Ukiyo-e (‘pictures of the floating world’) is a branch of Japanese art which originated during the period of prosperity in Edo (1615-1868). Characteristic of this period, the prints are the collective work of an artist, an engraver, and a printer. Created on account of their low cost thanks to the progression of the technique, they represent daily life, women, actors of kabuki theatre, or even sumo wrestlers. Landscape would also later establish itself as a favourite subject. Moronobu, the...

"Impressions of Ukiyo-ye" by Dora Amsden delves into the captivating world of Japanese woodblock printing, a vibrant art form that flourished during the Edo period. Amsden explores the intricate techniques and cultural significance behind Ukiyo-e, which translates to "pictures of the floating world." The book highlights the works of renowned artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige, showcasing their ability to capture the beauty of nature, landscapes, and everyday life. Through detailed analy...

"The Heritage of Hiroshige" is a profound exploration of artistic legacy through a compilation of works that capture the quintessence of the Ukiyo-e movement. This anthology encompasses a broad range of literary styles, from poetic reflections to critical essays, each piece resonating with the enduring influence of Hiroshige's artistic genius. The collection juxtaposes vibrant landscapes with reflective commentaries, offering a rich tapestry that both celebrates and critically assesses the...

Ukiyo-e (‘pictures of the floating world’) is a branch of Japanese art which originated during the period of prosperity in Edo (1615-1868). Characteristic of this period, the prints are the collective work of an artist, an engraver, and a printer. Created on account of their low cost thanks to the progression of the technique, they represent daily life, women, actors of kabuki theatre, or even sumo wrestlers. Landscape would also later establish itself as a favourite subject. Moronobu, the...

Vowing at an early age “to be a poet or nothing at all,” Hermann Hesse rebelled against formal education, focusing on a rigorous program of independent study that included literature, philosophy, art, and history. One result of these efforts was a series of novels that became counterculture bibles that remain widely influential today. Another was a body of evocative spiritual poetry. Published for the first time in English, these vivid, probing short works reflect deeply on the challenges ...

"These three stories illustrate Inoue's versatility, his mastery of detail and his control of narrative structure. Inoue presents the tale as mystery and solution, the tale as psychoanalytic exploration…, the tale as emblematic social history."-Arizona QuarterlyIn The Counterfeiter, a writer is commissioned to write the biography of a famous painter but becomes fascinated by a man who produced forgeries of the artist's work. Obasute

In Freedom, Love, and Action, Krishnamurti points to a state of total awareness beyond mental processes. With his characteristic engaging, candid approach, Krishnamurti discusses such topics as the importance of setting the mind free from its own conditioning; the possibility of finding enlightenment in everyday activities; the inseparability of freedom, love, and action; and why it is best to love without attachment.

The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo (1906), is a long essay linking the role of tea (Teaism) to the aesthetic and cultural aspects of Japanese life. Addressed to a western audience, it was originally written in English and is one of the great English Tea classics. Okakura had been taught at a young age to speak English and was proficient at communicating his thoughts to the Western mind. In his book, he discusses such topics as Zen and Taoism, but also the secular aspects of tea and Japanese...

When asked how one might find a way into Christianity, the Benedictine monk Brother David Steindl-Rast advised, Meditate the sacred year. In the same vein, when asked what a lifetimes study of Anthroposophy had given him, the English philosopher Owen Barfield replied, I now have some idea of the reality of the living year. For readers who like to chew meditatively on poetry, Weekly Meditations will put them firmly on the path to realizing both of these great realities. Rudolf Steiners weekly ...

Prefiguring the vital modernist voices of the Western literary canon, Akutagawa writes with a trenchant psychological precision that exposes the shifting traditions and ironies of early twentieth-century Japan and reveals his own strained connection to it. These stories are moving glimpses into a cast of characters at odds with the society around them, singular portraits that soar effortlessly toward the universal. "What good is intelligence if you cannot discover a useful melancholy?" Aku...

An illustrated version of Okakura Kakuzo’s classic ‘The Book of Tea’ with an introductory biography of Okakura and a chapter on ‘Tea - The Serviceable Herb’. 22,000 words, 75 imagesPerhaps the most universal of all drinks but water, tea enjoys a unique popularity around the globe. From the Patagonian Pampas in Argentina, to the high plateau of Tibet, it serves as a restorative, an aid to digestion and a warming “pick-me-up”. In the refined chanoyu ceremony of Japan, tea-drinking ha...