Kokoro

Kokoro es una obra que goza de una calma inquietante, gracias al realismo cotidiano que utiliza Natsume para contarnos la vida de sus personajes. Realmente lo recomiendo.

Whether it is the original writing or what seems to be an extraordinary translation, this book's prose is a joy to read. The succinct yet powerful sentences, the very short chapters, the matter-of-fact way in which it's written are all wonderful. Other reviewers have gone into great details of the plot; I won't for various reasons, but while it's eminently readable and easy to follow, the denouement strikes me as so classically Japanese as to be alien to our culture. The sensei who is the subject of the book commits what he believes to be an unforgivable act and spends the rest of his life atoning for it -- though "atoning" is not quite the right word; maybe it's clearer to say he spends the rest of his life feeling guilty about it and -- almost -- doesn't do anything about it. I found that part of it a bit hard to accept, but that is probably more a statement of the cultural differences between early 20th Century Japan and 21st Century America than it is about a failing of the book.

Kokoro is Soseki Natume’s novel of masterpiece. It looks just like the deep work of the Jodo-Shinshu sect of Buddhism that is the teaching of Japanese famous Shinran. It seems to be written about the theme of evil which human beings have. I as narrator first met respectful Sensei in Kamakura. Sensei has no job and seems to have deep philosophy. And he seems to have deep distress. I as narrator is a student and young. Therefore the young narrator has not his own thought and has little experience . Therefore Sensei may seem to be attractive. He has a beautiful wife and no children. When they started to talk the subject of children, Sensei said that we shall have no children because we received suitable punishment. And he visits the Zoshigaya grave regularly. When I as narrator get interested in it and inquired, Sensei answered that it is his good friend grave. Afterwards Sensei leaves his last will and testament, and commits suicide . Next sentence is the passage from his will. 【You can imagine my amazement when K launched into a ponderous confession of his agonized love for Ojosan. I froze, as if his words were a magic wand that turned me instantly to stone. My mouth failed to so much as twitch in an effort to respond. My whole being was reduced to a single concentrated point---of terror, of pain. I stiffened instantaneously from head to foot, like stone or steel. So rigid was I that I almost lost the power of breath. Luckily, however, this state quickly passed. A moment later I had returned to human feelings. And now a bitter regret swept over me. He had beaten me to it. I had no idea what my next move should be, however, I was too distressed, I suppose, to think coherently. I simply remained frozen, uncomfortably aware of the nasty sweat that was soaking the armpits of my shirt. K, meanwhile, was continuing the faltering confession of his love, pausing from time to grope for words. I was in agony. My distress must have been written on my face as blatantly as some advertising poster, I thought. Even K must surely notice it. But it seemed in fact that his attention was too deeply focused on himself to register my expression. His confession never varied in tone. There was a heavy dullness to it, it seemed to me, and a kind of unyielding inertia. While part of me listened to this faltering declaration, my heart was seething with the question What shall I do, oh, What shall I do? so that I scarecely comprehended the details of what K was saying. The overall tone of his words , however, struck me to to the core. So my pain was now mixed with a kind of terror—the beginnings of a horrified recognition that he was stronger than I. When K finished, I could say nothing. I was not struck dumb by any internal debate about whether it would be wiser to make the same confession to him or to keep my secret to myself. It was simply that I could not speak. Nor did I wish to. At lunch K and I faced each other across the table. Served by the maid, we ate what seemed to me an unusually tasteless meal. We spoke barely a word during the meal. We had no idea when Okusan and Ojosan would return. 】

Interesting to read early-ish Japanese literature. This guy is a predecessor of Murakami and others of this generation. The writing (and translation)is certainly absorbing and the cultural aspects of early 20th century Japan well conveyed. The attitude to women is very telling and so too the male need to stay emotionally locked up. Indeed it is already better to commit suicide than to reveal a troubled soul. Reflections of a profoundly flawed society....and one wonders how much it has changed. Witness failed businessmen flagellating themselves and the ultimate refusal to admit fallibility at Fukushima. All very interesting.

A portrait of beauty and sadness brought about by self-imposed constraints of human interaction. A must read in Japanese literature.

Gran novela. Natsume Soseki es uno de los grandes maestros de la literatura japonesa. Y Kokoro es una de sus cimas mas elevadas. La delicada introspeccion de los personajes de esta obra cumbre, en realidad son el alma i el espiritu de Soseki al desnudo. Todo un universo de sensaciones animicas resumen toda una cultura y una forma de sentir la vida y la muerte. Magistral.

Wonderful story, japanese of course, nicely written and quite fascinating and rather sad..the relationships between people of all genders in Japan , the family secrets.. life and death often through suicide. A beautiful story

Such a beautiful and heartbreaking story. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a book to make them think. Got through it pretty quickly aswell and is a pretty easy read

THis is the first time I am reading Natsume and I am so so glad I picked this. I am curious about Japanese literature/ books and authors and while looking, this book caught my eye. Well, what do I say about this creation. I am floored by everything in this book. It's plot is well written and though the characters belong to a specific time they are so relatable and can you can feel them. I did my research on the Meiji era of Japan while reading this book and it helped me understand the concept better. But, what stood out to me was expressions of the human conditions and realations by the author. So delicate almost like poetry and so simple and understandble at the same time. I would recommend this book for everyone. It worth it!!!

It may be me but I think this translator assumes to much of me and I feel like I am missing the gist.