Du journalisme aprÚ²es Bourdieu Book

Took my time reading this, and I suppose it's the sort of book you never really finish, but I was looking for a comprehensive book on early japanese lit. This hits the mark. Terrific collection. Some of the joke/story/moral fable pieces pieces were my favorite. "the dog pillow book" by Inu Makura and "Today's tales of yesterday" these parodies I suppose they could be called are really cool. And bizarre. The Tokugawa period was a time of peace and prosperity in Japan after a long brutal bloody clan war. With the island finally united under one leader and enjoying peace literature exploded. Everyone carried around journals. Highly developed roads were packed with travelers, exploring the country writing everything down. A highly literate society.

Of 1 story sticks out. The woman who cut off her nose. Brief. Husband is dying. He asks his wife to cut off her nose to prove she will never take another lover. She honors his wish. Remarkably he recovers. Soon after, he takes his wife and confess her face is so hideous he wants out. She is aghast and petitions he court. The judges decide he should lose his nose and that live happily ever after.

The hand puppet theatre stuff I skipped. But the romance fiction stories, and illustrated comics were engaging.

Love the book. Made me wish for a time machine to explore the Tokugawa period