The Man Without Talent

Yoshiharu Tsuge’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece, originally serialized in Japan in the 1980s, follows a struggling, emotionally detached artist who drifts through odd jobs and failed schemes, all while grappling with his own creative paralysis. This single-volume edition from The New York Review of Books, translated by Ryan Holmberg, collects the entire story in English for the first time, offering a stark, unflinching portrait of post-war Japanese life. Tsuge’s delicate, observational linework and bleakly humorous storytelling make this a landmark work of alternative manga, essential for understanding the genre’s literary potential.