Keigo Higashino Explained

Keigo Higashino
Birth Date:4 February 1958
Birth Place:Ikuno-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Nationality:Japanese
Occupation:Author
Period:1985–present
Genre:Mystery fiction, crime fiction, thriller
Alma Mater:Osaka Prefecture University
Education:Osaka Prefectural Hannan High School

is a Japanese author chiefly known for his mystery novels. He served as the 13th President of Mystery Writers of Japan from 2009 to 2013. Higashino has won major Japanese awards for his books, almost twenty of which have been turned into films and TV series.[1]

Early life

Higashino was born in the Ikuno-ku ward of the city of Osaka in Osaka Prefecture. The logographic letters that make up the family name were initially read as "Tono", but Keigo's father changed the reading to "Higashino".

Growing up in a working class area, Higashino's childhood was challenging because of the lower class to which his family belonged.[2] He attended Koji Elementary School, Higashi Ikuno Junior High School, and Hannan High School. During his high school years he started reading mystery fiction.

Higashino studied Electrical Engineering at Osaka Prefecture University, where he became captain of the archery club. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

Career

Higashino started writing while in high school and university, showing his manuscripts to friends.

In 1981, he began working as an engineer at Nippon Denso Co. (presently DENSO), and married a high school teacher. He continued to write in the evenings and on weekends, submitting unpublished mystery novels for consideration for the annual Edogawa Rampo Prize in 1983. In 1984, his submission, which drew on his wife's occupation, reached the final round. In 1985, at the age of 27, he won the Rampo Prize for best unpublished mystery for, drawing on experiences of the archery club at his former university. He resigned from DENSO in 1986 to start a career in Tokyo as a full-time writer.

In 1998, Higashino published, which was adapted into a feature film and won the 52nd Mystery Writers of Japan Award for feature films in 1999. Secret was later translated into English by Kerim Yasar and published as Naoko in 2004, with a limited print run. Higashino was inspired to write the story by reading a book in which a young child possessed the memories of someone who died nearby. He tried writing a short story featuring the implications of what would happen in such an instance, "but the ideas didn't fully materialize. Finally I presented it as a novel and it got picked up." A 1999 Japanese film, Himitsu, was based on the book, as was a 2007 English-language French remake,The Secret, starring David Duchovny.

In 2006, Higashino won the 134th Naoki Prize for, an award for which he had been nominated five times previously. Suspect X also won the 6th Honkaku Mystery Award and was ranked the number-one novel by Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2006 and 2006 Honkaku Mystery Best 10, annual mystery fiction guide books published in Japan. The English edition of Suspect X, translated by Alexander O. Smith, was nominated for the 2012 Edgar Award for Best Novel and the 2012 Barry Award for Best First Novel.

Higashino received the Eiji Yoshikawa Literary Prize in 2014 for, the 10th book to feature Detective Kyoichiro Kaga. He thought that the book would be the end of the Kaga series, as he had done what he wanted to do with it.[3]

Higashino is one of the most popular authors in Asia and, reportedly, the most popular novelist in China.[4] Translation rights for his books, like Suspect X, were sold as far afield as China, Thailand, France, Russia and Spain. Both his Suspect X and Salvation of a Saint were published in 6 languages.[5] His popularity has drawn the attention of Asian academics, with papers and master's theses on his work published in China,[6] Indonesia,[7] Malaysia,[8] and Taiwan,[9] for example, and has also stimulated United States scholars.[10]

Higashino was elected president of the Mystery Writers of Japan (MWJ) in 2009, and served until 2013. From 2002 to 2007 he served on various MWJ selection committees, and fulfilled a similar role for the Edogawa Rampo Award from 2008 to 2013. In 2014, he became a selection member for the Naoki Prize.[11] [12]

After the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, Higashino donated the royalties of 100,000 copies of the reprint of, the sequel to Newcomer, to relief efforts in affected areas.[13]

Higashino reportedly avoids publicity, as he prefers people not to recognize him on the street.

Contents and style

Higashino admitted in 2015 that his content and style had changed from his earlier writings, in which he treated motivation as the most important element. In a 2011 interview, he stated that he wants his "readers to be continually surprised by my ideas."[14]

In addition to mystery novels, Higashino writes essays and story books for children. His style of writing the latter differs from his novels, and he does not use as many characters as in his novels. Higashino's works often include scientific elements, such as nuclear power generation and brain transplantation. Sports references, such as archery and kendo, ski jumping, and snowboarding, also occur often.

Suspect X inverts the classical whodunit structure, as the reader learns early on who the murderer is. Andrew Joyce writes in The Wall Street Journal that Higashino explores how "feelings of loyalty and the oppressive weight of human relations" are "catalysts for murder and dark pacts between neighbors or co-workers to dispose of bodies." Higashino claims that Japanese people prefer this format, in which the effects of characters' actions and intentions, in terms of emotions such as guilt and anguish, become clearer only towards the end of the story.

While Higashino admits to liking Western writers, he feels most strongly influenced by Japanese authors such as Edogawa Rampo and Seicho Matsumoto. And "so my work naturally has that Japanese sense of old-fashioned loyalty and concern for human feeling." Regarding his Western readers, Higashino wants them "to read my work and come to understand how Japanese people think, love and hate. I want them to be impressed that there is a Japanese person who came up with such unusual stories."

Works in English translation

Novels

Detective Galileo series

Police Detective Kaga series

Other novels

Essay

Honours, awards and nominations

Awards

List of accolades received by Keigo Higashino
YearAward Recipients and NomineesResult
1983Edogawa Rampo AwardNingyō-tachi no ie (Dolls' House)
1984 (Magic Ball)
1985 (After School)
1988Eiji Yoshikawa Prize (Murder in a College Town)
1988Mystery Writers of Japan Award
1990Eiji Yoshikawa Prize (Plan Chojin)
1991Mystery Writers of Japan Award (Angel Ears – short story collection)
1992Kagami no Naka de (In the Mirror)
1993 (In a Snow-Covered Mansion)
1993Kōtsū Keisatsu no Yoru (Night of the Traffic Officer)
1996Eiji Yoshikawa PrizeTenkū no Hachi (Bee in the Sky)
1997Meitantei no Okite (Rule of the Detective)
1999 (Secret)
1999Mystery Writers of Japan Award – feature film
2000Naoki PrizeByakuyakō (Journey Under the Midnight Sun)
2001 (One-sided Love)
2003 (Letter)
2004 (Mysterious Night)
2006 (The Devotion of Suspect X)
Honkaku Mystery Award
2008New Wind AwardRyūsei no Kizuna (Bonds of the Shooting Star)
The Selected Book (The Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand) (Salvation of a Saint)
2010Polar Prize, Best International Novel[30] Mukashi Boku ga Shinda Ie (The Home Where I Once Died; French title: French: La maison où je suis mort autrefois)
2011Bookmark Reader Award
2012American Library Association, Best Mystery Novel, Book & Media AwardsThe Devotion of Suspect X
Edgar Award
Barry Award
(The Miracles of the Namiya General Store)
2013 (Dream Flower)
2014 (The Final Curtain)
2023Kikuchi Kan Prize[31] Himself

Japanese Mystery Fiction Guide Rankings

Bibliography

By 2018 Higashino had published 66 novels, 20 short story collections, and one picture book. In all, there were 715 works in 8 languages by Higashino worldwide in 2020, excluding 20 which were about him.

Detective Galileo (Manabu Yukawa) series

Police Detective Kaga series

Naniwa Detective Boys series

Detective Daigoro Tenkaichi series

Other novels

Essay collections

Other short story collections

Children's book

Comics

TV and film adaptations

Some of his novels have been made into TV drama series and films:

Japanese films

Japanese TV dramas

South Korean films

French film

Chinese film

Indian film

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Keigo Higashino author biography. BookBrowse. BookBrowse.com. en. 2020-01-05.
  2. Web site: Naoko — Vertical, Inc.. www.vertical-inc.com. 2020-01-04.
  3. Web site: 「ダブル受賞」に大沢・東野両氏語る 吉川英治文学賞 [Osawa and Higashino talk about "double award" @ Eiji Yoshikawa Literary Prize]]. March 11, 2014. ja. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20171222051744/http://book.asahi.com/booknews/update/2014031100005.html. December 22, 2017. January 4, 2020.
  4. Web site: The best books of 2018 - ones that made us laugh and cry. Kidd. James. 2018-12-19. South China Morning Post. en. 2020-01-06.
  5. Web site: Higashino, Keigo 1958-. 2020. WorldCat Identities. January 8, 2020.
  6. Web site: Acceptance And Dissemination Of Higashino Keigo In China (2007-2017). Li. RJ. March 17, 2019. Globe Thesis. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200106065840/https://www.globethesis.com/?t=2355330542957618. January 6, 2020. January 6, 2020.
  7. Endah Adriana. Ajeng. Andry Anita Dewi. Ni Made. November 1, 2018. Penggunaan Tindak Tutur Dan Implikatur Pada Novel Yougisha X no Kenshin karya Keigo Higashino [The Usage of Speech Acts and Implicatur in Yougisha X no Kenshin novel by Keigo Higashino]]. Humanis. id. 22, 4. 860–867. 10.24843/JH.2018.v22.i04.p04. free.
  8. Book: Jie, Koik Shuh. The Art of Murder: a Comparative Study of the Crime Writing of Thomas de Quincey and Keigo Higashino. Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Universiti Sains Malaysia. 2015.
  9. Web site: A study of the detective of 'Kyoichiro Kaga' by Keigo Higashino. Tamgang University Japanese Literature Scholarship Thesis. Weifen. Zhang. January 1, 2016. Airiti Library. ja. January 6, 2020.
  10. Hawley. John C. 2017. Khaled Hosseini, Keigo Higashino, and Zoe Ferraris: Social Concealment, Personal Revelation, and Community Guilt. The Delhi University Journal of the Humanities and the Social Sciences. 4. 1–18.
  11. Web site: 直木賞選考委員に高村薫氏と東野圭吾氏 来年選考会から - 本のニュー [Kaoru Takamura and Keigo Higashino selected as members of the Naoki Prize Selection Committee]]. 2014-03-22. Book.asahi.com. ja. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140322043231/http://book.asahi.com/booknews/update/2013102400001.html. March 22, 2014. 2020-01-05.
  12. Web site: 会員名簿, 現会員 - 東野 圭吾 [Current Members, Higashino Keigo]]. 2013. Mystery Writers of Japan, Inc.. ja. January 7, 2020.
  13. Web site: 東野圭吾さん「麒麟の翼」増刷分の印税を寄付 [Keigo Higashino donates royalties for reprint of "Kirin no Tsubasa"]]. March 18, 2011. Sponichi.co.jp. ja. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924190704/http://www.sponichi.co.jp/society/news/2011/03/18/kiji/K20110318000451400.html. September 24, 2015. 2020-01-05.
  14. News: Is this Guy the Next Stieg Larsson?. Joyce. Andrew. February 11, 2011. The Wall Street Journal - Scene Asia. January 5, 2020. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110214065222/http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2011/02/11/is-this-guy-the-next-steig-larsson/. February 14, 2011.
  15. Book: Higashino, Keigo. The Devotion of Suspect X. Alexander O. Smith. Detective Galileo Series. 1. 2011. 320. 9781250002693.
  16. Book: Higashino, Keigo. Salvation of a Saint. Detective Galileo Series. Alexander O. Smith. Minotaur Books. 2012. 2. 336. 978-1250036278.
  17. Book: A Midsummer's Equation. Higashino, Keigo. St. Martin's Press/Macmillan Publishers. Alexander O. Smith. Detective Galileo Series. 2016. 3. 368. 9781250027924. registration.
  18. Book: Silent Parade. Higashino, Keigo. Minotaur Books. Detective Galileo Series. 2021. 4. 304. 9781250624826.
  19. Book: Invisible Helix. Higashino, Keigo. Minotaur Books. Detective Galileo Series. 2024. 5. 352. 9781250875563.
  20. Book: Higashino, Keigo. Malice. Alexander O. Smith. Minotaur Books. 2014. 2015. 2nd. 288. 978-1250070326.
  21. Book: Higashino, Keigo. Newcomer. Giles Murray. Minotaur Books. 2018. 352. 9781250067869.
  22. Book: Higashino, Keigo. A Death in Tokyo. Giles Murray. Minotaur Books. 2022. 352. 9781250767509.
  23. Book: Higashino, Keigo. The Final Curtain. Giles Murray. Minotaur Books. 2023. 352. 9781250767530.
  24. Book: Higashino, Keigo. Naoko. Vertical. Kerim Yasar. 2004. 288. 1932234071.
  25. Book: Higashino, Keigo. Under the Midnight Sun. Alexander O. Smith. Hachette. 2015. 978-0349138749.
  26. Book: Higashino, Keigo. The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping. Penguin Random House. 2017. 240. 978-1942993834.
  27. Book: Higashino, Keigo. The Miracles of the Namiya General Store. Yen On. 2019. 320. 978-1975382575.
  28. Web site: My Favourite Mystery #2: Kuroi gashu (The Black Art Book) (author: Matsumoto Seicho). Translated by Adrian Pinnington.. Higashino. Keigo. 2010. Mystery Writers of Japan. January 6, 2020.
  29. Web site: 小説家の東野圭吾さんに紫綬＝歌人の俵万智さんら―秋の褒章. November 2, 2023. Jiji Press.
  30. https://www.prix-litteraires.net/detail_prix_auteur.php?auteur=4983_Keigo_Higashino Polar Prize, Best International Novel
  31. Web site: 『第71回菊池寛賞』東野圭吾、野沢雅子、栗山英樹ら【受賞一覧&受賞理由掲載】. October 11, 2023. Oricon.
  32. Web site: Into The White Night. Jonathan Romney. 2011-02-13. Screen Daily. 2019-10-28.
  33. Web site: Platina Data. platinadata.jp.net. ja. 2019-10-28.
  34. Web site: 沈黙のパレード. August 3, 2022. eiga.com.
  35. Web site: http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_c.php?num_c=323876. ja:白夜行 (2006). allcinema.net. ja. 2019-10-28.
  36. Book: Ryusei no Kizuna. Higashino, Keigo. 2016 . Nanhai Publishing Company. 978-7544282604. 354. ja.
  37. Book: Higashino, Keigo. Meitantei No Okite. July 1999. Kodonsha. ja. 348. 4062646188.
  38. Web site: 志田未来と佐々木蔵之介が25歳差夫婦! 東野圭吾の出世作『秘密』連ドラ化. March 19, 2022. Oricon.
  39. Book: Higashino, Keigo. The Newcomer (Shinzanmono). Nanhai Publishing Company. 2010. 2016. 2nd. zh. 253. 978-7544281102.
  40. Web site: 妻夫木聡がTBSで16年ぶり主演、東野圭吾の「危険なビーナス」ドラマ化（コメントあり）. 2020-09-11. 映画ナタリー. ja.
  41. Web site: 村上虹郎、森七菜ら、福山雅治主演『ガリレオ』新作SPドラマ出演 シリーズおなじみの面々も. August 3, 2022. Crank-in!.
  42. Web site: Perfect Number. Jason Bechervaise. Screen Daily. 2012-10-09. 2019-10-28.
  43. News: 'Monica, O My Darling' movie review: Vasan Bala's notorious noir is intoxicating . The Hindu . 11 November 2022 . Kumar . Anuj .

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