四月底在吉隆坡雙子星高塔Suria KLCC百貨的紀伊國屋書店裡，看到了以日本雅子妃Princess Masako為名的新書，作者是一位駐東京的澳洲記者Ben Hills。其實這本書一開始吸引我的是以古代禮服盛裝打扮的雅子妃與英文版中央的那朵大粉菊花，這也許是我之前只看過雅子妃老式、樸素的現代裝扮，因而引發一窺究竟的好奇心。除之此外，Hills的內容對日本人來說，其實並無太多新鮮事（根據「知日部屋： Princess Masako事件簿」所載）。
因為作者揭露皇室的生活，又被掌管皇室生活的宮內廳視之為負面寫作與批判性內容，使得宮內廳大動作要求作者道歉，向即將出日文版的講談社施壓，以致最後作者不道歉，而講談社也取消出版計畫，投下的巨資也付諸東流。
對於，才華洋溢的外交官新星、日美經貿專家、新時代女性，為何嫁入皇室後變成「沈默的木偶」，世人理所當然都會有許多想像。處在一個習於壓抑自我的日本社會，我們習知的一般百姓尚且如此，遑論一入宮門深似海的皇室。然而，再多的憐憫、指責、臆測，不過空留贅言，能改變自己命運走向的除了自己，也得機運與人事環境耦合。
雅子妃得到世人的關注，不僅因她出身外交世家、懂得六國語言、留學美國哈佛英國牛津、處理日美貿易摩擦問題、嫁入日本皇室成為長媳婦；也因她不適應皇室生活罹患適應障礙症（一說憂鬱症）、生不出可以繼承皇位的皇太子、愛子公主被認為是試管嬰兒、無法扭轉皇室傳統、為皇室注入一股新西方文化、開啟一番新氣象……
面對諸多龐大的壓力，這哪裡是一個人承擔得來的社會期待與負荷？
雅子妃終究只是一個人，一個女人，也是一位平凡的母親、妻子、媳婦、女兒，她的眾多角色不應來自他人的定義，所以我祝福她未來的生活，能夠活出更多的自我、自由與自在，發揮所長。
值得一提的是，這本書居然由三采文化出版，頗出乎我意料之外，原先還在猜台灣會是哪家出版社拿下繁體中文版呢！整個為書籍打造的行銷活動頗見用心，當然某些銷售話術自然是為此量身打造，大家可以連過去瞧瞧關於這本書的相關看法。
>>繁體中文版官方網站：雅子妃——菊花王朝的囚徒
>>Amazon.com英文版：Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne
From Booklist
True tragedy or simply a bad marriage decision? That is up to the readers--if they decide to make the effort to slog through this less-than-compelling portrait of Princess Masako. Initially packaged as the "Japanese Princess Di," Masako was an intelligent Western-educated woman who probably should have known better than to consign her life to the stringent imperial dynasty of Japan. Intelligence aside, the lure of the royal life proved to be too much, and Masako gave up her budding diplomatic career to marry Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito. She soon discovered, like Diana before her, that life in a fishbowl can be incredibly deflating. Unsuccessful in her efforts to modernize the monarchy, unable to produce a male heir, and hounded by a relentlessly curious public, she currently suffers from serious bouts of depression and lives the life of a virtual recluse. Unable to secure any interviews with the principals themselves, Hills' effort lacks depth but will nevertheless appeal to inveterate royal watchers. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
True tragedy or simply a bad marriage decision? That is up to the readers--if they decide to make the effort to slog through this less-than-compelling portrait of Princess Masako. Initially packaged as the "Japanese Princess Di," Masako was an intelligent Western-educated woman who probably should have known better than to consign her life to the stringent imperial dynasty of Japan. Intelligence aside, the lure of the royal life proved to be too much, and Masako gave up her budding diplomatic career to marry Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito. She soon discovered, like Diana before her, that life in a fishbowl can be incredibly deflating. Unsuccessful in her efforts to modernize the monarchy, unable to produce a male heir, and hounded by a relentlessly curious public, she currently suffers from serious bouts of depression and lives the life of a virtual recluse. Unable to secure any interviews with the principals themselves, Hills' effort lacks depth but will nevertheless appeal to inveterate royal watchers. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
>>繁體中文版官方部落格：雅子妃──菊花王朝的囚徒
>>維基百科：皇太子妃雅子
※本文完成於2007年8月12日4時8分。
2 comments:
雅子妃結婚那時我收集了一堆資料呢，佩服她的學經歷跟才能～
如今～唉～
是呀！
真是可惜了這樣的傑出人才呢～
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