Ludino Cveće

by Osamu Dazai

Prevod s japanskog Mateja Matić

Priča o Jozou Obi nije gotova. Šta je u romanu Nečovek laž, a šta istina? Gde se krije pisac? Ludino cveće pripoveda o Jozoovim danima provedenim u primorskom sanatorijumu i pruža odgovor na to pitanje. Kao mladić od oko 25 godina, važio je za poseban slučaj u pomenutoj ustanovi, gde se oporavljao nakon prvog pokušaja samoubistva, kao jedini preživeli od dvoje mladih, koje je policija izvukla iz mora. Dazai je, u stvari, 13 godina ranije (1935), pre Nečoveka, napisao još jedan kratak roman o svom, tada još nepoznatom, osetljivom i ženstvenom junaku.

Dok u Nečoveku, pisac prodire u najmračnije uglove ljudske svesti, u ovoj noveli ismeva te iste emocije: ludosti i teškoće u mladosti, ljubav, samomržnju i depresiju. Zbirka Ludino cveće je ujedno i mračno i duhovito delo, i pravi je biser u majstorskom opusu Osamu Dazaija.

Pored ovog kratkog romana, zbirka sadrži još šest pripovedaka savršno uklopljenih u celinu („Igračke”, „Bog laži”, „Lapot”, „Osam pogleda na Tokio”, „Novčanica”, „Čekićanje”) koje prate Dazaijev život od najranijih dana, pa sve do posleratnog perioda.

„Dobro, dosta više. Nije lepo sebe zajebavati. To dolazi od slomljenog ponosa. Zabijam klin u svoje telo pre nego što iko drugi stigne da to uradi. To je kukavički. Moram postati iskreniji. Skromniji. Jozo Oba. U redu, smejte se. Mačka koja se pretvara da je lav. Ko me provali, provali me. Ima i boljih imena, ali nisu za mene. Šta, da se nazovem – ja? Pa zar vam nisam napisao roman na proleće gde se isto zovem ja?“

Osamu Dazai (Šuđi Cušima) jedan je od najznačajnijih japanskih pripovedača i romansijera XX veka. Rodio se 1909, a u ponoć 13. juna 1948, teško bolestan od tuberkuloze, napisao je testament i bacio se u reku, zajedno s Tomie Jamazaki, s kojom se slučajno upoznao u kafani. Njihova beživotna tela pronađena su 19. juna, na piš-čev 39. rođendan. Pre toga je dvaput pokušao da izvrši samoubistvo udvoje. Potiče iz stare aristokratske porodice i kao student ušao je u komunistički pokret, u koji se brzo razočarao. Postao je narkoman, izdao je drugove i predao se policiji. Osećaj krivice počinjenih grehova postaće jedna od bitnih tema njegove književnosti. Njegova prva knjiga priča Pozne godine (1936) nominovana je za uglednu nagradu Akutagave, posle čega je ste-kao ugled vesnika novog senzibiliteta. Objavio je tri kraća romana: Novi Hamlet, Trči, Melos!, Cugaru, u kojima se ukrštaju antičko doba i savremena istorija, Istok i Zapad. Njegov poslednji roman Nečovek (1948) posvećen je agoniji otuđenog čoveka.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Japanese Literature, Japan, Literary Fiction, Mental Health, Asian Literature

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Osamu DAZAI (native name: 太宰治, real name Shūji Tsushima) was a Japanese author who is considered one of the foremost fiction writers of 20th-century Japan. A number of his most popular works, such as Shayō (The Setting Sun) and Ningen Shikkaku (No Longer Human), are considered modern-day classics in Japan.
With a semi-autobiographical style and transparency into his personal life, Dazai’s stories have intrigued the minds of many readers. His books also bring about awareness to a number of important topics such as human nature, mental illness, social relationships, and postwar Japan.

Reviews

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The part when Dazai told me to look in the mirror if I wanted to see a clown really spoke to me

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be summed up like that old meme: Men will literally write a whole novella about needing therapy instead of going to therapy. To be fair, that truly is a major theme to Osamu Dazai’s marvelously misanthropic and metafictional The Flowers of Buffoonery. And besides, the writing is so exquisite its practically therapeutic in its own right. A brief, autobiographical romp of dark humor, scathing sensitivity and self-reflection, The Flowers of Buffoonery carries the reader along the mental spiralings of Ōba Yōzō, the narrator of Dazai’s beloved classic novel No Longer Human, as he recovers in a sanatorium following a suicide attempt. ‘Welcome to Sadness. Population one,’ he quips. Published in 1935, it is a functional prequel to the 1948 No Longer Human and is an early look at Yōzō’s self-assessment that ‘I barely qualify as human.’ Through a deep soul searching that becomes a bitter—yet often comedic—self-deprecating journey, Dazai winks at the reader through the semi-autobiographic narrative to examine the masks we wear and the distractions into debauchery we drive ourselves in order to escape pain. It is a beautiful book but ‘beautiful feelings produce bad literature,’ the narrator insists and can never come to trust his own writing—the more gorgeous the writing, the greater his disdain for it. ‘I’m a real life artist,’ he tells us, ‘not a piece of art,’ yet the prose soars and scorches into an endlessly readable, introspective work that shines like fine art from the wasteland of the self and The Flowers of Buffoonery stands on its own as a pristine piece of work from the great Japanese author.

‘If things have truly gone to pieces, it was all part of the plan. If poor taste is what you call a perverse interest in intimidating people, it’s perhaps a fitting term for how I navigate the world.’

Dazai trains his sights on the literary community and fires a barrage of poetic shots that land with devastating power. It’s a brief book, one you can swallow down in a single sit, but the sort that lingers with you and haunts the caverns of your mind. Fans of No Longer Human will appreciate another misadventure with Yōzō and his signature sense of self-criticism and humor, but readers approaching Dazai for the first time will also enjoy his style of anxious insights and dark, yet oddly beautiful perspectives. Dazai holds a magnifying glass to his heart and body of work and, like a child harnessing the sun to burn an ant, turns his own life into a dumpster fire while mocking the flaming wreckage. All while feeling the shame for it:

‘Shame on me for making such a mockery of myself. Blame it on my wounded pride. The fact is that my fear of being ridiculed is so intense I’d rather beat my critics to the punch. That’s the epitome of cowardice.’

There is a sharp criticism of his own work, yet the work is gorgeous and highly intelligent and we can read a sense of mental health struggles and a desire to hide behind self-debasement in order to escape facing the pain of possible criticisms or failure in the eyes of others. Through this the central idea of the routes we run down away from pain becomes painfully clear.

‘Their blood boiled in the wake of this barbaric effrontery, but after a sad moment of reflection, they shook it off as if it were a joke. That was their style.’

The narrator himself becomes a sort of metaficitonal mask for Dazai, able to critique himself from afar through Yōzō’s self criticisms. ‘The perceptive will perceive what I am up to,’ he writes in one of a multitude of moments winking at the reader through the narration. He also teases the unreliability of his narrator, another signature part of his works.

‘I’ve been exploiting my narrative position to hoodwink readers, using this first-person narrator to impart the work with idiosyncratic nuance. I was arrogant enough to think that I could be the first Japanese author to employ such a sublimely Western style. And yet, I failed. But no, even this confession of failure can be counted as part of the novel’s grand design. So you can see, I can’t be trusted. Don’t believe a single word I say.’

This aspect of what roughly amounts to fourth-wall breaking grants a rather spirited “buffoonery” to this novella that makes it register as more playful than No Longer Human though, despite the shared narrator, the two works each read as stand-alones with their own unique aims and cadences rather than what we would consider a “prequel/sequel” cohesiveness. In part because they are written over a decade apart while Dazai is invested in different artistic aims and also because the elusive quality of this little novella as it wiggles and squirms away from critical analysis while also directing your critiques by casting the first stones at himself. Furthermore, art and analysis is far more the focus here than the autobiographical storytelling of Human.

‘Art is a proverbial turd…Trust me, dear reader, if I were to present you with a real-life artist, you would puke before you made it through but three lines of description, guaranteed.’

But that elusiveness is all part of the escape from pain and while we might criticize the narrator he reminds us we should turn that criticism back on ourselves. ‘We’re all a bunch of clowns,’ he writes, ‘if you want to see a farce, look in the mirror.’ He observes the fragility of human nature and expounds upon it, from artists who write to hide behind words he finds to be faulty and false, or even the youth and their strong opinions are just a front for insecurity as they ‘hide behind a laugh.’ This was a theme in Dazai’s The Beggar Student, another brief novella I had read directly before this one (same day actually) and found the two worked well in commentary with each other, though it also made me appreciate this one more and found Student a bit lighter in comparison.

‘A man crushed by reality puts on a shadow of endurance. If that's beyond your comprehension, dear reader, then you and I will never understand each other. Life's a farce, so we might as well make it a good one.’

I greatly enjoyed The Flowers of Buffoonery and found the playfulness of it—which, granted, is largely dark humor and scathing self-criticism—to make it really soar through the heart and mind. Also a big shoutout to Emily’s review for inspiring me to read this. A quick read loaded with insight and wit, Dazai never fails to dazzle me.

4.5/5

‘I guess I’ll never be a great writer. I’m a softy. I’ll admit it. At least we’ve figured that much out. A softy through and through. But in my softness I find peace, however fleeting. Ah, it doesn’t matter anymore. Forget I said anything. It would seem the flowers of buffoonery have shrivelled up at last.’

[Bella Azam · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What part of what you see here is carefree? If only you could understand the sadness of the ones who grow delicate flowers of buffoonery, protecting them from but the slightest gust of wind and always on the verge of despair!"

"Excuse me but I have to intervene. Otherwise I wont be able to continue. This novel is a total mess. Im making myself dizzy. Yozo is too much for me, and Kosuge is too much for me, and Hida is too much for me as well"

I laughed, i cried, i smiled, i suffered, i found the broken pieces

Rather than following daily life of Yozo Oba, our protagonist of No Longer Human, staying in the sanatorium after a failed suicide attempt with Sono, his girlfriend (who unfortunately passed away), Dazai self interject himself at every corner commenting how bad this work is, yet masterfully give you the pitying look of Yozo and his friends, trying to make lighthearted of the despairing life.

This short novella is a companion to his depressing work, No Longer Human, it sheds more light on Dazai as a writer than Yozo as a character. Its like a self confessional letter rather than a story, its like Dazai was talking to you in his funny little ways. This was funny despite some heavy content.

I desperately believe that Dazai may found solace even just a moment in writing this or perhaps its an outlet for his inner thoughts. This was written 13 years before No longer human thus showing how different he was in earlier year of his career than his later years

dark humor and lighter in tone, this "prequel" showed Dazai's flairs in being witty, charming and also immature as this story was his first entry for Akutagawa Prize he was so desperate to win. he is very bitter when he didnt win, as childish as he can be, it was funny how in denial he was, he even wrote a raging long letter to Yasunari Kawabata, the judge of the prize (HAH, god this man is so petty)

Dazai shamelessly breaking the fourth wall in this story. His cynical insertion of self consciousness of his arts and him as a writer, sarcastic and depressing all at the same time make me laugh. What a novel.

Blunt, disjointed narratives, scattered thoughts and the off tangent remarks by Dazai were present in every chapters. Even dazai himself confessed this is a terrible novel but also him predicted that it will be masterpiece for generations. He was not wrong though because No longer human, his last novel IS the greatest japanese literature of all time behind Soseki's Kokoro.

To fully grasp the story, do read No longer human first and understand Yozo better not just as a character but the reflection of Dazai's mental state in that book and you will know how hard hitting this book is. This was a beautifully depressing exploration of life as a fragile human which may not be for all. But its my personal dearest books.

Thank you to ND Publishing for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine

[Helga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to sadness. Population one.

Sardonic, humorous and at the same time disturbing is how I would describe this story.
The story itself is about the suicide of a young man and his lover. The lover drowns while the young man survives, is taken to a sanatorium where two of his close friends join him to keep him company and lift his spirits.
The author himself makes his presence felt by sporadically stopping the narrative to clarify, explain, contradict and counter-contradict himself.

Welcome to darkness. Population none.

But the light and nonchalant tone of the book is a cover, hiding darkness and despair.
What makes the story painful is the fact that Dazai had a history of numerous failed attempted suicides, one of which was a double with a woman who drowned.
Eventually in 1948, he succeeded in his attempt by drowning himself along with his mistress.
He was 38 years old.

We’re all a bunch of clowns. If you want to see a farce, look in the mirror.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What part of what you see here is carefree? If only you could understand the sadness of the ones who grow the delicate flowers of buffoonery, protecting them from but the slightest gust of wind and always on the verge of despair!”

Buffoonery. Now that's a word we don't use nearly enough these days. The buffoonery in this very short novel (written in 1935, but only now available in English translation) is on display in a sanitarium where our protagonist is recovering from a failed drowning suicide attempt made with a woman who succeeded. The buffoonery is small-talk, jokes, laughter, between friends and family who are there to visit, all meaningless distraction from what has happened, from the true agony and pain.

The buffoonery also is enacted by the author himself, who appears repeatedly, breaking the fourth wall, much like Woody Allen in Annie Hall, conversationally, playfully, discussing his writing and the plot of the story.

It makes for a strange reading experience, and I don't think it necessarily would have worked if this wasn't such a short novel. But after reading a little bit on the novel and the author, I've come to the opinion that Dazai's interjections not only contribute to a contemporary, modern style, but that they are wholly natural. The "story" of the disillusioned young man who survives a dual drowning suicide was taken from Dazai's own tragic life. It's so personal he can't help but break through the artifice of the novel and interject. The novel itself is a flower, distracting from something more real.

Under the buffoonery there is something universal. Those delicate flowers act as camouflage for something that isn't pretty at all, and Dazai gently pulls them back for readers to acknowledge.

[Jessie Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what to say about this one. This book was written in the early 1900s and pushes boundaries on what a novel should look like even for our time. It reads like someone attempting to write a novel but going through a depressive episode so just ends up journaling about how they are a failure and about how terrible this book is. It gets into the mindset that a lot of artists can relate to. When your taste level is greater than you're ability and the self hatred that goes along with that. It breaks the 4th wall at the end of every chapter to go on about how terrible the book is that he is currently writing. It's an exploration of depression. A beautiful piece of art. Not recommended for all. ... It's particularly disturbing when you realize that this author actually committed suicide.

[jaz ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

The unofficial prequel to no longer human, after a failed suicide attempt Yozo Oba wakes in a seaside mental asylum, a short 100 pages packed with unreliable narration, sharp and witty prose that left me wanting more. Unique and so nuanced, a great start to 2024

[Teodora · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐

This felt like the proverbial mental illness all kids these days talk about and it was very fitting because the characters of this novel were also young and even though it's hard to admit, we all have our own hardships regardless of our age. This books shows that there's always more than one way of dealing with one's hardships.
Also, this has been peculiarly beautiful written.

[Steven R. Kraaijeveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

"These boys never really argue. Ever so careful with each other's feelings, they tiptoe from one comment to the next, taking great pains to shelter their own feelings in the process. They'll do anything to avoid being ridiculed. Truly, they're convinced that if they ever did do something hurtful, they'd either have to kill the other guy or die themselves. It's why they avoid conflict as a rule. These friends know all kinds of expressions that could smooth things over. At least ten different gradations for conveying what essentially means 'no.' Long before any type of conflict can emerge, they're exchanging gestures of diplomacy. And while they dance across the surface with their smiles and their handshakes, in their minds they're both saying the same thing: what an idiot!" (23)

As soon as I saw that The Flowers of Buffoonery was going to published by New Directions, I preordered a copy—anything new(ly translated) by Dazai is an immediate buy. The Flowers of Buffoonery follows Yozo Oba—the narrator of No Longer Human, which makes this a prequel (although not in any strict sense)—as he convalesces at a seaside sanitarium following a failed double suicide attempt (his lover did not survive). The story—frequently interrupted by the hypersensitive, insecure, anxious narrator—follows Yozo Oba and a group of friends and family at the sanitarium over the span of four days. Needless to say, there is a great deal of autobiography in the novel, as in No Longer Human; except it is treated here with a touch that, if not lighter, is more humorous, farcical, and explicitly metatextual.

There is a point at which Dazai intervenes in the narrative, which sums it up well: "This pattern of inserting myself as the narrator between scenes, so that I can burden you with endless rants that no one needs to hear, has an ulterior motive. I've been exploiting my narrative position to hoodwink readers, using this first-person narrative to infuse the work with idiosyncratic nuance. I was arrogant enough to think that I could be the first Japanese author to employ such a sublimely Western style. And yet, I failed. But no, even this confession of failure should be counted as part of the novel's grand design. So you see, I can't be trusted. Don't believe a single word I say." This sort of hyperconscious intrusion (reminiscent of the likes of David Foster Wallace [much later]) is so delicate and so prone to failure, if it is not done exceptionally well—and, of course, if anyone can pull it off, it's Dazai. Somehow, he ends up creating a memorable and even a beautiful novel, notwithstanding his own doubts.

"Surely by now, dear reader, you're disgusted with these young men for the carefree way in which they pass the time, as if one among them had not just killed another human being… How cruel of you. What part of what you see here is carefree? If only you could understand the sadness of the ones who grow the delicate flowers of buffoonery, protecting them from but the slightest gust of wind and always on the verge of despair!" (60)

[aleksandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I fear that now I need to read everything that Osamu Dazai wrote.

"I barely qualify as human. Will I ever be a functional member of society? Even as I write these words, I worry how the sentences will sound."

"We’re all a bunch of clowns. If you want to see a farce, look in the mirror."

[Gohnar23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books read & reviewed: 1️⃣7️⃣1️⃣🥖4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
Date: Monday, April 14, 2025
Word Count: 17k Words, EXTREMELY EXTREMELY SHORT, (this is a novella) from the author of 'No Longer Human' which this is like the prequel to that.

╔⏤⏤⏤╝❀╚⏤⏤⏤╗
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡ My 22th read this month (⁠^⁠-⁠^⁠ ⁠)

4️⃣🌟, "It was only natural for Yozo to vacillate when asked about the reasoning behind his suicide — it was everything to him."
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
The Flowers of Buffoonery is a really short novella about the life of Yozo Oba from the aftermath of an failed attempted suicide. With his friends and family making everything a little bit better, positive and lighthearted with many humorous and goofy stories about their life and their reflections to daily living.

Along the way we are immersed into his writing and also his thoughts about not being a good writer (this book is semi biographical so the book is probably referring to both Yozo Oba s a character and the author themselves) yet even then we are reading a well written prose driven narrative of fine lines and humorous but deep meanings..

Though said perhaps unconsciously, it revealed his innermost thoughts. Inside the hearts of these young men, you’ll find nothing but chaos, that and senseless obstinacy.

Yozo was not merely close to god, but like one. Like the goddess of wisdom, Minerva, sending her sacred bird, the owl, out into the dusky sky and laughing to herself at the sight of it all.

i know i literally just finished reading and reviewing 'Normal People' by Sally Rooney 2 hours ago but when i found out that there was a prequel novella to 'No Longer Human', my precious 1948 classic book about insanity, you know i would immediately pick it up

[Hulyacln · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sevgilisi Sono ile denize atladı Yozo Oba.
Suyun tadını çıkarmak için değil; ölmek için.
Amacına ulaşan ise sadece Sono oldu.
Şimdi biz Yozo’yu dinleyeceğiz.
.
İnsanlığımı Yitirirken’in bir önbölümü olarak düşünebiliriz Soytarı Çiçekleri’ni. Yine otobiyografik (Osamu Dazai’ nin her eserinde görebileceğimiz üzere) yine bir şeyler gölgeli. İntihar bir girişim olarak kaldığında ne olur? Soytarılığa mı vurur kişi? Çevresindekiler yine aynı şekilde mi davranırlar ona, aynı hislerle mi bakarlar?
Dağınık -yer yer doğrudan okura hitap ederek- bir anlatımı var Soytarı Çiçekleri’nin. Kısa ve ‘yahu dişe gelir bir şey yok sanki’ diye düşündürebilecek ama İnsanlığımı Yitirirken’i de okuyunca bütünlük sağlayacak bir kitap bu.
.
Zeynep Ebru Okyar çevirisi, Hasiu Kavase kapak görseli ile~

[Afi (WhatAfiReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC.

A tale that is like no other. Dazai's existential crisis is evident in here and it made me really teary.

Review Edited on 7/6/2023

There's something about Dazai's works that catches you in instances that will catch you by surprise. In this semi-autobiography work that Dazai had somewhat inserted his narrations whilst writing the story of Yozo, it showed his mental state at the time and it showed how much writing and art meant to him in ways that he couldn't even understand himself.

"Beautiful feelings make bad literature."

Its quite ironic how something so beautiful can turn out bad and in some sense, it was quite understandable in his circumstances. Flower of Buffoonery was a bit different than No Longer Human, and surprisingly, the fact that this book is written, YEARS before No Longer Human showed how much Dazai had craved accomplishments for his writings, eventho he writes how much he loathes his work very much.

Reading this book is like reading an unfinished journal of a man that is slowly falling in the abyss of madness. Its witty at some parts, quite philosophical - in the sense of his views in art and literature - but also contained emotions that breaks you apart and pulls you into an abyss of darkness with him as well. Dazai is an exceptional writer. Whilst his actions are not the best, his writings never cease to amaze me. There's something bleak and hopeful at the same time , but also reflected how much relatable his writings are to me. Its not a happy book per say, but I do find that I get how much his writings can impact me in instances that I can't really explain. Its liberating but also depressing and thats what makes his works ones that I will appreciate.

I feel that, you will either love or hate this book. Dazai's writing is not for everyone. Not with him starting to disassociate himself and how his views on the world can be narrow, there is also a part of his works that speaks volumes of the voices in the dark, and gives it a structure and a name. Dazai is definitely a character that is not the best and he himself acknowledges it, which makes it more sad to read his works.

"I am horrified by failure. I can't bear to have the secrets of my heart revealed.
I barely qualify as a human. Will I ever be a functional member of society?"

Dazai will always remain one of my fav authors and he is one interesting author to study on. This book is def not for everyone, but personally, it spoke volumes for me. I loved it.

Personal Ratings : 4.75🌟

Biggest thank you to @definitelybooks for this copy! I truly appreciate it.

[spillingthematcha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krótka, ale wspaniała literacko forma. Smutek czuć tutaj w każdym zdaniu.

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Babe wake up, the English translation of the No Longer Human prequel just dropped.

“That’s it, that spot over there.” Yozo pointed at a big, flat cliff that could be seen through the branches of a pear tree. Here and there, yesterday’s snow cling to the divots in the rocks. “That’s where we jumped,” he said, eyes opened wide, as if this were a punchline… Yozo tossed a stone into the water. “It felt great. I knew the second I jumped, my problems would be gone.”

Dear reader… What part of what you see here is carefree? If only you could understand the sadness of the ones who grow the delicate flowers of buffoonery, protecting them for the slightest gust of wind and always on the verge of despair!

[Ali Np · Rating 3 out of 5]

موضوع داستان از اسمش مشخصه: گل‌های لودگی.
پنهان ‌کردن رنج‌ها پُشتِ شوخی‌ها و خندیدن‌ها.
———
راوی خودِ نویسنده‌ست و در عین‌حال که داره داستان «یوزو اوبا» رو برای شما تعریف می‌کنه، بارها وارد می‌شه و شما رو مخاطب قرار می‌ده و با شما حرف می‌زنه! مُدام خودش رو نویسنده‌ای دوزاری خطاب می‌کنه و داستانش رو ضعیف! شوخی‌های ناشیانه‌ای می‌کنه و درواقع خودش هم داره گل‌های لودگی می‌کاره…
نمی‌دونم این ورود‌های پرتکرار راوی برای هر خواننده‌ای خوشایند باشه یا نه. من هیچ حسّی نسبت بهش نداشتم! یعنی نه آن‌چنان تحت‌تأثیر قرارم داد و نه اذیت‌کننده بود. ولی اگر کتاب طولانی‌تر بود قطعاً اعصاب‌خوردکن می‌شد.
———
دوباره با یک اثر اتوبیوگرافیک از دازای طرف هستیم. که به یکی از خودکشی‌های تراژدیک و ناموفقش اشاره داره.
این کتاب درواقع اولین اثر رسمی دازای محسوب میشه که در سال ۱۹۳۵ یعنی در ۲۶ سالگی نوشته شده. یعنی ۱۲ سال قبل از «شایو» و ۱۳ سال قبل از «نه‌آدمی» که دو شاهکار دازای هستند.
به همین خاطر اگر اون دوتا کتاب رو قبل از این کتاب خونده ‌باشید، این کتاب اصلاً به چشم نمیاد. اینجا یک دازایِ خیلی جوان رو داریم که فعلاً لودگی رو در پیش گرفته و روحش هنوز اونقدر زخم‌نخورده و قلمش هنوز اونقدر بی‌رحم نشده که شاهکار خلق کنه.
———
اگر آثار دازای رو خوندید و دوست دارید، این کتاب باعث میشه باز هم لذت ببرید و همچنین روند پختگی قلمش رو ببینید و شگفت‌زده بشید!
اگر هم تازه می‌خواید آثار دازای رو شروع کنید و با قلمش آشنا بشید، کتاب مناسبیه.

[loqueleohoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realmente conecto con la escritura de Dazai como con la de nadie. Hay una frase en el estudio preliminar que resume perfectamente el por qué: "Los personajes de Dazai tratan de entender cómo encajar en un mundo injusto y sin sentido.
El sentimiento trágico de la vida atraviesa sus páginas. Sus palabras nos conmueven tanto porque sentimos que representan una parte de nosotros." No tengo mucho más para decir, Dazai escribe sobre Yozo, sobre él mismo, pero también sobre mí...

[chroniclesofmariana ~ mariana nunes · Rating 1 out of 5]

honestamente não entendi nada deste livro, foi confuso e sem nexo
o próprio autor aparecia de vez enquanto para desabafar e interromper a leitura com devaneios e críticas à sua própria escrita e história dizendo que a mesma era uma treta
fui sem esperanças, e acabei por me surpreender pela negativa. fico com pena.
ps.: o facto de o autor estar sempre a interromper a história para “falar” fez-me imensa confusão e vontade de dar DNF a este livro várias vezes

[Coos Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

En principio, un agradecimiento enorme a la editorial También el Caracol por enviarme un ejemplar.

Este es un libro publicado trece años antes de "Indigno de ser humano", en el que se desarrolla de forma plena un evento que en Indigno solo puede verse brevemente: el intento de suicidio de Yozo Oba. Dicho esto, debo aclarar que no es necesario haber leído Indigno para disfrutar completamente de Flores. En caso de haberlo hecho, solo se retoma este evento específico, y le da mayor profundidad. Y, de no haberlo hecho, van a tener la oportunidad de conocer a Yozo en un momento de gran vulnerabilidad.

Durante la narración vamos a presenciar a Dazai en primera persona acotando, y a veces renegando con su propia escritura. Esos pequeños pasajes son interesantes, ya que se entremezclan con la historia de Yozo y la vida misma del autor. Los textos de Dazai tienen tanta intimidad, que leer una novela suya es casi como leer una biografía de su propia pluma. Sus personajes son un reflejo certero de su paso por la vida, en términos personales e ideales.

Luego de esta pequeña nouvelle, esta edición (que, por cierto, no había sido traducida al español hasta este momento), también posee unos textos breves sobre distintas cuestiones. Mi favorito es "Niño a la moda".

"Flores de la bufonería" es una excelente carta de presentación si no han leído nada de Dazai. Ojalá se animen a leerlo

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Art is a proverbial turd, the byproduct of the socioeconomic complex — .
Trust me, dear reader, if I were to present you with a real-life artist, you would puke before you made it through but three lines of description, guaranteed.’

Shockingly delicious, this. Didn't think I'd prefer this over No Longer Human. But I would have preferred the title to be ‘the flowers of clowns’, or ‘the clown’s flowers’, or even ‘the flowers of clownery’.

‘Buffoonery’ felt kind of ‘forced’; it kills the cheeky musicality of the original title (‘Doke no Hana’, which sounds more ‘playful’, with a fuck-it-we-ball vibe like improvised drumming instead of the muffled, restrained tones produced by the word ‘buffoonery’ — the odd ‘formality’ was just very out-of-place (to me), especially when you look at the translated text as a whole — the translator had used a lot of ‘informal’, and for the lack of a better word, ‘contemporary slangs’ but not necessary ‘cohesive’/fitting choices of diction (in my personal opinion that is)). I’m just being so anal about it; it’s just my ‘taste’/preference, and every reader is bound to experience it all very differently (for better/worse). I particularly enjoyed the atmospheric sublime/absurd. And to clarify, am still a ‘fan’ of this particular translator, truly. Very thankful for the translation and publication of the text in any case; since if I had to read this in Japanese (with my embarrassing level of ‘fluency’), the extra ‘mental’ effort would make it all a lot less pleasurable.

‘— I’d hoped the novel would redeem yours truly, a slimy fox who’s failed to live up to his Byronic ideals. This was my secret prayer, kept hidden in my suffering. But as that fateful day approached, I felt a sense of desolation, so much stronger than before, returning to haunt Yozo and myself. This novel is a failure. It has no climax, no denouement. It seems I paid too much attention to the style. As a result, the story is a heap of purple trash. I bogged it down with lots of things nobody needs to hear. But I also left out lots of vital details. Not to be pompous, but if I live a long life and look back over these pages at some point in the future, I’m sure to be repulsed by what I find. Before I can get through a single page, I’ll shudder with unbearable self-loathing and shut the book. — Beautiful feelings, that’s how we make bad literature. I’ve used this phrase three times now. And you know what? I stand behind it.’

In my perspective, 'The Flowers of Buffoonery' and 'No Longer Human' are considerably different books (and written about a decade apart?) — especially in terms of tone and ‘nuances’ (or at least whatever that was being translated by the translator; and then through my own ‘understanding’ of it all). I would even go as far as to say that I will probably not be interested in any deeper comparisons between the two because the two books are clearly written at very different points of Dazai’s life. They might as well be like artwork that were made by two very ‘different’ people. This one is a lot more ‘playful’ (but still packed with a huge amount of highly self-conscious (and even self-contradicting), dark humour and satire), and the way Dazai fucks with the reader by teasing the barriers between the narrative and the narrator felt very Fleabag. In cinema, one would call that ‘breaking the third/fourth wall’, but I am not sure what the literary term is — a play on meta-narratives? Or is it semi-meta? In any case, I thought that the writing was brilliant.

‘Yozo flopped down on the bed so hard the springs creaked. “If you’re a little shit, I suppose that makes me a pale-skinned romantic. Can’t have that.”

Their blood boiled in the wake of this barbaric effrontery, but after a sad moment of reflection, they shook it off as if it were a joke. That was their style.

I cannot love a woman without smothering her with commentary. Proof that if a man is dumb enough, he can do harm without lifting a finger.

I guess I’ll never be a great writer. I’m a softy. I’ll admit it. At least we’ve figured that much out. A softy through and through. But in my softness I find peace, however fleeting. Ah, it doesn’t matter anymore. Forget I said anything. It would seem the flowers of buffoonery have shrivelled up at last. And shrivelled up into a mean, disgusting, dirty mess while they were at it.’

Surely if read with enough attention, this novel(la) will almost too happily reveal to you its very obvious (almost too obvious) cracks/flaws (which could have been fixed if Dazai had wanted to actually do it, but I think he deliberately chose to leave it as it is). Frustratingly, it makes the readers (or at least me, as a reader) wish that it was longer, and with more substance, but it feels silly to even complain about it since the narrator does tell the readers at some point (if not more than once) that they are soberly aware of how ‘shit’ the writing is (which it’s not, it’s actually quite ‘clever’), and that he (referring to the narrator, but depends on how one chooses to read/view the book, you could also say that the writer/narrator roles are blurred; but I had chosen to separate the two, even if this seems too much like a forcefully done decision, as I think it makes for a less complicated reading experience for me, but I can’t say the same for anyone else) can’t be arsed to ‘improve’ it because he felt like he would never become a ‘literary success’ anyway. Inevitably, and because of what happened (to Dazai), ‘the passing of time’ ages this novel(la) to its advantage (even though it may not have been Dazai’s deliberate intentions). A more thorough review to come later, maybe, not sure, really.

‘If things have truly gone to pieces, it was all part of the plan. — If poor taste is what you call a perverse interest in intimidating people, it’s perhaps a fitting term for how I navigate the world. — Are not all authors the same? So quick to dress up their confessions. I barely qualify as human. Will I ever be a functional member of society? Even as I write these words, I worry how the sentences will sound.’

‘Why do I bother writing novels? Am I lured by the glory of literary celebrity? Or do I simply want to write bestsellers and cash huge checks? Let me spare you the theatrics. I want both. So bad it hurts. But there I go again, another brazen lie. The sort of lie that ties you up in knots when you’re not looking. As despicable and treacherous a lie as they come. Why do I bother writing novels — I had to bring it up. Oh well. At the risk of giving you a pompous explanation, I’ll put it this way. To take revenge. — I’m a real-life artist, not a piece of art. If my odious confessions lend this work a modicum of nuance, all the better.’

[regulus 𓂃۶ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

dazai is really such a pretentious fuck but god can he write

[paige (paigesofbookss) · Rating 1 out of 5]

description: This book starts in a hospital on the seaside where Yozo Oba is checked in after his failed suicide attempt. This story recounts his time in the hospital while friends, family and nurses come and go playing cards, sharing stories and trying to maintain lighthearted conversation.

my thoughts: Ok yikes. Thank goodness this story was less than 100 pages long because I was lost majority of the time. The narrator (our author) interrupted the story too many times and also pointed out that their story was trash - it was. Maybe I missed something and didn’t understand the deeper in depth lesson of this book.. however, even the writing style I found so annoying. I don’t recommend unless you want to cross a quick read off your reading goal.

[~ riv ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️1.7/5⭐️

I don’t get it. I mean, i get it, i just don’t … care?

Here are my favorite quotes to sum up my thoughts on this book:

~ “This novel is a total mess. I’m making myself dizzy.”

You’re making ME dizzy, as well.

~ “This novel is a failure. It has no climax, no denouement. It seems I paid too much attention to the style. As a result, the story is a heap of purple trash.”

Nothing more to say on this one.

[pato]

1934???? i guess it’s technically pre-post-modern then but uhhh it doesnt feel that way - this was a trip

[Sara⋆ฺ࿐ · Rating 3 out of 5]

۳.۵
گل‌های لودگی دازای برای من جالب بود، دقیقا به همون دلیل که خیلی‌ها دوستش نداشتن، اینکه دازای وسط داستان می‌یومد و با مخاطب حرف می‌زد. جدی جالب نیست؟ داری داستانی رو دنبال میکنی و نویسنده از فرط استیصال از پوسته‌ی خودش بیرون میاد و مستقیم نوشته‌های خودش رو نقد میکنه، از دست شخصیت‌ها کلافه میشه و حتی انزجار خودش از کتابش رو بلند فریاد میزنه.
کتاب ۹۲ صفحه است و میشه توی یک نشست خوندش که همین خیلی شیرین کرده بود کتاب رو. چون حقیقتا نمیدونم اگه دازای میخواست حدود دویست صفحه هی غر بزنه چه بلایی سر خودش و کتابش می‌آوردم.
فکر میکنم این کتاب سرگذشت خود دازای بعد یکی از خودکشی‌هاش باشه، روایتی که از طریق یوزو به ما می‌رسه.
من عاشق پایان باز کتاب شدم و راستش دوست داشتم یوزو دوباره پریده باشه، اینجوری قشنگ‌تره =) خلاصه دوستش داشتم و لذت بردم مخصوصا که آخرش یک بیخیال به دازای گفتم چون رو هوا ولم کرد، ولی خیال‌پردازی بعد از پایان زیبا بود.

[od1_40reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written 13 years before, this novella is a little prequel to Dazai’s renowned ‘No Longer Human’.

Centred around a double suicide, it’s a surprisingly joyous and comic read. (Though true to form, the darkness is bubbling away just beneath the surface.) I loved it!

[Hanieh Sadat Shobeiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

و زندگی واقعی قلمرویی‌ست که هرگز دستمان به آن نمی‌رسد...

[Elena Sala · Rating 4 out of 5]

FLORES DE LA BUFONERÍA (first published in 1935) is a short novel published thirteen years before NO LONGER HUMAN, Osamu Dazai's famous, classic novel. Readers of NO LONGER HUMAN (1948) may recall that this autobiographical novel tells the story of Yōzō Ōba, a young man who admits that he is incapable of living amidst other people. He is afraid of them. For this reason he behaves like a clown, like a buffoon. This behavior allows him to connect with others in some way.

One day, Yōzō Ōba and his girlfriend try to take their own lives by drowning. He is miraculously saved, however, the girl drowns. This episode appears briefly near the end of NO LONGER HUMAN: the narrator doesn't dwell on it for long. He offers scant information on it: only three brief paragraphs.

FLORES DE LA BUFONERÍA, which could be roughly translated as "Flowers of Buffoonery", narrates Yōzō's hospitalization after precisely this suicide attempt, so this text complements NO LONGER HUMAN in a very interesting way. The narrating voice is different, though. In this novel we have an intrusive narrator who interferes with increasing- and baffling- frequency and comments on the story or interrupts the protagonist's speech.

Unfortunately, this novel has not been translated into English, as far as I can tell. An Argentinian independent publisher, named También el Caracol, has published this novel's translation together with some essays written by Dazai. Matías Chiappe Ippolito translated all the texts directly from the Japanese language. The edition is absolutely gorgeous too. So if you read in Spanish and you love Dazai's writing, try to get hold of a copy. You won't regret it. Also, do read NO LONGER HUMAN first. In my opinion, your reading will be richer if you do so.

[kit kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Will I ever be a functional member of society? Even as I write these words, I worry how the sentences will sound […] So you see, I can’t be trusted. Don’t believe a single word I say».

[Iva · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Добре дошли в Тъгата. Население - един."

Всички ние сме клоуни. Ако искаш да видиш фарс, погледни се в огледалото. Човек, смазан от реалността, играе шоуто на издръжливостта и силата."

"Животът е безвкусен, пошъл фарс, и при положение, че вече не можем да променим този факт, поне да го превърнем в качествен фарс"

"Добре дошли в Мрака. Население - нула."

Мдааа, любими Дазай...