Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927), art name Chōkōdō Shujin, was a Japanese writer, novelist and essayist. His works focus on basic problems of art and the artist. He active in the Taishō period in Japan. He is regarded as the "father of the Japanese short story", and Japan's premier literary award, the Akutagawa Prize, is named after him. He committed suicide at the age of 35 through an overdose of barbital.

Wisdom & Quotes

• I may be a lunatic, but then, wasn't my lunacy caused by a monster that lurks at the bottom of every human mind? Those who call me a madman and spurn me may become lunatics tomorrow. They harbour the same monster.

Rebecca West