Thousand Cranes [MM0018]

1971 MMPB 5th Berkley Medallion printing of the 1958 original, with tanned pages and cover and minor wear. A luminous story of desire, regret, and the almost sensual nostalgia that binds the living to the dead-from the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner and author of Snow Country. "A stunning economy, delicacy of feeling, and a painter's sensitivity to the visible world."-The Atlantic.

While attending a traditional tea ceremony in the aftermath of his parents' deaths, Kikuji encounters his father's former mistress, Mrs. Ota. At first Kikuji is appalled by her indelicate nature, but it is not long before he succumbs to passion-a passion with tragic and unforeseen consequences, not just for the two lovers, but also for Mrs. Ota's daughter, to whom Kikuji's attachments soon extend. Death, jealousy, and attraction convene around the delicate art of the tea ceremony, where every gesture is imbued with profound meaning.

From recent MIXED Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Quick, quaint, quintessential Kawabata quality."; "A classic. Very philosophical book, lots of intriguing thoughts on love, guilt, and grieving over lost loved ones. Kikuji isn't the ideal man and yet the reader starts to understand him."; "Reading this novel again, after 40 years; still a masterpiece but I understood the novel like an adult, which makes it a more intense read."; "Once again, Kawabata manages to write a beautiful, evocative, haunting book about absolutely, irredeemably horrible people. Enjoyment of beauty and a strong sense of "ick" are inseparable in the work. Consider yourself warned."; "A haunting novella that may make you revisit your idea of love, morality, acceptable relationships and just life in general."; "Atmospheric and crisp. I feel like shame is so integral to Japanese lit - the shame envelops each character and drives the plot, somehow cleansing them by the end."