Knowing the East

"From the time he was a young man, Paul Claudel was fascinated by Asian cultures. The poet, playwright, and literary critic entered the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a diplomat to China and Japan while in his mid-twenties. He spent 18 years between 1895 and 1927 as a tireless observer of both countries' nature, customs, and art. One result is this beautifully written volume of 61 prose poems Claudel composed over the course of a decade." "James Lawler provides the most accurate translation now available of Paul Claudel's work, which was first collected in a single volume Connaissance de l'Est and published in France in 1907. Included are notes on the poems as well as a biographical note on the poet."--BOOK JACKET.