Rashomon and Other Stories

Before his tragic death in 1927, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, author of "Rashomon," one of the most renowned stories of Japanese literature, wrote more than100 short stories. Since his death, he has been described as one of the best-read men of his generation.

Included in this timeless collection are Akutagawa's "In a Grove," a psychologically sophisticated tale about murder, rape, and suicide; "The Martyr," the story of silent suffering in Christian Nagasaki; and "Kesa and Morito," the story of man …