{"product_id":"eclipse-9780231214902","title":"Eclipse","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the late fifteenth century, a young Dominican friar sets out on a journey from Paris to Florence in search of manuscripts of pre-Christian philosophy. Along the way, he encounters an ascetic alchemist in a small village. As the young man falls under the spell of the alchemist's quest for enlightenment, a series of disasters--culminating in a total solar eclipse--strikes the village, with profound consequences. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eKeiichiro Hirano's \u003ci\u003eEclipse\u003c\/i\u003e was a meteoric literary sensation when it first appeared in 1998. Its author, still an undergraduate, was hailed as a prodigy; the book received Japan's most prestigious literary award, the Akutagawa Prize, and became a bestseller. Set on the eve of the Renaissance in Europe, \u003ci\u003eEclipse\u003c\/i\u003e depicts a society that is on the surface vastly different from modern-day Japan. Yet its account of a challenge to dualistic binaries and ossified worldviews holds striking contemporary resonance and philosophical depth. Taking the form of a memoir, \u003ci\u003eEclipse\u003c\/i\u003e brings together an evocative portrayal of its historical setting, including the lore of medieval alchemy, with a rich literary lexicon, lush imagery, and psychological intricacy. This vivid translation offers Anglophone readers a vital work by one of Japan's most distinctive voices.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eKeiichiro Hirano is an acclaimed Japanese novelist who has published fifteen major works of fiction in a variety of genres and styles. His other books in English translation are \u003ci\u003eA Man\u003c\/i\u003e (2020) and \u003ci\u003eAt the End of the Matinee\u003c\/i\u003e (2021). \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBrent de Chene is professor emeritus at Waseda University. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCharles De Wolf is professor emeritus at Keio University.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Columbia University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50927788818706,"sku":"9780231214902","price":87.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_2a87e0a7-be4a-4879-9e4d-8b7099be0c05.jpg?v=1738986691","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/eclipse-9780231214902","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}