Selected Stories of Doppo Kunikida

Doppo Kunikida (1871 – 1908) was a Japanese writer of the Meiji period. He moved from poetry to a lyrical prose style for his short stories. He turned to more realistic narratives as time went on but he died at the height of his fame at 36. Although belonging to no school, he influenced authors that followed him. This translation of eleven stories was done in 1917 by Mitobe Mono (Mono Mitobe, western style) and her work has lain unnoticed since. Notable is “Going Home Again”, a novella length piece never translated since. About five other pieces are also unique. There is an editor’s forward and reading list. The text has been corrected where necessary. An appendix has been added that includes the Japanese text of two of the stories, for the use of either Japanese or English-speaking students.