Engaging short stories by the Japanese author, Hayashi Fumiko, translated by Timothy Iles, most appearing for the first time in English. Hayashi Fumiko (1903–1951) was an influential and successful Japanese writer known for depicting realistic, sympathetic characters in a simple, accessible style. In these fourteen short stories, chosen and translated by Timothy Iles, portraits of Japanese life in the immediate pre- and post-war years are loosely arranged in an order that traces an arc from innocence to corruption and reveals an increasing sophistication of character and ideas. These are small, engaging plots of everyday life: travel, a first employment away from home, the loneliness of postwar widows, infidelities, and the small revelations of day-to-day drama in everyday lives. Hayashi’s work represents a high-point in compassionate, humanistic fiction. The book includes an introduction by Iles that describes aspects of Hayashi’s life and analyzes her style, themes, and political influences.
