No Longer Human

Description

‘Dazai’s brand of egoistic pessimism dovetails organically with the emo chic of this cultural moment and with the inner lives of teenagers of all eras.’ –Andrew Martin, The New York Times. ‘A journey to hell with Osamu Dazai, Japan’s ultimate bad boy novelist’ –Damian Flanagan, The Japan Times. A completely new translation of Osamu Dazai’s great masterpiece by award-winning translator Juliet Winters Carpenter; No Longer Human is the story of Yozo Oba, who, from early childhood, finds it impossible to form meaningful relationships with family or friends. As a child he copes by acting the fool–mocking himself while entertaining others; as an adult he turns to alcohol, sex and drugs, which lead to his eventual self-destruction. Originally written in 1948 and based closely on Dazai’s own life, the timeless and universal themes of social alienation, failure and one man’s inner torture at his inability to feel like a normal human have made this one of the most widely read novels in Japan. This contemporary translation will be welcomed by all fans of modern Japanese literature as well as by readers familiar with Osamu Dazai from the widely popular manga and anime series Bungo Stray Dogs, where he is the lead character.