みにくさゆえに嫌われていたよだかは、星になりたいとオリオンに頼みますが...。

Miyazawa Kenji is perhaps the most widely researched Japanese writer presently, not only by Japanese scholars but also by foreign scholars of Japanese literature worldwide. The relevance and meaning of Kenji's works to the contemporary world have increased manifold over the years and the researchers throughout the world unanimously agree to the truth that his works stand for the betterment and benefit of the mankind as a whole. This universality of his works appeals to the psyche of every human being on this earth, irrespective his/her age, race, gender, language or nationality. Ten of his representative short stories in English translation are introduced in this volume for my young fellow countrymen. Each of these ten stories enwrapped in Indian/Buddhist ideology bears a different colour and style, depicting through animals and birds the intricate human society, agonized by discrimination, infighting, deceit, fraud, muscle power, betrayal, arrogance, life and rebirth, cause and effect and lack of mutual love and concern. In CHILDREN OF THE GINGKO TREE, the true picture of this transient world is depicted through the separation of beloved ones. Nothing is permanent in this world. In THE WILD GOOSE CHILD, the concept of Karma, Cause and Effect, Rebirth and ultimate attainment of Nirvana through penitence are described. In THE EARTH GOD AND THE FOX, a triangular relationship of three characters, namely, the Earth God, the Fox and the beautiful Birch Tree unfolds the selfish, impatient and cruel mentality of man, who has no place in his mind for love, sympathy or fellow feeling towards others. In WILDCAT AND THE ACORNS, the fight among the acorns for superiority is depicted so realistically and vividly that it reflects the true daily life of human beings. In THE LION KING Kenji is narrating how effectively the ruler of the wild kingdom, the lion, maintain the law and order in his domain. This is a classic example of wise and prudent actions by the animals, something which is lacked by the human beings. In THREE FROGS AND A RUBBER SHOE, jealous and wickedness of human mind are depicted through the vicious actions of Bun and Ben frogs. However, one cannot escape from the retribution of his actions. In THE SHELL FIRE, Kenji is depicting the importance of selfless affection and love towards fellow beings. The Shell Fire in our hearts will glow brilliantly only if we have a kind, merciful and loving heart towards others. In THE NIGHTHAWK STAR, the author is depicting the successful life of a meek and weak nighthawk who attained his goal through sheer determination and strong will power, overcoming the social discrimination and willful threat from the mighty hawk. In THE RESTAURANT OF MANY ORDERS, how the greed and wickedness of a man make him selfish and blind towards the suffering of others and lead him to the brink of destruction is narrated. In CHESTNUT TREE AND MONKEY CHAIRS, the fantasy of a young boy, where the boy himself has become the subject for classical deception by the tiny monkies , is narrated.

Carleton A. Coon, Sr., and Hoe L. Sanders formed the Coon-Sanders Orchestra in 1919 in Kansas City, Missouri. Three years later, under the name "Nighthawks," the band began broadcasting experimental, highly-popular midnight radio programs over Kansas City's WDAF. Their music was played all over the world, and the band remained one of America's top bands until Coon's death in 1932. Here is the complete history of the Coon-Sanders Orchestra, the band whose saucy, and bustling music and carefree and extravagant musicians symbolized the era between World War I and the Great Depression.

Kenji Miyazawa is one of modern Japan’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’s selection and expert translation of Miyazawa’s short fiction reflects its full range from the joyful, innocent “Wildcat and the Acorns,” to the cautionary tale “The Restaurant of Many Orders,” to “The Earthgod and the Fox,” 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 “The Wild Pear,” what seem to be two slight nature sketches succeed in encapsulating some of the cruelty and compensations of life itself.

Haruno orders Hachiman to leak the plans. Falling right in Haruno’s trap, Yukino’s Mother goes to the school to put a stop to the prom! And as Yukino and Hachiman discuss what happened with their little “competition,” something between them begins to shift...

In Miyazawa Kenji and His Illustrators, Helen Kilpatrick examines re-visionings of the literature of one of Japan’s most celebrated authors, Miyazawa Kenji (1896-1933). The deeply Buddhist Kenji's imaginative dōwa (children’s tales) are among the most frequently illustrated in Japan today. Numerous internationally renowned artists such as Munakata Shikō, Kim Tschang-Yeul and Lee Ufan have represented his stories in an array of intriguing visual styles, reinvigorating them as picture books for modern audiences. Focusing on some of Kenji’s most famous narratives, the author analyses the ways artists respond to the stories’ metaphysical philosophies, exploring the interaction of literature, art and culture. Miyazawa Kenji and His Illustrators is richly depicted with full colour images of the representations of Kenji’s work, making the book a valuable resource on how illustrations shape story, and how these picture books continue to convey the texts’ witty and ironic messages more deeply than the written word alone.