Wonderful Fool
In this sardonic novel, a young Frenchman, Gaston Bonaparte, descends upon a typical Japanese family. Expecting French sophistication, they find instead a tall, ungainly figure with the face of a horse. Gaston seems to lack common sense, and manages from the moment of his arrival to convey the impression that he is a complete fool. But with his overwhelming love of people and animals and his capacity for self-sacrifice, Gaston slowly shifts the family's perceptions, and challenges their ingrained moral apathy.