The Beggar Student
by Osamu Dazai
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Brief Book Review for a Brief Book
Odd. Detached. A little absurd.
The Beggar Student is a short work by Osamu Dazai, newly published in English by New Directions. It is a compact and curious read.
The narrator, a fictional version of Dazai, meets a teenage boy in a sharp, awkward exchange filled with posturing, insults, and moments of strange affection. The author then agrees to help the student with something unexpected. It feels like a performance inside a breakdown.
This was my first time reading Dazai. I looked through other reviews to make sure I was not completely off the mark, and found that fans of No Longer Human might recognize the voice. It is self-loathing, self-aware, and morbidly playful. There is a sort of glamor in destitution and truth tucked inside the power games.
“Truth is that grownups are the same as kids, except a little worse for wear. Kids ask a lot from grownups, but grownups ask at least as much from kids.”
I did not love it. But I will not forget it either. I will try more from Dazai, though probably not right away.
📍 Where to Find It:
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My Asian Era is where literature meets culture with thoughtful reviews, quiet voices, and stories worth slowing down for.
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