Description: "The first seven stories in this volume were first published by Pushkin Press in 2015 as The Whale That Fell in Love with a Submarine"--Title page verso.
Review Quotes: 'These deeply intense and parable-like tales of suffering tear at the heartstrings, but also show hope and resiliency in a nation haunted by war. . . Akiyuki Nosaka offers beautiful and haunting tales of suffering and starvation in the aftermath of the Allied bombing of Japan in World War II.' - -- Nancy Powell, in Shelf Awareness
'Nosaka transmutes the pain of his personal experiences into sharp, heart-wrenching depictions of a country in desperate destitution... In each of these stories, the connections and relationships that are often taken for granted in day-to-day life are elevated alongside the stakes, shining intensely and brilliantly even as tragedy unfolds.' -- World Literature Today 'Magical realism with the touch of a master... Nosaka, drawing on his own experiences, in just a few pages bringing to life a world now largely forgotten.' -- The Reading Life 'Remarkable stories... They are dark but so beautiful, so profound; subtle and elegant. It is a book that will last all your life.' - Irish Times 'Heart-wrenching...Tragic and imaginative... These short vignettes stand as chilling reminders of the wartime trauma inflicted upon Japanese youth during and after World War II.' - Los Angeles Review of Books'Nosaka's hauntingly sad and beautiful stories... remind us of the full tragedy of World War II.' - Japan Times
'One can only be shaken by these cruel and magnificent tales, which are also the most eloquent plea for peace imaginable.' - L'Express
'Moving snapshot of moments in the life of a shattered nation... Unforgettable.' - Children's Books Ireland