Death in Midsummer: And Other Stories

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Nine stories selected by Mishima himself showcase the range that made him one of Japan's most provocative literary figures. From a mother's sun-drenched nightmare at the beach to a monk's obsession with a golden temple, each story captures characters at moments of crisis — sophisticated modern Japanese who discover, under pressure, that ancient impulses still govern their choices. What distinguishes these stories is Mishima's ability to write beauty and violence in the same sentence without the seam showing. His prose treats aesthetic perfection and human cruelty as natural companions, each illuminating the other with unsettling precision. A definitive introduction to a writer who understood that the most dangerous thing about civilization is how thin it is.