Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Wit and Wisdom of Japanese Proverbs (Vol 1)
by David Galef, Jun HashiPoto

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Book Reviews of Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Wit and Wisdom of Japanese Proverbs (Vol 1)

Book Review: Another Opinion
Summary: 5 Stars

Translations are difficult in any language. Working on some very simple translations I found them most challenging. For example, the word Kobunboku I translated as Plum Blossom. If you translate the Kanji singularly and literally it would be Nice Prefered Wood. But if you understand the symbolic compounds it reads "The famous tree of Chinese literature" the flower of peace, the plum blossom. Most Japanese people would not recognize this literary compound. In reality no translation is perfect. In the version of one of these proverbs I have: "Fallen blossoms don't return to the branch. . ." It includes: "There is no sense in crying over spilt milk."

As far as testing them on Japanese friends, and average Japanese people having not heard them. . .would this be less common with English idioms? The South has many idioms people in the North have never heard. "He's drunker than Cooter Brown" "Penny wise, Pound foolish" I never heard till I was 40.

I would add I don't think it is a good idea to try and use these proverbs to impress Japanese speakers. Contrivance is rarely respected.

I greatly appreciated the author including the Kanji, Romanji, Hiragana, and English, and I think the book is helpful and a lot of fun to read with some nice thoughts to reflect on their wisdom.

PS: The title "IS" Even Monkeys Fall From Trees :)

Books & Reading

• Books > Subjects > Literature & Fiction
• History & Criticism > Criticism & Theory
• World Literature > Japanese
• Mythology
• Education & Reference > Quotations
• Philosophy
• Social Sciences