First published in 1939 and extensively revised in 1943, "The Book of the Dead," loosely inspired by the tale of Isis and Osiris from ancient Egypt, is a sweeping historical romance that tells a gothic tale of love between a noblewoman and a ghost in eighth-century Japan. Its author, Orikuchi Shinobu, was a well-received novelist, distinguished poet, and an esteemed scholar. He is often considered one of the fathers of Japanese folklore studies, and "The Book of the Dead" is without a doubt the most important novel of Orikuchi s career and it is a book like no other.Here, for the first time, is the complete English translation of Orikuchi s masterwork, whose vast influence is evidenced by multiple critical studies dedicated to it and by its many adaptations, which include an animated film and a popular manga. This translation features an introduction by award-winning translator Jeffrey Angles discussing the historical background of the work as well as its major themes: the ancient origins of the Japanese nation, the development of religion in a modernizing society, and the devotion necessary to create a masterpiece. Also included are three chapters from "The Mandala of Light "by Japanese intellectual historian Ando Reiji, who places the novel and Orikuchi s thought in the broader intellectual context of early twentieth-century Japan."The Book of the Dead" focuses on the power of faith and religious devotion, and can be read as a parable illustrating the suffering an artist must experience to create great art. Readers will soon discover that a great deal lies hidden beneath the surface of the story; the entire text is a modernist mystery waiting to be decoded."
