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A review by camoverride
Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenkō by Yoshida Kenkō
3.0
This book is a collection of short observations by the Japanese Buddhist Priest Kenko. It's not exactly wisdom literature - though many of the essays offer practical advice. It's also not poetry - though some of the essays have a very haiku-like quality. It's also not a collection of Zen koans - though there are some koans here.
What I liked about this book is that it's nothing specific: rather than trying to fit into a particular category of literature, these essays are instead designed to make you feel situated in a specific place and time - Medieval Japan - with all the religious rituals, imperial bureaucracy, and feudal fighting that come along with that.
What I liked about this book is that it's nothing specific: rather than trying to fit into a particular category of literature, these essays are instead designed to make you feel situated in a specific place and time - Medieval Japan - with all the religious rituals, imperial bureaucracy, and feudal fighting that come along with that.