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Voices of the Fallen Heroes

And Other Stories
By Yukio Mishima
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
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Brief Description
A new selection of lyrically haunting short stories from a Japanese literary icon. A writer is seized by apocalyptic visions; a voyeuristic marquis commits a brutal act; and a trio of beatniks dance to modern jazz in the ruins of an abandoned church. Here, stark autobiography... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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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

A new selection of lyrically haunting short stories from a Japanese literary icon.

A writer is seized by apocalyptic visions; a voyeuristic marquis commits a brutal act; and a trio of beatniks dance to modern jazz in the ruins of an abandoned church. Here, stark autobiography contrasts with pure horror, and the tenderness of first love cedes to obsession, heartbreak and deathly beauty.

A new selection of Mishima's short stories from the 1960s, Voices of the Fallen Heroes traces the final decade of Mishima's career and offers a unique glimpse into the mind of one of Japan's greatest writers.

In the title story, a sΓ©ance brings forth the spirits of young officers in the Imperial Army and the kamikaze pilots of the Second World War, who reproach the Emperor and mourn Japan's modern decline. In another, Mishima recounts the true story of the time a deranged fan broke into his home at dawn, insisting on meeting the author and imploring him to 'tell the truth'. Elsewhere, a beautiful youth achieves eternal life through violent murder, and an ill-matched couple seal their fate with a pack of cards, tangled in the web of time and unfulfilled desire.

Available in English for the first time, and carefully selected by expert translators, these captivating stories are the perfect introduction to Mishima's work, on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241723609

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 16 January 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Various
  • Edited by Stephen Dodd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 136.0mm

Height: 217.0mm

Weight: 286g

Pages: 272

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction Fiction in Translation General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Series: Penguin Modern Classics Yukio Mishima

About the Author

Yukio Mishima was born in 1925 in Tokyo, and is considered one of 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 martial arts. In 1970, he attempted to start a military coup, which failed. Upon realizing this, Mishima performed seppuku, a ritual suicide. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature three times.

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