in Japanese, this passionate, vividly personal book draws on the author's experiences in Japan over 30 years. Alex Kerr brings to life the ritualized world of Kabuki, retraces his initiation into Tokyo's boardrooms during the heady Bubble Years, and tells the story of the hidden valley that became his home. But the book is not just a love letter. Haunted throughout by nostalgia for the Japan of old, Kerr's book is part paean to that great country and culture, part epitaph in the face of contemporary Japan's environmental and cultural destruction.

Prin vocea bătrânului Kumagai, pătrundem în intimitatea unei epoci cu totul străine de mentalul omului occidental modern, într-o reconstituire deopotrivă realistă și poetică, la granița dintre ficțiune și document.