In fact, he turned his back on a career in sumo wrestling to write. He died in 1992 at the age of 46. This collection, translated by Andrew Rankin, was written between 1977 and 1981. Each tale is marked by tragic fatalism and an explosive fury which tears up its otherwise picturesque imagery. Recurring motifs such as chirping cicadas and a blind bird's fragility are juxtaposed against violent sex and psyches so badly scarred they often beg for the sweet relief of death.
Autobiographical elements fill each of the vividly composed ballads.
Other times, the tales are unmistakable allegories from Nakagami's tumultuous domestic life. It's a powerful, if masochistic read. A Dog don't beat you down as much as mess with your head. Imagine a quirky, Eastern version of the labyrinths of Jorge Luis Borges. The tone is less sinister than you might expect, but infused with an acute, critical restlessness.