Sun and Steel

This book is a literary type that was once common in Japan, the self-obsessive partial memoir. But Mishima's style, tone, and content are absolutely unique.He writes about the relation between world and word, body and mind or spirit. But to me, the most interesting aspect of this book, and Mishima's whole outlook is something that's often overlooked. It is this, he could not stand ugliness. He shrank from (his own perception of) ugliness as we would from a rabid rat. So then, how did he define beauty and ugliness? You may call it shallow but no matter, this book makes no apologies: beauty or ugliness lie in physical appearance, body and face.To most of us there are many kinds of beauty, and maybe that multi-perception keeps us going - we see or imagine the beauty of inner virtue, selfless giving, artistic projection, humility or humor and so on. A wide expansive definition.But there's room on your bookshelf for somebody who takes an uncompromising view: beauty is the beauty of your body and your appearance. While it can be crafted and guided by external method (who knows what Mishima would have thought of the cosmetic surgery craze now sweeping China), ultimately physical beauty to him is the only important projection of the soul.The insanely monomaniacal American football coach Vince Lombardi once said "Winning isn't everything - it's the only thing". This book, despite all its meandering and subtle threads, is really saying just that, about beauty - it's the only thing. And Mishima, at mid-life, was losing all illusions about attaining or retaining any personal beauty.Of course what sheds the interesting backlight on this book for most readers is Mishima's dramatic seppuku at Ichigaya Japan self-defense force headquarters. (Reminds me of the wit who stated, when informed of Sylvia Plath's suicide, "Good career move".) People read this book to try to unravel the mystery of it.But in light of what I've said above, about beauty and Mishima's uniquely narrow definition of it, this book leaves no mystery to his action. Just as Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray slashed the ugliness accumulated on his horribly aging portrait, Mishima, lacking a magic painting, did just the same to his own body - sentenced it to death for the crimes of aging and ugliness.It is entirely summed up by the following single line from 'Sun and Steel':"I had already lost the morning face that belongs to youth alone."

As the title stated I think this is good insight into how mishima sees the world. It gives further context to his other works. It is a truely great read and I think many young men could benefit from the world view mishima embraces through his self discovery illustrated in this short piece. Maybe not to its extreme conclusion (mishima committed seppuku), but the importance of "sun and steel" in the maturity of masculinity in a young mans life.

Okay. That was a pretty nice troll to replace the entire book with how to raise llamas. Still, I want my $30 back.

The writing style feels somewhat unnatural but I think it’s due to the piece being translated from Japanese and some words not having direct equivalents in English. Great book nonetheless.

I had been looking for this book forever and I found it here cheap! It’s a fantastic read and I even got the privilege to read the previous owner’s notes in the margins (which is something I do myself)

For the $26~30 price tag, I was hesitant to purchase this book. However, I desperately wanted to read this book as Mishima’s ideas and style of writing has brought an interest to me recently; and so I caved in. As other reviewers mentioned, there are spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. The cover picture has worse quality in-person. Nowhere in the book shows the name of the translator. For books translated into English, knowing who the translator is is as important as knowing who the author is.If you’re willing to spend around $27 for a mediocre version of an amazing book from one of the most renowned authors of Japan, go for it.

Very esoteric read but a good one.

Fantastic book recommend for men and anyone to get into the philosophical element of body building

Mishima's 'Sun & Steel' is a perplexing journey into the mind of an undoubtedly impressive, yet deeply troubled individual. His philosophy of life, as presented in this work, is as convoluted as it is disturbing, offering a glimpse into a psyche that is as fascinating as it is fractured.While it might have been beneficial to read 'Confessions of a Mask' beforehand for some context, I find myself hesitant to delve further into Mishima's world. The allure of 'Sun & Steel' is akin to a mirage in the desert - it glimmers enticingly from afar, but upon closer inspection, it's clear that not all that glitters is gold... or steel... or sun.

I've never seen anyone who talks about "aesthetics" and "physicality" actually define and contrast them like Mishima; they usually merely dance around the concepts and spout obscure platitudes.Not so with Mishima - his work is poetic but with purpose. Militant but vulnerable.This is an insight into a man who has learned what it means to build one's own sense of conviction.Most will not be ready for this; as a fencer myself it entered my life at the perfect time to understand it.The print I got was less than stellar with odd font choice and strange formatting which belie the deep value of the words within, but the knowledge itself is worth the price of admission.

Für alle, die gerne genauer wissen möchten, ob sich die Anschaffung lohnt: Diese Neuausgabe ist zwar teuer, qualitativ aber auch wirklich gut (wobei ich mich auf die gebundene Ausgabe beziehe). Sie ist innen identisch mit der alten, nur noch für viel Geld antiquarisch zu findenden von 1970; das heißt, obwohl es sich um ein book on demand handelt, ist das Schriftbild nicht dilettantisch und billig, sondern eben professionell. Die Bindung und die gesamte Aufmachung sind ebenfalls von hoher Qualität. Wer also dieses Buch schon lange in einer ordentlichen analogen Ausgabe gesucht hat, kann hier ruhig zugreifen.

Mishima has a very interesting vocabulary.Even though this is a translation I found it very beautiful to read. I can’t even begin to imagine how nice it reads in his mother tongue.The hardcover copy seems a bit low quality which is why I give this review 4 stars.

I was struggling to find this book and amazon came in clutch. It's a great read this.