Authors' Talk at JCCC: Takashi Atoda and Jiro Asada

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A Literary Evening

with

Takashi Atoda and Jiro Asada


Talks by Leading Japanese Authors

at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre

Takashi Atoda and Jiro Asada, two of Japan 's most respected contemporary authors, will discuss their works. The talks will be conducted in Japanese with English interpretation.


Date: Thursday, April 29, 2010, 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Location: Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC), 6 Garamond Ct., Toronto

Admission: $10 for JCCC members, $12 for non-members

*Limited seating. Please reserve your tickets by calling 416-441-2345


Takashi Atoda (President of PEN Japan and writer) was born in 1935. His love of science, which began when he was a child, has influenced his writing. He entered the Waseda University Department of French Literature and was an aspiring newspaper journalist, but was forced to abandon his plans when he entered treatment for tuberculosis. After he was discharged, he wrote short essays while working as a librarian at the National Diet Library. In 1969, his book Black Humor Nyumon (Introduction to Black Humor) became a best seller and in 1972 he quit his job at the library to make a living by writing comedy skits and advertising copy, and also by doing translation. The unconventional short story “Love from the Refrigerator” is the title story of Atoda’s first collection of works that was shortlisted for the Naoki Prize. Two Napoleon freaks appear in the title story of the short story collection Napoleon Crazy, for which he received the Naoki Prize in 1979. New Tales of Troy is a full-length novel about the human dramas in the Trojan War. The Square Persimmon and Other Stories is a collection of short stories translated into English.

Jiro Asada (Managing Director of PEN Japan and writer) was born in Tokyo in 1951. One of his ancestors was a samurai that belonged to the Tokugawa shogunate. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Japan Self-Defense Forces. His novels often depict Yakuza and he has written many essays related to horse racing. In 1991, Asada became well known for his novel Torarete tamaruka!. After winning the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers for Metro ni notte in 1995, his picaresque style and range of writing changed and expanded. His historical novel Soukyuu no Subaru, which described vividly the last stages of the Qing dynasty, was nominated for the Naoki prize in 1996. Poppoya (Station Master) was awarded the Naoki Prize in 1997, and made into a feature film that received 9 Academy Awards. In 2000, he won the Shibata Renzaburo prize for Mibu Gishi Den and in 2006, the 1st Chuo Koron literature prize for Ohara meshi mase and 10th Shiba Ryotaro prize.

Organized by JCCC and The Japan Foundation

in cooperation with PEN Canada and PEN Japan

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