Kokoro

De: Natsume Soseki

Narrado por: Matt Shea

"The subject of Kokoro, which can be translated as 'the heart of things' or as 'feeling,' is the delicate matter of the contrast between the meanings the various parties of a relationship attach to it. In the course of this exploration, Soseki brilliantly describes different levels of friendship, family relationships, and the devices by which men attempt to escape from their fundamental loneliness. The novel sustains throughout its length something approaching poetry, and it is rich in understanding and insight. The translation, by Edwin McClellan, is extremely good." (Anthony West, The New Yorker)

©1957 Regnery Publishing (P)2015 Regnery Publishing

Melancolía y sentimientos de culpa

Cuánto tiempo es necesario para castigarnos por los pecados de antaño? Es el sentido de culpa tan fuerte o es la dificilísimo camino de perdonarnos... el que previene una vida tortuosa... un fin como salida

Profound

The philosophy was deep and conveyed perfectly, and the novel itself was well structured and gripping, I got caught off guard by the story several times

This story always breaks my heart

I love this novel, and the fact that I can listen to it now, especially the part about Sensei, makes it more irresistible. I feel like I am actually listen to Sensei's voice and thoughts and it breaks my heart a little every time I listen to it.

you will learn a lot from this

the books pace is slow at first and you will question where the narrative leads you but once you get into the second part and truly understand the literature you will understand the importance of this book in terms of educating humanity and morality. a story about men i would say, and the struggles with pride and dignity

Brilliant Novel / Affecting Performance

Kokoro is widely considered Soseki's masterpiece and listening to or reading the book makes it abundantly clear why. Matt Shea's narration is superb and never flags. I HIGHLY recommend this book and this recording.

Mental

Great story. Very much recommended.

A coward dies a thousand times. Say what you need to say.

Surprisingly moving

I struggled to finish it at first. The first part of the narrative takes many words to say very little. I stopped midway out of boredom and irritation at the whiny-ness of the student character and didn't pick it up again for several months. Eventually I willed myself to finish the book since I had already read most of the way through it, and saw from other reviews that Sensei's portion of the story is more engaging.

Strangely, by the time I finished the book I'd decided that the story required the monotony to achieve its emotional peak. Matt Shea reads the text very flatly, so it allows Sensei's pain to come through very well without any distractions. This book tells a tale so sad and miserable that I think everyone can relate to, even if they haven't directly been touched by the tragedies that occur in the book. It touches on some qualities of human nature that we all acknowledge and possess, but puzzle us nonetheless.

This book is chilling. Heart-breaking. It will cause you to reflect on your own conscience. I recommend it.

IT IS TOO LATE.

How miserable it must feel to go on living when you know that the single source of your redemption is gone. Perhaps, then, the only solution is to depart as they have departed. What a book. I have nothing more to say.

A masterpiece in melancholia

This book is beautifully written. It's soulful and thought provoking. It is not a happy book, but is sad in a way that Japanese literature does so well. If you've experienced Japanese novels, especially those from the early 1900s to the 1970s then you may know what I'm talking about.

This book has a plot, but it isn't the most important part of the book. The unveiling of the characters, the emotions, and the cultural changes of the time period are what seem central to me.

The only other book I've read by Natsume Soseki was Botchan which is funny. This book has little humor so be prepared. But I highly recommend this, unless you are severely depressed. Honestly, I would wait until I was in a better place and dive into Botchan instead!

Evocative time, places and people

Exquisite emotional pitch written in trademark Japanese writing style - sparse. And all the richer for it.