No Longer Human
Ratings352
Average rating3.9
Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human, this leading postwar Japanese writer's second novel, tells the poignant and fascinating story of a young man who is caught between the breakup of the traditions of a northern Japanese aristocratic family and the impact of Western ideas. In consequence, he feels himself "disqualified from being human" (a literal translation of the Japanese title). Donald Keene, who translated this and Dazai's first novel, The Setting Sun, has said of the author's work: "His world . . . suggests Chekhov or possibly postwar France, . . . but there is a Japanese sensibility in the choice and presentation of the material. A Dazai novel is at once immediately intelligible in Western terms and quite unlike any Western book." His writing is in some ways reminiscent of Rimbaud, while he himself has often been called a forerunner of Yukio Mishima.
Reviews
Popular Reviews
Reviews with the most likes.
Contains spoilers
No Longer Human, it's... Definitely something. Yozo, is a character that considers himself alien from society and humanity itself.
His patterns of addiction and self destructive tendencies are at the same time very grounded in reality and utterly disconnected from it at the same time.
I was left empty at the end of the book. Without thoughts of sadness, nor anger, nor happiness. Nothing.
Which mirrors Yozo's state at the end of the story.
To quote a comment I saw on the internet:
It's a book that makes you think a lot, and nothing at all.
Which I believe fits the overall experience of reading this story of one's life.
so uh i still don't get it. what was the plot again? only giving it 3 cos it had some nice intricate quotes and cos my friend recommended it so i gotta put some respect on his fav book (+ also i just found out at the end of the book that his name is yozo wtf)
Top Prompts
Featured Prompt
3,954 books#323 in What are your favorite books of all time?
When you think back on every book you've ever read, what are some of your favorites? These can be from any time of your life – books that resonated with you as a kid, ones that shaped your personal...
Related Books
Books
9 booksReaders of This Book Also Enjoyed
If you enjoyed this book, then our algorithm says you may also enjoy these.
