Shimazaki Toson: rebirth

The love between an uncle and a niece—*New Life*, a controversial work that challenged the world's taboos. This is an autobiographical novel by Shimazaki Toson, a Japanese Romantic poet and Naturalist novelist, in which he confesses his relationship with his niece. Causing a stir in Japanese society upon its publication, the work left its mark on literary history by showcasing a facet of modern Japanese literature that sought to depict the truth of life through candid self-confession. The story centers on Kisumoto Stekichi, a widowed middle-aged writer, and his nineteen-year-old niece, Setsuko, who looks after his household. When Setsuko becomes pregnant with Stekichi's child, he leaves for Paris to repent and end their relationship. However, he returns after three years due to the outbreak of World War I, only to find Setsuko physically and mentally devastated after giving birth to the child alone and having it adopted. Feeling a sense of responsibility, Stekichi begins to care for Setsuko, and the two find themselves facing each other once again as a man and a woman…

Korean title: 신생

Korean author: 시마자키 도손

Korean publisher: 문학과지성사

ISBN-13: 9788932028668