New Directions Self-Portraits: Stories

In the world of modern Japanese literature, Dazai stands alone. Or rather perches precariously on a tall stool, rambling effusively (and just a tad drunkenly) to any with ears to hear--an open, unpretentious, warmly irreverent expression on his face the whole time. His writings, like the man himself most likely, contain a host of contradictions: goofily entertaining and yet deadly serious, tragically pessimistic and yet irresistibly humorous, self-effacing and humble and yet conceited and arrogant, devil-may-care iconoclastic and yet solicitous of public opinion, full of vice and degradation and yet sublimely wholesome, prodigal and profligate and yet confessional and repentant, honest to a fault and yet full of sly little deceptions, full of life and yet suicidal.And the collection of short stories in "Self Portraits" is perhaps the very best possible way to get to know this eccentric writer and his unique literary voice, in English translation anyway. As the title suggests, each tale is more or less (semi-) autobiographical in nature, mostly brief little vignettes taken from his own life and arranged and fictionalized just enough so that it's art rather than merely memoir. The stories themselves were written by Dazai over many years for a number of different venues, but the translator, Ralph M. McCarthy, has brought them together and anthologized them in chronological order according to the events in Dazai's life to which they more or less correspond, crafting from such disparate fragments the self-told tale of an extremely talented and troubled man--told as only he can. This imposed overarching structure is effective, certainly, but each story stands on its own too, each with its own character, mood and feel. By the end, the reader will get a surprisingly vivid sense of Dazai's versatility in tone and variability in literary craftsmanship--every so often a bit unsteady, admittedly, but never slipping off entirely.In addition, the translator has supplied a fine introduction that quickly brings the reader up to speed on Dazai's life and writing and has generously included 22 photographs of Dazai and those close to him, many of which can only be found readily right here (at least on this side of the Pacific). So for longtime Dazai fans and new acquaintances alike, this fine little book is a great way to get to know this short-lived and yet unforgettable author a little better. Only be careful--sometimes he's just pulling your leg.P.S. The short stories included in this collection are as follows:1. "My Elder Brothers"2. "Train"3. "Female"4. "Seascape with Figures in Gold"5. "No Kidding"6. "A Promise Fulfilled"7. "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji"8. "I Can Speak"9. "A Little Beauty"10. "Canis Familiaris"11. "Thinking of Zenso"12. "Eight Scenes from Tokyo"13. "Early Light"14. "Garden"15. "Two Little Words"16. "Merry Christmas"17. "Handsome Devils and Cigarettes"18. "Cherries"