South of the border, west of the sun

Description

Hajime - "Beginning" in Japanese - was an atypical only child growing up in a conventional middle-class suburb. Shimamoto, herself an only child, was cool and self-possessed, precocious in the extreme. After school these childhood sweethearts would listen to records, hold hands, and talk about their future. Then, despite themselves, in the way peculiar to adolescents, they grew apart, seemingly for good. Now, facing middle age, finally content after years of aimlessness, Hajime is a successful nightclub owner, a husband and father, when he suddenly is reunited with Shimamoto, propelled into the mysteries of her life, and confronted by dark secrets she is loath to reveal. And so, reckless with enchantment and lust, Hajime prepares to risk everything in order to consummate his first love, and to experience a life he's dreamed of but never had a chance to realize.

First Sentence

My birthday's the fourth of January, 1951.

Excerpt

My birthday's the fourth of January, 1951.

Subjects

Other Editions

• South of the border, west of the sun: a novelPaperbackVintage2000-03-14
• 国境の南、太陽の西Kōdansha1992-01-01
• Kuo ching chih nan, tʻai yang chih hsiPo i chʻu pan chi tʻuan yu hsien kung ssu1993-01-01
• 国境の南、太陽の西Kodansha1995-01-01
• South of the border, west of the sunKnopf1999-01-01
• 国境の南, 太陽の西 / Kokkyō no minami, taiyō no nishibtb2002-01-01