Book

Beasts head for home : a novel

Abe, Kهobهo, 1924-1993, author, Calichman, Richard, translator

Overview

\"Set in Manchuria in the aftermath of the Asian Pacific War. The central character is Kuki Kyهuzهo, whose settler parents relocated from Japan to the Manchurian puppet-state as the Japanese empire expanded. Kyهuzهo's father, a factory technician, dies shortly after he is born. In the course of Japan's defeat and the Soviet Union's occupation of Manchuria, Kyهuzهo's mother is seriously wounded, forcing him to remain behind with her rather than evacuate with the other Japanese citizens. Her subsequent death leaves Kyهuzهo alone in the abandoned Japanese settlement, and he is employed as a houseboy by Alexandrov, an officer in the Soviet army. Approximately two years after the end of hostilities, Kyهuzهo decides to return to Japan. Providing money, a train ticket, and official travel documents, Alexandrov bids Kyهuzهo farewell. On the train Kyهuzهo meets Kهo, who appears to be a fellow Japanese, much to Kyهuzهo's relief. The train is attacked, but Kyهuzهo and Kهo manage to escape, fleeing by foot across the harsh Manchurian plains. Kyهuzهo gradually comes to realize that Kهo is in possession of stolen heroin and is being pursued by the Chinese Communists, who are battling the Nationalist forces for control of the mainland. Finally arriving at a city, Kyهuzهo is betrayed by Kهo, who beats him and steals his identity papers and travel documents. Utterly destitute, Kyهuzهo makes his way to a Japanese repatriation center. The difficulty is that Kyهuzهo lacks any documents to prove that he is Japanese. Exposure to the elements has left him deeply sunburned, which further casts doubt on his Japanese identity. He wanders the city and meets another Japanese named Okura, who takes an unusual interest in Kyهuzهo's relationship with Kهo\"-- Provided by publisher.

• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Subject: Japanese China Manchuria History Fiction. / Identity (Psychology) Fiction. / Identity theft Fiction. / Manchuria (China) History 1945- Fiction.
• ISBN: 9780231177047, 9780231177054

Item info:

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Holdings :

Call Number	Copies	Material	Location
PL845.B4 K413 2017	1	BOOK	AUTOSTORE