HEARN: Kokoro 小泉八云《心》ISBN 9784805307489

The fifteen essays in this captivating volume treat the inner rather than the outer，life of Japan For this reason，they have been grouped under the title Kokoro, which can be translated as“heart”。“spirit.”or“inner meaning”Indeed，Lafcadio Hearn penetrates to the heart of things Japanese in“Kimiko，”a portrait of a beautiful geisha；in“By Force of Karma.”the story of a Buddhist monk；and in H Conservative.”a detail-ed de*ion of a samurai Longer essays like "The Genius of. Japanese Civilization”and‘.A Glimpse of Tendencies”Shin up the author’s feelings about his adopted country Hearn aptly called the pieces in this volume“hints and echoes of Japanese inner life” Although much has changed since the days when Hearn fell in love with Japan. These“hints and echoes” still have a remarkable truth about them，for the Japanese spirit，or kokor0,has changed much less than the material conditions of Japanese life It is Hearn's genius to have perceived what was quintes sentially Japanese about Japan，and to have presented his findings so artistically to the West.

Lafcadio Hearn（1850-1904），born in Greece to an Anglo-Irish father and a Greek mother. was brought up in Greece and Ireland He moved to the US when he was nineteen，and then to Japan in1890.where he spent the rest of his 1ire teaching and writing Hearn was one of the first great interpreters of things Japanese for Western readers His long residence in Japan，combined with his perfect insight and sympathy. keen intellect，poetic imagination，and clear writing style have ensured him a devoted readership among both foreigners and Japanese for over a century.