Once and Forever

<b>A collection of classic fantastical tales from Northern Japan that are equal parts whimsical and sophisticated perfect for readers of all ages.</b><br><br>Kenji Miyazawa is one of modern Japan&#146;s most beloved writers a great poet and a strange and marvelous spinner of tales whose sly humorous enchanting and enigmatic stories bear a certain resemblance to those of his contemporary Robert Walser. John Bester&#146;s selection and expert translation of Miyazawa&#146;s short fiction reflects its full range from the joyful innocent &#147;Wildcat and the Acorns&#148; to the cautionary tale &#147;The Restaurant of Many Orders&#148; to &#147;The Earthgod and the Fox&#148; which starts out whimsically before taking a tragic turn. Miyazawa also had a deep connection to Japanese folklore and an intense love of the natural world. In &#147;The Wild Pear&#148; what seem to be two slight nature sketches succeed in encapsulating some of the cruelty and compensations of life itself.