Book reviews

Diary of a Mad Old Man
Junichiro Tanizaki Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography History
Junichiro Tanizaki Books
New book search
Junichiro Tanizaki Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Diary of a Mad Old Man
"Seventy-seven-year-old Utsugi, a retired businessman, is the protagonist and diarist of this book. Various aches and pains plague him, but his spirits are buoyed by a growing erotic obsession with his daughter-in-law, Satsuko, a former nightclub dancer married to his workaholic son. She carelessly flirts with Utsugi off and on. This short novel alternates between descriptions of our hero's haggling with the medical establishment and various medicines, fights with his wife and family, and encounters with Satsu. _Diary of a Mad Old Man_ was published in 1965, late in the great Japanese novelist's career, but its theme of the relationship between sexual desire and the will to live is familiar in much of his other work."
David Loftus, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Diary of a Mad Old Man
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - 1960's-1970's
Romance/Romance Problems Yes
Family, struggle with Yes
Struggle with: - Daughter - In-laws - Wife
Family, caring for ill Yes
Who is sick? - Father
because he/she is - physically ill
Kind of sex: - incest
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Taboo sex story? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - business executive
Age: - long lived adults
Eccentric/Mental Yes
Eccentric: - eccentric - obsessed - deluded - emotionally unstable
Ethnicity/Nationality - Japanese
How sensitive is this character? - soggy whimpering jelly muffin
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - physically sick

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 2 (a little)
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - Japan
City? Yes

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references - descript of kissing
Unusual Style: - written like a journal/diary/letters
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to Diary of a Mad Old Man
Family Pictures by Sue Miller
The Box Garden by Carol Shields
Love Story by Erich Segal
Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews
Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay


Click here for more information about this book




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Literature books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal story

Crime & Police story

Ethnic/regional/gender life

Exploring into the wild

Family, caring for ill

Family, loving relations

Family, struggle with

Internal struggle/realization?

Job/Profession/Status story

Kids growing up/acting up?

Political/social activism

Poverty, surviving

Pregnancy/Child rearing

Religion theme?

Romance/Romance Problems

Sports Story?

War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
Feedback
About us
Bribe your congressman!
Rudy Giuliani



Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Online Dating Advice
Martina Cole 8:24:18 PM
Deric Longden 7:39:45 PM
Suzanne Collins 6:06:30 PM
Cornelia Funke 4:57:17 PM
Erin Hunters 3:31:47 PM
Jeanette Walls 2:53:10 PM
Jung Chang 2:00:42 PM
Robert Stanek 1:16:21 PM
Aline Countess of Romanones 1:03:45 PM
Lisa G. Brown 11:07:56 AM
Patricia Cornwell 9:40:20 AM
Jane Yolen 2:54:03 AM
Southampton Row 12:26:19 AM
Ann Brashares 12:02:10 AM
Teri Woods 11:38:55 PM
Libba Bray 6:12:00 PM
Harlan Coben 2:48:19 PM
Norah Lofts 9:41:08 AM
Judith McNaught 2:51:34 AM
Harry Turtledove 11:40:44 PM

More message boards