The Sound of the MountainThe Sound of the Mountain
Score Classic
What it's about
Shingo Ogata, an aging businessman living near Tokyo after the Second World War, is beginning to forget things, and one night he hears a deep rumbling from the mountain behind his house, which he takes as a warning of death. Watching his family, his son's unhappy marriage and affair, his daughter's return with her children, he finds himself drawn to his gentle daughter-in-law, Kikuko.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books, and Kawabata won the Nobel Prize. It's a quiet, beautiful novel about aging and family.
You'll love it if you liked
Kokoro
The Remains of the Day
KitchenGood to know
It's subtle and slow, with little plot. Much is conveyed through dreams and nature.
By the numbers
- Readers17 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller8 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
The Color Purple
1984
The Lord of the Rings
A Brief History of TimeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Sound of the Mountain worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books, and Kawabata won the Nobel Prize. It ranks #2,286 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sound of the Mountain about?
Shingo Ogata, an aging businessman living near Tokyo after the Second World War, is beginning to forget things, and one night he hears a deep rumbling from the mountain behind his house, which he takes as a warning of death. Watching his family, his son's unhappy marriage and affair, his daughter's return with her children, he finds himself drawn to his gentle daughter-in-law, Kikuko.
How long does it take to read The Sound of the Mountain?
About 7 hours (276 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Sound of the Mountain?
If you liked it, try Kokoro by Natsume Sōseki, The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro or Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto.