I know! It’s about time I got around to reading the Booker shortlisted A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki! I don’t know why I put it off for so long. It’s a book that checks all of my boxes: Zen buddhism, the Pacific Northwest, a lost diary and fleeting references to Proust – yes, yes, yes and yes! And yet, while I really enjoyed the novel, I did not love it and I can finally understand why it did not win the Booker.
A Tale for the Time Being is about Ruth who finds a red diary washed up on the shore of one of the gulf islands in British Columbia. Part of the story is about her life on the island while reading diary, the other part of the story is the diary itself. It belonged to Nao, a Japanese-American teenager forced to move back to Tokyo from California after her dad looses his job. Somehow (the 2011 tsunami?) the diary has made it to the west coast of North America.
I found the parts about Nao to be absolutely captivating. The diary recounts the bullying she experiences at school, her family’s problems and the amazing life of her 104 year old great-grandmother. Unlikely as it sounds, perhaps the most interesting part was the summer Nao spent in a Buddhist monastery with her aged great-grandmother.
Less interesting to me were the parts dealing with Ruth’s life. Perhaps that would have been better served as a framing story, rather than a full half of the book.
Who would like this book? I think A Tale for the Time Being would make a particularly good book club read. There is a lot to talk about, especially when the book delves into more philosophical territory. The book also does a wonderful job at providing glimpses at parts of Japanese life I knew little or nothing about. I was also fascinated by the parts that were about a kamikaze pilot during WWII and the training he had to undergo. My question for you is this: would Haruki Murakami be a good follow up to this book? I’ve never read Murakami (major oversight!), but as Japan’s most eminent writer, perhaps I should.
52 books or bust 
I’ll definitely keep this one on my “book club potentials” list!
I just started reading this book and the beginning captivated me but when it got to Ruth, it’s just not that interesting. I keep waiting for Nao to come back. Thought it was just me.
I really loved Murakami’s 1Q84, so I think it could be a good follow up to this book. It was a little odd, but I thought the writing was beautiful. I also enjoyed the glimpse of modern Japanese life.
Maybe I’ll start with 1Q84 then. People loved it, but then people love Murakami!
The 2 moons and Proust and his novel also star in 1q84 (which i rated 1/5 😉
1/5? That doesn’t sound too promising for 1Q84! Maybe I won’t be so quick to pick it up. i think people who like Murakami LOVE him and everyone else is left kind of cold.
Re the 1/5 …. I enjoyed the first of 3 books. But he does not follow through. He builds up and builds up and leaves you With nothing. And nothing is not much to be left With after 1200+ pages 😉 !
I agree with you! Nao’s story was addicting. Ruth’s was a little dull, but it was okay. I just looooved Nao! She’s captivating!
Oh, and have you read Elegance of the Hedgehog? It’s kind of similar, you might like that one, too!
I think i am the one person in the history of the world who did not like Elegance of the Hedgehog. I didn’t even finish it. Maybe it was a case of wrong book, wrong time?
Maybe. It was a tougher read. Don’t discount it for a later try again! You might enjoy it more at another time.
I liked Tale For Time Being but like you and others I thought the parts about Ruth made the book flag a little. I’d thoroughly recommend 1Q84 – I thought it was a great book and a much better read than Time Being.
The 2 moons and proust appearing in both was interesting 🙂