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The Heike Story

The Novel of Love and War in Ancient Japan

Eiji Yoshikawa Fuki Wooyenaka Uramatsu Alexander Bennett

$44.95

Paperback

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English
Tuttle Publishing
11 October 2022
Series: Tuttle Classics
Immerse yourself in the rich drama of medieval Japan.

Set in Japan in the turbulent 12th century, this fast-paced novel recounts the titanic struggle between two Japanese clans

the Heike and the Genji

as they seek to pacify a fractured nation, ultimately turning on each other in their unbridled lust for power. Written by the great Eiji Yoshikawa, this classic work of fiction brings to life the wars, intrigue, feuds, and romance surrounding the most dramatic episode in Japanese history.

The book is told through the eyes of Kiyomori, who is the eldest son of Tadamori, the ineffective leader of the Heike clan. Yoshikawa describes the Heike's decline under Tadamori's leadership and the family's descent into poverty. It is only when Kiyomori is appointed to a court position that the Heike's influence grows, much to the displeasure of their rivals, the Genji. Along the way, Kiyomori oversees his clan's ascent, alongside his loyal friend Tokitada.

The new edition has a foreword by historian Alexander Bennett, who explains the historical backdrop of the novel and its importance as a towering work of historical fiction. Combining raw narrative power, pageantry, and poetry, The Heike Story will enthrall readers interested in the drama and spectacle of ancient Japan.
By:  
Foreword by:  
Translated by:  
Imprint:   Tuttle Publishing
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 203mm,  Width: 130mm,  Spine: 43mm
Weight:   567g
ISBN:   9784805317075
ISBN 10:   4805317078
Series:   Tuttle Classics
Pages:   576
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Eiji Yoshikawa (1892--1962) was born in Kanagawa, Japan. Despite receiving little more than a primary school education, he became Japan's most popular writer and authored some 80 novels and over 180 short stories. Credited with elevating popular fiction to an artform. Yoshikawa was the first writer of such works to be awarded the Imperial Order of Culture. Fuki Wooyenaka Uramatsu was a writer, translator, editor, and teacher. She was a columnist for the English-language Yomiuri newspaper. She graduated from Wellesley College and her many publications include the book A Bowl of Tea. Alexander Bennett is a professor of Japanese history and Budo theory at Kansai University. He co-founded and continues to publish Kendo World, the first English-language journal dedicated to Kendo. He holds black belts in several martial disciplines including Kendo Kyoshi 7-dan, Iaido 5-dan, and Naginata 5-dan. His published works include The Complete Musashi: The Book of Five Rings and Other Works and Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai.

Reviews for The Heike Story: The Novel of Love and War in Ancient Japan

Lesser known to international audiences than the tales of a certain promiscuous Genji,The Tale of The Heike stands equally important to its 11th century predecessor as a fellow foundational text of early Japan. Like The Iliad before it, The Tale of The Heike has been modernized and remodernized in Japan many a time before. Musashi's prolific author Eiji Yoshizawa's Shin Heike Monogatari (literally translating to The New Tale of The Heike, though released in translation with a different subtitle) has made waves. --Metropolis Japan.


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