Asian Literature and Famous Authors

5 Questions

Who is credited for writing the book 'The Art of War'?

Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu's book 'The Art of War' primarily discusses battle strategies.

False

Which novel by Salman Rushdie led to a death sentence being issued against him?

The Satanic Verses

Haruki Murakami's book 'Norwegian Wood' sold millions of copies in Japan, making him a literary ______________ in his country.

superstar

Match the author with their description:

Sun Tzu = Chinese military general and philosopher known for 'The Art of War' Salman Rushdie = British Indian novelist with controversial works Haruki Murakami = Japanese author praised for fiction and nonfiction works

Study Notes

Asian Literature

Asian literature is as old as the culture itself and has fascinated and influenced Western culture.

Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher who wrote the book The Art of War.
He is credited with writing the book, which impacted Chinese and Asian history.
The Art of War was the favorite book of military leaders looking to understand their enemies' thinking.
Over time, his book became one of the seven military classics in China.
In modern times, Sun Tzu's book has found popularity among the military, political, and business leaders.
His ideas were followed by General Vo Nguyen Giap, who defeated French and American forces during the Vietnam War.

Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie is a British Indian novelist who has earned numerous literary awards and honorary degrees.
He was even knighted by the Queen of England as Sir Salman Rushdie.
He has authored eleven novels translated into forty languages.
His most famous novel is The Satanic Verses, which led to a death sentence by the leader of Iran.

Haruki Murakami

Haruki Murakami is Japan's most famous living author, known for his works of fiction and nonfiction.
His writing often focuses on themes of alienation and being alone.
He is considered an important figure in modern literature and has been praised as one of the world's greatest living novelists.
He started writing fiction at the age of twenty-nine and has been heavily influenced by Western culture.
His book Norwegian Wood sold millions of copies in Japan, making him a literary superstar.

Impact of Asian Authors

Asian authors have had a large amount of global influence on literature and culture.
Sun Tzu's book has formed military leadership and modern management principles.
Salman Rushdie endured threats to his life to emerge as a leading author.
Haruki Murakami went against traditional Japanese literary trends and proved that regionally based literature could appeal to international readers.