Sunday, May 3, 2015

Pixies, Dragons, and Buried Giants: Kazuo Ishiguro Visits Houston


It should have taken forty-five minutes, but it took an hour and a half.


Though I was a few minutes late, the ushers still let me in. I didn't miss anything; the program was late starting. Soon author Kazuo Ishiguro (he likes to be called "Ish," we were told) was introduced. He moved from Japan to England when he was five. Ishiguro has written six novels including The Remains of the Day, The Artist of the Floating World, and Never Let Me Go. He read from his latest novel, The Buried Giant, for about thirty minutes.


 Then there was a thirty minute question-answer session. Author Robert Cremins from UH interviewed Ishiguro. Ishiguro said that he began Buried Giant with the idea of remembering and forgetting. When he had finished his first draft, he gave it to his wife to read. She said, "None of this can survive." 


Interviewer Robert Cremins said Ishiguro has been said to "familiarize the strange."



 Ishiguro said he is influenced by the figure of the cowboy: he doesn't fit in, but he continues to press on with his mission. 


The Buried Giant. Here's my review. Thank you, Inprint and Kazuo Ishiguro, for a great evening.

What is the Sunday SalonImagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them,and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. Click here to join the Salon.

The Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news and recap the past week.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share books that we found in our mailboxes last week.  It is now being hosted here.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which you can share the books you've acquired.

16 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Yes. I feel so fortunate to live near Houston where there are monthly author events. It takes a lot of effort to make myself go after a long day at work, though.

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  2. Jealous...

    ...again. :) Since I've had such bad luck getting to see an author live yet...

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  3. What fun! Love the photos....thanks for sharing; and thanks for visiting my blog.

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  4. I Saw him last March at the University of Michigan, and I also read most of his books, including THE BURIED GIANT. My review is quite different from yours.

    Many readers, like me, preordered THE BURIED GIANT on the basis of Kazuo Ishiguro's previous books and his reputation as one of our greatest living authors. Therefore, it sure is difficult to rate the book honestly. Because, honestly, THE BURIED GIANT disappoints. That's an understatement.

    What was Ishiguro doing? Obviously, this tells the story of an old man and his wife traveling (walking) to where their son is (anxiously awaiting them, they are sure) in post-King-Arthur England. Most reviews call this a fantasy, probably because of the dragon and sprites in the story. Actually, though, as James Wood says in THE NEW YORKER, this story is an allegory.

    Here's what I think Ishiguro was doing. I think he was experimenting. I also think this experiment failed.

    Some readers may give THE BURIED GIANT a high rating. I think that's because it is so difficult to be negative about Ishiguro. He's a brilliant author, so if I dislike his book, the fault must be mine, they think. Right?

    But, honestly, most adults will be bored and may not want to finish THE BURIED GIANT unless, like me, they can hardly believe they dislike an Ishiguro book.

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    Replies
    1. I'd have to say I was disappointed. I think you are right. I think his experiment failed.

      Thank you for sharing these thoughts about his book.

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  5. Ish. I like it. I just got his new one. He read for 30 min? That is a long time.

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    Replies
    1. I thought it was a long time. I'd already read the book, so I knew the part of the story he was reading.

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  6. Ish. I like it. I just got his new one. He read for 30 min? That is a long time.

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  7. Oh I am so jealous and so glad that you got there, even though you were late. Was there an accident or just commuter traffic backups? I think his book just moved to the top of my list. Thanks

    My Sunday Salon

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    Replies
    1. It was an accident. Very frustrating to sit in traffic for such a long time. Life in Houston, unfortunately.

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  8. Thanks for sharing details on this splendid evening. I'm a big fan of Ishiguro's. Though I havent read his latest book -- I have read three of his other novels, which were all great. He's amazing for sure. Lucky you!

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    Replies
    1. I'm not sure that I'd recommend it if it weren't Ishiguro's.

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  9. Oh wow, what an amazing opportunity!

    Deb

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  10. Thanks for the photos .I felt like I rode along! I have bought the book to "put on my stack." You gave it three stars, betcha' the lit major in me gives it four! Rae

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