Description
In the early 1960s, Bird—an intellectual adrift in a failing marriage—faces the shattering collapse of his private hopes when his wife gives birth to a brain-damaged child. As he wrestles with guilt, fear, and the temptation to flee into abstraction, Bird is forced to confront what it means to love, to parent, and to live with a reality that refuses to be “solved.” Blending intimate psychological realism with Oe’s distinctive poetic intensity, the novel explores themes of responsibility, the limits of idealism, and the moral weight of family life. With its semi-autobiographical resonance and emotionally charged clarity, this landmark work captures a painful journey toward acceptance—without surrendering the complexity of grief.
Available Editions
paperback
Unknown
Published Jan 1, 1969
232 pages
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Details
First Published
1964
Language
jpn
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe.