-
The Irish Quarter Japanese Literature Short Stories Philippines
India Original Short Stories Author Q & A Sessions
Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction and
Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel and post Colonial
AsianFiction are some of my Literary Interests
THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010
The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
StumbleUponSubmit
The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi (1966, trans. byWakako
Hironaka and Ann Kostant, 174 pages)
The Doctor's Wife is the best known novel of SawakoAriyoshi
(Japan, 1931 to 1984). She is among the highestregarded female
authors to emerge in Japan after WWII. She graduated from college
in 1952. Her area ofconcentration was the preforming arts with a
special interestin Kubuki theater. After graduation she went to
work for apublishing house and began to contribute articles to
literary journals. In 1959 she received a Rockefeller Grantto study
preforming arts for a year at Sarah Lawrence College in the USA. By
1968 she was able to devoteher full efforts to writing novels,
short stories and essays. She never married or had children and
diedpeacefully in her sleep in 1984.
The Doctor's Wife centers on the life long conflict of the
mother and the wife of Doctor Hanaoska Seishu (1760to 1835) who was
the first modern doctor to preform breast surgery using
anesthetics. In this era ofJapanese life the leading male figure in
a household was dominant over all others. Ariyoshi does a very
goodjob in detailing for us the conflicts of the wife and
mother-in-law of the household. She portrays well their verylong
lasting feelings of mutual dislike and near hatred.
I found the depiction of medical practice in Japan in the early
19th century fascinating. We get to see exactlyhow the business end
of medical practice worked then and we see the procedures also. The
medical focus ofthe novel is on breast cancer. At this time there
was no way to operate on a woman with breast cancer withoutkilling
her. Dr. Seishu had been experimenting for a long time on animals
in order to find a way to preformpain free surgery. He made use of
various mixtures of herbs and modern chemicals and had succeeded
on
"As for me, I go on. Alone, forever alone"
THE SHORT STORIES OF CLARICE LISPECTOR
AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN LITERATURE
0 More Next Blog Create Blog Sign In
The Reading Life: The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2010/07/doctors-wife-by-...
1 of 6 4/19/15, 7:03 AM
-
Labels: Ariyoshi, Japan, JL4
Joaquim MariaMachado de Assis:A Short Story bythe ...
The China Factoryby Mary Costello
RebindranathTagore-ThreeStories -First AsianNobel Prize ...
animals numerous times. He needed to try his procedures on a
human subject. The nature of the characterof the mother in law and
the wife come out wonderfully when we see them both demanding to be
the first humantest subject. Ariyoshi takes us deeply into the
dynamics of the household relationships. The events thatfollow are
really quite exciting and I will relay no more of the plot of this
wonderful book.
I think what I enjoyed most about this book was seeing how
medical practice worked in Japan in the early 19thcentury. A
doctor's office was for sure a family business. The relationships
between the two women was verywell done and we get a feel for the
marriage also, though this might be underdeveloped.
I recommend The Doctor's Wife very highly. There is a very
subtle intelligence in this book. I will soon readand post on
another of her novels The River Ki.
Mel uYou might also like:
Linkwithin
Recommend this on Google
9 comments:
BookQuoter said...
This sounds like a book I might enjoy. Thanks for the
review.
July 22, 2010 at 9:09 AM
JoAnn said...
This sounds excellent... on to my list it goes! Thanks for the
review.
July 22, 2010 at 7:56 PM
mel u said...
BookQuoter-thanks very much
Joann-you are very welcome and thank you
July 23, 2010 at 5:07 AM
JoAnn said...
Mel, Just had to tell you about a strange coincidence today. The
woman ahead of me at the library desk waspicking up The Doctor's
Wife! She said her sister (currently living in Japan) had raved
about it. I put my nameon the hold list immediately. It must have
been a sign...
July 23, 2010 at 5:19 AM
mel u said...
Joann-that was quite a coincidence-I hope you are able to read
it soon
July 23, 2010 at 5:21 AM
whisperinggums said...
Nice blog, Mel... I too have read and reviewed this one. I've
also read her River Ki and Twilight years, but beforemy blogging
life. They are both wonderful books too - probably better than The
doctor's wife in some waysbecause they are not quite so shackled by
the history.
July 25, 2010 at 9:12 AM
mel u said...
whisperinggums-I have a copy of her River Ki and will read it
soon, I hope
July 26, 2010 at 9:59 AM
Kinna said...
Thanks for the review. I've read River Ki and really loved it.
Glad to see you back.
August 18, 2010 at 5:33 PM
parrish lantern said...
Thank you, another signpost for me to follow in my journey
through this nations literature.
April 17, 2011 at 3:32 PM
Publishers and authors-if you want me to post on one ofyour
books, please contact me
I am now publishing short works of fiction, includingflash
fiction. If you are interested in this please contactme.
Your comments on my posts are very much appreciated.
I am proud to announce I am an Advisory Director of TheLakeview
International Journal of Literature and theArts
[email protected]
Mel u
Join this sitewith Google Friend Connect
Members (824) More
Already a member? Sign in
FOLLOWERS
SUBSCRIBE TO
Posts
Comments
IRISH LITERATURE ON THE READING LIFE
The Reading Life: The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2010/07/doctors-wife-by-...
2 of 6 4/19/15, 7:03 AM
-
Newer Post Older PostHome
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Post a Comment
Search powered by
SEARCH THE READING LIFE
THE READING LIFE KATHERINE MANSFIELD PROJECT
The Reading Life by Mel u
+ 41
Follow +1
GOOGLE+ BADGE
FOLLOW THIS BLOG WITH BLOGLOVIN
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
"Where Will All the Buildings Go" by Lauravan den Berg (in
Brooklyn Magazine, March4, 2014)
"Zita" by Arturo B. Rotor
"A Footnote to Youth" by Jose Garcia Villa.(1933) - A National
Artistof the Philippines
"Culture of Indifference" - A Short Story byVarun Gwalani
"One Day in London" a short story by JohnDuffy
"The Enemy" by Abdul Gani Beg Athar (translated fromKasmiri by
Neerja Mattoo)
POPULAR POSTS
The Reading Life: The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2010/07/doctors-wife-by-...
3 of 6 4/19/15, 7:03 AM
-
Gnter Grass - 1927 to 2015
"Cats and Dogs" by Joy Williams (2015)
"Extract" by Clarice Lispector
"Obsession" by Clarice Lispector - Her FirstTruly Great Story
plus "Gertrudes Asks forAdvice" and "Another Couple of Drinks"
FOLLOW BY EMAIL
Submit
mel uFollow
My blog deals with the literary treatment ofReading Centered
lives in the 21st
Century and beyond--short stories, Katherine Mansfield,classics,
post colonial Asian fiction, Irish short stories andquality modern
fiction are some of my interests
View my complete profile
ABOUT ME
SUBSCRIBE TO
Posts
Comments
2015 (114)
2014 (457)
2013 (641)
2012 (495)
2011 (461)
2010 (308)
December (25)
November (34)
October (34)
September (31)
August (12)
July (26)
"At The Gate" by Myla Jo Closser
"A Confession" by Guy de Maupassant
Rivalry: A Geisha's Tale by Nagai Kafu
Katherine Mansfield-Four Stories-1911 to 1913
"Two Hanged Women" by Henry HandelRichardson
Four Early Katherine Mansfield Stories
Virginia Woolf by Hermione Lee
The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
BLOG ARCHIVE
The Reading Life: The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2010/07/doctors-wife-by-...
4 of 6 4/19/15, 7:03 AM
-
The Reading Life After One Year-Part II-TheFuture...
My Blog is Now One Year Old
"A Father's Confession" by Guy de Maupassant
"A Haunted House" by Virginia Woolf
Louis Becke-New South Wales, Australia -SouthSea ...
Katherine Mansfield-Four More Stories from Blissa...
"The Death of Oliver Bescaille" by Emile Zola
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
Silence by Shusaku Endo
The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by UmbertoEco...
The Four Short Listed Runner Up Short Stories oft...
"Stick Fighting Days" by Olufemi Terry-2010Winner...
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
"A Telephone Call" by Dorothy Parker
Rabindranath Tagore "Hungry Stones"-First AsianNo...
Welcome Book Blog Hoppers
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie-Two Short Stories
June 2010 Reading Life Review
June (29)
May (39)
April (24)
March (21)
February (15)
January (18)
2009 (97)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Doll by Boleslaw Prug
Faust by Johann Wolfgsng Von Goethe
CURRENTLY READING
LINKWITHIN
196 (38) Australian (17)
Desmond Hogan (29) Elizabeth Bowen (18) EmergingIrish Women
Writers (24)
France (132) India (139)Ireland (608) Irish Short
Stories (485) Japan (146) KatherineMansfield (76) Kenzaburo Oe
(18) Philippines (29)Russian (32) South Asian Short Stories (21)
Virginia Woolf (27)
LABELS
The Reading Life by Mel u
28 have us in circles View all
Follow
GOOGLE+ FOLLOWERS
STAT METER ADDED SEPT 8.2011
script type="text/javascript">
RLAD
FirstTimeAuthor?
newwrGetMatchedwith aBookPublisher.PublishYour First
RUFFINGTON BOUSWEAU MR C - A TRUER FRIEND THERE NEVER WAS
The Reading Life: The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2010/07/doctors-wife-by-...
5 of 6 4/19/15, 7:03 AM
-
TRAFFIC
Live Traffic Feed
Real-time view Get Feedjit
A visitor from Johor Bahru,Johor viewed "The ReadingLife: The
Doctor's Wife bySawako Ariyoshi" 5 mins agoA visitor from
Khabarovskviewed "The Reading Life:"Late at Night" by
KatherineMansfield" 6 mins agoA visitor from Philippinesviewed "The
Reading Life: "TheMan Who Killed Rasputin:Prince Felix Youssoupov"
byGreg King" 37 mins agoA visitor from United Kingdomviewed "The
Reading Life: "TheEagles and the Trumpets" byJames Plunkett" 40
mins agoA visitor from Khenifra, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen
viewed"The Reading Life: "Tigers onthe Tenth Day" by ZakariaTamer
Project 196 Syria" 43mins agoA visitor from Bloomington,Illinois
viewed "The ReadingLife: "The IWM 100" by AliciaYanez Cossio -
Project 196Cossio" 59 mins agoA visitor from Alhambra,California
viewed "The ReadingLife: "Babes in the Jungle" by OHenry" 1 hr 5
mins agoA visitor from Homestead,Florida viewed "The ReadingLife: A
Passage to India by E.M. Forster" 1 hr 5 mins agoA visitor from
Mississauga,Ontario viewed "The ReadingLife: "Scorn" by Bama
Faustina-leading woman Dalit TamilAuthor" 1 hr 5 mins agoA visitor
from Preston,Lancashire viewed "TheReading Life: "Samsa in Love"by
Haruki Murakami -
Unless noted, all content on this blog is the property of The
Reading Life.
1992 to 2012
GOOGLE PRIVACY POLICY ON ADS
Picture Window template. Template images by merrymoonmary.
Powered by Blogger.
The Reading Life: The Doctor's Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi
http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2010/07/doctors-wife-by-...
6 of 6 4/19/15, 7:03 AM