Author Gerald Kersh, who has a passionate readership as a writer of unique short stories that are impossible to forget once read. "The Notebook in the Bottle," a masterpiece short story collection originally created in Japan that spearheaded a re-evaluation of Kersh in this country, was published by Sozen Mystery Bunko on June 18th and is now available to great acclaim.
The recommendations on the obi (book band) come from two renowned masters of the written word, authors Kaoru Kitamura and Miyuki Miyabe.
"I truly felt this was a work born of a miracle." -- Kaoru Kitamura
"Every part of it is cruel and pathetic, yet also an extremely sublime story." -- Miyuki Miyabe
This is a true masterpiece collection of short stories, featuring carefully selected, unique tales that only Kersh could write. Among them are the title story "The Notebook in the Bottle," which won the Mystery Writers of America (MWA) Award for Best Short Story and is based on the mysterious disappearance of the real-life author Ambrose Bierce, and the astonishing masterpiece "Queen of the Pig Island," where the fate of a man and woman washed ashore on a deserted island is told through the diary and skeletal remains left by one of them. The volume also includes a contribution from poet and essayist Hiroshi Homura at the end.
"The Notebook in the Bottle" by Gerald Kersh / Translated by Ken Nishizaki and others (Sozen Mystery Bunko)
[Synopsis] A collection of masterpieces by the unique short story writer Gerald Kersh, whose tales brim with cruelty and humor, masterful storytelling that makes the fantastical truly fantastical, and twist endings that sometimes evoke human folly and sadness. The stories include "Queen of the Pig Island," where strange skeletal remains and a diary found on a deserted island tell of the end of a small paradise, and the title story, "The Notebook in the Bottle," which won the Mystery Writers of America Award for Best Short Story and draws on the literary mystery of Ambrose Bierce's disappearance. The commentary is by Hiroshi Homura.
[Included Works]
"Queen of the Pig Island" "The Golden River" "The Twisted Bone" "The Frozen Beauty" "The Man Without Bones" "The Notebook in the Bottle" "The Brighton Monster" "Seeds of Ruin" "In a Room Without Walls" "The Clock Collector's King" "The Mad Flower" "Death Is My Comrade"
Cover Illustration: Ichiro Iso / Book Design: Hideharu Yamada
A second volume of Japanese original masterpiece selections, "Song of the Ruined City," will be published by Sozen Mystery Bunko in September. Please look forward to this as well, as it will be the first time it is available in paperback.
Bibliographic Information
KEY FIGURES
The Notebook in the Bottle (Bin no naka no shuki)
By Gerald Kersh / Translated by Ken Nishizaki and others
Format: Bunko (Paperback)
Pages: 348 pages
First Edition: June 19, 2026
ISBN: 978-4-488-12108-2
C Code: C0197
Bunko Code: M-Ka-15-1
Cover Illustration: Ichiro Iso
Book Design: Hideharu Yamada
Author/Translator Profiles
Gerald Kersh
British author. Born in 1911. He entered the literary world after working various jobs, including bodyguard, baker, wrestler, and newspaper reporter, debuting with the novel "Jews Without Jehovah" in 1934. He published a vast number of works across a wide range of genres, including mystery, horror, SF, and fantasy, and his short story series about the crime lord Kamzin was also well-received. He has 20 novels to his name, including "Night and the City," which was adapted into a film twice. He moved to the United States after World War II. In 1958, he received the Mystery Writers of America Award for Best Short Story for "The Notebook in the Bottle." His short stories, characterized by their unrestrained imagination, original ideas, and unique style, have garnered a passionate following. Died in 1968.
Ken Nishizaki
Born in Aomori Prefecture in 1955. Composer, translator, author, and anthologist. He made his debut as an author in 2002, winning the 14th Japan Fantasy Novel Award for "The Garden at the End of the World." His major edited and translated works include "A Day for Short Stories: British Unique Masterpiece Selections" and "A Day for Horror Stories: Golden Age Masterpiece Selections." His major translations include G.K. Chesterton's "The Four Faultless Felons," Lord Dunsany's "The Post Office and the Serpent," and Christianna Brand's "The Second Shot." He has also authored "The Garden at the End of the World" and a collection of tanka poems, "Bits and Decibels" (under the name Flower Shigeru). He has engaged in diverse activities, including founding the Japan Translation Award in 2015 and serving as editor-in-chief of the literary mook "Taberu no ga Osoi" since 2016.
Tokyo Sogen-sha Ltd.
Location: 1-5 Shinkawa-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0814 Representative Director: Kentaro Shibuya URL: https://www.tsogen.co.jp/np/index.html
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: 書籍発売