Kita Morio

Novelist. Real name: Saito Muneyo. Born in Tokyo on May 1, 1927. Second son of poet Saito Mokichi. After graduating from Matsumoto High School, he went on to Tohoku University School of Medicine, majoring in psychiatry. He graduated in 1952 (Showa 27). While he was still a student, he wrote "Hyakugafu" (1949), which was published in the Literary Capital. He then published "Afternoon of a Faun" (1951) and other works, and published the long novel "Ghost" (1954), which sublimated his childhood memories into a fantasy. He later attracted attention with his excellent works such as "At the Rock Ridge" and "A Town with a Spirit Medium" (both 1956). In 1960, his "Doctor Sunfish Voyage," which used his experiences as a ship's doctor in a humorous style of writing, became a bestseller. He later wrote "Doctor Sunfish Insect Chronicle" (1961), "Doctor Sunfish Getoff" (1967), and "Doctor Sunfish Youth Chronicle" (1968), and won many Kita Morio fans with this "Doctor Sunfish" series. He established his reputation with "In the Corner of Night and Fog" (1960), which won the Akutagawa Prize. He also won the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award for "The People of the Nire Family" (1964), which depicts the history of a middle-class family from the Meiji to Showa periods, set in Nire Hospital. His works include the long novels "White and Gentle Peak" (1966) and "Drunken Boat" (1972), as well as "Under the Shining Blue Sky" Parts 1 and 2 (1982, 1986, Japan Literature Grand Prize). He also published a tetralogy based on the life of his father, Saito Mokichi: "Young Mokichi" (1991), "Mature Mokichi" (1993), "Mokichi's Wanderings" (1996), and "Mokichi's Later Years" (1998). This work won the Osaragi Jiro Prize.

[Masao Kaneko]

"The Complete Works of Kita Morio, 15 volumes (1976-1977, Shinchosha)" ▽ "The Voyage of Doctor Sunfish" (Chuko Bunko)" ▽ "The People of the Nire Family, Volumes 1 and 2 (Shincho Bunko)" ▽ "Under the Brilliant Blue Sky, Parts 1 and 2, 4 volumes (Shincho Bunko)" ▽ "Mokichi the Young Man, Mokichi the Adult, Mokichi's Wanderings, Mokichi's Later Years (Iwanami Gendai Bunko)" ▽ "The Literary World of Kita Morio by Okuno Takeo (Chuko Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

小説家。本名斎藤宗吉。昭和2年5月1日、東京に生まれる。歌人斎藤茂吉の次男。旧制松本高校を経て東北大学医学部に進学、精神科専攻。1952年（昭和27）卒業。在学中に書いた『百蛾譜(ひゃくがふ)』（1949）が『文芸首都』に載り、続いて『牧神の午後』（1951）などを発表、さらに幼少年期の追憶を幻想風に昇華した長編『幽霊』（1954）を刊行する。その後『岩尾根にて』『霊媒のいる町』（ともに1956）などの佳編で注目される。1960年、船医の体験を、ユーモラスな文体に生かした『どくとるマンボウ航海記』がベストセラーとなった。その後、『どくとるマンボウ昆虫記』（1961）、『同途中下車』（1967）、『同青春記』（1968）などを著し、この「どくとるマンボウ」シリーズで、多くの北杜夫ファンを獲得した。芥川(あくたがわ)賞を受けた『夜と霧の隅で』（1960）により地位を確立。また楡(にれ)病院を舞台に明治から昭和までの中流一家の歴史を描いた『楡家の人びと』（1964）で毎日出版文化賞を受賞。長編『白きたおやかな峰』（1966）、『酔いどれ船』（1972）のほか、『輝ける碧(あお)き空の下で』第1部、第2部（1982、1986。日本文学大賞）などの作品がある。また、父の斎藤茂吉の生涯を題材にした作品『青年茂吉』（1991）、『壮年茂吉』（1993）、『茂吉彷徨(ほうこう)』（1996）、『茂吉晩年』（1998）の四部作を刊行。これは、大仏(おさらぎ)次郎賞に輝いた。

［金子昌夫］

『『北杜夫全集』全15巻（1976～1977・新潮社）』▽『『どくとるマンボウ航海記』（中公文庫）』▽『『楡家の人びと』上下（新潮文庫）』▽『『輝ける碧き空の下で』第1～2部全4冊（新潮文庫）』▽『『青年茂吉』『壮年茂吉』『茂吉彷徨』『茂吉晩年』（岩波現代文庫）』▽『奥野健男著『北杜夫の文学世界』（中公文庫）』

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