Natsume Soseki: The Greatest Writer You've Never Read

Still Revered, Relevant and Modern, More Than A Century After His Death

When I tell Japanese people that Natsume Soseki is my favorite novelist—and not just my favorite Japanese novelist—I get a slightly shocked reaction that has nothing to do with taste. My choosing Soseki is impeccable; it’s just that no one sees it coming. Americans might react the same way if I said Henry James or Mark Twain instead of a living author, …