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/lit/ - Literature

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1760438 No.1760438 [Reply] [Original]

So, I've been reading a lot of Abe Kobo recently and I am having a hard time finding some of his earlier short stories. More specifically I've been looking for R62gou no hatsumei (The Invention #R62), be it an English translation or the Japanese original. It's been proving quite hard to find it. Can anyone help me with this?
Although I do not hold much hope of finding it for free, I thank you in advance.

tl;dr: I'm looking for Abe Kobo's "The Invention #R62", a 1953 short story. Can anyone help a bro out here?

Also, Abe Kobo or Japanese Lit. General?

>> No.1760448

I'm looking around, not finding it though. I'm guessing you already checked Aozora Bunko too. The only thing I can find even remotely related is: http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Science-Fiction-Institute-Routledge/dp/0415010314/

But that just has an analysis/review of it, not an actual translation.

I dunno, 580 yen on Amazon isn't /too/ bad though, if you're in Japan. But I remember you weren't, if you're that guy who's doing your dissertation on Kobo Abe?

Also! I have read The Woman in the Dunes and The Box Man. I own The Ruined Map, The Ark Sakura, and Inter Ice Age 4. Which one should I read next?

>> No.1760449

>>1760448
Oh, oh. Well, I remember you not being in the U.S. either, if you're that same person. But it seems to be available through WorldCat in a few places (the Japanese version): http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/33614832

>> No.1760473

>>1760448
Well remembered, I am indeed the Brazilian student working on my dissertation on him. Unfortunately, that means I have yet another barrier before me impeding me from acquiring a copy of it. I know that the Brazilian Japan Association's library has a copy, but they won't reply to my e-mails nor pick up the phone, for whatever reason.
I already own and read the Japanese Science Fiction: A View of a Changing Society. And there are no libraries in my country with that particular book available. I thank you for helping me with this anyway.

As for what book you should read next, I am quite fond of Inter Ice Age 4, but since it is quite different from the rest I'd suggest you read The Ruined Map first. The Ark Sakura is his final novel and has its moments, but it isn't as chilling as the rest, I feel. Tannin no Kao (The Face of Another) is perhaps one of his best works, in my opinion, so if you intend to keep reading his work, look that up. Finally, let me know what you think of his prose.

>> No.1760478

>>1760473
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE TO DO THIS?

>> No.1760489
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1760489

>Abe Kobo

>> No.1760490

>>1760478
Calm down, man. It's not a matter of life and death.
To tell you the truth, not much time. Although all that is left for me to do is this translation (The rest of the whole dissertation is already done), I only have 2 months to do it. I know, should have done this sooner. This is kind of my last resort while I wait for any of the libraries I have contacted to get back to me.
I still have a few plans up my sleeve in case I don't get this particular short story though (translating a few excerpts from Daiyon Kanpyouki, for instance).

Anyway, why do you ask?

>> No.1760506

>>1760489
Good to know there are more fans of The Wall Master among us here. His work is still quite underrated, I think. Although I can sort of understand why, these much years after the Second World War.

>> No.1760554
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1760554

Well, I doubt I'll be able to get anything else out of this thread. Thank you for your help anyway. If nothing else, it's good to know there are more people around that like Abe Kobo's work.
If I ever get around to acquiring the short story I'm looking for, if you guys are interested, I can translate it into English as well as Portuguese and post somewhere, if I can.
I'll leave this thread up until it gets mothballs, though. Japanese Lit general discussion is quite welcome.

>> No.1760576

>>1760554
It would be lovely if you posted your translation of it, when you do it! I, at least, would be really interested in seeing it.

>> No.1760797

>>1760576
Will do. Even if I end up not getting it in time for my dissertation, I'll keep looking and translate it. For that matter, if anyone here ever come into possession of this short story, and could relay it to me, post it somewhere, I would be very grateful.

>> No.1760823
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1760823

Japanese Lit. General? OK.

What did you guys think of this book? It's content was shokingly familiar for me as a 4channer. The part where Satou says he had sex with that girl was a little out-of-character though, or perhaps he was lying.

>> No.1761019

>>1760438
I've read this a few years ago, after watching the anime. The novel is written in a very manga-ish fashion, hyperbole being common-place for all characters. I enjoyed the novel more than the anime, honestly, but a few things kept nagging at me during it.
It is a good read and delves quite well into existentialist matters from time to time, with a nice look into the hikikomori issue, but it sometimes feel like all the characters are actually the same person. I may be wrong though, it's been quite some time.

>> No.1763250

>sometimes feel like all the characters are actually the same person
You mean they're all hallucinations by the main character? Or they just lack distinct features?

>> No.1764241

bump