Times of Botchan Bk 04

The Meiji Period (1867-1912) were important, formative years of modern Japan. Contemporary author Soseki Natsume wrote of his experiences in this fast-changing world, in the mold of Charles Dickens or Mark Twain. The Times of Botchan is a fictionalised account of Natsume and his circle of poets and writers as they intersect with events and famous characters of the time. The story focuses on the relationship between Army Medical Officer and poet, 'gai Mori, and the German dancer Elise Weigert, "Autumn's Ballerina," and the strains placed on it by Japanese society.