There were actually many things I liked about this book. I related a lot from the content of what Dazai put, specifically around hiding emotions for different reasons. But the most notable thing I enjoyed was how random it was. In a sense, it's about Dazai's life, specifically like how No Longer Human is, and the author/main character is supposed to be him, in mid-sentence in the book, he'll rewrite it, or actually tell the reader to forget what was written down, as if this book is simply just a diary.
Master of caricature! I think I'm finally losing patience with myself. Is this a dime novel or what? I had hoped for this scene to serve as something of an antidote for my tense nerves, and for yours too, dear reader, but that last bit was way too cheesy. If this book does become a classic - goodness, have I lost my mind?
Just as the title says, just small stories about people from a neighborhood, with some characters interlocking through other stories as in real life. The stories don't need to make sense all the time or be thoroughly complete, as, like in real life, most of the time we only get one small piece of a seemingly larger puzzle we know nothing about.
Honestly one of the best philosophy books I've ever read. I highlighted so many different paragraphs that I loved, and learning so much only made me want to dive deeper into the subject. Not only that, I think it's a very important book to read, as it teaches you about critical thinking, how to make good arguments, listen well, and become a better person.
I have an interesting story behind this book before my review starts. When I first learnt about the Holocaust when I was about fourteen by looking around on Wikipedia, and I went to my mom asking if she knew what it was, she pivoted, and looked like "It's time for the talk." After a brief lesson on what the Holocaust was, she told me, "You're skipping school tomorrow and coming to the mall with me."
She bought me Night and just simply told me to read it that day. I started in the ride home, and never stopped this memoir. As you're reading it, and you're reading it as if you're experiencing it for the first time, I see why my mom bought it for me the very next day I asked about the Holocaust and what happened.
In my opinion, I think this is one of the most vital books about the Holocaust that's ever been written, and it's one everyone needs to read at least once in their entire lives.