The Old Capital - by Yasunari Kawabata (Paperback)

About the Book

Kawabata's The Old Capital mentioned in the citation accompanying his 1968 Nobel Prize for Literature, is now available in a quality paperback edition of Martin Holman's well-received translation.

Book Synopsis

A young woman in historic Kyoto grapples with secrets from her past in this lyrical work of Japanese literature from a Nobel Prize-winning author.

The Old Capital is one of the three novels cited specifically by the Nobel Committee when they awarded Yasunari Kawabata the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968. With the ethereal tone and aesthetic styling characteristic of Kawabata's prose, The Old Capital tells the story of Chieko, the adopted daughter of a Kyoto kimono designer, Takichiro, and his wife, Shige.

Set in the traditional city of Kyoto, Japan, this deeply poetic story revolves around Chieko who becomes bewildered and troubled as she discovers the true facets of her past. With the harmony and time-honored customs of a Japanese backdrop, the story becomes poignant as Chieko's longing and confusion develops.

Review Quotes

"J. Martin Holman...has generally struck an excellent balance between accuracy and the need to create a certain level of evocative possibility. Holman is to be congratulated for making available in English a number of striking works by this now-classic Japanese author."

About the Author

Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist and short story writer whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968.