Böcker av Ihara Saikaku

"Amor entre Samurais" é uma seleção de contos homoeróticos de um dos mais populares autores do Japão no século XVII, Ihara Saikaku. Estes contos foram os primeiros textos de Saikaku a chegar ao Ocidente, na década de 1920, e, quase cem anos depois, são também os primeiros textos do autor a ser publicados em português. Edward Carpenter refere: "Como é possível justificar a negligência absoluta a que tem sido submetida esta literatura? A obra de Saikaku não pertence apenas à história da literatura, mas é também uma mina de informações sobre a história da cultura japonesa, que apenas pode ser ignorada por uma vontade de supressão deliberada da verdade [sobre a homossexualidade no Japão antigo]."

A Great Classic of Japanese literature and the masterpiece of novelist Ihara Saikaku--now in a completely new and revised edition with introduction by noted scholar David J. Gundry The culmination of Saikaku's perceptive genius, the 20 short stories within This Scheming World recount raucous events and incidents on New Year's Eve as everyone tries to settle their debts for the year, as is the New Year's custom. Crafty money lenders attempt to collect their money from equally crafty debtors, and Saikaku portrays his characters with so lifelike a touch that, even though three centuries have passed since his time, it seems as if they were our contemporaries. The new Introduction by Saikaku expert David J. Gundry explains how and why this entertaining work still resonates with modern readers today. The finely-crafted tales include stories of: Philanderers who slip off to hide in the homes of their mistressesHustlers who leave town suddenly on "very important" business tripsConnivers who become actors for a day to hide-in-plain-sight on stage"The New Year's Eve is more precious than a thousand pieces of gold. It is the Great Divide between winter and spring, which none can pass over without copper and silver." --Ihara Saikaku

Stories of homosexual love affairs between samurai men and boys and between young kabuki actors and their patrons held broad appeal in pre-modern Japanese culture. An independent popular writer, Saikaku wrote "Nanshoku Okagami" in 1687 with the intention of extending his readership.