Kōbō Abe (安部 公房) is the pseudonym of Kimifusa Abe (安部 公房). Abe was born in Kita, Tokyo, the son of a physician who taught medicine. He was raised in Mukden, Manchuria. He returned to Japan in 1941, and in 1943 he went to Tokyo Imperial University, where he earned a medical degree but he failed his medical exam and was forbidden from practicing. He returned to Manchuria as an author. In 1947, he self-published his first book, Mumei-shishū ("Poems of an unknown poet"). His wrote avant-garde poetry, novels, and plays. In 1977 he was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Kobo Abe
Author details
- Born:
- March 7, 1924
- Died:
- Jan. 22, 1993
External links
Kōbō Abe (安部 公房) is the pseudonym of Kimifusa Abe (安部 公房). Abe was born in Kita, Tokyo, the son of a physician who taught medicine. He was raised in Mukden, Manchuria. He returned to Japan in 1941, and in 1943 he went to Tokyo Imperial University, where he earned a medical degree but he failed his medical exam and was forbidden from practicing. He returned to Manchuria as an author. In 1947, he self-published his first book, Mumei-shishū ("Poems of an unknown poet"). His wrote avant-garde poetry, novels, and plays. In 1977 he was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
![Kobo Abe: The box man. (1974, Knopf; [distributed by Random House])](https://bookwyrm-social.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/images/covers/1a20857f-7bd2-4bb8-a11e-78d092d1af98.jpeg)
