Who knew that actor/director/TV show host Takeshi Kitano writes children's books? Not me. Not until I sat down this afternoon to read Boy, his new collection of short stories that came out last week.
The first story starts off with a man reminiscing about sports day in elementary school with his nerdy big brother. There are a lot of moments of what Japanese people would call seishun—nostalgic adolescence (though it has a much softer and beautiful connotation to it than the words "nostalgic adolescence").
The stories are chock full of intricate details on Japanese boyhood and family life, despite the simple, deadpan prose and the bite-sized length of each.
It only takes maybe an hour to finish the entire book, yet you get to know a whole new side of the man you've gotten acquainted with through legendary movies like Zatoichi, Battle Royale, and Hana-bi. Perfect summertime reading for the Japanophile!
Buy your copy here.
I always liked to translate seishun as the springtime of life.
Posted by: rubyshoe | August 23, 2007 at 11:52 PM