Saffron and Other Short Writings

A name remembered from a childhood dictionary becomes a living plant on a writer's desk. From that small encounter, Mori Ogai (1862-1922) asks what it means to know the world, and to know oneself.

Eight complete short writings: Saffron, This Thing Called Haiku, On Natsume Soseki, On Resignation, a satirical conversation written in place of a preface to Robinson Crusoe, an addendum on the origin of language, Dreams and An Interim Reckoning. A new translation from the Japanese, with a translator's note, concise notes and source information. AI-assisted translation.