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Diary of a Mad Old Man

By Junichiro Tanizaki
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Diary of a Mad Old Man by Junichiro Tanizaki delves into the inner thoughts and musings of an elderly man coming to terms with his declining health and unfulfilled desires. Written as a diary, the narrative explores the complexities of his relationships with family and a younger woman, revealing his struggles with obsession, vanity, and the passage of time. The book offers a poignant reflection on aging and the eccentricities it can infuse into one's life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate introspective narratives that explore the complexities of aging, desire, and obsession. With its poignant insights and psychological depth, it delves into the mind of an elderly man coming to terms with the paradoxes of his desires and mortality. If you are captivated by character studies that delve deeply into the human psyche, this could be an intriguing read for you.

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Diary of a Mad Old Man

While recovering from a stroke, seventy-seven-year-old Utsugi turns to his diary to wryly record his struggle with his ageing body and his growing desire for his beautiful daughter-in-law Satsuko, a chic, Westernised dancer with a shady past.

At once hilarious and sad, Tanizaki's last novel - written during his final illness - echoes his own life.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

At once hilarious and sad, Tanizaki's last novel—written during his final illness—echoes his own life.

While recovering from a stroke, seventy-seven-year-old Utsugi turns to his diary to wryly record his struggle with his ageing body and his growing desire for his beautiful daughter-in-law Satsuko, a chic, Westernised dancer with a shady past. Shining with a self-effacing humour, Tanizaki's last novel is a tragicomedy about desire and the will to survive.

Diary of a Mad Old Man encapsulates the poignant journey of its protagonist, delving deep into themes of longing and perseverance amidst the inevitabilities of life.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Diary of a Mad Old Man by Junichiro Tanizaki is hailed as an artistic masterpiece, with reviewers praising its blend of Western influence and traditional Japanese aesthetics. The book is described as both lightly comic and lyrically evocative, highlighting Tanizaki's unique and unclassifiable style. Critics commend the work for its wicked subtlety and grace, securing Tanizaki's position in 20th-century Japanese literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099285199

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 September 2000

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 13.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 145g

Pages: 192

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Junichiro Tanizaki Literary Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

Junichiro Tanizaki was one of Japan's greatest twentienth century novelists. Born in 1886 in Tokyo, his first published work - a one-act play - appeared in 1910 in a literary magazine he helped to found. Tanizaki lived in the cosmopolitan Tokyo area until the earthquake of 1923, when he moved to the Kyoto-Osaka region and became absorbed in Japan's past. All his most important works were written after 1923, among them Some Prefer Nettles (1929), The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi (1935), several modern versions of The Tale of Genji (1941, 1954 and 1965), The Makioka Sisters, The Key (1956) and Diary of a Mad Old Man (1961). He was awarded an Imperial Award for Cultural Merit in 1949 and in 1965 he was elected an honorary member of the American Academy and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the first Japanese writer to receive this honour. Tanizaki died later that same year.

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