Copyright © 2001 by Takashi Hiraide Translation copyright © 2014 by Eric Selland Originally published as Neko no Kyaku by Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Tokyo, Japan. Published by arrangement with the author. All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in a newspaper, magazine, radio, television, or website review, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher. First published as a New Directions Paperbook Original (NDP1274) in 2014 Design by Erik Rieselbach Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hiraide, Takashi, 1950- [Neko no Kyaku. English] The Guest Cat / Takahashi Hiraide ; translated by Eric Selland. pages cm "A New Directions Book" ISBN 978-0-811-22151-1 (e-book) I. Selland, Eric, translator. II. Title. PL852.I663N413 2014 895.63'5—dc23 2013046516 New Directions Books are published for James Laughlin by New Directions Publishing Corporation 80 Eighth Avenue, New York 10011
ALSO BY TAKASHI HIRAIDE FROM NEW DIRECTIONS For the Fighting Spirit of the Walnut