France

Masafumi JonoFrench Literature, History and Culture

A brief introduction to what the French Revolution was all about - with reference to "Sekai Shishi Gekijo, Theatre of World History, The French Revolutionary Upheaval" by Masashi Jinno.

フランス革命とは一体どんな出来事だったのか。

教科書的な解説では「１７８９年に勃発した、パリ市民による絶対王政を打倒した革命」ということになりますでしょうが、実際これでは何のことだかあまりわかりません。

今回は前回に引き続きベレ出版の神野正史『世界史劇場　フランス革命の激流』を参考にフランス革命とはどんな出来事だったかをお話ししていきたいと思います。
Masafumi JonoFrench Literature, History and Culture

Masashi Jinno, "World History Theater: The French Revolution's Torrent" - If you want to know the whys and hows of the French Revolution, this is the introductory book for you!

この本は読んでいて本当にわかりやすいです。なぜその出来事が起こったのか、そしてそこからどう展開していくのかという歴史の流れを知ることができます。

この本はフランス革命の入門書として最適です。

歴史の勉強といえば、年号と人物などの暗記がメインだった学生時代。

これでは歴史の本当の面白さやその意義は見えてきませんよね。この本はその歴史というものに対する先入観も破壊してくれます。
calamudineRussian History and Culture and Dostoevsky

Karamzin, "Paris in the Eighteenth Century as Seen by Russians" - What was the shock of the Russian humanist scholar who saw Paris, the city of his dreams?

In this book by Karamzin, he candidly describes the overwhelming charms and negative aspects of Paris, the city he admired from a Russian perspective, and his impressions of the Parisian people as he saw them.

It was another version of the glamorous and beautiful city of Paris, a stench and filth-ridden Paris.

Paris was the most prosperous city of its time, but at the same time, the negative aspects of that prosperity were not uncommon.

This is a surprising fact.

It was very interesting to see Paris from the perspective of a Russian, Karamzin!
ChristianityDostoevsky and Christianity

Justo González, "History of Christianity" - A recommended reference book for learning the general framework of Christian history!

The nuance of "Christianity is absolutely right and the pagans are wrong" is not present in this book in the first place. It is felt that the book tries to be as objective as possible in its viewpoint of why the events happened historically.

Also, this book is very interesting to read in the first place. Textbooks on the history of Christianity tend to conjure up images of stiff, difficult books, but Justo González's "History of Christianity" is different in more ways than one.
Zweig.Dostoevskyism

Zweig's "Three Masters" - Balzac, Dickens, and Dostoevsky, their characteristics as seen by comparison

The book's author, Stefan Zweig, was born in Vienna in 1881 and is best known as a world-renowned biographer, having written international bestsellers such as "Marie Antoinette" and "Balzac.

Why is Dostoevsky so difficult and what makes Dostoevsky's literature so unique?"

Zweig highlights this through comparisons with Balzac and Dickens.

It is really easy to understand when you compare the two. You are indeed one of the best biographers in the world. It was truly an eye-opener.
Mori, YushoDostoevskyism

Arimasa Mori, "Dostoevsky Memorandum" - A masterpiece of Dostoevsky theory by one of Japan's leading French writers.

The author, Arimasa Mori, born in 1911, is one of Japan's leading scholars of French literature.

Arimasa Mori describes in this book his thoughts on Dostoevsky that come from himself.

It is a confrontation with Dostoevsky, not simply for the sake of knowledge or study, but as a real-life problem that Arimasa Mori faces in his own life.

This book is a tough introduction to Dostoevsky for those who want to know the synopsis and commentary of his works, but it is a great book for those who want to think about Dostoevsky in more depth.
critical biography of DostoevskyDostoevskyism

Motylski, "Critique Dostoevsky" - The gold standard of Dostoevsky critiques with an overwhelming amount of information!

Dostoevsky: A Critical Biography" was published in Russian in 1947 and was quickly translated into many languages and called "the best study of Dostoevsky's writings in any language.

The most important feature of this review is the detailed commentary on the work by Moturisky, an expert on Russian Orthodox doctrine and practice.

I highly recommend this critique as a terrific way to study Dostoevsky.
opera houseU.S.A. version

Seeing "The Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway in the real Broadway - Consideration of the difference in mentality between Japanese and Americans in the U.S.A. (7)

New York is the home of musicals, Broadway.

I have come all the way here. I would love to experience an authentic musical.

And this time I am going to see a Broadway classic, "The Phantom of the Opera". I love this production and have seen it performed by the Shiki Theatre Company many times.

In this article, I will consider the differences I have felt between Japanese opera houses and New York City.