Voices of the Fallen Heroes

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

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 seance 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.

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9780241723609
Published: January 2025

Number of pages: 272
Width: 136 mm
Height: 217 mm
Depth: 22 mm

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd