The I-Novel, Osamu Dazai, and No Longer Human

Today, we’re talking about the I-Novel—the highest form of literature in Japan in the 1910s and 20s. It’s a genre one American scholar describes as “perhaps the most striking feature of modern Japanese literature.” And it’s a genre Haruki Murakami claims to have an allergy to. We’ll also be looking at the life and work of Osamu Dazai and asking, “What does it take to get disqualified as a human being?” Content warning: This episode addresses addiction, rape, suicide, and misogyny. Notes and ...