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Beautiful Star

By Yukio Mishima
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
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Check link for latest rating. ( 2,051 ratings, 341 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Beautiful Star by Yukio Mishima is a thought-provoking exploration of human identity and cosmic destiny. The story follows a seemingly ordinary Japanese family who gradually come to believe they are aliens from different planets, each with a mission to protect Earth from annihilation. Mishima delves into complex themes of existentialism, self-awareness, and the quest for meaning in the universe, offering a narrative that is as enigmatic as it is compelling.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are intrigued by novels that delve into philosophical themes, blending reflections on human nature with an allegorical approach. The story might captivate those interested in exploring existential questions and the impact of mysticism on life through the lens of a family's unique journey.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Beautiful Star is the novel Yukio Mishima considered to be one of his best works— a tale of family, nuclear war, love, and UFOs.

The Osugi family have come to a realization. Each of them hails from a different planet: Father from Mars, Mother from Jupiter, Son from Mercury, and Daughter from Venus. Already seen as oddballs in their small Japanese town in the 1960s, this extra-terrestrial knowledge brings them closer together. They climb mountains to wait for UFOs, study at home together, and regard their human neighbours with a kindly benevolence.

But Father, Juichiro, is worried about the bomb. He writes letters to Khrushchev, trying to warn everyone he can of the terrible threat. After all, humans may be terribly flawed, but aren't they worth saving? He sends out a coded message in the newspaper to find other aliens. However, there are other extra-terrestrials out there, ones who do not look so kindly on the flaws and foibles of humans. Moreover, a charming young man, who claims to be from Venus too, tempts daughter Akiko away from the family...

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Beautiful Star by Yukio Mishima is praised for its dark humour, sharp social satire, and unique charm. The book's translation by Stephen Dodd successfully captures Mishima's wit and succinct style, engaging readers with a curious blend of high literary seriousness and sci-fi elements. While exploring themes of human nature and the threat of nuclear war, the novel remains intensely humorous and thought-provoking, enhancing Mishima's reputation as one of Japan's great post-war authors.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241441091

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 July 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Stephen Dodd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 218g

Pages: 288

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About the Author

Yukio Mishima (Author) Yukio Mishima was born in 1925 in Tokyo, and is considered one of the Japan's most important writers. His books broke social boundaries and taboos at a time when Japan found itself in a state of rapid social change. His interests, besides writing, included body-building, acting and practising as a Samurai. In 1970 he attempted to start a military coup, which failed. Upon realizing this, Mishima performed seppuku, a ritual suicide, upon himself. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature three times.

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