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Grave of the Fireflies

By Akiyuki Nosaka
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Brief Description
The heartbreaking story of two orphans fighting for survival at the end of World War Two, published in English for the first time. In the dying days of the War, Seita and Setsuko must fend for themselves. Firebombs have obliterated their home in Kobe, leaving them... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2800
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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

The heartbreaking story of two orphans fighting for survival at the end of World War Two, published in English for the first time.

In the dying days of the War, Seita and Setsuko must fend for themselves. Firebombs have obliterated their home in Kobe, leaving them searching for shelter and scrambling to survive in the depths of the countryside. But, as their suffering becomes a constant companion, so do the lights of the firefliesβ€”shining from the bomber planes and the insects glowing by the lake at night.

This unforgettable semi-autobiographical tale by Akiyuki Nosaka won him the Naoki Prize, cementing his place in the Japanese cultural canon. Published here for the first time as a standalone story, Grave of the Fireflies illuminates the untold sorrows of normal people who lived in the shadow of war.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241780213

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 September 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 111.0mm

Height: 181.0mm

Weight: 350g

Pages: 80

Collections

2025 Best Sellers Akiyuki Nosaka Arts & Culture Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics

About the Author

Akiyuki Nosaka (Author) Akiyuki Nosaka (1930-2015) was a novelist, singer, lyricist and former member of the House of Councillors in Japan. Born in Kamakura, Kanagawa, his memories of living through the Second World War - including the loss of his adoptive father in the 1945 Kobe bombings - served as the inspiration for his most famous short stories. In 1967, he won the Naoki Prize for Grave of the Fireflies and American Hijiki, both based on the Japanese experience of the War. Nosaka also wrote erotic fiction, including The Pornographers (1963), and in later life he continued his career as a newspaper and TV journalist, as well as a politician and chanson singer. Ginny Tapley Takemori (Translator) Ginny Tapley Takemori is the award-winning translator of Sayaka Murata's Convenience Store Woman and other contemporary Japanese literature. She lives in rural Japan with her husband and three cats.

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