White Man, Yellow Man: Two Novellas

Shūsaku Endō

Jan 2014 · Paulist Press

About this ebook

"The question of whether Japanese and Christian sensibilities are ultimately irreconcilable was an ongoing theme for Endo. Likewise, as he would continue to do in later works, Endo thoughtfully, forcefully explores religious concepts such as sin, redemption, and resurrection." -- Back cover

About the author

Shusaku Endo was born in Tokyo in 1923 and, with his family, converted to Catholicism while he was still a child. Much of his writing centers on the conflict this conversion engendered as he struggled to develop faith in a deity foreign to Japanese culture. His writings also reflect on his experiences during World War II during the bombings and the subsequent shortage of basic human necessities for the Japanese people. He explores the suffering endured and the inevitable shock wave upon human relationships and the human psyche. Endo graduated from Keio University and then journeyed to France after the war to continue his studies, but was forced to return to Japan because of illness. After a period of convalescence Endo decided on a writing career, publishing his first novel, Shiroihito, in 1955. His novel The Samurai, published in the United States in 1996, is considered one of his finest works. Endo's reputation is due in part to his exploration of moral dilemma as it relates to divergent cultures. Endo has won many literary awards. In 1982 he was elected to the Japan Arts Academy. Shusaku Endo died in 1996.