Tariki: Tapping Into the Ultimate Power

Now in his late 60s, bestselling Japanese author Itsuki (143 titles with 20 million copies in print) has turned from his customary fiction to the spiritual concerns of later life. In Tariki, Japanese for ""Other Power,"" he illuminates the tenets of Pure Land Buddhism against the dark circumstances of his early life as a teenage postwar refugee who was eventually repatriated in Japan. Itsuki witnessed firsthand the Buddha's realities of suffering and death, giving rise to his seemingly bleak worldview that, as he puts it, ""there is nothing I can do."" Christian readers, especially, may find a kindred spirit here, one who is buoyant in the face of life's realities; through unconditional surrender, Itsuki says, we can be carried aloft on the winds of faith in the Other Power. Embracing emotions and staying mentally flexible are tools Itsuki endorses to navigate situations in which ""just living is hard enough."" This book, Itsuki's first translated into English, may be of greatest interest to those familiar with his previous works, because it reveals the interior philosophy of a cultural icon. It will also resonate, though, with anyone who has faced despair squarely. In his typically clear style, Itsuki paradoxically offers promise. ""We begin in darkness but must not let that darkness overwhelm us. We must keep the doors unlocked. If, in that pitch-black darkness a single ray of light should be let in... it is a wonderful experience... a miraculous stroke of good fortune."" (Apr.) Forecast: Despite his iconic status in his native Japan, Itsuki is not yet a household name in the United States, and the Pure Land school does not enjoy the popularity of Tibetan and Zen Buddhism. The book's fine quality and honest approach may overcome these obstacles. Kodansha plans an initial print run of 35,000 copies and a marketing budget of $75,000.