Justice with a Smile
A Novel
Osamu Dazai author Michael Day translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Tuttle Publishing
Published:5th May '26
£13.99
Supplier delay - available to order, but may not be available until after 5th June 2026.
A powerful novel of self-discovery from the author of No Longer Human—now available in English!
Young Susumu is at a turning point. Should he continue his education or chase his dream of becoming Japan's most famous actor? And how can he succeed with his father dead, his mother bedridden and an older brother who is a dropout?
Based on the diary of a real-life actor, Susumu's dilemma becomes a uniquely powerful tale of teenage angst and survival.This novel, translated into English for the first time, explores the self-destructive dynamics that are a hallmark of Dazai's fiction, but from a different viewpoint—that of a bright eyed teenager.
The bold, contemporary translation by Michael Day delivers an unforgettable new protagonist for Dazai's many fans.
"Readers familiar with Dazai's celebrated fiction of despair, such as No Longer Human, might be surprised by the relative hopefulness of this droll portrait of a young Kabuki actor […] Though he's pessimistic, he continues to persevere, and Day's plainspoken translation enhances the character's entertaining voice. This will give the author's fans much to ponder." —Publishers Weekly
"Justice with a Smile is sharper and more hopeful than much of Dazai's work. If you're curious to see a different side of him, or if you want to sit inside the teenage mind in all its contradictions, this one is worth your time." —Life She Loves, ARC Reviewer
"A contemporary translation that transforms Dazai's 84-year-old original into a universal coming-of-age narrative […] The teen protagonist's struggles with hopes, goals, and reality, made particularly accessible with Day's translation, will certainly resonate with teens." —Booklist
ISBN: 9784805318720
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 190g
160 pages