May 22, 2025, 9:30am
According to the powers that be (er, apparently according to Dan Wickett of the Emerging Writers Network), May is Short Story Month. To celebrate, for the third year in a row, the Literary Hub staff will be recommending a single short story, free* to read online, every (work) day of the month. Why not read along with us? Today, we recommend:
Osmamu Dazai, “Shame”
There’s nothing better than a story that starts with “Oh my god, I’ve done something horrible.” You know you’re in for a fun one. This piece by Osmamu Dazai starts with just such a regretful bang, and turns into a combination of “The Purloined Letter,” British farce, and Kristen Arnett’s “Am I The Literary Asshole.”
There’s a lot of shame sloshing around this story, fittingly, but Dazai puts his finger on two very specific fears of mine: giving another writer a terrible note, and looking like a fool in front of someone you admire.
I’m not really making the sale here, but trust me, you’re going to enjoy this story. Just know there’s a reason it’s called “Shame.”
The story begins:
Kikuko, I’ve shamed myself. I’ve shamed myself terribly. To say it feels like my face is on fire, is not enough. To say I want to roll in a meadow screaming my lungs out, doesn’t do this feeling justice. Listen to this verse from 2 Samuel in the Bible: “And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.” Poor Tamar. When a young woman is shamed beyond all redemption, dumping ashes on her head and crying her eyes out is a proper response. I know just how she felt.
Kikuko. It’s exactly as you said: novelists are human trash. No, they’re worse than that; they’re demons. Horrible people. Oh, the shame I brought on myself! Kikuko. I kept it secret from you, but I’ve been writing letters to Toda-san. Yes, yes, the novelist. And then, eventually, I met him, only to bring this horrible shame upon myself. It’s so insane.
*If you hit a paywall, we recommend trying with a different/private/incognito browser (but listen, you didn’t hear it from us).