Studies of Hand and Soul in the Far East 
 
Lafcadio Hearn. 
 
Houghton Mifflin: 1897. First edition. Hardcover. Small octavo. Rubbing across the tops of the boards and on the spine. Fraying dings on the corners as well as on the heel and crown. Spine slightly cocked. In the gutter between the back board and the textblock there is an old repair scar. Below this is a small plate from an old bookshop. A few small smudges on the fore-edge of the textblock. Former owner name on the title page. 296 pages. Good. 
 
Even before he was transformed by his love affair with Japan Lafcadio Hearn was a fascinating writer, a hybrid of American and European experiences and sensibilities. This is his collection of essays on Buddhism, the culture of Japan, and his adventures there. 
 
"Nobody can be really aware of the sensations of a god - unless there be gods in the flesh. Are there? Perhaps - in very remote districts - one or two."