Of Dogs and Walls

Of Dogs and Walls contains two short stories by Japanese author Yūko Tsushima, translated into English by Geraldine Harcourt. The stories were originally published in Japan in 1983 and 1984. The first story, "The Watery Realm," follows a single mother who moves into a new apartment with her young daughter. The second story, "Of Dogs and Walls," centers on a woman's memories of her childhood home and family relationships. Both narratives focus on female protagonists navigating domestic spaces and personal histories in post-war Japan. The settings shift between past and present as characters process their experiences through memory and everyday observations. The collection examines boundaries - physical and psychological - while exploring themes of isolation, family bonds, and the ways spaces shape human connection. Through spare prose and precise details, Tsushima captures the complex intersections between personal identity and lived environment.

Readers highlight the subtle emotional impact and intimate glimpses into family relationships across these two translated short stories. Many note the clean, understated writing style and how childhood memories are woven through both narratives. What readers liked: - Precise, economical prose - Complex mother-daughter dynamics - Cultural observations of post-war Japan - The dreamlike flow between past and present What readers disliked: - Length (too brief at 96 pages) - Abrupt endings - Some found the narratives too fragmented - Price point too high for the length Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (73 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 ratings) "A quick but resonant read that stays with you" - Goodreads reviewer "Beautiful vignettes but left me wanting more development" - Amazon reviewer "Masterful at depicting complex family bonds in few words" - LibraryThing review Note: Limited review data available as this is a relatively recent translation published in 2018.

Territory of Light by Yuko Tsushima A single mother navigates isolation and identity in Tokyo through interconnected vignettes that mirror the themes of motherhood and urban solitude found in Of Dogs and Walls.

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto The story follows a young woman processing grief and finding connection through cooking in contemporary Japan, exploring loneliness and healing through domestic spaces.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa This tale of an unlikely friendship between a housekeeper and a mathematician with memory loss examines the intimate bonds formed within household walls.

Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami Two lonely souls form a connection in modern-day Tokyo, unfolding through quiet moments and subtle observations of everyday life.

The Old Capital by Yasunari Kawabata A young woman in Kyoto discovers her identity through the city's traditions and spaces, weaving personal history with physical surroundings.

🔹 Yuko Tsushima wrote under a pen name, having been born Satoko Tsushima. She chose "Yuko" partly in tribute to her father, renowned author Osamu Dazai. 🔹 "Of Dogs and Walls" consists of two short stories originally published in Japanese in the 1980s but not translated into English until 2018 as part of Penguin's Modern series. 🔹 The stories explore themes of single motherhood and isolation, drawing from Tsushima's own experiences raising her daughter alone in 1970s Japan, when single mothers faced significant social stigma. 🔹 The title story "Of Dogs and Walls" was inspired by Tsushima's childhood memories of post-war Tokyo, particularly the concrete walls that began appearing throughout the city during reconstruction. 🔹 Before her death in 2016, Tsushima won nearly every major Japanese literary award, including the Kawabata Prize and the Tanizaki Prize, yet remained relatively unknown to English-language readers until recent translations.