![]() ![]() Dazai’s earlier novel, The Setting Sun, was reviewed by Richard Gilman in Jubilee: “Such is the power of art to transfigure what is objectively ignoble or depraved that The Setting Sun is actually deeply moving and even inspiring. So he was very much aware of Western culture. His family was wealthy and educated Dazai himself was familiar with European literature, American cinema, modern painting and sculpture. ![]() Keene makes the point that Japanese writers and literary intellectuals, in general feel isolated (as is Yozo, the protagonist in No Longer Human) from the West, where the perception may be that Japanese writers have nothing interesting to offer.ĭazai (J– June 13, 1948) grew up in a small town in the remote north of Japan. Having read the novel, I don’t feel that either title does the work justice, but I can’t think of a better one. The translator, Donald Keene, has an introduction in which he explains that the literal translation of the Japanese title, Ningen Shikaku, would be “Disqualified as a Human Being”. ![]() Having never read the work of a Japanese novelist, I was eager to try one. It was one of perhaps a dozen novels available in English from the bookstore. I bought this book by Osamu Dazai at the Kaizosha Book Store at Narita Airport on the way back from Tokyo to London. ![]()
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