"Akutagawa (1892-1927) was one of Japan's foremost stylists - a modernist master whose stories are marked by original imagery, cynicism, beauty and wild humour. Including both famous and little-known works, some translated into English for the first time, this volume reveals Akutagawa in a new light. In his introduction, Haruki Murakami explores Akutagawa's place in Japanese culture and influence on his own writing, while Jay Rubin's translations capture the spirit of the originals."--Cover.