In this episode of the Books on Asia podcast, host Amy Chavez talks to author John Stevens about his new book The Lotus Moon: Art and Poetry of Buddhist Nun Otagaki Rengetsu (Floating World Editions, Aug. 2023).

Book's Features:

The most comprehensive English-language presentation of the work of famed nun and artist Ōtagaki Rengetsu (1791-1875)

• Presents 90 of Rengetsu's painting and pottery works in over 242 full-color photos

• Written by Professor John Stevens, the foremost Western authority on Rengetsu

• Includes Japanese kana, romanization, and English translations, with commentary for all entries

• Provides an intimate portrait of the life and work of one of the most remarkable women in Japanese culture

• Offers insights into significant thematic and cultural concerns of 19th-century Japanese art

Be sure to pick up John's book, which you can find either online or at Floating World Editions from their website. You can hear our previous podcast with John Stevens and find out more about his remarkable career as well as  the Rengetsu exhibition in Barcelona, Spain, at BOA Episode 21: John Stevens—A Lifetime of Publishing

The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press. Check out their books on Japan at the publisher's website. Amy Chavez, podcast host, is author of Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan and The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island.

For more podcast episodes, visit the Books on Asia website or subscribe to the Books on Asia podcast.

The Books on Asia Podcast is co-produced with Plum Rain Press. 

Podcast host Amy Chavez is author of The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island. and Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan.

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