
The Lady and the Monk
Four Seasons in Kyoto
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Narrated by:
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Geoffrey Howard
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By:
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Pico Iyer
About this listen
When Pico Iyer decided to go to Kyoto and live in a monastery, he did so to learn about Zen Buddhism from the inside, to get to know Kyoto, one of the loveliest old cities in the world, and to find out something about Japanese culture today—not the world of businessmen and production lines, but the traditional world of changing seasons and the silence of temples, of the images woven through literature, of the lunar Japan that still lives on behind the rising sun of geopolitical power.
All this he did. And then he met Sachiko.
Vivacious, attractive, thoroughly educated, speaking English enthusiastically if eccentrically, the wife of a Japanese “salaryman” who seldom left the office before 10 PM, Sachiko was as conversant with tea ceremony and classical Japanese literature as with rock music, Goethe, and Vivaldi. With the lightness of touch that made Video Night in Kathmandu so captivating, Pico Iyer fashions from their relationship a marvelously ironic yet heartfelt book that is at once a portrait of cross-cultural infatuation—and misunderstanding—and a delightfully fresh way of seeing both the old Japan and the very new.
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What listeners say about The Lady and the Monk
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- JK
- 08-03-21
INTERESTING
A book unlike anything I have ever read before.
I was hesitant to get the book, but since it is “included”, you can’t go wrong.
So glad I did.
I have read several books about Japan. This book is very different.
I recommend an interesting article about the author mr. Pico Iyer
on Wikipedia.
The narrator Geoffrey Howard did an excellent job.
My thanks to all involved, JK
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1 person found this helpful
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- John E Dowaschinski
- 02-11-24
Great exploration of Japanese culture.
What a wonderful book that explores Japan, its people and culture from the perspective of a foreigner and his interactions primarily with a Japanese lady. I highly recommend this for a deeper understanding of Japan.
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- Janice Stemper
- 06-07-24
exceptional storytelling
beautiful story, subtly told, absolutely necessary to read between the lines, looking forward to more from P Iyer
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- Mike
- 08-14-23
Travelogue at its Finest
Great travel literature doesn't just tell you about a particular culture; it tells you something universal about life. So if you love Japan, walk here in Pico's footsteps and admire his keen eye for what makes Japan unique. But if nothing else, read this to remind yourself that neither adventure nor enlightenment are exclusive to any one place and time.
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- Duane
- 04-26-15
Informative, Poetic, Engaging
Consummate love unconsummated. Filled with insights into Japanese culture and Zen. Glittering imagery weaves perceptions into feelings. Narrator spot on.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Elmira Cancelada
- 10-16-18
Excursion to Kyoto and Japanese way of life
Wonderful that the book is from the era before smartphones. The author is observing the feminine world of Kyoto, zen temples, family life, dreams and attitudes of the locals and the foreigners. Loaded with the feel of the place, not the facts of history.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Kaye Linden
- 12-21-22
Riveting
A story that captures the essence of romance in the haunting magic of Japan. Beautiful writing.
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- Lara Spagnola
- 04-21-24
Absolutely wonderful. A joy for anyone who visits Kyoto and wants to bring the feeling home to you
Iyer perfectly translates the beauty of Kyoto and the impression it leaves on your heart. He exquisitely (and evenly) exposes everything holy, good, hard, and bad that is to be confronted while living in Japan. And this would be enough for a five star review, but the narrator’s touch is the icing on the cake - an absolute joy to listen to.
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- Kat
- 09-22-21
A little everywhere
This book started off really strong for me. I thought I was going to love it. Then by the middle it took a turn. It drifted in story. It literally started not making sense. By the end of the story I literally had no idea what was happening. Do not get me wrong, the writing is beautiful in fact quite lyrical. It just got lost in the magic for me.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Stuffpuff
- 04-22-22
Boring
boring . unless one wants to be a monk. struggled to finish. hours not to be regained.
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