A Sheep's Song

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This critically acclaimed autobiography was an instant bestseller in Japan, undergoing over forty printings since its release. Kato Shuichi, a cultural critic, literary historian, novelist, poet, and physician, reconstructs his spiritual and intellectual journey from prewar Japan's militarism to the vibrant postwar landscapes of Japan and Europe. The fluid translation captures Kato's unique voice and insightful interpretation of modern Japan and its complex relations with the world for English-speaking readers. Kato reflects on his youthful fascination with natural sciences and both Japanese and Western literature, spanning from the Man'yoshu to authors like Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Baudelaire, Valéry, and Proust. He recounts his rebellion against the jingoistic political climate of the late 1930s, the rise of Japanese fascism, and his experiences in Hiroshima shortly after the bombing. The narrative includes often tragicomic encounters between the defeated Japanese nation and American Occupation forces. His literary career and experiences in Europe as a student and cultural observer are interwoven with his perspectives on the interplay between imagination, art, and politics. A postscript for the English edition addresses the Vietnam War, Japan's transformation, and the cultures of Europe, the U.S., and China, as well as the collapse of the Soviet Union.