No Longer Human by Dazai Osamu 🇯🇵 (Japanese “I-Novel” from 1948)

A discussion of the dark confession that is Dazai’s final work and a comparison to some other Japanese writers. Please note this book describes mental health struggles, substance abuse, and suicide in detail.
Recommended if you like:
The Flowers of Buffoonery by Osamu Dazai, my discussion: • The Flowers of Buffoon...
“Spinning Gears” by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Last Words from Montmartre by Qiu Miaojin, my discussion: • Last Words from Montma...
Quicksand by Junichiro Tanizaki
Beauty and Sadness by Yasunari Kawabata
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
The Poetry of Anne Sexton, my discussion: • Confessional Poetry: S...
Tokyo Year Zero by David Peace
Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Trial by Franz Kafka
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Swann’s Way and The Prisoner by Marcel Proust, my discussion: • Swann’s Way by Marcel ...
#booktube
#osamudazai
#japanesejune

[@shayan1131]

I really liked the last line: "He was an angel." It really resonated with the first line where he talks about not living the life of a human. Perhaps, Dazai will forever be my favourite author of all time.

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

Oh, that is such a good point! I hadn’t thought of that, but I can see the connection. The sense of the angelic is varied across cultures, but what a fascinating way to end. Are there other works from Dazai that you have enjoyed reading? I hope your week is going well. Best, Jack

[@shayan1131]

@@ramblingraconteur1616 Maybe check out The Setting Sun - it's also an amazing novel by Dazai. Some of Dazai's lines are just so beautifully written in that book. My week is going amazing! Thank you! I hope yours is good too!

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

@@shayan1131 thanks for that recommendation!

[@tobinmoffatt3075]

About halfway through No Longer Human as of leaving this comment. I’ve been aware of it for a while but it took watching a very positive review from Better Than Food along with this video to decide to order it. Up till this point I think I've been writing it off as something that sounds (from summaries, reviews) too Notes From The Underground-esque to be worth it: relatable maybe (for better or for worse, which is a whole topic) but too indebted to the original thing to avoid falling short in comparison (eg The Joker vis-à-vis Taxi Driver - arguably, Thomas Bernhard vis-à-vis Beckett - arguably). So far though, I’m finding it interesting despite the broadly familiar ground it covers. Three cheers for BookTube.

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

I am glad you’re enjoying it, Tobin. The influence is present, and I think the ways Dazai’s real life influenced the book diverge enough to make it worthwhile. I found the next step in that chain last week with Last Days from Montmartre by Qiu Miaojin, who explicitly references No Longer Human and visiting Dazai’s grave. It, again, was a new direction for that type of book. I’m with you on Joker/Taxi Driver! Taxi Driver still can feel terrifying almost 50 years on. I haven’t heard of Bernhard, so I’m off to look him up. I hope that you enjoy finishing No Longer Human and that this week gets off to a great start for you. Best, Jack

[@MargaretPinard]

I've never heard the term 'i-novel' -- glad to find it's not an Apple product...🙃

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

Hahahahaha, no, predates Jobs. Hope your week has started well, Margaret! Best, Jack

[@painisreal1]

would you recommend some novels about drug abuse or mental health conditions ?

[@chrisbeveridge3066]

The Japanese have a saying "living as one already dead" ...it means that one lives on the plane of expertness...see Ruth Bennett's the chrysanthemum and the sword...the Japanese think way different from us ...a real eye opener

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

Chrysanthemum and the Sword is amazing, such an insightful window into Japanese culture, great recommendation, Chris. Hope your week has started well! Best, Jack

[@chrisbeveridge3066]

@@ramblingraconteur1616 consider that you take your life with you wherever you go and neither more nor less is left behind yet how often do we feel that our lives are somewhere but not where we truly are...somewhere but not here... I am bound I am bound for a distant shore by a lonely isle by a far Azore there it is there it is the treasure that I seek on the barren sands of a desolate creek. surbate: footsore Cape Cod by Thoreau is very humourous...an excellent adventure! Reminds me of Mark Twain in some ways.

[@BookishTexan]

Not sure _No Longer Human_ is a book I m going to be picking up. I always enjoy your discussion of which books the book you are reviewing reminds you of and what books may have influenced the writer.

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

Thanks, Brian, I think those connections are part of why I enjoy most of my reading. I hope your week is starting well. I’m about to look into this Big 💰 I keep hearing about . . . Best, Jack

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Love it, Jack! Great discussion piece here! Can’t wait to get to this later this year. Trigger Warnings: Check All. I’m really enjoying the I-Novel style where we get so much truth and almost a two-for-one non-fiction and fiction tale blended together. Chilling and horrifying indeed but also the need to destroy others as he attempted so many times to have lovers honor suicide with him. Such a different look on the point of suicidal in Japanese culture too. I had never had Quicksand recommended before. Thanks for bringing that up! Spinning Gears is wonderful! I know we voxered after talking but for others, his daughter Yuko Tsushima has similar styles that is worth checking out if you like deep confessional style. I’ll be checking out Swann’s way some day. Setting Sun was great. It’s been a LONG time. I want to reread that too after I do No Longer Human

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

Love the dialogue hear around other Japanese writers! That is much more your expertise than mine. Are you a fan of Tanizaki? Quicksand feels most like an “I novel” from him, but Some Prefer Nettles is my favorite. Hope your vacation is fun! Best, Jack

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

Sounds a dark book of social alienation.

[@ramblingraconteur1616]

It really was, Jim. Not quite in the vein of Dora Suarez as it was so personal but about as devastating. Hope your week has started well! Best, Jack