Mishima’s Sword
01/13/2006 @ 6:00 pm
Yukio Mishima has been the subject of several biographies by Japanese and Western writers, and now publishing sources in New York tell us that Christopher Ross is working on a new Mishima bio titled Mishima’s Sword: Travels in Search of a Samurai Legend.
Ross has been interviewing hundreds of people who knew Mishima — who committed hara-kiri after a failed coup d’etat 30 years ago — way back when.
The editor of the book is John Rodzvilla at Da Capo Books, and publication is set for this coming fall.
Mishima Who? Is he known and respected anywhere in the world outside of Japan?
January 13th, 2006 at 8:48 pmThe suicide death of Mishima Yukio, a writer of the Showa era, shocked the world. Two and a half decades have passed since his death. If he were alive today, what would he have said about this new era?
January 13th, 2006 at 8:49 pmThe Mishima Yukio Museum (Bungakukan) to be built in the Lake Yamanakako Library Grove (Bungaku-no-mori) overlooking Mount Fuji shall give us a chance to reflect on such thoughts.
#1 in answer of your question - yes. Yes he is.
January 13th, 2006 at 10:24 pmIt should be well worth checking out. A man with a very fascinating life.
Here’s his Wikipedia entry:
January 14th, 2006 at 12:17 amhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mishima_Yukio
Even Henry Miller wrote a lengthy essay about this famous and inspirational Japanese writer who influenced many artists, writers and musicians all over the world. If you love the world of Yukio Mishima check out for the music of the music groups Death in June, Lady Morphia, Ostara, Allerseelen.
Miller, Henry
Reise in ein altes Land. Skizzen für meine Freunde.
January 14th, 2006 at 8:06 pmErste Eindrücke von Griechenland; über Aquarellmalerei; Reflexionen zum 80. Geburtstag; Gedanken über den Tod des japanischen Schriftstellers Yukio Mishima
The book is actually being published first in the UK in April by 4th Estate. It’s a great travelogue more about the different aspects of modern Japan than Mishima’s life. It’s one of those books that reminds an editor why they’re in publishing.
February 12th, 2006 at 4:13 amJohn,
February 12th, 2006 at 1:03 pmThanks for the update. Wow, this Internet thing is amazing: we post a small note about a new Mishima book and a few weeks later, the editor in Boston comes aboard and updates us on it. Fantastic! I first read about the book on Publishers Lunch, via Michael Cader. When will book be finally published in the USA? How did it come to you? Will Donald Ritchie write the forward?