Description
Sake & Satori is a unique snapshot of 1950s Asia and its post-colonial struggles and Cold War tensions. The narrative is fueled by Campbell’s knack for cultural and mythological comparison. Yet it also shows the fresh enthusiasm of a remarkably erudite teacher on his first trip to the Asia he has studied for most of his life. With characteristic wit and compassion, Campbell relates his experiences with a culturally intact Japan, where Noh drama, Kabuki theater, and Geisha houses are still common. He grapples with his self-discovered prejudices and opinions about how Asia is absorbing and resisting Western notions of gender, pluralism, and wealth. He relates revealing conversations with other travelers, as well as with Japanese from all walks of life, from geishas to scholars. Along the way, he allows passing asides to develop into wide-ranging philosophical explorations, augmented with his photos and drawings.
