Literature for the Masses by James Reichert, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Books in Brief
Literature for the Masses: Japanese Period Fiction, 1913-1941
Author: James Reichert
Via University of Hawaii Press
“Literature for the Masses is the first English-language book on popular stories known in Japan alternatively as period fiction or mass literature. It highlights the important cultural and ideological work performed by this ubiquitous, yet overlooked, literary form. Focused on the years 1913 to 1941, which coincide exactly with the rise of industrial capitalism and mass culture in Japan, the book challenges the conventional wisdom that period-themed entertainment was an anachronistic holdover from the past. Through a close analysis of well-known examples of the genre, such as Nakazato Kaizan’s The Great Buddha Pass (1913–1921), Yoshikawa Eiji’s Miyamoto Musashi (1935–1939), and Mikami Otokichi’s The Transformation of Yukinojō (1934–1935), James Reichert shows how these materials were thoroughly integrated into both the modern media ecosystem and the creative sphere of the written arts."
James Reichert is an associate professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures.
