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Blue Bamboo: Tales by Dazai Osamu
Blue Bamboo: Tales by Dazai Osamu | Osamu Dazai
2 posts | 3 read | 1 to read
Scholars and fans often divide the career of Dazai Osamu (1909-1948) into three periods--early, middle, and late. The early and late periods tend to get all the attention, but in fact Dazai was at his very best in the middle period, which corresponds roughly to the years of the Pacific War. All the stories in this collection, with the exception of the early "Romanesque," were written during that time. The majority of these translations were first published by Kodansha International in 1993, as Blue Bamboo: Tales of Fantasy and Romance, which has been out of print for decades now. The prior translations have been massively revised by the translator, and new material added to make this a book that reveals an intelligent and humorous Dazai seldom encountered in existing English translations.
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Bookwomble
Bookwomble
Blue Bamboo: Tales by Dazai Osamu | Osamu Dazai
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Pickpick

These stories are mostly retellings and adaptations of traditional stories, though the introduction says that Dazai has added much and used the material for his own purposes, which I can't complain about as I enjoyed them all.
There are a couple of stories that aren't strictly fantastical, but that have a kind of dreamy atmosphere to them.
The first and last stories feature the Irie siblings, who entertain each other by writing a fifth of ⬇️

Bookwomble ... a story to see how effectively they can continue the narrative. As they are not all skilled storytellers, what they come up with is uneven, but Dazai makes the “bad“ parts amusingly so. The final story is the Irei take on Rapunzel, and it's interspersed with their bickering and sibling rivalries. I really enjoyed these stories. 4.5 ⭐ (edited) 2y
40 likes1 comment
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Bookwomble
Bookwomble
Blue Bamboo: Tales by Dazai Osamu | Osamu Dazai
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"During the reign of Emperor Gofukakusa, in the first year of the Hōji Era, on the twentieth day of the third month, a mermaid washed ashore at Oura in Tsugaru province."
- The Mermaid and the Samurai

I love the #FirstLine of this short story. Dazai establishes in the mind of the reader a precise historical date and location (nevermind that I've never heard of this emperor, nor the place, nor know whether they are historical or fictional), ⬇️

Bookwomble ... aiding the suspension of disbelief for the fantastical element, compelling you to keep reading. A technique to enjoy in fiction, and to beware of in polemic.
This is the third story in the collection, which I'm enjoying so far 🙂 2y
Bookwomble Ha! The story is about the very serious and respectable samurai not being believed about his encounter with the mermaid 😄 2y
Bookwomble Or, is it about that? I really should finish a story before commenting! I apologise for the rambling, nonsensical nature of this post 🙄😔 2y
The_Book_Ninja If you can‘t ramble on a literary app, where can you? 2y
33 likes4 comments