Mishima, Yukio

Shiosai [The Sound of Waves]; Die Erzählung von einem Sonntagskind

Tokyo: Shinchosa, 1954. First Edition. 8vo, 240pp; original yellow cloth with attractive suminagashi endpapers. Slightly dusted and shelf rubbed; faint toning and a few marks to the endpapers; pencil notation in Japanaes, presumably from a dealer, on last leaf, else just about fine in a fresh dust jacket with original wraparound band and protective cellophane wrapper. Item #206234

Scarce first edition of one of Mishima's most celebrated novels -- a shorter version was published later in the same year. This volume appeared as the fourth in the publisher's series of featured novels by contemporary writers, with an introduction by iconoclasitc literary critic Yoshida Ken'ichi. This copy is especially intriguing owing to the apparent provenance: in the rear appear two small stamps. One is, as usual, the publisher's insignia; the second reads "Mishima" suggesting that this might have been one of the author's own copies.

Price: $2,400.00