Wot wot, it's me again! And an inquiry is what I pose! I'm looking for books on yokai and I was hoping to get some recommendations. Preferably a bestiary but fairy tales will work as well.

Hope to here from you soon!
Your pal, Ketch (a.k.a. T-nooki)

Are you looking for English texts? ^^;
Please be more specific. I can point you in the right direction for Japanese book, but I haven't read much in English.
However, you might be able to find some stuff if you look up the "Youkai Encyclopaedia" (there's a couple of those sorts of books, but I don't know if they're translated) or Koizumi Yakumo (he was an Irishman/Greek teaching in Japan, and although most of his "youkai" work (pretty much ghost stories) are in Japanese, you might be able to find a book that has translated them into English).
I hope that helps.

This topic was moved from General Discussion to Youkai Discussion. Thank you!

Sorry about that Yamazaki. I am looking for English texts. X3 Living in the middle of southern central, South Carolina and being jobless doesn't leave much leeway for learning new languages other than Spanish. Not only that, where I live I only have access to all the one book store. I can't even get a good manga fix anymore! THEY'RE SLOWLY DRAINING MY SOUL LIQUIDS WHERE IT HURTS THE MOST!!!!! My wallet. O_o But all that aside thank you for the info! With it I have found some interesting books online an I hope to find more!

Hugs and awkwardness!
Ketch

I went to a museum today and they had this book for sale: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Yokai- ... USRI=yokai

Interested, I also found these online:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Gr ... USRI=yokai
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Pandem ... USRI=yokai


What do you think of these? Have any of you read them?

I don't like that the first makes Youkai out to be the bad guys (again) but from what little I flipped through in the store it seemed decently informative.

I've heard of the Youkai Attack one just recently... and I don't find it very appealing (for the same reason you gave).
The Encylopaedia one might be something similar to the Japanese ones I've read, so that should be a good read. The last one has a preview on google books, and from what I've seen, it seems all right, but it's more the culture behind youkai rather than about youkai themselves ( http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Z5W ... ai&f=false ) - but I think that's still good to read, although it may not be what you're after in these books. But it does mention Kokkuri-san, which is always interesting.

If you should read them, do tell us ^^

It's me again! Aren't you so glad? I've read several of the books suggested and have found them to be both informative and intellectually exhausting. ''The Great Yokai Encyclopaedia'' is a great find. Though it lists several sparsely defined yokai and many spelling errors the majority of its contents is enthralling. It starts off with a lovely introduction, first giving a plausible definition of yokai and then proceeds to give many examples of yokai-influenced pop culture.

''Pandemonium and Parade'' is a difficult read for me. It's not that it isn't helpful in giving me a better understanding of the culture of yokai. It's just extremely wordy. I've barely gotten past the first two chapters. Curse you, Michael Dylan Foster! You and your big words...and your...small...difficult words....

Aaaaaanywaaaaay, both great reads and definitely worth checking out. OR PIRATING!!!! DON'T SIT THERE AND DENY IT YOU THIEVES!!! I'VE SEEN THE WAY YOU WALK AROUND ALL PROUD OF YOURSELVES THINKING YOU HAVE MORE INFO THAN ME!!! YOU DON' KNOW ME!!! KAPLAAAAAAH!!!!! KAPLAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!

Right...well...
Y'all have a great day! X3

I read the Yokai Attack book and actually found it to be quite nice! Despite it's gimmicky title, these guys actually did a lot of research, and it is presented in more of a field guide format rather than a "OMG DEES GAIZ ARE ALL OUT TO EAT YOO".

I found that a lot of the yokai's entries actually went "this guy will not harm you unless provoked, so make sure to show respect to nature/item, etc"

Also has a bibliography in the back, which is useful if you are looking for a more academic source for info.

I'll be getting encyclopedia in the mail soon, so I can post something about that too. :3

I also wanted to have a copy of that Youkai Attack! book but I guess it won't be available here in our country. I think I need to ask someone to send a soft copy of it to my email but I doubt it if it will happen since scanning books and making a soft copy of it is against the copyright law.

I have a book to add to the list. It's called "Japanese Tales" by Royall Tyler, which is a book of Japanese stories. There aren't acutally that many on youkai, though there are 2 sections of foxes (hence the purchase on my end XD) and I think it may help illustrate the culture in which youkai exist in Japan from a more native perspective. The stories are reasonably written (but, I always do prefer the original Japanese over any translations, so I'm probably underestimating it's worth).

I do disagree on the apparent rough "pronouciations" of the words in a section at the start of the book - but, it may be a difference of Australian pronouciation of those sounds as opposed to US/Canda (can't tell other than where the book is printed, and both a given)...in which case, it was wrong on this end... and perhaps unnecessary to put in the book anyway?..Just my two-cents >3>'


As well, and a favourite of mine, I have one more. The "Kaidan" (also spelt Kwaidan) by Koizumi Yakumo (aka Lafcadio Hearn). I love his work - I have two books (in Japanese ^^; ), and I think they're a really interesting way to write about youkai (and other aspects of Japanese culture from the perspective of a foreigner that came to live there, which is in his other works). You can find translations of Kaidan over the net - I'm not sure if there's a full book of translations of his work, but I personally have to suggest everyone to go have a read.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/kwaidan/index.htm
Mujina is my favourite ^^. Sacred texts is nice enough to have a few others (as well as parts of the Kojiki and Nihon-shoki), though, take care with these. The translations in parts are annoying (such as the literal translations of names which makes the reading uncomfortable). But yeah, perhaps this could help ^^
http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/index.htm