{"product_id":"the-book-of-the-dead-paperback","title":"The Book of the Dead - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eOrikuchi Shinobu\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eJeffrey Angles\u003c\/b\u003e (Translator), \u003cb\u003eAndo Reiji\u003c\/b\u003e (Commentaries by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFirst published in 1939 and extensively revised in 1943, \u003ci\u003eThe Book of the Dead\u003c\/i\u003e, loosely inspired by the tale of Isis and Osiris from ancient Egypt, is a sweeping historical romance that tells a gothic tale of love between a noblewoman and a ghost in eighth-century Japan. Its author, Orikuchi Shinobu, was a well-received novelist, distinguished poet, and an esteemed scholar. He is often considered one of the fathers of Japanese folklore studies, and \u003ci\u003eThe Book of the Dead\u003c\/i\u003e is without a doubt the most important novel of Orikuchi's career--and it is a book like no other. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHere, for the first time, is the complete English translation of Orikuchi's masterwork, whose vast influence is evidenced by multiple critical studies dedicated to it and by its many adaptations, which include an animated film and a popular manga. This translation features an introduction by award-winning translator Jeffrey Angles discussing the historical background of the work as well as its major themes: the ancient origins of the Japanese nation, the development of religion in a modernizing society, and the devotion necessary to create a masterpiece. Also included are three chapters from \u003ci\u003eThe Mandala of Light \u003c\/i\u003eby Japanese intellectual historian Andō Reiji, who places the novel and Orikuchi's thought in the broader intellectual context of early twentieth-century Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Book of the Dead\u003c\/i\u003e focuses on the power of faith and religious devotion, and can be read as a parable illustrating the suffering an artist must experience to create great art. Readers will soon discover that a great deal lies hidden beneath the surface of the story; the entire text is a modernist mystery waiting to be decoded.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrikuchi Shinobu (1887-1953) was a Japanese ethnologist, linguist, folklorist, novelist, and poet. As one of the foremost early twentieth-century experts of Japanese folklore and Shinto, he has exerted vast influence over modern intellectual discourse. Many of his novels and collections of poetry are classics of Japanese literature. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJeffrey Angles is a professor of Japanese and translation at Western Michigan University. He is the author of \u003ci\u003eWriting the Love of Boys\u003c\/i\u003e (Minnesota, 2011) and is an award-winning translator of dozens of Japan's most important writers. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAndō Reiji is an associate professor in the Faculty of Art, Tama Art University in Tokyo. As the author of two award-winning studies of Orikuchi Shinobu, he is the foremost authority on Orikuchi in Japan. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 352\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 x 8.4 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e January 16, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51757866320160,"sku":"9780816688104","price":25.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/f7767add0bfd5f6c5e37a66fcf99f0b6.webp?v=1780113515","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/the-book-of-the-dead-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}