Book reviews of "Seicho Matsumoto's Showa" by Kiwamu Sato and Takeshi Shiota / Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Nishinippon Shimbun, Kodansha Gendai Shinsho

The magnitude of Seicho's presence is deeply ingrained in me. Even if asked, I could never write a book like this.
It was through this book that I first learned of the scenes witnessed by Seicho Matsumoto, who spent his impoverished childhood in Kokura. <Omitted>
The childhood of the "national writer" that this book sheds light on conveys to the reader a deep sadness and beauty that transcends being a local memory of the Showa era, feeling like the lost original landscape of Japan itself.
The author states, "His life was more dramatic than any work he wrote." That may indeed be true. However, one could also put it this way: based on vast amounts of material, with cold-eyed observational skills, and condensing the humanity and pathos that flowed through the Showa era, this book itself, while being a biography of Seicho, resembles a novel written by Seicho. In any case, this book is fascinating. Seicho Matsumoto is here.

By analyzing vast amounts of material, updating key episodes, and layering precise considerations, the author has brilliantly captured the true image of "Seicho Matsumoto the human," who freely traversed between fiction and reality, the present and the past. This will surely be a valuable volume not only for beginners but also for seasoned fans. <Omitted>
The work is also meticulous in terms of numbers, such as converting any monetary amounts mentioned in the text into modern values and providing tables summarizing the circulation of Kappa Novels and Shincho Bunko.
The author's keen insight that "Seicho considered things like the 'human karma' depicted in social mystery novels to be the source that moves Japanese politics and history" made me straighten my back as a novelist.