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Translated from the Japanese by William Johnston
Silence is the most important novel of the acclaimed Japanese
author Shusaku Endo. It caused a major controversy in Japan
following its publication in 1967.
A Japanese Catholic, Endo tells the story of two seventeenth-century
missionaries attempting to shore up the oppressed Japanese
Christian movement. Father Rodrigues has come to Japan to
find the truth behind unthinkable rumours that his famous
teacher Ferreira has renounced his faith. But after his arrival
he discovers that the only way to help the brutally persecuted
Christians may be to apostatize himself.
‘This is a masterpiece. There can be no higher praise.’
— Daily Telegraph
‘One of the finest novels of our time.’ — Graham
Greene
‘Superb and harrowing — his masterpiece.’ —
Observer
‘A marvellous book . . . Shusaku Endo is giving deep
thought to the most basic problems of truth and how in exchanging
it among ourselves we misconstruct its nature at every step.’
— Spectator
‘A remarkable work . . . sombre, delicate and startlingly
empathetic.’ — John Updike, New Yorker
‘One of the finest historical novels written by anyone,
anywhere . . . Flawless’ — David Mitchell, Booker
Prize-nominated author of Number9dream, Clouds
SHUSAKU ENDO is widely regarded as one of the greatest
Japanese authors of the late twentieth century. Born in 1923,
he won many major literary awards and was nominated for the
Nobel Prize several times. His novels, which have been translated
into twenty-eight languages, include The Sea and Poison,
Wonderful Fool, Deep River and Silence.
He died in 1996. |
