Higuchi Ichiyo (1872-1896) overcame poverty and ill health to publish some of the most acclaimed works of her generation before her tragic death from tuberculosis at the age of twenty-four.
Mishima Yukio (1925-1970) was one of the most prolific writers of the 20th century. In 1954, he was awarded the Shinchosha Literary Prize for his novel "The Sound Of Waves". The struggle of the main character mirrors Mishima's own desire to prove his worth to society.