Rashomon and Other Stories

Widely acknowledged as "the father of the Japanese short story," Ryunosuke Akutagawa remains one of the most influential Japanese writers in history. Rashomon and Other Stories, a collection of his most celebrated work, resonates as strongly today as when it first published a century ago. This volume includes:In a Grove: An iconic, contradictory tale of the murder of a samurai in a forest near Kyoto told through three varying accountsRashomon: A masterless samurai contemplates following a life of crime as he encounters an old woman at the old Rashomon gate outside KyotoYam Gruel: A low-ranking court official laments his position all the while yearning for his favorite, yet humble, dishThe Martyr: Set in Japan''s Christian missionary era, a young boy is excommunicated for fathering an illegitimate child, but not all is as it seemsKesa and Morito: An adulterous couple plots to kill the woman''s husband as the situation threatens to spin out of controlThe Dragon: A priest concocts a prank involving a dragon, but the tall tale begins to take on a life of its own