To Read & To Write

Translated from the Japanese, this collection of eight fairy-tales by Mimei Ogawa is full of delicate renderings that illuminate as well as sooth the harshness of life. How do we begin to bridge the gap between forced enemies? Or, what should we do with an enchanted remedy only good for one dose? There isn't a nice and neat ending to all of these (for example, "The Fishmonger Woman"), further supporting the theory that "happily-ever-after" is not a necessary component of the fairy-tale. Rather, the words that have been carefully translated by J.D. Wisgo from the pen of a deceased writer offers a brief and beautiful glimpse into moments of life that have been slowed down for the pleasure of contemplation. Wisgo fills each word with a sensitivity that reaches deep into an older culture that thrives today, yet is more hidden than ever before, like sketches or outlines of a world without its distractions; see "The Dog, the Man, and the Flower", just a...

This fast-paced yet contemplative thriller by Japanese writer Tomohito Moriyama and translated into English by J.D. Wisgo brings up all the best topics and themes in excellent science fiction: artificial intelligence, duty vs. personal inclinations, euthanasia, paranoia, and all kinds of questions regarding human nature itself. Two Of Six: A Captain’s Dilemma tells the story of the captain of a spaceship carrying six passengers. When the spaceship malfunctions and starts losing its supply of oxygen, how does the captain decide which passengers should take the extra spacecraft back home, a spacecraft which can only save two people? The captain’s only close companion is the A.I. robot assigned to work with him. How does she influence his decisions? And, as A.I., is she capable of making purely objective decisions? Moriyama, influenced by Isaac Asimov, writes a compelling plot-driven story putting philosophy in action. Though Two Of Six does not provide rich visual landsc...

“Classic Japanese Fairy-Tales [Volume 1]: Mimei Ogawa: The Father Of Modern Japanese Fairy-Tales” is a new collection of Japanese fairy-tales translated into English by J.D. Wisgo (2018). This beautiful collection of six Japanese fairy-tales is precious and unique because it is the first publication of its kind: so widely available (unlike other publications of Ogawa’s) and with refreshed translations of classic tales, many of which are not widely known. Wisgo’s renderings of these stories are brilliant, extremely sensual and vivid, and full of poignant reflection without being overtly literary.  The six tales in this volume include: The Red Candle & The Mermaid, The Clockless Village, The Golden Hoops, Saffron Wine & The Desert Town, The Chocolate Candy Angel, and Many Years Later. To be sure, all of these are indeed fairy-tales (as opposed to fables). The lessons and meanings are subtle and abstract. When towns disappear is it due to bad luck or mermaids? Or, what is ...