[Next project] Short Fiction, by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke

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Hendrik Kaiber

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Mar 6, 2026, 7:26:28 AM (3 days ago) Mar 6
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Now that The Lusiads is in its final stretch, I would like to get the ok for my next project, a collection of short stores by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke.

I believe we would follow the precedent in the site for "asian" names and have family name + given name, so we would credit him as  Akutagawa Ryūnosuke instead of  Ryūnosuke Akutagawa.

There are a total of 13 stories available, 11 translated by Glenn Shaw and two by Eric Bell (there will also be another by Bell next year). Both translators seem to be good (although I can't compare with the originals, since I don't know Japanese). Shaw's translation was supposedly approved by Akutagawa himself, and we already one translation by Bell.

For the cover, there isn't really an obvious choice. I think having one related to Japan is a good idea (Akutagawa is an important author there), so I'm thinking this would look good, but I'm also open to suggestions.

There is an introduction by Shaw, which I think is interesting, since it gives some context to Akutagawa's life and work. I would keep it, but you might disagree.

Spreadsheet (I already sent you editor access, Alex)

—Hendrik
cover.png

Hendrik Kaiber

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Mar 6, 2026, 7:35:20 AM (3 days ago) Mar 6
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Sorry, I forgot to mention that Bell translated the stories in collaboration with two other people, they are properly credited in the spreadsheet.

Alex Cabal

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Mar 6, 2026, 9:39:42 AM (3 days ago) Mar 6
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OK, I've made a copy of the spreadsheet here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1c5oRpxRzGYCEQTnWVQT6oRPabrB8JU2YbJo49y6C_ZU/edit?gid=0#gid=0

David will manage with Vince reviewing.

On 3/6/26 6:26 AM, Hendrik Kaiber wrote:
> Now that /The Lusiads/ is in its final stretch, I would like to get the
> ok for my next project, a collection of short stores by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke.
>
> I believe we would follow the precedent in the site for "asian" names
> and have /family name + given name/, so we would credit him as /
> Akutagawa Ryūnosuke /instead of /Ryūnosuke //Akutagawa./
>
> There are a total of 13 stories available, 11 translated by Glenn Shaw
> and two by Eric Bell (there will also be another by Bell next year).
> Both translators seem to be good (although I can't compare with the
> originals, since I don't know Japanese). Shaw's translation was
> supposedly approved by Akutagawa himself, and we already one translation
> by Bell.
>
> For the cover, there isn't really an obvious choice. I think having one
> related to Japan is a good idea (Akutagawa is an important author
> there), so I'm thinking this <https://standardebooks.org/artworks/okada-
> saburosuke/the-letter> would look good, but I'm also open to suggestions.
>
> There is an introduction by Shaw, which I think is interesting, since it
> gives some context to Akutagawa's life and work. I would keep it, but
> you might disagree.
>
> Spreadsheet <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/
> d/1BnYSaRr8DavRa8gzOjfsFLQ1aQoVoAas6OhruQmFrzY/edit?gid=0#gid=0> (I
> already sent you editor access, Alex)
> Empty repo <https://github.com/HendrikBK/akutagawa-ryunosuke_short-
> fiction_various-translators>
>
> —Hendrik
>
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David

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Mar 6, 2026, 10:50:16 AM (3 days ago) Mar 6
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That looks like a good cover to me, and I've gone ahead and assigned it. If something preferable turns up, that can be unpicked.

Hendrik Kaiber

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Mar 7, 2026, 6:54:41 AM (2 days ago) Mar 7
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This book has an example of the title of a graduation thesis. Should it get italics or quotes? I'm leaning towards quotes, but I'm not sure.

Also, if there is a translation of the title of a publication next to the original title, should it get any semantics? The passage in question is [Wiriamu Morisu Kenkyū (A Study of William Morris)].

—Hendrik

David Reimer

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Mar 7, 2026, 7:09:25 AM (2 days ago) Mar 7
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According to the Chicago Manual of Style[1], academic
dissertations/theses get quotes. (IMO, they shouldn't attract
`epub:type="se:name.publication"` semantics, because they're not
"publications".)

[1]: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html#cg-thesis

For the "translated title", larger context is essential: "His
graduation **thesis** was entitled, Wiriamu Morisu Kenkyū (A Study of
William Morris)." So, this is a thesis, so no semantics required, so
far as I can see. There isn't relevant 3998 style semantic, either:
https://www.daisy.org/z3998/2012/vocab/structure/#h_document-types

Hendrik Kaiber

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Mar 7, 2026, 7:21:10 AM (2 days ago) Mar 7
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wouldn't the se:name.publication.paper be appropriate? I guess it depends on whether thesis are considered papers or not. What do you think?

—Hendrik

David Reimer

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Mar 7, 2026, 7:25:24 AM (2 days ago) Mar 7
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They're not "publications", so whether they're "papers" is moot. It
seems like a stretch to me.

I'd leave them. IF a different judgment is handed down, it's easy
enough to add later.
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