This powerful novel of a nation in social and moral crisis was first published by New Directions in 1956. Set in the early postwar years, it probes the destructive effects of war and the transition from a feudal Japan to an industrial society. Ozamu Dazai died, a suicide, in 1948. But the influence of his book has made "people of the setting sun" a permanent part of the Japanese language, and his heroine, Kazuko, a young aristocrat who deliberately abandons her class, a symbol of the anomie which pervades so much of the modern world.
Deep Fictional Autobiography
The book takes place in Japan during WW2 and after, it describes the story of a wealthy family there whose life starts to fall apart because of it. It gives a great perspective on the citizens of the other countries that were also fighting in the war. The concepts are very heavy, dabbling in miscarriage, divorce, depression, drug abuse, and loss, so be prepared for that. Even though it deals with these concepts, the story is very enticing and descriptive, it makes you grab onto each character and hope for the best for them. It has a very autobiography feel to it though it is not an autobiography itself. The author, Osamu Dazai, had a very luxurious life and with this book he seemed to step away from writing about that and share the other side that life can have. It was very moving and I would read it again. I would recommend this book to someone who likes an autobiographical style of book, but also likes to think deeply about why people do things.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com