This collection of essays and classic stories set in Japan by Lafcadio Hearn—one of the earliest Westerners to write about Japan—is an essential addition to any collection of Japanese literature.

Shadowings is made up of three parts: "Stories from Strange Books," which presents six old Japanese tales; "Japanese Studies," in which Hearn explores the lore of his adopted country; and "Fantasies," a group of essays in which he gives free rein to his wide-ranging imagination. All in all, it is a delightful collection of Japanese curiosities and fancies.