Nothing reflects the beauty of life as much as Japanese theater. It is here that reality is held suspended and emptiness can fill the mind through words, music, dance, and mysticism. A.L. Sadler translates the mysteries of Noh, Kyogen, and Kabuki in his groundbreaking book, Japanese Plays. A seminal classic in its time, it provides a cross section of Japanese theater that gives the reader a sampler of its beauty and power.

• The power of Noh is in its ability to create an iconic world that represents the attributes that the Japanese...