A newly discovered work by a Japanese literary giant is, by default, a thing of delight. The joy of surprise may forgive lesser quality ¡ª often the reason why parts of an oeuvre aren¡¯t published ¡ª yet I am thrilled to report that Yukio Mishima¡¯s novella ¡°Star,¡± to be published posthumously on April 30, isn¡¯t merely a treat for completists, but a happy reunion with a genius.
The slim volume ¡ª not to be confused with ¡°A Beautiful Star,¡± another untranslated Mishima story ¡ª first appeared in 1960 in the Japanese literary magazine Gunzo. Most likely, Mishima wrote it either during or shortly after filming ¡°Afraid to Die,¡± a yakuza potboiler that marked his first starring role in a movie (in addition, Mishima wrote the lyrics to the theme song and sang it himself). Mostly forgotten now in Japan, ¡°Star¡± owes its English debut this week to a growing appetite for global ficiton.
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