The Miner

by Natsume Soseki, Haruki Murakami (Introduction), Jay Rubin (Translator)

Overview

From the great Meiji writer Natsume Sōseki, The Miner is an absurdist tale about the indeterminate nature of human personality.

'It makes me very happy that I can read this novel written over a hundred years ago as if it were contemporary and be deeply affected by it. It cannot and should not be overlooked. It is one of my favorites' Haruki Murakami

The Miner is the most daringly experimental and least well-known novel of Japanese writer Natsume Sōseki. An absurdist tale written in 1908, it was in many ways a precursor to the work of James Joyce and Samuel Beckett.

Translated by Jay Rubin, and with an introduction from Haruki Murakami, this is bound to appeal to fans of Japanese literature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781910709023
Publisher:	Gallic Books
Publication date:	04/12/2016
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Natsume Sōseki: Natsume Sōseki (1867-1916) was a Japanese writer of the Meiji period, who lived in London from 1901-03. His work influenced many later writers, including Haruki Murakami.
Haruki Murakami: Haruki Murakami is a contemporary Japanese writer. His books and stories have been bestsellers in Japan as well as internationally.
Jay Rubin: Jay Rubin is an American academic and translator, and the author of the novel The Sun Gods. He is most notable for translating many of the novels of Haruki Murakami.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Sōseki:

'The Miner may be a product of its time and place, but so is To the Lighthouse, so is A Man Without Qualities, and books about thought – or mining for the nature of thought – are a valuable addition to any healthy reading diet. Warmly recommended for the curious reader' David Mitchell, author of The Bone Clocks

‘It makes me very happy to know that even now I can read this novel written over a hundred years ago as if it were a contemporary account and be deeply affected by it. It cannot and should not be overlooked. It is one of my favourites’ from the introduction by Haruki Murakami

'Sōseki predicted the problems we are facing today. He had a long-term view of civilization. His popularity will become more global in the future' Kang Sang-jung, political scientist and principal of Seigakuin University

'This is a handsome and welcome new edition' The Japan Times

'Strangely compelling, it has a distinct flavour of Beckett or even Kafka and I found it intriguing and more accessible than much Japanese literature. An interesting read' M. Jenkinson, NetGalley reviewer

'With Jay Rubin's reworked translation and the modern feel of the voice, it reads like contemporary auto fiction. Definitely worth reading as part of Sōseki's oeuvre' M. Carter, NetGalley reviewer 

'A must for Sōseki fans and those fascinated by the complexities of the mind' Hank Stephenson, bookseller, Flyleaf Books

'It was written over one hundred years ago, but seems very modern indeed' San Francisco Book Review

'It is almost meditational. The affective nature of the text is quite remarkable' T. Lunt, NetGalley reviewer

'This revised translation of The Miner presents an underappreciated gem from one of Japan's greatest novelists' Shelf Awareness

'The Miner is an awkward, fascinating novel — yes, novel — that deserves a new generation of English readers' Book Slut 

Praise for Haruki Murakami:

In April 2015, Murakami was named one of the TIME 100's most influential people.
'Readers wait for [Murakami’s] work the way past generations lined up at record stores for new albums by the Beatles or Bob Dylan' Patti Smith, The New York Times Book Review

Praise for Jay Rubin:

'Translators generally don’t garner much attention, but Jay Rubin has distinguished himself' Seattle Times 

From the Publisher