The Life and Writings of Higuchi Ichiyō

Join us for a discussion of the life and short fiction of Higuchi Ichiyō, Japan's first published female author in the modern era. Higuchi lived from 1872 to 1896, but during her short life she wrote 21 short stories, over 4,000 poems, and a popular, well-regarded multivolume diary. A collection of all her short stories is avaliable in English as Higuchi Ichiyō The Complete Collection. A literary biography of her, In the Shade of Spring Leaves, is also available. The biography excerpts portions of her diaries and prints 9 representative stories in full, including the classic coming of age story, Child's Play. Choose either book, but please read the following 9 stories: Flowers at Dusk (Yamizakura), A Snowy Day (Yuko no hi),The Sound of the Koto (Koto no ne), Encounters on a Dark Night (Yamiyo), On the Last Day of the Year (Ōtsugomori),Troubled Waters (Nigorie),The Thirteenth Night (Jūsan'ya), Child's Play (Takekurabe), Separate Ways (Wakare-Michi).

We'll be meeting at Lounge 72, the hotel bar at the Doubletree by Hilton in Hazard Center. Please plan to order a drink or appetizer.
Ample parking and a trolley stop are nearby. Attendance is limited, so please change your RSVP if you become unable to attend.