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Keene also states that he intended to "provide the Western reader - the man who enjoyed the great works of the Western literary heritage - with an introduction to some of the things which I have found most beautiful and remarkable in Japanese literature" Donald Keene.

Reviews
"The Pleasures of Japanese Literature" was positively accepted by the public with reviews stating that "...its material is often presented in an engagingly down-to-earth way..." and "...I would not wish the book to be other than it is". It is also acknowledged as being a "...beautifully produced book [where] one hears the seasoned, occasionally bemused voice of a scholar with an exceptional understanding of the culture he is both observing and living." Furthermore it is noted that the uneasy task of of showing Japanese traditional beauty was "successfully attained." This praise aligns with much of the feedback Keene has receives on his literary works.

Context
Keene's book was published in 1988, a time period marked by the growing interest in Japanese culture and literature in the West. It is stated that, "Japan's culture had become thoroughly international by the end of the 1990s." As a renowned scholar of Japanese literature, Keene's writings helped foster a greater understanding and appreciation of Japanese literary traditions. It was noted that the Pleasures of Japanese Literature demonstrates that "...the rich artistic and social traditions of Japan can be indeed be understood by readers from [the West]."

The time period in which the Pleasures of Japanese Literature was written, stressed the reader's inner lives instead of the narrator's consciousness. Literature strived to affirm national identity and tradition, with an emphasis on historical narratives. Keene's book reflects this by demonstrating the traditional aspects of "...Japan that continue to endure today."

While there was a growth in the portrayal of women's roles, the struggle of ordinary people in a highly technological advanced world as well as Japanese identity in a modern context, Keene's literature focuses on prevailing traditions.