‘My infatuation and intoxication grew deeper with every mile we travelled. When I reached Paris I threw myself wholeheartedly into a life of decadence. The bashful Oriental mind can hardly imagine the things I found there. Paris was a whirlpool of lust and desire-a dizzying vortex of excess, debauchery and sick perversions. It’s everything I’dContinue reading “RKS Japanese Literature: Tomada’s Increasing Intoxication and Infatuation with the West (Tanizaki Jun’Ichiro)”
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RKS Japanese Literature: The Failure of Orientals to Deal With a Full Dose of Excitement (Tanizaki Jun’Ichiro)
‘Subtle they call it. Suggestive. Refined. What a lot of nonsense. It’s a question of aptitude. Orientals just can’t deal with a full dose of excitement. Take singing. Here in the East, no one would dream of really opening up and belting out the loudest voice they can produce. It’s more refined you see toContinue reading “RKS Japanese Literature: The Failure of Orientals to Deal With a Full Dose of Excitement (Tanizaki Jun’Ichiro)”
RKS Japanese Literature: Tomoda Begins to Reject Japanese Culture (Tanizaki Jun’Ichiro)
‘A friend during my student days in Yokohama was another bad influence. He took me to Yokohama a couple of times, where I entered a dream world that few Japanese in those days had seen. It was my first glimpse into the world of the white man’s pleasures. From that moment, I had nothing butContinue reading “RKS Japanese Literature: Tomoda Begins to Reject Japanese Culture (Tanizaki Jun’Ichiro)”
RKS Literature: The Omnipresent Fortune Hunter Giovanelli Sticks to Daisy Miller Like Glue (Henry James)
‘Who is Giovanelli?’ ‘The little Italian. I have asked questions about him and learned something. He is apparently a perfectly respectable little man. I believe in a small way he is in a small way a cavaliere avvocato but he doesn’t move in what are called the first circles. If she thinks him the finestContinue reading “RKS Literature: The Omnipresent Fortune Hunter Giovanelli Sticks to Daisy Miller Like Glue (Henry James)”
RKS Literature: All Women are Fearful and Frightful Flirts (Henry James)
‘I’m a fearful, frightful flirt! Did you never hear of a nice girl that was not? But I suppose you will tell me now that I am not a nice girl.’ ‘You’re a very nice girl, but I wish you would flirt with me, and me only,’ said Winterbourne. ‘Ah! Thank you, thank you veryContinue reading “RKS Literature: All Women are Fearful and Frightful Flirts (Henry James)”
RKS Literature: Wealthy American Mrs. Walker Collects European Specimens (Henry James)
“Mrs. Walker was one of those American ladies who, while residing abroad, make a point, in their own phrase, of studying European society; and as she had on this occasion collected several specimens of her diversely-born fellow-mortals to serve, as it were, as text-books.” Henry James, “Daisy Miller”, 1878.
RKS Literature: Daisy Miller Positively Scandalous in Rome (Henry James)
‘It has happened very well,’ said Mrs. Walker. “If she is so perfectly determined to compromise herself, the sooner one knows it the better; one can act accordingly.’ ‘I suspect she meant no harm,’ Winterbourne rejoined. ‘So I thought a month ago. But she has been going too far.’ ‘What has she been doing?’ ‘EverythingContinue reading “RKS Literature: Daisy Miller Positively Scandalous in Rome (Henry James)”
RKS Literature: Third Rate Italians and Fortune Hunters: Winterbourne’s Aunt Writes Him About Daisy Miller (Henry James)
“The young lady, however, is very intimate with some third-rate Italians, with whom she rackets about in a way that makes much talk. The girl goes about alone with her foreigners. As to what happens farther, you must apply elsewhere for information. She has picked up half-a-dozen of the regular Roman fortune hunters, and sheContinue reading “RKS Literature: Third Rate Italians and Fortune Hunters: Winterbourne’s Aunt Writes Him About Daisy Miller (Henry James)”
RKS Literature: Miss Daisy Miller a Pretty American Flirt (Henry James)
“Some people had told him that, after all, American girls were exceedingly innocent; and others had told him, that after all, they were not. He was inclined to think Miss Daisy Miller was a flirt-a pretty American flirt. He had never, as yet, had any relations with young ladies of this category. He had knownContinue reading “RKS Literature: Miss Daisy Miller a Pretty American Flirt (Henry James)”
RKS Literature: The Americanization of a Swiss Resort Town in June (Henry James)
“In this region, in the month of June, American travellers are extremely numerous; it may be said, indeed, that Vevey assumes at this period some of the characteristics of an American watering place. There are sights and sounds which evoke a vision, an echo, of Newport and Saratoga. There is a flitting hither and thitherContinue reading “RKS Literature: The Americanization of a Swiss Resort Town in June (Henry James)”
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