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theoretically_reading's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
Very skillfully written, full of both gems of insight and total crap, but definitely worth reading to start understanding some cornerstones of Japanese aesthetics that definitely inform cities like Kyoto and Nara to this day. Just take it on-guard, not like gospel. Enjoy!
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs
The author discusses, in an unsettling way, the racialized resistance to/violence towards people of varied skin colorations by multiple societies. There's also an anecdote containing a crack on Einstein's Jewishness. Just don't be caught off guard, reader.hanzy's review against another edition
5.0
Like the title states, this book is written in praise of shadows. It compares a lot of the Japanese ideals with the western ones and interestingly draws parallels between them.
It reiterates how subtle, mindful, and intentional the Japanese are with just about everything, and in it’s own unique way calls out to the Japanese youth to embrace themselves, to embrace a part of them that while it may be different, has its own beauty.
The characteristics described sort of put my explorations of East Asian art and literature in a new light and has made me appreciate the importance of shadows in a way I’d never thought of before.
It reiterates how subtle, mindful, and intentional the Japanese are with just about everything, and in it’s own unique way calls out to the Japanese youth to embrace themselves, to embrace a part of them that while it may be different, has its own beauty.
The characteristics described sort of put my explorations of East Asian art and literature in a new light and has made me appreciate the importance of shadows in a way I’d never thought of before.
adeltron's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
Really made me think about what I value about objects and aesthetic. I agree with much of what he said. But it gets a little weird at the end.
_pickle_'s review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
5.0
An important essay - both so far as form goes (the afterward in my edition comments on the rather Japanese structure, itself a demonstration of the themes Tanizaki-san writes about) and content. I'll never quite look at the interplay of light and darkness and shadow in the same ways every again.
miller_k_e_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
arcyeus's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.5
I never thought I would like an essay analysing the confluence of Japanese and Western aesthetics so much. Very thought provoking in terms of highlighting the differences in lighting of setting in many different contexts. I just wished he expanded more on the cinematic side since that is one of my hobbies.