27 episodes
Read Japanese Literature Alison Fincher
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- Fiction
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5.0 • 12 Ratings
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A podcast about Japanese literature and some of its best works
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Japanese Children's Literature
In this episode, we're talking about Japanese children's literature.
The history of children’s literature in generalThe history of children’s literature in JapanAnd Sachiko Kashiwaba and Temple Alley Summer—a story that is about Japanese children’s literature (at least a little bit!)Notes and sources on the episode page.
Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2023 Read Japanese Literature. -
Translating Japanese Women
In all our episodes so far, we’ve talked almost exclusively about what Japanese literature looks like in Japan.
But we’re English-speakers and English-readers on an English-language podcast about Japanese literature in English.
In honor of Women in Translation Month, we’re talking about why there is such a wealth of contemporary books by Japanese women available in English.
Notes and sources at the podcast episode website.
Donate to RJL's Patreon.
Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2023 Read Japanese Literature. -
Writing about Japan's "Have-Nots"
In this episode…
Post-bubble Japan.
The history of socially-conscious Japanese literature.
And Yu Miri’s Tokyo Ueno Station, a powerful examination of Tokyo by one of the most invisible people imaginable—the ghost of a homeless day laborer.
Notes and sources at the podcast episode website.
Donate to RJL's Patreon.
Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2023 Read Japanese Literature. -
The Smile of the Mountain Witch
In this episode…
Is she a man-eating crone?
Is she a lonely wanderer?
Or is she a sensual matriarch?
However you define her, she’s the yama-uba—Japan’s legendary mountain witch.
Notes and sources at the podcast episode website.
Donate to RJL's Patreon.
Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2023 Read Japanese Literature. -
Cats in Japanese Literature
Today, we’re going to look at cats in Japanese literature.
We’ll start with the history of cats in Japan.
We’ll move on to cats in Japanese folklore and fiction, including the work of Haruki Murakami.
And finally we’ll end with a discussion of our readers' choice, “The Town of Cats” by Sakutaro Hagiwara.
Notes and sources at the podcast episode website.
Become an RJL supporter for seven minutes of bonus content.
Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org
Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2023 Read Japanese Literature. -
Japanese Magical Realism
Magical realism is a literary genre famous for unexplained fantastical encounters that pop-up in the otherwise everyday world.
Today, we’re going to take a look at magical realism in Japanese fiction.
We’ll start with defining magical realism, including a look at why that term is difficult and why some people think of it as controversial.
Then we’ll turn to the history of magical realism in Japan and take a closer look at the work of Tomihiko Morimi, especially The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl.
(CW: brief mention of fictional suicide attempt)
Notes and sources at the podcast episode website.
Become an RJL supporter for bonus content.
Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org
A Reading List of Japanese Magical Realism
Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2023 Read Japanese Literature.
Customer Reviews
Excellent
What a wonderfully researched and produced podcast. The host has obviously thought deeply about the books and themes and each episode is filled with not only information, but a clear love and interest in the topics. Highly recommended.
What a great listen!
I took an intro to Japanese literature course in school and have been reading it ever since. Craving to broaden my understanding of Japanese literature, I searched for a podcast and struck gold! Alison is so clear and organized in their presentation of the history of Japanese literature, the history of Japan as is most relevant, and overviews of some of the works. I love the scope, cadence, and depth of each episode. I can’t recommend it more highly. Thank you Alison for this beautiful gift to the Japanese lit nerds of the world. (And I vote yes on a guest ep about horror novels!)
Great podcast for lovers of Japanese literature
I really look forward to this show. It has added depth and context to books I’ve read — I’ve really had no one to discuss these books with. She’s also alerted me to a few authors I haven’t read yet. I appreciate that she gives credit to scholars of literature and historians so that you can follow up and learn more!