I have a tremendous interest in Asian culture, and bought this book for myself on a whim. It turned out to be a lucky choice. Oda Sakunosuke wrote in the period prior to and during WWII. He was one of the "Hooligan School" of writers in Japan and his stories are perhaps too revealing and unflattering for the times in his country. This book has an introduction by the translator, Burton Watson, which, while brief, is highly informative. I loved this book.