Synopses & Reviews
Novelist, playwright, film actor, martial artist, and political commentator, Yukio Mishima (1925-1970) was arguably the most famous person in Japan at the time of his death. Henry Scott Stokes, one of Mishima's closest friends, was the only non-Japanese allowed to attend the trial of the men involved in Mishima's spectacular suicide. In this insightful and empathetic look at the writer, Stokes guides the reader through the milestones of Mishima's meteoric and eclectic career and delves into the artist's major works and themes. This biography skillfully and compassionately illuminates the achievements and disquieting ideas of a brilliant and deeply troubled man, an artist of whom Nobel Laureate Yasunari Kawabata had said, A writer of Mishima's caliber comes along only once every two or three hundred years.
Synopsis
This incisive biography begins with the spectacularly tragic last day of the militant Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), perhaps best known for his monumental four-book masterpiece The Sea of Fertility. The narrative then goes back into his life and work to try to make sense of why Japan's most famous artist kidnapped a leading military figure, attempted to incite the Japanese army to overthrow the government, and then committed suicide. This book's republication marks the thirtieth anniversary of Mishima's death on November 25, 1970, a day the Japanese people are still trying to come to terms with.
Synopsis
This incisive biography begins withthe spectacularly tragic last day of the militant Japanese novelist, perhaps best known for his monumental four-book masterpiece The Sea of Fertility.