Kokoro

Kokoro by Natsume Soseki, translated by Meredith McKinney

A student meets an old man. The man becomes his Sensei, who he looks up to. The end of life is approaching for the student's father and the old man. The student graduates before his father's death. He doesn't feel graduation is important, but does realize where is father's view is coming from. Later the student grows up and gets married and learns more about himself. He also explores the relationship between the death of he emperor and death of people. How is Japan changing? The tale of personal relationships during times of societal change feels current even 100 years later.