„A Cat, A Man, and Two Women“ 

The heads of Japanese cats are oblong and narrow, but the head of Lili is small and compact. The muzzle is like an upturned clamshell, framing drop-dead aureate eyes and an expressively shivering nose. But it was not the kitty’s fur, nose or body that entranced Shozo. Appearance wasn’t important; he had seen Persian and Siamese cats that were maybe even more beautiful. He was mostly charmed by Lili’s character.

“The prose of Tanizaki is living” – New York Review of Books

"Not only is he Japan's greatest writer but also one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century." — Los Angeles Times

“The literature of Tanizaki has an extraordinary taste – between French and Chinese cuisine.” – Yukio Mishima

“The master of erotic psychology, evocative of Colette.” – Irish Times

"The title story is one of the finest pieces of literature concerning cats ever written." — Choice

“A tour de force” – New York Times

Jun‘ichiro Tanizaki (1886-1965) is one of the most prominent Japanese writers of the 20th century, known for the eroticism and ironic wit in his works. Tanizaki studied at the Imperial University of Tokyo where he was influenced by such authors as Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde and the French Decadents. In his stories the author often depicts the lives of women and ruinous erotic fantasies, but does not forget traditional Japanese values. Tanizaki became known throughout the world after the Second World War. The story “A Cat, A Man, and Two Women” is one of the best ever written literary works about the cats. It is the second book by Tanizaki, translated into Lithuanian and published by the publishing house “Versus aureus” (the first book – “The Key”, 2005).