Saiichi Maruya - Biography

Biography

Maruya, whose real name was Saiichi Nemura, was born in Tsuruoka city, Yamagata Prefecture on August 27, 1925. His father was a doctor, and apparently wealthy enough to have a big personal library, which whetted Maruya's literary appetite.

Maruya was mobilized into the Japanese Army in March 1945 when still a high-school student, but did not see battlefield action as Japan surrendered shortly thereafter. Following the war's end, he completed his high school studies in Niigata, then in 1947 entered the University of Tokyo to major in English literature, although he also studied classical Japanese literature. To develop his own writing style he began translating English works. He translated Joyce's Ulysses in collaboration with Takamatsu Yūichi and Nagai Reiji (1964) and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in 1969. James Joyce's works became deeply influential to his writing. After completing his degree, he taught English literature at Kokugakuin University and then at the University of Tokyo. During this time, he wrote a series of novels including Ehoba No kao O sakete (エホバ の 顔 を さけて, 1958), Kanata E (彼方 へ, 1962), and Sasamakura (笹まくら, Grass for My Pillow, 1966).

Maruya was also an influential literary critic, publishing reviews in the Shukan Asahi magazine and Mainichi Shimbun. Maruya said that improving the quality of book reviews in Japan was one of the things he was most proud of. His criticism and essays include Go-Toba In (後鳥羽 院, The Retired Emperor Go-Toba, 1973), Nihon bungakushi hayawakari (日本 文学史 早わかり, A Quick Guide to Japanese Literary History, 1976), Asobi jikan (遊び 時間, Play Time, 1976) and Chūshingura to wa nani ka (忠臣蔵 と は 何 か, What Is the Chūshingura?, 1984).

Maruya died of heart failure on October 13, 2012.