Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who enjoy modern Japanese short stories and lyrical prose
- Readers comfortable with weak plot and strong emotional atmosphere
- People who want short pieces for the commute or bedtime, one or two at a time
- Literature lovers interested in the "lemon" image and I-novel-style expression
Not a good fit for
- Readers who prefer strong plots, complete storylines, and clear endings
- Readers seeking light, cheerful reading and unwilling to engage with gloomy emotions
- Readers impatient with slow pacing and fragmentary lyricism
Reading tips
- Read only one or two pieces at a time, then pause for a few minutes to let the mood settle before moving on.
- Start with the title story "Lemon" to feel how the author handles everyday stagnation, then read the other stories in table-of-contents order.
- Jot down recurring images (lemon, winter flies, snow, cherry blossoms) as you go; comparing them across stories deepens the experience.
- If a piece feels dull, don't force it—move on to another. Short story collections are made for browsing.
About the publisher
Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House is a Chinese publisher specializing in literary publishing. Judging from the 808 titles in the database, its publishing areas cover world classics, foreign literature, social novels, folk literature and classic works, as well as modern and contemporary literature and prose. Representative titles include foreign literary translations such as Anna Karenina, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, In Praise of Shadows and The Complete Tragedies and Comedies of Shakespeare, alongside classic works by Lao She and Lu Xun such as Camel Xiangzi, Teahouse and Wandering. Its authors and translators include Leo Tolstoy, Cao Ying, Lao She, Yukio Mishima, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki and Zhu Shenghao. The press emphasizes the translation and introduction of classic texts and the compilation of native literary works, giving equal weight to Chinese and foreign literature. Owing to limited public information, its specific series and editorial policies are not elaborated here.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 柠檬
- 坐落在古城的市街
- 某个午后
- 魔术与烟火
- 生病
- 胜子
- 昼与夜
- 雨
- 泥泞
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 路上
- 七叶树之花——某封私信
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 过往
- 雪后
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 某个内心风景
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 六
- K的升天——或K的溺毙
- 冬日
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 六
- 在樱树下
- 器乐的幻觉
- 苍穹
- 导水竹管的故事
- 冬蝇
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 一种山崖上的情感
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 爱抚
- 黑暗画轴
- 交配
- 其一
- 其二
- 悠哉的患者
- 一
- 二
- 三
FAQ
How many short stories does this book collect?
Why is the book titled Lemon?
Is it suitable for reading in one sitting?
Comments
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About the author
Kajii Motojiro is a modern Japanese writer relatively unfamiliar to Chinese readers, and publicly available information about him is limited; his birth and death years and detailed life history are not clearly recorded in the existing materials. Judging from the three works collected here—Lemon, the Japanese-language edition in the Japanese Literature Masterpieces series, and The Melancholy Bomb—his writing consists mainly of short stories and is often classified under foreign literature. His texts tend to draw on small details of everyday life, and through keen observation of sensory experience and psychology they convey a mood mixed with weariness, solitude, and brief consolation, in an understated and poetic style. Lemon is his most widely circulated representative work and an important entry point for understanding his writing; The Melancholy Bomb likewise continues this melancholic mode of writing. Because the materials are limited, his biographical details and place in literary history cannot be elaborated, and readers may do well to begin with the works themselves and appreciate their distinctive narrative atmosphere and emotional texture.
Public information about Gao Zhancan is limited, and his profile can currently be understood only through the eight works he has been involved in translating or editing. He appears mainly as a translator or compiler, and the titles he has handled span Japanese literature, science fiction, classics, and management. These include translations of Japanese literary classics such as The Old Capital, Lemon, and No Longer Human, as well as a collection titled Kawabata Yasunari's Representative Works (3 volumes), showing a sustained interest in modern and contemporary Japanese classics. The Uchoten Kazoku series and I Only Work Three Hours a Day: Mamoru Oshii's Character Theory touch on popular anime source novels and on management and creative commentary respectively, indicating that his range is not confined to pure literature. Overall, his work leans toward introducing Japanese literature and related books to Chinese-language readers, with varied subjects and styles; its influence lies mainly in how these translations and selections guide reading choices.
