No Longer HumanNo Longer Human
Score Classic
What it's about
Oba Yozo feels unable to understand other people. From childhood through high school, where he plays the clown to hide his alienation, to a failed suicide attempt as an adult, he records life's casual cruelties without sentimentality.
Why it's worth reading
It's a stark, unflinching portrait of alienation from the Japanese writer Osamu Dazai.
You'll love it if you liked
The Stranger
Notes From the Underground
The Bell JarGood to know
It deals with suicide and depression. It's a translation from Japanese.
By the numbers
- Readers38 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller35 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #65 of the 87 horror books we rank
- #755 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2395 of the 3,057 books we rank
Reads as
Dark, Gripping
If you like this, read next
The Stand
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Different SeasonsExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is No Longer Human worth reading?
Yes. It's a stark, unflinching portrait of alienation from the Japanese writer Osamu Dazai. It ranks #2,395 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is No Longer Human about?
Oba Yozo feels unable to understand other people. From childhood through high school, where he plays the clown to hide his alienation, to a failed suicide attempt as an adult, he records life's casual cruelties without sentimentality.
How long does it take to read No Longer Human?
About 4 hours (177 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after No Longer Human?
If you liked it, try The Stranger by Albert Camus, Notes From the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky or The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.