{"title":"Soseki Natsume","description":"\u003cp\u003eSoseki Natsume, a revered figure in Japanese literature, is celebrated for his insightful and often humorous narratives. Our collection showcases some of his most influential works, offering a glimpse into both his creativity and the cultural backdrop of early 20th-century Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the standout pieces is \u003cem\u003eBotchan\u003c\/em\u003e, an enduring classic that combines wit with a touching exploration of youth and integrity. This novel, beloved by many, captures the spirit of a society grappling with modernity. For those seeking a blend of satire and wisdom, \u003cem\u003eI Am a Cat\u003c\/em\u003e delivers a delightful journey into a feline's contemplations on human nature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor readers who enjoy reflective storytelling, \u003cem\u003eKokoro\u003c\/em\u003e is a profound exploration of isolation and the complexities of the human heart, making it an essential addition to any literary collection. His haiku compilations invite you to appreciate the simplicity and depth of his poetry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf graphic novels pique your interest, consider indulging in manga adaptations like \u003cem\u003eSoseki Natsume's Botchan: The Manga Edition\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eSoseki Natsume's I Am A Cat: The Manga Edition\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eSoseki Natsume's Kokoro: The Manga Edition\u003c\/em\u003e. These bring a modern, visual twist to his timeless tales.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're new to Soseki Natsume or a long-time admirer, this collection offers a diverse array of his works spanning various genres, including general fiction, graphic novels, and educational references. Immerse yourself in Natsume's world and discover why he remains a cornerstone of Japanese literary excellence.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"soseki-natsume-kokoro-by-soseki-natsume-9784805319796","title":"Soseki Natsume Kokoro","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNatsume Soseki is the representative modern Japanese novelist, a figure of truly national stature.\u003c\/em\u003e – Haruki Murakami\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA chance encounter irrevocably links a university student to an older man he simply calls Sensei ('Teacher'). Intrigued by Sensei's aloofness, the student visits him with increasing frequency, and Sensei and his beautiful wife eventually open their home and lives to him. The student graduates and is called home to care for his dying father, but Sensei draws him back with a letter revealing a secret that has shadowed him since youth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWritten in 1914, toward the end of Soseki's career, \u003cem\u003eKokoro\u003c\/em\u003e provides a timeless psychological analysis of man's alienation from society. It is recognized as one of his most important works and a milestone in the emergence of the psychological novel in Japan. Its universal themes of friendship, betrayal and the struggle for meaning in a rapidly changing world continue to resonate today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46765924516076,"sku":"9784805319796","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/49323fc1d7fee84a6f3c616c47cb7325.jpg?v=1756346982"},{"product_id":"botchan-by-soseki-natsume-9784805318225","title":"Botchan","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBotchan\u003c\/i\u003e has a chip on his shoulder. His elder brother is his parents' obvious favourite and Botchan only receives any attention at all if he misbehaves. After his parents die, Botchan is cut off by his brother and drifts into a job teaching maths in a small provincial town far from the big city.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrust into this alien environment, Botchan finds nothing but trouble from his nosy landlord; his students, who delight in tormenting him; and his fellow teachers, each of whom he christens with a sly nickname—Porcupine, Green Squash, Badger, Red Shirt—and others who insist on complicating his life. The result is chaos, told with great wit and irony that make this Soseki's funniest novel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA modern classic in Japan, \u003ci\u003eBotchan\u003c\/i\u003e is as widely read today as when it was first published, occupying a place in the canon similar to \u003ci\u003eThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer\u003c\/i\u003e or \u003ci\u003eThe Catcher in the Rye\u003c\/i\u003e. Botchan's coming-of-age quest to navigate the hypocrisy of his peers while remaining true to what is honest and good never fails to capture the hearts and imaginations of readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoseki remains the great master of modern literature in Japan. — Norma M. Field\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853385421036,"sku":"9784805318225","price":24.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/25572833483898.jpg?v=1759201187"},{"product_id":"i-am-a-cat-by-soseki-natsume-9780804832656","title":"I Am a Cat","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten over the course of 1904-6, Soseki's comic masterpiece, \u003cem\u003eI Am a Cat\u003c\/em\u003e satirises the follies of upper-middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji era. With acerbic wit and sardonic perspective, it follows the whimsical adventures of a world-weary stray kitten who comments on the follies and foibles of the people around him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"A nonchalant string of anecdotes and wisecracks, told by a fellow who doesn't have a name, and has never caught a mouse, and isn't much good for anything except watching human beings in action...\"\u003c\/em\u003e - The New Yorker\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"David Bateman Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853639143660,"sku":"9780804832656","price":52.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14882103482474.jpg?v=1759212341"},{"product_id":"soseki-natsumes-botchan-the-manga-edition-by-soseki-natsume-9784805317822","title":"Soseki Natsume's Botchan: The Manga Edition","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOne of the most popular novels of all time in Japan - now available in manga form!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReckless but unfailingly honest, Botchan is the youngest son in a middle-class Tokyo family. Following his graduation from college, he takes a job as a math teacher on the island of Shikoku, far from the city. Thrust into this alien small-town environment, Botchan encounters nothing but trouble from his students and fellow teachers. Among his tormentors are a pompous, two-faced vice-principal; his fawning sidekick, the spineless principal; and a pack of brawny, prankster students - all of whom seem out to get him. Mayhem ensues, but in the end Botchan prevails through honesty and dogged determination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA modern classic, \u003ci\u003eBotchan\u003c\/i\u003e rivals Soseki's famous \u003ci\u003eI Am a Cat\u003c\/i\u003e in popularity in Japan. This is the funniest of Soseki's novels, a penetrating portrait of a young man's quest to survive the suffocating hypocrisy of everyone around him while remaining true to his beliefs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFilled with light, satirical touches.\u003c\/strong\u003e - Donald Keene\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eRecommended for readers ages 14 and up due to explicit language\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853982912748,"sku":"9784805317822","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/25568803483898.jpg?v=1759229679"},{"product_id":"soseki-natsumes-collected-haiku-by-soseki-natsume-9784805318454","title":"Soseki Natsume's Collected Haiku","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eSoseki Natsume's Collected Haiku\u003c\/i\u003e brings together 1,000 haikus by Soseki Natsume, compiled for the first time into one volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSoseki Natsume is Japan's most popular writer, well-known in the West for his satirical novels such as \u003ci\u003eI Am a Cat\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBotchan\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eKokoro\u003c\/i\u003e. However, he first gained recognition in Japan as a poet, having published hundreds of haikus over several decades. Until now, very few of these have been available in English.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eSoseki Natsume's Collected Haiku\u003c\/i\u003e presents 1,000 of the author's most famous verses, selected and translated by Erik Lofgren, a leading expert on Soseki. The poems are organised into chapters that correspond to the five traditional Japanese seasons: New Year's, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn these poems, Soseki delves into themes ranging from wabi-sabi Zen simplicity to his own personal experiences, including several years spent studying in England. His verses evoke the splendour of the natural world, the power of human emotions, and the serenity found in living a peaceful life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEach poem is presented in the original Japanese, alongside a Romanized version and an English translation. Audio recordings of both the English and Japanese versions are available online.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"David Bateman Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853983666412,"sku":"9784805318454","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/25575123483898.jpg?v=1759229708"},{"product_id":"soseki-natsumes-i-am-a-cat-the-manga-edition-by-soseki-natsume-9784805316573","title":"Soseki Natsume's I Am A Cat: The Manga Edition","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJapan's beloved literary masterpiece brought to life in manga form!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSoseki Natsume's comic masterpiece, \u003ci\u003eI Am a Cat\u003c\/i\u003e, satirises the foolishness of upper-middle-class Japanese society in early 20th century Tokyo. Written with biting wit and sardonic perspective, it follows the whimsical adventures of a rather cynical stray kitten. He finds his way into the home of an English teacher, where his running commentary on the follies and foibles of the people around him has been making readers laugh for more than a century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the very first manga edition in English of this classic piece of Japanese literature. The story lends itself well to a graphic novel format, allowing readers to pick up on the more subtle cues of the expressive cat, while also being immersed in the world of his perceptive narration. It is true to classic manga form and is read back to front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe cast of characters includes:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eKushami - His master, who is not good at his job and quite stupid\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eThe Kenedas - A conceited couple with a spoiled daughter\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eMeitei - Kushami's friend who is fond of jokes and tall tales\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eA group of local cats including lovely Mikeko and violent Kuro\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeautifully illustrated by Japanese artist Chiroru Kobato, this edition provides a visual, entertaining look at a unique period in Japan's history. It is filled with cultural and societal changes, rapid modernisation, and a feeling of limitless possibility – all seen through the eyes of an unlikely narrator.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853983961324,"sku":"9784805316573","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/25556313483898.jpg?v=1759229728"},{"product_id":"soseki-natsumes-kokoro-the-manga-edition-by-soseki-natsume-9784805317747","title":"Soseki Natsume's Kokoro: The Manga Edition","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA timeless psychological study of a young man's deep alienation from society.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSet in the early 20th century, \u003ci\u003eKokoro\u003c\/i\u003e opens with a chance encounter on a beach near Tokyo that irrevocably links a young student to a man he simply calls Sensei (Teacher). Intrigued by Sensei's aloofness, the student calls upon him with increasing frequency. Eventually, Sensei and his beautiful wife open their home and their lives to him. Only later does the student learn the devastating secret that has haunted Sensei since his youth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eKokoro\u003c\/i\u003e has sold millions of copies in Japan where it is taught in schools and is a perennial favourite. Its lucid prose and universal themes of friendship, betrayal, and the struggle for meaning in a changing world have made it popular internationally as well. This English-language manga version will make the book accessible to a new generation of foreign readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe manga includes depictions of suicide and may not be suitable for some readers.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853984092396,"sku":"9784805317747","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/25568053483898.jpg?v=1759229747"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/soseki-natsume.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}