Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel, Post Colonial Asian Fiction, The Legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and quality Historical Novels are Among my Interests








Friday, October 21, 2011

Schoolgirl by Osamu Dazai 津島修治

Schoolgirl by Osamu  Dazai (1939, translated 2011 by Allison Powell)

The Reading Life Japanese Literature Project


Schoolgirl is the second work by Osamu Dazai-(1909 to 1948-Japan) that I have read. My previous read was No Longer Human.    Both of these titles are among the highest regarded, most read post WWII Japanese novels.  (There is some background information on him in my prior posts.)

I first heard of Schoolgirls in a posting on Nihon Distractions:   Readings in Translated Japanese Literature.   (I urge anyone into Japanese literature and culture to follow that blog.)    The book is a first person narrative of a teenage female whose father  has recently died.   Schoolgirl is the first book that brought Dazai nationwide attention.   It gives us a good look at how life looked to a teenager in Japan just as WWII was getting started.

I think this book should be read after you have read his major works.   The writing level in the translated prose is very high and it does feel like the thoughts of a teenage girl with  a heavy preoccupations with her looks and clothes.

I was provided a complementary Kindle edition of this book by the publisher.

Mel u







6 comments:

@parridhlantern said...

Dazai, is high on my list of Japanese authors to be read, having just recently finished Kobo Abe's Face of Another, which amazed with its writing & am in total agreement concerning Nihon Distractions, being a great blog & resource for all things relating to Japanese art & Literature.

Mel u said...

Parrish Lantern-I like the work of Kobe Abe a lot also and will look forward to your thoughts on his work

Anna said...

I'm waiting on a copy of this from the publisher and I can't wait to read it. It will be interesting to see how the girl's experiences and thoughts compare to those of girls today.

bokusenou said...

Looks good! The Japanese version is on my "to read" list. ^-^

me. said...

Great to read your post on School Girl, I really enjoyed reading this novella. Thanks also for the kind words!.

Mel u said...
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