The Setting Sun (New Directions Book)

The book came wrapped in plastic, which protected it from getting scratched during transportation. It came in pristine conditions almost perfect I’d say. The book is made from good quality paper as much as I can tell. The dust jacket is paper with no gloss on it just pale matte paper. Underneath the dust jacket the book itself is just black.

Love Osamu Dazai. It’s good. Although I prefer “No longer Human”

going on a trip to Japan. wanted to read some stuff while there. however, started this book before I left and finished it in 3 days. lovely. mesmerizing. classic. clean. succinct. must read. can't wait to read more of his work.

Scarcely more than a novella, this little novel decribes a few years in the life of a young Japanese woman immediately after WW2. An aristocrat, she sees her money slip away and her nearest relatives die, but rather than clinging on to her old lifestyle, she takes tentative steps towards embracing a new one, eventually deliberately conceiving a baby out of wedlock. Written by a Japanese native, it may provide a more authentic glimpse into postwar Japan than that offered by Shirley Hazzard in THE GREAT FIRE , or even in the work of Kazuo Ishiguro, but it is an oblique one, more like a poem. The book (though physically unattractive in the paperback edition) is easy to read and contains several striking scenes, but one may need to be Japanese to understand its story as emblematic of an entire generation.

What else can I say, it’s Osamu Dazai. I read the entire book in one sitting and I was entranced in the storyline. Not once did I think this book was mediocre. I’ve seen multiple people in the reviews stating that this book isn’t better than no longer human but these are just trivial statements that don’t contribute to the astounding nature of this book. It simply isn’t fair to compare two pieces of literature seemingly unrelated to one another. This book was an emotional rollercoaster and I would recommend it to anyone.

Great book. This included a good quality copy making the experience of reading it enjoyable. Recomended 100%

This book is written so well and has a amazing plot sometimes it can be hard to follow but overall it was a amazing read!

I could write a whole essay about how much I adore this book. Not just because it’s written by Osamu, but because of the dark themes this book possesses. I may or may not have gotten some strange and concerning looks from my teachers while reading this considering I’m in the 7th grade, but that just shows how deep and powerful the meaning behind this book is.