Book description
Late 19th Century, Tokyo. Namiko, born as the daughter of an army lieutenant, loses her mother, and finds herself suffering at the hands of her new stepmother. Soon, her kindly aunt introduces her to Navy General Takeo Kawashima. Now Namiko lives happily ever after, or so she thought...
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Why read it?
1 author picked Hototogisu as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Hototogisu (The Cuckoo) is a Japanese novel by Kenjiro Tokutomi under the pen name Roka Tokutomi. It was initially published in serialized form between 1898 and 1899. My English copy, renamed “The Heart of Nami-san,” dates back to 1918.
I first became aware of the book when I was in Ikaho working on my Japanese hot spring series. One of the ryokans there had a small museum dedicated to the author. The story takes place over a century ago, but the interactions between a couple and their in-laws could take place not only in present-day Japan but almost…
From Mark's list on books that offer glimpses of ancient and modern Japan.
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