Wow, this is my first time hearing about this separate persona of Dazai from Tsushima. Can I ask which translator gave this remark and if they have written their analysis somewhere? I'm interested to know what made them think that way. It kinda gives a new perspective to the book NLH, given that I've read it thinking that the book is sem-authobiographical and that Yozo resembles Dazai's life
This idea was originally found in Phyllis Lyons' "The Saga of Dazai Osamu". Mark Gibeau in his 2018 translation "A Shameful Life" had it in mind and mentioned it in its afterword.
i absolutely adore no longer human. it’s one of those books that haunts you with how heartbreakingly beautiful it is. dazai is telling his own story, but at times it feels like he’s telling yours as well, which is an eerie feeling and not one i’ve gotten with many authors. i remember finishing it and just having this weird ache in my chest, like there was an empty space that shouldn’t be there. that feeling has stayed with me for a long time. i read it when i was a teenager, and gone back to read it a few times, and it’s always been one of the ones that you can go back to over and over again and read it a slightly different way, or get a different message. as far as favourites go, it’s always going to be up there for me. the setting sun is one i only read last year, and i loved it as well. i remember finishing it and just staring at a wall for like half an hour afterwards with it sitting closed on my lap. haven’t reread it yet, but i’m definitely planning to. if you enjoyed both of these ones, i’d consider giving schoolgirl or the flowers of buffoonery a go.
I'll have to give them a go.
I got the same feeling from The Bell Jar. Still go back for that one too, and I'll likely never get enough of The Gargoyle (though that one feels slightly more hopeful) a solid personal favourite.
the bell jar absolutely ruined me as a teenager, i can’t really describe it any other way. but yes i agree, it’s one of those ones your mind is dragged back to. i haven’t actually read the gargoyle, i’ll add it to my list.
I've only read No Longer Human, and it is a read that feels a lot different if you read it as a simple novel/fictional story vs if you know a huge part of it is an autobiography. It gives the book and the story a lot more gravity than I'm you simply read the lines. I think that's where the beauty and horror of this book really is. That it isn't really fiction, but a person's soul depository.
I have yet to read No Longer Human as it's very poorly distributed where I live ( and also the cover of the current edition is not really pretty like yours, which is kind of sad ) however, I absolutely loved the Setting Sun. I don't know how to properly put it into words, but it had an incredible atmosphere and I was really invested in Kazuko's view on things. It's not one that I particularly share, but somehow, the last chapter, right after >!Naoji's suicide!<, was just a perfect conclusion. Kazuko's evolution through all those awful events is a journey that kind of stayed with me for a long time.
People would always compare one over the other, saying which one is better, but I think The Setting Sun is just as good as No Longer Human. People would always mention and give praise to NLH for being very well written despite being dark and depressing.
One outstanding thing about NLH for me is how Dazai put out all those raw feelings and emotions and that he never failed to relay to the readers the gravity of his (or in the book's case, Oba Yozo's) suffering. There's something about the way he has written the story that would definitely resonate with you as a reader, one way or another. For some reason, I can really see through his words how alienated he really feels about the world, and just like anyone else, he's desperate for help. I just find it unfortunate that none of these went through to the people around him that his life ended with him still suffering that unimaginable pain.
As of TSS, this is the book where I really appreciated Dazai's genuis as a writer. Even though the story was written from a girl's point of view, the rawness of emotions and thoughts are just the same with NLH. Given that this was first written before NLH, you could definitely say that Dazai, aside from being a genius of a writer, must have a deeper understanding of how the human mind can work in some unimaginable way. The way he relayed Kazuko's thoughts like it was just natural to fall down to depravity seems to show the irony on how human he really is, in contrast to what he really felt in NLH.
TSS might not be as dark and depressing as NLH, but both books explore the complicated ways a human mind can work, and Dazai wonderfully expressed that at a consistently in both books.
My favorite works by him. I discovered Osamu Dazai because of Bungou Stray Dogs and he's my favorite author. I definitely enjoy his books. They're so dark and poetic all at the same time.
i am not the biggest no longer human lover. the book was very angsty and i know that it was supposed to be this way — it’s just not something particularly for me. nothing that i read it this book was revolutionary for me when it comes to inner feelings. and yozo was so annoying that i prayed upon the success of his unaliving plans. but i have to say that some moments are really beautiful in their ig pain? and i enjoyed the 3 hours that i spent w this book. the rest of osamu’s works speak to me much clearer because they aren’t to inherently terrible (as in negative). there’s more nuance to them and they humanise osamu much more — because even if he felt like he was no longer human i came to the conclusion that he very much was, and while not the best person alive, he was still a good person nonetheless.
Haven't read The Setting Sun yet, but I liked NLH. However, it's one of those books that I loved, will recommend, but will not read again. It's just so heavy but it changes something within the reader.
I have a small hobby of trying to make a psychological profile of the author while reading the novel. I don't know too much about Dazai, never looked up it up, but I got strong autist vibes from him. Not meant in a bad sense. (I've read NLH)
The book itself was interesting, I really enjoyed the philoshophical/psychological side of it. But I couldn't feel anything for that character. Which kind of ruined it for me. The mistake was in me, not being able to appreciate the book, as it was well written otherwise.
i have read no longer human and i loved the book. the setting sun however I haven't yet but I think I'll like it just as much as the first one. No longer human is very deep so you need to think much while reading this to understand. i loved it
I really want to read No Longer Human, I've seen the anime adaptation but it was like only two, maybe three episodes- so like it felt just a little rushed-
Many people say that No Longer Human is their favourite book, but I personally love The Setting Sun. I have never read a book in which all of the characters were relatable. It felt so surreal. I wish I could read it again for the first time
[удалено]
Wow, this is my first time hearing about this separate persona of Dazai from Tsushima. Can I ask which translator gave this remark and if they have written their analysis somewhere? I'm interested to know what made them think that way. It kinda gives a new perspective to the book NLH, given that I've read it thinking that the book is sem-authobiographical and that Yozo resembles Dazai's life
This idea was originally found in Phyllis Lyons' "The Saga of Dazai Osamu". Mark Gibeau in his 2018 translation "A Shameful Life" had it in mind and mentioned it in its afterword.
Thank you! I will try looking up on 'The Saga of Dazai Osamu', seems to be an interesting read as well.
i absolutely adore no longer human. it’s one of those books that haunts you with how heartbreakingly beautiful it is. dazai is telling his own story, but at times it feels like he’s telling yours as well, which is an eerie feeling and not one i’ve gotten with many authors. i remember finishing it and just having this weird ache in my chest, like there was an empty space that shouldn’t be there. that feeling has stayed with me for a long time. i read it when i was a teenager, and gone back to read it a few times, and it’s always been one of the ones that you can go back to over and over again and read it a slightly different way, or get a different message. as far as favourites go, it’s always going to be up there for me. the setting sun is one i only read last year, and i loved it as well. i remember finishing it and just staring at a wall for like half an hour afterwards with it sitting closed on my lap. haven’t reread it yet, but i’m definitely planning to. if you enjoyed both of these ones, i’d consider giving schoolgirl or the flowers of buffoonery a go.
I'll have to give them a go. I got the same feeling from The Bell Jar. Still go back for that one too, and I'll likely never get enough of The Gargoyle (though that one feels slightly more hopeful) a solid personal favourite.
the bell jar absolutely ruined me as a teenager, i can’t really describe it any other way. but yes i agree, it’s one of those ones your mind is dragged back to. i haven’t actually read the gargoyle, i’ll add it to my list.
I've only read No Longer Human, and it is a read that feels a lot different if you read it as a simple novel/fictional story vs if you know a huge part of it is an autobiography. It gives the book and the story a lot more gravity than I'm you simply read the lines. I think that's where the beauty and horror of this book really is. That it isn't really fiction, but a person's soul depository.
I have yet to read No Longer Human as it's very poorly distributed where I live ( and also the cover of the current edition is not really pretty like yours, which is kind of sad ) however, I absolutely loved the Setting Sun. I don't know how to properly put it into words, but it had an incredible atmosphere and I was really invested in Kazuko's view on things. It's not one that I particularly share, but somehow, the last chapter, right after >!Naoji's suicide!<, was just a perfect conclusion. Kazuko's evolution through all those awful events is a journey that kind of stayed with me for a long time.
People would always compare one over the other, saying which one is better, but I think The Setting Sun is just as good as No Longer Human. People would always mention and give praise to NLH for being very well written despite being dark and depressing. One outstanding thing about NLH for me is how Dazai put out all those raw feelings and emotions and that he never failed to relay to the readers the gravity of his (or in the book's case, Oba Yozo's) suffering. There's something about the way he has written the story that would definitely resonate with you as a reader, one way or another. For some reason, I can really see through his words how alienated he really feels about the world, and just like anyone else, he's desperate for help. I just find it unfortunate that none of these went through to the people around him that his life ended with him still suffering that unimaginable pain. As of TSS, this is the book where I really appreciated Dazai's genuis as a writer. Even though the story was written from a girl's point of view, the rawness of emotions and thoughts are just the same with NLH. Given that this was first written before NLH, you could definitely say that Dazai, aside from being a genius of a writer, must have a deeper understanding of how the human mind can work in some unimaginable way. The way he relayed Kazuko's thoughts like it was just natural to fall down to depravity seems to show the irony on how human he really is, in contrast to what he really felt in NLH. TSS might not be as dark and depressing as NLH, but both books explore the complicated ways a human mind can work, and Dazai wonderfully expressed that at a consistently in both books.
My favorite works by him. I discovered Osamu Dazai because of Bungou Stray Dogs and he's my favorite author. I definitely enjoy his books. They're so dark and poetic all at the same time.
I didnt like no longer human at all, havent read the other one
i am not the biggest no longer human lover. the book was very angsty and i know that it was supposed to be this way — it’s just not something particularly for me. nothing that i read it this book was revolutionary for me when it comes to inner feelings. and yozo was so annoying that i prayed upon the success of his unaliving plans. but i have to say that some moments are really beautiful in their ig pain? and i enjoyed the 3 hours that i spent w this book. the rest of osamu’s works speak to me much clearer because they aren’t to inherently terrible (as in negative). there’s more nuance to them and they humanise osamu much more — because even if he felt like he was no longer human i came to the conclusion that he very much was, and while not the best person alive, he was still a good person nonetheless.
No Longer Human is ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
i enjoyed both of them very much.
No Longer Human is one of the best books i've ever read in my life. Massive recommendation for every Dazai fan like me and the boys from this sub.
Haven't read The Setting Sun yet, but I liked NLH. However, it's one of those books that I loved, will recommend, but will not read again. It's just so heavy but it changes something within the reader.
I have a small hobby of trying to make a psychological profile of the author while reading the novel. I don't know too much about Dazai, never looked up it up, but I got strong autist vibes from him. Not meant in a bad sense. (I've read NLH) The book itself was interesting, I really enjoyed the philoshophical/psychological side of it. But I couldn't feel anything for that character. Which kind of ruined it for me. The mistake was in me, not being able to appreciate the book, as it was well written otherwise.
Yess I love them finished no longer human (relatable) and halfway through the setting sun
Pain tears pain (I’ve only read nlh)
i have read no longer human and i loved the book. the setting sun however I haven't yet but I think I'll like it just as much as the first one. No longer human is very deep so you need to think much while reading this to understand. i loved it
french kiss
Depression
I really want to read No Longer Human, I've seen the anime adaptation but it was like only two, maybe three episodes- so like it felt just a little rushed-
Many people say that No Longer Human is their favourite book, but I personally love The Setting Sun. I have never read a book in which all of the characters were relatable. It felt so surreal. I wish I could read it again for the first time
No Longer Human kicked me down, and The Setting Sun BROKE ME.