Osamu Dazai (Author) Shuji Tsushima (1909-1948), better known by his pen name Osamu Dazai , was a Japanese writer. Many of his works, including the novel No Longer Human (1948) and the novella Schoolgirl (1939) are considered modern classics in Japan. His life was marred by addiction, depression and impoverishment, but his works soared in popularity, particularly in the post-war years. He died by suicide in 1948. Polly Barton (Translator) Polly Barton is a literary translator and writer. Her translations from Japanese to English include the bestselling Butter by Asako Yuzuki, The Woman Dies and Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda, and There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura. Her translation of Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa was longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025. Barton has also written the books Fifty Sounds and Porn: An Oral History, and her debut novel What am I, a Deer? is out in 2026.