Shiono Nanami
Encyclopedia
Nanami Shiono is a Japanese
author
and novelist known for her works on the history of Italy
, especially those dealing with ancient Rome
and the Renaissance
period.
, on 7 July 1937. In high school she read Homer
's Iliad
and was fascinated by it. She graduated from Gakushuin University
with a degree in philosophy
. During her school years, she was deeply involved with student activism
, but eventually became disillusioned with the movement.
From 1963 to 1968 she lived in Italy, studying the language and history of the country on her own. During this time she also travelled extensively in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Upon returning to Japan in 1968, she began to write and published her first book, Runesansu no Onna-tachi (Women of the Renaissance), in the literary magazine Chūo Kōron.
In 1970, she published her second work Chēzare Borujia Aruiwa Yūganaru Reikoku (Cesare Borgia the Elegant Tyrant). In the same year, she married an Italian doctor of Sicilian descent and moved to Florence
. They had a son, but later divorced. She moved to Rome
in 1993 and currently lives there.
. In 1980, she published Umi no Miyako no Monogatari (Story of the City of the Sea), the work that made Shiono a nationally known figure.
In 1992 Shiono started a monumental work on ancient Rome, Roma-jin no Monogatari (Stories of the Romans). Completed in 2006, it is a 15-volume series that traces the history of the city and the Roman Empire
.
She has also written many non-fiction works, mainly essays on historic, political and/or cultural topics.
in 1995, and Roma-jin no Monogatari quickly became a bestseller there (Roma-in Iyagi in Korean).
Shiono was awarded the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award from the Mainichi daily newspaper for Runesansu no Onna-tachi. In 1982, Umi no Miyako no Monogatari won the Suntory
Literary Prize. She won the Kikuchi Kan Prize the following year. For Roma-jin no Monogatari, she was awarded the Shincho
Literary Prize. She received the Shiba Ryotaro Prize in 1999, and in 2002 the Italian government conferred upon her the Grande Ufficiale Order of Merit for introducing Italian history and culture to Japan.
In Japan, opinions about Shiono's work are divided. Her works have been praised for their historical sweep, but have also been called over-simplified depictions of moments in history that were in fact multi-faceted and complicated. Professional historians tend to criticize her works for their lack of references and objectivity. Her interpretations of ancient Greek
history have been challenged, and some critics object to what they see as right-leaning political tendencies.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and novelist known for her works on the history of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, especially those dealing with ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
period.
Biography
Shiono was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, on 7 July 1937. In high school she read Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
's Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
and was fascinated by it. She graduated from Gakushuin University
Gakushuin University
is an elite higher educational institution in Mejiro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. It was re-established after World War II as an affiliate of the Gakushūin School Corporation, the privatized successor to the original Gakushūin University or "Peers School" set up during the Meiji era to educate the...
with a degree in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. During her school years, she was deeply involved with student activism
Student activism
Student activism is work done by students to effect political, environmental, economic, or social change. It has often focused on making changes in schools, such as increasing student influence over curriculum or improving educational funding...
, but eventually became disillusioned with the movement.
From 1963 to 1968 she lived in Italy, studying the language and history of the country on her own. During this time she also travelled extensively in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Upon returning to Japan in 1968, she began to write and published her first book, Runesansu no Onna-tachi (Women of the Renaissance), in the literary magazine Chūo Kōron.
In 1970, she published her second work Chēzare Borujia Aruiwa Yūganaru Reikoku (Cesare Borgia the Elegant Tyrant). In the same year, she married an Italian doctor of Sicilian descent and moved to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. They had a son, but later divorced. She moved to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1993 and currently lives there.
Works
Her early work from the 1970s contain many historical novels set in Renaissance Italy, such as those listed above and Kami no Dairinin (Deputies of God). Later her interests shifted to the history of VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. In 1980, she published Umi no Miyako no Monogatari (Story of the City of the Sea), the work that made Shiono a nationally known figure.
In 1992 Shiono started a monumental work on ancient Rome, Roma-jin no Monogatari (Stories of the Romans). Completed in 2006, it is a 15-volume series that traces the history of the city and the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
She has also written many non-fiction works, mainly essays on historic, political and/or cultural topics.
Reputation and awards
Although her first works were well received in Japan, it was not until the publication of Umi no Miyako no Monogatari that she became a best-selling author. Umi no Miyako no Monogatari became a literary phenomenon in the 1980s, eliciting reviews that compared Venice to Japan and sought hints about the future of Japan in her book. Her books were first published in KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
in 1995, and Roma-jin no Monogatari quickly became a bestseller there (Roma-in Iyagi in Korean).
Shiono was awarded the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award from the Mainichi daily newspaper for Runesansu no Onna-tachi. In 1982, Umi no Miyako no Monogatari won the Suntory
Suntory
is a Japanese brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverages in Japan. Its business has expanded to other fields, and the company now offers everything from soft drinks to sandwich chains...
Literary Prize. She won the Kikuchi Kan Prize the following year. For Roma-jin no Monogatari, she was awarded the Shincho
Shinchosha
is a publisher founded in 1896 in Japan and headquartered in Yaraichō, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Shinchosha is one of the sponsors of the Japan Fantasy Novel Award.-Monthly:* ENGINE* Foresight* nicola*Shinchō-External links:*...
Literary Prize. She received the Shiba Ryotaro Prize in 1999, and in 2002 the Italian government conferred upon her the Grande Ufficiale Order of Merit for introducing Italian history and culture to Japan.
In Japan, opinions about Shiono's work are divided. Her works have been praised for their historical sweep, but have also been called over-simplified depictions of moments in history that were in fact multi-faceted and complicated. Professional historians tend to criticize her works for their lack of references and objectivity. Her interpretations of ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
history have been challenged, and some critics object to what they see as right-leaning political tendencies.
Works on the Renaissance
- Runesansu no Onna-tachi (Women of the RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
) (1968) - Chēzare Borujia Aruiwa Yūganaru Reikoku (Cesare BorgiaCesare BorgiaCesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
the Elegant Tyrant) (1970) - Umi no Miyako no Monogatari (Story of the City of the Sea) (1980)
- Kami no Dairinin (Deputies of God) (1972)
- Waga Tomo Makiavetri (My Friend Machiavelli) (1987)
Res Gestae Populi Romani
- Roma-jin no Monogatari (Res Gestae Populi Romani: Stories of the Romans) (1992–2006)
- Roma wa Ichinichi ni shite Narazu (Roma Non Uno Die Aedificata Est: Rome was not Built in A Day) (1992)
- Hannibaru Senki (Bellum Hannibalicum: The Hannibal War) (1993)
- Shōsha no Konmei (Bellorum Civilium: The Turmoil of the Victor) (1994)
- Yuriusu Kaesaru, Rubikon Izen (Julius CaesarJulius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, Before Crossing the Rubicon) (1995) - Yuriusu Kaesaru, Rubikon Igo (Julius CaesarJulius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, After Crossing the Rubicon) (1996) - Pakkusu Rōmana (Pax RomanaPax RomanaPax Romana was the long period of relative peace and minimal expansion by military force experienced by the Roman Empire in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Since it was established by Caesar Augustus it is sometimes called Pax Augusta...
) (1997) - Akumei Takaki Kōtei-tachi (Imperatores Malæ Famæ: The Infamous Emperors) (1998)
- Kiki to Kokufuku (Crisis Et Ab Ea Exitus: Crisis and Vanquishment) (1999)
- Kentei no Seiki (Sæculum Aureum: The Century of Good Emperors) (2000)
- Subete no Michi wa Rōma ni Tsūzu (Omniæ Viæ Quæ Ad Romam Duxerunt: All Roads Lead to Rome) (2001)
- Owari no Hajimari (Finis Principium: Start of the Catastrophe) (2002)
- Meisō Suru Teikoku (Tertii Sæculi Crisis: The Empire in Chaos) (2003)
- Saigo no Doryoku (De Ultimis Laboribus: The Last Endeavour) (2004)
- Kirisuto no Shōri (De Christi Victoria: The Victory of Christ) (2005)
- Rōma Sekai no Shūen (Romani Mundi Finis: The End of the Roman World) (2006)
The East Mediterranean Trilogy
- Konstantinōpuru no Kanraku (The Fall of ConstantinopleFall of ConstantinopleThe Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
) (1983)- The Fall of Constantinople translated into English by Kerim Yasar - Vertical Inc. 2005
- Rōdosu-to no Kōbō-ki (The Record of the Battle of RhodesRhodesRhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
) (1985)- The Siege of Rhodes translated into English by Carolyn L. Temporelli, Wilburn Hansen, & Steven Wills - Vertical Inc. 2006
- Repanto no Kaisen (The Battle of LepantoBattle of Lepanto (1571)The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
) (1987)- The Battle of Lepanto translated into English by Carolyn L. Temporelli, Steven M. Bryan, & Wilburn Hansen - Vertical Inc. 2007
The Stories from Three Cities
- Hiiro no Venezia (VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in Crimson) (1987) - Giniro no Firenze (FlorenceFlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in Silver) (1989) - Oōgon no Roma (RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in Gold) (1990)
Essays
- Silent Minority (1993)
- Otoko-tachi E (To Men) (1989)
- Futatabi Otoko-tachi E (To Men Again) (1994)
- Itaria Kara no Tegami (Letters from Italy) (1972)
- Itaria Imon (Literary Remains from Italy) (1979)
- Otona Futari no Gogo (Afternoon Conversation between Two Adults), co-authored with Hiroyuki Itsuki (1998)
Honors
- Mainichi Publishing Culture Award (1970)
- SuntorySuntoryis a Japanese brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverages in Japan. Its business has expanded to other fields, and the company now offers everything from soft drinks to sandwich chains...
Literary Prize (1982) - ShinchoShinchoshais a publisher founded in 1896 in Japan and headquartered in Yaraichō, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Shinchosha is one of the sponsors of the Japan Fantasy Novel Award.-Monthly:* ENGINE* Foresight* nicola*Shinchō-External links:*...
Literary Prize (1993) - JSCE(Japan Society of Civil Engineers) Publication Prize (2001)
- Shiba Ryotaro Award (1999)
- The Grande Ufficiale Order of Merit, Italy (2002)
- Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon (2005)
- Person of Cultural MeritPerson of Cultural Meritis an official Japanese recognition-honor which is awarded annually to select people who have made outstanding cultural contributions. This distinction is intended to play a role as a part of a system of support measures for the promotion of creative activities in Japan...
(2007)