Botchan [1906/2012] – ★★★★

In this novel by Natsume Sōseki, one reckless and boisterous young man from Tokyo somehow manages to finish school and an institute and gets the position of a mathematics teacher in a small town on the island of Shikoku. The fun begins then and there because “Botchan” (this young man’s nickname) never actually stopped being his frivolous and naughty self and now, apparently, has to be a role model for others. Sōseki’s story is humorous and delightful. Through the first-person narrator, who is a cheeky, self-assured young man, we see the contrast between the small town and the city, Japan’s hierarchical structures clashing with attempts at modernisation, and daily formalities going head-to-head with hearts full of fire and childish honesty.

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