01841 533804  

The Pine Islands

£8.99

When Gilbert Silvester, a journeyman lecturer on beard fashions in film, awakes one day from a dream that his wife has cheated on him, he flees – immediately, irrationally, inexplicably – for Japan. In Tokyo he discovers the travel writings of the great Japanese poet Basho. Suddenly, from Gilbert’s directionless crisis there emerges a purpose: a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the poet to see the moon rise over the pine islands of Matsushima. Falling into step with another pilgrim – a young Japanese student called Yosa, clutching a copy of ‘The Complete Manual of Suicide’ – Gilbert travels with Yosa across Basho’s disappearing Japan, one in search of his perfect ending and the other the new beginning that will give his life meaning.

In stock

Description

SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2019AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERWhen Gilbert wakes one day from a dream that his wife has cheated on him, he flees – immediately and inexplicably – for Tokyo, where he meets a fellow lost soul: Yosa, a young Japanese student clutching a copy of The Complete Manual of Suicide. Together, Gilbert and Yosa set off on a pilgrimage to see the pine islands of Matsushima, one looking for the perfect end to his life, the other for a fresh start. Playful and profound, The Pine Islands is a beautiful tale of friendship, transformation and acceptance in modern Japan.

Additional information

Weight 0.166 kg
Dimensions 19.8 × 12.9 × 1.1 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

180

Language

English

Edition

1st paperback ed

Dewey

833.92 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K